438 - Universal History: The American Religion: Making Way for Mormonism
About this episode
This episode discusses early Mormonism within the context of American religious history, exploring themes of folk magic and restorationism.
Magical beginnings, secular endings. In this episode of Universal History, Deacon Seraphim Rohlin and I start a discussion about early Mormonism (or rather, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) within the broader context of American religious history. We look at the enchanted religious world of early America — folk magic, treasure seeking, restorationism, the Melchizedek priesthood — and how these patterns shaped movements like Mormonism. We also reflect on the recurring American impulse to “restore” a lost spiritual authority, and the impulse to, on the other hand, make all things respectably secular. This is episode 4 of our Universal History series on the American religion. Watch it here on YouTube: Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVX4HUUPrIY_U0msyBRVpwCI_srzn3tjL Episode 1: https://youtu.be/htXHJ1WRSAg Episode 2: https://youtu.be/o9rMy6lde0c Episode 3: https://youtu.be/0_RKBPaQAyk Episode 4: https://youtu.be/ZopvdgYe-UA === Join us for the Symbolic World Summit 2026! Speakers include Fr. Josiah Trenham, Mary Harrington, Dn. Seraphim Rohlin, myself, and others. Date: May 14-16 Place: Broadview Heights, OH Buy your tickets now and get $50 off with…
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