Mormon Studies and Kishkumen

[Kishkumen]

So, I am busting today. This afternoon, one of my students defended his honors thesis on early Mormonism. And he absolutely crushed it. I have no idea where this young man will choose to go in life, but he could easily pursue a PhD in Religious Studies, write a great dissertation on his topic, and publish an important book. It is *that* big of a deal. And this is not just Dr. Kishkumen speaking. This was the unanimous opinion of the entire committee, of which I was certainly the lowliest member in terms of expertise in the general scholarship, but perhaps the most knowledgeable regarding the specifics of Mormonism.

I feel the need to share all of this because we all agreed that his work would flourish if he took it out of the niche of Mormon Studies and brought it into the broader conversation of the study of American Religion. As his work stands, he was relying quite a bit on Quinn, but the potential is there to make a much bigger and more important argument. What is holding things back? The polemics of LDS apologists. It holds back Quinn. That need to respond to arguments that do not merit response. These are the Mopologetic arguments. Quinn’s second edition of EMMWV was such a waste inasmuch as it was directed inward to the contentious struggle with Mopologists. Our student we would see set aside these parochial concerns to make a bigger contribution to the scholarship on American Religion and Religion in general.

Mormonism is bigger when it looks outward. When it is no longer navel gazing. As a topic it presents such a fantastic opportunity to address a variety of questions, but the Mormon Studies world tends to be insular, obsessed with the sensitivities of LDS people. Bottom line, and one that I discussed with my colleague in the Department of Religion: please publish on Mormonism, but pay very little attention to the insular commentary of Mormon Studies, and Mormon apologetics. The scholarly community working on Mormonism tends to be parochial and brutal. People seek to firm up their ownership of a tiny piece of turf. Only as more outsiders take on the task and put Mormonism in fruitful conversation with American Religion in general will the area truly flower.

[msnobody]

I enjoyed reading of your enthusiasm and his superior work. Maybe we will read more from this student/former student in the future. I’m certain he could benefit from your encouragement.

[consiglieri]

Wonderful news, Professor!

You are the right person at the right time to give this budding scholar some needed advice and direction!

[Dr Exiled]

Would love to read it. Is this student a member?

[Philo Sofee]

This is exciting news Kish! I second Consiglieri, you really are the perfect professor to sort of take this student under wing and help guide him. I am very interested in seeing his work. I have benefitted so much from you introducing new people in Mormon studies to me through the years, especially Dr. Fleming's magnificent efforts and materials as well! I am so grateful to have you as a friend and having the ability to share and learn with you! I am very excited for the future of this student! Please feel free to share more as you can and are able.

[Physics Guy]

I'm far from this field but it's obvious even to me that Smith's Reformation was an important happening in American religion. You don't have to be a Communist to believe that Communism was important in history, and you don't have to be a Mormon to think that Mormonism mattered in American history. Even if it wasn't a huge driver of events on the national scale, it was undoubtedly an informative symptom of causes that were. In that indirect but real sense I'm sure that studying Mormonism can reveal a lot about American culture and history, even beyond its significance for Utah and for Mormons themselves. And the importance in American culture of American religion, and of American exceptionalism, is still quite clear today.

Maybe it's true that Mormon apologetics has held Mormonism back as a subject in American history. Maybe Mormonism as a historical phenomenon warrants a lot more attention than it has received, and maybe it could still get that attention, if it could escape the Mormon Studies ghetto.

Are there any logical next steps for this student?

[dastardly stem]

Thanks Kishkumen for your take. Looking at it from my out of academia perspective, I don't think anyone could have said it any better. And your tantalizing description makes me hope one day I will be able to read this young person's thesis.

[Moksha]

You don't have to be a Communist to believe that Communism was important in history, and you don't have to be a Mormon to think that Mormonism mattered in American history.

At some point in the future, there will be Trump Studies, which will blend history together with psychopathology.

[DrStakhanovite]

If you want to see what the dear Reverend is lamenting in its purest form, check out John Gee's piece 'Whither Mormon Studies'.

Here is a taste (emphasis mine):

Above all, the relatively new field of Mormon Studies needs humility in its practitioners. Like it or not, the real experts on Mormon Studies are the General Authorities. As good as some of us may be in our particular niches, we need to keep in mind the many things that we do not know, and may never know. Mormon intellectuals are not particularly well positioned to get a very broad view of a worldwide Church. The interests and incentives of those who engage in Mormon Studies are not necessarily, and for the most part are not at all, the interests of the Kingdom. While typical Latter-day Saints might naïvely think that Mormon Studies is a good idea, they will not be happy with most of the material that passes for Mormon Studies if it follows the trend of Religious Studies in general, or the early output of those currently engaged in formal Mormon Studies programs. Scholars who want Mormon Studies to conform to the Religious Studies model should not be surprised, then, if Latter-day Saints have little regard for the work that they do. For most Latter-day Saints, the question is not whether serving God with all one’s mind can include Mormon Studies, but whether Mormon Studies is actually serving God.

[Kishkumen]

I enjoyed reading of your enthusiasm and his superior work. Maybe we will read more from this student/former student in the future. I’m certain he could benefit from your encouragement.

Thank you, msnobody! I appreciate your kind words. I, too, hope we will see more from this student in the future. His talents and capacities are enviable. He could do a lot of good things with them. Of course, he could do them in places other than the academy. Still, part of me hopes he will pursue academics.