Mormon studies

Mormon studies

Mormon studies is the interdisciplinary academic study of the beliefs, practices, history and culture of those known by the term Mormon and denominations belonging to the Latter Day Saint movement whose members do not generally go by the term "Mormon". The Latter Day Saint movement includes not only The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) but also the Community of Christ (CC) and other groups, as well as those falling under the umbrella of Fundamentalist Mormonism.

Mormon studies is predominantly historical and a branch of American studies—yet, because of growth trends, more than half of the movement's adherents live outside the U.S., making it a subset of Latin American studies, Pacific studies, Canadian studies, and European studies, as well. In addition to general historians, scholars with expertise in such fields as social anthropology and women's studies contribute or concentrate in Mormon studies as well. Mormon studies academics often present their researches not only at standard academic forums but at more broadly popular gatherings—whether devotional, socially activist, or of some other nature. Likewise, some who are not trained academically in history or another social science, conduct and present Mormon-studies research of note.

Although some scholars' studies of Mormonism are primarily apologetic, either pro- or counter- Latter Day Saint faith claims, those whose work best characterize the field stand apart from claims in either direction and, even if they analyze Latter Day Saint beliefs or theology from a personal standpoints of Mormon-belief, of another religious belief, or of no religious beliefs at all, they couch their views in terms of encouraging cross-faiths and Mormon–"secular" understanding.

Among prestigious awards in the field are the Leonard J. Arrington Award, presented by the Mormon History Association for "distinguished and meritorious service to Mormon history" and its Woodward Award for outstanding International Mormon history. Whereas many scholars drawn to the field share a background in the religion itself, the MHA's Thomas L. Kane Award is presented each year usually to a non-Mormon historian in recognition of work seen as building bridges between Mormons and other communities.[1]

Contents

Academic programs

Independent

Arrington Chair of Mormon History and Culture, est. 2007
Hunter Chair of Mormon Studies, est. 2008

Denominationally affiliated

For LDS religious instruction. (Advanced historical research is conducted instead at the LDS Church History Library, which institution, incidentally—along with places such as BYU's Harold B. Lee Library and the Huntington Library—holds historical materials important to Mormon studies.)
Department at multi-denominational Protestant Christian seminary that has occasionally held seminars on Evangelical–Latter-day Saint dialogue and comparative theology
Non-denominational university affiliated with the Community of Christ. Teaches religion classes and is connected with the denomination's seminary.
Offers religious instruction to LDS students, often at locations adjacent to institutions of higher learning
Small liberal arts academic institution operated by members of the LDS Church

Other institutions

Print resources

Multi-volume document compilations

7 volumes, published 1902–1912; B.H. Roberts, editor (affil., LDS)
Multi-volume, published 2008–on (jointly affil., LDS / US National Historical Publications and Records Commission)
26 volumes of LDS sermons, published 1854–1886 (affil., LDS; non-"canonical")

Brief reference works

  • Encyclopedia of Mormonism (1992)
  • Encyclopedia of Latter-day Saint History (2000)
  • Mormonism: A Historical Encyclopedia (2010)

Journals

  • BYU Studies (affil., LDS)
  • The Claremont Journal of Mormon Studies
  • Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought
  • Element: a Journal of Mormon Philosophy and Theology
  • Exponent II — Quarterly feminist magazine
  • International Journal of Mormon Studies
  • Journal of the Book of Mormon and Other Restoration Scripture (affil., LDS)
  • The John Whitmer Historical Association Journal
Latter Day Saint movement history journal, founded by CC members

Publishers

Brigham Young University Press
Brigham Young University Studies
Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies (FARMS)
Religious Studies Center
Additional imprints: Bookcraft and Covenant
Apologetics ministry founded by Walter Ralston Martin, "father of the Christian Counter-cult Movement"

Selected list of past scholars

Individuals from a variety of cultural or philosophical standpoints produced prolific Mormon-themed research, scholarship, or their popularization, in an era now past. Then, beginning in the decade of the 2000s, Mormon studies finally came into its own as an independent field of study when the sub-discipline became featured by then at a few academic institutions in the Western United States.

Some of the individuals with recognized expertise in the field are listed below.

Note: In consideration of space, do not include members of LDS movement denominations' overall leadership. (Dallin H. Oaks is listed for work he published prior his becoming a member of the LDS Quorum of the Twelve.)

19th-century compilers of Mormon histories or essays

Journalist. Biographer of Brigham Young
Mormon author of fiction and non-fiction

Opening "modern," 20th-century field

Assistant [LDS] Church Historian
Assistant Church Historian of the LDS Church 1902–1933. Made first attempts to shift from apologetics to a professional historical approach.
  • John Henry Evans (1872–1947) Latter-day Saints University
Biographer, various early LDS leaders
Preeminent writer-historian of the American West sometimes writing on Mormon subjects
Independent. Also served as a dean at Dixie Junior College
Journalist. Author of histories of about Mormon pioneers
Novelist and screenwriter who authored the Mormon-themed humorous novel Heaven Knows Why! in 1979
Sociology of religion. Ecumenical outreach, practical philosophy
Writer-historian called "The Dean of Western Writers," sometimes writing on Mormon topics
  • Ivan J. Barrett (1910–1999) – Brigham Young
  • Hugh Nibley (1910–2005) – Brigham Young
Known as the father of LDS Apologetics
  • W. Cleon Skousen (1913–2006)
BYU religion professor, 1967–1978.[3] Prolific popularizer[4] among LDS of its theology. (Also an influential, conservative American Constitutionalist and faith-based political theorist)
  • Brigham D. Madsen (1914–2010) – University of Utah
Historian
Influential independent Utah historian
  • Fawn Brodie (1915–1981)
Critical, psychobiographer of Joseph Smith. Became UCLA professor
  • Leonard J. Arrington (1917–1999) – Utah State Agricultural College; BYU; LDS Church Historian, 1972–1982
Economist. Known as the "Dean of Mormon History"[5] and "the Father of Mormon History."[6]
Archeologist
Scholar of Eastern European history and also of Utah pioneer history
Homiletic biographer of Joseph Smith, Jr.
  • Harold Schindler (1929–1998)
Utah journalist. Biographer of Orrin Porter Rockwell
Psychologist, family therapist and popular author. Also wrote a handful of pieces in publications intended for an LDS audience
Popular author. Studied home economics at BYU. Taught women's classes in her local LDS Church, expanding materials prepared for this purpose into Fascinating Womanhood (1963)
Founder, Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought
Historian specializing in women's studies. Biographer of Emma Hale Smith
  • Jerald Tanner (1938–2006)
Independent, Evangelical pamphleteer and provocateur that, with his wife Sandra (born 1941), documented such things as what he believed to be historical LDS doctrinal changes

Selected list of current scholars

Of preeminence

Lemuel Hardison Redd, Jr. Professor of Western History
Co-founder, Mormon History Association
Director, The Joseph Smith Papers project

By interdisciplines

International Mormonism

Historian of LDS missionary work, especially in the South Pacific

English professors, successful local or national authors, journalists

Independent historian of Utah history
Prolific, popular author (science fiction, fantasy, and biblical historical fiction novels; non-fiction books on creating fictional characters; polical commentary). Professor of creative writing. Columnist at Mormon Times on LDS-theme subjects
Author of blog and video-weblog popularizing Mormon studies
Filmmaker on predominantly LDS topics
  • John C. Hamer – Independent historian
Journal editor. Co-author, books about Community of Christ history and about LDS movement schisms. Blogger about Latter Day Saint movement topics
  • Robert Kirby
Salt Lake City newspaper columnist (the Tribune) who comments in a humorous vein often on LDS subjects
Popular non-fiction author. Wrote Under the Banner of Heaven (2003)
  • William P. MacKinnon – Independent historian
Businessman. Historian of the Utah War
LDS high school level religious instructor; after 1988, ecumenical prison chaplain. Popularizer of Mormon studies
  • Ardis E. Parshall – Independent historian
History blogger and Salt Lake City newspaper columnist. Co-editor of Mormonism: A Historical Encyclopedia (2010)
  • Boyd Jay Petersen – Brigham Young
Biographer of Hugh Nibley
Novelist–memoirist. Biographer of Juanita Brooks
Medical pathologist. Biographer of David O. McKay
  • Robert A. Rees – University of California-Los Angeles
Book of Mormon studies
  • Jana Riess
Religion reporter and publishing house editor
  • Peggy Fletcher Stack
Religious studies, with her undergraduate degree in family science. Salt Lake City religion reporter (the Tribune)
  • Jonathan A. Stapley – Independent historian
Chemist and businessman
Author of works with localized ecological and Mormon ethnological features
Mormon African American history
Lawyer. Biographer of David O. McKay
Novelist often using Latter Day Saint movement themes

Trained historians

  • Mark Ashurst-McGee – Brigham Young; LDS Church History Department
  • Alexander L. Baugh – Brigham Young
Expert on the Mormon Missouri War of 1838
Author of The Refiner's Fire: The Making of Mormon Cosmology, 1644-1844
Oral historian
  • Scott H. Faulring – Brigham Young
  • Arnold K. Garr – Brigham Young
Lead editor, Encyclopedia of Latter-day Saint History (2000)
  • Grant Hardy – University of North Carolina Asheville
Book of Mormon studies
Author of What Hath God Wrought: the Transformation of America, 1815–1848 (2007)
  • Richard L. Jensen – Brigham Young; LDS Church History Department
19th-century European Mormonism; LDS converts' immigration to U.S.
Biographer of a number of notable Americans, including Joseph Smith, Jr.
Biographer of Joseph Smith, Jr.

Specialists in women's studies

Feminist. Among scholars involved in a 1993 LDS controversy
Historian
  • Kathryn M. Daynes – Brigham Young
Historical Mormon polygamy
  • Jill Mulvay Derr – Brigham Young
  • Kristine Haglund
Mormon-themed blogger. Editor since 2009 of Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought
Preeminent historian of early American women's history. Also, occasional essayist on the topic of LDS feminism

Other specialists

Mathematician. Editor, Science Meets Religion website
  • Robert H. Briggs
Lawyer. Violence in pioneer Utah
  • John E. Clark – Brigham Young
Archaeologist. Book of Mormon studies
  • Robert S. Clark
Lawyer. Co-author, Journal of the Trail
Trained classicist; independent Mormon historian
  • Steve Evans
Lawyer and specialist in new media. Mormon-themed blogger and essayist
  • James E. Faulconer – Brigham Young
Philosopher; holds BYU's Richard L. Evans Chair of Religious Understanding
Political scientist. Blogger and essayist on LDS-related themes
Hebraist. LDS apologtics, theological research
African-American studies
Religious studies
  • Bradley H. Kramer
LDS-themed blogger seeking socio-cultural anthropology doctoral degree
Political scientist. Active in LDS apologetics
Lawyer. American legal history pertaining to Joseph Smith, Jr.
Law. Early LDS ecclesiastical jurisprudence
  • Steven L. Peck – Brigham Young
Biologist. Author-essayist on various Mormon-themed subjects
Near Eastern studies. Book of Mormon studies
LDS-themed blogger; biblical theologian
Law. Editor since 1991 of BYU Studies
Law. LDS-themed blogger

See also

References

Further reading

News articles
Books
Online journals

External links

Programs, organizations, and events

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