Ken Alford

Dr. Kenneth L. Alford is a professor of Church history and doctrine and Colonel, U.S. Army (Retired).

Background: After serving almost thirty years on active duty in the United States Army, he retired as a colonel in 2008. While on active military duty, Ken served in numerous assignments, including the Pentagon, eight years teaching computer science and information systems engineering at the United States Military Academy at West Point, and four years as a professor of behavioral science and department chair at the National Defense University in Washington, DC. After serving in the England Bristol Mission, he earned a bachelor of arts degree in political science from Brigham Young University, a master of arts in international relations from the University of Southern California, a master of computer science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and a Ph.D. in computer science from George Mason University. He has published and presented on a wide variety of American and Church history, scriptural, pedagogical, computer science, information systems engineering, military science, organizational behavior, and strategic leadership subjects during his career. Ken and his late wife, Sherilee, have four wonderful children and twenty delightful grandchildren.

BYU Courses Taught: Foundations of the Restoration (REL C 225) -- blended and online (co-authored the REL C 225 BYU Online course), Research and Methodology (REL E 595), Doctrine and Covenants (REL C 324 and REL C 325), Pearl of Great Price (REL A 327), Introduction to Family History (REL C 261), Church History Travel Study, Academic Internship (History 199R), and Directed Readings in Church History and Doctrine (Religion C 695R).

BYU Awards and Recognition: Ephraim Hatch Teaching and Learning Faculty Fellowship (2020-2023), Honorary Life Member, Utah State Historical Society (2019—life), Dean's Award for Innovative Teaching (2019), South Carolina Historical Association Biennial Daniel Hollis Prize (2017), Religious Education Teaching Fellowship (2015-2017), Richard Lloyd Anderson Research Award (2015), Mentored Education Research Grant recipient (2013), Harvey B. and Susan Easton Black Outstanding Publication Award (2013), George Q. Cannon Honoree (2010).

Selected books:

• [Forthcoming] William P. MacKinnon and Kenneth L. Alford, On the Overland Trails with William Clark: A Teamster’s Utah War, 1857–1858 (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2025).
• [Forthcoming] Kenneth L. Alford, Mary Jane Woodger, and Mark A. Mathews, Doctrine & Covenants Insights: Capstone of Doctrinal Understanding (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center and Deseret Book, 2024).
• Kenneth L. Alford, Krystal V. L. Pierce, and Mary Jane Woodger, ed., Book of Mormon Insights: Letting God Prevail in Your Life (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center and Deseret Book, 2023).
• William P. MacKinnon and Kenneth L. Alford, Fact, Fiction and Polygamy—A Tale of Utah War Intrigue: A.G. Browne’s ‘Ward of the Three Guardians’ (Salt Lake City: University of Utah Tanner Trust Imprint Series, 2022)
• Kenneth L. Alford, Gaye Strathearn, and Mary Jane Woodger, eds., Old Testament Insights: The Sacrifice of a Broken Heart and Contrite Spirit (American Fork, UT: Covenant Communications, 2021)
• Kenneth L. Alford, Lloyd D. Newell, and Alexander L. Baugh, eds. Latter-day Saints in Washington, DC—History, People, and Places (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center and Deseret Book, 2021)
• Kenneth L. Alford, ed., Saints at War: The Gulf War, Afghanistan, and Iraq (Provo, Utah: BYU Religious Studies Center and Deseret Book, 2020)
• Mary Jane Woodger, Kenneth L. Alford, and Craig K. Manscill, eds., Dreams as Revelation (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 2019)
• Vance Theodore, Kenneth L. Alford, Blake Boatright, and Roger Keller, eds., Out of Obscurity and into the Light—Latter-day Saint Military Chaplains: Development, History, and Ministry (Provo, Utah: Brigham Young University Press, 2019)
• Kenneth L. Alford, ed. Utah and the American Civil War: The Written Record (Norman, Oklahoma: Arthur H. Clark Company, an imprint of University of Oklahoma Press, 2017)
• Kenneth L. Alford and Richard E. Bennett, eds. An Eye of Faith: Essays in Honor of Richard O. Cowan (Provo, Utah: Religious Studies Center and Deseret Book, 2015).
• Kenneth L. Alford, ed. Civil War Saints (Provo, Utah: Religious Studies Center and Deseret Book, 2012).
• Scott C. Esplin and Kenneth L. Alford, eds. Salt Lake City: The Place Which God Prepared (Provo, Utah: Religious Studies Center and Deseret Book, 2011).

Areas of Expertise: Latter-day Saint participation in military conflicts, the American Civil War, the Utah War, the Doctrine and Covenants, the Hyrum Smith Papers, pedagogy, and strategic leadership