Mormon Studies Commons^™

Melville's Mardi And The Book Of Mormon, Giordano Lahaderne

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

While Melville’s Mardi has long remained a puzzle to both readers and critics, scholars agree that his third novel marked a significant turning point in his writing career. It is with Mardi that Meville realized the novel as a form suited to grapple the various philosophical and religious questions he would famously explore in his following book, Moby Dick. Although scholars have already pinpointed many various sources for Mardi, this thesis examines the heretofore overlooked connections between Melville’s third book and the esoteric volume of American scripture, the Book of Mormon.

The first chapter of this thesis examines …

Temple Insights, William J. Hamblin, David Rolph Seely

Interpreter Foundation Books

This conference was originally conceived and organized by Matthew B. Brown. Matt, who passed away in October 2011, hoped that events such as these would help to promote faithful Latter-day Saint scholarship and increase understanding about the temple. On behalf of Matt’s wife Jamie, thank you to all those who have helped to bring this event to fruition.

Prophets Rendering Christlike Service: Looking To Peter As An Example, Kenneth L. Alford Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

This chapter (from the 2014 book “An Eye of Faith,” a festschrift for Dr. Richard O. Cowan, published by the Brigham Young University Religious Studies Center) shares examples of prophetic service from Peter the Apostle to each of the prophets of the Restoration—from Joseph Smith, Jr. to Thomas S. Monson. Many of the stories included about modern prophets are not widely known.

Joseph Smith, Jesus, And Satanic Opposition: Atonement, Evil, And The Mormon Vision, Steven L. Olsen, Douglas J. Davies

BYU Studies

Douglas J. Davies is one of the most insightful and prolific scholars of Mormonism working today. He is a professor in the Department of Theology and Religion at the University of Durham, UK. Two of his earlier studies--The Mormon Culture of Salvation (2000) and An Introduction to Mormonism (2003)--analyze foundational aspects of Mormonism from an engaging academic synthesis of history, religious studies, cultural studies, literary studies, theology, and philosophy. The breadth and depth of his scholarly background enable him to address new and crucial questions, yielding remarkable insights. For example, The Mormon Culture of Salvation proposes that the plan …

Habeas Corpus In Early Nineteenth-Century Mormonism: Joseph Smith's Legal Bulwark For Personal Freedom, Jeffrey N. Walker

BYU Studies

Habeas corpus has been referred to as the cornerstone of the common law. Indeed, it is the “Great Writ of Liberty.” Chief Justice John Marshall confirmed this singular status given to the writ of habeas corpus in 1807 when he called it the “great constitutional privilege.” This article explores the use of this most famous writ during the early nineteenth century and specifically how Joseph Smith used it against those who sought his incarceration.

A New Pneumatology: Comparing Joseph Smith's Doctrine Of The Spirit With His Contemporaries And The Bible, Lynne H. Wilson

BYU Studies

While Joseph Smith's teachings on the Holy Ghost appear to fall within the mainstream of the enthusiastic outbursts of the Second Great Awakening (circa 1800–1840), a closer look shows that his restored doctrines made an abrupt and radical departure from the pneumatology of his day. Many historians interpret Joseph's claim to revelation as a creative response to the cultural and religious stimulus of the "Burned-over District" in upstate New York. Focused research suggests that Joseph Smith's teachings on the Holy Ghost were not merely a product of his environment or a reaction to his culture. His biblical interpretations of the …

Joseph Smith Encounters Calvinism, Robert L. Millet

BYU Studies

In seventeenth-century Europe, followers of John Calvin debated with followers of Jacob Arminius about five main doctrinal points: the total depravity of man, God's unconditional election of certain people, the limited nature of the Atonement, the irresistibility of God's grace, and the perseverance of the Saints. This article gives a brief account of that controversy and then compares the teachings of Joseph Smith and Mormonism on these same five points of doctrine.

John Taylor's June 27, 1854, Account Of The Martyrdom, Lajean P. Carruth, Mark L. Staker

BYU Studies

On June 27, 1854, John Taylor, an apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, gave what appears to be his first public address sharing his eyewitness account of the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith. Two scribes, George D. Watt and Thomas Bullock, recorded the meeting. George D. Watt's skill with Pitman shorthand enabled him to work quickly. He recorded these sermons virtually verbatim, only occasionally missing a few words as he strove to keep up with the speakers. Most of what Watt recorded survives in his 1854 papers in a bound notebook. Two-thirds of John Taylor's …

Nauvoo Polygamy: " . . But We Called It Celestial Marriage", Thomas G. Alexander

BYU Studies

Although focusing on the introduction of plural marriage by Joseph Smith, Nauvoo Polygamy is also an analysis of the background of pre-Mormon polygamy, a consideration of the expansion of the institution, and the testimony of those who entered it. Significantly, it is the first attempt since Todd Compton's In Sacred Loneliness to provide a critical list and analysis of the women whom Joseph married. It is not, however, an attempt to provide a statistical analysis of plural marriage, and its consideration of the operation of plural family life is much shorter than we find in the works of Kathryn Daynes …

Go Ye Out From Babylon: Mormon Gathering As A Reaction To American Culture, 1831-1846, Brady G. Winslow

Student Works

Many have claimed that Mormonism is the American religion. But perphaps they have mistaken American geography for American culture. While early Mormonism took place in America, it can be interpreted as a reaction to American culture, and this is perhaps best seen in the Mormon doctrine of gathering.

A Question On My Mind: Robert Mccorkle's 1844 Letter To Joseph Smith, Hal R. Boyd, Susan E. Black

BYU Studies

Robert McCorkle (1807–1873) was one of many Americans curious about Mormonism. In 1844 he visited Nauvoo, Illinois, then headquarters of the Latter-day Saints. He hoped to obtain an audience with Joseph Smith but was able only to hear Smith speak at public meetings. When he returned to his home in Tennessee, he wrote to Smith, asking questions and describing his willingness to relocate to Nauvoo if Smith could prove that he was a true prophet. Interestingly, McCorkle wrote much of his letter in rhymed verse and hoped that Joseph Smith would reply in verse. It does not appear that Smith …

Joseph Smith And The First Principles Of The Gospel, 1820-29, Richard Bennett

Faculty Publications

So much of a biographical nature has been written lately on the life of the Prophet Joseph Smith that one may well wonder if there is anything new or important left to say about him. Dan Vogel and Richard Bushman, in their dramatically counterpoint interpretations of the Prophet--the former contending he was a "pious fraud" and the latter asserting he was a legitimate American prophet--have forced us to reconsider the earlier arguments and interpretations of Donna and Marvin Hill, Fawn Brodie, John Henry Evans, and George Q. Cannon. Yet the contrasting contributions of these latest two scholars, and the fervent, …

Egyptian Papyri And The Book Of Abraham: Some Questions And Answers, Kerry M. Muhlestein

Faculty Publications

In 1835 Joseph Smith began translating some ancient Egyptian papyri that he had obtained from an exhibitor passing through Kirtland, Ohio. He soon announced, “Much to our joy [we] found that one of the rolls contained the writings of Abraham.” While we do not know how much the Prophet translated, we do know that some of his translation was published in serial form and eventually canonized as the Book of Abraham in the Pearl of Great Price. For nearly one hundred years, it was thought that all these papyri had eventually made their way to the Wood Museum in Chicago, …

The Boggs Shooting And Attempted Extradition: Joseph Smith’S Most Famous Case, Morris A. Thurston

BYU Studies

When Missouri governor Lilburn Boggs accused Joseph Smith (founder of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) of being the mastermind behind his attempted assassination in 1842, Joseph Smith's enemies tried to extradite him to Missouri for trial three times. Each time, Joseph successfully appealed to the laws of the land and exerted self-preserving political influence through the Nauvoo City Council to avoid extradition. This article examines closely the second of the three cases, illuminating how Joseph Smith emerged temporarily victorious but ultimately turned public opinion against himself. The public viewed the Prophet as taking advantage of legal loopholes …

The Nature Of The Pen And Pencil Markings In The New Testament Of Joseph Smith's New Translation Of The Bible, Paul W. Lambert, Thomas A. Wayment

BYU Studies

After Joseph Smith's death, Emma Smith kept the marked Bible and manuscripts of Joseph's New Translation of the Bible. These eventually became the property of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Because of random marks made on the pages of this collection, scholars have questioned whether or not any markings were added after Joseph Smith's death. The authors examine the notations made in the printed Bible Joseph used during his translation, and they conclude from the evidence that the manuscripts were not significantly changed after his martyrdom. They also point out that Joseph had finished translating …

Physical Evidence At Carthage Jail And What It Reveals About The Assassination Of Joseph And Hyrum Smith, Joseph L. Lyon, David W. Lyon

BYU Studies

In 1844, Joseph Smith, founder of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was assassinated in Carthage, Illinois, along with his brother, Hyrum. Much has been written about the assassination of Joseph and Hyrum Smith, but little attention has been paid to the crime scene in Carthage Jail. This article examines eyewitness accounts of the assault, the layout of the crime scene, the physical evidence left in the jail, and the types of weapons used and the wounds they inflicted on the Smith brothers, John Taylor, and Willard Richards. This multidisciplinary investigation of the martyrdom examines the accuracy of …

What Does It Mean To Be A Christian?: The Views Of Joseph Smith And Soren Kierkegaard, David L. Paulsen

BYU Studies

The Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard (1813-1855) and the American prophet Joseph Smith (1804-1844) both radically critiqued nineteenth-century Christian culture. Though Søren often directed critiques specifically toward the State Church of Denmark, his ultimate target was Christianity as a whole, or simply "Christendom." Joseph's critique singled out no specific church; he also focused on Christianity as a whole. Notwithstanding important differences, Paulsen finds Søren's and Joseph's critiques of nineteenth-century Christendom mutually reinforcing and illuminating. The comparison of Smith's and Kierkegaard's views includes the following ideas: (1) the New Testament church no longer existed, (2) Christian theology had become defiled, (3) the …

One Continuous Flow: Revelations Surrounding The New Translation, Kerry M. Muhlestein

Faculty Publications

We often underestimate both the complexity and continuity of Joseph Smith's revelatory life. His visions rolled, he said, "like an overflowing surge before [his] mind." Now that they have been compartmentalized into different sections, chapters, and books, we tend to compartmentalize them in our minds. Such a practice, however, limits our ability to see how powerful and continuous this "overflowing surge" really was.

1842, Byu Studies

BYU Studies

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1805-1829, Byu Studies

BYU Studies

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1840, Byu Studies

BYU Studies

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1838, Byu Studies

BYU Studies

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1835, Byu Studies

BYU Studies

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1839, Byu Studies

BYU Studies

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1831, Byu Studies

BYU Studies

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1833, Byu Studies

BYU Studies

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1834, Byu Studies

BYU Studies

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1836, Byu Studies

BYU Studies

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1837, Byu Studies

BYU Studies

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1843, Byu Studies

BYU Studies

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