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D. Michael Quinn: Premier LDS Apologist?
Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 5:21 pm
by _Buffalo
I'm not hugely knowledgeable about the world of apologists and Mormon historians. But it's my understanding that D. Michael Quinn, though excommunicated, remains a believer in the truth claims of Mormonism.
In that case, doesn't that make him the premier LDS apologist? Certainly he's far more credible and scholarly than the cranks at the Discovery... er... Maxwell Institute. And his continued belief in the face of both excommunication and a frank, clear-eyed acknowledgment of Mormon history could certainly be viewed as inspirational and faith promoting.
If Quinn can know and frankly acknowledge all those troublesome facts and remain a believer, isn't that an inspiring story for struggling Mormons? You'd think the apologists would leverage this instead of demonizing their intellectual and moral superior.
Re: D. Michael Quinn: Premier LDS Apologist?
Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 6:53 pm
by _bcspace
If he was excommunicated for apostasy, that would make his apologetics quite flawed.
Re: D. Michael Quinn: Premier LDS Apologist?
Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 7:10 pm
by _jon
bcspace wrote:If he was excommunicated for apostasy, that would make his apologetics quite flawed.
What did he state that was untrue?
As I understand it, everything he was excommunicated for has since been vindicated as accurate.
Re: D. Michael Quinn: Premier LDS Apologist?
Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 7:21 pm
by _bcspace
What did he state that was untrue?
Wasn't privy to the meeting.
Re: D. Michael Quinn: Premier LDS Apologist?
Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 7:26 pm
by _Buffalo
jon wrote:bcspace wrote:If he was excommunicated for apostasy, that would make his apologetics quite flawed.
What did he state that was untrue?
As I understand it, everything he was excommunicated for has since been vindicated as accurate.
Indeed, many of the things that the September 6 were excommunicated over are now openly admitted by apologists.
I don't think he was really excommunicated for apostasy, however. I believe it was for excessive frankness. And still, he believes. Inspiring!
Re: D. Michael Quinn: Premier LDS Apologist?
Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 7:28 pm
by _bcspace
I think it's more likely that he tried to justify homosexuality.
Re: D. Michael Quinn: Premier LDS Apologist?
Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 7:29 pm
by _Buffalo
bcspace wrote:If he was excommunicated for apostasy, that would make his apologetics quite flawed.
On the contrary, his excommunication combined with his continued belief add more credibility to Mormonism than anything coming from the MI (which, admittedly, isn't saying much). He is certainly the greatest of all Mormon apologists, and the most credible.
Re: D. Michael Quinn: Premier LDS Apologist?
Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 7:30 pm
by _Buffalo
bcspace wrote:I think it's more likely that he tried to justify homosexuality.
D. Michael Quinn
D. Michael Quinn is a Mormon historian. Among other studies, he documented LDS Church-sanctioned polygamy from 1890 until 1904, after the 1890 Manifesto when the Church officially abandoned the practice.[15] He also authored the 1987 book, Early Mormonism and the Magic World View, which argues that early Mormon leaders were greatly influenced by folk magic and superstitious beliefs including stone looking, charms, and divining rods. He was excommunicated September 26.
It looks like he was essentially excommunicated for publishing the same type of information now put out by Bushman.
Re: D. Michael Quinn: Premier LDS Apologist?
Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 7:32 pm
by _bcspace
It looks like he was essentially excommunicated for publishing the same type of information now put out by Bushman.
According to whom?
Re: D. Michael Quinn: Premier LDS Apologist?
Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 7:36 pm
by _Buffalo
bcspace wrote:It looks like he was essentially excommunicated for publishing the same type of information now put out by Bushman.
According to whom?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D._Michael ... LDS_ChurchIn September 1993, according to his biographer Lavina Fielding Anderson, his insubordination directed toward church authorities and his publication of his on-going work resulted in his excommunication from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as one of the September Six. Despite his excommunication,[3] Quinn believes in the Latter Day Saint movement, although he is in disagreement with certain policies and doctrines. He continues to be a widely-cited Mormon historian by researchers and students of Mormonism.[citation needed]
Quinn's research topics, both before and after his excommunication, were in-depth revisions of traditional accounts of Mormon history grounded in primary source material. Three of his most influential books, each of which is the focal point of intense controversy, are Early Mormonism and the Magic World View, The Mormon Hierarchy: Origins of Power, and The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power.
In an April 2006 article, Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Golden wrote that Quinn has become unhireable because almost all the funding for professorships in Mormon studies comes from Mormon donors. In 2003, Brigham Young University threatened to withdraw funding for a conference it was co-sponsoring at Yale if Quinn were allowed to speak. More recently Arizona State University administrators vetoed the department of religious studies in its recommendation to hire Quinn. ASU faculty believe officials fear alienating ASU’s 3,700 LDS students and offending Ira Fulton, a powerful Mormon donor who, according to Golden, has called Quinn a “nothing person.”[4]
In 2007, Quinn was interviewed in the PBS documentary The Mormons.