The Surprising Science Behind Joseph Smith’s First Vision

Was Joseph Smith lying, forgetting, or faithfully remembering his First Vision? Critics often highlight differences between the various accounts, but few have explored the role of human memory in shaping those narratives.

 

In this debut episode of Informed Saints, hosts Jasmin Rappleye, Neal Rappleye, and Stephen Smoot dive into groundbreaking research that brings together history, neuroscience, and faith. Drawing on scholarship from Stephen C. Harper and a recent article in the Journal of the American Academy of Religion, the discussion unpacks how memory actually works — and what that means for understanding Joseph Smith’s earliest visions.

 

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• Why differences in the First Vision accounts aren’t necessarily signs of dishonesty

• How neuroscience explains the way memories consolidate and evolve over time

• The concept of “flashbulb memories” and why Joseph’s accounts fit the pattern

• Insights from both believing and non-believing scholars on historical reliability

 

This thoughtful conversation shows how modern scholarship and faith can work together to strengthen testimonies and provide context for complex questions.

 

Here are some of the resources discussed in the episode as well as other valuable resources on this topic!

 

•Stephen C. Harper – First Vision: Memory and Mormon Origins (Oxford University Press, 2019)

A balanced and deeply researched book that applies memory science to the First Vision. Harper is both a believing Latter-day Saint historian and an academic scholar, making this one of the best starting points.

•Richard Lyman Bushman – Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling (Knopf, 2005)

The definitive biography of Joseph Smith by one of the most respected Latter-day Saint historians. Discusses the First Vision in its historical context.

•Alexander L. Baugh, Steven C. Harper, Brent M. Rogers, and Benjamin Pykles, Editors – Joseph Smith and His First Vision: Context, Place, and Meaning

https://rsc.byu.edu/book/joseph-smith-his-first-vision

•John W. Welch – Opening the Heavens: Accounts of Divine Manifestations

Collects and analyzes all primary accounts of the First Vision (and other revelations) in a single volume. Great for studying source texts directly.

•Steven C. Harper – Joseph Smith’s First Vision: A Guide to the Historical Accounts (Deseret Book, 2012)

A shorter, more accessible overview that compares the accounts and explains their significance.

•Céline Duffau, Carter Charles, Religious Experience and Memory Retrieval: A Memory Studies Reading of Joseph Smith’s “First Vision” Accounts – Journal of the American Academy of Religion (2025).

https://academic.oup.com/jaar/article-abstract/93/1/129/8159945?redirectedFrom=fulltext

 

Online Resources

•Gospel Topics Essay: “First Vision Accounts” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org)

Official essay that transparently presents all known accounts and explains their context.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/first-vision-accounts

•Joseph Smith Papers Project

Provides the primary sources — Joseph’s own handwritten accounts, plus later versions and contemporary references.

https://www.josephsmithpapers.org

• Don Bradley- The Original Context of the First Vision Narrative: 1820s or 1830s https://www.fairlatterdaysaints.org/conference/august-2013/the-original-context-of-the-first-vision-narrative-1820s-or-1830s 

 

Listen now to explore the surprising science behind Joseph Smith’s First Vision.