sign in sign up
<<
Home , Hebrew Bible, Zarahemla

Claremont newsletter

Spring 2014  Issue 10

Reading Mormon History through the Hebrew

A more robust with the would do much to help Latter-day Saints (and anyone else, for that matter) consider the complicated relationship between and history in a different, and helpful, light.

by Patrick Q. Mason howard w. hunter chair of mormon studies

very four years—including this year—Latter- Eday Saints study the Old Testament (or He- In This Issue brew Bible, for and many Christians) in School. True, Mormons believe the Old “A View from Outside” Testament is scripture, and so it deserves attention on that score alone. But the fact is, most LDS Sun- “Thank You for Being Respectful” day School teachers have not even read the entire Old Testament; even fewer actually know anything about ancient Hebrew culture, history, language, “Beyond Mormon Studies” or . The curriculum focuses on only a sliver of the text, highlighting a relative handful of Mormon Scholars in the Humanities accessible stories known from childhood or care- at CGU fully chosen proof texts that seem to confirm what Latter-day Saints already believe. Class sessions are Student Contributions often filled with complaints about how hard it is to understand what the scriptural writers are actu- Thanks to Donors ally saying; Mormons’ exclusive relationship to the (continued on the following page)

– 1 – Claremont Mormon Studies Newsletter, no. 10 Spring 2014 (continued from page 1) exacerbates this problem. The history of the Latter-day Saints and their It’s not my to determine the Sunday School church, as Jan Shipps and others have pointed out, curriculum for the LDS Church. But from my per- has a kind of scriptural function in Mormonism. spective as a Mormon historian and a student of re- Mormons look to their past not only for inspira- ligion, I would suggest that rather than tossing the tion but also for validation. The Church is true, the book in the can or continuing with a superficial argument goes, because we can see ’s hand treatment of it, a more robust engagement with the in our history (and conversely, we can see God’s Old Testament would do much to help Latter-day hand in our history because the Church is true). Saints (and anyone else, for that matter) consider No doubt there was a false step here or there, it the complicated relationship between faith and is conceded, but on the whole faithful Mormon history in a different, and helpful, light. history reads like hagiography. Scholars who have Of all the Latter-day Saints’ sacred texts, the Old departed from “faith-promoting” narratives to tell Testament is easily the most human. There are few Mormon stories of human and institutional fall- here (among the mortals), and even the enness have often been derided, marginalized, or men and women who are the book’s protagonists even disciplined. For many years the relationship are deeply, and often tragically, flawed. and between the Church and its intellectuals was tense. fall, gets drunk, lies, Thankfully, that is not so much the case now. gets jealous, deceives, kills, Historians, LDS and not, “faithful” and not, enjoy and commit genocide, commits adul- access to LDS Church archives that was unthink- tery, and are social outcasts—and able two to three decades ago. The LDS Church these are the good guys! One can hardly walk away Historical Department has committed vast re- from the Old Testament without a sense that, as sources to important historical projects such as Reinhold Niebuhr was fond of saying, “the doc- the Smith Papers and an in-depth analy- trine of original sin is the only empirically verifi- sis of the Mountain Meadows Massacre, leaving able doctrine of the Christian faith.” no stone unturned, even when the underside of The stunning thing is that this was the narra- the stone is unseemly. A series of well-researched tive that was preserved and held sacred by the Jews and honest essays on various challenging aspects and then adopted by Christians as a meaningful of Mormon history—including , Joseph and faithful record of humanity’s relationship with Smith’s use of seerstones, and the priesthood/tem- God. In the Old Testament, the people ple ban on blacks—have been quietly but impact- are arrayed against God as much as they are with fully published on the Church’s “ Topics” Him. Indeed, if there was ever a history written website. with “warts and all,” the Old Testament is it. The In short, if Mormon history is a kind of scripture, warts of a violent, misogynist, lustful, duplicitous, then that scripture is increasingly reading like the racist, greedy culture are presented not to embar- Old Testament. Or rather, it always did—Mormon rass the and other figures who are simul- history has had its share of saints and scoundrels, taneously portrayed as spiritual exemplars. Rather, often the same people—but it seems the Mormon an acknowledgment of human frailty and deep im- community is just now getting to a place where it perfection—even among God’s “” can profitably read all the chapters of its history, (itself perhaps a moniker of collective pride)—pro- not just selected passages. vides far more insight into the human condition As a secular academic enterprise, Mormon than an airbrushed “faith-promoting” story ever Studies at Claremont welcomes the renewed spirit could. of historical openness, transparency, and inquiry

– 2 – Claremont Mormon Studies Newsletter, no. 10 Spring 2014 that we see in contemporary Mormonism. Just as If we can apply some of the of the Old the is revered by believers and un- Testament to our understanding of Mormon histo- believers as a of some of our deepest ry, theology, and culture (and perhaps vice versa), wisdom about humanity’s paradoxes and possibili- then perhaps all those Sunday School lessons will ties, so too does Mormonism potentially reward its have been worth it.  students—regardless of their own faith commit- ments—with profound insights into the human condition.

A View from Outside

That moment the lid to my own faith opened and I began to peer inside, seemingly for the first time. What transpired over the next two years was personally transformative.

by Craig Rossell mormon studies council member

y association with CGU’s Mormon studies facts about the translation story – things I had nev- Mprogram began on September 3, 2009. That heard before and haven’t heard since. I would is the day I walked into the library of the Institute take another two courses from Richard, one on the for Antiquity and —an old two-story Mormon theological and finally one on brick building on campus that must have been early American . I never could take notes someone’s home when it was first built. There fast enough. The views expressly by non-Mormons I met Dr. Richard Bushman. I worked just a few were particularly enlightening. My materials from blocks away. It was easy to there. I asked if I those courses fill jumbo notebooks. That train- might audit his course on the life and thought of ing broadened my understanding of the historical Joseph Smith. I came to him a total stranger with- roots and theological development of Mormonism. out the credentials to which he was accustomed. It also provided facts and information helpful to To my surprise, he graciously consented. That the ongoing debate about how Mormonism arose, same day we examined the clerk’s minutes from what it is, and what its role is or should be in the the 1826 Bainbridge, New York criminal trial of communities of the world. In all this Richard be- 20-year old Joseph Smith. That moment the lid to came a dear friend and mentor. I also owe a debt of my own faith opened and I began to peer inside, gratitude to his , Claudia, as well as CGU, for seemingly for the first time. What transpired over this accidental endowment. the next two years was personally transformative. After my release as an LDS bishop in 2012 I was I never missed one class, one assignment, one invited on to CGU’s Mormon Studies Council. It guest lecture or conference that first semester, was a natural fit. This was not long after Dr. Pat- and wrote a 50-page paper on the translation of rick Mason assumed the chair left vacant by Rich- the based on hundreds of early ard Bushman. Last year I produced a video that Mormon documents. I discovered some amazing describes the unique role Mormon studies at CGU

– 3 – Claremont Mormon Studies Newsletter, no. 10 Spring 2014 now plays in the world of religious discourse. I want en by Dr. James M. Robinson and others when I word of what is happening here to get out. I must was growing up. It seems fitting that both of these thank the many who contributed to the video’s cre- ground-breaking initiatives found a home in the ation, particularly the Council itself. A finer focus Institute for Antiquity and Christianity. Mormon- group I could not have had. ism isn’t very old as world religions go, but what It may seem far-fetched, since many more pro- Joseph Smith claimed to have exhumed in 1827 grams like CGU’s may be expected in the future, isn’t that distant in years from what was unearthed but I suspect the day will come when CGU’s Mor- in and Egypt little more than a century mon studies program will bring as much prestige later. Mother Earth, it seems, has been rather good to the university as did the work on the to CGU—and all of us.  Scrolls and the Nag Hammadi codices undertak-

Thank You for Being Respectful

Our time in the classroom is a consistent reminder that the academic pursuit of religion requires an open mind and a willingness to at least attempt to understand the deeply personal, sometimes volatile realm of religious faith, whether we are researching contemporary Mormonism, formative , or ancient Hinduism.

by Courtney Rabada ma student in religion

hank you for being respectful.” These were gendered pronouns in the hymns we sang (all Tthe parting words of a woman who was kind male), and the focus on the mourning of Joseph enough to chat with my classmate and me when of Egypt’s father when the coat of many colors was we attended Sunday service at one of the local found torn and bloodstained (with nary a mention LDS wards. Since our visit was part of an assign- of his mother’s heartbreak). Without understand- ment for this semester’s Gendering Mormonism ing the assignment, someone reading these obser- class, I was taking notes throughout the three-hour vations could easily have concluded that I was be- session, which easily could have led someone to ing disrespectful. believe I was being the opposite of respectful. But A visitor to our weekly class sessions would see this woman understood that, as a student, I could us brainstorming about the roles of men and wom- show respect to her faith by being genuinely inter- en in the church, and failing to reach a consen- ested and engaged. sus about which were most prevalent. They would Tasked to view the service through the lens of hear us disagree about the nature of priesthood, gender, I found myself jotting down information motherhood, and whether inherently separate about the number of women versus men on the spheres can ever be equal. If they followed me to dais (two versus five), whether or not fathers took the library, they might find me in a whispered con- unhappy children out to the lobby (they did), the versation with a male classmate about the lack of (see respectful, page 6)

– 4 – Claremont Mormon Studies Newsletter, no. 10 Spring 2014 Thanks to Our 2013–2014 Donors

We extend our deepest gratitude to the following indi- We did our best to include all of the 2013–2014 donors, viduals who donated to the Claremont Mormon Studies but apologize in advance for any oversights and request no- Program and the Howard W. Hunter Foundation during tification of any errors or omissions. For any corrections, this year and last. Our program is flourishing in every way please notify Christie Frandsen at christiefrandsen@gmail. because of your generous support! com. 

$500,000 or above • Dr. Greggory & Dorothy Winder DeVore • Scott Parks Letellier • Roy & Carol Christensen • Joe & Lydia Grigg • Gordon & Barbara Mauss $100,000 or above • Val & Alice Hemming • Bruce & Helen McGregor • Cynthia Kofford • Thomas & Martha Mumford • Menlo F. Smith • Ed Mauss • Orlin & Opalgene Munns $50,000 or above • Steven Mauss • Guy Murray • John & Hawkins • Mark McPaulin • Craig Nelson • Ralph & Jeanne Muhlestein • Brian & Lisa Palmer $10,000 or above • Robert & Lo-Mari O’Brien • Carol Pearson • Stephen & Jane Bradford • Charles Schofield • Frank & Anna Rolapp • Rob Briggs • Morris & Dawn Thurston • Bryant & Betty Rossiter • Russ & Christine Frandsen • Charles & Tammi Woodhouse • Dr. Tammi Schneider • Don & Jette Laws • Dr. Gary & Scott • Armand & Ruth Mauss Up to $1000 • Clay Smith • Mike & Debbie Milam • M. R. Ballard • Milan D. Smith • Craig & Theresa Rossell • Jonathan & Sunny Beutler • Ed Tolman • Anonymous • Dr. R. Lanier Britsch • Dallas Brent Tolton • John & Shirley Carmack $5000 or above • Jed & Elizabeth VanDenBerghe • LeGrande & Marguerite Eliason • Weatherford & Lisa Clayton • Regina Vigneault • Glen Franks • John & Louise Dalton • Donna West • Christopher & Jennifer Halloran • Richard & Diane Dow • James Wilkinson • Monte & Melanie Harrick • Brooke Jones Williams $1000 or above • Donald C. Houle • John R. Williams • Joseph & Marilyn Bentley • Blair & Janet Hoyt • Robert & Diane Wilson • Gerald & Barbara Bowns • Jacqueline Howard • Bill & Marilyn Wright • Mary Lythgoe Bradford • Louine Hunter • Anonymous • Richard & Claudia Bushman • Randall H. & Carole Johnson • Robert Crockett • Greg Kofford

– 5 – Claremont Mormon Studies Newsletter, no. 10 Spring 2014 (respectful, continued from page 4) female leadership within the church. Finally, they Of course, respect reaches beyond interpersonal would witness occasionally emotional and always relationships. Our time in the classroom is a con- animated discussions among students who respect sistent reminder that the academic pursuit of reli- one another and the we study. gion requires an open mind and a willingness to As one of the few non-LDS students in the class, at least attempt to understand the deeply personal, I am almost certainly more critical of the church sometimes volatile realm of religious faith, wheth- than most of my classmates who practice Mor- er we are researching contemporary Mormonism, monism. But I sincerely believe that my classmates formative Judaism, or ancient Hinduism. We are know how much I respect them and that the feeling studying more than the details of various religions. is reciprocated. When we find ourselves debating We are also learning how to conduct ourselves as opposing views on a text, issue, or belief, we know scholars and that the very best scholarship is deeply it is never personal. We all understand that the respectful of the doctrines, beliefs, cultures, and classroom is a safe place to express our opinions, members of the traditions it explores, even when whether or not we agree. Each one of us is there critiquing them. Ultimately, it is the respect of the to learn not only from books, assignments, and Dr. subject and of one another that allows us to gener- Mason, but also from each other. This simply isn’t ously share our insights, passionately disagree, and possible without genuinely respecting one another mindfully become the most successful scholars of as scholars, colleagues, and human beings. Mormonism, and religion, that we can be. 

msh conference summary Mormon Scholars in the Humanities at CGU

n March, the Claremont Mormon Studies pro- and non-believers into fallacious models of tempo- Igram at Claremont Graduate University hosted rality and faithfulness. Kirk Caudle drew parallels the annual conference of the Mormon Scholars in between the Israelite king ’s discovery of the the Humanities. A number of students from our book of the law in the and Joseph Smith’s program participated in the event. The theme bringing forth the Book of Mormon, arguing that “Narrative” carried participants across disciplines both new books served similar social and religious to examine Mormonism. We reviewed a few of the purposes. sessions and offer them here as a peek at the con- In a panel entitled “Mormon Theology and ference which occurred March 27–29, 2014. Narrative,” Jon England discussed how Martin’s Haycock spoke about the relationship Cove at the Mormon Handcart Historic Site has between the church and the state in Nephite po- become a sacred space within Mormonism, and litical , proposing that did Matthew Pitts presented on a uniquely Mormon not develop institutions robust enough to negoti- view of Jewish-Indian heritage. Jon’s presentation ate pluralism. Kim Berkey presented on discussed how not only narrative, but Mormon the Lamanite’s address to Zarahemla and the creed, ritual, and behavior are all prevalent at Mar- Nephites’ reactions to the sign of ’s coming, tin’s Cove and are used to distinguish it as a sacred arguing that misunderstandings led both believers landscape. Matthew Pitts also used narrative to il-

– 6 – Claremont Mormon Studies Newsletter, no. 10 Spring 2014 lustrate a uniquely Mormon view of Jewish-Indian to reveal the complexities behind the characters’ connection. While other Israelite-Indian connec- actions; using Paul Ricouer’s scholarship as an in- tion narratives died out at the end of the nine- terpretive lens, Hunt highlighted the relationship teenth century, the Mormon narrative of Indians between memory and identity as it occurs within descending from the Jews of lives on. the family unit, the Book of Mormon, and sacra- Friday’s “Gender and Sexuality” session began ment meeting; and Gore taught on the evolution with Brian Whitney’s paper “LDS Women’s Role: and devolution of political structures as they cycled Rhetoric in Official Church Discourse.” Whit- from monarchies to mob rule and explained how ney analyzed the percentages of General Confer- the cyclical nature of governments affected the na- ence talks that addressed women’s roles in terms ture of politics in Rome, the United States, and the of whether they constituted essentialist or perfor- Book of Mormon. mative rhetoric. Griffin presented “To The keynote speaker Richard Kearney, casu- Young Men Only: Gender and Homosexuality in ally describing his conversations with Emmanuel Mormonism,” in which she argued that both of- Levinas, and stoically speaking right through an ficial and unofficial LDS discourse on homosexu- earthquake, delivered his keynote address on “Nar- ality has historically prioritized men and offered rating the Stranger.” In the speech, Kearney ex- potential explanations for this. Julie Frederick’s pressed the idea that in the moment that a person “Conflicting Narratives Concerning Human Sex- interacts with a stranger, the person makes a wager uality” traced differing attitudes toward the human about whether the stranger might be divine. The body and sexuality from antiquity to present-day talk focused on mythological and biblical stories Mormonism.The 9:00 am Saturday session in- as shown in art and literature, and concluded with cluded panelists Chase Kirkham from CGU, Pro- implications of how this idea might impact every- fessor Bruce Jorgensen from BYU, Hunt day life. from CGU, and Professor David Gore from the The conference brought a number of outside University of Minnesota—Duluth. Kirkham elabo- scholars to Claremont and offered a wonderful op- rated on how time factored into Adventist leader portunity for networking, camaraderie, and show- William Miller’s personal religious narrative; Jor- casing current research across the various fields of gensen articulated the narrative structure of Reyn- Mormon Studies. We appreciate Alan Goff and olds Price’s A Long and Happy Life and explored David Paxman for seamlessly organizing and or- Price’s strategy of employing “open” time (as op- chestrating such an excellent conference here at posed to the more common use of “closed” time) the Claremont Graduate University. 

Visit Us Online

Check out our updated website and subscribe to this newsletter by visiting:

claremontmormonstudies.org

Please direct any questions to [email protected].

– 7 – Claremont Mormon Studies Newsletter, no. 10 Spring 2014 Student Contributions to Scholarship

We asked students to provide some details about their recent academic work. Included here are some of their contributions to scholarship.

Jon England Conference, Claremont Graduate • “Illustrating the Passage of Time: The University, February 2014. Temporal of William Miller,” • “’s Gate: A Mormon Example of Religions in Conversation Conference, • “Connective Leadership for Children,” Creating Sacred Spaces with Narrative,” Claremont Graduate University, February Research Conference, Claremont Graduate Mormon Scholars in the Humanities 2014. Conference, Claremont, March 2014. University, 2014. • Hugh W. Nibley Fellowship, Neal A. Matthew Pitts Tom Evans Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship, Brigham Young University, 2014. • “A Divergent Path: Reconsidering a • “The Mormon in Mexico,” Mormon Distinctive Mormon Jewish Indian Theory,” Scholars in the Humanities Conference, Michael Haycock Mormon Scholars in the Humanities Claremont, March 2014. Conference, Claremont, March 2014. • “The Righteous Man Regardeth the Life David Golding of His Beast: The History and Decline of Rachel Hunt Steenblik Mormon Animal Consciousness,” American • “From Dusting Feet to Saving Souls: Academy of Religion Western Region • “Memory and Narrative: Paul Ricoeur Mormon Missions in Thought and Conference, March 2014. and Latter-day Saint Injunctions ‘to Practice,” Mission in World Religions Remember,’” Mormon Scholars in the Symposium, Griffith University, Brisbane, • “‘Every Man According to His Mind’: Humanities Conference, Claremont, March Australia, February 2014. Church(es), State, and Narrating Nephite 2014. Decline,” Mormon Scholars in the • “Mormon Missions” in Mission in World Humanities Conference, Claremont, March • With Heidi Zameni, Debbie Ostorga, and Religions: Toward a Comparative Missiology 2014. Greeley, “An Awareness of What is (Bern: Peter Lang, 2014). Missing: Four Views on the Consequences • Summer Seminar Participant, Neal A. of Secularism,” LUX: A Journal of Alex Griffin Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship, Transdisciplinary Writing and Research from Brigham Young University, Summer 2014. Claremont Graduate University, November • “Guilty of Levity: Mormon Self- 2013. Representation in Comedic Films,” Maclane Heward Religions in Conversation Conference, • Rachel gave birth to Cora Evelyn Steenblik Claremont Graduate University, February • “Hawn’s Mill Massacre: A Narrative of in Brooklyn, New York on October 10, 2013. 2014. Remembrance,” Mormon Scholars in the Humanities Conference, Claremont, March • “Queer Mormons and the Politics of 2014. Usable Pasts,” American Academy of Religion Western Region Conference, March 2014. Chase Kirkham • “To Young Men Only: Gender and • “Constructing a Resilient Faith: The Homosexuality in Mormonism,” Mormon Temporal Narrative of William Miller,” Scholars in the Humanities Conference, Mormon Scholars in the Humanities Claremont, March 2014. Conference, March 2014. • “From Cyclical Security to Faithful Lincoln Hale Assurance: The Temporal Conversion of William Miller,” American Academy of • “The Staurogram: A Depiction of Christ Religion Western Region Conference, Crucified,” Religions in Conversation March 2014.

– 8 – Claremont Mormon Studies Newsletter, no. 10 Spring 2014 Beyond Mormon Studies

It is not enough for the scholar of Mormonism to ask what history or sociology has to say about Mormonism; one should additionally inquire as to what Mormonism can tell us about a given history or an accepted theory.

by Mason Isom ma student in religion

ormon Studies is exciting. It is a budding At the time I didn’t quite see how this experience Mfield filled with possibility. Graduate stu- fit into my larger of religious conflict, espe- dents are always in search of the untrodden paths cially within contemporary Mormonism. Today’s in their respective disciplines and Mormonism still American Mormons are generally conservative, pa- has much to offer by way of unexplored territory for triotic, and see their citizenship in the American any number of disciplines. As an emerging field of nation and their membership in the LDS church study, however, it is necessary for Mormon Studies as complementary identities. The major tensions to point beyond itself by offering fresh perspectives between the Church and the State seemed to be on more traditional fields and subjects. In other in the past. words, it is not enough for the scholar of Mormon- A class the following year on the various forms ism to ask what history or sociology has to say about of religious fundamentalism reignited my interest Mormonism; one should additionally inquire as to in the intersection between religion and the public what Mormonism can tell us about a given history life, and I began to look at Mormonism’s history or an accepted theory. through a different lens. Many Americans, and Allow me to offer an example from my time here Mormons for that matter, don’t realize the crucial at Claremont. I began my studies here with an in- role that Mormonism has played in the develop- terest in religious conflict as well as religious efforts ment of religion in public American life. Not only to build peace. Having graduated from Brigham did Mormonism serve to provide the first test of the Young University—Hawaii in International Cul- religious freedom clause in the Supreme Court, it tural Studies, I felt a little like a out of water in also serves as a brilliant case study for understand- Mormon Studies which is so grounded in History. ing American secularity, or the proper role of re- My first semester, Patrick Mason offered a class ligion in public life, and how a religion originally on Mormonism and Politics. I was fascinated, but public and political could thrive through privatiza- found I lacked much of the context of 19th century tion. American history to fully appreciate how uniquely In the years since September 11, 2001, scholars Mormon and yet thoroughly American Mormon- and politicians alike have become attuned to the ism was as an emerging religious tradition. Despite critical role of religion in the present global con- my handicap, my mind was sufficiently blown as flicts, particularly in resistance to the idea that American politics proved to be an effective way to religion should be relegated to the private sphere. track the major transitions throughout Mormon For this young scholar, who struggled early on to history. understand how his in Mormonism and

– 9 – Claremont Mormon Studies Newsletter, no. 10 Spring 2014 religious conflict might combine, Mormonism has This is one small example of the potential offer- come to provide a case study for understanding a ings that Mormon Studies has for other disciplines present and pressing global issue. Other scholars and fields of study. Claremont Graduate Univer- both of Mormonism and of secularity, might do sity has become a hub for this type of dialogue be- well to look to Mormonism’s history and adapta- tween Mormon Studies and academia at large and tion as well. the conversation is still developing. 

Claremont Mormon Studies Newsletter is a joint publication of the

howard w. hunter chair of mormon studies

claremont mormon studies council

claremont mormon studies student association

Howard W. Hunter Chair of Mormon Studies Patrick Q. Mason

Claremont Mormon Studies Council Chairman Steve Bradford

Claremont Mormon Studies Student Association President Alan Clark

Vice President Lincoln Hale

Howard W. Hunter Chair of Mormon Studies 831 N. Dartmouth Ave. Claremont, CA 91711

– 10 – Claremont Mormon Studies Newsletter, no. 10 Spring 2014