"A Peculiar People": Anti-Mormonism and the Making of Religion in Nineteenth-Century America

Though the U.S. Constitution guarantees the free exercise of religion, it does not specify what counts as a religion. From its founding in the 1830s, Mormonism, a homegrown American faith, drew thousands of converts but far more critics. In __"A Peculiar People"__, J. Spencer Fluhman offers a comprehensive history of anti-Mormon thought and the associated passionate debates about religious authenticity in nineteenth-century America. He argues that understanding anti-Mormonism provides critical insight into the American psyche because Mormonism became a potent symbol around which ideas about religion and the state took shape. Fluhman documents how Mormonism was defamed, with attacks often aimed at polygamy, and shows how the new faith supplied a social enemy for a public agitated by the popular press and wracked with social and economic instability. Taking the story to the turn of the century, Fluhman demonstrates how Mormonism's own transformations, the result of both choice and outside force, sapped the strength of the worst anti-Mormon vitriol, triggering the acceptance of Utah into the Union in 1896 and also paving the way for the dramatic, yet still grudging, acceptance of Mormonism as an American religion. Though The U.s. Constitution Guarantees The Free Exercise Of Religion, It Does Not Specify What Counts As A Religion. From Its Founding In The 1830s, Mormonism, A Homegrown American Faith, Drew Thousands Of Converts But Far More Critics. In A Peculiar People, J. Spencer Fluhman Offers A Comprehensive History Of Anti-mormon Thought And The Associated Passionate Debates About Religious Authenticity In Nineteenth-century America. He Argues That Understanding Anti-mormonism Provides Critical Insight Into The American Psyche Because Mormonism Became A Potent Symbol Around Which Ideas About Religion And The State Took Shape. - Jacket Flap. On Familiarity And Contempt -- Religious Liberty As An American Problem -- Impostor : The Mormon Prophet. Authenticity And Disestablishment ; Interlopers In The Protestant Historical Pantheon ; Counterfeiters Of Faith And Currency -- Delusion : Early Mormon Religiosity. Mormon Spirituality And The Threat Of Enthusiasm ; Religion, Madness, And The Search For Rational Faith ; Enlightened Christianity And The Problem Of Mormon Evidence -- Fanaticism : The Church As (un)holy City. The Political Burden Of The Mormon Gathering ; The Discovery Of A Mormon Theology ; The Politics Of Expulsion -- Barbarism : Rhetorics Of Alienation. Empire(s) In The West ; The Problem Of Mormon Whiteness ; Mormon Women, The Ungrateful Objects Of American Pity -- Heresy : Americanizing The American Religion. Mormonism In The Crowd Of World Religions ; Textbook Mormons And The Weight Of Mormon History ; Mormonism (almost) Defanged. J. Spencer Fluhman. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Prologue : On familiarity and contempt Introduction : Religious liberty as an American problem "Imposter" : the Mormon prophet "Delusion" : early Mormon religiosity "Fanaticism" : the church as (un)holy city "Barbarism" : rhetorics of alienation "Heresy" : Americanizing the American religion