The term “ancestor worship” usually invokes images of people slaughtering a chicken on a grave, offering supplications to a sun-worn picture on a mantel, or repeatedly bowing towards a statue. Surprisingly, Mormonism exhibits some strong elements of what people might consider “ancestor worship.” From an anthropological point of view, I will explore how Mormonism challenges …
Event: Salt Lake Symposium 2011
Our Mother’s Keeper
ourmotherskeeper.Com (OMK) was founded to explore the themes of environmentalism, ecofeminism, and ecological justice. Speakers will discuss their viewpoints on these issues and their interconnectedness, focusing especially on the common themes of commodification and efficient, profitable exploitation of nature and labor. Mormons typically find environmentalism and feminism threatening, hindering broader engagement of the Mormon community; …
The Mormon Sex-Ed Project: Creating A Gospel-Based Resource For Healthy Sexuality
According to Elder Larry R. Lawrence, “What the world really needs is courageous parenting from mothers and fathers who are not afraid to speak up and take a stand.” This panel seeks to engage voices on the topics of sexual identity, fulfillment, and education from a gospel perspective. our goal is to create a comprehensive …
Habits Of Being: Mormon Women And Inherited Material Culture
This session and its accompanying exhibit take women’s material culture out of boxes, attics, and closets and display it in a public conversational space. in the exhibit, fifteen women explore the rich material heritage of their female ancestors through photographs and words. in the discussion, women reflect on their heritage as told through objects, including …
Material Improvement: Explicit Statements On The Matter Of Heavenly Mother
The Spring 2011 issue of BYU Studies includes a “survey of historical teachings about Mother in Heaven” by David L. Paulsen and Martin Pulido entitled “‘A Mother There’: A Survey of Historical Teachings about Mother in Heaven.” The article documents statements about Heavenly Mother by Mormon leaders and demonstrates that, contrary to popular belief, Mormon …
The Hollow World Of Cyrus Teed
In 1869, God called Dr. Teed, a US Civil War veteran and doctor who dabbled in alchemy, to be a messiah who would turn people to Christ. Renamed Koresh, Teed began a prophetic mission. His most interesting teaching is that the earth is round—but it’s also hollow, and we’re on the inside. It’s a strange …
Exquisite Manifestation: Displaying A Hybrid Spirituality
According to scholars, Mormons are the leading consumers of religious iconography and “kitsch,” as compared to members of other North American Christian denominations. These physical reflections of religious identity are important to Mormons, who routinely display various images and objects in multiple locations in their homes. With an emphasis on altars, this paper looks at …
Craft, Creation, And Creed: Frivolity, Utility, And Spirituality
Working with and creating textiles has been women’s province for millennia, to the point that the matrilineal side of a family is known as the Holly Welker, Sara Burlingame, Obadiah Schwarzkopf, Rachel Mabey Whipple
Homemaking Radicalism And Homemaking Realities
The LDS Church has made it clear to women that their proper sphere of influence is the home; it is women’s responsibility to care for the spiritual, emotional, physical, and psychological health and well-being of all who live with them. Women’s myriad obligations to family and home fall under the category of Brad Kramer, Tracy …
Preview Of Coming Volumes In The Series Persistence Of Polygamy: Joseph Smith And The Origins Of Mormon Polygamy
This session focuses on forthcoming anthologies in the Persistence of Polygamy series, including eight essays examining Joseph Smith and the beginnings of Mormon polygamy up to 1844. The essays are original, never-before-published contributions by scholars with special expertise on the subject. Among the topics examined are polyandry, underage marriage, the question of Joseph Smith’s polygamous …