Mormonism: The Story of a New Religious Tradition

by Jan Shipps

"Without fully and consciously realizing that they were doing so, the followers of Jesus established a new religious tradition. This book tells the story of yet another assembly of saints whose history, I believe, is in many respects analogous to the history of those early Christians who thought at first that they had found the only proper way to be Jews. Mormonism started to grow away from traditional Christianity almost immediately upon coming into existence. It began as a movement that understood itself as Christian, but. . . these nineteenth-century Latter-day Saints (as they came to be called) embarked on a path that led to developments that now distinguish their tradition from the Christian tradition as surely as early Christianity was distinguished from its Hebraic context."--From the preface
 

Genres: Religion, History, Mormonism, Lds, Nonfiction, American History

232 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1985

About the author

Jo Ann Barnett Shipps, known as Jan Shipps, was an American historian specializing in Mormon history, particularly in the latter half of the 20th century to the present. Shipps was generally regarded as the foremost non-Mormon scholar of the Latter Day Saint movement, having given particular attention to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Her first book on the subject was Mormonism: The Story of a New Religious Tradition published by the University of Illinois Press. In 2000, the University of Illinois Press published her book Sojourner in the Promised Land: Forty Years Among the Mormons, in which she interweaves her own history of Mormon-watching with 16 essays on Mormon history and culture.

Reviews

[John]

The best single book about Mormonism for the general reader and for the nonspecialist. Shipps, though not a Mormon herself, is regarded both within and without the LDS Church as one of the foremost experts on Mormonism. This work presents a sympathetic outsider's perspective on the Church, while also attempting to "locate" Mormonism on the spectrum of American religiosity. Shipps's conclusion is that while the question of whether Mormonism is Christian is a convoluted one, it is possible to see in the Church an institution that is both an outgrowth of Christianity and different enough from traditional Christianity to be seen as a "new religion."

[Samuel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jan Shipps is rightfully known as the leading non-Mormon scholar on Mormonism. The crowning achievement of Mormon scholarship argues that Mormonism ought to be viewed as a new religious tradition--it is to Christianity what Christianity was to Judaism (a restoration movement)--rather than a cult, sect, or denomination of Christianity. Furthermore, she demonstrates how conversion to Mormonism took the form of accepting the Book of Mormon as truth--thus Joseph Smith can rightfully be called the first Mormon as he was implicitly converted during his "translation" (or production) of the scriptural text. Shipps does well to use the Reformed Latter Day Saints (RLDS) as a comparative study to situate and understand the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. In general, Shipps finds that the RLDS Church teaches a doctrine with a more figurative interpretation of Mormons as modern Israel whereas the LDS Church emphasizes this doctrine more literally--Mormon conversion includes a physical transformation/adoption into the tribes of Israel that makes the church modern Israel. Shipps also discusses an Old Testament emphasis in the LDS tradition versus a more New Testament focused emphasis in the RLDS faith. Sometimes these distinctions are more fuzzy than clear, but she is scholarly and careful to qualify her points and admit that reducing either movement to one clear line of influence and trajectory is not completely effective. Nevertheless, this is a wonderful work of scholarship mapping out the paradoxical newness and restoration-mindedness of Mormonism with a particular strength in discussing how the movement transitioned and survived its transition form its nineteenth-century polygamous and theocratic roots into its twentieth-century more American mainline religious image.

[S'hi · Rating 3 out of 5]

After a lighter read as introduction to the Mormons in Peter Levenda’s The Angel and The Sorcerer, this weightier study takes me a further step into understanding the various influences and encounters I have experienced in recent years. Jan Shipps’ academic approach is not so dry as to make it heavy going, but it is thorough in a way that Levenda’s more newsy tone leaves potential for acceptance when ideas might require deeper consideration.

One significant difference in these two works is the consideration of Joseph Smith as an individual and in a social milieu. In a way, Levenda follows the Church line of considering the man as central and an anomaly that makes future reference to and through him to be the preserve of those who would continue this old practice of centralisation of power. Shipp on the other hand presents the struggle of a number of individuals around Joseph Smith to present their joint part with him in the development of this new religious tradition.

This difference between the books would seem to also be the continuing struggle of the new nation of America to find a way to include multiple views and understandings of itself in its totality, while continuing to appear as a nation under a single leader: The President.

Individuality is so much a part of the American story that this is no small difference to point out about this most American of religions.

Yet what I do not see in either book is an appreciation of the evolutionary nature of human endeavour. While reference is made to the Civil War and the First Amendment in its significance to political pressure on the Mormon movement in its formative years, the question of revelation as something wholly realisable and revolution as the total overthrow of prior structures of operation are skirted in both books.

It seems to me that both authors are attempting to look at something from too close quarters. They each seem to me to have questions about the essential American nature of the Mormon movement that they do not ask.

Of course, these are going to be difficult questions when you concern yourself with religion separately from politics, but each writer does touch on the political inclinations and efforts of Joseph Smith. The so-called “separation of powers” as well as the “separation of church and State” are all part of the revolutionary ideas that drove so much of the development of America in its formational years.

Such separation is necessarily an inner work as well as work in the world.

This difficulty with personal development of spiritual capacity in modern times is reflective of great struggles in earlier times without adequate support within society for the emerging forces in others as well as ourselves. The personal and the social have been seen to be at odds with each other. Very few people appreciate their interwovenness.

[Bill Hooten · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three stars? Probably should have been rated higher, because the quality of the writing was good, the documentation was outstanding, and the viewpoint was what I was looking for. There were parts of this book that were extremely interesting, and I couldn't wait to turn the page! Then there were other parts, that were as dry and difficult to read, as anything I have ever tried to read. That is probably not Jan Shipps fault, but mine; for two reasons. One, is that there are definitely parts of the books that I am more interested in than others; and, two, that scholars have vocabularies in their fields that others are not accustomed to. Concerning their vocabularies, they can carry on conversations using that language, as easily as I can discussing a college football game. I have a feeling that she did not intend to write a book for popular reader; but a textbook for the serious student. But, I wanted to read her history of the Mormons, after reading about her research among the Mormons -- "Sojourner in the Promised Land". Jan Shipps is not a Mormon, but is accepted by them, and the academic world, as one of the leading historians of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I wanted to read a history of that movement that was fair and balanced, and was not pushing an agenda in what they wrote. I think I found it.
There were two chapters that I found to be particularly interesting, chapters 4 and 6. Chapter 4 was titled "Reformation and Restoration", My profession of faith is with a group that recognizes themself as a restoration movement, and challenges itself to be the "restoration of the New Testament church"; and I wholeheartedly subscribe to the concept of following the Bible. The local bishop for the LDS in my community, has become a friend of mine; and I had told him that I did not see them as a "restoration movement". Well, I was wrong. The reason I was wrong was because I did not understand what they trying to restore, and it was through this chapter I discovered that. I still don't agree with their theology, or their restoration effort; but I did get a misconception cleared up. Chapter 6 gave me some answers about the changes in the Mormon faith since about 1900. The impetus to go back and study the Mormon history, was two fiction works that I read last year. They were westerns that took place in the latter part of the 19th century, and revolved around the bitter relationship between the Mormons and the settlers that were moving west. One of the books was by Zane Gray ("Riders of the Purple Sage") and the other was by Richard Wormser ("Battalion of Saints"). If you read those two books, you will wonder what happened that changed the relationship between Mormons and the Gentiles. I did not understand how much impact the Manifesto of 1890 had on the LDS church, not only in the practice of one aspect; but in the entirety of their theology.
I would recommend this book to anyone that wants to learn more about some aspects of the history of the 19th century Mormonism. It will not cover all the details, but what was behind the formation of the church that we know today.

[Kailey Caldwell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let's gooooooo mormon studies enthusiasts. Had to read this classic - I love to make the familiar strange.

[Susie Meister]

Here Shipps argues that Mormonism is distinct comparable to Judaism and Christianity. She believes the Jospeh Smith mythology is central to the tradition (just as the Jesus mythology is for Christianity). She agrees with Marty that the period of disestablishment created disagreement about fundamental matters among new and established religious movements. She sees the replication of the biblical story, the prophetic leadership, and the experience of the Saints all were critical in the creation of Mormonism. Shipps claims Mormonism is a form of "corporate" Christianity. While it is of Christianity just as Christianity is of Judaism, it is distinct. Among the things keeping it separate is their goal, not of salvation in death, but progression toward godhood.

[John E · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a series of essays on various pieces of Mormon history, some significant and others not so much. Shipps' point is that Mormonism is as much like other Christianity as other Christianity is like Judaism. Thus Mormonism is a new "Religious Tradition" and cannot be compared to any other Christian denominations. Mormons believe in Jesus is the Christ, but not the Christ of non-Mormon Christianity.

[Dawn · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had thought this book would expand my knowledge of the Mormon religion but it is a series of essays explaining how Mormonism is to Christianity as Christianity is to Judaism. In other words, of the original but independent in most of it's ideas.

As I had no doubt that either of those particular things was true, I did not need convincing and the dryness of the writing made the book desperately dull.

[Samira]

I have decided not to rate books on my exam lists, but to be more New York Times Bestseller list: So, in this classic in the field, Jan Shipps examines the origins of Mormonism through active comparisopn to the origins of (and scholarship on) Christianity.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read when first published. Shipps was a professor at my college and I attended one colloquium lecture from her.

[Keith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good account from a friendly outsider about LDS Church and culture.

[Robert D. Cornwall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is, in my mind, the definitive text on the Mormon faith tradition. I read it years ago!

[Jeff Crosby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting general survey by a respected scholar outside the faith.

[Joe Spencer · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely vital read!