Comments on: Intellectuals in Mormon History

By: Bob

Bob — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 17:25:33 +0000

#53: It is my understanding he was raised in Utah because his mother was Mormon and she had Mormon family there. He was an Eagle Scout in a Mormon Ward, he played basketball in the Mormon Leagues. Maybe better said, he raised himself as a Social Mormon.
Sunstone had a great article on him at the time of his death.

By: Kristine

Kristine — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 15:31:00 +0000

Stegner was raised in Utah, but not in a Mormon home. He was a Presbyterian.

By: PJD

PJD — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 13:17:08 +0000

Humbly, I thought the same thing…..Maxwell should be in top 20.

By: Humbly

Humbly — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 01:36:12 +0000

Neal A Maxwell?

By: Velska

Velska — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 15:07:03 +0000

I am equally uncomfortable with two attitudes that represent the almost opposite ends of the spectrum:

For one, there are those “intellectuals” who think sophomoric irreverence qualifies for intellectual. Sometimes they are members who have already decided to leave the Church and are looking for anything to justify it.

Then there are the “righteous” people, who don’t like you to talk about anything they don’t consider worthy; and they talk scornfully about intellectuals making it sound like it’s the same as outright apostasy.

I don’t consider myself a scholar at all, but I have much respect for people like Richard Bushman, who have taken on stuff that will not be agreed upon in the foreseeable future (like Rough Stone Rolling). “It is good to be learned, if they hearken unto the counsels of the Lord.”

By: BruceC

BruceC — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 21:28:44 +0000

Kent(MC) (#42) You are probably correct. We still do all the functions other religions call theology. We even call it theology ourselves.

But when we spend decades developing a theology of why we deny blacks the priesthood, it gets wiped out in one letter from the prophet. No detailed explanation, no justifications. Call it what you will, but is not theology. Revelation trumps theology.

Now the idea that Jesus=Jehovah? That was more like theology.

By: Bret

Bret — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 18:39:25 +0000

I think it might be useful, if this survey is ever repeated, to have two categories: The top 10 GA Intellectuals, and the Top 10 Non-GAs. That could be interesting.

By: Bob

Bob — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 18:23:59 +0000

I will add to MY list: Bernard DeVoto and Wallace Stegner.1) They were raised in Mormon homes. 2) They wrote on Mormon stuff. 3)They were friends/students of Vardis Fisher.4) Intellectuals.

By: Randy B.

Randy B. — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 15:18:12 +0000

Klaus Hansen’s book Quest for Empire is one of my favorites. Apparently he’s doing an updated edition, though I’ve been told not to hold my breath. Anyone know what’s up?

By: SC Taysom

SC Taysom — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 12:33:07 +0000

Hansen taught at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario