A night with Jan Shipps

Last Friday night my Bishop and his wife invited me to their house to have dinner with them and their special guest, Jan Shipps. I had read her first major book, called Mormonism: The Story of a New Religious Tradition, for a couple of classes at BYU as well as some of her articles. She also helped edit the Journals of William E. McLellin which I used extensively for the John Johnson Home Site Guide I helped with. She has been president of the Mormon History Association and gave a paper on Mormonism at a conference commemorating, Joseph Smith, Jr., held at the Library of Congress in 2005.

Her newest book is entitled Sojourner in the Promised Land: Forty Years among the Mormons. Puzzled by that last title? Here's the kicker -- Jan Shipps is not a Mormon. She is actually a lifelong Methodist, but during the 1950s she lived briefly in Logan, Utah. There she became fascinated with the Mormons - their religion, culture, and place within the greater American religious context. She never looked back. She has been studying the Mormons ever since.

Her husband Tony also came to dinner as well as other historians John Hamer and Jean Addams. When I was first introduced to John I knew I recognized his name from somewhere. My bishop then told me he has been studying all the Mormon schismatic groups which jogged my memory. I remembered him as the author of this book:

The group of us talked a little before dinner - of course about church history topics. Jean has studied the Hedrickite Church (or he Church of Christ (Temple Lot)) so we talked a little about them. We covered everything from the soon to be non-existent office of church patriarch, to Emma Smith, to Utah mining.



It was definitely a different experience talking about church practices, offices, priesthood, and history with people who don't believe in the faith, yet most likely know more about these topics than 99% of church members. It was also a little out of the ordinary to have to distinguish which church I was talking about with each comment. LDS? FLDS? RLDS? Hedrickites?


They were all so sweet and fun to talk to. At dinner John asked me what topics I'm interested in studying and encouraged me to write a paper and attend the John Whitmer Historical Association meeting this year. He's actually one of their Exec. Directors and helped start their new press. Jan Shipps asked me what my plans were for more schooling. I must admit I felt a little sheepish not really knowing exactly what I wanted to do. I mentioned possibly getting a masters degree in Library Science and Archives. At this Jan's husband, Tony, spoke up. He has an MLIS degree and worked in libraries for years. I told him I wasn't sure about it because I didn't want to work in a public library. He gave some really good advice, and put me in my place, when he told me, "Well, you don't always get to do what you want." Very true. Sis. Marsh and Jan then encouraged me to maybe take some classes at the U.

After dinner Jeremy and I went into the living room with Jan and her dog, Mr. Darcy :). We talked for probably an hour and a half, just the three of us. She told us about how she got into studying the Mormons, where she went to school, how she paid for school, her family, all the odd jobs she has had, etc. She was very, very interesting to talk to. I even got her to sign my book.

I am so grateful to Sis. Marsh for inviting to me this dinner and giving me the once in a lifetime opportunity to associate with such great Mormon historians in such a close and intimate setting.