Mormonism: Shadow or Reality?

Mormonism : Shadow or Reality ?
Author	Jerald and Sandra Tanner
Country	United States
Language	English
Subject	Criticism of Mormonism
Publisher	Utah Lighthouse Ministry
Publication date	1963
Media type	Print (Hardcover, Paperback)
Pages	576 pp (1987 edition)
ISBN	978-99930-74-43-4

Mormonism: Shadow or Reality? is a 1963 book by Jerald and Sandra Tanner that is highly critical of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).

Description

The book was originally entitled Mormonism: A Study of Mormon History and Doctrine and has been reprinted five times since (the latest edition was in 2008). The book is a long, densely written work full of copies of early Latter Day Saints documents accompanied by commentary. It has subsequently been revised and was the basis for the Tanner's more readable later book, The Changing World of Mormonism.

Mormonism: Shadow or Reality? deals with many subjects in a critical view, including the Book of Mormon and other LDS scriptures, Joseph Smith's life, alleged false prophecies, the missionary system, controversial historical incidents and subjects (Mountain Meadows massacre, wealth, the priesthood ban, polygamy) and many doctrines and practices (Adam-God doctrine, temple ceremonies).

Critical reception

Mormon book dealer Curt Bench listed this book among 50 important books on Mormonism in the first 150 years, including it as one of six "anti-Mormon" titles on the list.[1]

The book has been described by Dean Helland of Oral Roberts University as "the heavyweight of all books on Mormonism".[2] However, D. Michael Quinn, a historian at Brigham Young University, took issue with the Tanners' work, calling it a "distorted view of Mormonism".[3] Danel W. Bachman, of the Foundation for Apologetic Information & Research, a group consisting of Mormons who seek to defend their faith, concluded that he found in the book "propagandistic techniques and instances of egregious misuse of documentary evidence".[4]

References

Bench, Curt (October 1990). "Fifty Important Mormon Books" (PDF). Sunstone (79): 56. Retrieved 2009-08-14.
Dean M. Helland, "Meeting the Book of Mormon Challenge in Chile," Ph.D. dissertation, Oral Roberts University, 1990, 58 as cited Archived 2006-10-10 at the Wayback Machine by Matthew Roper of Brigham Young University.
Jerald and Sandra Tanner's distorted view of Mormonism - A response to Mormonism - Shadow or reality? by a Latter-day Saint Historian, FairMormon, archived from the original on 2014-10-22, retrieved 2014-10-21
"Mormonism--Shadow or Reality? - History or Propaganda? - Joseph Smith as a Case Study". Foundation for Apologetic Information & Research. Retrieved 2009-07-17.

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[1] Bench, Curt (October 1990). "Fifty Important Mormon Books" (PDF). Sunstone (79): 56. Retrieved 2009-08-14.

[2] Dean M. Helland, "Meeting the Book of Mormon Challenge in Chile," Ph.D. dissertation, Oral Roberts University, 1990, 58 as cited Archived 2006-10-10 at the Wayback Machine by Matthew Roper of Brigham Young University.

[3] Jerald and Sandra Tanner's distorted view of Mormonism - A response to Mormonism - Shadow or reality? by a Latter-day Saint Historian, FairMormon, archived from the original on 2014-10-22, retrieved 2014-10-21

[4] "Mormonism--Shadow or Reality? - History or Propaganda? - Joseph Smith as a Case Study". Foundation for Apologetic Information & Research. Retrieved 2009-07-17.