Learn more about Joseph Smith and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Following the Prophet’s “First Vision” in 1820, the Latter-day Saints have grown to comprise nearly 20 million members around the world.
FromtheDesk features interviews and commentary on the latest Joseph Smith research, including frequent check-ins with scholars from the Joseph Smith Papers project.
If you’ve ever wanted to take a deep dive into the cultural, intellectual, and historical implication of Joseph Smith, you may want to consider Sam Brown as your muse. A physician and scientist by day, Brown dives deep into the esoteric metaphysics of the early Latter-day Saint prophet in his Oxford University Press publication, Joseph Smith’s Translation: The Words and Worlds of Early Mormonism.
Historian Steven C. Harper is one of today’s foremost experts on Joseph Smith and the First Vision. He was the Managing Editor for Saints, Volume 1, a new narrative history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that recounts the the years 1815 to 1846, roughly from the time of Joseph’s First Vision to shortly after his martyrdom in Carthage, Illinois.
More and more people are becoming aware that Joseph Smith ran for president in 1884. Fewer readers know that Joseph Smith utilized the Council of Fifty and hundreds of political missionaries to spread the word about his presidential campaign—and simultaneously preach the word of God. Historian Derek Sainsbury reveals new details about the Prophet’s campaign for president of the United States.
Latter-day Saints celebrate 1820 as the year in which Joseph Smith first saw and conversed with God the Father and Jesus Christ. To mark the bicentennial of Joseph Smith’s First Vision, the Joseph Smith Papers Project has released a six-episode podcast, The First Vision: A Joseph Smith Papers Podcast hosted by Spencer McBride.
The month before Joseph Smith was assassinated, he gave a personal tour of Nauvoo, Illinois, to two prominent men of the time: Charles Francis Adams and Josiah Quincy Jr.
W. W. Phelps was one of the 10 most influential members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in its first 15 years, according to Bruce Van Orden. His contributions stand alongside those of Brigham Young, Parley P. Pratt, and Heber C. Kimball.
The fourth volume of the Joseph Smith Papers “Revelations and Translations” series is a research gold mine for scholars working on issues related to Joseph Smith and the Book of Abraham. Robin Jensen, the volume’s co-editor, answers questions about the latest Joseph Smith Papers Volume and explains why it is a landmark publication.
Matt Godfrey is the managing historian and general editor of the Joseph Smith Papers. The scholar has frequently written about the life of the Prophet Joseph Smith, including the Church founder’s relationship with Brigham Young. Additionally, Godfrey has contributed to research about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the early 20th century.
Seer stones have long been a part of religious history but are largely absent from religious discussions today. Nonetheless, seer stones are currently undergoing something of a renaissance, especially as they relate to Joseph Smith and the translation of the Book of Mormon.