James J Hamula

James J. Hamula was released from his position in the First Quorum of the Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints after disciplinary action. The church did confirm Hamula was no longer a member of the church and that his ouster was not for apostasy or disillusionment. Hamula, 59, who could not be reached Tuesday for comment, was born in Long Beach, Calif., and served in many positions with the Utah-based church — including as a full-time missionary in Germany, bishop, stake president (overseeing a number of LDS congregations), mission president and Area Seventy. Hamula became one of the church’s general authorities in April 2008. These full-time leaders — from the faith’s prophet at the top to its apostles and dozen of members of the First and Second Quorums of the Seventy and Presiding Bishopric — leave behind their careers and work only for the church. They receive a living allowance that the church says is the same across the board for all of them. From 2009 to 2014, Hamula was a member of the Pacific Area Presidency, headquartered in Auckland, New Zealand. Upon his return to church headquarters in Salt Lake City, he served as assistant executive director of the Church History Department from 2014 to 2016. Before his removal, Hamula was serving as executive director of the Correlation Department. According to a biography on the LDS Church’s website, Hamula earned a bachelor’s degree in 1981 in political science and philosophy from church-owned Brigham Young University in Provo, where he graduated magna cum laude. Four years later, he received a master’s in political philosophy and a law degree from BYU. He worked as an attorney until his assignment to full-time church service.