Grant H. Palmer
Encyclopedia
Grant H. Palmer is an American
educator best known for his controversial work, An Insider's View of Mormon Origins
, which led directly to his disfellowshipment in 2004 from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).
in American history from Brigham Young University
(BYU) in 1968, writing his thesis on the Godbeite movement. He pursued doctoral studies from 1974 to 1975, but did not complete them. During his career Palmer was active in the Mormon History Association
.
Palmer's wife died of cancer in late 1992. He has since remarried to the former Connie Christensen and they live in Sandy, Utah
. After retiring Palmer worked as a real estate developer.
. Shortly later he began teaching religion, which led to a 34 year career in the Church Educational System
(CES). He was director of the LDS Institute of Religion
in Whittier, California
(1970–73) followed by Chico, California
(1975–80). Returning to Utah, he then taught LDS seminary at East High School
in 1980 and at Brighton High School from 1980 to 1988.
During this time the infamous Salamander Letter
surfaced, challenging the orthodox story of Mormon beginnings, though the letter was eventually found to be a forgery. As an ardent student of LDS history the letter caused Palmer to consider the influences of American folk magic
on Joseph Smith's religious practices. In 1985 Palmer's research on this issue led him to write and circulate a manuscript called "New York Mormonism" under the pseudonym "Paul Pry, Jr." which became the first draft of An Insider's View of Mormon Origins. As he grew uneasy with some aspects of LDS history, Palmer approached his CES supervisor about changing positions to teach adults at the Salt Lake County Jail. Teaching more general Christian and Biblical lessons of faith and ethics to all inmates, he was the jail's chaplain and director of its Institute program from 1988 until his 2001 retirement. He also served on the board of directors of the Salt Lake Legal Defenders Association.
After completing his long-coming manuscript, he published the controversial book An Insider's View of Mormon Origins
with Signature Books
in 2002, in which Palmer challenged the orthodox teachings of Mormonism's beginnings. Palmer's prison teaching led him to write another book, The Incomparable Jesus, published by Greg Kofford Books in 2005.
In 2003 An Insider's View was criticized by BYU's Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies
(FARMS) in reviews written by Daniel C. Peterson
, Davis Bitton
, Steven C. Harper
, Mark Ashurst-McGee
, and Louis Midgley. These were published in the FARMS Review alongside an official statement from BYU's Joseph Fielding Smith Institute for Latter-day Saint History disagreeing with Palmer's conclusions. In the following Review issue, historian James B. Allen
published another critical review.
Palmer concluded that while he liked many of the teachings of Joseph Smith, "the foundational events in church history are too problematic to ignore". He found that much of what Latter Day Saints take for granted as literal history has, over the years, been modified to emphasize certain aspects over others. This, he believes, has resulted in an inaccurate picture of LDS Church history.
Palmer argues also that the Mormon
Jesus
is very different to the current Christian
Jesus
due to the modern practices of the LDS church such as forced tithing, avoidance of wine drinking and use of special clothing.
Palmer has been quoted as saying that he still loves the church, and was pleased he wasn't excommunicated. He has also stated that he no longer attends church specifically to avoid offending other members with his opinions as well as due to his rejection of standard LDS beliefs
of Galileo Galilei
by the Roman Catholic Church
.
In May 2006, a four-part interview of Grant Palmer was featured on John Dehlin
's podcast Mormon Stories. This interview was followed in January 2007 with a five-part interview of Richard Bushman
, historian and author of Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling
, with Bushman's LDS-believing views presented in contrast to Palmer's skeptical take on Mormon origins. Palmer and Bushman were also among the wide range of people interviewed in the 2007 PBS documentary The Mormons.
Palmer has compared the Mormon and Catholic Churches to the Pharisees, whose observance of strict laws and oral traditions was decried by Jesus. Palmer believes that, instead, a true belief in Christian religion is centered in individually becoming good and loving people.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
educator best known for his controversial work, An Insider's View of Mormon Origins
An Insider's View of Mormon Origins
An Insider's View of Mormon Origins is a 2003 book on the origins of Mormonism written by Grant H. Palmer, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who is a retired Church Educational System instructor and Institute director with a master's degree in history.Palmer's stated...
, which led directly to his disfellowshipment in 2004 from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).
Biography
Palmer received his M.A.Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in American history from Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
(BYU) in 1968, writing his thesis on the Godbeite movement. He pursued doctoral studies from 1974 to 1975, but did not complete them. During his career Palmer was active in the Mormon History Association
Mormon History Association
The Mormon History Association is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to the study and understanding of all aspects of Mormon history to promote understanding, scholarly research, and publication in the field...
.
Palmer's wife died of cancer in late 1992. He has since remarried to the former Connie Christensen and they live in Sandy, Utah
Sandy, Utah
Sandy is a city in Salt Lake County, Utah, United States. It is a suburb of Salt Lake City. The population was 87,461 at the 2010 census, making it the sixth-largest city in Utah....
. After retiring Palmer worked as a real estate developer.
Career
Initially Palmer was hired to teach history at the Church College of New ZealandChurch College of New Zealand
Church College of New Zealand was a private secondary school in Temple View, Hamilton, New Zealand, that was operated by the Church Educational System of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . It was closed at the end of the 2009 school year.-History:Construction of the Church College of...
. Shortly later he began teaching religion, which led to a 34 year career in the Church Educational System
Church Educational System
The Church Educational System of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints consists of several institutions that provide religious and secular education for both Latter-day Saint and non-Latter-day Saint elementary, secondary, and post-secondary students and adult learners...
(CES). He was director of the LDS Institute of Religion
Institute of Religion
Institutes of Religion provide religious educational classes for young single adult and university students who belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
in Whittier, California
Whittier, California
Whittier is a city in Los Angeles County, California about southeast of Los Angeles. The city had a population of 85,331 at the 2010 census, up from 83,680 as of the 2000 census, and encompasses 14.7 square miles . Like nearby Montebello, the city constitutes part of the Gateway Cities...
(1970–73) followed by Chico, California
Chico, California
Chico is the most populous city in Butte County, California, United States. The population was 86,187 at the 2010 census, up from 59,954 at the time of the 2000 census...
(1975–80). Returning to Utah, he then taught LDS seminary at East High School
East High School (Salt Lake City)
East High School is a public high school in the Salt Lake City School District in Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S. and serves grades nine through twelve. It also accepts and cares for mentally and physically disabled children. East High School was founded in 1914 and currently has an enrolled student...
in 1980 and at Brighton High School from 1980 to 1988.
During this time the infamous Salamander Letter
Salamander Letter
The Salamander Letter was a document created by Mark Hofmann in the early 1980s.The letter was one of hundreds of documents concerning the history of Latter Day Saint movement that surfaced in the early 1980s...
surfaced, challenging the orthodox story of Mormon beginnings, though the letter was eventually found to be a forgery. As an ardent student of LDS history the letter caused Palmer to consider the influences of American folk magic
Pow-wow (folk magic)
Pow-wow is a system of American folk religion and magic associated with the Pennsylvania Dutch.-Origin of the name and practices:Its name comes from the book Pow-wows, or, The Long Lost Friend, written by John George Hohman and first published in German as Der Lange Verborgene Freund in 1820...
on Joseph Smith's religious practices. In 1985 Palmer's research on this issue led him to write and circulate a manuscript called "New York Mormonism" under the pseudonym "Paul Pry, Jr." which became the first draft of An Insider's View of Mormon Origins. As he grew uneasy with some aspects of LDS history, Palmer approached his CES supervisor about changing positions to teach adults at the Salt Lake County Jail. Teaching more general Christian and Biblical lessons of faith and ethics to all inmates, he was the jail's chaplain and director of its Institute program from 1988 until his 2001 retirement. He also served on the board of directors of the Salt Lake Legal Defenders Association.
After completing his long-coming manuscript, he published the controversial book An Insider's View of Mormon Origins
An Insider's View of Mormon Origins
An Insider's View of Mormon Origins is a 2003 book on the origins of Mormonism written by Grant H. Palmer, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who is a retired Church Educational System instructor and Institute director with a master's degree in history.Palmer's stated...
with Signature Books
Signature Books
Signature Books is a press specializing in subjects related to Utah, Mormonism, and Western Americana. The company was founded in 1980 by George D...
in 2002, in which Palmer challenged the orthodox teachings of Mormonism's beginnings. Palmer's prison teaching led him to write another book, The Incomparable Jesus, published by Greg Kofford Books in 2005.
In 2003 An Insider's View was criticized by BYU's Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies
Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies
The Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies is an informal collaboration of academics devoted to Latter-day Saint historical scholarship. The group is formally part of the Neal A...
(FARMS) in reviews written by Daniel C. Peterson
Daniel C. Peterson
Daniel C. Peterson is a professor of Islamic Studies and Arabic in the Department of Asian and Near Eastern Languages at Brigham Young University and currently serves as editor-in-chief of BYU's Middle Eastern Texts Initiative. He is a member of the executive council of the Neal A...
, Davis Bitton
Davis Bitton
-External links:*...
, Steven C. Harper
Steven C. Harper
Steven Craig Harper is a professor of church history and doctrine at Brigham Young University .-Biography:Harper is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . He earned his B.A. in history from BYU in 1994, an M.A. in American history from Utah State University in 1996, and a...
, Mark Ashurst-McGee
Mark Ashurst-McGee
Mark Roscoe Ashurst-McGee is an American historian of the Latter Day Saint movement and editor for the Joseph Smith Papers project.-Biographical background:...
, and Louis Midgley. These were published in the FARMS Review alongside an official statement from BYU's Joseph Fielding Smith Institute for Latter-day Saint History disagreeing with Palmer's conclusions. In the following Review issue, historian James B. Allen
James B. Allen (historian)
James Brown "Jim" Allen is an American historian of Mormonism and was an official Assistant Church Historian of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1972–1979.-Biography:...
published another critical review.
Church discipline
Palmer was disfellowshipped from the LDS Church in December 2004 as a result of his book, An Insider's View of Mormon Origins, which was skeptical of Mormonism's claimed origins.Palmer concluded that while he liked many of the teachings of Joseph Smith, "the foundational events in church history are too problematic to ignore". He found that much of what Latter Day Saints take for granted as literal history has, over the years, been modified to emphasize certain aspects over others. This, he believes, has resulted in an inaccurate picture of LDS Church history.
Palmer argues also that the Mormon
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
is very different to the current Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
due to the modern practices of the LDS church such as forced tithing, avoidance of wine drinking and use of special clothing.
Palmer has been quoted as saying that he still loves the church, and was pleased he wasn't excommunicated. He has also stated that he no longer attends church specifically to avoid offending other members with his opinions as well as due to his rejection of standard LDS beliefs
Afterward
Critics of the LDS Church, and Palmer himself, have compared the disfellowshipment of Grant Palmer to the trialGalileo affair
The Galileo affair was a sequence of events, beginning around 1610, during which Galileo Galilei came into conflict with the Aristotelian scientific view of the universe , over his support of Copernican astronomy....
of Galileo Galilei
Galileo Galilei
Galileo Galilei , was an Italian physicist, mathematician, astronomer, and philosopher who played a major role in the Scientific Revolution. His achievements include improvements to the telescope and consequent astronomical observations and support for Copernicanism...
by the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
.
In May 2006, a four-part interview of Grant Palmer was featured on John Dehlin
John Dehlin
John P. Dehlin is the creator of several Mormon-themed podcasts, blogs and web sites. John worked for several years in various positions at Microsoft, and served for a few years as the Director of the OpenCourseWare Consortium for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He was an influential...
's podcast Mormon Stories. This interview was followed in January 2007 with a five-part interview of Richard Bushman
Richard Bushman
Richard Lyman Bushman is an American historian and Gouverneur Morris Professor of History emeritus at Columbia University. He is currently the Howard W. Hunter Visiting Professor in Mormon Studies at Claremont Graduate University...
, historian and author of Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling
Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling
Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling: A Cultural Biography of Mormonism's Founder is a biography of Joseph Smith Jr., founder and prophet of the Latter Day Saint movement, by Richard Bushman...
, with Bushman's LDS-believing views presented in contrast to Palmer's skeptical take on Mormon origins. Palmer and Bushman were also among the wide range of people interviewed in the 2007 PBS documentary The Mormons.
Palmer has compared the Mormon and Catholic Churches to the Pharisees, whose observance of strict laws and oral traditions was decried by Jesus. Palmer believes that, instead, a true belief in Christian religion is centered in individually becoming good and loving people.
External links
- The Grant H. Palmer Papers housed at the University of UtahUniversity of UtahThe University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
Marriott Library Special Collections - "Links to the disfellowship of Grant Palmer"
- Commentary and numerous articles about the Palmer incident, assembled by Mel Tungate