Effective Nov. 3, Dr. Marcus H. Martins will become BYU–Hawaii’s new associate dean of Religious Education in the College of Human Development. Martins will assume responsibilities of representation to the University Academic Counsel and provide insights and leadership to the various professors of the Department of Religious Education.
The Brazilian native served as a mission president of the Brazil São Paulo North Mission from 2011 to 2014, with his wife, Mirian Abelin Barbosa. Martins had served in that mission previously when he was younger, and according to him some missionaries had to travel up to three days to reach their new areas.
From experiences of teaching on his mission and courses he has offered at various church institutions, Martins has been involved with several gospel-related projects. He is the author of “Setting the Record Straight: Blacks and the Mormon Priesthood.”
On his YouTube channel, he produces educational videos both in English and Portuguese on church doctrines and teachings. In 2008, Martins appeared in five episodes of the “Messiah.” He has spoken to audiences throughout the United States, Brazil, and Japan, and participated in conferences in China, Malaysia, Singapore, and Qatar.
“One day I decided to put my name in Google, and I found out that someone had written a Wikipedia article about me,” said Martins. After having read the article, he revised the incorrect portions and added more information.
Dr. Keith Lane has served as chair of the Department of Religious Education for over three years. According to Martins and faculty of the department, Lane has done tremendous work in the transition of the new Church Educational System religion curriculum, and has helped shape the Religion Department to what it is today.
Martins is originally from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where his family joined the church in 1972, and his family became prominent among the early Church members. “The Church was small enough that you could talk amongst your own stake, and before you knew it you had ties to most of the members in Brazil,” Martins said.
With massive expansion of the Church in Brazil, Martin’s father, Helvécio Martins, became the Church’s first black General Authority. Martins was the church’s first black full-time missionary and one of the first black members to be ordained to the priesthood.
When talking about his coming responsibilities, Martins said he will “create the organizational and physical climate conducive to research and development.” He said professors are required to have a doctorate or be working towards one to be qualified to teach here. “By extensive research, our professors will then have a greater desire to educate their students.
“The point of BYUH’s religion classes are not for our students to have conversional experiences, but rather we want them to understand what our church’s teachings are and why we practice them. We want them to see all of the dispensations as part of an entire plan that God has created. Having their testimonies strengthened is a by product, but it’s not what we are aiming for. Religious education is our main priority.”
Dr. Daniel Sharp, BYUH Religion professor, said, “You will know everything you need to know in order to make your own religious conclusions through your study of the scriptures, and insights from these classes.”
Junine Wang, a freshman from Hong Kong studying business, said her experience from taking religion classes here on campus has been profound in her life. “Since most of us live in places where the Church isn’t predominately present, we can all come here and be unified through common scripture study. And then we can take that knowledge with us and share it with the world.”
Martins hopes to include the church more in community outreach programs and events, and project a positive image for the church. “In the past, our department brought the Dead Sea Scrolls in and they were featured in the [temple] visitor’s center. We had media from all over the islands here to cover that story. I want to bring these community events back.”