Mormonism and the Study of Religion

This seminar will explore the history, theology, and practice of Mormonism, the general term for religious traditions that trace their origins to the career of Joseph Smith, Jr. (1805-1844). The scholars of religion we will read have examined Mormonism from the perspective of gender studies, literary studies, historical Christian theology, the study of race, nineteenth-century American history, the study of sexuality, scriptural studies, and ritual studies. We will also explore the academic study of religion as a field, looking at how scholars draw on disparate primary sources to generate knowledge about religion as a human phenomenon.