The book took a non-partisan, factually-sound approach to LDS Church history and was the first time the entire history of Mormonism was professionally surveyed in one book. The Story of the Latter-day Saints was published in 1976, the one-hundredth anniversary of Joseph Fielding Smith's birth. With the First Presidency's approval, the department assigned the project to Allen, an Assistant Church Historian, and Leonard, a Senior Historical Associate. After Smith's death in 1972, LDS Church and Deseret Book officials asked the church's Historical Department to write a new single-volume history to replace Essentials in Church History and cover more recent events, while using new sources available in the Church Archives. History Impetus įor over 50 years, Joseph Fielding Smith's Essentials in Church History was issued as a popular single-volume history of the LDS Church. In the 1992 second edition, the last chapter was changed to 'Toward a Universal Church, 1974-1990'.

Correlating the Worldwide Church, 1960-1973.

The Church and the Great Depression, 1930-1938.

Change and Continuity in the Postwar Decade, 1919-1930.

The Religious Setting for the Restoration.

The following list of the book's chapters also describe its historical scope: Unlike most earlier Mormon histories, this book focused on casting the church in a broader context, addressed controversial historical issues, and covered the events of the twentieth century. Īlthough seen as well written and comprehensive, the book was intended for a Latter-day Saint audience, because it detailed minutiae like organizational changes, but didn't focus on issues of interest to new readers on Mormonism. The church has been flexible with some issues, yet committed to certain central teachings.

The church started small and American but would grow into an international organization.The church was always influenced by its environment, to some degree.The Latter-day Saints were primarily religiously motivated.The authors summarised the tone of their work by identifying four recurring themes that emerged throughout The Story of the Latter-day Saints: The Story of the Latter-day Saints is a single-volume history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) by James B.

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