Sojourner in the promised land : forty years among the Mormons

Over the course of four decades, Jan Shipps has become the preeminent non-Mormon interpreter of Mormonism. This important work assembles Shipps's writing about this tradition over the past thirty years, much of it published here for the first time. It also does something more. "Sojourner in the Promised Land" presents an unusual parallel history in which Shipps surrounds her professional writings about the Latter-day Saints with an ongoing personal description of her encounters with them. By combining a portrait of the dynamic evolution of contemporary Mormonism with absorbing intellectual autobiography, Shipps illuminates the Mormons and at the same time reveals her experience of being an intimate outsider in a culture that remains for her both familiar and strange. Among an array of other topics, Shipps discusses the methods she developed for researching and writing about the Mormon religion and its history. She reflects on how her circumstances made her - even as she maintained her Methodist standing - a virtual extension of the LDS public communications division. She also assesses media images of the Mormons and addresses the question of whether Mormonism is Christian. Most important, this volume reveals how, by being in the right place at the right time, Shipps was able to observe firsthand Mormonism's conversion from an provincial to a universal belief system. Her insights into this dramatic transformation reveal the implications, highly pertinent to contexts far removed from Mormonism, of dislodging a faith system from the specific cultural context of its origins and translating it into an adaptive system capable of adjusting to the conditions of many cultures. Infused with Shipps's lively curiosity, her scholarly rigor, and her contagious fascination with a significant subculture, "Sojourner in the Promised Land" stands as a major addition to Mormon scholarship. Over The Course Of Four Decades, Jan Shipps Has Become The Preeminent Non-mormon Interpreter Of Mormonism. This Work Assembles Writing She Has Been Doing During The Past Thirty Years, Much Of It Published Here For The First Time. It Also Does Something More. Sojourner In The Promised Land Presents An Unusual Parallel History In Which Shipps Surrounds Her Professional Writings About The Latter-day Saints With An Ongoing Personal Description Of Her Encounters With Them. By Combining A Portrait Of The Dynamic Evolution Of Contemporary Mormonism With Absorbing Intellectual Autobiography, Shipps Illuminates The Mormons And At The Same Time Shares With The Reader What It Has Been Like To Be An Intimate Outsider In A Culture That Remains For Her Both Familiar And Strange. Among An Array Of Other Topics, Shipps Discusses The Methods She Developed For Researching And Writing About The Mormon Religion And Its History. She Reflects On How Circumstances Made Her - Even As The Maintained Her Methodist Standing - A Virtual Extension Of The Lds Public Communications Division. She Also Assessed Media Images Of The Mormons And Addresses The Question Of Whether Mormonism Is Christian. Most Important, This Volume Reveals How, By Being In The Right Place At The Right Time, Shipps Was Able To Observe Firsthand Mormonism's Conversion From A Provincial To A Universal Belief System. Her Insights Into This Dramatic Transformation Reveal The Implications, Highly Pertinent To Contexts Far Removed From Mormonism, Of Dislodging A Faith System From The Specific Cultural Context Of Its Origins And Translating It Into An Adaptive System Capable Of Adjusting To The Conditions Of Many Cultures. Infused With Shipps's Lively Curiosity, Her Scholarly Rigor, And Her Contagious Fascination With A Significant Subculture, Sojourner In The Promised Land Stands As A Major Addition To Mormon Scholarship.--jacket. Table Of Contents -- Gentiles, Mormons, And The History Of The American West -- From Satyr To Saint : American Perceptions Of The Mormons, 1860-1960 -- Surveying The Mormon Image Since 1960 -- From Gentile To Non-mormon : Mormon Perceptions Of The Other -- Media Coverage Of The Southern Baptist Convention In Salt Lake City -- History, Her-story, And Their Story -- A Capsule Bibliography Of Mormonism -- Remembering, Recovering, And Inventing What Being A People Of God Means : Reflections On Method In The Scholarly Writing Of Religious History -- Dangerous History : Laurel Thatcher Ulrich And Her Mormon Sisters -- Thoughts About The Academic Community's Response To John Brooke's Refiners Fire -- The Reality Of The Restoration In Lds Theology And Mormon Experience -- Brigham Young And His Times : A Continuing Force In Mormonism -- The Scattering Of The Gathering And The Gathering Of The Scattered : The Mid-twentieth-century Mormon Diaspora -- Joseph Smith And The Creation Of Lds Theology -- Difference And Otherness : Mormonism And The American Religious Mainstream -- Is Mormonism Christian? Reflections On A Complicated Question -- Knowledge And Understanding. Jan Shipps. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Cover Title Copyright Contents Acknowlegments Prologue 1. Gentiles, Mormons, and the History of the American West PART 1: STUDIES IN PERCEPTION 2. From Satyr to Saint" American Perceptions pf the Mormons, 1860-1960 3. Surveying the Mormon Image since 1960 4. From Gentile to Non-Mormon: Mormon Perceptions of the Other 5. Media Coverage of the Southern Baptist Convention in Salt Lake City PART 2: HISTORY, HISTORIOGRAPHY, AND WRITING ABOUT RELIGIOUS HISTORY 6. History, Her-story, and Their Story 7. A Capsule Bibliography of Mormonism 8. Remembering, Recovering, and Inventing What Being a People of God Means: Reflections on Method in the Scholarly Writing of Religious History 9. Dangerous History: Laurel Thatcher Ulrich and Her Mormon Sisters 10. Thoughts about the Academic Community's Response to John Brooke's Refiner's Fire PART 3: PUTTING RELIGION AT THE HEART OF MORMON HISTORY AND HISTORY AT THE HEART OF MORMONISM 11. The Reality of the Restoration in LDS Theology and Mormon Experience 12. Brigham Young and His Times: A Continuing Force in Mormonism 13. The Scattering of the Gathering and the Gathering of the Scattered: The Mid-Twentieth-Century Mormon Diaspora PART 4: DECIPHERING, EXPLICATING, CLARIFYING: EXERCISING AN INSIDE-OUTSIDER'S INFORMAL CALLING 14. Joseph Smith and the Creation of LDS Theology 15. Difference and Otherness: Mormonism and the American Religious Mainstream PART 5: HOW MY MIND WAS CHANGED AND MY UNDERSTANDING AMPLIFIED 16. Is Mormonism Christian?: Reflections on a Complicated Question 17. Knowledge and Understanding Epilogue: Passages Back cover Over the course of four decades, Jan Shipps has become the preeminent non-Mormon interpreter of Mormonism. This important work assembles writings about this tradition by Shipps during the past thirty years, much of it published here for the first time. Sojourner in the Promised Land also presents an unusual parallel history in which Shipps surrounds her professional writings about the Latter-day Saints with an ongoing personal description of her encounters with them. Combining a portrait of the dynamic evolution of contemporary Mormonism with absorbing intellectual autobiography, Shipps illuminates the Mormons and at the same time reveals her experience of being an intimate outsider in a culture that remains for her both familiar and strange. By being in the right place at the right time, Shipps was able to observe firsthand Mormonism's conversion from a provincial to a universal belief system, a dramatic transformation highly pertinent to contexts far removed from Mormonism. - Publisher The preeminent non-Mormon interpreter of Mormonism combines her personal experiences among the Mormons with writing about this tradition she has been doing across the past thirty years.