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Mormons & the Bible: The Place of the Latter-day Saints in American Religion

Philip L. Barlow, New York, New York: Oxford University Press (Print-on-Demand), 1997, 6x9" softbound, 296 pages, 17 halftones.

The Mormons have been one of the most studied American religious groups; still, no consensus exists about the essential nature of the movement or its place in American religion. In this study, Barlow analyzes the approaches taken to the Bible by key Mormon leaders, from founder Joseph Smith up to the present day. He shows that Mormon attitudes toward the Bible comprise an extraordinary mix of conservative, liberal, and radical ingredients: an almost fundamentalist adherence to the King James Version of the Bible coexists with belief in the possibility of new revelation and surprising ideas on the limits of human language. Exploring this unique Mormon stance on scripture, Barlow takes important steps toward unraveling the mystery of this quintessential American religious phenomenon.

Review Excerpts:

"A model of what other cultural studies of scripture might be....Goes well beyond existing literature in both its breadth of research into actual Mormon practice and its subtlety of interpretation about the place of Mormon scripturism in American cultural life....The book, in sum, is a treasure." --Modern Theology

"Gives non-Mormons a scholarly and incisively written look at the tradition Joseph Smith set in motion. Further, it creates for Latter-day Saint readers an opportunity for enlightened and enlightening self-analysis." --Journal of Mormon History

"A fresh approach to understanding the Saints within the larger context of American religion." --American Historical Review

Philip L. Barlow is Associate Professor of Theological Studies at Hanover College and is a Latter-day Saint.

Title: Mormons & the Bible: The Place of the Latter-day Saints in American Religion

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