Mormons and the Bible The Place of the Latter-day Saints in American Religion

by Barlow, Philip L.

• ISBN13: 9780195109719
• ISBN10: 0195109716
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1997-02-27
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

The Mormons have been one of the most studied American religious groups; still, no consensus exists about the essential nature of the movement or its place in American religion. In this study, Barlow analyzes the approaches taken to the Bible by key Mormon leaders, from founder Joseph Smith up to the present day. He shows that Mormon attitudes toward the Bible comprise an extraordinary mix of conservative, liberal, and radical ingredients: an almost fundamentalist adherence to the King James Version of the Bible coexists with belief in the possibility of new revelation and surprising ideas on the limits of human language. Exploring this unique Mormon stance on scripture, Barlow takes important steps toward unraveling the mystery of this quintessential American religious phenomenon.

Author Biography

Philip L. Barlow is Associate Professor of Theological Studies at Hanover College.

Table of Contents

Abbreviations	xxv	(2)
A Note on Mormon Organization and Nomenclature	xxvii
Introduction: The Bible in Antebellum America	3	(8)
1. Before Mormonism: Joseph Smith and the Bible, 1820-1830	11	(32)
2. From the Birth of the Church to the Death of the Prophet	43	(31)
3. Diversity and Development: The Bible Moves West	74	(29)
4. The Mormon Response to Higher Criticism	103	(45)
5. Why the King James Version?	148	(34)
6. The Bible in Contemporary Mormonism	182	(33)
Summary: The Ambiguities of a New Religious Tradition	215	(14)
Select Bibliography	229	(12)
Index	241