The Millenarian World of Early Mormonism

Rating:
Summary: This an excellent portrayal of early-Mormon belief & outlook
Review: Grant Underwood had done an outstanding job of depicting 19th century LDS thought and world views. This scholarly work is a must for anyone trying to get an accurate picture of the early Saints beliefs, attitudes, and motivation.

Rating:
Summary: A model monograph
Review: I recommend Underwood's revised dissertation as a model for other writers of monographs. The Millenarian World of Early Mormonism is not only good scholarship, it's clearly and carefully written and with an minimum of the pseudo-profundity that fledgling scholars often feel obligated to display. Underwood's thesis is that belief in the imminent Second Coming of Christ permeated the early nineteenth-century culture from which Mormonism sprang and that the doctrine exerted a significant influence on early Mormonism, including aiding its missionary effort in England. Even scholarly Mormons tend to finesse the historical problems with their religion, but LDS bias is rarely detectable here. The Millenarian World of Early Mormonism is a monograph, "a learned treatise on a small area of learning," but within its sphere of competence, it's first-rate.