Greetings fellow nerds,

I write with exciting news. I'm currently in Provo, Utah, for a research fellowship as I dig into Cleon Skousen's personal papers, and a few people have been asking if I were putting together some event while I'm in the neighborhood. I was hesitant, because I think people already hear too much from me, but then someone pitched an idea: how about a public panel that features people much smarter than me?

So here are the results of such thinking: on Tuesday, June 30, at 7pm at the Bright Building in Provo, I'll be participating in a public panel on teaching religion in digital spaces alongside Daniel McClellan and Lindsay Hansen Park, moderated by Blair Hodges.

Yes, I'm very excited. Here's a brief overview of the event:

You can find more information and register for the free event at this link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/telling-the-truth-about-religion-in-an-age-of-misinformation-tickets-1992370635203​

I'm really excited to seeing many of you there. And if anyone is interested, I'll have a small stack of my books for sale/signature.

NEWS/NOTES/ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Speaking of Skousen, I have some fun news: I've signed a contract with Signature Books to publish a biography of Skousen. I will be working on this alongside the book on White Christian nationalism that is under contract with WW Norton that I announced a few weeks ago. It will take a couple years to write/edit/produce, but I promise to keep you updated as things progress. Please check out my latest YouTube video, which is a sneak peak on my work.
• If you missed my LIVE discussion with John Turner a few weeks ago, you can find the entire recording here. It was a lovely and lively chat that covered topics from Joseph Smith's current wives to Mormonism's production of sugary cookies. I've loved the positive feedback and questions, so recommend people digging in if you haven't already!
• I co-authored, alongside brilliant PhD candidate Nicholas Shrum, an article on Mormonism and politics for America's 250th anniversary. We discuss how the faith has had a complicated and evolving relationship with the nation in which it was birthed. You can read it here.
• The LDS Church recently acquired the alleged photograph of Joseph Smith. I was quoted in the Salt Lake Tribune's coverage of the photograph and explained why more historians are starting to accept it as authentic.

YOUTUBE VIDEOS

• ​Mormon Doctrine: The Book LDS Leaders Opposed But Members Loved (6/1): What happens when a single book creates a crisis at the highest levels of church leadership? In this video, I explore the fascinating history of Mormon Doctrine by Bruce R. McConkie, a publication that became one of the most influential—and controversial—works in modern Latter-day Saint history. Drawing from historical records, diaries, and church documents, this episode examines how the book was created, why it sparked immediate concern among LDS leaders, and how its publication led to major institutional changes.
• ​The Man Behind Rough Stone Rolling: Richard Bushman (6/5): Few historians have shaped modern Mormon thought as deeply as Richard Bushman, the subject of a brand-new biography. In this video, I explore the life, scholarship, and influence of the acclaimed historian behind Rough Stone Rolling, one of the most important biographies of Joseph Smith ever written. From Harvard and Columbia University to Mormon Studies programs across the world, Bushman’s career has helped redefine how Latter-day Saints and scholars approach faith, history, and intellectual inquiry.
• ​Bruce R. McConkie's Most Controversial Sermon Explained (6/8): What if six of the seven “deadly heresies” condemned by Apostle Bruce R. McConkie had already been taught by respected LDS leaders? In this deep dive, we examine McConkie’s famous 1980 BYU address, The Seven Deadly Heresies, and explore how his teachings fit within the broader history of Mormon doctrine. From God’s progression and evolution to temple marriage, salvation for the dead, eternal progression between kingdoms, and the Adam-God doctrine, this video unpacks one of the most controversial sermons in modern LDS history.
• ​The US Government Says Mormons Aren't Christian? (6/10): A simple Department of Defense policy change ignited a major debate: Are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints considered Christian? This controversy goes far beyond military paperwork. It exposes a centuries-long struggle over religious identity, political power, evangelical influence, and the meaning of Christianity in America. In this video, I explore the history behind the Mormon-Christian debate, why the Department of Defense changed its religious affiliation categories, how Senators Mike Lee and John Curtis responded, and what this reveals about the evolving relationship between evangelicals, white Christian nationalism, and Latter-day Saints. You'll learn why religious labels remain politically powerful, how alliances between evangelicals and Mormons were formed, and why those alliances continue to face tension today.
• ​How Religion Shapes the Physical World Around Us (6/12): What happens when a religion doesn't just shape beliefs—but entire cities, buildings, landscapes, and communities? In this video, we explore Constructing Space: Six Communal Religious Groups and Their Spatial Worlds by Martha Bradley Evans, a groundbreaking study comparing Mormonism with other communal religious movements. Discover how sacred space, architecture, gender roles, authority, and community life become embedded in the physical environments believers create.
• ​When BYU Fired Professors For Teaching Evolution (6/15): What happens when scientific discovery collides with religious tradition? In 1911, Brigham Young University faced one of the most important controversies in its history as professors teaching Darwinian evolution came into direct conflict with LDS leaders concerned about protecting core doctrines. This episode explores the people, ideas, and institutional pressures that turned a debate over science into a defining moment for Mormon higher education.
• ​The Rise of Mormon Studies Explained (6/17): Richard Bushman didn’t just write one of the most influential books on Joseph Smith—he helped create Mormon Studies as a respected academic field. In this video, I explore Bushman’s remarkable career, from Harvard-trained historian to author of Rough Stone Rolling, and examine how his scholarship transformed the way Mormonism is studied both inside and outside the Church.
• ​The Mormon Painter Who Shaped Mormonism and Was Forgotten (6/19): What if one artist helped shape how an entire religion sees its history, scriptures, and identity? In this video, I explore the remarkable life and legacy of CCA Christensen, the Danish convert whose paintings became some of the most influential visual representations in Latter-day Saint history. From Mormon persecution narratives to Book of Mormon imagery and temple murals, Christensen's work helped define Mormon culture for generations. Featuring insights from scholar Jenny Champoux and her book CCA Christensen: A Mormon Visionary, this discussion examines Christensen's artistic training, his role in shaping Mormon memory, his depictions of scripture and history, and the complex legacy of race, identity, persecution, and assimilation in his artwork.
• ​Was Cleon Skousen the First Charlie Kirk? (6/22): A little-known 1958 book continues to influence American conservatism, anti-communist activism, and political culture decades after its publication. In this video, we explore the surprising story behind The Naked Communist by Cleon Skousen, tracing its origins to Mormon doctrine, LDS leadership, and the broader religious ideas that helped shape the modern conservative movement. Learn how Skousen's anti-communist worldview developed, why LDS President David O. McKay played a pivotal role in the book's success, and how The Naked Communist became a bestseller embraced by organizations like the John Birch Society. This deep dive examines Mormon history, Christian nationalism, Cold War politics, and the lasting influence of one of the most consequential political books of the twentieth century.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

• Thoughts on Brigham Young's 225th Birthday: TikTok/Instagram​
• Day 1 of the Mormon History Association: TikTok/Instagram​
• Dissecting the Recent News Concerning the Alleged Photograph of Joseph Smith: TikTok/Instagram​
• Reckoning with the Colonialist Legacies of Mormonism's Indian Student Placement Program: TikTok/Instagram
• Why the 1970s Was Such an Important Decade for the Mormon Tradition: TikTok/Instagram​
• Rant About the William Clayton Diaries: TikTok/Instagram​
• Religion in Steven Spielberg's Disclosure Day: TikTok/Instagram​
• How BYU Biology Professor Steven Peck's Novel Disrupts the Concept of Eternity: TikTok/Instagram​
• The Importance of Richard Bushman's Summer Seminars: TikTok/Instagram​
• Three Pernicious Myths About Mormon Fundamentalism: TikTok/Instagram​

That's all I have for this newsletter. I hope to see many of you at the event next Tuesday. See you then!

Until next time,

Benjamin Park, historian and nerd