Good morning, Dr. Ehrman. I hope you’re well, and that you’ll excuse a question about a topic from 1500 years later than the normal range.
My name is Patrick, and I love reading about/exploring the academic study of religion. I’ve read books by Elaine Pagels, Reza Aslan, and Francesca Stavrakopoulou. Recently, I stared listening to Dan McClellan’s podcast, through which I discovered you and your writings, which I have greatly enjoyed. I writing today in hopes of getting some book recommendations (as well as expressing my gratitude and admiration).
I grew in the LDS/Mormon church, even serving a mission for the church. About a decade ago, at age 25, I left the church, becoming more or less agnostic and just not really thinking about religion or faith. In the last few years is when I began my reading quest, to explore what I might believe myself and “unpack” the beliefs I held for so long. (It’s therapeutic to see that the things that didn’t make sense back then have actual conflicting/underlying reasons and traditions for that!) However, I’m yet to find any good academic studies of Mormonism. The closest I’ve comes was Richard Bushman’s 2005 biography of Joseph Smith, but I set that aside when he declared that the most likely explanation for the Book of Mormon’s origin was the one provided by Smith; I’m looking for an academic study, not an apologist’s biography.
Are there any books or authors in the same vein as your own (I am, ultimately, a layperson, not a scholar, and while I have read some more scholarly leaning works, they’re not always the easiest or most engaging reads) that you would recommend for someone wanting to learn academically about the Mormon church, its origins, its remarkable claims, etc.?
Thank you for your time, and thank you for your work. Your books are accessible, educational, and so a great job of laying out the scholarly arguments for us common folk to understand. (I’m currently reading and loving How Jesus Became God.) They’re a gift.
Sincerely,
Patrick
Hi patrickmartyn9 would definitely reccomend the CES letter (just finished reading today) it’s not the most scholarly written letter but it’s easily digestible and is basically a thorough compilation of reasons the author left the faith which ranges fromm a reason of problems he struggled with some Historical (like the Kinderhook plates or Joseph Smith’s dishonesty about his polygamy or the trustworthiness of the eye witnesses from a Historical point of view) and some of them more scientific (such as the incosistencies with their views and science) hope this helps you can buy a copy of it yourself from amazon probably or if your lazy like me just read it for free directly from their website
Additionally (although this may be of less interest as it’s basically multiple evangelical authors coming together to write a book against the faith) a book called the new Mormon challenge that I’ve just bought is supposed to be quite good and deals with the philisophical arguments against Mormonism dedicated to one part of the book and another psrt for example being on whether it reflects an ancient near eastern background (that part may be more what your looking for although it may not be to your fancy as doesn’t really focus on their History
The best book (reccomended in that last book mentioned although I haven’t read myself) that details mormon culture history and belief (although this may also be from an evangelical perspective which may put you off) is Richard and Joan Ostling’s Mormon America:The power and promise
Hope this can be of at least some small help!
Glad I could help as have a latter day saint friend of my own which forced me to learn quite a lot about their views so I could defend my faith (am an evangelical Christian) which is why I have so many books on my nightstand concerning Mormonism 😂 (also hears letters to a Mormon Elder by James white is supposed to be quite good as well when googling for good books myself to read although again the guy is also evangelical and I think the book is mainly focused on reasons the church isn’t true rather than a neutral Historical account of the church and their beliefs so might not be to your fancy but thought I’d mention just in case)
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