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Standing Apart: Mormon Historical Consciousness and the Concept of Apostasy
Winner of the Best Anthology Award from John Whitmer Historical AssociationLatter-day Saints have a paradoxical relationship to the past; even as they invest their own history with sacred meaning, celebrating the restoration of ancient truths and the fulfillment of biblical prophecies, they repudiate the eighteen centuries of Christianity that preceded the founding of their church as apostate distortions of the truth. Since the early days of Mormonism, Latter-day Saints have used the paradigm of apostasy and restoration in their narratives about the origin of their church. This has generated a powerful and enduring binary of categorization that has profoundly impacted Mormon self-perception and relations with others. Standing Apart explores how the idea of apostasy has functioned as a category to mark, define, and set apart "the other" in Mormon historical consciousness and in the construction of Mormon narrative identity. The volume's fifteen contributors trace the development of LDS narratives of apostasy within the context of both Mormon history and American Protestant historiography. They suggest ways in which these narratives might be reformulated to engage with the past, as well as offering new models for interfaith relations. This volume provides a novel approach for understanding and resolving some of the challenges faced by the LDS church in the twenty-first century.
364 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
May 4, 2014
Just finished reading one of the most important Mormon studies books ever published.
Ever since its inception the LDS Church has defined itself as a Restoration of the ancient Church which had fallen into a state of total apostasy. This apostasy narrative has become central to LDS identity, but many LDS scholars question the accuracy of many of the claims connected to the apostasy. This book is an explicit offering by scholars to Church leaders and members to reconsider the apostasy stories we tell. This is the most important book on Mormonism I've seen since Richard Bushman's Rough Stone Rolling.
Speaking in terms of the book's composition: It contains papers delivered a few years back at an academic conference held at BYU. Conference-paper-collection books are pretty hit-and-miss. This is the best such collection I've ever read. The individual pieces work separately, but they collectively cohere without treading the same ground too much.
Congrats to everyone involved in this one. I'll put a full review together soon.
Ever since its inception the LDS Church has defined itself as a Restoration of the ancient Church which had fallen into a state of total apostasy. This apostasy narrative has become central to LDS identity, but many LDS scholars question the accuracy of many of the claims connected to the apostasy. This book is an explicit offering by scholars to Church leaders and members to reconsider the apostasy stories we tell. This is the most important book on Mormonism I've seen since Richard Bushman's Rough Stone Rolling.
Speaking in terms of the book's composition: It contains papers delivered a few years back at an academic conference held at BYU. Conference-paper-collection books are pretty hit-and-miss. This is the best such collection I've ever read. The individual pieces work separately, but they collectively cohere without treading the same ground too much.
Congrats to everyone involved in this one. I'll put a full review together soon.
May 28, 2022
This book has had me deep in it for several days now. It is a a coherent, cohesive collaboration by a group of religious historian/scholars who investigate the topic of "The Great Apostasy"; specifically as an important identifier of the LDS faith. They examine the scriptures, texts and thinkers that were available at the time when The Great Apostasy narrative was formed and look at how that narrative has carried through to the present-day. They offer enlightening historical information that filled in a lot of gaps for me (I have a lot of gaps in my knowledge of history) and I especially liked that they offered palatable ways for faithful members to rethink the familiar ideas.
I found myself on the internet reviewing the timelines and important historical markers of the Dark Ages and several related topics and ideas including commonalities that the LDS church has with the Muslim faith. That's the marker of good non-fiction for me; have I learned something? Did it keep me interested in a topic I might not be super excited to read about? Yes, and yes.
I thought the authors were gentle and fair as in this statement;
"...we suggest ideas for renewing the narrative tradition with greater inclusivity and generosity both to the past and to those of other religious traditions."
While this book tackles (thankfully) only one topic - (Apostasy) I think it offers an important example
of how to hold on to the important markers of the faith while moving forward in the modern world.
Physical copy loan from Tracy
I found myself on the internet reviewing the timelines and important historical markers of the Dark Ages and several related topics and ideas including commonalities that the LDS church has with the Muslim faith. That's the marker of good non-fiction for me; have I learned something? Did it keep me interested in a topic I might not be super excited to read about? Yes, and yes.
I thought the authors were gentle and fair as in this statement;
"...we suggest ideas for renewing the narrative tradition with greater inclusivity and generosity both to the past and to those of other religious traditions."
While this book tackles (thankfully) only one topic - (Apostasy) I think it offers an important example
of how to hold on to the important markers of the faith while moving forward in the modern world.
Physical copy loan from Tracy
September 4, 2014
I have a yes!/so? relationship with this book. Part one felt a little pretentious and tedious, like the authors were forcing an issue so they would have something to talk about. However, realizing I may not be the target audience (it's ironic that a book composed of papers written for and delivered at an academic symposium to others who think similarly, will likely only be read by others who think similarly, never reaching the mass audience that it's meant to influence), part one lays a good foundation of the issues--I just wish with less words. Part two is the "yes!" side of the relationship, full of insight and intrigue. My favorite chapters were "Purity and Parallels," "Rereading the Council of Nicaea and Its Creed" and "Covenantal Pluralism in Mormonism and Islam," though all of the chapters in part two were both thought-provoking and entertaining. Towards the end of the book I felt myself nodding in agreement with the authors as I read the following thought, which I think well represents the books ideal: "As the narrative of apostasy is a component of the LDS metanarrative of salvation, it is all the more important that Latter-Day Saints understand it, even in all its contextual complexity, for with an understanding of the theological purposes and historical trajectories of apostasy comes a better knowledge of the characters in that narrative: God and humanity in all ages of history, including the present. When such an understanding rests on a shaky theological or historical foundation, Latter-Day Saints are, I believe, prevented from comprehending their own truth claims and thus understanding the very basis of their religion." (p.310).
May 13, 2016
Re-read May 2016 Better the second time. My brother is the author of one of the essays. I wish I could find more books like this.
You know when you are reading with a highlighter and pencil for underlining and writing in definitions in the margins that you are going to learn a lot.
I learned a lot. I feel educated. I have new ideas.
History as a narrative, History as a text. History written as an apologist, History written as a disciplinary expert.
I looked up many words, such as: historiography, exegesis, pseudepigraphal, theodicy, providential, tendentious, soteriological, praxis, periodization. It mattered whether I knew exactly what the word meant.
It must feel incredible to know so much about history that you can write articles like these.
You know when you are reading with a highlighter and pencil for underlining and writing in definitions in the margins that you are going to learn a lot.
I learned a lot. I feel educated. I have new ideas.
History as a narrative, History as a text. History written as an apologist, History written as a disciplinary expert.
I looked up many words, such as: historiography, exegesis, pseudepigraphal, theodicy, providential, tendentious, soteriological, praxis, periodization. It mattered whether I knew exactly what the word meant.
It must feel incredible to know so much about history that you can write articles like these.
October 27, 2019
I liked this book. I happen to believe the LDS church would benefit from revising its view on apostasy and expanding a bit on the development of Christian theology. In this book, various LDS scholars examine the Church’s narrative surrounding the Great Apostasy including the origins of that narrative, the more complex story regarding the idea of a falling away from truth, and potential changes that could improve the narrative. This book is a helpful contribution. I think it’s important for readers to read some perspectives on how Christianity was developing between 34 and 1820 AD when evaluating this book. Consider reading The Great Theologians by McDermott for a simple brief introduction. It may seem unnecessary to say, but it’s important to remember that these scholars have agendas and biases just like everyone else. Sometimes those new to evaluating academia can believe scholars are objective seekers of truth. They aren’t. That doesn’t mean we discount everything they write. Instead, they should be viewed as part of the continuing conversation in pursuit of truth. I also felt like some of these scholars are trying so hard to push back against the LDS narrative about the apostasy that they don’t properly acknowledge the genuine contribution of LDS doctrines to Christian theology. Anyway, it’s a fine book.
September 25, 2015
A timely and potentially impactful discussion of the Mormon concept of the "Great Apostasy." As historians and theologians have come to a more nuanced and positive view of the so-called "Dark Ages," and in light of a healthy strain of expansive and universalist thought in Mormonism, it may be time to reframe the traditional (and starkly black and white) LDS narrative of Christian Apostasy and Restoration. The essays in this book explore the development of this narrative and make a good case for a fresh look backward and forward. As an international twenty-first century church hoping for relevance and influence in this pluralistic world, hanging onto an outdated Protestant view of the past seems like an unlikely way to press forward. I am excited to see the ideas presented here bandied about, tried on for fit, ruminated over and hopefully accepted into mainstream Mormonism.
March 9, 2015
This one came highly recommended by Blair Hodges. After a few chapters I could see why - it's an excellent revisiting of concepts of apostasy and restoration, which are foundational to Mormon dispensation thinking.
One concept sticks in my mind - "covenantal pluralism" - from David Peck's chapter on Mormon and Muslim thinking. The idea is that God makes covenants with different peoples and holds them to similar but different standards of faith and moral code. That one is intriguing, and I'm thinking about how that could fit my fundamental faith in a Christian God. I think they can co-exist, but need to work out some details!
One concept sticks in my mind - "covenantal pluralism" - from David Peck's chapter on Mormon and Muslim thinking. The idea is that God makes covenants with different peoples and holds them to similar but different standards of faith and moral code. That one is intriguing, and I'm thinking about how that could fit my fundamental faith in a Christian God. I think they can co-exist, but need to work out some details!
September 27, 2016
Blair Hodges once said on the Maxwell Institute Podcast that this was the most important book in Mormon studies since Rough Stone Rolling. I agree.
October 21, 2025
After reading "Ancient Christians: An Introduction for Latter-day Saints", I had some questions about the concept of The Great Apostasy. Basically, I had learned that the whole concept of The Great Apostasy was not as simple as I had once thought. I went to Preach My Gospel, which is where I remembered explicit language talking about the apostasy narrative. When I went to the chapter, I found that the section had been changed! My version had a section titled "The Great Apostasy", while the new one has a section titled "The Falling Away". It seems my questions are warranted and that the church as a whole is quietly stepping back from the doctrine of a great apostasy. Now, as I just searched up Preach My Gospel on the internet, the first link on Google was to the old version, while the second link on Google was the new version. It appears this change will take some time.
The version of Preach My Gospel I used taught that the early Church was described as falling swiftly into darkness after the Apostles’ deaths. Truths were lost, and ordinances were corrupted. The version I was taught was absolute and used firm language. The glass or mirror was shattered.
As a result of these questions, I looked for a scholarly investigation into this topic. That is where this book comes in. This book presents a very different picture from the one I had learned (and confidently taught) as a missionary. This book shows that Christianity didn’t "shatter" after the Apostles; it evolved, struggled, and adapted through people who were doing their best to follow Christ. As Jason Combs explains, the idea that Greek or Roman culture “corrupted” the gospel is a myth born of Protestant reformers, not revelation.
Standing Apart interrogates the story I've told about a total collapse of Christianity and a clean, triumphant restart into Restoration. The editors and contributors of this book show that the Great Apostasy narrative evolved and has been used to draw boundaries about who counts as “us” and “them.”
This book is another one full of essays, including some on how LDS apostasy narratives hardened over time (from people like Talmage, Roberts, JFS), how we’ve misread the “Dark Ages,” and how councils, canon, worship, and women’s leadership actually looked. Terryl Givens’s epilogue is even more interesting: Joseph’s Restoration can be seen as a continuity of Christianity in his day as much as a rupture or departure from it.
I finished this book a little bit unsettled, not knowing what exactly it means for our church narrative, having this far from a clean-cut definition of early Christianity and apostasy.
The version of Preach My Gospel I used taught that the early Church was described as falling swiftly into darkness after the Apostles’ deaths. Truths were lost, and ordinances were corrupted. The version I was taught was absolute and used firm language. The glass or mirror was shattered.
As a result of these questions, I looked for a scholarly investigation into this topic. That is where this book comes in. This book presents a very different picture from the one I had learned (and confidently taught) as a missionary. This book shows that Christianity didn’t "shatter" after the Apostles; it evolved, struggled, and adapted through people who were doing their best to follow Christ. As Jason Combs explains, the idea that Greek or Roman culture “corrupted” the gospel is a myth born of Protestant reformers, not revelation.
Standing Apart interrogates the story I've told about a total collapse of Christianity and a clean, triumphant restart into Restoration. The editors and contributors of this book show that the Great Apostasy narrative evolved and has been used to draw boundaries about who counts as “us” and “them.”
This book is another one full of essays, including some on how LDS apostasy narratives hardened over time (from people like Talmage, Roberts, JFS), how we’ve misread the “Dark Ages,” and how councils, canon, worship, and women’s leadership actually looked. Terryl Givens’s epilogue is even more interesting: Joseph’s Restoration can be seen as a continuity of Christianity in his day as much as a rupture or departure from it.
I finished this book a little bit unsettled, not knowing what exactly it means for our church narrative, having this far from a clean-cut definition of early Christianity and apostasy.
January 4, 2019
Wow. This was a really good book. Not all of the chapters were five-star worthy, and it got a little repetitive toward the end, with many of the contributors even using the same quotes from Joseph Smith in their various chapters. But this book still merits five stars for several reasons.
First, the book argues very persuasively for a non-binary view of what Mormon's call the Great Apostasy. And it does so using Mormon scripture and statements from Mormon leaders, along with a large dose of historical sources regarding the middle ages, the reformation, and the enlightenment. This book establishes that the "dark" ages were not, actually, dark. Rather, they were a time when people lived the gospel the best they knew, with God revealing truths even during those allegedly "dark" times.
Second, it is written, as best I can tell, by believing and practicing Mormons who are also scholars in their respective fields, and thus, the essays focused on the issues that first arose in my mind as they challenged the traditional view of the Great Apostasy. Many of the authors anticipated the questions that a believing Mormon would have upon learning that the traditional view of the apostasy is not 100% accurate.
Third, the book taught me many important and interesting things about the middle ages and about other religions. Particularly enlightening were the chapter on "indulgences," showing how similar that practice often was with our modern-day vicarious temple work for our ancestors, and the chapter on Islam, which persuasively argues that all people are a "covenant" people with God, regardless of their religious beliefs and that all people will be judged based on the particular covenant or covenants they have had the opportunity to make.
I strongly recommend this book to members of the church who have concerns about the Church's exclusivity and truth claims. This book goes a long way toward establishing a viewpoint that embraces the concept of God's love for all of his children, even those living during the "dark" ages, and the doctrine that the only way to return to God is by accepting the ordinances of the Church.
First, the book argues very persuasively for a non-binary view of what Mormon's call the Great Apostasy. And it does so using Mormon scripture and statements from Mormon leaders, along with a large dose of historical sources regarding the middle ages, the reformation, and the enlightenment. This book establishes that the "dark" ages were not, actually, dark. Rather, they were a time when people lived the gospel the best they knew, with God revealing truths even during those allegedly "dark" times.
Second, it is written, as best I can tell, by believing and practicing Mormons who are also scholars in their respective fields, and thus, the essays focused on the issues that first arose in my mind as they challenged the traditional view of the Great Apostasy. Many of the authors anticipated the questions that a believing Mormon would have upon learning that the traditional view of the apostasy is not 100% accurate.
Third, the book taught me many important and interesting things about the middle ages and about other religions. Particularly enlightening were the chapter on "indulgences," showing how similar that practice often was with our modern-day vicarious temple work for our ancestors, and the chapter on Islam, which persuasively argues that all people are a "covenant" people with God, regardless of their religious beliefs and that all people will be judged based on the particular covenant or covenants they have had the opportunity to make.
I strongly recommend this book to members of the church who have concerns about the Church's exclusivity and truth claims. This book goes a long way toward establishing a viewpoint that embraces the concept of God's love for all of his children, even those living during the "dark" ages, and the doctrine that the only way to return to God is by accepting the ordinances of the Church.
May 5, 2018
This book will FOREVER change the way you see the Great "Apostasy." For too long Mormons have succumbed to a ridiculously simplistic narrative on this topic. This book will (hopefully) forever change that way of thinking. It should be required reading. The Great Apostasy was truly great, but not really all that apostate.
November 29, 2022
At least every single member of the Mormon community - at least members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - should HAVE to read this book. Read it. Share it. Teach from it. Use it in Sunday school lesson / priesthood and relief society classes. Anything. CANT recommend it enough!
Want to read
August 29, 2022Maxwell Institute Podcast #14 9/30/14
January 7, 2015
Everybody I knew that had read this book was recommending it as the best Mormon Studies book since sliced cheese . . . I mean, since Rough Stone Rolling. I didn't find it to be that engrossing or paradigm shifting, though I am very very glad that I read it. I'm guessing that everybody loved it so much because it brings the nuance to Mormon discussions of our narrative about the apostasy. I've had that nuance for a long time, so I guess I was expecting more from this, and it ended up being slightly disappointing because of the hype.
Don't get me wrong. This book has a wonderful amount of quality essays. The first half or so of it is the part that I would most recommend to people, because that's where the various authors begin to break down the traditional LDS apostasy narrative, and I think that the collection of essays does a fantastic job of demonstrating that we need to do a better job of accurately describing the apostasy and what actually happened. The second half of the book tries to reimagine the apostasy narrative as a whole in various ways, and though I found those more speculative in some ways, I enjoyed them as well for helping me think outside the box. The essay on Covenantal Pluralism in Mormonism and Islam was particularly good.
In the end, though, I think that you can convince Mormons that they need to rethink their apostasy narratives with a few well-placed questions. It would usually go something like this:
1. BH Roberts and James Talmage were writing over 100 years ago, and they used some of the good historical scholarship of the day. If they were writing today, what would the more recent scholarship say, and how would that have changed their books?
2. They just covered 2k years of history in 1.5 pages in the church history manual. I think there was probably a little more going on that they just didn't want to spend reams of paper on, don't you?
However, if you'd like someone to get a more in-depth consideration of the questions and topics brought up by those two questions, I'd highly recommend this book.
Don't get me wrong. This book has a wonderful amount of quality essays. The first half or so of it is the part that I would most recommend to people, because that's where the various authors begin to break down the traditional LDS apostasy narrative, and I think that the collection of essays does a fantastic job of demonstrating that we need to do a better job of accurately describing the apostasy and what actually happened. The second half of the book tries to reimagine the apostasy narrative as a whole in various ways, and though I found those more speculative in some ways, I enjoyed them as well for helping me think outside the box. The essay on Covenantal Pluralism in Mormonism and Islam was particularly good.
In the end, though, I think that you can convince Mormons that they need to rethink their apostasy narratives with a few well-placed questions. It would usually go something like this:
1. BH Roberts and James Talmage were writing over 100 years ago, and they used some of the good historical scholarship of the day. If they were writing today, what would the more recent scholarship say, and how would that have changed their books?
2. They just covered 2k years of history in 1.5 pages in the church history manual. I think there was probably a little more going on that they just didn't want to spend reams of paper on, don't you?
However, if you'd like someone to get a more in-depth consideration of the questions and topics brought up by those two questions, I'd highly recommend this book.
July 15, 2015
very scholarly and dry.
January 31, 2016
Perhaps the Great Apostasy isn't so... well... apostate?
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews