Clark G. Gilbert called as LDS apostle, shifting focus to education and orthodoxy

Elder Clark G. Gilbert has been called to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a lifetime appointment that places him in the church’s top governing councils and in the line of seniority that eventually determines future presidents. The call was issued on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, and he was ordained on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026, in Salt Lake City.

Gilbert, 55, fills the vacancy created after President Jeffrey R. Holland died on Dec. 27, 2025. The appointment is the first apostolic selection made since President Dallin H. Oaks became church president in October 2025.

The calling and what it changes immediately

In the short term, Gilbert’s move to the Quorum of the Twelve means a wider portfolio and heavier travel, speaking, and administrative demands. Apostles supervise global areas, chair committees, and shape church-wide priorities through consensus decision-making. While seniority typically governs influence in day-to-day assignments, every apostle participates in unanimity-based decisions, giving even junior members meaningful institutional weight over time.

The calling also creates an open question at the Church Educational System: Gilbert has served as commissioner since August 2021, overseeing religious education and church-affiliated higher education, including seminaries and institutes. A successor has not been publicly named as of Feb. 14, 2026 (ET).

Who Clark G. Gilbert is

Gilbert was born in Oakland, California, and spent much of his childhood in Phoenix, Arizona. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University in 1994, later completing graduate study at Stanford and a doctorate in business administration at Harvard.

Before becoming a general authority, he built a career that blended academia, media management, and church education leadership. His résumé includes work as a business professor and senior roles in church-owned media, followed by university administration: he served as president of Brigham Young University–Idaho and then became the founding president of BYU–Pathway Worldwide, the church’s global online higher-education initiative.

He was sustained as a General Authority Seventy in April 2021 and began his commissioner role later that year—two positions that made him a prominent figure for a generation of Latter-day Saints whose church life has been shaped by higher education growth and expanding online religious instruction.

Why the pick is drawing attention

The appointment has generated unusually fast and pointed commentary because it lands at the intersection of two sensitive church conversations: (1) how the church navigates rising secularization and political polarization, and (2) how it manages internal boundaries on doctrine, messaging, and institutional loyalty—especially in education settings.

Gilbert’s public record as an administrator has often emphasized “mission alignment,” consistency in teaching, and a protective posture toward core beliefs. Supporters see that approach as a stabilizing force for youth and families in a fast-changing culture. Critics argue it can narrow the range of acceptable discussion, particularly in university contexts where questions about history, authority, and social issues are frequently raised.

Those tensions are now amplified because apostolic callings tend to be read as signals about long-term direction—especially early in a church president’s tenure.

What it means for LDS education leadership

Because Gilbert’s most recent role sat directly over the Church Educational System, his calling raises immediate questions about continuity and style.

On one hand, his apostolic assignment could keep education near the center of top-level attention—through committee oversight, policy guidance, and the selection of a commissioner who shares his priorities for faith formation. On the other hand, his move also opens an opportunity for a new commissioner to emphasize different operational themes: student mental health supports, academic freedom boundaries, global access and credentialing, or the balance between devotional objectives and professional training.

Even without a named successor, the institutional direction of CES matters beyond campuses. Seminaries and institutes are among the church’s largest youth and young-adult touchpoints worldwide, and curriculum tone often shapes the next generation’s relationship to church history, authority, and engagement with broader society.

The road ahead: visibility and expectations

Gilbert’s next major public milestone is likely to come at the church’s April 2026 general conference, where newly called apostles are typically introduced to the global membership in their new role. After that, he can be expected to take on rotating assignments across continents, with increased visibility in area conferences, leadership trainings, and major institutional events.

The larger question is how his combination of education leadership and culture-focused messaging will translate into apostolic ministry. If his public emphasis remains centered on youth retention, doctrinal clarity, and institutional discipline, his influence could be felt most sharply in curriculum, messaging standards, and church-affiliated education governance. If his priorities broaden, he may become a key figure in expanding global access to religious education and strengthening the church’s international leadership pipeline.

Either way, the appointment is consequential: it elevates one of the church’s most prominent education administrators into the Quorum of the Twelve at a moment when the church is balancing rapid global growth with intense scrutiny over how it teaches, governs, and defines its public identity.