Escaping Liberty Jail w/ Joseph Smith - John Turner Pt. 24 | Ep. 2090
Mormon Stories Podcast
Liberty Jail letters and theological reflection
Turner analyzes Joseph's March 1839 letters, canonized passages, and themes of suffering and friendship.
In this episode (Part 24), we dive into one of the most dramatic and painful chapters in early Letter-day Saint history: Liberty Jail.
Joseph Smith was arrested on December 1, 1838 and eventually taken to Liberty Jail. Today we will cover his imprisonment, the chaotic legal proceedings that followed, and the eventual “escape” that allowed him to reunite with his family as the Saints resettled in Quincy, Illinois.
We explore how internal conflicts, political pressures, treason charges, and widespread anti-Mormon hostility shaped Joseph’s experience –and how his letters from Liberty Jail become some of the most cherished passages in Latter-day Saint scripture. We discuss betrayal, leadership crises, the brutality of Missouri’s expulsion, and the Saints’ struggle to survive amidst violence, sickness, and dislocation.
This chapter also raises hard questions:
Was Joseph Smith’s trial fair?
What role did dissenting church leaders play?
How much of the Liberty Jail narrative has been “whitewashed”?
What does Joseph Smith’s behavior tell us about his character?
We conclude by following Joseph’s escape, his emotionally charged reunion with the Saints in Illinois, and the lasting trauma and financial strain the Missouri experience left behind. This is an episode you won’t want to miss!
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