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Much of the early history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was characterized by persecution in the Midwest and conflict with the United States government in Utah. These facts, coupled with the point that Mormonism does not have the luxury of several centuries to protect its truth claims, cause it to be it one of the most difficult branches of Christianity to present, especially to high-school students. At the same time, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the fastest-growing religious traditions in the world, making the need for a fair and effective introductory summary especially pressing. Mormons in America deftly circumnavigates these potential problems. In 144 pages, it offers an engaging and accessible overview of this important American religious tradition. The text presents a concise history of the discovery of the Book of Mormon; the formation of the church in New York; development of the movement in Ohio, Missouri and Illinois; and the Gathering in Utah, up to the abolition of plural marriage. Throughout these sections, the Bushmans address theological issues as well as social and cultural history. Readers are introduced not only to great figures from Mormon history, such as Joseph Smith and Brigham Young, but also to less well-known members of the church. Clips from original documents add flavor to many sections. Few individual topics are afforded more than a paragraph or two, but the Bushmans' presentation reflects state-of-the-art perspectives on many issues, such as family relations, economic development, and the life of Mormon women in the nineteenth century, to which an entire chapter is devoted. Mormons in America is limited, however, by some constraints of length and the assumed sophistication of its target readers. Twentieth-century Mormonism, for example, wins less attention than the early years of the church. In the case of the history of the translation of the Book of Mormon, Martin Harris, one of Joseph Smith's patrons, is not mentioned at all, and it is unclear whether he was omitted for reasons of space alone. In instances such as these, greater detail would be warranted. The Bushmans do address some of the more divisive topics in Mormon history: the Mountain Meadows Massacre, the role of African-Americans in the church, options for contemporary LDS women, and the troubled history of contact between the Saints and Native peoples. Some scholars might argue that the authors' perspective is too cautious in many of these sections, but one should note that their subdued style is not applied indiscriminately. The Bushmans are equally reserved in their treatment of early Mormon history. In the end, Mormons in America is an informative, sympathetic introduction to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. A major strength of this book is its graceful prose, consistent with the other work of these two accomplished writers. The bibliography reflects a "greatest hits" list for Mormon historiography. review © Holly Folk and RSiSS 2000
Religion in American Life Return to Oxford's Religion in American Life Series
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