Mormonism: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions)

145 Pages·2008·0.89 MB·English

by  Richard Lyman Bushman

Mormonism:AVeryShortIntroduction
VERYSHORTINTRODUCTIONSareforanyonewantingastimulating
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GeraldineA.Johnson SPINOZA RogerScruton
ROMANBRITAIN PeterSalway STUARTBRITAIN JohnMorrill
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Availablesoon:
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KaterinaReed-Tsocha RichardLymanBushman
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Richard Lyman Bushman
MORMONISM
A Very Short Introduction
1
3
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LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
Bushman,RichardL.
Mormonism:averyshortintroduction/RichardLymanBushman.
p.cm.—(Veryshortintroductions)
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
ISBN 978–0–19–531030–6(pbk.)
1.ChurchofJesusChristofLatter-daySaints.
2.MormonChurch.I.Title.
BX8635.3.B872008
289.3—dc22
2007044444
1 3 5 7 9 8 6 4 2
PrintedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica
onacid-freepaper
For Jed Woodworth
Comrade and Friend
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Contents
Listofillustrations xi
Preface xii
1 Introduction
WhatsetsMormonsapart? 1
2 Revelation
HowJosephSmith’srevelationssetthe
patternforeveryMormontoseekinspiration 16
3 Zion
HowtheorganizationoftheCityofZionconstituted
Mormonsasapeopleaswellasachurch 35
4 Priesthood
HowtheMormonpriesthoodisbothhierarchical
anddemocratic 49
5 Cosmology
HowMormonsunderstandthemeaningoflife 64
6 Nineteenth-centuryUtah
Howoldidealsandnewstrugglesformed
Mormonidentity 81