And to Oliver Cowdery, who was also called of God, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to be the second elder of this church and ordained under his hand.

Doctrine and Covenant section 20, verse 3.

Hey listeners, this is Nick from Book of Mormon Central, and today's podcast addresses the question,

why was Oliver Cowdery excommunicated from the church?

After the prophet Joseph Smith, there was no more important witness of the early restoration than Oliver Cowdery.

Except Joseph, he was present during more of the translation

of the Book of Mormon than any other person, and participated in several extraordinary

restoration events. Yet, despite those remarkable spiritual experiences, in 1837, a rift began

to grow between Oliver and Joseph. The second elder of the church would be excommunicated on April 12, 1838, by the High Council in Far West Missouri.

This was a common council of the church, presided over by Bishop Edward Partridge.

The factors that resulted in Oliver's excommunication are many and complex,

and several important facts behind the nine or ten charges that were raised against Oliver

are obscured from our complete view today. However, none of those charges had anything directly

or indirectly to do with Oliver's personal testimony of the Book of Mormon,

which remained firm throughout his lifetime.

It is important to understand that Oliver's excommunication was not an isolated incident.

Nine charges were brought against him, and on the very next day, Apostle Lyman E. Johnson,

and fellow Book of Mormon witness David Whitmer were

both excommunicated on several of the same charges. The three cases were effectively bundled

together, and all three cases were heard by virtually the same judges, none of whom were prominent

leaders in the church. Two of the judges, George Hinkle, who would soon betray the

saints, and George Harris, also volunteered as witnesses. Inevitably, in such a small community,

...