Podcasts about mormon history association

Episode 87.  The timing of this Bonus episode is auspicious given the recent debate regarding learning about the history of race in America, the book bans, and the current administration's aim to eliminate the federal department of education. While each of these issues are complex and engage different issues, they share the matter of understanding our history – all of it. And our history leads into what we do today. As part of my ongoing encouragement to know each other's faith and religion, Rick Bennett, host of the Gospel Tangents, a Mormon History podcast, has joined me to talk about the many splinter groups within the Church of Jesus Christ of latter-Day Saints, otherwise known as the LDS church or the Mormons. Whatever you might think or know about this church, I encourage you to listen with an open mind and heart. Rick is a passionate researcher and brings humor and curiosity to his work. Highlights: ·       Mormon splinter groups.·       Joseph Smith: synchronizing the Old Testament and New Testament ·       Religions are seen as cults at their beginning. ·       Common miracles today.·       Studies on faith healings and the placebo effect.·       Succession, polygamy and theological disagreements.·       The LDS church as the “One True Church”.Bio: Rick Bennett is the host of the Gospel Tangents, a Mormon History podcast. He is an expert on various Mormon schismatic groups, presenting at the Mormon History Association, and other Mormon history groups. He is an academic authenticity advisor at Western Governors University and teaches math and statistics at Utah Valley University. Rick holds a Master of Statistics Degree from the University of Utah. He has worked as a research biostatistician in the fields of Dermatology and Traumatic Brian Injuries and works in the network television/cable T.V. industries as a sports statistician.Social Media links for Rick: Website – https://gospeltangents.comYouTube – https://youtube.com/gospeltangentsPatreon – https://patreon.com/gospeltangentsSocial Media links for Méli:Website – Talking with God ProjectLinkedIn – Meli SolomonFacebook – Meli SolomonTranscript on BuzzsproutFollow the podcast!The Living Our Beliefs podcast offers a place to learn about other religions and faith practices. When you hear about how observant Christians, Jews and Muslims live their faith, new ideas and questions arise:  Is your way similar or different?  Is there an idea or practice that you want to explore?  Understanding how other people live opens your mind and heart to new people you meet. Comments?  Questions? Email  Méli at – info@talkingwithgodproject.orgThe Living Our Beliefs podcast is part of the Talking with God Project – https://www.talkingwithgodproject.org/

A conversation with historian Brent M. Rogers their book Buffalo Bill and the Mormons (Bison Books / University of Nebraska Press, 2024). Brent M. Rogers is the Managing Historian of the LDS Church History Department in Salt Lake City. He holds a Ph.D. in history from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, an M.A. in Public History from the California State University - Sacramento, and BA in history from San Diego State University. One of his first publications, a 2014 Utah Historical Quarterly article on Mormons and Federal Indian Policy won the WHA's Arrington-Prucha Prize for the Best Article on the History of Religion in the West. His first book, Unpopular Sovereignty: Mormons and the Federal Management of Early Utah Territory (NU 2017) won the 2018 Best First Book Award from the Mormon History Association, 2018 Francis Armstrong Madsen Best Book Award from the Utah State Historical Society, and the Charles Redd Center Phi Alpha Theta Book Award for the Best Book on the American West. He has authored and edited numerous other pieces, book chapters, and volumes, and is an editor on 6 volumes of the Joseph Smith Papers, many of which have also won awards.   The Writing Westward Podcast is produced and hosted by Prof. Brenden W. Rensink (https://www.bwrensink.org) for the Charles Redd Center for Western Studies at Brigham Young University (reddcenter.byu.edu). Subscribe to the Writing Westward Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Play, and other podcast distribution apps and platforms. Follow the BYU Redd Center and the Writing Westward Podcast on Facebook or Twitter or get more information @ https://www.writingwestward.org. Theme music by Micah Dahl Anderson @ www.micahdahlanderson.com

Few groups exist in the world like missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They may be assigned to different countries or speak different languages, but for 18 months to two years, tens of thousands of these mostly young proselytizers share the same strict schedule, routine, identity and purpose: namely, to share the good news of — and seek converts to — their religion. More than a million have served in the church's history, so missionary stories are practically as ubiquitous in the 194-year-old global faith as are soaring steeples, crying babies and tiny sacrament cups. Some stories are inspiring. Some are scary (with odes to devilish humans and even Satan himself). Some are funny. And some are, well, tall on tale and short on truth. Talking about these narratives, some of which are cataloged at church-owned Brigham Young University, on this week's show are folklorist Christine Blythe, executive director of the Mormon History Association, and her husband and fellow folklorist, Christopher Blythe, author of “Terrible Revolution: Latter-day Saints and the American Apocalypse.” Together, they host the Latter-day Saint podcast “Angels and Seerstones.”

Hear about the influence Christian Science had among the Mormon elite in late nineteenth-century Salt Lake City.

The Act in Relation to Service legalized slavery in Utah in 1852. Dr. Sally Gordon tells more about how the statute affected both Black & Indian slavery in Utah. Check out our conversation…. https://youtu.be/puDhwkA7BUg Copyright © 2023 Gospel Tangents All Rights Reserved Except for book reviews, no content may be reproduced without written permission Black & Indian Slavery in Utah GT  1:36:37 One last comment, and then I promise I'll let you go. Sally  1:36:40  Okay. GT  1:36:40  Because I know it is getting late. We had a conversation yesterday a little bit about--I know Paul Reeve is coming out with a book on the 1852 legislature. Sally  1:36:50  Yes. GT  1:36:50  Was it Chris Rich? Sally  1:36:51  Rich. GT  1:36:52  Chris Rich had given a presentation a few years ago at Mormon History Association where he was trying to make a distinction between Indian slavery and Black slavery in Utah. Sally  1:37:04  Yes. GT  1:37:05  Can you talk a little bit about that controversy and where you stand? Sally  1:37:07  Sure. Oh, boy, you're getting me in trouble. There are many different kinds of slavery. Native slavery was widely practiced here in Utah, across the West, and had been practiced back east. I mean, really. It had been true slavery. The idea that slavery was just African, it was a much later idea. It really is true that slavery became a much more profitable enterprise than indentured servitude, for example. But the idea that it would be perpetual and inherited slavery was controversial in the colonies. So, I want us to understand that bound labor exists across a spectrum. When a native child was sold, and forcibly removed from their family, and held to labor, until age 18, or whatever it was--even when they were directed to be given shoes, and I don't know, education of some rudimentary sort. When most of them died before they reached the age of 18, that's a form of bound labor. That's not freedom. Is it the same thing as chattel slavery, protected by King George III? No. It fits much more closely into the practice of native slavery. Sally  1:38:59  There's a very well-known book called, The Other Slavery by Andres Resendez,[1] who teaches at UC Davis, I think. He argues that about 5 million natives, if I have it right, were enslaved by Europeans, during the period of colonization, which is a long period. So, saying that there's two kinds of slavery just says what we all know already. There's lots of different slaveries. Many natives were held with African slaves for long periods. So, it's not clear to me that people who bought native children didn't also have black slaves. It seems like they may well have. I was talking to a scholar of slavery and said, "Well, imagine. Just imagine that someone calls this adoption and says that this is someone brought into the family and taught a faith, and that, yes, they're required to work, but so is the whole family, and life isn't easy for them. These are people who've been made orphans and are not allowed to even speak their own language." I mean, it's a rough, rough position for a kid. But the people who are doing the adopting, say, "Well, they were going to get killed otherwise." If you study how the slave trade worked in Utah, and across the Southwest, the slave trade went up, when the Mormons arrived. When Europeans arrived, it went up. Sally  1:41:01  So, it's hard to say that this was just helping kids. Paiutes were really easy to kill. They were very peaceful people. The slave traders were vicious. It's true that some Latter-day Saints sold kids, too. So, I want to be fair. I really do. I want to say, even with African slaves, the Latter-day Saints cared about family. That's what they do. They cared about family. Yes, there's some idea of adoption here. But I promise you back east, they were doing the same thing. It's not like the Mormons made it up. Andrew Jackson adopted a little native boy,

Christine Blythe is the executive director of the Mormon History Association. She was previously the William A. Wilson Folklore Archives Specialist at Brigham Young University and a scholar of vernacular religion and belief. Christine is currently co-president of the Folklore Society... The post Scriptures of the Latter Day Saint Tradition Ep. 711 appeared first on The Cultural Hall Podcast.

In September of 1857, one of the greatest atrocities in the history of Mormonism was carried out. Now known as the Mountain Meadows Massacre, a group of Latter-day Saints led a siege in Southern Utah against a wagon train of emigrants on their way from Arkansas to California. After the siege had dragged on for several days, and under the guise of a truce, leaders of the Mormon party lured the emigrants out of their protective circle of wagons and marched them a short distance across the valley before turning on them in surprise and slaughtering at least 120 unarmed men, women, and children.The details of this evil are difficult to talk about at all — much less dive deep on — but at the same time, historians Richard E. Turley and Barbara Jones Brown believe that it's important that we confront history, even its most difficult episodes, with as much honesty and depth as we can.Rick has served in many roles at the Church over many years, including as managing director of the Family and Church History Department, and managing director of the Public Affairs Department. Barbara is the director of Signature Books Publishing and former executive director of the Mormon History Association.Together they are the authors of a new book called Vengeance is Mine: The Mountain Meadows Massacre and its Aftermath, which is the second in a two-volume series of exhaustively researched masterworks on the subject. The first book, Massacre at Mountain Meadows, on which Rick was one of the authors and Barbara was a content editor, was published in 2008, and this second volume is the culmination of over 18 years of research, writing, and editing by countless contributors. Though brilliant historians have written about the Massacre before, these books include new research from documents and records that have never before been available.As we spoke with Barbara and Rick, we were struck by not just their comprehensive knowledge of these tragic events, but by the depth of their empathy for the victims, and insights about how knowledge of difficult history can be part of a larger story of healing and reconciliation. They and many others have been important in spearheading efforts in recent years to allow for that healing, including working with the Church itself and organizations of victims' descendants.In fact, Henry B. Eyring credited the work done on the first book in 2007 in an official statement given at the site of the massacre on its sesquicentennial. As part of that statement, he said, “What was done here long ago by members of our Church represents a terrible and inexcusable departure from Christian teaching and conduct. We cannot change what happened, but we can remember and honor those who were killed here…We express profound regret for the massacre carried out in this valley 150 years ago… and for the undue and untold suffering experienced by the victims then and by their relatives to the present time."What we hope for this episode is what we think Barbara and Rick hope for their book: that it can promote the same work of at-one-ment that is at the core of the Gospel by fully acknowledging the sins of the past, actively listening and working toward healing in the present, and looking forward to a future of deep relationship and connection.

On the latest episode of Mormon Book Reviews, Gene Judson comes on to talk about his recent experiences of visting the Mormon History Association and Sunstone for the very first time! We discuss his interactions with Richard & Claudia Bushman, Newell Bringhurst, what it was like to be a cameraman for MBR, and being Joe Geisner's "eyes and ears" at the MHA. We then talk about him volunteering at Sunstone, how awesome Lindsay Hansen Park is and the nice note she wrote for him, and saving the day by getting the baseball caps to the Kickball Tournament! Gene then shares his personal faith journey and he also makes some awesome book recommendations. This is what Gene thought of the interview afterwards, "Thanks to Steve for letting me share my rookie experiences at Mormon History Assoc. Conf. and at Sunstone! Also for being able to pay tribute to Lindsay Hansen Park and all her contributions to the Restoration!" #Sunstone #LindsayHansenPark #MHA

Fresh from presenting at the Mormon History Association, Jonathan Neville returns to give us a report on how his paper was received. On this special episode of Mormon Book Reviews, the process of translating the Book of Mormon is also discussed. Was the Seer Stone merely a diversion for the plates and the spectacles (aka the Urim & Thummin)? Jonathan makes a very bold proposal that the spectacles were the main vehicle used to translate the BOM! He also previews a project he is starting to work on called "The Myth of the Mound Builder Myth". It is a response to Thomas Murphy's Mound Builder hypothosis, first discussed on this channel. Whether you are a skeptic or a believer, I think you'll find this discussion fascinating. #jonathanneville #thomasmurphy #moundbuildermyth #lds #mormon

Date: April 27, 2022 (Season 4, Episode 11: 1 hour, 12 minutes & 49 seconds long). Click Here for the Utah Dept. of Culture and Community Engagement version of this Speak Your Piece episode. Are you interested in other episodes of Speak Your Piece? Click Here.Utah and Western historian John Sillito, saw many things to admire in his subject B. H. (Brigham Henry) Roberts (1857-1933). His dogged resistance to embracing women's suffrage [women's right to vote] was definitely not one of them. A quote in Sillito's book on Roberts however, underscores how beloved and respected, and tells of his amazing oratory skills, even among those who were staunchly opposed to him. “It took him some time to gather himself but once he did he was an oratorical avalanche. A stream of language, potent and pleasing, flowed from his lips and caught his listeners until even those who were most bitterly opposed to him were compelled to pay compliment to his power with rapture supplies.  …the suffragists themselves could not but admire his courage, and when he had finished they crowded around him and shook his hands enthusiastically.” “Suffrage is the Theme,” Salt Lake Herald, May 29, 1895. There are, to John Sillito's count, three other pre-existing biographies of Roberts. This did not stop Sillito, in writing an entirely new biography; and for this we are grateful. Yes, this is a “Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints” story; however, it is almost equally a Utah story; and even more so, a personal story about a scrappy, near-illiterate immigrant child, who in an Horatio Alger-like effort, reached the highest levels of religious, political and intellectual accomplishment in late 19th and early 20 c. Utah.   Sillito's biography offers loads of insights into a rapidly changing Utah (circa 1880-1930s), and besides Robert's childhood life in England and then 1860-70s Utah, and his personal life and friends, the larger themes include local and national politics, the abandonment of a central religious tenet (polygamy), Utah gradually joining national markets (intellectually and economically), and Utah and the LDS Church imbracing larger political trends including Jim Crow (a body of statutes that legalized racial descrimination and segregation). This episode is fast paced and full of new insights and facts about B. H. Roberts, and the world around him. Roberts is best known as a church historian and one of Utah's most beloved public intellectuals, some of his published works include:The Life of John Taylor, Third President… (1892); The History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, (7 vol., 1919); The Mormon Battalion; its History and Achievements (1919), and The Comprehensive History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (6 vol., 1930).Bio: John Sillito, Emeritus Professor, Weber State University (1977- 2018), is a native Salt Laker, and besides this book in discussion, he is the co-author of A History of Utah Radicalism: Startling, Socialistic & Decidedly Revolutionary with historian John S. McCormick (Utah State Historical Society's Best Book in 2011). John's edited collection of B. H. Roberts diaries—published as History's Apprentice—received the Mormon History Association's best documentary award in 2005. Sillito is the recipient of a lifetime service award from CIMA (Conference of Intermountain Archivists) in 2013, and was made a Fellow of the Utah State Historical Society in 2021.Do you have a question? Write askahistorian@utah.gov

This lesson is for the week of October 10-16th with Casey Griffiths as host.http://www.cedarfort.comCasey Paul Griffiths is an assistant professor of Church history and doctrine at Brigham Young University. He has published numerous books and articles on Church history, most recently What You Don't Know About the 100 Most Important Events in Church History, with Mary Jane Woodger and Susan Easton Black. He is a member of the Mormon History Association, serves on the board of the John Whitmer Historical Association, and is currently serving as president of the BYU Latter-day Saint Educator's Society. He lives in Saratoga Springs with his wife, Elizabeth, and four children.Members of the church believe in the Bible and the Book of Mormon. The book of Mormon is another testament to Jesus Christ and chronicles the history of Jesus visiting the Natives in North America in ancient times. The book of Mormon was translated with priesthood power by Joseph Smith Jr. who was martyred as the prophet of the Church in 1844. The Church has grown to 16.6 million members worldwide, who love Jesus Christ and his restored gospel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Patrick Mason returns to flip the script and put John under scrutiny! Patrick Q. Mason holds the Leonard J. Arrington Chair of Mormon History and Culture at USU. He has written or edited several books, including Proclaim Peace: The Restoration's Answer to an Age of Conflict (Maxwell Institute and Deseret Book, 2021); Mormonism and Violence: The Battles of Zion (Cambridge University Press, 2019); What Is Mormonism? A Student's Introduction (Routledge, 2017); Out of Obscurity: Mormonism since 1945, co-edited with John Turner (Oxford University Press, 2016); Directions for Mormon Studies in the Twenty-First Century (University of Utah Press, 2016); and The Mormon Menace: Violence and Anti-Mormonism in the Postbellum South (Oxford University Press, 2011). He was a Fulbright Scholar in Romania in 2015 and is a past president of the Mormon History Association. Professor Mason is frequently consulted by the national and international media on stories related to Mormon culture and history. He teaches courses on Mormonism, American religious history, and religion, violence, and peacebuilding. 1656-1658: A Scholarly Defense of Mormonism - Patrick Mason Patrick Mason Patrick Mason (@patrickqmason) / Twitter Planted: Belief and Belonging in an Age of Doubt  Proclaim Peace: The Restoration's Answer to an Age of Conflict  Restoration: God's Call to the 21st Century World  Patrick Mason's other books ===== Mormon Stories Thanks Our Generous Donors! Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today: One-time or recurring donation through Donorbox Support us on Patreon Pick “Mormon Stories” as your charity on Amazon Smile or through the Amazon App  Our Platforms: Mormon Stories Blog Patreon Spotify Apple Podcasts Contact us: MormonStories@gmail.com  Mormon Stories Podcast PO Box 171085 Salt Lake City, UT 84117 Social Media: Insta: @mormstories Tiktok: @mormstories Join the Discord

Join us today for part 2 of our interview with faithful Mormon scholar Dr. Patrick Mason. In part 2 John and Margi discuss with Patrick his approach to thoughtful, faithful Mormonism as a scholar of Mormon Studies. Patrick Q. Mason holds the Leonard J. Arrington Chair of Mormon History and Culture at USU. He has written or edited several books, including Proclaim Peace: The Restoration's Answer to an Age of Conflict (Maxwell Institute and Deseret Book, 2021); Mormonism and Violence: The Battles of Zion (Cambridge University Press, 2019); What Is Mormonism? A Student's Introduction (Routledge, 2017); Out of Obscurity: Mormonism since 1945, co-edited with John Turner (Oxford University Press, 2016); Directions for Mormon Studies in the Twenty-First Century (University of Utah Press, 2016); and The Mormon Menace: Violence and Anti-Mormonism in the Postbellum South (Oxford University Press, 2011). He was a Fulbright Scholar in Romania in 2015 and is a past president of the Mormon History Association. Professor Mason is frequently consulted by the national and international media on stories related to Mormon culture and history. He teaches courses on Mormonism, American religious history, and religion, violence, and peacebuilding. 1656-1658: A Scholarly Defense of Mormonism - Patrick Mason Patrick Mason Patrick Mason (@patrickqmason) / Twitter Planted: Belief and Belonging in an Age of Doubt  Proclaim Peace: The Restoration's Answer to an Age of Conflict  Restoration: God's Call to the 21st Century World  Patrick Mason's other books ===== Mormon Stories Thanks Our Generous Donors! Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today: One-time or recurring donation through Donorbox Support us on Patreon Pick “Mormon Stories” as your charity on Amazon Smile or through the Amazon App  Our Platforms: Mormon Stories Blog Patreon Spotify Apple Podcasts Contact us: MormonStories@gmail.com  Mormon Stories Podcast PO Box 171085 Salt Lake City, UT 84117 Social Media: Insta: @mormstories Tiktok: @mormstories Join the Discord

This lesson is for the week of August 24th- September 4th with Casey Griffiths as host.http://www.cedarfort.comCasey Paul Griffiths is an assistant professor of Church history and doctrine at Brigham Young University. He has published numerous books and articles on Church history, most recently What You Don't Know About the 100 Most Important Events in Church History, with Mary Jane Woodger and Susan Easton Black. He is a member of the Mormon History Association, serves on the board of the John Whitmer Historical Association, and is currently serving as president of the BYU Latter-day Saint Educator's Society. He lives in Saratoga Springs with his wife, Elizabeth, and four children.Members of the church believe in the Bible and the Book of Mormon. The book of Mormon is another testament to Jesus Christ and chronicles the history of Jesus visiting the Natives in North America in ancient times. The book of Mormon was translated with priesthood power by Joseph Smith Jr. who was martyred as the prophet of the Church in 1844. The Church has grown to 16.6 million members worldwide, who love Jesus Christ and his restored gospel. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

Under the Banner of Heaven is a true-crime series based on a book, about the murder of a young Mormon woman, Brenda Lafferty (Daisy Edgar Jones), and her young daughter and the subsequent investigation of that murder. The show's creator is an ex-Mormon, Dustin Lance Black. And he invents a character, a police detective, Jeb Pyre (Andrew Garfield), who is also a Mormon. And Jeb's investigation of this case starts interacting with his faith, it brings up larger questions about religious faith and faithfulness as it faces evil, hypocrisy, and the ugliest truths. Can it survive? How does media tend to get these kind of pictures right, bring up the right kinds of questions? And what does it often miss? Today we welcome Dr. Patrick Q. Mason. Patrick holds the Leonard J. Arrington Chair of Mormon History and Culture at Utah State University. He is the author of several books including Mormonism and Violence: The Battles of Zion; The Mormon Menace: Violence and Anti-Mormonism in the Postbellum South; and Proclaim Peace: The Restoration's Answer to an Age of Conflict. He was a Fulbright Scholar and is a past president of the Mormon History Association. Patrick is frequently consulted by the media on stories related to Mormon culture and history and is himself a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Now put on your sunglasses and sunblock, because we're headed to Utah, and into the heart of some tough questions about what it means to be a person of faith, not just as a Mormon in the 1980s, but as a Christian in our world today. We hope you enjoy the conversation. Check out Patrick's books. Visit TLC's blog, Covenant. View TLC's new books! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/living-church/support

  In this episode, our hosts Neal Rappleye, Jasmin Rappleye, Hales Swift and Stephen Smoot discussed the Mormon History Association and ancient trans-oceanic crossings. You can listen to or download the June 5th broadcast of the Interpreter Radio Show below. It will also be included in our podcast feed (https://interpreterfoundation.org/feeds/podcast). The second portion of the […] The post Interpreter Radio Show — June 5, 2022 first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.

On a special episode of Mormon Book Reviews I am excited to be joined by Kristine Haglund of the Mormon History Association. On June 2-5 the 57th Annual Conference of the Mormon History Association will be held in Logan Utah at Utah State University. This years theme is "Landscape, Art, and Religion: The Intermountain West and the World". This is a special "exclusive" preview of this years conference. All are welcome to attend and I will be there, so look me up!PayPalPatreonChannel Merch StoreLink for The Center for Latter-day Saint ArtsInformation about the MHA 2022 Conference

** It was brought to our attention that part of the episode was cut off! We apologize. Here is the updated and complete episode** ENJOY! This week we welcome two ladies from Mormon Women for Ethical Government (MWEG) to talk about the intersection of faith and politics. Politics seem to polarize more than bring people together nowadays, but in this conversation we discuss the dangers of being a "political hobbyist", how to address conflict in constructive ways to build peace and how to live in faith for future generations. Emma Petty Addams : Co-Executive Director Emma Petty Addams serves as co-executive director for Mormon Women for Ethical Government. After receiving her bachelor's degree in piano performance at Stanford University, she spent time in Boston and Silicon Valley working in contracts negotiation, corporate transactions and capitalization, and investor relations. In addition, she has built and run large piano studios in California, New Jersey, and now Omaha, Nebraska, where she currently resides with her husband and three sons. While seemingly unrelated, these previous career opportunities were excellent preparation for the fast-paced yet methodical and collaborative nature of the work at MWEG. Every time an MWEG member writes an op-ed, speaks out against injustice, or expresses her opinion peacefully on social media, Emma is grateful for the chance to help women contribute their part to the complex multi-voice symphony that is our democracy. Kristine Haglund: Senior Director of Faithful Root Kristine Haglund is the senior director of the faithful root for Mormon Women for Ethical Government. She is a writer, editor, independent scholar, and former editor of Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, from 2009-2015. Her most recent publication is Eugene England: A Mormon Liberal, part of the series "Introductions to Mormon Thought" published by the University of Illinois Press. She blogs at By Common Consent (bycommonconsent.com). She is a member of the Board of By Common Consent Press, Vice President of Mormon Scholars in the Humanities, and Program Co-Chair for the Mormon History Association conference in 2022. Her degrees are in German Studies and German Literature (Harvard, University of Michigan), and her research interests include LDS women's and children's history and the intersections of religion and social media. She lives with her husband in St. Louis, Missouri. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/fromthemouthsofbabes/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/fromthemouthsofbabes/support

I'm excited to introduce historian Steve LeSeuer. Back in 1987, Steve wrote an amazing book called The 1838 Mormon War in Missouri. It won the best book award for the Mormon History Association.  We'll get more acquainted with Steve and learn more about his background.  I was surprised to find out he was mapping Mormon […]

I'm excited to introduce a pair of amazing historians:  Dr Richard Bushman, and his wife, Dr. Claudia Bushman. We'll learn more about their backgrounds in Mormon history.  Claudia is the incoming president of the Mormon History Association meetings coming up next month in Logan, Utah. She'll give us a preview of the conference. Mormon History […]

This lesson is for the week of May 2-8, with Lynda Cherry as Host and Casey Griffiths as Co-Host.http://www.cedarfort.comCasey Paul Griffiths is an assistant professor of Church history and doctrine at Brigham Young University. He has published numerous books and articles on Church history, most recently What You Don't Know About the 100 Most Important Events in Church History, with Mary Jane Woodger and Susan Easton Black. He is a member of the Mormon History Association, serves on the board of the John Whitmer Historical Association, and is currently serving as president of the BYU Latter-day Saint Educator's Society. He lives in Saratoga Springs with his wife, Elizabeth, and four children.Lynda Cherry has been a devoted student of the Bible and the scriptures from a very young age. As a nine year-old, she was captivated by the story of Moses and the covenant people at Mt. Sinai. Later, she learned from several rabbinical sources that that event was often viewed as a betrothal of God to His people. The many self-descriptions of Jehovah as a Husband to His people intrigued her, and she has spent a lifetime studying, compiling, and integrating various sources, including prophecies and symbolism throughout the scriptures, ancient temple rituals, and the Israelite holy days to reveal “God's love story” in its full beauty and depth. The beautiful allegory of the Redemption of the Bride tells the story of the House of Israel: her covenant betrothal to Jehovah, her adulterous apostasy from that covenant, and her restoration through His tender mercies and compassion upon her.Members of the church believe in the Bible and the Book of Mormon. The book of Mormon is another testament to Jesus Christ and chronicles the history of Jesus visiting the Natives in North America in ancient times. The book of Mormon was translated with priesthood power by Joseph Smith Jr. who was martyred as the prophet of the Church in 1844. The Church has grown to 16.6 million members worldwide, who love Jesus Christ and his restored gospel. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode, Steve and I discuss how to best handle challenging religious conversations with our kids, specifically polygamy and racism in the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As parents, we want to help our kids understand both their religion, and how to talk about it in a healthy, open way. To learn more about working with me, please visit heatherfrazier.com About my guest: Steven C. Harper is a professor of Church history and doctrine at Brigham Young University. In 2012 Steve was appointed as the managing historian and a general editor of Saints: The Story of the Church of Jesus Christ in the Latter Days. He was named editor in chief of BYU Studies Quarterly in September 2018. He served in the Canada Winnipeg Mission (1990-1991) and married Jennifer Sebring (1992). They graduated from BYU (1994). He earned an MA in American history from Utah State University, where his thesis analyzed determinants of conversion to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the 1830s. Chapters were published in the Journal of Mormon History and Religion and American Culture and awarded by the Mormon History Association with the T. Edgar Lyon Award for best article of the year and the Juanita Brooks Award for the best graduate student paper. Steve earned a PhD in early American history from Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. He began teaching courses in religion and history at BYU Hawaii in 2000 and joined the Religious Education faculty at BYU in 2002. That year he also became a volume editor of The Joseph Smith Papers and the document editor for BYU Studies. He taught at the BYU Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies in 2011–2012. His first book was Promised Land (Lehigh University Press, 2006), a study of Lenape or Delaware Indians' responses to a fraudulent 1737 land deal in colonial Pennsylvania. He also authored Making Sense of the Doctrine and Covenants (Deseret Book, 2008), Joseph Smith's First Vision (Deseret Book, 2012), and First Vision: Memory and Mormon Origins (Oxford University Press, 2019), along with dozens of articles.

Richie Steadman of The Cultural Hall Podcast asked me more about some Mormon groups. We'll talk not just about some old Mormon groups, but discuss MHA, Sunstone, and the JWHA. Richie:  The other thing I want to ask you is you said you became a member of the Mormon History Association. Where do I pay […] The post Mormon History Groups (Part 5 of 6) appeared first on Gospel Tangents.

Steven Pynakker has a unique and wide ranging conversation with one of the most renowned historians of Mormonism, Dan Vogel. This is the first time that an Evangelical has interviewed Dan. Author of many important works on early Mormonism, Joseph Smith, and now the Book of Abraham. We discuss his background and how a Pentecostal minister in England told Dan of Jerald and Sandra Tanner and a narrative of Mormon history that he was unaware of that set Dan on his journey. We also discuss a Presbyterian minister who was an important supporter, patron, and friend to him. The conversation includes topics like the early treasure digging days of young Joseph, the Mound Builder myths common during this time, how the spectacles entered the narrative early on, using the seer stone to partially translate the Book of Abraham, his next book focusing on the 1831-1839 period in Joseph's life, and why Dan advocates a hemispheric model narrative for Book of Mormon geography. We then talk about Richard Bushman and his book Rough Stone Rolling, Fawn Brodie's No Man Know My History, and him giving the introduction speech for for famed Jacksonian historian Robert Remini at the Mormon History Association. This was a fantastic interview and I look forward to having Dan on back soon to discuss his upcoming new YouTube series!Link to purchase his latest bookLink to Dan's YouTube ChannelLink to our Patreon PageLink to M.T. Lambs "Golden Bible"

As 2021 winds down, we're looking back on the life of Shannon Flynn. Shannon earned a degree in history from the University of Utah. He relocated to Gilbert, Arizona where he and Robyn successfully ran a small business for nearly two decades.  He was a longtime member of the Mormon History Association and a published […] The post Remembering Shannon Flynn (Part 4 of 5) appeared first on Gospel Tangents.

Dr. Taylor Petrey is an Associate Professor of Religion at Kalamazoo College where he teaches courses on the Bible and biblical interpretation, early Christianity, ancient Judaism, and theory and method in the study of religion. He is the author of several books and publications and is the current editor of Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought. He may be best known for his most recent work Tabernacles of Clay: Sexuality and Gender in Modern Mormonism, for which he won the 2021 Best Book Award through the Mormon History Association. In Tabernacles of Clay,  Dr Petrey meticulously documents the changing narratives within the LDS church that have informed and shaped its doctrinal perspectives over a period of decades. Taylor and I will be covering the church's evolving views on race, marriage, sexuality, and gender in this conversation. You can find his book at the following link: https://www.amazon.com/Tabernacles-Clay-Sexuality-Gender-Mormonism/dp/1469656221/ref=sr_1_1?crid=U0ZF77P81Q8M&keywords=tabernacles+of+clay&qid=1636649554&sprefix=tabernacles+%2Caps%2C254&sr=8-1

Jonathan Stapley is a scientist and historian.  Oxford University Press published The Power of Godliness in 2018, which won the Mormon History Association's best book award.  His recent most publications cover topics such as women and priesthood,… The post Dialogue Doctrine & Covenants Gospel Study with Jonathan Stapley on D&C 121–128 appeared first on Dialogue Journal.

Jonathan Stapley is a scientist and historian.  Oxford University Press published The Power of Godliness in 2018, which won the Mormon History Association's best book award.  His recent most publications cover topics such as women and priesthood, Brigham Young's cosmology, and Latter-day Saint sermon practice. The post Dialogue Gospel Study #53 w/Jonathan Stapley first appeared on The Dialogue Journal.

Steve Pynakker, evangelical host of Mormon Book Reviews and I got together again on August 27 to celebrate his 50th video on his podcast.  Steve attended his first Mormon History Association meetings in June, and he discusses his experiences at the recent meetings in Park City, Utah.  Steve and Rick Bennett discussed the recent loss […] The post Mormon Historians' Community (Part 6 of 8) appeared first on Gospel Tangents.

This week we speak with Latter-Day Saint Historian and author, Patrick Q Mason. We discussing latest book that everyone's talking about, RESTORATION: God's Call To The 21st Century World. We highly recommend! Join us Live, where we ask him your questions! And do please join us in the chat! Patrick Q. Mason holds the Leonard J. Arrington Chair of Mormon History and Culture at USU. He has written or edited several books, including Mormonism and Violence: The Battles of Zion (Cambridge University Press, 2019); What Is Mormonism? A Student's Introduction (Routledge, 2017); Out of Obscurity: Mormonism since 1945, co-edited with John Turner (Oxford University Press, 2016); Directions for Mormon Studies in the Twenty-First Century (University of Utah Press, 2016); and The Mormon Menace: Violence and Anti-Mormonism in the Postbellum South (Oxford University Press, 2011). He was a Fulbright Scholar in Romania in 2015 and is a past president of the Mormon History Association. Professor Mason is frequently consulted by the national and international media on stories related to Mormon culture and history. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/jane-christie/message

This week we speak with Latter-Day Saint Historian and author, Patrick Q Mason. We discussing latest book that everyone's talking about, RESTORATION: God's Call To The 21st Century World. We highly recommend! Join us Live, where we ask him your questions! And do please join us in the chat! Patrick Q. Mason holds the Leonard J. Arrington Chair of Mormon History and Culture at USU. He has written or edited several books, including Mormonism and Violence: The Battles of Zion (Cambridge University Press, 2019); What Is Mormonism? A Student's Introduction (Routledge, 2017); Out of Obscurity: Mormonism since 1945, co-edited with John Turner (Oxford University Press, 2016); Directions for Mormon Studies in the Twenty-First Century (University of Utah Press, 2016); and The Mormon Menace: Violence and Anti-Mormonism in the Postbellum South (Oxford University Press, 2011). He was a Fulbright Scholar in Romania in 2015 and is a past president of the Mormon History Association. Professor Mason is frequently consulted by the national and international media on stories related to Mormon culture and history. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/jane-christie/message

The Mormon History Association's just-completed annual conference offered the usual smorgasbord of delectable scholarly presentations relating to Mormonism. The 2021 theme for the hybrid in-person and online meeting in Park City was “Restoration, Reunion and Resilience.” There were sessions on polygamy and early Latter-day Saint experiences in Nauvoo, Ill., and Kirtland, Ohio, along with discussions of race, LGBTQ issues and the Mark Hofmann bombings. The historians also recognized that they were gathering in the ancestral lands of several northern bands of the Ute Indian Tribe. In addition, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced plans to rehabilitate the Hill Cumorah, the Manchester, N.Y., spot where founder Joseph Smith said he unearthed gold plates that contained the faith's signature scripture, the Book of Mormon. On this week's show Barbara Jones Brown, the association's executive director, and Jenny Lund, this year's president and director of the church's historic sites, share highlights and insights from the conference and plans for the future.

5:41 Early Life 10:46 The Mish 15:36 Why the nerd-iness 19:36 I'll take “Cutlerites” for $500 26:31 Why are we hush-hush about callings 31:50 Mormon History Association 36:28 Gospel Doctrine, Gospel Essentials, Gospel Tangents 37:40 Shhhhhhh. That's taboo! 39:48 Temple... The post Rick Bennett/Gospel Tangents Ep. 510 The Cultural Hall appeared first on The Cultural Hall Podcast.

Richard Turley retired in 2020 after working in various roles for the LDS Church.  This will be a special treat, because I’m turning the microphone over to Barbara Jones Brown, executive director of the Mormon History Association.  Barbara asked me to film the interview for the virtual meetings at the Mormon History Association meetings, and […] The post Hired After Hofmann (Part 1 of 5) appeared first on Gospel Tangents.

As part of our ongoing series on claims of Satanic Ritual Abuse within the Mormon Church, today we interview Massimo Introvigne, an Italian sociologist and the author of some 70 books on religious pluralism and new religious movements. Massimo is author of the article: A Rumor of Devils: Allegations of Satanic Child Abuse and Mormonism, 1985-1994, a paper read at the Mormon History Association in Park City, Utah on May 21, 1994. In today's episode we review the highlights of this article. Dr, Introvigne was until 2016 professor of Sociology of Religions at Pontifical Salesian University in Torino, Italy. He has written articles inter alia for Dialogue and BYU Studies. In 2011, he served as the Representative for combating racism, xenophobia and religious intolerance of the OSCE, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, in which the USA and Canada are also participating states.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints made a major shift recently when it published online, in full, its updated General Handbook, which spells out policies, practices and procedures in the worldwide faith. Previous handbooks were for leaders only. Now rank-and-file members and even outsiders can be on the same page when it comes to church governance. The guidelines include, for instance, new nomenclature for church discipline and a new section on transgender individuals. It even urges Latter-day Saints to “partake” of the sacrament, or communion, “with their right hand when possible." Discussing these developments and other changes in the new handbook is Jonathan Stapley, a scientist and historian whose recent book, “The Power of Godliness: Mormon Liturgy and Cosmology,” won top honors from the Mormon History Association. He also is a popular blogger for By Common Consent.

When nine U.S. citizens were killed in a brutal attack in northern Mexico last week, much of the world learned for the first time about that area’s past and prevailing ties to Mormon polygamy. Those ties include a complex cast of characters and creeds — both mainstream Latter-day Saints and breakaway believers. Helping to untangle and understand this web is historian Barbara Jones Brown, executive director of the Mormon History Association who has studied and written about post-1890 Mormon plural marriage.

This week we revisit and discuss — what else? — the recently completed General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Besides the usual prayers, songs and sermons, the weekend’s sessions included, as church President Russell M. Nelson promised, a number of momentous changes. There were overhauls to programs for the Young Men and Young Women (with a heavenly, gender-inclusive twist in the latter’s theme). Eight new temples, including two more in Utah, were announced. Newly tweaked temple recommend questions were unveiled. Historic and memorable talks (such as the first by an African American general authority) and another controversial speech by Nelson’s first counselor were delivered. Examining these events and the impacts they may have on the faith are Emily Jensen, a Latter-day Saint writer, editor and blogger, and Joseph Stuart, a doctoral candidate in history at the University of Utah and co-chair of the Mormon History Association’s 2020 Program Committee. Listen here.

The Interview: Just one day before Jonathan Stapley was awarded the best book award for The Power of Godliness by the Mormon History Association, I visited with him about the history and development of core ideas essential to current Mormon identity such as priesthood, authority, and ordinances. We also discussed how priesthood power relates to temple practice and what Jonathan refers to as the ordering of heaven. His volume is an academic history of Mormonism, and as such it’s intent is to understand and analyze the past and contextualize and historicize the present. On this episode, Jonathan Stapley shares his perspective on Latter-day Saint liturgy in theory and practice. About Our Guest:  Jonathan A. Stapley is an award-winning historian and scientist. An active participant in the field of Mormon Studies, he is also the Chief Technology Officer for a bio-renewables company. Jonathan received his Ph.D. from Purdue University and has been active in the field of Mormon History for over a decade.  You can read some of his publications here.  He also writes for the academic history Juvenile Instructor blog, and at By Common Consent,  a Mormon blog. Download PDF of the transcript. Latter-day Saint Perspectives Podcast Episode 109: The Power of Godliness Released July 10, 2019 This is not a verbatim transcript. Some wording has been modified for clarity. Laura Hales:              Hello, this is Laura Harris Hales, and I’m here today with Jonathan Stately to talk about his book, The Power of Godliness, which was published by Oxford press in January of 2018. Jonathan, can you tell us just a little bit about your educational background? Jonathan Stapley:      I’m a trained chemist. I have a PhD in carbohydrate chemistry from Purdue University. I did my undergraduate studies at BYU in food science. I deal with what’s called electro-chemistry. That’s using electricity instead of chemicals to change sugars into other useful products. Laura Hales:              And you write in Mormon Studies. How did that happen? Jonathan Stapley:      Well, after I finished my dissertation in 2004, I created a company that industrialized my graduate work, and I was focusing more on managing individuals and ideas as opposed to actual research. Just at that time, institutions, including the church, began digitizing their collections, and blogs were just coming online. I was part of a group of people that were starting to access these materials and do research, kind of a new generation in the 2000s. Being a scientist and interested in systems, I applied my interest and love of our church to that same study. Laura Hales:              What is Mormon liturgy? Jonathan Stapley:      We are accustomed to talking about ordinances and priesthood in our church, but those words have a particular meaning within our faith that is peculiar. It’s different than the way those words are used outside of our tradition. There is a technical and scholarly approach to ideas of worship and ritual that exists. I’m using those frameworks and bringing them into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Liturgy is the system of ritual and ritualized acts that believers participate in to mark occasions and celebrate and worship. On Sundays, for example, we go to sacrament meeting and participate in the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper and that is the liturgy of the Lord’s Supper. Now, if you are Roman Catholic or Orthodox or Jewish, you will be familiar with those terms because they’re part of the regular worship. They talk about the liturgy, but for us, it’s a little disorienting, I think, because we’re not exposed to that vocabulary. Laura Hales:              Sometimes we talk about “high church” and “low church.” Even though we’re technically “low church,” we have liturgy like the Catholics, who would do it maybe with more ceremony. Jonathan Stapley:      Yeah, for sure. And, of course, our tradition is complicated by the fact that we have the temple an...

When Taunalyn Ford Rutherford was a member of the Young Ambassadors she had the opportunity to visit and perform in India. While there, the group spent a day helping at the Mother Theresa charities. Ever since then she has been fascinated with India. So when she had the chance to do oral interviews in preparation for writing her dissertation, she knew where she wanted to go. Over several years, Dr. Ford traveled to India to interview the LDS Church members of the Hyderabad Stake in India. Recently, she published her work on the Church in India. In this episode of the LDS Perspectives Podcast, Laura Harris Hales interviews Taunalyn Ford Rutherford about what a globalized LDS Church looks like in India. Although missionaries were sent to India in the 1850s, growth of the Church didn’t really take off until the 1980s. Leaders were hesitant to send missionaries to a country that had so much need for humanitarian aid and whose Christianity reflected Evangelical more than Mormon culture. But what started out as a small family group of Saints has risen to a membership of 13,500 in three stakes. In the April 2018 Conference, President Nelson announced there would be a temple built in Bangalore, India. Not only is the LDS Church setting down roots in India but also the Saints in India show us how Mormonism can be adapted to serve diverse cultures. Rutherford argues that the Hyderabad stake is a case study on how global congregations can infuse a local identity into their worship. She found that Indian Saints had unique ideas about the term patriarchy, gospel culture, handshakes and hugging, and what they call “priesthood attire.” At the same time, they were actively negotiating the boundaries of ingrained cultural habits versus religious identity. This can be seen as women choose whether or not to wear the bindi dot. Some LDS teachings are actually in contrast to some long-standing cultural traditions. For instance, Indian woman spoke of the Church being anti-patriarchal in its teachings and of the necessary partnership between men and women. Also, Indians for the most part have arranged marriages, and dating is seen as scandalous. What might seem as mild guidelines s in the Strength for Youth pamphlet for dating by western Saints are instead applied in co-ed Church activities because dating isn’t culturally acceptable for the most part. The cost of membership is high in India; members are often shunned by their close family and villages after baptism. Even the term conversion carries baggage with it. When India was seeking independence, they rejected the attempts of western powers to impose their societies on India. In the early days of Indian statehood laws were enacted that still effect missionary work within the country. The slow growth in India has actually been a blessing. Most of the single missionaries tend to be natives, which has reduced the influence of western-culture Mormonism on Indian Saints. And interesting, correlation of handbooks and teaching materials has actually helped India develop a hybrid and indigenized Mormon Church. Listen in to this fascinating discussion about how the Mormon Church is moving from an American religion to a global one. About Our Guest: Taunalyn Ford Rutherford is an adjunct professor of religion at BYU. She earned a bachelor’s degree in history and a master’s degree in humanities. Recently she received her PhD in the history of religion at Claremont Graduate University. Her dissertation on the LDS Church in India was recently selected by the Mormon History Association for the best dissertation award.

When Taunalyn Ford Rutherford was a member of the Young Ambassadors she had the opportunity to visit and perform in India. While there, the group spent a day helping at the Mother Theresa charities. Ever since then she has been fascinated with India. So when she had the chance to do oral interviews in preparation for writing her dissertation, she knew where she wanted to go. Over several years, Dr. Ford traveled to India to interview the LDS Church members of the Hyderabad Stake in India. Recently, she published her work on the Church in India. In this episode of the LDS Perspectives Podcast, Laura Harris Hales interviews Taunalyn Ford Rutherford about what a globalized LDS Church looks like in India. Although missionaries were sent to India in the 1850s, growth of the Church didn’t really take off until the 1980s. Leaders were hesitant to send missionaries to a country that had so much need for humanitarian aid and whose Christianity reflected Evangelical more than Mormon culture. But what started out as a small family group of Saints has risen to a membership of 13,500 in three stakes. In the April 2018 Conference, President Nelson announced there would be a temple built in Bangalore, India. Not only is the LDS Church setting down roots in India but also the Saints in India show us how Mormonism can be adapted to serve diverse cultures. Rutherford argues that the Hyderabad stake is a case study on how global congregations can infuse a local identity into their worship. She found that Indian Saints had unique ideas about the term patriarchy, gospel culture, handshakes and hugging, and what they call “priesthood attire.” At the same time, they were actively negotiating the boundaries of ingrained cultural habits versus religious identity. This can be seen as women choose whether or not to wear the bindi dot. Some LDS teachings are actually in contrast to some long-standing cultural traditions. For instance, Indian woman spoke of the Church being anti-patriarchal in its teachings and of the necessary partnership between men and women. Also, Indians for the most part have arranged marriages, and dating is seen as scandalous. What might seem as mild guidelines s in the Strength for Youth pamphlet for dating by western Saints are instead applied in co-ed Church activities because dating isn’t culturally acceptable for the most part. The cost of membership is high in India; members are often shunned by their close family and villages after baptism. Even the term conversion carries baggage with it. When India was seeking independence, they rejected the attempts of western powers to impose their societies on India. In the early days of Indian statehood laws were enacted that still effect missionary work within the country. The slow growth in India has actually been a blessing. Most of the single missionaries tend to be natives, which has reduced the influence of western-culture Mormonism on Indian Saints. And interesting, correlation of handbooks and teaching materials has actually helped India develop a hybrid and indigenized Mormon Church. Listen in to this fascinating discussion about how the Mormon Church is moving from an American religion to a global one. About Our Guest: Taunalyn Ford Rutherford is an adjunct professor of religion at BYU. She earned a bachelor’s degree in history and a master’s degree in humanities. Recently she received her PhD in the history of religion at Claremont Graduate University. Her dissertation on the LDS Church in India was recently selected by the Mormon History Association for the best dissertation award.

The Interview: This week we have a little fun as we take a lighthearted look at Joseph Smith's loyal companion, friend, and pet—Old Major. Dr. Alexander L. Baugh shares the tenuous nature of historical sleuthing. Often disparate references are all that scholars have to reconstruct the past. In this case, they include a library collection found, a newspaper clipping remembered, a memoir referenced, and letters written, coupled with Dr. Baugh’s expert knowledge of the Missouri period. Each item provides an important piece of the puzzle. Dr. Baugh hopes his work uncovering the footprints of Old Major will help listeners gain insight into the personality of Joseph Smith and his time in Liberty Jail with his loyal companion. The story of Joseph’s English Mastiff paints a relatable human picture of the Prophet that we don’t often hear, read, or talk about. This podcast is the first episode in our special Triplecast in remembrance of the Martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith. If you like what we are doing at LDS Perspectives, be sure and like our Facebook page in order to keep informed of the ongoing work of our scholar-guests. About Our Guest: Alexander L. Baugh is a professor and chair of the Department of Church History and Doctrine at BYU where he has been a full-time faculty member since 1995. He received his BS from Utah State University and his MA and PhD degrees from Brigham Young University. He specializes in researching and writing about the Missouri period of early LDS Church history (1831–1839). He is the author, editor, or co-editor of eight books. In addition, he has published over eighty historical journal articles, essays, and book chapters. He is a member of the Mormon History Association and the John Whitmer Historical Association, having served as president of that organization in 2006–2007. He is also the past editor of Mormon Historical Studies and past co-director of research for the BYU Religious Studies Center. He also serves as an editor of three volumes of the Document series for the Joseph Smith Papers and is current chair of the department of church history and doctrine at BYU. He is married to the former Susan Johnson and they are the parents of five children. He and his wife reside in Highland, Utah. Transcript: Download PDF LDS Perspectives Podcast Episode 85: Old Major with Alexander L. Baugh (Released June 27, 2018) This is not a verbatim transcript. Some grammar and wording has been modified for clarity.   Laura H. Hales: This is Laura Harris Hales, and I’m here today with Alex Baugh, who is the chair of the Department of Church History at BYU. Can you tell our listeners a little bit about your training and your areas of research focus? Alex Baugh: Well, it’s good to be with you Laura, and I’m always excited to talk about historical subjects associated with Mormonism. Believe it or not, I went to Utah State and majored in marriage and family studies. I was teaching seminary for the LDS Church in Bountiful when they came out with a master’s degree in western American history. And I thought, “Well, that would be kind of neat.” I got my degree in that, a masters, and then went for a PhD at BYU in American history with an emphasis in Mormon and western American history. Laura H. Hales: You’re also known as the Missouri guy now with your expertise on the Missouri War and that period of time. You’re one of the editors of a couple of volumes from the Joseph Smith Papers on the Missouri era. But recently you wrote an article for BYU Studies Quarterly (volume 56, issue 4) that we’re going to talk about. It’s on a topic a little bit lighter than the topics you usually write about. Alex Baugh: I probably ought to tell you how I even came to writing this. Laura H. Hales: That’s the next question I was going to ask you. Why did you decide, “I’m going to go from writing about the Missouri War to Joseph Smith’s pet”? Alex Baugh: Well, first of all,

This week we have a little fun as we take a lighthearted look at Joseph Smith's loyal companion, friend, and pet—Old Major. Dr. Alexander L. Baugh shares the tenuous nature of historical sleuthing. Often disparate references are all that scholars have to reconstruct the past. In this case, they include a library collection found, a newspaper clipping remembered, a memoir referenced, and letters written, coupled with Dr. Baugh’s expert knowledge of the Missouri period. Each item provides an important piece of the puzzle. Dr. Baugh hopes his work uncovering the footprints of Old Major will help listeners gain insight into the personality of Joseph Smith and his time in Liberty Jail with his loyal companion. The story of Joseph’s English Mastiff paints a relatable human picture of the Prophet that we don’t often hear, read, or talk about. This podcast is the first episode in our special Triplecast in remembrance of the Martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith. If you like what we are doing at LDS Perspectives, be sure and like our Facebook page in order to keep informed of the ongoing work of our scholar-guests. About Our Guest: Alexander L. Baugh is a professor and chair of the Department of Church History and Doctrine at BYU where he has been a full-time faculty member since 1995. He received his BS from Utah State University and his MA and PhD degrees from Brigham Young University. He specializes in researching and writing about the Missouri period of early LDS Church history (1831–1839). He is the author, editor, or co-editor of eight books. In addition, he has published over eighty historical journal articles, essays, and book chapters. He is a member of the Mormon History Association and the John Whitmer Historical Association, having served as president of that organization in 2006–2007. He is also the past editor of Mormon Historical Studies and past co-director of research for the BYU Religious Studies Center. He also serves as an editor of three volumes of the Document series for the Joseph Smith Papers and is current chair of the department of church history and doctrine at BYU. He is married to the former Susan Johnson and they are the parents of five children. He and his wife reside in Highland, Utah. Extra Resources: Episode 84 Transcript "Joseph Smith's Dog, Old Major" "Documents Tell of Joseph Smith's Dog" LDS Perspectives Podcast Episode 85: Old Major with Alexander L. Baugh (Released June 27, 2018) This is not a verbatim transcript. Some grammar and wording has been modified for clarity. Laura H. Hales: This is Laura Harris Hales, and I’m here today with Alex Baugh, who is the chair of the Department of Church History at BYU. Can you tell our listeners a little bit about your training and your areas of research focus? Alex Baugh: Well, it’s good to be with you Laura, and I’m always excited to talk about historical subjects associated with Mormonism. Believe it or not, I went to Utah State and majored in marriage and family studies. I was teaching seminary for the LDS Church in Bountiful when they came out with a master’s degree in western American history. And I thought, “Well, that would be kind of neat.” I got my degree in that, a masters, and then went for a PhD at BYU in American history with an emphasis in Mormon and western American history. Laura H. Hales: You’re also known as the Missouri guy now with your expertise on the Missouri War and that period of time. You’re one of the editors of a couple of volumes from the Joseph Smith Papers on the Missouri era. But recently you wrote an article for BYU Studies Quarterly (volume 56, issue 4) that we’re going to talk about. It’s on a topic a little bit lighter than the topics you usually write about. Alex Baugh: I probably ought to tell you how I even came to writing this. Laura H. Hales: That’s the next question I was going to ask you. Why did you decide, “I’m going to go from writing about the Missouri War to Joseph Smith’s pet”?

In this Dialogue podcast William MacKinnon and Richard E. Turley discuss insights from their research on the Utah War and the Mountain Meadows Massacre. From the Miller Eccles website: Rick Turley was formerly Assistant Church Historian and is currently managing director of the Public Affairs Department of the Church. Bill MacKinnon is an independent, award winning historian of the American West, who was recently president of the Mormon History Association.  THE TOPIC: Over the decades, Richard Turley and William MacKinnon have researched and written extensively about Utah’s long, contentious territorial period. They approach the subject from quite different  religious, educational, military, professional, geographical, and even generational backgrounds. Despite (or perhaps because of) such differences, these two historians are close personal friends and respectful colleagues, whose work has been enriched by the informal and stimulating exchange of discoveries and ideas over more than twenty years. Rick and Bill have often shared a platform to discuss their findings and to learn from audiences in such varied settings as the LDS stake center in Norman, Oklahoma  and  annual conferences of the Mormon History Association in many parts of the country.

The Book of Mormon warns against mistaking intelligence for wisdom, but adds a crucial caveat: “to be learned is good if they hearken unto the counsels of God” (2 Nephi 9:29). Where LDS founding prophet Joseph Smith declared that a person is saved no faster than they get knowledge, historian Richard Bushman adds a corollary: A person gains knowledge no faster than they are saved. Bushman believes historical inquiry has made him a better Mormon, but he also believes being a Mormon has made him a better historian, too. In this episode,  Bushman gets autobiographical about his biography of Joseph Smith, talks about the rise of Mormon studies, and offers his perspective on the relationship between personal faith and professional scholarship. Bushman is one of the most distinguished and respected historians ever to call The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints his religious home. It was a real treat to sit down with him to talk about his career, his personal faith, his difficulties and successes. This episode coincides with the publication of To Be Learned Is Good: Essays on Faith and Scholarship in Honor of Richard Lyman Bushman. The book contains the edited proceedings of a 2016 scholars' colloquium held in Bushman's honor at Brigham Young University. Bushman wanted Latter-day Saint scholars to reflect on their work in the presence of non-LDS scholars, to think through the difficult issues in ways that spoke to larger questions about faith and reason. Learn more about the book or watch video of the presentations at mi.byu.edu/bushman. Learn more about the Summer Seminar on Mormon Culture here. About the Guest Richard Lyman Bushman is Gouverneur Morris Professor of History Emeritus at Columbia University and author of Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling. He occupied the Howard W. Hunter Chair of Mormon Studies at Claremont Graduate University in California from 2008 to 2011. Before joining the faculty at Columbia University, Bushman received his BA and PhD degrees from Harvard University and taught at Brigham Young University, Brown University, Boston University, Harvard University (as a visiting professor), and the University of Delaware. Bushman has served as president of the Mormon History Association, as a member of the board of editors of the Encyclopedia of Mormonism, as a council member for the Institute of Early American History and Culture, and as president of the Society for Historians of the Early American Republic. He chaired the advisory committee to the Joseph Fielding Smith Institute for Latter-day Saint History at Brigham Young University, 1999–2004; and he chaired the board of directors of the Mormon Scholars Foundation until 2016. He is currently a member of the National Advisory Board for the Joseph Smith Papers project of the History Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, having served as a general editor from the project's founding until 2013.The post “To be learned is good,” with Richard Bushman [MIPodcast #75] appeared first on Neal A. Maxwell Institute | BYU.

An estimated twelve million Africans were forced into slavery from the seventeenth century until Emancipation. Torn from their land, separated from family and kin, their bodies were stolen and their very identities were at risk of annihilation. So Africans became African Americans. Years before Reconstruction, they began reconstructing their own past. Many of them combined patriotism, racial lineage, and Christian scripture to tell their stories, to remember who they were. To save themselves. Laurie Maffly-Kipp joins us in this episode to talk about this history from her acclaimed book, Setting Down the Sacred Past: African American Race Histories. Maffly-Kipp recently visited Brigham Young University to present at our conference, “The Living Reformation.” Her presentation will be available to watch online in the coming weeks. About the Guest Laurie Maffly-Kipp is the Archer Alexander Distinguished Professor at the John C. Danforth Center on Religion and Politics. She taught religious studies and American studies for twenty-four years at University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, and is a prior president of the Mormon History Association. She's written and edited many books about topics including African American religions, Mormonism, and Protestantism. The post Setting down the sacred past of African Americans, with Laurie Maffly-Kipp [MIPodcast #69] appeared first on Neal A. Maxwell Institute | BYU.

In the late nineteenth century, a newspaper written and published by women and for women sprung up in what most Americans thought was the unlikeliest of locations: Utah, the home of the Mormons. Along the top of the newspaper the masthead proudly declared its concern: “The Rights of the Women of Zion, and the Rights of the Women of All Nations.” It was called the Women's Exponent. This declaration—and the paper's articles on suffrage and women's rights—puzzled onlookers who thought about the religion mostly as a strange polygamous sect. “How could women simultaneously support a national campaign for political and economic rights while defending a marital practice that to most people seemed relentlessly patriarchal?” That's the question addressed by historian Laurel Thatcher Ulrich in her latest book, A House Full of Females: Plural Marriage and Women's Rights in Early Mormonism, 1835-1870 (see p. xiii). But Ulrich's book is about more than polygamy and women's rights. It's a bold new social and cultural history of early Mormonism more broadly, as seen in the earliest and most personal writings of many overlooked figures of Mormon history. Pulitzer and Bancroft-prize winner Laurel Thatcher Ulrich joined host Blair Hodges to talk about A House Full of Females at Provo, Utah in March when she offered a lecture sponsored by the BYU Women's Studies program, department of history, and Maxwell Institute. A video of that lecture will be available in the coming weeks. About the Guest Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, of Sugar City, Idaho, is a professor of history at Harvard University. She has served as president of the American Historical Association and the Mormon History Association. Her book A Midwife's Tale received the Pulitzer Prize and the Bancroft Prize. Her latest book is A House Full of Females: Plural Marriage and Women's Rights in Early Mormonism, 1835-1870. The post Laurel Thatcher Ulrich and “A House Full of Females” [MIPodcast #62] appeared first on Neal A. Maxwell Institute | BYU.

On 7 March 2015, Terryl Givens gave a wonderful lecture and was interview at the Rockwell Museum in Corning, New York. The occasion was a Mormon History Association satellite event in which Givens was asked to speak on "An American Journey across the Landscape of Mormon Theology." Since MHA does not have a podcast, and this is definitely a lecture and interview worth receiving a wide hearing, they asked Mormon Matters and A Thoughtful Faith podcasts to co-release the audio. A full video of the evening, including an additional 27 minutes of introductory material will soon be available to view. Stay tuned here for a link when it becomes available. In his lecture, Givens roots Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon in the various milieus of his time, both culturally and theologically. His special focus in on the current notions of Christianity’s "covenant theology" at play during his time, and how Smith re-imagined it--not always consciously but eventually coming to understand that aspect of his work. Ultimately Givens places Mormonism squarely in the Christian camp but prior to the time of the formative councils in which the ideas of the church fathers Origin and Pelagius were rejected and Christianity took the forms it did. In Givens’ hands, Mormon theology takes a path that emphasizes human beings as expansive, co-eternal with God, which naturally shapes their "covenantal" relationship with God in ways quite different than mainstream Christianity.

In the inagural episode of the Mormon Studies Podcast, host Brent Metcalfe interviews Jan Shipps. Jan is professor emeritus of history at Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis and a former president of the John Whitmer Historical Association (2004–05) and the Mormon History Association (1979–80)—a scholar’s scholar who has influenced a generation of students of Mormonism, often reaching across and even narrowing the chasm between believer and nonbeliever. Over the past several years Jan has laid the foundation for a forthcoming book on the history of Community of Christ (a.k.a. “prairie saints”; formerly RLDS) and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (a.k.a. “mountain saints”) from the end of World War II to the present. Explicating 1950s strategic missiology and convert retention to 2010s ecclesiastical polity and women’s priesthood, she has new and trenchant insights that she shares with podcast listeners.

Join Lindsay as she talks with historian Barbara Jones Brown about polygamy in Mexico around the turn of the century.   Links mentioned in this podcast: Join the Mormon History Association! Article in Deseret News, “Remembering a Grand Soul, Lorna Call Alder” Guest post on Keepapitchinin about Lorna Women of Conviction lecture series Mormon Women’s […]

We are proud to release Sarah Collett's recent interview of Terryl and Fiona Givens. In this episode we are introduced to some of the beautiful themes in the Givens' new book The God Who Weeps: How Mormonism Makes Sense of Life. Terryl and Fiona also express their concern, empathy, and encouragement for those who experience doubt as a integral part of their relationship to faith and Mormonism. Terryl Givens (PhD Comparative Literature, UNC Chapel Hill) holds the James A. Bostwick chair of English and is professor of literature and religion at the University of Richmond. Author of several books, his writing has been praised by the New York Times as provocative reading, and includes, most recently, When Souls Had Wings, a history of the idea of premortal life in Western thought, and a biography (with Matthew Grow) of Parley Pratt (winner of the 2012 Best Book Award from the Mormon History Association). Fiona Givens (MA European History, University of Richmond) recently retired from directing the French Language program at Patrick Henry High School, in Ashland Virginia. Besides education, she has worked in translation services, as a lobbyist, and as communications director of a non-profit. A longtime collaborator in Terryls previous books, this is her first coauthorship. We are incredibly grateful for the Givens, who graciously gave of their time and thoughts for our new podcast. Please check out The God Who Weeps, as well as Terryl's recent Letter to a Doubter referenced in the interview.

We are pleased to share John Dehlin's recent interview with Phil Barlow, whose book "A Thoughtful Faith" has played a pivotal role in many Mormon's faith journey's, including John's, and is also the inspiration for the name and theme of this podcast. Phil Barlow currently sits in the Arrington Chair of Mormon History and Culture, at Utah State University. He earned a B. A. from Weber State College and an M.T.S. and Ph.D. (1988, with an emphasis on Religion and American Culture and on the History of Christianity) from Harvard University. He spent two years as a Mellon Fellow at the University of Rochester after which he became professor of Theological Studies at Hanover College in Indiana. In addition to articles, essays, and reviews, Dr. Barlow has published Mormons and the Bible: The Place of the Latter-day Saints in American Religion (Oxford Univ. Press, 1991) and several other books. He is past president of the Mormon History Association.

We are pleased to share John Dehlin's recent interview with Phil Barlow, whose book "A Thoughtful Faith" has played a pivotal role in many Mormon's faith journey's, including John's, and is also the inspiration for the name and theme of this podcast. Phil Barlow currently sits in the Arrington Chair of Mormon History and Culture, at Utah State University. He earned a B. A. from Weber State College and an M.T.S. and Ph.D. (1988, with an emphasis on Religion and American Culture and on the History of Christianity) from Harvard University. He spent two years as a Mellon Fellow at the University of Rochester after which he became professor of Theological Studies at Hanover College in Indiana. In addition to articles, essays, and reviews, Dr. Barlow has published Mormons and the Bible: The Place of the Latter-day Saints in American Religion (Oxford Univ. Press, 1991) and several other books. He is past president of the Mormon History Association.

Philip Barlow is editor of the book"A Thoughtful Faith," which was pivotal in my faith transition as a BYU student and beyond. He currently sits in the Arrington Chair of Mormon History and Culture, at Utah State University. He earned a B. A. from Weber State College and an M.T.S. and Ph.D. (1988, with an emphasis on Religion and American Culture and on the History of Christianity) from Harvard University. In addition to articles, essays, and reviews, Dr. Barlow has published Mormons and the Bible: The Place of the Latter-day Saints in American Religion (Oxford Univ. Press, 1991). He is past president of the Mormon History Association.

Philip Barlow is editor of the book"A Thoughtful Faith," which was pivotal in my faith transition as a BYU student and beyond. He currently sits in the Arrington Chair of Mormon History and Culture, at Utah State University. He earned a B. A. from Weber State College and an M.T.S. and Ph.D. (1988, with an emphasis on Religion and American Culture and on the History of Christianity) from Harvard University. In addition to articles, essays, and reviews, Dr. Barlow has published Mormons and the Bible: The Place of the Latter-day Saints in American Religion (Oxford Univ. Press, 1991). He is past president of the Mormon History Association.

Voting is in the air, candidates are being flushed out but when the dust settles there is an important question we need to ask: Is America ready for a Mormon President... Dov Baron's guest on this episode of The Accidental Guru Show is Adam Christing, he is a member of the Mormon History Association and has been researching the life, death, and Presidential campaign of Joseph Smith for the last 10 years. Adam was the co-director and co-writer of Change Your Life! a 2010 comedy about America’s obsession with get-rich-quick schemes. Although not a Mormon himself, Adam grew up as a child in the “Reorganized” Latter Day Saint church, the second largest denomination that traces its roots back to Joseph Smith. Adam has spent 4 years researching, interviewing historical experts, and casting actors for A Mormon President. He says, “There are plenty of pro-Mormon puff movies and many anti-Mormon attack films, but my goal is to tell this fascinating historical story in the most accurate and engaging way possible.” See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

For over 40 years, William D. Russell has been a progressive voice among the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (now the Community of Christ). This is his story -- from a 1993 Sunstone Symposium presentation called,"Pillars of my faith". William D. Russell is a professor of American History and Government, Graceland College. He is a past president of the Mormon History Association; former assistant editor of the Saints Herald; author of Treasure in Earthly Vessels: An Introduction to the New Testament; a founder of the Independence, Missouri, chapter of the Congress on Racial Equality; and former chair of the Decatur County Democratic Party. He has competed in the Boston and Los Angeles marathons and twenty-four others.

For over 40 years, William D. Russell has been a progressive voice among the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (now the Community of Christ). This is his story -- from a 1993 Sunstone Symposium presentation called, "Pillars of my faith". William D. Russell is a professor of American History and Government, Graceland College. He is a past president of the Mormon History Association; former assistant editor of the Saints Herald; author of Treasure in Earthly Vessels: An Introduction to the New Testament; a founder of the Independence, Missouri, chapter of the Congress on Racial Equality; and former chair of the Decatur County Democratic Party. He has competed in the Boston and Los Angeles marathons and twenty-four others.