Showing results for "Mormonism" in History

Beginning with a handful of members in 1830, the church that Joseph Smith founded has grown into a world-wide organization with over twelve million adherents, playing prominent roles in politics, sports, entertainment, and business. Yet they are an oddity. Mormonism: A Very Short Introduction explains who Mormons are: what they believe and how they live their lives.

Join Fanny as she recounts the gripping tale of a 19th-century missionary journey, where she and her young husband travel across Europe, fervently seeking converts to the burgeoning Mormon faith. Their unwavering devotion is put to the ultimate test when shocking news from America reveals the churchs adoption of polygamy as a path to exaltation. Summoned to Utah, they find themselves entwined in Brigham Youngs inner circle, faced with a heart-wrenching decision embrace plural marriage or risk losing everything—their family, friends, and faith.

Though the Constitution guarantees the free exercise of religion, it does not specify what qualifies as a religion. From its founding in the 1830s, Mormonism, a homegrown American faith, has drawn 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 19th-century America.