Wrestling the Angel

October 6, 2014
Givens (By the Hand of Mormon), possibly the most significant voice in the field of Mormon studies, has previously explained Mormonism by way of scripture, history, and philosophy. Here, he turns his attention to theology, a more difficult proposition than it sounds, since Mormons tend to emphasize practical living rather than theological speculation and believe in continuing revelation. Although scholars will appreciate the sweeping way in which Givens provides context to Mormon cosmology, rank-and-file LDS members will likely resonate more with the book's brief, discrete chapters on what Mormon leaders have taught about specific issues: the Godhead, theosis, Heavenly Mother, the Fall, premortal life, the Holy Ghost, salvation and the afterlife, and other topics. What emerges is a complex, nuanced picture of a dynamic faith.

October 1, 2014

Despite its harrowed plight through American history--or perhaps because of it--Mormonism has endured to become one of the most resilient movements of the American Restoration. More than 175 years after being declared public enemies worthy of "expulsion and extermination" by former Missouri governor Lilburn Boggs and surviving plagued cross-country treks in search of their Zion, Mormons continue to practice their deeply complex, ever-evolving, and largely misunderstood faith in ways that simultaneously parallel and divert from traditional Christian thought. Givens (religion, Univ. of Richmond; By the Hand of Mormon) seeks to crystallize this fluid religion with an ambitious and magisterial first volume that studies Mormonism against the greater Christian landscape. The foundation of his work is based on Mormonism's "underlying cosmic narrative" and the understanding that concrete theology is difficult to compartmentalize because Mormons believe in an open canon and continued revelation, among other things. VERDICT Givens successfully tackles a mountain of logistical, chronological, and topical challenges in an astonishing work of scholarship. This comprehensive and impressive volume is fundamental in the study of an important, multifaceted, and understudied piece of religious history.--Erin Entrada Kelly, Media, PA

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