Magen Edvalson is an independent historian associated with the Oral History Project for the Community of Christ. She holds a masters degree in Folklore from Utah State University and a BFA in Theatre from the University of Utah. Her research interests include comparative folklore within the Restoration, theatre as performative ritual, and apotheosis in folklore. She currently resides in Oregon with her spouse. Thanks for reviewing, Magen!

The 1960s and 70s for members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Community of Christ) might best be summed up as a time of historical excitement. This era brought about a fervor amongst academics from both camps as they recognized the value of self-reflection through historical and sociological lenses. This would have a profound impact on theology and structure, further dividing them, but it would also bring them closer together. The Mormon History Association was founded in 1965 primarily by LDS scholars, while the John Whitmer Historical Association was founded in 1972 by RLDS scholars. Both of these institutions have employed the talents of academics from across the Restoration as much as possible, initiating a decades-long conversation between their parent churches that continues to bear fruit.

Andrew Bolton and Casey Paul Griffiths come together to edit Restorations: Scholars In Dialogue (BYU Religious Studies Center, 2022)to share those fruits with a broader audience. Each chapter is a dialogue between two scholars from either faith tradition. Each writes an essay on the topic, as well as a response to the essay from the opposite side, concluding with a summary of the discussion and its relevance to their church’s history and scholarship.

Richard G. Moore from BYU’s Religious Studies Center opens the book with a chapter about the history of this dialogue between denominations. It’s worth noting that prior to this book, Moore’s Know Your Religions Volume 2: A Comparative Look at Mormonism and the Community of Christ served as the most robust comparison of the two faiths. By inviting Moore to write the opening chapter “A Brief History of the Dialogue,” Bolton and Griffiths acknowledge the significance of his work, though it’s also clear that Restorations is a new kind of project, separate from Know Your Religions Volume 2’s,in that it is a collaborative effort to understand each other and not an overview from one perspective. Moore’s chapter appropriately sets some ground rules by which our scholars are asked to collaborate. Those rules include:

1. When you are trying to understand another religion, you should ask the adherents of that religion and not its enemies.

2. Don’t compare your best to their worst.

3. Leave room for ‘holy envy.’ (8)

These rules are more or less followed as authors share their admiration and navigate issues that have historically triggered contention with as much grace as possible.

Restorations is divided into ten topic chapters which are grouped according to theme. It starts with three chapters regarding doctrines on the nature of “Jesus Christ,” the role of “Scripture,” and the meaning of “Salvation.” The next three chapters cover church practices and principles such as “Ordinances and Sacraments,” “Prophets and Polity,” and the concept of “Personhood.” While all chapters include historical context for these topics, the three chapters on the “First Vision and Revelation,” “Apostasy and Restoration,” and “Shared Sacred Space” discuss those features that set apart their shared histories as unique. Finally, the book closes with an eye to the future, as the scholars conceptualize what “Zion” means for their respective denomination.

There is, of course, some clear tension from members of both camps as they try to find middle ground. For example, the chapter on Personhood challenges the authors’ perceptions of what is and isn’t God-given in identity formation. For instance, Barbara Morgan Gardner and Christie Skoorsmith, are parents of children whose identities may be considered “nontraditional.” Gardner is the adoptive mother of two girls from races other than her own, and Skoorsmith is mother to two trans sons. The discussion in this chapter seems tense as Gardner writes that she does not believe that Christ “was fully inclusive” (123) which many could read as harsh and dismissive. Skoorsmith similarly expresses tension and defensiveness when she says that inclusivity “seems to be more closely aligned with a loving, accepting God… Just because it took us awhile to accept that idea does not mean we were swayed by modern culture.” (128)

While it’s clear that their perceptions of personhood are deeply informed by their respective faiths, neither of these scholars identifies as a person of color or as queer. Intersectional representation is lacking throughout the book.

Each author fairly represents the view of their denomination, no matter how challenging the subject matter may be. The tension expressed in the book may be uncomfortable, but it’s a true reflection of how far scholars in the field have come in looking for common ground. Such effort should be applauded.

As valuable as all of these authors are as scholars and representatives of two global denominations, it seems curious that all the scholars invited to collaborate have only been aligned with one church or the other except for Gina Colvin, who has been a member of both churches. Colvin offers a compelling personal narrative of transformation that is fitting to her assignment (See “Apostasy and Restoration”), but in the spirit of trying to avoid “enemies” of a church there may be readers who read her writing as antagonistic to one church over the other. Rather than consider this a detriment to the book, it might catalyze future studies revolving around those who convert wihin Restoration churches and their role in this evolving conversation.

This book is particularly valuable in analyzing faithful perspectives. As members of different churches, each scholar writes about their topic with an ethos that tells of their faith’s cultural motivation. Community of Christ writers emphasize an experiential relationship with religion. Kat Goheen writes “In the Community of Christ… I believe experience is a more privileged lens overall…in the end we trust more what we… have witnessed.” (45) Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints prefer a prescriptivist relationship, as Jordan T. Watkins says “the focus on revelation and authority will continue to shape Latter-day Saint views.” (165) Understanding these different approaches proves invaluable in building dialogue. Readers should be prepared to approach  in the field with assurance that they will also be understood. This book is not merely a comparison of theology and institutional structures; it is a field-guide to Mormon Studies as a liminal culture that is defined by but also apart from the denominations that inspired the discipline’s inception.

Bolton and Griffiths recognize in the “Epilogue” that there are still tensions to navigate, topics to explore, and voices to include. Citing John Hull, they label this dialogue as “holy ground,” suggesting a sacred responsibility to sustaining interfaith dialogue. It also evokes the vision of Zion, the new Jerusalem, a state of being where Saints across the Restoration hope to gather with “an eye single to the glory of God.” (LDS D&C 4:5, CofChrist D&C 4:1e) The scholars invited to gather for this collaboration are united in their resolve to build bridges, and invite readers to do the same. No matter how different these two churches are, Taunalyn Ford writes “the fruit of our dialogue has been to envision Restoration… less as two sects of a religious movement and more as parts of the body of Christ” (100).

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