Mormonism: A Historical Encyclopedia

Covering its historic development, important individuals, and central ideas and issues, this encyclopedia offers broad historical coverage of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Mormonism: A Historical Encyclopedia helps readers explore a church that has gone from being an object of ridicule and sometimes violent persecution to a worldwide religion, counting prominent businesspeople and political leaders among its members (including former Massachusetts governor and recent presidential candidate Mitt Romney). The encyclopedia begins with an overview of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—six essays cover the church's history from Joseph Smith's first vision in 1820 to its current global status. This provides a context for subsequent sections of alphabetically organized entries on key events and key figures in Mormon history. A final section looks at important issues such as the church's organization and government, its teachings on family, Mormonism and blacks, Mormonism and women, and Mormonism and Native Americans. Together, these essays and entries, along with revealing primary sources, portray the Mormon experience like no other available reference work.

Table of Contents:
Preface and Acknowledgments Mormonism in Historical Context: An Introduction ERAS Foundation: 1820–1830 Development: 1831–1844 Exodus and Settlement: 1845–1869 Conflict: 1869–1890 Transition: 1890–1941 Expansion: 1941–Present EVENTS Black Hawk War Book of Mormon Colonization Correlation Exodus from Nauvoo First Vision Handcart Migration Haun's Mill Massacre Immigration Kirtland Pentecost Manifesto Martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith Missouri War Mormon Battalion Mountain Meadows Massacre Nauvoo Legion Organization of the Church Pioneering Priesthood Revelation of 1978 Reformation Relief Society Seagulls and Crickets Smoot Hearings Temple Work by Proxy Temples Ungathered United States v. Reynolds Utah War Word of Wisdom Youth Programs Zion's Camp PEOPLE Arrington, Leonard James Bennion, Lowell L. Benson, Ezra Taft Brooks, Juanita Cannon, George Q. Cannon, Martha Hughes Clark, J. Reuben Jr. Grant, Heber J. Hinckley, Gordon B. Hunter, Howard W. Kimball, Spencer W. Lee, Harold B. Lyman, Amy Brown McConkie, Bruce R. McKay, David O. Monson, Thomas S. Nibley, Hugh Parmley, LaVern Watts Pratt, Orson and Parley P. Rigdon, Sidney Roberts, B. H. Rogers, Aurelia Spencer Sessions, Patty Bartlett Smith, Barbara Bradshaw Smith, Emma Hale Smith, George Albert Smith, Hyrum Smith, Joseph F. Smith, Joseph Fielding Smith, Joseph Jr. Smith Family Snow, Eliza R. Snow, Lorenzo Spafford, Belle Smith Talmage, James E. Taylor, Elmina Shepherd Taylor, John Wells, Emmeline B. Witnesses to the Book of Mormon Woodruff, Wilford Young, Brigham ISSUES Church Organization and Government Divergent Churches Genealogy and Family History Local Worship Mormon Missiology Mormon Scripture Mormonism and Blacks Mormonism and Economics Mormonism and Education Mormonism and Men Mormonism and Native Americans Mormonism and Other Faiths Mormonism and Race Mormonism and Science Mormonism and Secular Government Mormonism and the Family Mormonism and Violence Mormonism and Women Mormonism as a World Religion Mormonism as Restoration Mormonism's Contested Identity Non-Mormon Views of Mormonism Polygamy Chronology Selected Bibliography About the Editors List of Contributors Index

About the Author :
W. Paul Reeve, PhD, is assistant professor of history and associate chair of the Department of History at The University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT. Ardis E. Parshall is an independent researcher and historian living in Salt Lake City, UT.

Review :
Designed mainly for libraries and research institutions Mormonism: A Historical Encyclopedia is a formidable resource to have at one's fingertips, particularly for those previously unfamiliar with Mormonism. Mormonism: A Historical Encyclopedia is certainly a valuable resource, both for the unfamiliar scholar and the longtime Mormon. . . . MHE represents an excellent distillation of some of the best up and coming scholarship as well as traditional analyses from trusted scholars. Overall, the volume is tailor-made for those wanting information on the most prominent figures, the most influential moments, and the hottest topics. . . . A very nice addition for libraries with little need for a multivolume set on Mormonism. A useful resource. A useful chronology, selected bibliography, and index are also included. . . . this is a very useful addition to undergraduate collections.