Joseph Smith
Welsh church inscription reveals shared folk magic culture with early Mormonism
A blogger visiting St. Michael's Church in Cascob, Wales, found inscriptions connecting to the "Dyn Hysbys" — Welsh folk magic practitioners whose traditions parallel the treasure-seeking and folk magic culture of Joseph Smith's early New York environment.
November 10, 2026 at 6:03 PM MT · via By Common Consent
Sunstone podcast covers railroad's chaotic arrival in Mormon Utah
Sunstone's latest podcast episode examines the arrival of the transcontinental railroad in Utah Territory, exploring how Brigham Young initially wanted the railroad but came to see it as a threat to Mormon isolation. Hosts Lindsay Hansen Park and Bryan Buchanan detail the chaotic period.
November 10, 2026 at 4:03 AM MT · via Sunstone
Smithsonian publishes biography of Joseph Smith's rise and fall
Smithsonian Magazine published an excerpt and review of a new Joseph Smith biography examining the founder's life from frontier prophet to his death in 1844. The piece traces Smith's rapid rise building a religious movement and the conflicts that led to his assassination.
November 8, 2026 at 10:02 AM MT · via Smithsonian
Scholars debate authenticity of newly discovered Joseph Smith photograph
Chad Winks and Dee Jay Bawden present arguments against the authenticity of a daguerreotype image recently claimed to be of Joseph Smith on The Stick of Joseph YouTube channel.
November 7, 2026 at 10:02 AM MT · via YouTube / The Stick of Joseph
Smithsonian publishes new biography examining Joseph Smith's life and legacy
Smithsonian magazine features a new biography titled "Joseph Smith: The Rise and Fall of an American Prophet." The work examines the LDS Church founder's life from his early visions through his 1844 assassination in Illinois. The biography appears to take a scholarly approach to Smith's claims of divine revelation, his establishment of the Church, his practice of polygamy, and his brief presidential campaign. The Smithsonian platform gives the work significant mainstream visibility beyond Mormon and ex-Mormon circles.
November 7, 2026 at 8:02 AM MT · via Smithsonian · 2 sources
Joseph Smith's 1844 campaign used Nauvoo's 'not-so-secret ballots'
The Salt Lake Tribune examines LDS founder Joseph Smith's 1844 U.S. presidential campaign and the voting practices in Nauvoo, Illinois, where ballots were "not-so-secret" and subject to community and religious pressure. The piece explores how Smith's political ambitions intersected with his religious authority in the Mormon settlement.
November 7, 2026 at 7:02 AM MT · via The Salt Lake Tribune · 4 sources
Wheat and Tares blog asks: Did Joseph Smith restore or invent temple theology?
A Wheat and Tares blog post examines whether LDS temple theology represents ancient restoration or 19th-century innovation, asking if "hidden temple theology" exists beneath the 1830 Book of Mormon text. The piece is the final installment in a three-part series sparked by an online forum discussion.
November 2, 2026 at 5:03 PM MT · via Wheat and Tares
Joseph Smith Papers financial records series released as ebook
The Joseph Smith Papers project has released its Financial Records series as an ebook, making the founder's financial documents more accessible to researchers and general readers. The church newsroom announcement frames the material around themes of faith and sacrifice.
November 2, 2026 at 11:02 AM MT · via newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org
Polygamy scholar argues against 'false narratives' about Joseph Smith
Public Square Magazine published an essay defending the historical evidence for Joseph Smith's practice of plural marriage while arguing against what it calls "false narratives" that have emerged in recent scholarship. The piece contends that some recent academic work has overstated uncertainty about which relationships were polyandrous or consummated, and argues that "faith in his prophetic calling need not depend on a different history." The essay engages with arguments from both critics and defenders of Smith, asserting that the documentary record supports traditional LDS acknowledgment that Smith practiced polygamy while rejecting interpretations the author considers exaggerated or unsupported by primary sources.
November 2, 2026 at 9:02 AM MT · via Public Square Magazine · 7 sources
Joseph Smith Papers ebook explores founder's finances and sacrifice
Deseret News covers the release of a new Joseph Smith Papers ebook on the founder's financial records, framing it as a story of 'faith and financial sacrifice.' The article examines how Smith's monetary struggles shaped his leadership and the early Church's development.
November 1, 2026 at 10:02 AM MT · via Deseret News · 2 sources
Historian Richard Bushman sought blessing from unexpected apostle
Mormon historian Richard Bushman, author of the landmark Joseph Smith biography "Rough Stone Rolling," sought and received a priesthood blessing from an apostle whose identity surprised those familiar with tensions between church hierarchy and independent Mormon scholarship, according to the Salt Lake Tribune's Mormon Land newsletter.
October 31, 2026 at 6:03 PM MT · via The Salt Lake Tribune
Historian examines Joseph Smith's 1844 presidential campaign for modern political lessons
Historian Benjamin Park explores Joseph Smith's 1844 presidential campaign and its relevance to contemporary Latter-day Saint political identity. The 'Mormon Land' podcast episode examines what Smith's platform and candidacy—including his radical positions on slavery and federal overreach—can teach modern church members navigating their own political choices. Park's analysis touches on the founder's political ideology and how it contrasts with contemporary Mormon political alignments.
October 28, 2026 at 6:01 AM MT · via The Salt Lake Tribune · 4 sources