The Mormon Hierarchy: Origins of Power Volume 1

If you are interested in a well researched and documented (over 50% of the pages are notes) history of LDS origins then this is a good book to read. It is not limited to 'faithful history'.

For those who haven't read the book, or at least respond as if they haven't, ought to realize that Quinn wrote previous books BEFORE he was excommunicatedand; the tones in those books are identical to the tone in this book. If there is a bias, it is not because he was excommunicated; he was excommunicated after writing, and that wasn't his choice, just as it wasn't his choice to resign from BYU. His point is not to say Mormonsim is false, or wrong; in the same way that early Christianity (catholicism) had an interesting beginning (very pagan, magical, etc.), it does not have to ruin the religion today -- that depends upon the reader. Re: The March 9 and 10th "Inaccurate" response isn't much at all. It's not apt, and it proves Quinn's point perfectly. As all scholars or students of any field know, outside perspectives are necessary to a historical study, especially tainted or hidden histories (did Smith not say no man knows my history?). To be brief, inside views are naturally biased; to compare xerox machines to religion only comments on the person making the poor analogy. Current Mormons are not the source for historical Mormonism; they are the source for current Mormonism, for practicing their faith and spreading their beliefs. They are a source for the current beliefs, faith, and testimony of Mormonism, as it is seen today. Most mormons do not want to hear about the troubled, problematic past of their religion; those who do, and are comfortable with it, are chastized. A person within a religion, intimately connected, has great trouble being unbiased and unprejudiced, and in most instances, is impossible; but taking an historical view, over a faith view, presents a more objective, more matter-of-fact view, and thus, more trustworthy. If Quinn had an axe to grind, I'd be more skeptical; however, for the most part, he keeps his polemics mild, unlike FARMS, other apologists and critics of Mormonism (e.g. Albanes). To see the truth of the historical mormonism requires a temporary suspension of belief, an opening of the eyes to possible alternative views; something difficult for the faithful.

This is the most outstanding bit of sholarship ever written on the Mormon Church. Quinn may not be a batton twirler, but he sure is a great researcher. It is obvious that he did his best to stick to the facts, and point out their inevitable conclusions.

Every time I read one of Quinn's "monsters," I have to laugh at the shear volume of reference material he cites. He's out of control! And let me be among the first in line to thank him for wading through the tons of materials he has in order to produce this kind of work. He takes a lot of heat from polemicists and apologists alike who fear that his interpretation is somehow threatening to their comfort level regarding their own belief. They criticize his work because they would come to a different conclusion reading what he has read. So...write your own book! This book is Quinn's interpretation, and from my assessment, it's an excellent one.The book itself is a careful examination of the evolution of the power structure in the Mormon church, taking you from the time when Joseph Smith was just "a charismatic visionary" with a few followers who shared his vision, up until he was annointed "King in Israel," running for President of the United States. Along the way you learn about the creation of the different offices in the priesthood, their quirks and difficulties, and how they all shake out in the end. His chapter on the Theocratic kingdom, with the emphasis on "theocratic ethics," (Quinn's self-coined phrase) is brilliant and illuminating. Additionally, his treatment of the succession crisis following the murder of Joseph Smith is the clearest, most complete explaination I have ever read. I have never been comfortable with the way a new Church President just ascends to office, but when you're done with Quinn's book, the widsom in the system is self-evident.I expect many of his critics struggle with the fact that Quinn is not bashful about pointing out the discrepencies between authorized Church History or canonized revelations, and the original journals, meeting minutes, and all too often, the original published version of a revelation that no longer served the needs of a changing hierarchical structure. Well, the bottom line is, documents WERE changed, and meaning was subsequently altered, and those stories are important in understanding the evolution of leadership in the Mormon Church. This is an excellent book, and is surprisingly easy to read given the academic subject matter. Quinn is often original in his thinking, is obsessive in his research, and is probably among the most insightful historians on the Mormon Church today. I'm on my way now to read the second volume, "Extensions of Power," a bigger "monster" than this one!

My wife and I were both LDS members, and in combination with what we were taught at church and temple services, Origins of Power sheds invaluable light onto the way the church operated in its beginning and how it operates today. Quinn's research and dedication to factual evidence (I've followed through on many of his sources), is no less than exciting and complete. I note that Quinn was excommunicated from the church, because of the sensitive, "unauthorized" information he (and many other authors) have brought forth concerning the origins of Mormon religious beliefs and practices. As a historical researcher, and once fond member of the church, I highly recommend Quinn's work to anyone interested in Mormon history, and who are fair minded and strong willed.