Certainly, one of the factors in the development of the “Gospel Topics” essays was the digital-era LDS “faith crisis” phenomenon. The advent of digital media challenged the LDS Church’s ability to define truth, manage insider and outsider narratives, and control an official story on Mormon history or doctrine. Before the rise of digital, aside from the highly educated and committed patrons of Mormonism’s independent presses and periodicals like Dialogue, rank-and-file Church members relied almost entirely on LDS Church–approved lesson manuals, carefully vetted Church-published materials sold
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