Bruce Van Orden received his bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees from Brigham Young University. Bruce is an emeritus professor of church history and doctrine at Brigham Young University. Earlier he taught in Seminaries and Institutes. He served in the South German Mission from 1965 to 1967. During retirement, Bruce and his wife, Karen, had a seven-year prison ministry. Bruce has served twice as a bishop and four times as a high councilor.  He has served on LDS Church curriculum committees and on the Pioneer Sesquicentennial Committee (“Faith in Every Footstep”). He has published widely on scriptural and church history themes. Bruce and Karen have five children.