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 Church) but also the Community of Christ (CoC) and other groups, as well as those falling under the umbrella of Fundamentalist Mormonism.

Selected sub-disciplines

Apologetics and counter-apologetics

Those scholars whose work more-so typify the field stand apart from taking positions for or against faith claims and, even if they analyze Latter Day Saint beliefs or theology from a personal standpoint of Mormon-belief, of another religious belief, or of no religious beliefs at all, couch their views in terms of encouraging cross-faiths and Mormon–"secular" understanding. Nonetheless, some scholars' studies of Mormonism are primarily apologetic, either pro- or counter- LDS faith claims.

Since 2012 the principal academic journal of LDS apologetics has been Interpreter journal; prior to 2012 it had been FARMS Review.^[1] Counter - LDS apologetics of a particular faith community are classed with that communities' apologetics; scholarly criticisms of a more secular nature – at least those not veering into anti-Mormonism – nonetheless are often classed as Mormon studies.

International Mormon studies

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.

Also there are 19th-century converts to Mormonism from outside the U.S. who did not emigrate to the gathering place of the Mormon corridor. (A 2010 work, Mormonism: A Historical Encyclopedia, terms this group the Ungathered.)

The primary journals for international Mormon studies are Dialogue journal^[2] and, since 2008, the IJMS.

Awards

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.

Academic programs

Independent

• Utah State University's Program of Religious Studies, including the Arrington Chair of Mormon History and Culture, est. 2007
• Claremont Graduate University's School of Religion, including the Hunter Chair of Mormon Studies, est. 2008^[3]
• Utah Valley University
• University of Virginia, including the Richard Lyman Bushman Chair of Mormon Studies^[4]
• University of Wyoming

Denominationally affiliated

• Brigham Young University Religious Education (Provo, Utah; Rexburg, Idaho; Laie, Hawaii campuses; and also the BYU Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies) — For official LDS Church approved religious instruction.
  • Advanced historical research is instead conducted at the LDS Church's Church History Library, while BYU's Harold B. Lee Library and the Huntington Library also hold historical materials important to Mormon studies.
• Fuller Theological Seminary's School of Intercultural Studies — Department at multi-denominational Protestant Christian seminary that has occasionally held seminars on Evangelical–Latter-day Saint dialogue and comparative theology
• Graceland University — Non-denominational university affiliated with the Community of Christ. Teaches religion classes and is connected with the denomination's seminary.
• LDS Church Institutes of Religion — Offers official LDS Church approved religious instruction, often at locations adjacent to institutions of higher learning
• Southern Virginia University — Small liberal arts academic institution operated by members of the LDS Church

Other institutions

• Association for Mormon Letters
• Church History Department of the LDS Church
• European Mormon Studies Association^[5]
• Foundation for Apologetic Information & Research
• John Whitmer Historical Association
• Mormon Historic Sites Foundation
• Mormon History Association
• Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship
• Society for Mormon Philosophy and Theology
• Sunstone Education Foundation

Print resources

Multi-volume document compilations

• History of the Church — 7 volumes, published 1902–1912; B.H. Roberts, editor (LDS Church affiliated)
• The Joseph Smith Papers — Multi-volume, published 2008–on (jointly affiliated: LDS Church  and US National Historical Publications and Records Commission)
• Journal of Discourses — 26 volumes of sermons by LDS Church leaders, published 1854–1886 (LDS Church affiliated; non-"canonical")

Brief reference works

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

Journals

• BYU Studies (LDS Church affiliated)
• The Claremont Journal of Mormon Studies
• Mormon Studies Review — 72 pages, CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, ISBN 1456594184; ISBN 978-1456594183
• Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought
• Element: a Journal of Mormon Philosophy and Theology — The Society for Mormon Philosophy and Theology
• Exponent II — Quarterly feminist magazine
• International Journal of Mormon Studies
• Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture — Print: ISSN 1757-5532; online: ISSN 1757-5540
• Journal of Book of Mormon Studies
• Journal of the Book of Mormon and Other Restoration Scripture (LDS Church affiliated)
• John Whitmer Historical Association Journal — Latter Day Saint movement history journal, founded by CoC members
• Journal of Mormon History
• Mormon Historical Studies — Mormon Historic Sites Foundation, ISSN: 1535-1750.
• Mormon Studies Review (LDS Church affiliated)
• Restoration Studies — CoC history journal (jointly affiliated: CoC  and John Whitmer Historical Association)
• Sunstone

Publishers

• Brigham Young University (BYU)
  • Brigham Young University Press
  • Brigham Young University Studies
  • Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies (FARMS)
  • Religious Studies Center
• Deseret Book (LDS Church affiliated)
  • Additional imprints: Bookcraft and Covenant Communications
• Fairleigh Dickinson University Press^[6]
• Foundation for Apologetic Information & Research
• Herald House (CoC affiliated)
• John Whitmer Books
• Signature Books
• Utah Lighthouse Ministry — independent, Evangelical Christian "anti-Mormon" research ministry)
• CESNUR (English: Center for Studies on New Religions, Italian: Centro Studi sulle Nuove Religioni)
• Christian Research Institute — Apologetics ministry founded by Walter Ralston Martin, important figure in the Christian countercult movement
• University of Utah Press

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. In consideration of space, members of Latter Day Saint movement denominations' overall leadership are not included. (Dallin H. Oaks is listed for work he published prior his becoming a member of the LDS Church's Quorum of the Twelve.)

19th-century compilers of Mormon histories or essays

• Thomas Bullock (1816–1885)
• William Clayton (1814–1879)
• Appleton Milo Harmon (1820–1877)
• Edward Tullidge (1829–1894)
• L. John Nuttall (1834–1905)
• Edward H. Anderson (1858–1928) — Journalist. Biographer of Brigham Young
• Nephi Anderson (1865–1923) — Mormon author of fiction and non-fiction

Opening "modern," 20th-century field

• Andrew Jenson (1850–1941) — Assistant Church Historian of the LDS Church
• B. H. Roberts (1857–1933) — 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
• LeRoy R. Hafen (1893–1985): University of Denver; BYU
• Bernard DeVoto (1897–1955): Northwestern; Harvard — Preeminent writer-historian of the American West sometimes writing on Mormon subjects
• Juanita Brooks (1898–1989) — Independent. Also served as a dean at Dixie Junior College
• Paul Dayton Bailey (1906–1987) — Journalist. Author of histories of about Mormon pioneers
• Samuel W. Taylor (1907–1997) — Novelist and screenwriter who authored the Mormon-themed humorous novel Heaven Knows Why! in 1979
• Lowell L. Bennion (1908–1996): Salt Lake City's LDS Institute of Religion — Sociology of religion. Ecumenical outreach, practical philosophy
• Wallace Stegner (1909–1993): University of Wisconsin; Harvard — Writer-historian called "The Dean of Western Writers," sometimes writing on Mormon topics
• Ivan J. Barrett (1910–1999): BYU
• Hugh Nibley (1910–2005): BYU — Known as the father of LDS Apologetics
• W. Cleon Skousen (1913–2006) — BYU religion professor, 1967–1978.^[7] Prolific popularizer^[8] 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
• Dale Morgan (1914–1971) — 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"^[9] and "the Father of Mormon History."^[10]
• Richard D. Poll (1918–1994): BYU; Western Illinois University
• Paul R. Cheesman (1921–1991): BYU — Archeologist
• Stanley B. Kimball (1926–2003): Southern Illinois University — Scholar of Eastern European history and also of Utah pioneer history
• Truman G. Madsen (1926–2009): BYU — Homiletic biographer of Joseph Smith, Jr.
• Harold Schindler (1929–1998) — Utah journalist. Biographer of Orrin Porter Rockwell
• Carlfred Broderick (1932–1999): University of Southern California — Psychologist, family therapist and popular author. Also wrote a handful of pieces in publications intended for an LDS audience
• Helen B. Andelin (1932–2006): LDS Relief Society — 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)
• Eugene England (1933–2001): BYU — Founder of Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought
• Valeen Tippetts Avery (1936–2006): Northern Arizona University — Historian specializing in women's studies. Biographer of Emma Hale Smith
• Jerald Tanner (1938–2006) — Independent, evangelical pamphleteer and provocateur who, 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

• Thomas G. Alexander: BYU — Lemuel Hardison Redd, Jr. Professor of Western History
• James B. Allen: BYU; Assistant (LDS) Church Historian — Co-founder, Mormon History Association
• Philip Barlow: Utah State University
• Richard Bushman: Claremont Graduate University; Columbia
• Ronald K. Esplin: BYU; LDS Church History Library — Director, The Joseph Smith Papers project
• Kathleen Flake: University of Virginia; Vanderbilt
• Terryl Givens: University of Richmond
• Marlin K. Jensen: LDS Church Historian
• Armand Mauss: Washington State University; Claremont Graduate University
• D. Michael Quinn: BYU; after 1988, independent
• Jan Shipps: Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis

By interdisciplines

International Mormonism

• R. Lanier Britsch: BYU — Historian of LDS missionary work, especially in the South Pacific

English professors, successful local or national authors, journalists

• Will Bagley — Independent historian of Utah history
• Orson Scott Card: Southern Virginia University — 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
• John Dehlin — Author of blog and video-weblog popularizing Mormon studies
• Richard Dutcher — 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 Tribune columnist who comments in a humorous vein often on LDS subjects
• Jon Krakauer — Popular non-fiction author. Wrote Under the Banner of Heaven (2003)
• William P. MacKinnon: Independent historian — Businessman. Historian of the Utah War
• Grant H. Palmer — 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: BYU — Biographer of Hugh Nibley
• Levi S. Peterson: Weber State University — Novelist–memoirist. Biographer of Juanita Brooks
• Gregory A. Prince: Independent historian — 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 Tribune religion reporter
• Jonathan A. Stapley: Independent historian — Chemist and businessman
• Terry Tempest Williams: University of Utah — Author of works with localized ecological and Mormon ethnological features
• Margaret Blair Young: BYU — Mormon African American history
• Wm. Robert Wright — Lawyer. Biographer of David O. McKay
• Brady Udall — Novelist often using Latter Day Saint movement themes

Trained historians

• Mark Ashurst-McGee: BYU; LDS Church History Department
• Alexander L. Baugh: BYU — Expert on the Mormon Missouri War of 1838
• John L. Brooke: Ohio State University — Author of The Refiner's Fire: The Making of Mormon Cosmology, 1644-1844
• Stanford Cazier: California State University, Chico; Utah State University
• Richard O. Cowan: BYU
• Reed C. Durham: LDS Institutes of Religion
• Jessie L. Embry: BYU — Oral historian
• Scott H. Faulring: BYU
• Arnold K. Garr: BYU — Lead editor, Encyclopedia of Latter-day Saint History (2000)
• Grant Hardy: University of North Carolina at Asheville — Book of Mormon studies
• William G. Hartley: LDS Church History Department; BYU
• Andrew H. Hedges: BYU
• Marvin S. Hill: BYU; Yale
• Daniel Walker Howe: Oxford; University of California, Los Angeles — Author of What Hath God Wrought: the Transformation of America, 1815–1848 (2007)
• Richard L. Jensen: BYU; LDS Church History Department — 19th-century European Mormonism; LDS converts' immigration to U.S.
• Dean C. Jessee: LDS Church History Department; BYU
• Glen M. Leonard: BYU; Utah State University
• L. Jackson Newell: University of Utah; Deep Springs College
• Robert V. Remini: University of Illinois at Chicago — Biographer of a number of notable Americans, including Joseph Smith, Jr.
• Richard E. Turley, Jr.: Assistant Church Historian of the LDS Church
• Grant Underwood: BYU
• Dan Vogel: Independent historian — Biographer of Joseph Smith, Jr.
• David J. Whittaker: BYU; LDS Church History Department

Specialists in women's studies

• Lavina Fielding Anderson: Independent historian — Feminist. Among the September Six, scholars involved in a 1993 LDS controversy
• Claudia Bushman: Columbia; Claremont Graduate University — Historian
• Kathryn M. Daynes: BYU — Historical Mormon polygamy
• Jill Mulvay Derr: BYU
• Kristine Haglund — Mormon-themed blogger. Editor of Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought since 2009
• Carol Cornwall Madsen: BYU
• Margaret Merrill Toscano: University of Utah
• Laurel Thatcher Ulrich: Harvard — Preeminent historian of early American women's history. Also, occasional essayist on the topic of LDS feminism

Other specialists

• David H. Bailey: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory — Mathematician. Editor, Science Meets Religion website
• Robert H. Briggs — Lawyer. Violence in pioneer Utah
• John E. Clark: BYU — Archaeologist. Book of Mormon studies
• Robert S. Clark — Lawyer. Co-author, Journal of the Trail
• Todd M. Compton: Independent historian — Trained classicist
• Steve Evans — Lawyer and specialist in new media. Mormon-themed blogger and essayist
• James E. Faulconer: BYU — Philosopher; holds BYU's Richard L. Evans Chair of Religious Understanding
• Russell Arben Fox: Friends University — Political scientist. Blogger and essayist on LDS-related themes
• Avraham Gileadi: BYU; after 1993, independent — Hebraist. LDS apologtics, theological research
• Darius Gray: Independent historian — African-American studies
• Danny Jorgensen: University of South Florida — Religious studies
• Bradley H. Kramer — LDS-themed blogger seeking socio-cultural anthropology doctoral degree
• Louis C. Midgley: BYU — Political scientist. Active in LDS apologetics
• Dallin H. Oaks: University of Chicago; BYU (later, LDS Apostle) — Lawyer. American legal history pertaining to Joseph Smith, Jr.
• Nathan B. Oman: William & Mary — Law. Early LDS ecclesiastical jurisprudence
• Steven L. Peck: BYU — Biologist. Author-essayist on various Mormon-themed subjects
• Daniel C. Peterson: BYU — Near Eastern studies. Book of Mormon studies
• Julie Marie Smith: Austin, Texas LDS Institute of Religion — LDS-themed blogger; biblical theologian
• John W. Welch: BYU — Law. Editor since 1991 of BYU Studies
• Kaimipono D. Wenger: Thomas Jefferson School of Law — Law. LDS-themed blogger

See also

• Archaeology and the Book of Mormon
• Bloggernacle
• Kirtland Egyptian papers authorship controversy
• LDS fiction
• Linguistics and the Book of Mormon
• Mormon apologetics
• Mormonism and history
• Mormonism: A Historical Encyclopedia
• New Mormon history
• The Mormons (PBS documentary)

References

Further reading

News articles

• Golden, Daniel (6 April 2006). "In Religion Studies, Universities Bend To Views of Faithful: Scholar of Mormon History, Expelled From Church, Hits a Wall in Job Search Trying to Avoid 'Minefields'". Wall Street Journal. 
• McBride, Kelly (3 June 2008). "Everyday Ethics: How One Reporter Challenged the Official Story on Texas Polygamy". Poynter Institute. 
• Hales, Brian (9 August 2010). "The Future of Mormon Fundamentalism". Patheos. 
• Riess, Jana (2013-10-04). "Religion Update Fall 2013: Mormon Studies Grows Up". Publishersweekly.com. 

Journal articles

• Mauss, Armand L. (2007), "The Emergence of Mormon Studies in the Social Sciences", in Blasi, Anthony J., American Sociology of Religion: Histories (Brill Publishers) 13: 121–150 

Books

• Quinn, D. Michael, ed. (1992). The New Mormon History: Revisionist Essays on the Mormon Past. Signature Books. ISBN 1-56085-011-6. 
• Vogel, Dan (1988). Religious Seekers and the Advent of Mormonism. Signature Books. ISBN 0-941214-64-8. 

Online journals

• Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought. ISSN 1554-9399. 
• International Journal of Mormon studies. ISSN 1757-5540. 
• Mormon Studies Online Journal. 

External links

Programs, organizations, and events

• Claremont Mormon Studies in the Claremont Colleges Digital Library
• Claremont Graduate University's School of Religion: Mormon Studies
• BYU Harold B. Lee Library: Mormon Studies Resources
• Brigham Young University: Religious Education: Church History and Doctrine
• Mormon Studies at Utah Valley University
• University of Wyoming: Program of Religious Studies' "Latter-day Saints & Their World" Series
• Utah State University: Program in Reglious Studies
• John Whitmer Historical Association: Annual Meetings
• MormonConferences.org, a calendar for Mormon Studies events

On-line resources

• LDS.org: Church History
• BYU Harold B. Lee Library: Mormon Studies
• LDS Church Manuscript Collections
• On-line discussions list hosted at the Maxwell Institute

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