Brian Hales, an expert in Mormon fundamentalism, shares insights about its intriguing history and key figures. He discusses the impact of early church manifestos on plural marriage and the emergence of dissenting groups. Hales delves into the complex relationship between mainstream Latter-day Saints and fundamentalist sects, exploring the pivotal 1886 revelation on marriage. The conversation also touches on the struggle against government pressures and ongoing practices of polygamy among certain factions, offering a nuanced view of a movement that defies conventional boundaries.
The Mormon Fundamentalist Movement arose from dissent against the LDS Church's manifestos on plural marriage, leading to community formations around Short Creek.
Lorin C. Woolley's claims regarding an unpublished 1886 revelation served as a fundamental basis for dissenters rejecting the mainstream LDS leadership.
Key differences in leadership structures emerged among fundamentalist factions, with the FLDS adopting a one-man leadership model under Warren Jeffs, while the AUB favored a council-oriented approach.
Deep dives
Historical Background of the Mormon Fundamentalist Movement
The Mormon Fundamentalist Movement emerged as a response to the LDS Church's manifestos on plural marriage issued in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Following the 1890 manifesto from President Wilford Woodruff, the LDS Church accepted the legal restrictions against plural marriage. In 1904, President Joseph F. Smith intensified this stance with the Second Manifesto, excommunicating anyone who entered into new polygamous marriages. This led to dissent among members who believed in the continuation of the practice, resulting in a gathering of polygamous adherents around Short Creek, who interpreted earlier revelations as justification for their beliefs.
Key Figures and Revelations
A pivotal figure in the early fundamentalist movement was Lauren C. Woolley, who claimed to convey an unpublished revelation from 1886 by President John Taylor. Woolley's assertion that plural marriage had not been revoked served as a cornerstone for dissenters against the manifestos. This group rejected the leadership of the mainstream LDS Church and established their own polygamous communities. Over time, various factions emerged, including the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (FLDS) and the Apostolic United Brethren (AUB), each interpreting the revelations and authorities differently.
Fragmentation and Development of Various Groups
As tensions within the fundamentalist movement grew, especially due to differing interpretations of authority and leadership, schisms led to the formation of multiple groups. Key leaders like Joseph Musser and Rulon Allred played significant roles in shaping their respective branches, with the FLDS adopting one-man leadership models, particularly under Warren Jeffs, while the AUB followed a more council-oriented organizational structure. These differences marked a divergence from the original teachings and authority claims made by earlier leaders. The independents also emerged, comprising those who sought to practice polygamy outside the established structures, further complicating the fundamentalist landscape.
Polygamy's Role and Its Perception Among Members
The practice of polygamy became integrated into the fundamentalist identity, where members believed it to be an essential element of their faith. While there are various interpretations among the groups concerning the original teachings of Joseph Smith, many followers believe they are preserving a core tenet of early Mormonism. This conviction drives some fundamentalists to portray themselves as the true adherents to the faith, in contrast to what they see as the mainstream LDS Church's abandonment of foundational practices. The belief is that they are the faithful remnant, maintaining the 'new and everlasting covenant' despite external pressures and changing societal norms.
Modern Perceptions and Sociocultural Dynamics
Today, fundamentalist groups, particularly the FLDS and AUB, face scrutiny from both society and law enforcement, especially in regard to their practices surrounding marriage and family structure. The FLDS, under leaders like Warren Jeffs, has garnered attention not only for their strict adherence to polygamy but also for the authoritarian governance concerning members' lives. Meanwhile, the AUB tends to have a more normalized presence, integrating into contemporary society while still practicing polygamy. This juxtaposition reflects broader sociocultural dynamics where individuals navigate their identity and beliefs within the framework of modern legal and social expectations.
Most of the main branches of the Restoration were formed within roughly two decades of the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph Smith. One clear exception, however, is the Mormon Fundamentalist movement. Here’s a little backstory: In 1890 President Wilford Woodruff issued a manifesto announcing the Church’s intention to submit to those laws recently passed and declared constitutional by the US Supreme Court forbidding plural marriage. Then in 1904, as a result of the Reed Smoot hearings before the US Senate and the national attention this brought to the continued practice of plural marriage in Utah, President Joseph F. Smith issued what is known as the “Second Manifesto,” which announced the Church’s policy to excommunicate anyone who continued to enter into new polygamous marriages.
Yet some Church members felt that the manifestos of Presidents Woodruff and Smith were not inspired. Instead, they saw them as weak and uninspired capitulations to government demands rather than a continued courageous commitment to God’s commands in the face of persecution. Within a few decades, those who dissented against these manifestos or were excommunicated from the LDS Church for entering into additional plural marriages began to gather on the Utah/Arizona border at a place known as Short Creek. They believed in a 1912 statement by Lorin C. Woolley, who had been courier for President John Taylor, about an unpublished 1886 revelation of President Taylor wherein the Lord declared that the “New and Everlasting Covenant” had not been revoked, nor would it ever be. This was interpreted by those in this group to mean that plural marriage would never be withdrawn. They concluded therefore that President Taylor’s unpublished revelation (and their interpretation of it) overruled and superceded the first manifesto of President Woodruff in 1890 and the second manifesto of President Smith in 1904. They were staying true to this core fundamental element of Mormonism while the LDS Church was not.
In time these Mormon Fundamentalists fragmented into various groups, including the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (or FLDS Church), the Apostolic United Brethren (or AUB), the Righteous Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the True and Living Church of Jesus Christ of Saints of the Last Days, among others.
In this episode of Church History Matters, Casey and I sit down with Dr. Brian Hales, an expert researcher and author of several books on the Mormon fundamentalist movement, to discuss this fascinating branch of the Restoration.
