Jamie Loftus

Okay, let's learn about Mormons. Mormonism is a 19th century religion formally founded by Joseph Smith in 1830. He was born squarely in the middle of the Second Great Religious Awakening in the U.S., a religious revival that would strengthen movements like Methodism, Presbyterianism, and the Baptist Church, and would birth a lot more. And Joseph Smith was a kid of this era.

Okay, let's learn about Mormons. Mormonism is a 19th century religion formally founded by Joseph Smith in 1830. He was born squarely in the middle of the Second Great Religious Awakening in the U.S., a religious revival that would strengthen movements like Methodism, Presbyterianism, and the Baptist Church, and would birth a lot more. And Joseph Smith was a kid of this era.

He grew up without a firm religion, but was curious to try things. The Mormon faith, often called the LDS or Latter-day Saints, came up shortly after the Shakers movement. The LDS came to prominence around the same time as a number of black church movements like the African Methodist Episcopal Church. The LDS shares a little bit of DNA with spiritualism.

He grew up without a firm religion, but was curious to try things. The Mormon faith, often called the LDS or Latter-day Saints, came up shortly after the Shakers movement. The LDS came to prominence around the same time as a number of black church movements like the African Methodist Episcopal Church. The LDS shares a little bit of DNA with spiritualism.

He grew up without a firm religion, but was curious to try things. The Mormon faith, often called the LDS or Latter-day Saints, came up shortly after the Shakers movement. The LDS came to prominence around the same time as a number of black church movements like the African Methodist Episcopal Church. The LDS shares a little bit of DNA with spiritualism.

And you can listen to my limited series, Ghost Church, for more about the history of that. The mid-19th century was a big time of religious change and upheaval in the U.S. And after Mormonism took off, new religions continued to pop up. For example, Jehovah's Witnesses and Christian scientists weren't far behind Mormonism.

And you can listen to my limited series, Ghost Church, for more about the history of that. The mid-19th century was a big time of religious change and upheaval in the U.S. And after Mormonism took off, new religions continued to pop up. For example, Jehovah's Witnesses and Christian scientists weren't far behind Mormonism.

And you can listen to my limited series, Ghost Church, for more about the history of that. The mid-19th century was a big time of religious change and upheaval in the U.S. And after Mormonism took off, new religions continued to pop up. For example, Jehovah's Witnesses and Christian scientists weren't far behind Mormonism.

But very few specific movements from this time still have the cultural hold on America that Mormonism does. Though Joseph Smith releases the Book of Mormon and the religion is formalized in 1830, but the religion's origin story connects to two incidents from the previous 10 years.

But very few specific movements from this time still have the cultural hold on America that Mormonism does. Though Joseph Smith releases the Book of Mormon and the religion is formalized in 1830, but the religion's origin story connects to two incidents from the previous 10 years.

But very few specific movements from this time still have the cultural hold on America that Mormonism does. Though Joseph Smith releases the Book of Mormon and the religion is formalized in 1830, but the religion's origin story connects to two incidents from the previous 10 years.

One was from 1820 when Joseph was 14 and asked both Jesus and God which religion to follow and was told by them, follow none of them. It is your job to prepare the world for the second coming of Jesus.

One was from 1820 when Joseph was 14 and asked both Jesus and God which religion to follow and was told by them, follow none of them. It is your job to prepare the world for the second coming of Jesus.

One was from 1820 when Joseph was 14 and asked both Jesus and God which religion to follow and was told by them, follow none of them. It is your job to prepare the world for the second coming of Jesus.

The other incident was in 1823, when a 17-year-old Smith is said to have been visited by the angel Moroni to repeat this calling, and was also told that there was an ancient record regarding God's dealings with the quote-unquote American continent that he needed to translate with a series of tools when he was a little older.

The other incident was in 1823, when a 17-year-old Smith is said to have been visited by the angel Moroni to repeat this calling, and was also told that there was an ancient record regarding God's dealings with the quote-unquote American continent that he needed to translate with a series of tools when he was a little older.

The other incident was in 1823, when a 17-year-old Smith is said to have been visited by the angel Moroni to repeat this calling, and was also told that there was an ancient record regarding God's dealings with the quote-unquote American continent that he needed to translate with a series of tools when he was a little older.

After the angel Moroni's visit, Joseph Smith says that he retrieved and divinely translated the text of the Book of Mormon, which was inscribed on thin gold plates. There is a bit of a Wizard of Oz-y quality to the way that this translation is dictated. There's magic stones, he's going behind curtains, and sometimes he wouldn't even use the gold plates.

After the angel Moroni's visit, Joseph Smith says that he retrieved and divinely translated the text of the Book of Mormon, which was inscribed on thin gold plates. There is a bit of a Wizard of Oz-y quality to the way that this translation is dictated. There's magic stones, he's going behind curtains, and sometimes he wouldn't even use the gold plates.

After the angel Moroni's visit, Joseph Smith says that he retrieved and divinely translated the text of the Book of Mormon, which was inscribed on thin gold plates. There is a bit of a Wizard of Oz-y quality to the way that this translation is dictated. There's magic stones, he's going behind curtains, and sometimes he wouldn't even use the gold plates.