Dan Vogel

Daniel Arlon Vogel^[1] (born 1955)^[2] is the author of a number of books related to early Mormon history. He is a former member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, an atheist, and a skeptic.

Joseph Smith biography

Vogel was awarded the "Best Book" award in September 2004 by the John Whitmer Historical Association and the "Turner-Bergera Best Biography" award by the Mormon History Association in May 2005 for his biography Joseph Smith: The Making of a Prophet.^[3][4]

In this Smith biography, Vogel argues that Joseph Smith was a pious fraud—that Smith essentially invented his religious claims for what he believed were noble, faith-promoting purposes. Vogel identifies the roots of the pious fraud in the conflict between members of the Smith family, who were divided between the skepticism and universalism of Joseph Smith, Sr., and the more mainstream Protestant faith of Lucy Mack Smith. Vogel interweaves the history of Joseph Smith, Jr. with interpretation of the Book of Mormon, which is read as springing from the young man's psychology and experiences.

Reception

Vogel's scholarship on the topic has come under fire by Mormon apologists who allege he is biased and critical of Mormon faith claims.^[5] He is sometimes also criticised by ex-Mormons and anti-Mormons for not being sufficiently critical of Joseph Smith. Larry Morris praised his efforts to produce the award-winning multi-volume Early Mormon Documents.^[6]

Vogel has also edited volumes skeptical of the possibility of receiving the future through the word of God.

Many of Vogel's books have been critically reviewed by members of FARMS.^[7] For example, in 1991, Mormon religion professor and FARMS scholar Stephen E. Robinson suggested that Vogel's arguments closely resemble those of Korihor, an atheist polemicist in the Book of Mormon.^[8]

Publications

• Vogel, Dan (1983). How to win with women. Prentice-Hall. ISBN 0134412125. 
• —— (1986). Indian Origins and the Book of Mormon. Salt Lake City, Utah: Signature Books. ISBN 0-941214-42-7. 
• —— (1988). Religious Seekers and the Advent of Mormonism. Salt Lake City, Utah: Signature Books. ISBN 0-941214-64-8. 
• —— (1990). The Word of God: Essays on Mormon Scripture. Salt Lake City, Utah: Signature Books. ISBN 0-941214-93-1. 
• —— (1993). "Anti-Universalist Rhetoric in the Book of Mormon". In Metcalf, Brent Lee. New Approaches to the Book of Mormon: Explorations in Critical Methodology. Salt Lake City, Utah: Signature Books. ISBN 1-56085-017-5. 
• —— (2004). Joseph Smith: The Making of a Prophet. Signature Books. ISBN 1-56085-179-1. 

As editor

• Vogel, Dan, ed. (1996–2003). Early Mormon Documents. (Vols. 1-5). Salt Lake City, Utah: Signature Books. ISBN 1-56085-072-8. 
• Vogel, Dan; Metcalf, Brent Lee, eds. (2002). American Apocrypha: Essays on the Book of Mormon. Salt Lake City, Utah: Signature Books. ISBN 1-56085-151-1. 

Notes

External links

• Works by or about Dan Vogel in libraries (WorldCat catalog)