Wayward saints
the Godbeites and Brigham Young
By Ronald W. Walker
In the turbulent 1870s, a fascinating clash of spiritual authority and intellectual freedom unfolded within the Mormon community. Wayward Saints reveals the compelling story of William S. Godbe and his circle of British Mormon intellectuals who dared to challenge Brigham Young's commanding leadership.
These thoughtful dissenters found themselves at odds with what they viewed as excessive authoritarianism and unwelcome interference in personal spiritual matters. Their rebellion sparked a dramatic confrontation that included mysterious spiritualist seances, allegations of conspiracy, and a pivotal church trial that would reshape religious boundaries.
When excommunication followed, Godbe and his followers didn't simply disappear. Instead, they boldly established the "New Movement," attempting to forge an alternative spiritual path that honored both faith and intellectual inquiry. Though their experiment ultimately struggled to survive, their story illuminates timeless questions about religious authority, personal conscience, and the courage to follow one's spiritual convictions.
Ronald W. Walker weaves together threads of intellectual history and religious dissent to explore broader themes of nineteenth-century American spiritualism and the evolving structure of early Mormonism. This narrative offers valuable insights for anyone grappling with questions of spiritual autonomy, institutional loyalty, and the complex relationship between faith and independent thought.
For readers interested in religious history and the dynamics of spiritual communities, this account provides a thought-provoking examination of conscience in action.
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Explore Mormon Church
- ✓ Explore Church of Zion
- ✓ Explore Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
- ✓ Explore History
- ✓ Explore Godbeites
- ✓ Explore Mormon church, history
- ✓ Explore Church controversies
- ✓ Explore Young, brigham, 1801-1877
Topics
Details
- Published
- 1998
- Publisher
- University of Illinois Press
- ISBN-10
- 0252023781
- Pages
- 399
- Language
- EN
- LC Classification
- BX8611.W35 1998
