Spencer W. Kimball as Public Speaker This paper presents a historical context and critique of President Spencer W. Kimball as public speaker and rhetorician, as manifest in his General Conference addresses as Church president from 1973–1985. By analyzing his speaking style, preparation, and organization, it becomes clear that President Kimball did not fit the traditional …
Event: Salt Lake Symposium 2002
The Making of the Nauvoo Sunstones
The Making of the Nauvoo Sunstones Like human genealogy, the ancestry of the Nauvoo sunstones is complex and its sources in history are ramified. The sunstones’ character as a religious icon depended much on the universality of its imagery. But its authors also relied on known sources which they hoped would reverberate in the minds …
Studies in Polygamy and Fundamentalist Mormonism: The Short Creek Refuge; Original Mormonism
The Short Creek Refuge Wallace Stegner described Short Creek, Arizona, of 1935 as the “capitol of the world.” This paper offers a personal account of how that remote desert hamlet rose as a haven for fundamentalist Mormons who felt called to continue the practice of polygamy even after the Manifesto. Told primarily through the eyes …
Can a Mormon Be a Hobbit?
J.R.R. Tolkien insisted that The Lord of the Rings is a “profoundly religious and even Catholic” work. How and in what respects does Tolkien’s Middle Earth mythology fit or conflict with Mormonism? Hear the thoughts of several careful Tolkien readers and share your own. This session was originally L. Rex Sears, Jason W. Anderson, Lara …
Examining Mormon Attitude About the Middle East
This panel examines the attitudes of many Mormons with regard to current events in the Middle East. Why are we in general so pro-Israel and seemingly callous toward the plight of Palestinians? Has the Church taken a stand? What does scripture say? What messages are Mormons sending the Islamic world? Carolyn Barrani, James Thomas, Keith …
Author Meets Critic: Blood of the Prophets: Brigham Young and the Massacre at Mountain Meadows
At the 2002 Mormon History Association conference, Richard Turley, director of the Church’s Family and Church History division, stunned attendees with the announcement that he and two other Church historians were producing a volume on the Mountain Meadows Massacre. Immediately, rumors circulated that the book was a response to several forthcoming publications on the massacre. …
Synchronicity: Another Voice of the Divine
Synchronicity: Another Voice of the Divine As I travel deeper and deeper into experiencing and understanding the phenomenon of synchronicity, I am convinced it is one of the many ways in which we connect with the Divine, for comfort and sometimes guidance. In this session, I will philosophize, wonder, and share stories from a book …
Long-Term Gay Male Relationships
Long-Term Gay Male Relationships This paper presents results of interviews with 19 gay male couples in long-term relationships, including many who were raised LDS. Results indicate ten core themes common to the men involved in successful, long-term relationships. What can we all learn from these men and these successful couples?
Disentangling Mormon Cultural Artifacts from the Gospel
Come spend the latter part of your lunch break participating in a qualitative research project! The facilitator for this session is at the earliest stages of a research project aimed at disentangling Mormon cultural artifacts from the essential elements of the gospel. Those who attend will be asked to provide input and share their views, …
The Mormon Question
In the 150 years since Mormon leaders publicly announced that the faithful believed in and practiced plural marriage, neither “the Mormon Question” nor the societal issues that are raised when any group undertakes to practice laws that fall outside traditional moral or ethical boundaries have really gone away. In this dynamic, multi-media presentation,nationally honored historian …