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Mormonism: The Story of a New Religious Tradition Paperback – January 1, 1987

by Jan Shipps (Author)

19 ratings

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"Without fully and consciously realizing that they were doing so, the followers of Jesus established a new religious tradition. This book tells the story of yet another assembly of saints whose history, I believe, is in many respects analogous to the history of those early Christians who thought at first that they had found the only proper way to be Jews. Mormonism started to grow away from traditional Christianity almost immediately upon coming into existence. It began as a movement that understood itself as Christian, but. . . these nineteenth-century Latter-day Saints (as they came to be called) embarked on a path that led to developments that now distinguish their tradition from the Christian tradition as surely as early Christianity was distinguished from its Hebraic context."--From the preface

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

A highly sophisticated, scholarly analysis of cultural and religious origins and development....Shipps is not only a leading authority on Mormonism but a cultural historian of a very high order.

About the Author

Jan Shipps is Professor Emerita of History and Religious Studies at Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ University of Illinois Press
Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 1, 1987
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Print length ‏ : ‎ 232 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0252014170
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0252014178
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12.8 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 9.02 x 5.88 x 0.59 inches
Best Sellers Rank: #1,150,845 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #801 in Christian Institutions & Organizations (Books)
- #1,314 in Mormonism
- #5,016 in History of Christianity (Books)
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19 ratings

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Another view from a Non-Mormon
Reviewed in the United States on December 18, 2012
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

I have been impressed so far by this honest and detailed history from a Non-Mormon. I believe that Jan Shipps has taken time to research from not only a historical perspective but also social and period background. Her observations are unique and interesting.

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Robert c. jones
A thoughtful examination
Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2014
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
Jan Shipp's effort offers an objectively persuasive review on evolution of the Joseph Smith religion during his lifetime and changes that occurred after his people wandered in the wildnerness.

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Julie D.
Too dense for beginners!
Reviewed in the United States on July 10, 2025
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
Very dense book on Mormon faith better suited for those with extensive background in religious studies. Save yourself the frustration by skipping to the timeline at the end, or picking up Jon Krakauer’s “Under the Banner of Heaven” instead of trying to wade through this academic work

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Mevashir
Excessively Partisan Review
Reviewed in the United States on February 7, 2015
Format: Paperback
Well written book, but seems too partisan and lacking in necessary skepticism.

Questions posed to the author:

Dear Jan,

I am reading your book Mormonism: The Story of a New Religious Tradition

It is a most fascinating account of this strange people.

Before I get to the meat of my letter, I want to emphasize that I admire many aspects of Mormon culture. I think the people are reverent and idealistic. I admire their health consciousness.

That being said, I am disturbed by a number of Mormon teachings. The idea that God is corporeal is repulsive to me. I don't think even the most ancient pagan religions believed such a thing.

Also on page 154 of your timeline you write that on April 6, 1829 "intense work on the Book of Mormon commenced." Then, two entries later, in Summer 1829, you write "The Book of Mormon was ready for the press."

I don't understand how such a long manuscript, written in an unknown language, could have been translated and readied for publication in a matter of a few months. Martin Luther spent over a year of intense work translating the bible into idiomatic German. Luther knew the languages of Hebrew, Latin, Greek and German; yet it still was a herculean effort for him.

How do you explain that J. Smith was able to translate the Book of Mormon in so short a period from a language that was indecipherable? This claim strikes me as very similar to the way Moslems try to validate their religion, claiming that because Mohammed was illiterate he never could have concocted the Qur'anic revelations on his own. Do you see the similarities with the BOM?

This seems very suspicious to me.

Another thing that bothers me about the BOM is that the characters in the book have decidedly non-Hebraic names. There are long lists of Jewish names in the Old Testament. The names in the BOM do not correlate to them at all. What kind of Hebrew names are Nephi? Lemuel? Sam?

Do you see my point?

If you can provide some answers, or refer me to a Mormon scholar, I would be most grateful.

Shalom baShem Yeshua - Peace in the Name of Jesus!

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Matt Tippens
Explains Mormon History, But Does Not Challenge It
Reviewed in the United States on November 10, 2011
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
In Jan Shipps' "Mormonism: The Story of a New Religious Tradition," the author makes the case that the Mormon religion is just that: "a new religious tradition." Shipps states that Mormonism, like many other religions, such as Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, and Islam, arose out of a "cultural chaos." She describes the situation that surrounded the Smith family in the years that Joseph Smith was starting the religion. Shipps, using the designations of church, denomination, sect, and cult, compares the early years of Mormonism with the early years of Christianity by tracing how each group went through its own transition. However, this is not Shipps' main thesis. She wants to show how Mormonism marked the beginning of something new and even though it had similarities in origin to other religions, Mormonism took a different path in the later decades of its existence. In this way, Shipps is quite different from Moore, Hatch, and Butler. Shipps does not see Mormonism as part of a greater trend in American society, democracy, or "outsider," but rather she sees it as something "new." In fact, Shipps declares that Mormonism does not share the same European background of the rest of American Christianity.

Shipps argues that it is not Mormonism's origins that make it a "new religious tradition," rather it is the period after the Mormons arrived in Utah until they renounced the practice of polygamy that separates them from other religions. Shipps accomplishes this by comparing the Mormon church of 1880 with today's Mormon church. She suggests that the Mormon of today would not even recognize nor have much in common with the Mormon church of 1880. Shipps then explains the major points of difference between the Mormonism of the pioneer era and that of the modern age. Shipps believes that it is simply impossible to make sense of Latter-Day Saint pioneer history without taking the external pressure, especially political pressure from the government, into account.

When Mormons arrived in the Great Basin of Utah, they took steps to separate themselves politically, economically, socially, and psychically as much as possible from humanity. This was Mormonism's golden age, when they did invent a "new religious tradition." Their nation-state was reasonably independent economically and socially and it had its own diplomatic department. It continued until external pressure forced Mormon President Wilford Woodruff to announce that the church would no longer perform plural marriages. This was the dividing point between the Mormon past and its present. The practice of polygamy was celebrated among Mormons whether they practiced it or not and it had made them unique. At stake was the survival of the church and the status of God's chosen people. They were faced with a serious internal problem created by external pressure. The following transitional period lasted, according to Shipps, until 1945.

When the Mormons denounced polygamy, it marked the first time the church had retreated on a religious issue. It entered a secular time. The Mormon church became just like any other religious group living in a pluralistic world. They struggled to maintain the symbols, myths, and traditions that separated them. Therefore, the question remains for Shipps to answer: is today's Mormonism still considered unique? Shipps argues that Mormons are still part of a new religious tradition because they adapted to the post-polygamy period.

Shipps focus is on the "new religious tradition" created by the Mormons. She does mention other religions but the trials and tribulations of the Mormons dominate her text. This does a disservice to her readers. What are other groups saying about the Mormons? What do they think of them? There are no individual voices in this book. Shipps' book, in some ways, is similar to Marsden's book on Jonathan Edwards, there is not enough dissenting opinion. Shipps understands and explains Mormon history well, but does she challenge their history or just try to explain it? She also does not seem to solve any of the puzzles involving Mormons. Shipps presents the Mormon story in an intriguing fashion, but one feels they are not getting the whole story.

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6 people found this helpful

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Amy Langlois
Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on May 27, 2015
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
This is an excellent book!

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Mormonism: The Story of a New Religious Tradition Paperback – January 1, 1987

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5.0 out of 5 stars Another view from a Non-Mormon

5.0 out of 5 stars A thoughtful examination

2.0 out of 5 stars Too dense for beginners!

3.0 out of 5 stars Excessively Partisan Review

4.0 out of 5 stars Explains Mormon History, But Does Not Challenge It

5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars

Top reviews from other countries

5.0 out of 5 stars Very good.

Another view from a Non-Mormon

A thoughtful examination

Too dense for beginners!

Excessively Partisan Review

Explains Mormon History, But Does Not Challenge It

Five Stars

Very good.