Sunstone Mormon History Podcast: Recent Episodes
Sunstone
There’s the Mormon history you do know … and the Mormon history you don’t. Join Lindsay Hansen Park (Year of Polygamy) and historian Bryan Buchanan as they dig into all aspects of Mormonism’s astonishing 200-year past—uncovering the little-known stories that chronicle how a six-person church grew into a multi-billion-dollar religion.
On Friday the 13th, 1862, a thousand armed men surrounded a muddy little fort on the Weber River, where Joseph Morris and his followers waited for the Second Coming. What followed was a three-day siege, cannon fire, disputed murders, mass arrests, and one of the strangest, bloodiest, and least-known breakaway movements in Utah history. In …
In this episode, Lindsay and Bryan dive into the 1860s, the decade when Mormon polygamy reached its statistical and cultural peak. Drawing on census data, diaries, oral histories, and the sharp observations of British explorer Richard Francis Burton, they examine how plural marriage became woven into Utah’s theology, politics, economics, and daily life. From Brigham …
Before texts, tracking numbers, and two-day shipping, a letter could take months to cross the continent, assuming it arrived at all. In this episode, Lindsay and Bryan saddle up for the tangled story of Mormons, mail, freighting, and power in the American West, from Brigham Young’s ambitious Y.X. Company and the political chaos of the …
While Eastern theaters staged plays depicting Mormons as bloodthirsty polygamists, Brigham Young was building a Drury Lane replica in the Utah desert. It would go on to host Oscar Wilde, the Barrymore family across four generations, and Brigham Young’s own son performing in drag to packed houses. It was the most ambitious act of cultural …
What do Brigham Young’s flamboyant son, a legendary local gin, the University of Utah, the Huntsman Center, and a web of Mormon architecture all have in common? In this episode, Lindsay and Bryan follow one gloriously weird thread through Utah history, from Madam Pattirini, the stage persona of Brigham Morris Young, to the family empire …
What happens when the Book of Mormon slips into the public domain and someone entirely outside the faith decides to publish it? In this episode of the Sunstone Mormon History Podcast, Lindsay and Bryan trace the strange journey of an 1858 “unauthorized” edition, a scrappy little volume caught between evolving copyright law, religious rivalry, and …
Lindsay and Bryan are back in video form — and they’ve got a lot to talk about. The Church History Library just dropped a remarkable new digital resource: the Heber J. Grant journals, spanning more than sixty years of Mormon history and now available to casual readers and serious researchers alike. But the journals themselves …
A long overdue Books of Mormons Report, and we’re making it an episode. Lindsay and Bryan trace how the Mountain Meadows Massacre got written about, argued over, buried, resurrected, and fought over again, from Judge John Cradlebaugh and Major James Carleton’s early investigations, to decades of institutional silence and PR cleanup, to Juanita Brooks’ landmark …
When family secrets meet frontier justice: A murder that shattered a Mormon community Join Lindsay Hansen Park and journalist Daniel H. Neal for a conversation about his new book No Forgiveness—a true crime story that’s part family reckoning, part historical excavation. On a summer morning in 1911, two polygamous Mormon neighbors stood in an Idaho …
The story shifts from tension to bloodshed. September 1857, Mountain Meadows, southern Utah where a wagon train of emigrant families was betrayed under a flag of truce and massacred by Mormon settlers and their allies. In this episode, we unravel the deception, the chain of command, and the sacred language that cloaked an atrocity in …
In September 1857, southern Utah became the stage for one of the darkest tragedies in American frontier history, the Mountain Meadows Massacre. This was no spontaneous clash but a calculated act of religious extremism and territorial paranoia that left 120 emigrants from the Baker-Fancher party dead, while Mormon leaders shifted blame onto Southern Paiute tribes. …
Just when we thought we’d talked enough about disappointing Mormon men, George A. Smith pulls us back in. In this unflinching episode, we unpack how the so-called “Father of Southern Utah” helped lay the groundwork for one of the darkest moments in LDS history, the Mountain Meadows Massacre. With a wig in one hand and …
In Part Two of “The Summer of Conspiracy,” we follow Apostle George A. Smith on his fateful southern tour, an incendiary road trip of sermons, war councils, and covert diplomacy that would ignite the powder keg of Mountain Meadows. As Smith carries Brigham Young’s orders through the frontier, we trace how military drills, apocalyptic sermons, …
In our most incendiary episode yet, “The Summer of Conspiracy” rips open the shocking truth of how Mormon leaders, consumed by apocalyptic terror and drunk on prophetic power, weaponized an entire territory in the blood-soaked summer of 1857. When the federal government came knocking, Brigham Young and his zealot lieutenants didn’t just declare war, they …
What do you get when you combine martyrdom, relic worship, secret reburials, and a healing cane made from a coffin? Mormon history at its weirdest and most fascinating. In this special on-site episode of the Sunstone Mormon History Podcast, Lindsay and Bryan take you on a field trip into the curious afterlife of Joseph Smith’s …
In a surprising turn, the LDS Church has quietly validated the long-disputed 1886 Revelation given to John Taylor, a document that fundamentalists have clung to for over a century as divine proof that plural marriage was never meant to end. In this episode, Lindsay and Bryan dig into the origins of the revelation, the secret …
In this episode, Lindsay and Bryan unravel the Steptoe Expedition, a moment of uneasy calm before the storm of the Utah War and Mountain Meadows Massacre. What began as a military survey spiraled into scandal, seduction, and cultural collision, as Lieutenant Sylvester Mowry set his sights on Mary Ann Ayers Young (Brigham’s daughter-in-law!) and ignited …
What happens when spiritual ambition meets logistical failure? In this episode, we dig into the catastrophic 1856 Mormon handcart disaster, when Brigham Young’s promise of a faster, cheaper, holier way to Zion led to starvation, frostbite, and mass death. Stripping away pioneer kitsch and faith-promoting folklore, Lindsay and Bryan uncover the real story of financial …
Mormonism has always dreamed big and in this episode, we dive into one of its boldest and most disastrous dreams: the great gathering of Zion. Lindsay and Bryan pull apart the myth and the machinery behind Brigham Young’s plan to build a literal Kingdom of God in the American West, fueled by prophecies, poverty, and, …
Before Mountain Meadows, there was blood in Arkansas. This is the wild, tragic, and shockingly true story of the Mormon apostle murdered over a love triangle, the woman caught in the crossfire, and the ripple effect that helped ignite one of the darkest moments in American frontier history. SHOWNOTES: Eleanor McLean and the Murder of …
In this episode, legal historian John Dinger joins us to uncover the little-known world of rogue probate judges in frontier Utah. These weren’t your average courtroom clerks. Mormons wielded sweeping powers, defied federal authority, and turned probate courts into parallel governments under Brigham Young’s theocracy. What happens when local law outruns the Constitution? Tune in …
In this episode, Lindsay and Bryan dive into one of the most violent and outrageous chapters of early Mormon history: the “Runaway Officials” scandal. When federal appointees tried to enforce U.S. law in Utah Territory, they faced threats, beatings, and sabotage from a theocratic regime that ran more like a mafia than a government. From …
Once again, through no action or righteousness on their part, another great story landed in the lap of Lindsay and Bryan. That’s right, it’s mailbag time again! A friend of a listener was going through some papers of her mother’s and found an affidavit from a woman claiming to be a plural wife of Joseph …
We love our fan mail! Especially when they contain juicy historical details, which is why we’re introducing MAIL BAG EPISODES, where we sometimes share those tidbits on an episode. Lindsay and Bryan usually find enough rabbit holes on their own but sometimes they get pushed into them without warning (don’t worry, it’s less dangerous than …
In this episode, we delve into the life of one of the most controversial and complex figures of the American West: William Adams “Wild Bill” Hickman, known as “Brigham’s Destroying Angel.” Hickman’s life was a paradox: he was a devoted father to 35 children, a trusted enforcer for Mormon leaders, and a self-proclaimed murderer of …
Join Lindsay and Bryan as they dive into the explosive history of the Utah War for part two of our Utah War series. We explore the complex interplay of guerrilla tactics, federal overreach, and theocratic resistance that defined this strange conflict. From Brigham Young’s bold proclamations to Porter Rockwell’s psychological warfare, the duo unpacks how …
Dive into the chaotic and fascinating history of the Utah War with Lindsay and Bryan. They’ll unravel how political paranoia, religious zeal, and national stereotypes collided in the 1850s, leading to guerrilla warfare, fiery rhetoric from Brigham Young, and nearly one-third of the U.S. Army marching into Utah Territory. Was it truly a “bloodless war”? …
The Sunstone Mormon History Podcast recently took off their “regular chronology” hat for a minute and put on the “fantastic new book” hat (it’s hot pink, thanks for asking). Lindsay and Bryan sat down with Katie Ludlow Rich and Heather Sundahl—authors of “50 Years of Exponent II” (published by Signature Books)—to talk about their book. …
In this gripping episode, Bryan and Lindsay delve into the controversial rumors of punitive castrations carried out by Mormon elders, focusing on figures like Bishop Warren Snow. They examine the source materials, weighing the evidence and context behind these shocking claims. Was this zealotry, justice, or something else entirely? Join the discussion as they bring …
In Part Three of our series on the Mormon Reformation, we dive into the most harrowing chapter yet. This episode uncovers the brutal measures Mormons took against apostates and outsiders during this period of fiery zeal, exploring the violent and gory tactics used to enforce loyalty and obedience. We also delve into the dark side …
In part two of our deep dive into the Mormon Reformation, Lindsay and Bryan explore how the movement intensified under the leadership of Jedediah Morgan Grant, Brigham Young, and Heber C. Kimball. As the push for purity reached its peak, controversial doctrines like blood atonement and plural marriage took center stage, along with the surprising …
In this episode, Lindsay and Bryan wrap up the story of Jedediah Morgan Grant, the “Sledgehammer of Mormonism,” as they dive into the final chapter of his life. From his rise to prominence in Salt Lake City as mayor and Brigham Young’s right-hand man, to his fiery leadership in the intense spiritual revival known …
Join hosts Lindsay and Bryan as they smash into the life and legacy of one of Mormonism’s most fiery and controversial figures: Jedediah Morgan Grant, also known as “Brigham’s Sledgehammer.” Buckle up; it’s about to get heavy… SHOWNOTES: Mormon Thunder: A Documentary History of Jedediah Morgan Grant
Join Lindsay as she sits down with Phillip B. Gottfredson to delve into one of the most significant yet often overlooked chapters in Utah’s history—the Black Hawk War of 1865. In this gripping conversation, they explore the complex and brutal conflict that erupted between Mormon settlers and Native American tribes, led by the Ute war …
Welcome to our Scandinavian Summer Smorgesbord, where we serve up hot takes on cold historical facts! In this episode, we finally let Lindsay dig into her family roots—think less Ancestry.com and more “My Grandparents Were the Cigarette-Dispensing Rebels of Fountain Green.” Bryan tries (and fails) to dodge another round of Scandinavian sagas, but Lindsay’s not …
Dive into the fascinating blend of history and personal stories in the latest episode of the SMHP podcast! Lindsay and Bryan take a deep, heartfelt dive into the rich tapestry of Mormonism’s Scandinavian past, exploring Lindsay’s connection to her ancestors and the unique impact of Danish Mormon migration to Utah as well as the Scandinavian …
Join Bryan and Lindsay for another episode of Before They Were Famous! This time, starring tall-guy and early Latter-day Saint leader, Charles Coulson Rich. SHOWNOTES: Become a Sunstone History Podcast recurring donor Charles C. Rich: Mormon General and Western Frontiersman by Leonard Arrington
The SMHP recently sat down with Dr. Matt Harris to discuss his hotly-awaited new book “Second-Class Saints: Black Mormons and the Struggle for Racial Equality” (Oxford University Press). Harris’s book is full of fascinating new sources and fresh insights into the rise and fall of the temple and priesthood ban. Check out the conversation! …
Ever wondered what Amasa Lyman was up to before he became the 13th apostle of the LDS Church? What's that? You've never heard of a 13th apostle before? Join Bryan and Lindsay as we rewind the clock to uncover the surprising and untold early life of Amasa Lyman. Before he was the (13th) apostle of the LDS Church, he was a man of unexpected twists, trials, and spiritual adventures. Discover how a humble beginning set the stage for his extraordinary legacy.SHOWNOTES:* Register for the Sunstone Summer Symposium * Become a Sunstone History Podcast recurring donor
Join Lindsay and Bryan as they interview historian Ryan Wimmer about the Walker War that involved the Mormons, Utes, and other native bands in the 1850s.SHOWNOTES: Register for the Sunstone Summer Symposium * Become a Sunstone History Podcast recurring donor * The Walker War Reconsidered Ryan Elwood Wimmer Brigham Young University - Provo* * Brigham Young and Mormon Indian Policies: The Formative Period, 1836-1851 by Lawrence G. Coates, Brigham Young University Studies, Vol. 18, No. 3 (Spring 1978), pp. 428-452 * A history of the Goshutes * A HISTORY OF Sanpete County by Albert C.T. Antrei and Allen D. Roberts
Join Bryan and Lindsay as they discuss the history of the war the Mormons declared on the Ute tribe (and all other tribal bands in Utah) during the 1850's. These conflicts have been dubbed, "The Walker War," after Ute Chief Walkara (or Walker). What really happened and why? Tune in to find out.SHOWNOTES:* Register for the Sunstone Summer Symposium * Become a Sunstone History Podcast recurring donor * Brigham Young and Mormon Indian Policies: The Formative Period, 1836-1851 by Lawrence G. Coates, Brigham Young University Studies, Vol. 18, No. 3 (Spring 1978), pp. 428-452 * The Walker War Reconsidered Ryan Elwood Wimmer Brigham Young University - Provo * A history of the Goshutes * A HISTORY OF Sanpete County by Albert C.T. Antrei and Allen D. Roberts
Join Lindsay and Bryan for an audio version of their Youtube Chat where they discuss their favorite time periods in Mormon history.SHOWNOTES:Become a recurring donor and support this podcast!
Join Lindsay and Bryan as they discuss the 19th century economies of indigenous trafficking in the American west, human enslavement and abuse and how Mormons contributed and impacted it.SHOWNOTES:* "Redeeming" the Indian: The Enslavement of Indian Children in New Mexico and Utah by Sondra Jones * Bancroft’s History of Utah * Utah Indians and the Indian Slave Trade: The Mormon Adoption. Program and its Effect on the Indian Slaves by Robert M. Muhlestein. * The Whites Want Every Thing: Indian-Mormon Relations, 1847–1877 (Volume 16) (Kingdom in the West: The Mormons and the American Frontier Series) by Will Bagley
Did you know that Brigham Young called people on official church missions to pan for filthy lucre? Come learn about the Gold Mission with Lindsay and Bryan.SHOWNOTES:* The Mormon Gold-Mining Mission of 1849 by Eugene Campbell * Bancroft’s history of Utah * Kenneth Owens, Gold Rush Saints: California Mormons and the Great Rush for Riches * Kenneth Davies and Lorin Hansen, Mormon Gold - Mormons in the California Gold Rush Contributing to the Development of California and the Monetary Solvency of Early Utah * Erwin Gudde, Bigler's Chronicle of the West * M. Guy Bishop, Henry William Bigler: Soldier, Gold Miner, Missionary, Chronicler
The sale of the Kirtland Temple from the Community of Christ to the LDS church has made headlines lately. Join Bryan and Lindsay as they discuss the long and storied history of the Kirtland Temple ownership.SHOWNOTES:* Become a recurring donor at Sunstone.org * Davis Bitton, “The Waning of Mormon Kirtland” * Roger Launius, The Kirtland Temple: A Historical Narrative * Christian Larsen, The Ancient Order of Things: Essays on the Mormon Temple * Kim Loving, “Ownership of the Kirtland Temple: Legends, Lies, and Misunderstandings” * David Howlett, Kirtland Temple: The Biography of a Shared Mormon Sacred Space * Jeff Walker, “The Kirtland Safety Society and the Fraud of Grandison Newell A Legal Examination”
Join Lindsay and Bryan as they talk about the state of Mormon historical source material. Does the LDS church hide its history? What sources are available? How do you check our work? We also discuss our new move to Youtube as well.SHOWNOTES:* Youtube version of this episode * Subscribe to Sunstone's youtube channel * Become a recurring donor to Sunstone
Who were the real Mormons? We mean, the top-shelf kind? According to Brigham Young, any of the California Mormons couldn't pass muster. Join Lindsay and Bryan as they talk about the history of how California Mormons came to be.SHOWNOTES:* Become a monthly donor here! * Pictures of Fort San Bernardino * Mormons Created and Then Abandoned San Bernardino * The Rise and Decline of Mormon San Bernardino by Edward Leo Lyman * The Mormon settlement in San Bernardino, 1851-1857
Petty jokes about his name aside, who was Richard Ballantyne? Bryan and Lindsay dive into Brother Ballantyne and his history with the history of Sunday School in the Mormon church.Shownotes:* DONATE TO SUNSTONE * Richard Ballantyne founded the first sunday school in Utah 1897 * Things You Didn’t Know (or May Have Forgotten) about Sunday School * Mormon Sundays by William G. Hartley
Join Bryan and Lindsay for a special bonus episode! We were honored to talk with professors (and students) from Montana State (and several other universities ) about how we do responsible Mormon history. The panel, Believers and Skeptics in Mormon History has a youtube video which can be found here!Shownotes:Become a recurring donor today!
In this episode, Lindsay and Bryan discuss several expeditions, including the Stansbury Expedition and the Gunnison Expedition and Massacre. Each of these events had a profound effect on early Mormonism.SHOWNOTES:* Howard Stansbury’s Expedition around the Great Salt Lake: An Examination of the Route and the Maps by Jesse G. Peterson * John W.Gunnison's Letters To His Mormon Friend, Albert Carrington * Gunnison Indian Depredation clippings * Blood of the Prophets: Brigham Young and the Massacre at Mountain Meadows Review By Thomas G. Alexander, Footnote * History of Edward Steptoe * Gunnison's book: The Mormons, or, Latter-day saints, in the Valley of the Great Salt Lake * Gunnison Massacre Site * “Proud as a Peacock and Ignorant as a Jackass”: William W. Drummond’s Unusual Careerwith the Mormons by Ronald Walker * GUNNISON MASSACRE—1853—MILLARD COUNTY, UTAH—INDIAN MAREER'S VERSION OF THE TRAGEDY—1894 by Josiah Gibbs
Join Bryan and Lindsay for another episode of BEFORE THEY WERE FAMOUS, as they talk about an important (feminist) Mormon pioneer foremother, Emmeline B. Wells.SHOWNOTES:* The Diaries of Emmeline B. Wells * Emmeline B. Wells: An Intimate History by Carol Cornwall Madsen * An Advocate for Women: The Public Life of Emmeline B. Wells, 1870-1920 by Carol Cornwall Madsen * Pedestals & Podiums: Utah Women, Religious Authority & Equal Rights by Martha Sonntag Bradley
If you watched the recent Hulu hit, ABC's Daughters of the Cult about the complicated LeBaron family legacy, check out today's SMHP episode. In this special bonus episode, Bryan Buchanan and historian Cristina Rosetti dive into the early history of the family. If you're curious how Ervil LeBaron's murderous group got started, dive into this special episode.
Want to come to Zion? Don't have the cold, hard cash? No worries! Bryan and Lindsay will walk you through how to get there through the 1850's Perpetual Emigration Fund.Shownotes:* Donate to Sunstone and the History Podcast (leave us a note in the comment section to say hi!) * Bound for Zion: The Ten-and Thirteen- Pound Emigrating Companies, 1853-54 by Polly Aird * Expectations Westward: The Mormons and the Emigration of Their British Converts in the Nineteenth Century by Philip A. M. Taylor
Some historians claim that whenever Mormons moved into town, the crime rate went up. Is it true? Did Mormonism make some prolific thieves and robbers? Join Lindsay and Bryan as they dive into the seedy story.Shownotes: Donate to Sunstone and the History Podcast (leave us a note in the comment section to say hi!) * John Hallwas and Roger Launius, Cultures in Conflict * Bill Shepard, “Stealing at Mormon Nauvoo” * Mormon Nauvoo and the Problem of Theft of Non-Mormon Property by Roger Launius * John D. Lee Battalion notes by Juanita Brooks * Let This Be a Warning to All N****s by Connell O’Donovan
In the early days of the Utah territory, Mormon leaders decided to exterminate anything that got in the way of their plans to build their Kingdom of God. This episode delves into the ghastly execution of the Timpanogos tribe that occupied lands Mormons invaded. It also tells the story of the "Wasters & Destroyers" contest where Mormons devised a contest to kill as many animals as possible, which added to the devastation.Shownotes: Donate to Sunstone and the History Podcast (leave us a note in the comment section to say hi!) * Daniel Hanmer Wells and Events of His Time * The Whites Want Everything by Will Bagley * A History of Utah's American Indians by Forrest S. Cuch * The Wasters and Destroyers article, Utah Historical Quarterly 1994 - VOL LXII - No 1 * A Historical Study of the Exploration of Utah Valley and the Story of Fort Utah * Ute perspectives of the Timpanogos Massacre * Donate to the Timpanogos tribe*
It's time for another episode of Before They Were Famous. This time we focus on the leader of the Nauvoo Legion, Daniel H. Wells and his role in many massacres against indigenous tribes.Shownotes:* Donate to Sunstone and the History Podcast (leave us a note in the comment section to say hi!) * Daniel Hanmer Wells and Events of His Time * Defender by Quentin Wells * Protecting the Home Front: The Utah Territorial Militia During the Civil War by Ephraim D. Dickson III * Lawrence R. Flake, Prophets and Apostles of the Last Dispensation (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2001), 255–57. * Indigenous history of Battle Creek Massacre * History of the Timpanogos tribe * MC Hammer - U Can't Touch This - Guitar Percussion Cover
In 1849 the Mormons in Utah territory had big, big plans. Too-big-for-their-britches kinds of plans. They called it the State of Deseret and it didn't last long, at least in name. Join Bryan and Lindsay as they discuss this turbulent history and the secret shadow government that still continues in Utah today.Shownotes:* Donate to Sunstone and the History Podcast (leave us a note in the comment section to say hi!) * Forgotten Kingdom: The Mormon Theocracy in the American West 1847-1896
It's the worst war in Mormon history: The Cricket War of 1849. Or is it 1851? (Wait, was it grasshoppers?) Lindsay and Bryan discuss the myth behind the famous lore of the Seagull and the Crickets.Shownotes: Donate to Sunstone and the History Podcast (leave us a note in the comment section to say hi!) * Storytelling Through Brushstrokes: Minerva Teichert's Visualization of the Mormon Pioneer Experience and Messages to Her Audience by Amy L. Williamson* * Song: Seagulls and Crickets by the The Three D's * Mormons, Crickets, and Gulls: A New Look At An Old Story by William Hartley
Alright kids, the pioneers have arrived in Zion. Now what? Lindsay and Bryan talk about their first year in the Great Salt Lake valley.Shownotes:* Donate to Sunstone and the History Podcast (leave us a note in the comment section to say hi!) * A Banner is Unfurled by Ron Walker * Sagwitch Bio * Open Hand and Mailed Fist: Mormon-Indian Relations in Utah 1847-52 by Howard Christie * Information on the different emigrant drop stations * Indian Relations in Utah during the Civil War by Kenneth L. Alford
In this episode, Bryan and Lindsay discuss Orson Pratt and the reorganization of the First Presidency.
Shownotes:
- Donate to Sunstone and the History Podcast (leave us a note in the comment section to say hi!)
- Buy the book! Conflict in the Quorum: Orson Pratt, Brigham Young, Joseph Smith by Gary Bergera
Well, that took forever... But Bryan and Lindsay finally brought the podcast to Zion! This episode covers the story of Brigham Young's vanguard wagon company as they arrive in the Great Salt Lake Valley. Now the fun can really begin!
Shownotes:
- Donate to Sunstone and the History Podcast (leave us a note in the comment section to say hi!)
- Historic Resource Study: Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail by Stanley Kimball
- Church overland trail database
- "This Is the Place": Myth and Mormondom by Richard C. PoulsenWestern Folklore, Vol. 36, No. 3 (Jul., 1977), pp. 246-252
- Finalizing Plans for the Trek West: Deliberations at Winter Quarters, 1846-1847 by Richard E. Bennett, Brigham Young University Studies, Vol. 24, No. 3 (Summer 1984), pp. 301-320
- Violence and Disruptive Behavior on the Difficult Trail to Utah, 1847-1868 by David L. Clark, BYU Studies Quarterly, Vol. 53, No. 4 (2014)
- The Pioneer Camp of the Saints: The 1846-1847 Mormon Trail Journals of Thomas Bullock by Will Bagley
- Intimate Chronicle: The Journals of William Clayton edited by George Smith
- Lighthouse: Jerald & Sandra Tanner, Despised and Beloved Critics of Mormonism by Ronald Huggins
Ever played the old PC game The Mormon Trail? Your ancestors played it in real life and this episode discusses what it was like for them.
Shownotes:
- Donate to Sunstone and the History Podcast (leave us a note in the comment section to say hi!)
- Historic Resource Study: Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail by Stanley Kimball
- Church overland trail database
What was life like if you were stuck in Winter Quarters? Bryan and Lindsay dig into some of the stories of the women who lived there and what their day-to-day life was like.
Shownotes:
- Donate to Sunstone and the History Podcast (leave us a note in the comment section to say hi!)
- George Q. Cannon: Politician, Publisher, Apostle of Polygamy by Kenneth Cannon
- Journey to Zion: Voices from the Mormon Trail by Carol Cornwall Madsen
Many people don't realize just how many Mormons were part of the fated Donner/Reed tragedy. In this episode, Lindsay and Bryan discuss the horrible tale of travel gone awry.
Shownotes:
- Donate to Sunstone and the History Podcast (leave us a note in the comment section to say hi!)
- Register for the Sunstone Summer Symposium
- The Emigrants' guide to Oregon and California by Lansford Hastings
- The strange, sad and influential lives of the Donner Party survivors
- The Mormons and the Donner Party by Eugene E. Campbell
- Nathaniel V. Jones diary, 1846 July-1847 August
- The journal of James Frazier Reed
- CROSSROADS IN THE WEST: THE INTERSECTIONS OF THE DONNER PARTY AND THE MORMONS by Guy L. Dorius
Women were an integral part of the Mormon Battalion story and Lindsay and Bryan share their histories, including the story of a rogue group of women that braved the wild to avoid practicing polygamy.
Shownotes:
- Donate to Sunstone and the History Podcast (leave us a note in the comment section to say hi!)
- Register for the Sunstone Summer Symposium
- Women of the Mormon Battalion by Larson, Carl V. and Shirley N. Maynes (comps. and eds.)
- Five hundred wagons stood still: Mormon Battalion wives by Shirley N. Maynes
- Mormon Battalion: U.S. Army of the West, 1846-1848 by Ricketts, Norma Baldwin
- Called to War: Dawn of the Mormon Battalion by Sherman Fleek
- Army of Israel: Mormon Battalion Narratives by Bigler, David L. and Will Bagley
In this episode, Lindsay and Bryan discuss the history of the only United States military regiment ever mustered specifically from a religious group: The Mormon Battalion.
Shownotes:
- Donate to Sunstone and the History Podcast (leave us a note in the comment section to say hi!)
- Register for the Sunstone Summer Symposium
- Charisma Under Pressure: Joseph Smith, American Prophet, 1831–1839 (Dan Vogel).
- From Iowa to Immortality: A Tribute to the Mormon Battalion by Elder Lance B. Wickman
- The Mormon Battalion's Manifest Destiny: Expansion and Identity during the Mexican-American War by Natalie Brooke Coffman of University of Vermont
- The Mormon Battalion by Sherman L. Fleek
- Reddick Allred's journal
The third in a three-part miniseries where Bryan and Lindsay discuss the development of race in Mormon theology through a historical lens.Shownotes:* Donate to Sunstone and the History Podcast (leave us a note in the comment section to say hi!) * Register for the Sunstone Summer Symposium * Charisma Under Pressure: Joseph Smith, American Prophet, 1831–1839 (Dan Vogel). * "The Chosen Seed: Reexamining Mormon Conceptions of Race and Lineage Forty Years after Official Declaration 2”—Sunstone presentation (Stirling Adams, Matt Harris and Newell Bringhurst). * “Mormonism’s Negro Doctrine: An Historical Overview”—Dialogue (Lester Bush). * Mormonism and White Supremacy: American Religion and the Problem of Racial Innocence (Joanna Brooks). * Nobody Knows: The Untold Story of Black Mormons—DVD (Margaret Young and Darius Gray)
In this three-part miniseries, Bryan and Lindsay discuss the development of race in Mormon theology through a historical lens.Shownotes:* Donate to Sunstone and the History Podcast (leave us a note in the comment section to say hi!) * Register for the Sunstone Summer Symposium (Use coupon code HistoryPod for 30% off full or one day registration and active through May 21st) * Century of Black Mormons by the University of Utah * “I would confine them to their own species,”LDS Historical Rhetoric & Praxis Regarding Marriage Between Whites and Blacks by Connell O'Donovan * The Prohibition of Interracial Marriage in Utah by Patrick Mason * Religion of a Different Color: Race and the Mormon Struggle for Whiteness by W. Paul Reeve * Let's Talk about Race and Priesthood by W. Paul Reeve * The Mormon Church & Blacks: A Documentary History by Matthew L. Harris and Newell G. Bringhurst
In this three-part miniseries, Bryan and Lindsay discuss the development of race in Mormon theology through a historical lens.Shownotes:* Donate to Sunstone and the History Podcast (leave us a note in the comment section to say hi!) * Register for the Sunstone Summer Symposium (Use coupon code HistoryPod for 30% off full or one day registration and active through May 22nd) * Century of Black Mormons by the University of Utah * “I would confine them to their own species,”LDS Historical Rhetoric & Praxis Regarding Marriage Between Whites and Blacks by Connell O'Donovan * The Prohibition of Interracial Marriage in Utah by Patrick Mason * Religion of a Different Color: Race and the Mormon Struggle for Whiteness by W. Paul Reeve * Let's Talk about Race and Priesthood by W. Paul Reeve * The Mormon Church & Blacks: A Documentary History by Matthew L. Harris and Newell G. Bringhurst
What was Mormon polygamy like on the trail? Not great. Come listen to the heartbreaking stories of polygamy in Winter Quarters.Shownotes:* Donate to Sunstone and the History Podcast (leave us a note in the comment section to say hi!) * Register for the Sunstone Summer Symposium (Use coupon code HistoryPod for 30% off full or one day registration and active through April 20th) * Book: Personal Writings of Eliza R. Snow (ed. by Maureen Ursenbach Beecher) * Book: Mormons at the Missouri (Richard Bennett) * Book: Mormon Midwife (ed. Donna Toland Smart) * Book: Winter Quarters (ed. Maurine Carr Ward)
Garden Grove is known as one of the way-stations for Latter-day Saints who were fleeing Nauvoo in 1846-47. But this Winter Quarters encampment was full of tawdry secrets, crime and even a... brothel? Join Lindsay and Bryan as they discuss the Garden Grove branch, bawdy houses, counterfeiting and more. Winter Quarters just got a whole lot more interesting!Shownotes:* Donate to Sunstone and the History Podcast (leave us a note in the comment section to say hi!) * Register for the Sunstone Summer Symposium (Use coupon code HistoryPod for 30% off full or one day registration and active through April 20th) * The Weight of Words: Discourse, Power and the19th Century Prostitute by Yoshan A. Kennedy-Churnac * Portrait of a Prostitute: A Feminist Analysis of The Victorian Sex Worker in 19th Century Art and Literature by Marissa Merlino * Language Matters, Talking About Sex Work * Garden Grove Council Minutes * Garden Grove Branch papers relating to reinstatement of branch * Mormon Migration Way Stations * Book: On the Mormon Frontier (ed. Juanita Brooks) * Book: Personal Writings of Eliza R. Snow (ed. by Maureen Ursenbach Beecher) * Book: Mormons at the Missouri (Richard Bennett) * Book: Mormon Midwife (ed. Donna Toland Smart) * Book: Winter Quarters (ed. Maurine Carr Ward)
Winter Quarters wasn't just snow, cabins and adorable oxen: there was plenty of drama as well! And by drama, we mean liquor, beatings, cheatings and so many naughty farm animals. Join Lindsay and Bryan as they dive into law and order in Winter Quarters.Shownotes:* Donate to Sunstone and the History Podcast (leave us a note in the comment section to say hi!) * Law and Order in Winter Quarters by Edward L. Kimball and Kenneth W. Godfrey * Register for the Sunstone Summer Symposium
He was a friend to Mormons, sure. But was he a Mormon? Who was Thomas Kane and why does he matter? Bryan and Lindsay dive into these important questions about a good, good boy in Mormon history, Brother, er, Mister Thomas Kane.Shownotes:* Donate to Sunstone and the History Podcast (leave us a note in the comment section to say hi!) * Book: The Prophet and the Reformer: The Letters of Brigham Young & Thomas L. Kane * Ben Shaffer's fundamentalist church
Finally, we've arrived at the story of Lyman Wight and his break-off group of Texas Mormons. Join Lindsay and Bryan as they explore the story of Brigham Young's troublesome apostle, Elder "fistacuffs," the Wild Ram himself, Brother Lyman Wight.Shownotes:* Purchase the book: An Abundant Life: The Memoirs of Hugh B. Brown edited by Edwin B. Firmage * Polygamy on the Pedernales: Lyman Wight's Mormon Villages in Antebellum Texas, 1845-1858-- by Melvin C. Johnson
Join Lindsay and Bryan as they discuss the insane story of James Emmett, the Council of 50 member who started his own frontier break-off-get-back-together sect during the Mormon exodus.Show Notes:Council of Fifty, Minutes, March 1844–January 1846; Volume 1, 10 March 1844–1 March 1845-
Today we are talking about Council Bluffs and how Mormons ended up there. The episode with Lindsay and Bryan discusses the controversial land trade Mormons made with the federal government to be able to settle "Winter Quarters" and the tragic consequences of the deal.
We kick off a new season leaving Nauvoo and heading into the great unknown. Join Lindsay and Bryan for a fascinating look at the Mormon journey into Iowa, known as Winter Quarters.
The Season of Nauvoo is (finally) in the books. Join Bryan and Lindsay as they discuss the year and the new season ahead.
As we wrap up the Nauvoo era of Mormon history, we focus in on a lesser known figure that had a big impact on Mormonism: Vilate Kimball
In the beginning, Sam Brannan might have been a loyal Mormon leader, but the glitter of gold and the allurements of the world are about to test his mettle. Join Lindsay and Bryan as they talk about the rise and fall of Brigham Young's biggest colonizing competitor, Sam Brannan.
In this episode, Lindsay and Bryan discuss the Mormons' first venture heading west: Samuel Brannan's expedition to the so-called, "Upper California." Special thanks to Matt Riley for the cameo on this episode.
Music mentioned and used in this episode:
Mormon Symphony & Mormon Youth Chorus - The Upper California
After the death of Joseph Smith, things got even wilder in Nauvoo. Bryan and Lindsay talk about the crazy chaos and sit down with historian Dr. Benjamin Park to unpack it all.
After the death of Joseph Smith, things got even wilder in Nauvoo. Bryan and Lindsay talk about the crazy chaos and sit down with historian Dr. Benjamin Park to unpack it all.
Remember when Brigham Young disbanded the Relief Society shortly after Joseph Smith's death? We do. Or do we...? In this long-awaited and teased BONUS episode, Bryan and Lindsay sit down with historian Katie Ludlow Rich to discuss her research and paper, The Shadow Succession Crisis: Challenging the Claim that Brigham Young Disbanded the Relief Society in 1845.
In this special bonus episode, historian Christopher C. Smith interviews Joseph West about a paper he coauthored with Eric W. Schoon, titled, "From Prophecy to Practice: Mutual Selection Cycles in the Routinization of Charismatic Authority." We dig into the "death of a founder syndrome" and how schismatic movements form.
Shownotes:
Link to the paper: From Prophecy to Practice: Mutual Selection Cycles in the Routinization of Charismatic Authority
It's finally here; the story of how Brigham Young took over the church after Joseph Smith's death. We've shown you the candidates, and now it's time for the Succession Crisis showdown.
Alpheus Cutler broke with Brigham Young but his timing couldn't have been worse. Join Bryan and Lindsay as they discuss Cutler's role in the succession crisis in Mormonism and the Cutlerite movement.
In the final part of the James Strang saga, Bryan and Lindsay discuss the rise and downfall of the growing Mormon congregation on Beaver island known as the Strangite movement.
The James Strang has left the station and things keep getting... stranger. In this episode, Bryan and Lindsay discuss how James Strang's Mormon movement takes off and moves to Beaver Island, causing all sorts of problems.
Join Bryan and Lindsay as they dive back into the Mormon history timeline and the contenders for the Nauvoo succession crisis. Today's candidate? None other than James Jesse Strang.
In this episode, Bryan, Lindsay and Cristina Rosetti discuss Netflix's new series Keep Sweet which tells the story of two sisters and their upbringing in the FLDS. This episode covers the historical context and stories featured in the rest of the mini series.
In this episode, Bryan, Lindsay and Cristina Rosetti discuss Netflix's new series Keep Sweet which tells the story of two sisters and their upbringing in the FLDS. This episode covers the historical context and stories featured in the first episode in the series.
In this episode, Bryan, Lindsay and Cristina Rosetti discuss Netflix's new series Keep Sweet which tells the story of two sisters and their upbringing in the Flds. We go into the background of Mormon Fundamentalism and how it started to explain to listeners how stories like those featured in Keep Sweet, could have possibly happened.
Join consultant for the series Lindsay Hansen Park as she discusses the portrayals in the show, along with co-host Bryan Buchanan. In this final episode discussing the series, Bryan and Lindsay discuss what is happening in episode six and seven of Under the Banner of Heaven and sort fact from fiction.
Shownotes: Robert Crossfield/Onias statement on the Lafferty brothers
Join consultant for the series Lindsay Hansen Park as she interviews Mormon Fundamentalist Moroni Jessop about the Peacemaker, the document that informed Dan Lafferty's doctrine.
Join consultant for the series Lindsay Hansen Park as she discusses the portrayals in the show, along with co-host Bryan Buchanan. In this episode Bryan and Lindsay discuss what is happening in episode four and five of Under the Banner of Heaven and sort fact from fiction.
Join consultant for the series Lindsay Hansen Park as she discusses the timeline of the murder of Brenda and Erica Lafferty. Following the details, Bryan Buchanan interviews Creight Horton, the attorney who worked on Ron's retrial. Warning: this episode contains discussions of graphic violence and misogyny.
Show notes:
Court Decision: State vs. Lafferty Creight Horton's book: A Reluctant Prosecutor
Join consultant for the series Lindsay Hansen Park as she discusses the portrayals in the show, along with co-host Bryan Buchanan. In this episode Bryan and Lindsay discuss what is happening in episode three of Under the Banner of Heaven and sort fact from fiction.
Join consultant for the series Lindsay Hansen Park as she discusses the portrayals in the show, along with co-host Bryan Buchanan. In this episode Bryan and Lindsay discuss what is happening in episode two of Under the Banner of Heaven and sort fact from fiction.
Join consultant for the series Lindsay Hansen Park as she discusses the portrayals in the show, along with co-host Bryan Buchanan. In this episode Bryan and Lindsay discuss what is happening in episode one of Under the Banner of Heaven and sort fact from fiction.
We're putting a pin in the Succession Crisis history to discuss the accuracy of Hulu's new limited series, Under the Banner of Heaven! Join consultant for the series Lindsay Hansen Park as she discusses the portrayals in the show, along with co-host Bryan Buchanan. In this episode, Bryan interviews fundamentalist scholar Cristina Rosetti about prophet Onias and the Laffertys and how Mormon fundamentalism began.
In part one, we gave you the origin story of Sidney Rigdon. In this episode Lindsay and Bryan will discuss Rigdon's transformation into early Mormon leader and contender for prophet, seer and revelator after Joseph Smith's death.
Show notes: Richard S. Van Wagoner's 1996 Sunstone presentation of Sidney Rigdon and female ordination.
As we continue our journey through Mormon succession contenders, Bryan and Lindsay offer up Sidney Rigdon for your consideration.
For a time, he was THE Stake President and the biggest game in town... but not for long, especially after the death of Joseph Smith. Come learn about the rise and fall of Brother William Marks, another contender in the Mormon succession crisis.
As the podcast begins to gear up for the Mormon succession crisis, Bryan and Lindsay review the major players. One of the unlikely contenders to take over the church after Joseph Smith's murder was his younger brother Sam. But Sam wouldn't survive long himself and his cause of death remains a mystery.
The first time Mormonism encountered the Pacific Islands was in the 1840's. Unfortunately for native Hawaiians, the Gospel wasn't the only thing Mormons brought to the Islands. Bryan and Lindsay discuss the first mission to the Sandwich Islands, as well as the Smallpox epidemic.
Show notes:
John Hammond's Sunstone speech on the Smallpox epidemic
Come hear the diverging duet of two cousins, Joseph F. Smith and Joseph Smith III and how their paths mirrored and shaped two dominant Mormon sects.
Joseph and Hyrum are shot dead in Carthage. Now what? Join Lindsay and Bryan as they discuss the aftermath of the events at Carthage.
We are kicking off Season Three of the Sunstone Mormon History podcast. But before we do, Bryan and Lindsay discuss the state of the podcast: where it's been and where it's heading.
Join Lindsay and Bryan for the final episode in season two of the Sunstone Mormon History podcast as they discuss the murder of Joseph Smith in Carthage.
Listen. Do you want to know a secret? Do you promise not to tell? Oh you're going to love this episode on Joseph Smith's secret Council of Fifty. It's full of sacred, secret things and big plans for the entire world. In this episode, Bryan and Lindsay discuss the history of the Nauvoo Council of Fifty.
Remember when Joseph Smith ran for president of the United States? We sure do. Join Bryan and Lindsay as they discuss the period of 1844 where Mormon prophet Joseph Smith threw his name in the ring and tried to attain the highest office of power in the world.
Merry Smithmas everyone! As part of a special bonus episode for the holidays (and Joseph Smith's birthday), Bryan and Lindsay sat down with graphic artist Mark Elwood to discuss his newest book, The Glass Looker which covers Joseph Smith's earliest years using magic and treasure digging. Buy The Glass Looker and see more of Mark's art at TheGlassLooker.com
Part two of the history of the Mormon Expositor destruction is finally here! Join Lindsay and Bryan as they dig into the murky history of the newspaper that changed Mormonism forever.
One of the most fiery controversies during the Nauvoo period for Joseph Smith involved the newspaper, The Nauvoo Expositor. In this episode, Lindsay and Bryan explore the people behind the infamous paper.
Counterfeiting in Nauvoo is a controversial topic, not without its scandals. Bryan and Lindsay discuss the bogus counterfeiting scheme among the Saints and interview Mary Ann Clements, an expert on the subject.
There were a lot of shenanigans afoot when it came to the law in Nauvoo. In this episode, Lindsay and Bryan talk with Nauvoo legal historian John Dinger about the legal charges levied against Joseph Smith.
While the Mormons were building a Kingdom of God in the United States, they began to branch out across the pond. Join Lindsay and Bryan as they discuss the early history of Mormonism in the UK and the English mission.
As promised, join Bryan and Lindsay for their special session at the 2021 Sunstone Summer Symposium. They discuss some of their adventures digging up the history for the podcast and much more!
How did Joseph Smith Jr.'s parents and their upbringings influence Mormonism? Join Lindsay and Bryan as they discuss the early cultures and ideas in New England that made an impact on the Smith family and Mormonism at large.
He was the murderous, rough-and-tumble police chief in Nauvoo, but Hosea Stout was also a lot more than that. Join Lindsay and Bryan as they talk about the history of early Mormon leader Hosea Stout.
A great majority of Latter-day Saints can trace their roots to immigrants who were part of the "Great gathering of Israel." Immigration to Nauvoo was just the beginning, bringing thousands of Saints from all over Europe. They came by boat, wagon and steam. Join Lindsay and Bryan for a discussion of Nauvoo immigration and Joseph Smith's perpetual trouble with the law, featuring historian Christopher C. Smith.
While Mormonism was steamboats and celestial sealings over in Nauvoo, something else was afoot in old B-town. Bryan and Lindsay describe some of the lesser known Mormon settlements, including the Boston Mormons of the 1840s.
Mormonism has a long and interesting history with Masonry. The beginnings of those connections are as fascinating as the history itself. In this episode, Lindsay and Bryan discuss the complicated origins of Mormonism's relationship to the masons.
Two famed Mormon pioneers, Jacob and Jane helped shape Mormonism in a big way. But how much do you know about them? Join Lindsay and Bryan as they discuss what life was like for these two in Nauvoo. Featuring a bonus cameo by historian Christopher C. Smith who discusses another pioneer man that never got famous, Jonathan Dunham.
Understanding the legal system of early Nauvoo helps give context for the tumultuous events facing Mormons in the 1840s. Lindsay and Bryan bring on legal expert John Dinger to sort out how the Mormons ran the Nauvoo municipal system and what that says about Mormon power.
For years a handful of polygamy deniers have published books and periodicals claiming that Joseph Smith never practiced polygamy and that it was a later invention of Brigham Young. In this episode, Bryan and Lindsay get into the literature, dive into the details and throw out the conspiracy theories and bad history leaps.
The assassination attempt on former Missouri governor Lilburn Boggs still remains a mystery to this day. Bryan and Lindsay go over the events, with the help of historian Christopher C. Smith, to decide who really pulled the trigger on Boggs that day. Was it the Mormons?
In this fascinating episode, Lindsay and Bryan discuss the origins and history of the Nauvoo Legion, with special guest and renowned Nauvoo historian, Benjamin Park.
After messing around for two episodes, Bryan and Lindsay finally discuss what William Clayton's journals contain. From messy plural marriage to the nuts and bolts of the city, you can't know about the history of Nauvoo without learning about William Clayton's diaries.
This is part-two of our curious case of the William Clayton diaries. In this episode, Bryan and Lindsay reveal the identity of Mr. X, the other important person to view William Clayton's journals. Listen to Episode 36 first to get caught up on the story!
William Clayton was the scribe of Joseph Smith and had arguably the best access to the dirty deets of church history, which is probably why his journals have become politically fraught in the Mormon historical community. Bryan and Lindsay explain how access to his diaries became so contested it ended in a long, drawn-out court case against Jerald and Sander Tanner.
Ever wonder how the Mormon women's Relief Society got started? The beginnings of the organization touted by the LDS as "the largest women's organization in the world," is fraught with conflict, drama and that pesky thing called spiritual wifery. Join Lindsay and Bryan as they discuss the history of the Relief Society in Nauvoo.
In part three of our temple development episodes, Bryan and Lindsay discuss the changes to the LDS temples in the 20th century. From garment pattern alterations to less oaths and penalties, a lot has happened to the Mormon temple practices in the last century.
Last episode, we talked about the development of the Mormon temple in the Nauvoo era. As the Saints move to Utah, the temple ceremony and structure slowly changes. In part two of our temple development series, Bryan and Lindsay discuss what the temple was like in the early Utah period of Mormonism.
Mormon temples are often steeped in mystery and intrigue for outsiders. Join Bryan Buchanan and Lindsay Hansen Park as they dive into the fascinating history behind the development of temple rituals.
Ever wonder about how prominent Mormon church leaders got their start? Lindsay and Bryan discuss the experiences of John D. Lee and Bathsheba W.B. Smith in Nauvoo, before they made a name for themselves.
The Nauvoo period and the last few years of Joseph Smith's life shaped Mormon doctrine in some remarkable ways. Lindsay and Bryan discuss the theological developments that came from this time period including baptism for the dead, the temple endowment and the garment.
In this episode, Bryan and Lindsay discuss the many wives of Joseph Smith in early Nauvoo.
He was a man of many talents, some say too many. So who was John C. Bennett, the villain in the Mormon story? Join Lindsay and Bryan as they dig into the life of one of the most notorious anti-Mormons of all time.
If you want to go to heaven, look no further than a one-way ticket straight to the Celestial Kingdom. The only catch is... you have to marry Brigham Young. Join Bryan and Lindsay as they begin to discuss the practice of plural marriage in Nauvoo.
How do you secure your eternal salvation? Join Lindsay and Bryan as they discuss the sacred and little-known, Book of the Law of the Lord, and how it became a place to record the name of the faithful.
Welcome back to the Sunstone Mormon History podcast! We start off season two in beautiful Nauvoo, Illinois where Lindsay and Bryan show how early Mormonism begins to shift and grow into a religion, more peculiar than ever.
In the last episode of season one, Lindsay and Bryan wrap up the Kirtland period and head to Missouri.
Join Lindsay and Bryan as they record from the Visitor's Center in Kirtland, Ohio about some of the hidden histories and impacts of the Kirtland period on Mormonism.
Listen to this episode here.
Emma Smith has long remained an important, and sometimes controversial figure in Mormon history. Bryan Buchanan and Lindsay Hansen Park are joined by Emma's biographer, Linda King Newell to learn more about this fascinating woman. This episode also features historian Christopher C. Smith.
Listen to this episode here.
If you think safety is expensive, try... creating a bank? Things were just getting good in Kirtland until the Saints tried their hands at banking, or anti-banking. Join Lindsay and Bryan as they talk about the Kirtland Safety Society and how the attempt to form a Mormon bank didn't turn out so well.
Listen to this episode here.
The history of polygamy is long and discursive so we try to break it down for you in this two-part episode. Listen to Lindsay and Bryan give an overview of Mormon polygamy and discuss the history of its origins to today. This is part two in the series and discusses the history of the modern Mormon fundamentalist movements. Listen to part one here. Listen to this episode here.
The history of polygamy is long and discursive so we try to break it down for you in this two-part episode. Listen to Lindsay and Bryan give an overview of Mormon polygamy and discuss the history of its origins to today. This episode also features and interview with Randy Barlow, an expert on priesthood authority in the FLDS community.
Listen to this episode here.
Joseph Smith's Book of Abraham project was just the tip of the capstone when it came to his engagement on Egyptian lore and artifacts. Join Lindsay, Bryan and Christopher as they discuss the Book of Abraham translation and Joseph Smith's fascination with ancient antiquity.
Listen to this episode here.
Missouri would be a tough time for Mormons and Gentiles alike. How did the conflict get started? How did violence change the landscape of Zion? Check out this episode with Bryan Buchanan, Lindsay Hansen Park and Christopher C. Smith about Zion's Camp and more.
Listen to this episode here.
There's nothing quite like the Kirtland temple and the history can explain why. Check out the latest episode with Bryan Buchanan and Lindsay Hansen Park as they speak to temple curators and groundskeepers Seth Bryant and Tom Kimball about why the Kirtland Temple is so special.
Listen to this episode here.
There's a lot to be said about the Mormon "health code," the Word of Wisdom. Tune in to hear Lindsay Hansen Park, Bryan Buchanan and Christopher C. Smith join with researchers and historians Clair Barrus and Joe Geisner to better understand the history of Mormonism's most talked about commandment, er, revelation, er, suggestion. You get it, read between the vines! Whatever it is, it is a full-bodied story of pour choices and holy spirits.
Listen to this episode here.
What's the deal with the Joseph Smith translation of the Bible? In this episode, Bryan, Lindsay, and Christopher explore what Joseph Smith did and what he might have been trying to accomplish when he attempted his own translation of the Old and New Testaments.
Listen to this episode here.
Mormonism isn't always known for its diversity, especially in its beginnings on the edge of the frontier. This episode will discuss some of the early black Latter-day Saints who joined the movement with help from Mica McGriggs, Darius Gray, and Christopher C. Smith.
Listen to this episode here.
Mormonism's earliest converts weren't always the straight-laced, pious pioneers we sometimes remember them as. As this episode will demonstrate, early Kirtland was a wild, wild time. Join Lindsay Hansen Park and Bryan Buchanan as they talk about early ecstatic Kirtland, the Smith entheogenic theory with Bryce Blakenagel, and the Morley Farm.
Listen to this episode here.
What attracted women to the early Mormon church? Podcast hosts Lindsay Hansen Park and Bryan Buchanan dig into this question and ask historians Brittany Chapman Nash and Christopher C. Smith to help shed light on who these early Mormon women converts were.
Special thanks to Grace Pool and TheBurningBosom and Sister Jensen on Youtube.
Listen to this episode here
Exactly how was Christ's Priesthood restored in the mind of Latter-day Saints? That question isn't easily answered. Bryan Buchanan and Lindsay Hansen Park bring on Mormon historians Dan Vogel and Christopher C. Smith to give it a try.
Listen to this episode here.
The Mormon movement was seeded in New York and spread throughout the United States. Why New York? How did the geography surrounding Mormonism impact the doctrine, culture, and belief? How did white settler narratives impact the Book of Mormon? Bryan Buchanan and Lindsay Hansen Park explore these ideas with help from Mormon scholars Cristina Rosetti and Christopher C. Smith.
Listen to this episode here.
How was the Book of Mormon created? Bryan Buchanan and Lindsay Hansen Park explore different approaches to the Book of Mormon with historians Sheldon Kent and Christopher C. Smith.
Listen to this Episode here.
Additional resources and information about topics discussed in this episode: Manuscript Found: The Complete Original "Spaulding Manuscript" Manuscript Found | Religious Studies Center
The Founder of Mormonism (I. Woodbridge Riley) https://ia800306.us.archive.org/20/items/foundermormonism00rilerich/foundermormonism00rilerich.pdf
Studies of the Book of Mormon (B. H. Roberts) buy from Benchmark Books www.benchmarkbooks.com
View of the Hebrews (Ethan Smith) https://rsc.byu.edu/out-print/view-hebrews-1825-2nd-edition
Not every woman in early Mormonism was obedient, submissive, nor compliant. Who were these "huffy" women? Join Bryan Buchanan, Lindsay Hansen Park, Christopher C. Smith, and Maxine Hanks as they discuss the "Bad Girls" of early Mormon history.
Listen to this episode here.
Additional resources and information about topics discussed in this episode: "‘Seizing Sacred Space’: Women's Engagement in Early Mormonism” (Martha Sonntag Bradley) https://www.dialoguejournal.com/wp-content/uploads/sbi/articles/Dialogue_V27N02_69.pdf John Whitmer on religious expression in Kirtland https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/john-whitmer-history-1831-circa-1847/29
John Whitmer on Ms. Hubble https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/john-whitmer-history-1831-circa-1847/22
Ezra Booth on Ms. Hubble https://archive.org/details/mormonismunvaile00howe/page/216
High council trial involving Sally Crandall https://beta.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/minute-book-2/51
George A. Smith 1856 sermon on Eliza and Thomas Marsh http://jod.mrm.org/3/280
Jolie Holland - "Old Fashioned Morphine"
In early Mormonism, it was often hard to parse out the Saints from Scoundrels. Bryan Buchanan and Lindsay Hansen Park discuss some of the early "bad boys" in the Mormon movement including Hiram Page, Oliver Cowdery, William McLellin. This episode features commentary by historians Cheryl L. Bruno and Christopher C. Smith.
Listen to this episode here.
Additional resources and information about topics discussed in this episode:
“Using DNA to Discover the Origins of Hiram Page, Witness to the Book of Mormon” (Gary Merrill) https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/16noj_RBgUPc1pgFuGzp7sL8Gn3TvXNKr
“Hiram Page”—master’s thesis (Bruce Stewart)
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=6141&context=etd
Oliver Cowdery: Scribe, Elder, Witness (John Welch/Larry Morris) https://publications.mi.byu.edu/fullscreen/?pub=2239&index=1
D&C 66 (in William McLellin’s handwriting) https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/revelation-29-october-1831-dc-66/
The Journals of William E. McLellin 1831-1836 (Jan Shipps/John Welch) purchase from Benchmark Books www.benchmarkbooks.com
The William E. McLellin Papers, 1854-1880 (Stan Larson/Samuel J. Passey) purchase from Benchmark Books www.benchmarkbooks.com
William E. McLellin's Lost Manuscript (Mitchell K. Schaefer) purchase from Benchmark Books www.benchmarkbooks.com
Differing Visions: Dissenters in Mormon History (Roger Launius/Linda Thatcher) purchase from Benchmark Books www.benchmarkbooks.com
Southpark season 7, episode 12
Did Joseph Smith write or translate the Book of Mormon? Who was involved? Is it true a magic toad and a bloody ghost helped bring forth scripture? Tune into the Sunstone History Podcast as Bryan Buchanan and Lindsay Hansen Park discuss the history of Mormon scriptures with Brian Hales, Sarah Stone, Kalani Tonga, Christopher C. Smith, and Sheldon Kent
Listen to this episode here.
Did early Mormons once dabble in the occult? This episode explores Joseph Smith's fascination with magical practices, including animal sacrifice and seer stones. Join hosts Lindsay Hansen Park and Bryan Buchanan as they discuss early Mormonism and the Magic World View with acclaimed Mormon historians D. Michael Quinn and Christopher C. Smith.
Listen to this episode here.
Additional resources and information about topics discussed in this episode: documentary on Mark Hofmann https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbnw57x4vjA&list=PL2J4pOVStq7iJEK2OFEeG0MuU3GqiZ6j2&index=21&t=17s
Salamander Letter (Mark Hofmann) https://karriehiggins.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/salamanderletterfrontandback.jpg
Early Mormonism and the Magic World View (D. Michael Quinn)—purchase from Benchmark Books www.benchmarkbooks.com
In this episode, Bryan Buchanan and Lindsay Hansen Park discuss the sisters of Joseph Smith. Joined by historian Christopher C. Smith, this episode explores the lives of members of the Smith family and how Mormonism impacted their stories.
Listen to this episode here
Additional resources and information about topics discussed in this episode:
The Sword of Laban: Joseph Smith, Jr. and the Dissociated Mind (William D. Morain)—purchase from Benchmark Books http://www.benchmarkbooks.com “Joseph Smith's Boyhood Operation: An 1813 Surgical Success” (LeRoy S. Wirthlin) https://byustudies.byu.edu/content/joseph-smiths-boyhood-operation-1813-surgical-success
United by Faith: The Joseph Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith Family (chapters on Sophronia, Katharine and Lucy)—order from Benchmark Bookswww.benchmarkbooks.com
Joseph Smith’s Accounts of the First Vision (Joseph Smith Papers) https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/articles/primary-accounts-of-first-vision
Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling (Richard L. Bushman)—order from Benchmark Books www.benchmarkbooks.com
Lindsay and Bryan discuss the life of Lucy Mack Smith, the mother of Joseph Smith Jr. This episode features special guests Tim Coray and Carol Lynn Pearson reading as Lucy Mack Smith.
Listen to this episode here.
Additional resources and information about topics discussed in this episode: “Lucy's Image: A Recently Discovered Photograph of Lucy Mack Smith” (Ronald E. Romig and Lachlan Mackay) https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1078&context=mormonhistory
Lucy Mack Smith’s general conference address (original minutes) https://catalog.lds.org/assets/06b8dd6e-b6aa-4dae-8916-9a04c6d1abc2/0/11
Lucy’s Book (online) http://signaturebookslibrary.org/lucys-book/
Lucy’s Book (hard copy, out of print)—order from Benchmark Books www.benchmarkbooks.com
Etching of Lucy Mack Smith (Frederick Piercy, from Route from Liverpool to Great Salt Lake Valley) Church History Digital Catalog | Assets
Conflict in the Quorum: Orson Pratt, Brigham Young, Joseph Smith (Gary James Bergera)—purchase from Benchmark Books http://www.benchmarkbooks.com
Sources Used to Compile the Lucy Mack Smith History (Sharalyn D. Howcroft, from Foundational Texts of Mormonism):
Join Sunstone's Lindsay Hansen Park and Benchmark Books' Bryan Buchanan as they discuss the origins of the creation story in Mormonism, and the tensions between science and Mormonism.
Listen to this episode here.
Additional resources and information about topics discussed in this episode: "The 1911 Evolution Controversy at Brigham Young University" (Gary J. Bergera) http://signaturebookslibrary.org/the-1911-evolution-controversy-at-brigham-young-university/
The B. H. Roberts/Joseph Fielding Smith/James E. Talmage Affair (Richard Sherlock and Jeffrey E. Keller) http://signaturebookslibrary.org/the-b-h-robertsjoseph-fielding-smithjames-e-talmage-affair/
Seers, Savants, and Evolution: The Uncomfortable Interface (Duane E. Jeffery) http://signaturebookslibrary.org/seers-savants-and-evolution-the-uncomfortable-interface/