Kathleen Flake, a professor of Mormon Studies at the University of Virginia, said the denomination is trying to maintain ancient ideas about sacred objects, relationships, people, buildings, “taking them out of the ordinary in order to facilitate particular experiences.” Opening up the temple “is necessary because of modern sensitivities” about secretive groups, Flake said, “and is also useful for public relations purposes.” The opening will be extremely expensive, she said, and is a “sincere” effort at being more transparent.