Brigham Young University BYU ScholarsArchive Library Research Grants Harold B. Lee Library 2008 "A Uniformity So Complete": Early Mormon Angelology Benjamin Park Brigham Young University - Provo,
[email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/libraryrg_studentpub Part of the History of Christianity Commons, and the Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons The Library Student Research Grant program encourages outstanding student achievement in research, fosters information literacy, and stimulates original scholarship. BYU ScholarsArchive Citation Park, Benjamin, ""A Uniformity So Complete": Early Mormon Angelology" (2008). Library Research Grants. 26. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/libraryrg_studentpub/26 This Peer-Reviewed Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Harold B. Lee Library at BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Library Research Grants by an authorized administrator of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact
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[email protected]. “A Uniformity So Complete”: Early Mormon Angelology Benjamin E. Park “A Uniformity so Complete” 2 “An angel of God never has wings,” boasted Joseph Smith in 1839, just as the Saints were establishing themselves in what would come to be known as Nauvoo, Illinois. The Mormon prophet then proceeded to explain to the gathered Saints that one could “discern” between true angelic beings, disembodied spirits, and devilish minions by a simple test of a handshake. He assured them that “the gift of discerning spirits will be given to the presiding Elder, pray for him…that he may have this gift[.]” 1 His statement, sandwiched between teachings on the importance of sacred ordinances and a reformulation of speaking in tongues, offer a succinct insight into Joseph Smith’s evolving understanding of angels and their relationship to human beings.