Conference Examines Mormons in American History
Throughout the religion's 177-year history, issues of race, gender, marriage and missionary work have figured prominently into church life among Mormons. A group of leading American history scholars will discuss how Mormons have dealt with these issues during a one-day seminar next month at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis.
"Mormons and American Life" will take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, April 12, 2008, in Room CE405 at the IUPUI Campus Center, 420 University Blvd.
The Center for the Study of Religion and American Culture, part of the School of Liberal Arts at IUPUI, will host the one-day event focused on the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
"Given recent interest in Mormons in America because of Mitt Romney's presidential campaign and the HBO television drama "Big Love," which features a western Mormon offshoot family that practices polygamy, the center is offering this seminar as an opportunity for interested individuals to look at the religion from a historical and unbiased perspective," says Philip Goff, director of the Center for the Study of Religion and American Culture.
Featured speakers include IUPUI Professor Emerita Jan Shipps, considered the nation's leading non-Mormon expert on Mormons. Other scholars presenting include professors from Brigham Young University, University of Pennsylvania, University of Southern California, and Vanderbilt University.
Shipps, who has spent over forty years studying Mormons, will present "Reality History: Chronicling Convert Expectations and What Mormonism Delivered." Her talk will explore how Mormon missionaries changed the focus as well as the form of presentation of their gospel message at various times in history, and how converts' resulting expectations clashed with the reality of Mormonism faith they would experience as church members.
Admission is free of charge and open to the public. Reservations are required. To reserve a seat, call 317-274-8409 or send an e-mail to raac@iupui.edu.
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