Out of Obscurity: Mormonism since 1945

by Patrick Q. Mason (Editor), John G. Turner (Editor)

In the years since 1945, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has grown rapidly in terms of both numbers and public prominence. Mormonism is no longer merely a home-grown American religion, confined to the Intermountain West; instead, it has captured the attention of political pundits, Broadway audiences, and prospective converts around the world. While most scholarship on Mormonism concerns its colorful but now well-known early history, the essays in this collection assess recent developments, such as the LDS Church's international growth and acculturation; its intersection with conservative politics in recent decades; its stances on same-sex marriage and the role of women; and its ongoing struggle to interpret its own tumultuous history. The scholars draw on a wide variety of Mormon voices as well as those of outsiders, from Latter-day Saints in Hyderabad, India, to "Mormon Mommy blogs," to evangelical "countercult" ministries.

Genres: History, Mormonism, Lds, Religion

360 pages, Hardcover

Published August 1, 2016

Reviews

[Jen Mikkelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting array of well written essays that balance both well and lesser known issues in an accessible and engaging way. If you are worried that you do not have enough background information to read this book, I would encourage you to do so anyways, as all of the essays do a good job of giving just enough background information to continue without alienating readers who are already well versed in the history of the LDS Church.

[Nate · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best book I've read for broadly understanding this underrepresented period of Later-day Saint history. Not every essay is a home run, but the compilation consistently delivers excellent chapters on a variety of topics. It is surprisingly light on race, but I suppose other books and articles fill in that gap. The essay on male headship is worth the cost of the book.