The Palgrave Handbook of Global Mormonism 3030526151, 9783030526153

Table of contents :
Preface
Acknowledgments
Contents
List of Contributors
List of Figures
List of Tables
Part I: Foundations of a New Religious Tradition
Chapter 1: Global Mormonism: A Historical Overview
The Gathering, 1830–1887
Promised Lands in the Pacific, 1850–1898
Polygamist Colonies in Mexico and Canada, 1884–1900
Weakening of the Gathering, 1887–1950
Stay Where You Are Planted, 1945–1977
Expansion, Contraction, Re-figuring, 1978–2020
Bibliography
Chapter 2: The Evolving Ecclesiastical Organization of an International Lay Church
Genesis
A Book of Mormon Church
Sidney Rigdon and the Expansion of Ecclesiology
Governance
Illinois
Exodus
The Rise of the Auxiliary Organizations
The Beginning of Canon Law
Reinvention
Regional Expansion
International Expansion
David O. McKay and the Impetus for Global Change
Translating Cultures
Contraction
Rebranding
Declining Missionary Success
Faith Crisis
Millennials
LGBTQ
Racism
Women
Sexual Abuse
Gerontocracy
Bibliography
Chapter 3: The Gathering of Scattered Israel: The Missionary Enterprise of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Theology of Latter-day Saint Mission
Latter-day Saint Mission in Historical Perspective: Nineteenth-Century Beginnings
The Twentieth and Twenty-First Centuries: Constancy Amid Change
Changing Demographics Within the LDS Missionary Force
The LDS Missionary Force and Church Growth Since World War II
Geographic Expansion of an International Church
Addendum Note
Bibliography
Chapter 4: Geographical Diffusion and Growth Patterns of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Since World War II
Introduction
Summary Overview of Diffusion Studies
Religious Diffusion Conceptual Framework
Data Sources
Geographic Overview of LDS International Growth
Pre-1950 Dominance of the Utah Core
Core-Periphery Growth, 1950–1975
Emergence of International Strength: 1975–2010
Regional Diffusion Comparisons Since World War II
Brazil
Peru
Mexico
Geographical Summary of Latter-day Saint Growth Since 1950
Appendix
Bibliography
Part II: Contemporary Concerns and Issues Facing an International Church
Chapter 5: Pulling Toward Zion: Mormonism in  Its Global Dimensions
Zion and the American Nation
Zion as America
Maori Zion
Conclusion
Bibliography
Chapter 6: The Dynamics of LDS Growth in the Twenty-First Century
Introduction
Historical Success Versus Present Realities
Growth Trajectory
Real Growth
Nominal Membership Growth Versus Activity and Congregational Growth
Fertility and Demographics
Retention of Children
LDS International Growth Prospects in Different Regions of the World
Africa
Asia
Europe
Latin America
North America
Oceania
Critique and Prescriptions
Competition for Growth in Nominally Unfavorable Religious Markets
Institutional Issues Unfavorably Impacting LDS Growth Prospects
Historical Gathering to Zion Theme
American Versus International Gospel Culture
Itinerant Missionary Work
Preaching the Gospel as a Priesthood (Adult Male) Duty
Leadership Gerontocracy
Celebrification and Cloistering of Church Leaders
Leaders Versus Managers
Nondisclosure and Secret-Keeping
Mission Ethics
Moral Authority
Initial LDS Institutional Adaptations to Changing World Circumstances
Future Prospects
Recommendations for Revitalization of Global Mormonism
Bibliography
Chapter 7: Vestige of Zion: Mormonism in Utah
Building the Kingdom
The Nation Encroaches
“Ethnic” Mormonism
The Mormon Diaspora
Center and Periphery
The Waning of Zion
Bibliography
Chapter 8: Gender, Belief Level, and Priesthood Authority in the LDS Church
A Brief Overview of LDS Priesthood
The Mormon Gender Issues Study
Demographic Results
Gender Results
Belief Level Results
US vs Global
Race Results
Findings on LDS Member Beliefs About Priesthood and Gender
High-believing Men
High-believing Women
High-believing Transgender People
Low-believing Men
Low-believing Women
Low-believing Transgender People
Conclusion
Bibliography
Chapter 9: Framing Eternal Sexual Identity in a Shifting Cultural Landscape
If Any Man Desires to Espouse Another: Early Mormon Sexuality
Celestial Marriage and Promotion of the Heterosexual Dyad
This Ugly Practice: Excluding Homosexual Individuals from God’s Plan
Resist Any Efforts: Handbook Policies and Responses to Marriage Equality
Kindness, Religious Freedom, and Chastity: Changing Rhetoric, Not Rules
Chastity: Rhetoric and Implications for LGBT Mormons
All of God’s Children: Room for Change?
Conclusion
Bibliography
Chapter 10: Changing Religious and Social Attitudes of Mormon Millennials in Contemporary American Society
The Ascendancy of Millennials in American Religion and Politics
Data and Methodological Concerns
Demographic Characteristics of Mormon Millennials
Generational Continuities and Differences with Respect to Religious Belief
Generational Continuities and Differences with Respect to Religious Behavior
Religious Belonging and Mormon Identity
Mormon Political and Social Values
Summary and a Look to the Future
Bibliography
Part III: Living Global Mormonism
Chapter 11: Mormons in North America, Latin America, the South Pacific, Europe, Africa, and Asia: An Overview
Global Trends for Key Metrics
Membership Growth
Congregational Growth
Outreach Expansion
Stake and District Growth
Temples
Regional Trends
United States and Canada
Latin America and the Caribbean
Europe
Sub-Saharan Africa
Asia
Oceania
Middle East and North Africa
Conclusion
Bibliography
Chapter 12: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Canada: Historical Milestones and Contemporary Conversations from a Feminist Perspective
The Establishment of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Canada
Missionary Efforts and Modern LDS Growth in Canada
Contemporary Issues Facing the LDS Church in Canada
Women and Inequality
Canadian Scouting
Organizational Finances
Indigenous Reconciliation
Conclusion: Disenchantment, Disaffiliation, and Decline in Canada
Bibliography
Chapter 13: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Mexico
Early Development of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Mexico
The Establishment of an LDS Presence in Mexico
The Mexican Revolution
From the Mexican Revolution to the Third Convention
The Third (Lamanite) Convention
Modern Developments and Concerns
Rapid Proselyting and Low Retention
Issues Affecting Mexican Converts to the LDS Church
LDS Ecclesiastical Organization
Prospects for the Future
The Establishment of Temples
Youth Development
The Mexification of the Missionary Force
Administrative Modifications
Conclusion
Bibliography
Chapter 14: Mormons in Peru
Introduction
Pilgrimage to the Unmediated Sacred
Off to the Side with Altar Doilies
Unheard Of in Peru
The People’s Cement
What Will Our Sacrifice Be?
Sacred Stone
Conclusion
Bibliography
Chapter 15: An Oak Tree Bearing International Fruit: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Brazil
LDS Church Growth in Brazil
Brazilian Influence on Lay Priesthood in the LDS Church
Exporting Brazilian LDS Missionaries, Leaders, and Service Programs
Exporting Brazilian Missionaries and Leaders
Bibliography
Chapter 16: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Islands of the Pacific
Synopsis of Early Latter-day Saint Missions in Polynesia
Educational Needs
Translation Concerns
The Role of Latter-day Saint Temples in the Lives of Pacific Islanders
Pacific Islander Missionaries Both at Home and Abroad
Latter-day Saint Humanitarian Efforts
Cultural Issues in the Pacific
Challenges of the Polynesian Diaspora
Member Retention and Reactivation Concerns
Conclusion
Bibliography
Chapter 17: Lands of Contrast: Latter-day Saint Societies in New Zealand/Aotearoa and Australia
Latter-day Saints in New Zealand/Aotearoa
Latter-day Saints in Australia
Bibliography
Chapter 18: Contemporary Issues for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Ireland and the United Kingdom
Understanding the Political and Cultural Context Underpinning the Development of Mormonism in Ireland and the United Kingdom
The Church in Ireland: Coping with Colonial Legacies in Contemporary Times
Bridging the Irish Sea? Difference and Convergence in the Narratives of British and Irish Mormons
Challenges to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Catholic Ireland
Stuck in the Past? The Effects of Ireland’s Cultural Trauma on the Latter-day Saint Church
Conclusions
Bibliography
Chapter 19: Persisting in a Secular Environment: Mormonism in the Low Countries
Introduction: A Bird’s Eye View of Mormonism in the Low Countries
The External Dynamics of Social and Religious Variables in the Low Countries
Secularization and the Market for Mormonism
Low Countries’ Mormons in the Spectrum of Other Faiths and Churches
Receptivity to Mormonism in the Netherlands
Receptivity to Mormonism in Flanders
The Ambivalent Relation of Mormons in the Low Countries to the United States
Mormon National Representation in the Low Countries
Contemporary Internal Issues for Low Countries’ Mormons
Political and Ideological Strains
Relation to Science
Women’s Issues
LGBTQ Issues
Organizational Tensions
Developing Racially Diverse Congregations
Future Developments and Expectations for Mormonism in the Low Countries
Bibliography
Chapter 20: Mormons in the Nordic Region
An Abbreviated History of the LDS Church in the Nordic Region
The LDS Church in the Nordic Countries Today
Mormonism Between Nordic and American Cultural Contexts
Conclusion
Bibliography
Chapter 21: The LDS Church in Eastern Europe, Russia, and Central Asia
Eastern European Missions and the Future of Mormonism
History of the LDS Church in Eastern Europe, Russia, and Central Asia
Early Growth and the Importance of Eastern Europe to Church Leadership
Declining Conversions and Low Member Retention in Russia and Eastern Europe
Contemporary LDS Life in Eastern Europe and Russia
Contemporary Russia and Eastern Europe: Continuing Congregational Decline
The LDS Church Experience in Contemporary Caucasus and Central Asia: Georgia, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, and Azerbaijan
The Value of Missiological Research in Eastern Europe, Russia, and Central Asia
Future Prospects for the LDS Church in Russia, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia
Bibliography
Chapter 22: To Recognize One’s Face in That of a Foreigner: The Latter-day Saint Experience in West Africa
The LDS Church and Post-colonial West Africa
The Contested Question of Indigenous Identity
Early Christianization of West Africa
Political Upheaval and War: The Inauspicious Beginnings of the West African LDS Church
The LDS African Narrative of Divine Guidance and Church Growth
LDS Temple Sites in Ghana and Nigeria
The Africanized English of West African Latter-day Saints
Conclusion
Bibliography
Chapter 23: Finding Peace, Claiming Place: Black South African Women Navigating the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
“Understand What I Want”: Marriage, Proactive Masculinity, and Women’s Issues in the Church
“To Be Able to Forgive”: Women’s Reflections on Historical White Oppression and Race Relations in the Church
Cultural Melding, Plural Consciousness, and Hybridity
Conclusion
Bibliography
Chapter 24: The LDS Church in Contemporary Japan: Failure or Success?
Historical Background, 1902–68
The Growth of the Contemporary Church, 1968–2019
The Role of Religious Capital
The Role of Tension
Secularization, Demographics, and Missionary Work
Being Japanese, Being a Latter-day Saint
Conclusion
Methodological Appendix
Bibliography
Chapter 25: The Community of Christ (RLDS Church): Structuring Common Differences in the Philippines
The Emergence of the RLDS Church
Twentieth-Century RLDS International Expansion and a Missiology of Indigenization
The Filipino Community of Christ, Conversion, and Denominational Rebranding
RLDS NGOs and Auditing Cultures
Ecclesiastical Reforms and Structures of Common Difference
Conclusions
Bibliography
Chapter 26: The History and Culture of Mormon Fundamentalism in the United States
Early Mormon Polygamy: Federal Opposition and LDS Church Change
The Emergence of Mormon Fundamentalist Dissent
Core Beliefs Shared in Common by Fundamentalist Mormon Groups
Similarities Between Fundamentalists and the LDS Church
Differences Between Fundamentalists and the LDS Church
Summary Historical Accounts of Contemporary Fundamentalist Groups
Fundamentalist Latter-day Saint Church (FLDS) and Its Offshoots
The Apostolic United Brethren (AUB) or Allred Group
The Kingston Group (or Latter-day Church of Christ)
The Church of the First Born of the Fullness of Times (The LeBarons)
Smaller Fundamentalist Groups and Independents
Bibliography
Part IV: Mormon Ethnic and Racial Diversity in North America
Chapter 27: Building Community and Identity Among Black Latter-day Saints: Toward Completing the Flock Through Conference Connections
The Black Latter-day Saints Legacy Conference
Relational Cultural Theory: Movement Through Connection
Living the Legacy: Seeds of Community Planted in Conflict and Faith
The Struggle to Maintain Connection and Community
Leaving the Fold, Exploring the World, and Returning to Faith
Connecting to Legacy: My Interracial Family
A Disconnection That Moved into Connection
The Healing Connection of Black Conference Gatherings
Legacy Conference Impact on the Creation of Safe, Integrated Congregations for Black LDS Members
Survey Questions Regarding Conference Impacts on Attendees
Attendee Motivations and Conference Impact: A Desire to Connect
Engaging Disconnection: The Impact of Conference Keynotes/Workshops
Creative Work Toward Mutual Empathy: Attendee’s Ward Experiences
Seeking Relational Transformation: A Message to Leadership
Concluding Reflections
Bibliography
Chapter 28: Lamanitas, The Spanish-speaking Hermanos: Latinos Loving Their Mormonism Even as They Remain the Other
Bibliography
Chapter 29: Views from Turtle Island: Settler Colonialism and Indigenous Mormon Entanglements
Methodology
Demographics
Parallel Teachings
Playing Lamanite
Mormon Indian Alliances
Not Quite White
Latter-day Lamanites
Lamanite No More
Latter-day Lootings
Conclusion
Bibliography
Part V: Final Concerns and Reflections
Chapter 30: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ Response to the 2019–20 Coronavirus Pandemic
Summary of Church Responses to the Pandemic
Missionary Work
Worship and Other Gatherings
Temple Work
Welfare and Humanitarian Efforts
Comparisons and Analysis of Organizational Responses
Illumination of Latter-day Saint Church Polity by Response Comparisons
Cooperative Engagement with Other Institutions
Pre-Coronavirus Changes and Resources
Potential Future Impacts of the Pandemic
Missionary Work Future Prospects
Future Prospects for Church Programs
Temple Work
Humanitarian Programs for the Poor and Needy
Bibliography
Chapter 31: Summing Up: Problems and Prospects for a Global Church in the Twenty-first Century
Multiculturalism
Gender and Sexuality
Secularization
Conclusion
Bibliography
Index