For most of his public ministry, Joseph Smith’s closest advisor was former Baptist minister and evangelist Sidney Rigdon. The prophet was uncomfortable with public speaking while the Baptist was a seasoned orator and the leader of the largest group of converts. Sidney was named Joseph’s spokesman at their first meeting. What attracted him to the …
Speaker: Scott Kenney
Forgotten Foundations: Restoring Our ‘Grand Fundamental Principles’
Near the end of his life, the Prophet Joseph Smith declared friendship and openness to truth from all sources “grand fundamental principles of Mormonism.” New evidence presented in this paper indicates Joseph conceived of a third fundamental joining and completing this set. What role did the Prophet envision for these in the faith he founded? …
Virtually Mormon: Mormons and the Internet
Virtually Mormon: Mormons and the Internet From LDS-Net and Mormon-L to the new official LDS website, Mormon cyberspace has experienced explosive growth in the last decade. There are today thousands of Mormon websites and hundreds of online LDS communities around the world, and the Mormon presence on the Internet affects millions of people. This panel …
The Financial Exhaustion of Wilford Woodruff: An Explanation of Why the Church Divested itself of Promoting Southern Nevada Gold Mining and Milling Properties in the 1890’s
The Financial Exhaustion of Wilford Woodruff: An Explanation of Why the Church Divested itself of Promoting Southern Nevada Gold Mining and Milling Properties in the 1890’s The 1890 Manifesto had removed the main cause of the Church’s conflict with the federal government–polygamy. But it couldn’t erase the Church’s 300,000 debt and its toll on President …
The Academic Study Of Religion: Prospects And Perils
The Academic Study Of Religion: Prospects And Perils The recent announcement that early steps have been taken toward establishing a Mormon Studies program at Utah Valley State College has generated much excitement among many who have long felt a need for such a program at one of Utah’s state schools, but it has also raised …
The Jubilee 2000 RLDS World Conference, or What’s in a Name?
The Jubilee 2000 RLDS World Conference, or What’s in a Name? This paper will look at ways in which the actions of the Conference reflect the shift from sect to denomination, with the name change being a symbol of that shift. The conference’s focus on issues like gun control and capital punishment, and the School …
EARLY SUNBEAMS: The First Years of Sunstone
EARLY SUNBEAMS: The First Years of Sunstone Scott Kenney, Keith E. Normal, Allen Roberts, Julie Christensen Cummings
JOSEPH F. SMITH: The Formative Years (1838-1867)
JOSEPH F. SMITH: The Formative Years (1838-1867) Scott Kenney, Kathleen Flake
The Moral Critique Of The Scriptures During The Enlightenment
The Moral Critique Of The Scriptures During The Enlightenment Karl Sandberg, Scott Kenney
Frank J. Cannon: Mormon Muckraker
Frank J. Cannon: Mormon Muckraker Scott Kenney, Kenneth L. Cannon II