I'm very saddened to lose such a brilliant mind from this earth. Brother Nibley's deeply intellectual and thought-provoking work will require more than a lifetime for this mind to absorb. He will be missed.
He was also an environmentalist. I had the privilege of taking religion classes from Hugh Nibley, as well as hearing him speak in church, and at other informal gatherings. His mind was amazing, he was a brilliant man.
And there are many Democrat Mormons, although I think the numbers may be going down because of the current stances of the Democrat party. If you look at the history of Utah, Democrats really dominated this state for many decades. However, as the Democrats have drifted leftward, the balance of power changed in Utah. Today, it is difficult to get elected if one is a Democrat.
As far as Hugh Nibley goes, his faith in Jesus Christ and His gospel, and his testimony of the Book of Mormon never wavered. He always made stinging comments about the Utah Mormon culture, but never our faith. And that is why he was such a beloved figure.
Gee how you have changed!:)
From the full obituary, still available here.
"A die-hard Democrat in conservative Utah County, he spoke out on controversial and unpopular topics like the futility of loyalty oaths in the midst of the McCarthy hearings and the Vietnam War."