New Books in Mormon Studies 2024

This year is as bounteous as nerds could have hoped for. What do you have your eye on?

Continue Reading

Relaunch of Element: A Journal of Mormon Philosophy and Theology (CFP)

Along with its relaunch, Element: A Journal of Mormon Philosophy and Theology seeks submissions for its upcoming 2024 issue. Submissions are welcomed from students and from lay and professional philosophers alike. Papers must engage with subject matter relevant to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in an intellectually rigorous manner, and must do so through the lens of the academic disciplines of philosophy or theology. To be considered for publication in the journal’s 2024 issue, submissions must be received by April 15, 2023, and must adhere to the journal’s submission and style guides. Submissions received after this date may be considered for publication in subsequent issues.

Topics may include, but are not limited to:

Continue Reading

2023 John Whitmer Historical Association Journal Index

Thanks to Katherine Pollock for this list!

In 2023, The John Whitmer Historical Association Journal published twenty-three articles through a special edition for the association’s fifth anniversary (Vol 43, no.1) and the Fall/Winter Issue (Vol. 43, no. 2). Topics for these two volumes include international history (Community of Christ in England and Nigeria), women’s history, Latter-day Saint/Community of Christ interdenominational studies, art/theatre/literature, and more. The denominations published about include Community of Christ, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite), and the Church of Christ (Temple Lot).

The John Whitmer Historical Association also has a full index of published articles with short descriptions and past issues (2-year wall) available on its website. Subscriptions to the journal can be made by joining the association with both physical and electronic journal options available. Journal articles can also be found in libraries and through ILL.  

Continue Reading

CFP: 2024 Church History Symposium

“Shall the Youth of Zion Falter?”

The Young Women and Young Men Organizations of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The Department of Church History and Doctrine at BYU and the Church History Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announce the Church History Symposium, October 24–25, 2024. The symposium will convene at Brigham Young University (October 24) and at the Church History Library in Salt Lake City (October 25). Keynote speakers include Young Women General President Emily Freeman, and Young Men General President Steven J. Lund, and Dr. Monica Mercado, Professor of Women’s Studies and North American Religions at Colgate University.

Continue Reading

LDS Book History–Call For Applicants

Printing for the Youth of Zion: One Approach to the History of Latter-day Saint Print Culture

In 1831, Joseph Smith dictated a revelation on the “printing…selecting and writing books for schools in this church, that little children also may receive instruction.” (D&C 55:4) This instruction to W.W. Phelps and Oliver Cowdery established that the creation of printed material for children and youth was to be a priority for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. While the effort of creating printed material for children lay largely dormant for a few decades, by the late nineteenth century, a robust print culture had developed around this goal, and it continued to gain momentum into the twentieth century.

The Church History Library in Salt Lake City will hold an all-day workshop on the history of Latter-day Saint printing for youth on Friday, May 17, 2024. Led by four scholars—Rebecca de Schweinitz, Amber Taylor, Lisa Olsen Tait, and Robin Scott Jensen—participants will explore the trends, technology, and implications of youth print culture through hands-on analysis of materials including books, magazines, newspapers, lesson manuals, and ephemera spanning the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Participants will explore new ways of approaching and analyzing these sources. 

Participation is limited to approximately fifteen individuals to ensure a quality workshop experience. Those interested in print history, including students (both upper-undergraduate and graduate), collectors, scholars, and other individuals wishing to expand their knowledge of the past are invited to apply. All applicants must submit a CV and a single-page letter of intent. Letters should include how this workshop might help their scholarship or further a project (academic or not) they are working on or planning to pursue. Though the workshop cannot cater to each stated project, some sessions might be shaped based upon letters of intent. Submissions are due January 15, 2024, emailed to either of the co-organizers (email addresses below).

Any questions can be directed to the co-organizers.

Robin Scott Jensen (jensenrob@churchofjesuschrist.org)

Lisa Olsen Tait (lisa.tait@ChurchofJesusChrist.org)

Church History Library

______

The Church History Library is the repository for millions of printed items relating to the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Book History Program of the library seeks to raise awareness of the history of print culture of the Church and educate patrons of the Church History Library about the rich resources available. Do you have a topic you hope to see addressed? Let us know!

“The Names of the Faithful”: Publishing the Book of the Law of the Lord

Naomi Raffensparger is an assistant editor for the Joseph Smith Papers. She has an MA in writing, rhetoric, and media from Clemson University and previously worked as an editor for the South Carolina Review. She also completed an internship with Clemson University Press.

The latest content release on the Joseph Smith Papers website is a treasure trove of Latter-day Saint history. Readers can find multispectral imaging of the original Book of Mormon manuscript and documents related to the trial of the accused assassins of Joseph Smith. My favorite document of them all, though, is the crown jewel of the Financial Records series, the Nauvoo-era record book known as the Book of the Law of the Lord.

The significance of the Book of the Law of the Lord is tied not only to its history as an artifact, but also to the spiritual value it was given in its time. This book stands as a witness of the early Saints’ sacrifice and devotion, and that testimony can speak volumes to Latter-day Saints today.

Continue Reading

Latter Day Histories: A Series of Zoom Events by the Mormon History Association

The Mormon History Association presents Latter Day Histories–a three-part virtual lecture series that features the latest research in Mormon history from award-winning members of our community. This year will feature lectures with Richard Bushman (Colombia University) “Do the Gold Plates Matter?” and interview with Kris Wright–11/30/23; Elisa Pulido (Independent Historian) “Marriage and Divorce in the Latter Day Saint Tradition: Parallel Histories” and interview with Amanda Hendrix-Komoto–01/25/24; and Christopher Blythe (Brigham Young University) “Emma Hale Smith In the Eyes of Her LDS Descendants” and interview with Janiece Johnson–03/28/24. You can sign up for a single lecture or for full season access.  All proceeds are earmarked for the live-streaming and recording of the annual conference.  Event Details Latter Day Histories

2024 Call For Library Research Fellows In Mormon Studies

The University of Virginia’s Mormon Studies Program is pleased to announce the inaugural award of the Aileen H. and Hal M. Clyde Research Fellowship in Mormon Studies and Gender. For the year 2024, as many as two fellowships of $2,500 will be awarded for research in the  Gregory A. Prince Collection related to Mormonism and gender, including women’s history, feminist studies, masculinity studies, or sexuality studies. Proposals will be reviewed beginning on January 15, 2024.

Also, beginning January 15, 2024, we will begin reviewing applications for two, short-term fellowships of $2,500 each to conduct research in the Prince Collection on any topic related to Mormonism.

Continue Reading

Job Ad at Utah Historical Society: Director of Local History

The Utah Historical Society (UHS) seeks a field services professional to be the inaugural Director of Local History Services. The Director of Local History Services (DLHS) will be responsible for developing and implementing programming statewide that supports public history organizations across Utah, such as historical societies, cultural heritage organizations, history museums, and others who serve the public. The DLHS will develop programs that support capacity-building for the public history network and work in partnership with other statewide providers, such as the Utah Division of Arts & Museums and Utah Humanities, to amplify field services work across the state.

As the Utah Historical Society looks to 2026 and the opening of the Museum of Utah, the DLHS will have the opportunity to build the agency’s support and capacity-building network from the ground-up, ensuring that UHS provides resources and support to small public history organizations across Utah, and ensures their ability to thrive in their communities.

 
UHS practices inclusiveness in the work that we do and across our organization. We recognize the diverse strengths, needs, voices, and backgrounds of all members of our community and are committed to the equitable treatment of all people and the elimination of discrimination in all its forms.  
 
About Us: Founded in 1897, Utah Historical Society works to foster curiosity about the past, inform the present, and strengthen our shared future. The agency continues to share the state’s history through six major initiatives, including public history, women’s history initiative, publications, Peoples of Utah Revisited, Library & Collections, and the Museum of Utah. Learn more about our work at history.utah.gov and explore our 2023-2027 Strategic Plan (Download PDF reader).

Principal Duties
The Director of Local History Services duties include:

Continue Reading

Seeking Applicants for the Annual Summer Seminar on Latter-day Saint Theology, “A Compound in One: Reading 2 Nephi 2”

In the summer of 2024, the Latter-day Saint Theology Seminar, with support from the Laura F. Willes Center for Book of Mormon Studies and the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship at Brigham Young University, will sponsor a summer seminar for graduate students and faculty devoted to reading 2 Nephi 2.

The seminar will be hosted by Matthew Bowman at Claremont Graduate University in Claremont, California, from May 26 through June 7. Travel arrangements, housing, and a $1250 stipend will be provided for admitted participants. The seminar will be led by Adam Miller and Joseph Spencer, directors of the Latter-day Saint Theology Seminar.

This ninth annual summer seminar will again adopt the Latter-day Saint Theology Seminar’s practice of facilitating intense, exploratory, interdisciplinary, and collaborative readings of Latter-day Saint scripture in a live two-week format. During the first week, the seminar will meet daily to work word by word through the text of 2 Nephi 2:11-27 from a variety of disciplinary perspectives (philosophical, historical, literary, anthropological, rhetorical, political, archeological, sociological, etc.) in order to promote theologically rich readings of the text. The second week will workshop conference papers based on the previous week’s collaboration and will culminate in a one-day conference, open to the public, on June 7, 2024. The conference proceedings will then be gathered and edited for publication.

The seminar welcomes applications from a wide variety of academic disciplines, cultural backgrounds, and geographic locations. Graduate students, junior faculty, and scholars based outside the U.S. are especially encouraged to apply, though applications from senior and independent scholars are also welcome.

Applications should be submitted by January 15, 2024. Notifications will be sent by February 1, 2024. Application materials should include (1) a full curriculum vitae, (2) a 200 word statement regarding the applicant’s interest in the seminar, and (3) a 500-750 word essay that demonstrates the applicant’s ability to offer a close, creative, and theologically substantial reading of 2 Nephi 2:25.

Questions and application materials should be directed to maxwell_institute@byu.edu

For more information about the Maxwell Institute, visit: mi.byu.edu

For more information about the Latter-day Saint Theology Seminar, visit: www.ldstheologyseminar.org

Media Contact: Ashley Pun Eveson