John G. Turner On Joseph Smith And Parallels With Charismatic Leaders - Ep. 2

Was Joseph Smith a prophet, a fraud, or something more complicated? In this episode of Merging Wisdom, Dan Heroy and Joel Hubbard are joined by historian John G. Turner, professor of religious studies and history at George Mason University and author of Joseph Smith: The Rise and Fall of an American Prophet .

Joseph Smith remains one of the most fascinating and polarizing figures in American religious history. Intelligent, thoughtful people can examine the same evidence and reach dramatically different conclusions about his life, motives, spiritual experiences, and prophetic claims.

IN THIS EPISODE

• Why and how both Dan Heroy and John G. Turner became fascinated with Mormon history
• Joseph Smith’s life as an iconic American story
• Why thoughtful people reach opposite conclusions about Joseph Smith
• How Smith gave his followers purpose, identity, and community
• Joseph Smith’s appeal to people seeking visions, prophecy, healing, and spiritual gifts
• Whether Smith was calculating, opportunistic, sincere, or all three
• The “pious fraud” interpretation of Joseph Smith
• The historical questions surrounding the gold plates
• Why sincerity and deception can be difficult to separate
• Joseph Smith as liar, leader, or lunatic
• How historians evaluate visions and other spiritual experiences
• The First Vision and the limits of historical evidence
• Parallels between early Mormonism and charismatic Christianity
• Joseph Smith, Hiram Page, and competing revelations
• The dangers of celebrity pastors and unchecked religious authority
• Joseph Smith’s desire to redeem his family’s story
• Plural marriage, self-interest, and Smith’s religious motivations

• Joseph Smith’s plural marriages

• The difference between building a healthy community and endlessly pursuing growth
• Jesus as a contrasting model of leadership and power
• Why Joseph Smith’s willingness to ask enormous theological questions still matters

MENTIONED IN THE CONVERSATION

• John G. Turner: https://johngturner.com
• Joseph Smith: The Rise and Fall of an American Prophet by John G. Turner

• Brigham Young: Pioneer Prophet by John G. Turner

• John Turner’s 41-part Joseph Smith Podcast series with John Dehlin on Mormon Stories

• Dan Heroy's Mormon and Latter-day Saint history project
• Dan Vogel and the “pious fraud” interpretation of Joseph Smith
• Scott Adams and the "two movies one screen" analogy
• Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling by Richard Lyman Bushman

• C.S. Lewis’s “liar, lunatic, or Lord” argument
• Joseph Smith’s First Vision
• Hiram Page and his seer stone
• The Azusa Street Revival and the rise of Pentecostalism
• The charismatic Catholic renewal
• The Vineyard movement
• David Koresh and the Branch Davidians
• Jim Jones
• Robert H. Schuller, the Crystal Cathedral, and the Hour of Power

ABOUT MERGING WISDOM

Merging Wisdom is a podcast exploring faith, psychology, culture, history, politics, and what it means to live wisely in a complex world. The goal is not simply to talk about wisdom, but to practice wisdom. Allowing what we discover to lead to meaningful action, real change, and lives shaped by greater truth, goodness, beauty, and connection.

No single field, tradition, or point of view has a monopoly on wisdom. We follow the questions that matter across the boundaries that usually keep our conversations apart. We desire to always be moving towards wisdom. Where disciplines meet, wisdom emerges. Follow or subscribe so you can join future conversations.

Hosted by Joel Hubbard, Dan Heroy, and Sarina Heroy.

https://mergingwisdom.com

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