Ron Esplin
Encyclopedia
Dr. Ronald Kent Esplin is the managing editor of The Joseph Smith Papers
project and the former director of the Joseph Fielding Smith Institute for Latter-day Saint History at Brigham Young University
(BYU).
to Panama
, but also had Colombia
within its borders.
Esplin holds degrees from Brigham Young University, the University of Utah
and the University of Virginia
.
In 1972 Esplin was planning to start a teaching career as an Institute
instructor. He was recruited to work for the summer under Church Historian Leonard J. Arrington
doing a search and study of Brigham Young
's papers in the church archive. He remained working in the Church History Archives until 1980 when Church Commissioner of Education Jeffrey R. Holland
announced that Esplin and his colleagues would come to Brigham Young University with Holland who was appointed university president. Esplin received a Ph.D. from BYU with his doctoral dissertation being entitled The Emergence of Brigham Young and The Twelve to Mormon Leadership, 1830-1841.
By 1984 Esplin was director of the Smith Institute and he helped Dean C. Jessee
to get The Papers of Joseph Smith: Volume 1 published in 1984. Esplin was also involved in the decision to entirely revamp the project. In 2001 he left BYU and took over as director of the papers project full time. However from 2001-2005 the project was operating at BYU. In 2005 it relocated to the Church Archives in Salt Lake City.
Esplin's research has focused on the early period of the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints particularly the role of Brigham Young
during the presidency of Joseph Smith
. Esplin was among the contributors to the Atlas of Mormonism and the Encyclopedia of Mormonism
. Esplin was also one of fourteen editors working on the project under Daniel H. Ludlow
.
Besides directing the Smith Institute, Esplin also taught classes in Church History at BYU.
As managing editor of the Joseph Smith papers project Esplin has been working to make it so that once the papers come out they are available in many libraries around the world.
Esplin has also served as the president of the Mormon History Association
from 2006–2007.
Esplin has seven children and has served in such callings as a counselor in a bishopric and as a Sunday School
teacher.
The Joseph Smith Papers
The Joseph Smith Papers is a project researching, collecting, and publishing all manuscripts and documents created by, or under the direction of, Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. The documents will be published with transcriptions and annotations online and in...
project and the former director of the Joseph Fielding Smith Institute for Latter-day Saint History at 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).
Biography
Esplin served as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Central American Mission, when that mission not only included all the countries from GuatemalaGuatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
to Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
, but also had Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
within its borders.
Esplin holds degrees from Brigham Young University, the University of Utah
University of Utah
The 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...
and the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
.
In 1972 Esplin was planning to start a teaching career as an Institute
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...
instructor. He was recruited to work for the summer under Church Historian Leonard J. Arrington
Leonard J. Arrington
Leonard James Arrington was an author, academic and the founder of the Mormon History Association. He is known as the "Dean of Mormon History" and "the Father of Mormon History" because of his many influential contributions to the field.-Biographical background:Arrington was born in Twin Falls,...
doing a search and study of Brigham Young
Brigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
's papers in the church archive. He remained working in the Church History Archives until 1980 when Church Commissioner of Education Jeffrey R. Holland
Jeffrey R. Holland
Jeffrey Roy Holland is an American educator and religious leader. He served as the ninth President of Brigham Young University and is a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . As a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, Holland is accepted by...
announced that Esplin and his colleagues would come to Brigham Young University with Holland who was appointed university president. Esplin received a Ph.D. from BYU with his doctoral dissertation being entitled The Emergence of Brigham Young and The Twelve to Mormon Leadership, 1830-1841.
By 1984 Esplin was director of the Smith Institute and he helped Dean C. Jessee
Dean C. Jessee
Dean Cornell Jessee is a historian of the early Latter Day Saint movement and leading expert on the writings of Joseph Smith, Jr.-Biography:...
to get The Papers of Joseph Smith: Volume 1 published in 1984. Esplin was also involved in the decision to entirely revamp the project. In 2001 he left BYU and took over as director of the papers project full time. However from 2001-2005 the project was operating at BYU. In 2005 it relocated to the Church Archives in Salt Lake City.
Esplin's research has focused on the early period of the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints particularly the role of Brigham Young
Brigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
during the presidency of Joseph Smith
Joseph Smith
Joseph Smith was founder of what later became known as the Latter Day Saint movement or Mormons.Joseph Smith may also refer to:-Latter Day Saints:* Joseph Smith, Sr. , father of Joseph Smith...
. Esplin was among the contributors to the Atlas of Mormonism and the Encyclopedia of Mormonism
Encyclopedia of Mormonism
The Encyclopedia of Mormonism is a semi-official encyclopedia for topics relevant to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
. Esplin was also one of fourteen editors working on the project under Daniel H. Ludlow
Daniel H. Ludlow
Daniel Hansen Ludlow was a professor of religion at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. He was also the chief editor of the Encyclopedia of Mormonism, published in 1992 by Macmillan.- Biography :...
.
Besides directing the Smith Institute, Esplin also taught classes in Church History at BYU.
As managing editor of the Joseph Smith papers project Esplin has been working to make it so that once the papers come out they are available in many libraries around the world.
Esplin has also served as the president of 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...
from 2006–2007.
Esplin has seven children and has served in such callings as a counselor in a bishopric and as a Sunday School
Sunday School (LDS Church)
Sunday School is an official auxiliary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . All members of the church and any interested nonmembers, age 12 and older, are encouraged to participate in Sunday School.-Purpose:...
teacher.
Articles
- "A Place Prepared in the Rockies", Ensign, July 1988, p. 7
- "Fire in His Bones" a sketch on Brigham Young, Ensign, March 1993, p. 44
- "God Will Protect me till my work is done", Ensign, August 1989, p. 16
- "Brigham Young in England", Ensign, June 1987
- "Hyrum Smith: The Mildness of a Lamb, The integrity of Job", Ensign, February 2002, p. 30
- "Utah's First Thanksgiving", Ensign, October 1982, p. 49-51
External links
- Listed as contributor to the PBS documentary American Prophet: The Story of Joseph Smith