Sunstone Mormon History Podcast

In this episode, Lindsay and Bryan dive into the 1860s, the decade when Mormon polygamy reached its statistical and cultural peak. Drawing on census data, diaries, oral histories, and the sharp observations of British explorer Richard Francis Burton, they examine how plural marriage became woven into Utah’s theology, politics, economics, and daily life. From Brigham …

Before texts, tracking numbers, and two-day shipping, a letter could take months to cross the continent, assuming it arrived at all. In this episode, Lindsay and Bryan saddle up for the tangled story of Mormons, mail, freighting, and power in the American West, from Brigham Young’s ambitious Y.X. Company and the political chaos of the …

In part three of our temple development episodes, Bryan and Lindsay discuss the changes to the LDS temples in the 20th century. From garment pattern alterations to less oaths and penalties, a lot has happened to the Mormon temple practices in the last century.

Last episode, we talked about the development of the Mormon temple in the Nauvoo era. As the Saints move to Utah, the temple ceremony and structure slowly changes. In part two of our temple development series, Bryan and Lindsay discuss what the temple was like in the early Utah period of Mormonism.

Mormon temples are often steeped in mystery and intrigue for outsiders. Join Bryan Buchanan and Lindsay Hansen Park as they dive into the fascinating history behind the development of temple rituals.

Ever wonder about how prominent Mormon church leaders got their start? Lindsay and Bryan discuss the experiences of John D. Lee and Bathsheba W.B. Smith in Nauvoo, before they made a name for themselves.

The Nauvoo period and the last few years of Joseph Smith’s life shaped Mormon doctrine in some remarkable ways. Lindsay and Bryan discuss the theological developments that came from this time period including baptism for the dead, the temple endowment and the garment.

Bryan and Lindsay continue their dive into the messiness of Nauvoo polygamy.

In this episode, Bryan and Lindsay discuss the many wives of Joseph Smith in early Nauvoo.

He was a man of many talents, some say too many. So who was John C. Bennett, the villain in the Mormon story? Join Lindsay and Bryan as they dig into the life of one of the most notorious anti-Mormons of all time.

If you want to go to heaven, look no further than a one-way ticket straight to the Celestial Kingdom. The only catch is… you have to marry Brigham Young. Join Bryan and Lindsay as they begin to discuss the practice of plural marriage in Nauvoo.

How do you secure your eternal salvation? Join Lindsay and Bryan as they discuss the sacred and little-known, Book of the Law of the Lord, and how it became a place to record the name of the faithful.

Welcome back to the Sunstone Mormon History podcast! We start off season two in beautiful Nauvoo, Illinois where Lindsay and Bryan show how early Mormonism begins to shift and grow into a religion, more peculiar than ever.

In the last episode of season one, Lindsay and Bryan wrap up the Kirtland period and head to Missouri.

Emma Smith has long remained an important, and sometimes controversial figure in Mormon history. Bryan Buchanan and Lindsay Hansen Park are joined by Emma’s biographer, Linda King Newell to learn more about this fascinating woman. This episode also features historian Christopher C. Smith. Listen to this episode here. 

If you think safety is expensive, try… creating a bank? Things were just getting good in Kirtland until the Saints tried their hands at banking, or anti-banking. Join Lindsay and Bryan as they talk about the Kirtland Safety Society and how the attempt to form a Mormon bank didn’t turn out so well. Listen to …

The history of polygamy is long and discursive so we try to break it down for you in this two-part episode. Listen to Lindsay and Bryan give an overview of Mormon polygamy and discuss the history of its origins to today. This is part two in the series and discusses the history of the modern …

The history of polygamy is long and discursive so we try to break it down for you in this two-part episode. Listen to Lindsay and Bryan give an overview of Mormon polygamy and discuss the history of its origins to today. This episode also features and interview with Randy Barlow, an expert on priesthood authority …

Joseph Smith’s Book of Abraham project was just the tip of the capstone when it came to his engagement on Egyptian lore and artifacts. Join Lindsay, Bryan and Christopher as they discuss the Book of Abraham translation and Joseph Smith’s fascination with ancient antiquity. Listen to this episode here.

Missouri would be a tough time for Mormons and Gentiles alike. How did the conflict get started? How did violence change the landscape of Zion? Check out this episode with Bryan Buchanan, Lindsay Hansen Park and Christopher C. Smith about Zion’s Camp and more. Listen to this episode here.

There’s a lot to be said about the Mormon “health code,” the Word of Wisdom. Tune in to hear Lindsay Hansen Park, Bryan Buchanan and Christopher C. Smith join with researchers and historians Clair Barrus and Joe Geisner to better understand the history of Mormonism’s most talked about commandment, er, revelation, er, suggestion. You get …

What’s the deal with the Joseph Smith translation of the Bible? In this episode, Bryan, Lindsay, and Christopher explore what Joseph Smith did and what he might have been trying to accomplish when he attempted his own translation of the Old and New Testaments. Listen to this episode here. 

Mormonism isn’t always known for its diversity, especially in its beginnings on the edge of the frontier. This episode will discuss some of the early black Latter-day Saints who joined the movement with help from Mica McGriggs, Darius Gray, and Christopher C. Smith. Listen to this episode here.

Mormonism’s earliest converts weren’t always the straight-laced, pious pioneers we sometimes remember them as. As this episode will demonstrate, early Kirtland was a wild, wild time. Join Lindsay Hansen Park and Bryan Buchanan as they talk about early ecstatic Kirtland, the Smith entheogenic theory with Bryce Blakenagel, and the Morley Farm. Listen to this episode …

What attracted women to the early Mormon church? Podcast hosts Lindsay Hansen Park and Bryan Buchanan dig into this question and ask historians Brittany Chapman Nash and Christopher C. Smith to help shed light on who these early Mormon women converts were. Special thanks to Grace Pool and TheBurningBosom and Sister Jensen on Youtube.   …

Exactly how was Christ’s Priesthood restored in the mind of Latter-day Saints? That question isn’t easily answered. Bryan Buchanan and Lindsay Hansen Park bring on Mormon historians Dan Vogel and Christopher C. Smith to give it a try. Listen to this episode here.

The Mormon movement was seeded in New York and spread throughout the United States. Why New York? How did the geography surrounding Mormonism impact the doctrine, culture, and belief? How did white settler narratives impact the Book of Mormon? Bryan Buchanan and Lindsay Hansen Park explore these ideas with help from Mormon scholars Cristina Rosetti …

How was the Book of Mormon created? Bryan Buchanan and Lindsay Hansen Park explore different approaches to the Book of Mormon with historians Sheldon Kent and Christopher C. Smith. Listen to this Episode here. Additional resources and information about topics discussed in this episode: Manuscript Found: The Complete Original “Spaulding Manuscript” Manuscript Found | Religious Studies …

Not every woman in early Mormonism was obedient, submissive, nor compliant. Who were these “huffy” women? Join Bryan Buchanan, Lindsay Hansen Park, Christopher C. Smith, and Maxine Hanks as they discuss the “Bad Girls” of early Mormon history. Listen to this episode here.  Additional resources and information about topics discussed in this episode: “‘Seizing Sacred …

In early Mormonism, it was often hard to parse out the Saints from Scoundrels. Bryan Buchanan and Lindsay Hansen Park discuss some of the early “bad boys” in the Mormon movement including Hiram Page, Oliver Cowdery, William McLellin. This episode features commentary by historians Cheryl L. Bruno and Christopher C. Smith. Listen to this episode …

Did Joseph Smith write or translate the Book of Mormon? Who was involved? Is it true a magic toad and a bloody ghost helped bring forth scripture? Tune into the Sunstone History Podcast as Bryan Buchanan and Lindsay Hansen Park discuss the history of Mormon scriptures with Brian Hales, Sarah Stone, Kalani Tonga, Christopher C. …

Did early Mormons once dabble in the occult? This episode explores Joseph Smith’s fascination with magical practices, including animal sacrifice and seer stones. Join hosts Lindsay Hansen Park and Bryan Buchanan as they discuss early Mormonism and the Magic World View with acclaimed Mormon historians D. Michael Quinn and Christopher C. Smith. Listen to this …

In this episode, Bryan Buchanan and Lindsay Hansen Park discuss the sisters of Joseph Smith. Joined by historian Christopher C. Smith, this episode explores the lives of members of the Smith family and how Mormonism impacted their stories. Listen to this episode here  Additional resources and information about topics discussed in this episode: The Sword …

Lindsay and Bryan discuss the life of Lucy Mack Smith, the mother of Joseph Smith Jr. This episode features special guests Tim Coray and Carol Lynn Pearson reading as Lucy Mack Smith. Listen to this episode here.   Additional resources and information about topics discussed in this episode: “Lucy’s Image: A Recently Discovered Photograph of …

Join Sunstone’s Lindsay Hansen Park and Benchmark Books’ Bryan Buchanan as they discuss the origins of the creation story in Mormonism, and the tensions between science and Mormonism.   Listen to this episode here.   Additional resources and information about topics discussed in this episode: “The 1911 Evolution Controversy at Brigham Young University” (Gary J. Bergera) http://signaturebookslibrary.org/the-1911-evolution-controversy-at-brigham-young-university/ …