Church History Matters - Scripture Central

Latest Episodes:

101 - D&C 6-9 CFM - Oliver & Revelation - E6 Feb 3-9 Jan 29, 2025

Show notes

Welcome to Church History Matters Come Follow Me Edition where we are systematically diving into every section of the Doctrine and Covenants throughout the year 2025! In this episode Scott and Casey cover Doctrine and Covenants 6-9 while offering their insights into the context, content, controversies, and consequences of these important sections.

100 - D&C 3-5 CFM - God is Merciful - E5 Jan 27-Feb 2 Jan 21, 2025

Show notes

Welcome to Church History Matters Come Follow Me Edition where we are systematically diving into every section of the Doctrine and Covenants throughout the year 2025! In this episode Scott and Casey cover Doctrine and Covenants 3, 4, and 5 while offering their insights into the context, content, controversies, and consequences of these important sections.

095 - The Restoration CFM - Intro to the Doctrine & Covenants - E1 Dec 30-Jan 5 Dec 26, 2024

Show notes

Welcome to Church History Matters Come Follow Me Edition where we are systematically diving into every section of the Doctrine and Covenants throughout the year 2025! In this episode we cover the introductory material to the Come Follow Me curriculum and offer our own introduction to the context, content, controversies, and consequences to the book of the Doctrine & Covenants. We have a lot to talk about today. So let’s get into it!

095 “Peace on Earth”—How Can We Help? An Interview with Patrick Mason Dec 24, 2024

Show notes

Throughout this series on Peace and Violence in Latter-day Saint History, we’ve looked at how Church members have been the victims of violence, how they’ve engaged in defensive violence, and how they’ve even been the aggressors and perpetrators of inexcusable violence.

In this episode of Church History Matters we sit down with our friend Patrick Mason, a Latter-day Saint historian, scholar on peace studies, and author of several books on violence and peace in Latter-day Saint history. We take a step back and think deeply about how each of us can more intentionally participate in bringing peace on earth and good will to all.

For show notes and transcript for this and other episodes go to https://doctrineandcovenantscentral.org/church-history-matters-podcast/

094 "Vengeance Is Mine," An Interview with Richard Turley and Barbara Jones Brown Dec 17, 2024

Show notes

In May 2023 Richard Turley and Barbara Jones Brown published a book through Oxford University Press entitled Vengeance is Mine, which documents the aftermath of the Mountain Meadows Massacre, including the efforts of Church and civic leaders in southern Utah to conceal their involvement in the atrocity through witness silencing and misinformation, as well as evading or stalling investigations by both government agencies and church organizations by lack of cooperation and political maneuvering. They also chronicle details about the nine individuals who were ultimately indicted, the five who were apprehended, and John D. Lee, who ultimately faced execution.

In this episode of Church History Matters, we sit down with both Richard Turley and Barbara Jones Brown to discuss their important book, to hear their informed insights and perspectives, and to consider what Latter-day Saints and others can learn from this tragedy and how we can productively move forward.

For show notes and transcript for this and other episodes go to https://doctrineandcovenantscentral.org/church-history-matters-podcast/

093 What Was Brigham Young's Role in the Mountain Meadows Massacre? Dec 10, 2024

Show notes

The unjustified slaughter of around 120 men, women, and children emigrants in Mountain Meadows Utah on September 11, 1857, was an unspeakable tragedy. For Latter-day Saints then and now, one of the many painful details about this event is that it was instigated under the direction of local LDS leaders in Iron County who served simultaneously as ecclesiastical, civil, and military leaders.

On this episode of Church History Matters, we continue our discussion about the Mountain Meadows Massacre, with a focus on the aftermath of the atrocity. Specifically, we probe what we know of Brigham Young’s reaction to the massacre and where the erroneous idea came from that he ordered the attack. We walk through what we know about who was brought to justice for the massacre and what the eventual fate was of those who instigated and participated in this heinous tragedy.

For show notes and transcript for this and other episodes go to https://doctrineandcovenantscentral.org/church-history-matters-podcast/

092 What Happened at Mountain Meadows? Dec 03, 2024

Show notes

The Mountain Meadows Massacre—easily the darkest and most violent episode in our Church’s history—happened on September 11, 1857, when a group of Latter-day Saints, aided by some Paiute Native Americans, participated in the wholesale slaughter of around 120 men, women, and children belonging to a wagon train of emigrants from Arkansas en route to California.

This atrocity occurred against the backdrop of the 1857 Utah War when the feelings of Latter-day Saints were already set on edge. As federal US troops marched toward Utah with unknown intentions, Church leaders used defiant rhetoric and counseled the Saints—who had been victims of government-sanctioned violence before—to conserve their resources and be ready for anything. It was in this unfortunate atmosphere of hysteria that those in the Arkansas wagon train found themselves as they passed through Utah. So by the time these emigrants purportedly said and did offensive things toward some Latter-day Saints, the stage had already been tragically set for the highly irrational and totally unjustified violent response they received in return.

In this episode of Church History Matters, we walk through the details of how this atrocity unfolded under the direction of local Latter-day Saint leaders and think about what possible lessons we might glean from this darkest hour of our history.

For show notes and transcript for this and other episodes go to https://doctrineandcovenantscentral.org/church-history-matters-podcast/

091 "Buchanan's Blunder" and the Utah War Nov 26, 2024

Show notes

After the 1838 “Mormon War” and their official expulsion from Missouri, Latter-day Saints relocated to Illinois where they built up the city of Nauvoo and a number of other settlements in Hancock County. After a short time of relative peace, they were again embroiled in conflict with their enemies which culminated in the murder of Joseph and Hyrum Smith. This was followed two years later by the battle of Nauvoo and yet another expulsion from a US state with the blessing of its governor. Then it was off to the West where, not long after the Saints’ arrival in the Salt Lake Valley, conflicts began to arise with Native Americans. And by 1857 US President James Buchanan had ordered a force of 2,500 military personnel, under the command of Colonel Albert Sidney Johnston, to march to Utah to ensure that Brigham Young be replaced as the governor of Utah, which brought on the “Utah War.”

Today on Church History Matters, we discuss all of this and of course trace Latter-day Saint involvment in the violence which occured along the way.

For show notes and transcript for this and other episodes go to https://doctrineandcovenantscentral.org/church-history-matters-podcast/

090 What Was the "Mormon War" of 1838? Nov 19, 2024

Show notes

The fall of 1838 marked the first time the Latter-day Saints engaged in organized retaliation against their enemies. The setting was Northern Missouri and the situation was what is referred to as the “Mormon War.” Here the Saints marched on some nearby settlements that were supporting and equipping their enemies and conducted raids where they pillaged stores and torched buildings. Things only escalated from there and eventually culminated in the infamous “Extermination Order” of Missouri Governor Lilburn W. Boggs, the Hawn’s Mill massacre, the imprisonment of Joseph Smith and other Church leaders in Liberty Jail, and the wholesale removal of Latter-day Saints from the state of Missouri.

On this episode of Church History Matters, Casey and I walk through the history of this tumultuous time and think about what the conflict of 1838 might teach us about the justified and unjustified use of violence among Latter-day Saints—and its consequences.

For show notes and transcript for this and other episodes go to https://doctrineandcovenantscentral.org/church-history-matters-podcast/

089 Was Zion's Camp Violent? Nov 12, 2024

Show notes

In November 1833, ruthless mobs of local settlers drove over a thousand Church members out of Jackson County, Missouri, plundering their property and burning their homes to dissuade them from ever returning. These battered and scattered saints took refuge that winter in various nearby counties while local Church leaders sent desperate letters to Ohio to seek the counsel of the prophet Joseph Smith. As the prophet petitioned the Lord’s guidance on the matter he was told, among other things, to have those scattered saints petition government leaders for help, which they did. In fact Missouri Governor Daniel Dunklin was quite sympathetic to the saints’ plight and expressed his willingness to provide a military guard to escort the saints back to their lands and property in Jackson County. The only problem, he said, was that he could not authorize a standing army to be stationed there for the ongoing protection of the saints.

This essential piece of news would soon factor heavily into the decision of Joseph Smith and over 200 saints from the East to march nearly a thousand miles to Missouri in what became known as Zion’s camp. Their aim was to join with the governor’s military escort of the saints into Jackson County and then become that standing army who would ensure the resettlement and safety of their scattered friends once Governor Dunklin’s troops withdrew.

In this episode of Church History Matters, we dig in to some of the ins and outs of Zion’s Camp and discuss what the march of a quasi-military group of Latter-day Saints led by a prophet of God might teach us about peace and violence among Latter-day Saints.

For show notes and transcript for this and other episodes go to https://doctrineandcovenantscentral.org/church-history-matters-podcast/

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