Encyclopedia of Mormonism
The original authors of the Encyclopedia of Mormonism have updated many of the articles in this publication. Please visit their wiki to find and read updated versions of the Encyclopedia of Mormonism articles.
Welcome to the Encyclopedia of Mormonism. The idea for this reference work began with an inquiry from Macmillan in 1987, when Charles Smith approached Professor S. Kent Brown at Brigham Young University (the two knew each other from working together on the Coptic Encyclopedia). Following a successful meeting with BYU President Jeffrey R. Holland, a publication agreement was negotiated, and in 1988 a Board of Editors, with Daniel H. Ludlow as Editor-in-Chief, was appointed. Three years later, the Encyclopedia appeared, bearing a 1992 publication date. It remains the most encyclopedic coverage of Mormonism ever produced.
Macmillan advised the Board of Editors to produce a work that would still be useful 50 years later. Accordingly, the articles in the Encyclopedia broadly cover the basic elements and enduring features of Mormon history, doctrine, scripture, organization, and culture. The Encyclopedia aims to provide information, stimulate further discussion, and open the way for inspiration. In order to reflect more than the views of a small number of academicians, the Encyclopedia draws upon 750 authors, and no author wrote more than three of its articles. It also includes many informative appendices and a unique synoptic outline.
Among the reviews published about the Encyclopedia, the prestigious Library Journal gave the following praise, “A tremendous amount of material is presented here, and one of the outstanding strengths of the set is access to the material through the combination of the [synoptic] outline, cross references, and index. With this trio, one could hardly fail to find a fact or thoroughly research a related topic. Another factor that makes this an important resource is that the vast majority of the contributors are themselves Latter-day Saints. Seeing the Mormons and their tradition through their own eyes, readers gain insight into Mormon self-understanding… . It is outstanding in form and substance, and demands a place in public and academic collections.”
Hard copies of the Encyclopedia are no longer available. It appears here on the web in full, searchable form, complete with original pagination and illustrations, free of charge. Its entries will be occasionally updated, especially the bibliographies at the end of each article.
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“Those who have written and edited [the Encyclopedia of Mormonism] have only tried to explain their understanding of Church history, doctrines, and procedures; their statements and opinions remain their own. The Encyclopedia of Mormonism is a joint product of Brigham Young University and Macmillan Publishing Company, and its contents do not necessarily represent the official position of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.” - Daniel H. Ludlow