Charisma under Pressure: Joseph Smith, American Prophet, 1831-1839

by Dan Vogel

Overview

When Joseph Smith entered Kirtland, Ohio, for the first time, he had only the year before established a church and brought forth a new book of scripture, the Book of Mormon. After moving the church and most of its members from western New York and establishing its headquarters at Kirtland—while simultaneously establishing his Zion in communities in Missouri—he oversaw a decade of both peace and prosperity and chaos and conflict. 

But just who was Joseph Smith? What motivated him? In examining Smith’s life during his Ohio and Missouri sojourns, Vogel seeks to answer those questions. But, Vogel is quick to note, “There are, in fact, many possible constructions of Joseph Smith, and depending on how one assesses the evidence for his truth-claims, a completely different Joseph Smith emerges. But this is probably as Smith wanted it.” 

During this period, Smith established a temple, printing presses, additional scripture, expanded church offices, and built a bank—all indicating a sense of permanence and strength for his young church at one level while causing its near collapse at another. 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781560854609
Publisher:	Signature Books, Incorporated
Publication date:	05/08/2023
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	1024
Sales rank:	631,423
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 2.70(d)
Age Range:	16 - 18 Years

About the Author

Dan Vogel is the author of Book of Abraham Apologetics: A Review and Critique and Joseph Smith: The Making of a Prophet, which won the Best Book Award from the Mormon History Association. He also wrote Indian Origins and the Book of Mormon and Religious Seekers and the Advent of Mormonism. He is the editor of the six-volume The Wilford Woodruff Journals, the eight-volume History of Joseph Smith and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: A Source- and Text-Critical Edition, and the award-winning five-volume, Early Mormon Documents, among others. He lives in Ohio.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Part One: Stabilizing Charisma

1. Arrival in Ohio, February-March 1831 

2. Fixing the Bible, February-March 1831 

3. Gathering in Ohio, March-May 1831 

4. Power from on High, June 1831 

5. Zion Found, June-August 1831 

6. Move to Hiram, August-October 1831 

7. Publishing the Revelations, October-November 1831 

8. The Vision, December 1831-April 1832 

9. Uniting Kirtland and Zion, April-Summer 1832 

10. Return to Kirtland, September 1832-January 1833 

11. School of the Prophets: January-May 1833 

12. House of the Lord, April-July 1833 

Part Two: Failure of Charisma

13. Zion Lost: July-November 1833 

14. Tribulation and Blessings, October 1833-January 1834 

15. Redeeming Zion, January-May 1834

16. Army of Israel, May-July 1834 

17. Fallout, August-November 1834

18. Hierarchy, December 1834-July 1835

19. Mummies and Papyrus, July-September 1834

20. Abraham's Cosmology, September-November 1835

21. Translating Abraham's Record, November 1835-January 1836

22. Pentecost, January-March 1836

23. Keys, Money, Land, March-September 1836

24. Heaven's Bank, September 1836-May 1837

25. Dissenters and Lawsuits, May-August 1837

26. Persecution and Flight, August 1837-March 1838

Part Three: Survival of Charisma

27. Far West, March-April 1838

28. Rooting Out Dissenters, April-June 1838

29. Call to Arms, June-September 1838

30. War, September-October 1838

31. Arrest, October-November 1838

32. Trial, November 1838

33. Imprisonment, December 1838-March 1839

34. Escape, March-April 1839

Epilogue

Maps and Illustrations

Bibliography

Index
 

Editorial Reviews

Praise For the Work of Dan Vogel:

"[In The Making of a Prophet,] Vogel performs a close reading of the Book of Mormon in search of clues to the development of Smith's religious life."--Publisher's Weekly

"A massive, carefully researched 715-page volume that traces the Mormon prophet's early life and career from his birth in 1805 to 1831.--John Whitmer Historical Association Journal

"If the first volume is any indication, Early Mormon Documents should become a standard reference for anyone with a serious historical interest in this period."--Journal of Mormon History

 

From the Publisher