Latter-day Saint Perspectives

Historian, author, and educator Patrick Mason tells his students that Mormon studies is just a really fun place to play. It gets to the heart of the questions we have in 21st century society. By studying Mormonism, we can learn more about the world we live in as it touches on the following: Minority/majority relations; How we can organize a democratic society; The role of religion in the public sphere; Gender issues; Marriage; and Family. Mormonism, Mormon history, Mormon theology usually has something to say about these foundational issues. Host Russell Stevenson interviews Patrick about how the way historians do their business has changed over the last 100 years. In the 19th century, history tended to be bipolar with anti-Mormons on one end and church leaders, members, and historians offering their version from a faith-promoting perspective that acknowledged God's involvement in affairs. By the late 20th century, historians began to weigh truth claims in a more dispassionate manner. Their g