William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody had an interesting trajectory in his relationship with Latter-day Saints. At first, he was antagonistic to them, commonly using Brigham Young and his coreligionists as villains in his performances. As time went on, he became impressed with their ability to irrigate and settle the American West and worked to settle the arid Big Horn Basin in Wyoming. In this interview, Brent M. Rogers discusses the life of Buffalo Bill and his relationship with Latter-day Saints.
D. Michael Quinn played a key role in the foundation of “New Mormon History.” He was entrenched in the church archives during the “Camelot” years, taught at BYU, and published many ideas that represent positions held by the church today. Quinn was also part of the September Six, (in association with his 1993 excommunication), wrote about controversial issues, and provoked many love-hate relationships with his voluminous footnotes. In this interview, Patrick Mason explains some of Quinn’s contributions to Latter-day Saint history.
Wilford Woodruff’s vision of the Founding Fathers played a role in the development of temple doctrine. While serving as president of the St. George temple, Woodruff said that early American figures like George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson asked him for temple ordinances. The Apostle didn’t describe these encounters with as much detail as his daily journal, but there are three key sources where he recounts what happened. In this interview, Jennifer Mackley explains what we know about Wilford Woodruff’s vision.
In the 1930s, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sent teachers to learn theology at the University of Chicago. In some cases, the Latter-day Saints returned with academic tools to supplement their faith. But, in others, they experienced faith crises and set aside critical components of the Restoration like miracles and angels. In this interview, Casey Griffiths explains more about the Chicago Experiment and why issues of faith and intellect are still relevant.
Brigham Young is arguably the second-most important figure in Mormon history; but until the 1970s, he had not been the subject of a definitive biography [until the publication of Leonard Arrington’s Brigham Young: American Moses].
It can be challenging to find Joseph Smith quotes drawn from reliable historical sources. Our quotes page gives you access to his teachings about topics like love, trials, and the Holy Ghost. What makes them especially unique is that every quote is taken from dependable scholarly research such as the Joseph Smith Papers Project.
Perhaps no one has influenced Latter-day Saint scriptural literacy more than Bruce R. McConkie. His writings were both prolific and authoritarian. Consequently, 20th-century intellectuals sought an alternative voice, paving the way for a New Mormon History which may have intentionally downplayed the Apostle’s influence. In this interview, Joseph Spencer examines Elder McConkie’s influence and suggests that it may be time to set aside unfair narratives and reexamine his legacy.
The Book of Mormon has a complex relationship with the Christian Bible. It interacts with and, in some cases, reinterprets the stories and texts of the Bible in unique ways. In this interview, Michael Austin describes some of the ways in which the Book of Mormon reinterprets the Bible.
Prophets, priests, and kings were anointed in the Old Testament. And the title Christ in the New Testament literally translates as “anointed one.” But what does that mean? This post draws from the comments of Tim Mackie and John Collins in a seven-part series by the Bible Project explaining that anointing is a ritual in which people and places are set apart as portals between heaven and earth. The story starts in the Garden of Eden and ends with contemporary Christian disciples.
The Book of Mormon is a religious text translated by the Prophet Joseph Smith in the 1800s. Latter-day Saints view the scripture as canon—alongside the Bible, Pearl of Great Price, and Doctrine and Covenants. It clarifies the role of Jesus as the Son of God, details his visit to the Americas, and sheds light on the afterlife and Latter-day Saint theology. This compilation of resources provides academic and devotional insight into the Book of Mormon.