Summary
Title: One Nation Under Gods: A History of the Mormon Church
Author: Richard Abanes
Publisher: Four Walls Eight Windows
ISBN: 1568582196
Pro:
• Extensive quotations from original sources
• Heavily footnoted
• Very readable and easy to understand
Con:
• Author is strongly biased
Description:
• Description of Mormon doctrines not widely known
• Description of Mormon history not widely understood
• Documentation of nature of Mormonism
Book Review
The standard response to that question is that Mormonism is a denomination of Christianity. However, there are some reasons to consider such a response flawed. Jan Shipps, a non-Mormon historian, has argued that Mormonism is as much a part of Christianity as Christianity is a part of Judaism. What this means is that, although Mormonism draws heavily on Christianity, it is not really still a part of the Christian tradition. Instead, it has developed its own independent and parallel tradition which will take a different course through history.
This still leaves open the question of just what Mormonism is and what the differences are which might separate Mormonism from Christianity. Although there are many books out there about Mormonism, there aren't too many truly comprehensive works which offer a skeptical and critical perspective. Richard Abanes, an evangelical author, has recently published such a book, tackling questions of Mormon history, theology, and politics. The role of such a book is important because Mormon scholars are not always candid about the historical record. Mormon historians are encouraged to publish research which is "faith promoting" first and foremost
When anything other than a commitment to an accurate unveiling of the historical record is promoted as a historian's first duty, trouble is bound to emerge:
- "...LDS leaders consistently urge historians to conceal "controversies and difficulties of the Mormon past" and to write church history "from a siege mentality to deny any information that enemies of the Church could possibly use to criticize the Church.""
Abanes quotes D. Michael Quinn, once a historian at Brigham Young University, who was told by Apostle Boyd K. Packer in 1976 that he "had a hard time with historians because they idolize the truth. The truth is not uplifting; it destroys. ...Historians should tell only that part of the truth that is inspiring and uplifting."
There are many valid criticisms which have been leveled against Abanes' book. One is that there is "nothing new" in it and that he is just recycling the same accusations which have been raised in the past. This is largely true - Abanes does not provide us with any radical new findings about Mormonism or new, creative arguments about the nature of Mormon beliefs.What he does do, however, is collect together valid and important critiques and questions into a single volume - and that in itself is a worthy accomplishment.
A more serious and penetrating criticism is the fact that Abanes stands a long, long way from the position of an unbiased journalist or scholar. Abanes seems to have dedicated himself to "exposing" cults and informing people about all of their horrible practices - something which has led him to take some rather indefensible positions, for example regarding Harry Potter:
- "...it is neither absurd, nor laughable, to suppose that the Harry Potter books might lead some children into the world of occultism since the series contains actual beliefs and practices associated with witchcraft and paganism, including: divination, astrology, numerology, familiars, pagan gods/goddesses, spellcasting, potions, necromancy (i.e. communication with the dead/ghosts), mediumship, channeling, crystal gazing, palmistry, charms, arithmancy and magick."
However, it would be a fallacy to reject his arguments and conclusions merely because his background is that of a biased evangelical. Some of his arguments fail entirely on their own, for example his contention that Mormonism qualifies as a "cult." It clearly doesn't fall under any sociological characteristics of cults (isolation of members) or psychological characteristics (deceptive recruitment techniques).
