The Salt Lake Mormon Studies Student Association will host Brian Cannon, Professor of History at BYU, on February 25, 2010 at 7 pm for a public lecture entitled: ?Many Refractions of Light: Historians? Treatment of Divine Influence in LDS History.?  The lecture will be held on the University of Utah Campus in the Carolyn Tanner Irish Humanities Building, room 101 (main floor).

Abstract: ?My survey examines the challenges that historians have faced in reconciling their religious convictions with their academic training and professional standards.  My paper begins with the first generation of LDS historians like Andrew Love Neff and Thomas C. Romney trained in the decade and a half prior to World War II; follows the experiences and influence of Leonard Arrington, his peers and his protégés through the 1960s, 70s and 80s; discusses the emergence of BYU as a focal point for LDS history in the 1960s and the controversies that arose from writing LDS history at BYU and in the Church Historical Department under Arrington; and surveys trends over the past 15 years (post-New Mormon History).?

Dinner: We will meet for dinner at Moochie?s (232 E. 800 S. Salt Lake City) at 5:15 p.m. From there it?s just a short drive to campus. Here is a map. The easiest way to get from Moochie?s to the lecture is just to go north up to 400 S. and following that street East until it turns into 500 S. and then refer to the map posted above.

Please pass this information to all interested parties and support SLMSSA by printing and posting this flier far and wide! You can email saltlakemormonstudies@gmail.com for a .pdf or .jpeg image.

Please see the full announcement at the SLMSSA website for directions and parking information.