In Heaven As It Is on EarthIn Heaven as It Is on Earth: Joseph Smith and the Early Mormon Conquest of Death (Oxford University Press, 2012) reinterprets earliest Mormonism by viewing it through the lens of founder Joseph Smith Jr.'s complex, intimate, and conflicted relationship with death and dying. When approached from this perspective many of the unusual or striking aspects of earliest Mormonism begin to make sense, allowing outsiders and insiders a refreshing new look at a much-discussed but poorly understood religious tradition. In Heaven as It Is on Earth also provides insight to the ongoing problem of the tragedy of early mortality, an eloquent and complex response to death. Updates“Investigating Mormon Masonry” February 25 in SeattleSamuel Brown, author of _In Heaven as It Is On Earth; Joseph Smith and the Early Mormon Conquest of Death_, will speak at Molly Bennion’s home in the 98112 zip code in Seattle at 7pm on February 25. The subject for the evening will be “Investigating Mormon Masonry.” Intersections between Mormonism and American Freemasonry have caused considerable controversy among Latter-day Saints and their critics. The large majority of the work on this topic, on both sides, is intensely myopic. In this presentation, which extends the treatment of Masonry in _In Heaven_, Sam explores the assumptions central to the study of Mormon Masonry, considering how to understand influence and tradition, while exploring the meaning of Western esotericism at the intersections of early Mormonism and American Freemasonry. Because space is limited, RSVP is required. Comments, questions, and confirmations should be directed to Molly Bennion at bennion AT seanet DOT com. Seattle North Stake FiresideI will be speaking February 26 at 7pm at the Seattle North Stake, 5701 8th Ave NE, Seattle 98105 on “The Early Mormon Conquest of Death.” The talk will be designed primarily for an LDS audience and will be followed by a Q&A. Diagnosing HistoryIn this guest post at Religion in American History, I describe the relationships between my work as a physician, medical researcher, and historian. Feedback with Dave CawleyIn this interview for Feedback with Dave Cawley, we discuss the delicate balance required to write Mormon history that is fair to Mormons and fair to interested outsiders. We also explore some of the ideas and beliefs that Mormons shared or rejected with their neighbors in early America. Patheos: “Sorry, Grim Reaper–Families are Forever”Ben Park at Patheos writes,
Religion in American HistoryAt the Religion in American History blog, historian John G. Turner praised In Heaven as “a rich and persuasive reinterpretation of Joseph Smith’s most significant theological and ritual innovations.” Contextualizing early Mormon beliefsIn Heaven tried not only to think through the big problem of explaining death but also to make sense of early Mormonism for outsiders. In this post on the Oxford UP blog, I contextualize two of the beliefs currently circulating in the media. On Doug Wright’s Everday Lives, Everyday Values on KSL radioSunday, January 15, around 9:05 am, tune in to KSL’s live feed to hear a discussion with Doug Wright about In Heaven. The show has archived our interview. The interview starts around 04:07 in the MP3 file. CW Pick for City WeeklyCity Weekly has a very gracious review and designated the book a “CW Pick”: In Heaven is “compelling new book” and “a detailed piece of social history.” Video from Benchmark ReadingThe Benchmark crew have graciously provided video footage from the book talk I gave on January 10. |
   
Samuel Brown—ICU physician, medical researcher, and cultural historian—is Assistant Professor of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine and Division Associate in Medical Ethics and Humanities at Intermountain Medical Center/University of Utah. Trained at Harvard College and Harvard Medical School, Dr. Brown researches and writes at the interfaces among medicine, religion, culture, and history. 
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