NOTES FROM 3/16

Joseph Smith and a New American Region:
The Mormons or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

Second Great Awakening – Beginning in 1795 and expanding tremendously through 1840s, a new revival known as the Second Great Awakening appeared. Evangelists such as Charles G. Finney emphasized free will, divine forgiveness for all, and the need of each person to freely accept or reject salvation.

Joseph Smith (1805-1844) –
1823 he lived in Palmira. Moroni is an angel that appears to him and gives him golden tablets that start the church. He translates the tablets and they become the Book of Mormon (1830). He is murder in 1844.


Book of Mormon
: Mormons are Christians

: The major difference between Mormonism and other Christian sects is that Mormons believe after the death of the Apostles, those chosen by Jesus to teach his word, the priesthood died too. Mormons believe that there was no legitimate (God-sanctioned) church on earth until Joseph Smith was chosen to restore the priesthood.

: Apostasy (90 AD until 1823) – Church is not legitimate.


Basic Tenets of Mormonism
: Joseph Smith was a prophet of God

: The Book of Mormon is true and divinely inspired

: God was once a man who progressed to godhood through keeping the laws and ordinances of the Mormon Church.

: The Mormon Church was divinely established


Anger over these Beliefs
: Non-Mormons got very worried about the appeal and quick spread of Mormon beliefs.

: Left NY in 1830

: New headquarters of the church set up in Ohio in 1831.

: Joseph Smith begins preaching the doctrine of plural marriage.