Blythe, “Terrible Revolution: Latter-day Saints and the American Apocalypse” (Reviewed by Christopher Angulo)

Title: Terrible Revolution: Latter-day Saint and the American Apocalypse.
Author: Christopher James Blythe
Oxford University Press, 2020. 338 pages.

Reviewed by Christopher Angulo, August 2020

I wasn’t sure about purchasing this book when its publication date was announced. I am well-read on the apocalyptic writings within Mormonism, both mainstream and fringe, and did not think that this book would add much depth to my understanding of the subject. I don’t know if it was the heat of the Vegas sun, or being mesmerized by Benjamin West’s painting, Death on a Pale Horse, that graces the cover, but I decided to purchase the book and give it a read. I am glad I did because it proved that my assumptions were sadly mistaken.

From the introduction of the book, I was hooked. In his section on Methodology, Blythe mentions that “[a] key premise of this study is that Mormon narrative theology was crafted and spread not through hierarchical voices alone, but also through missionaries, regional leaders, and lay women and men.” Instead of focusing solely on Mormonism’s elite, such as Joseph Smith, Orson Pratt, Bruce McConkie, etc., Blythe also incorporates the laity’s lived religion to tell Mormonism’s tradition history. Building from the foundation of the likes of William Wilson and Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, and more recently, Tom Mould and Eric Eliason, Blythe integrates a folklorist cultural analysis into this historical study.

The folklore approach was a breath of fresh air. It demonstrated the many tensions between doctrine received and the implementation of the doctrine by a lay member. Blythe illustrates this tension beautifully with a personal experience of his own where a lay person violated the taboo of sharing personal, sacred experiences that confirmed church doctrine. Blythe, his wife and two female friends were on a lunch date. One friend remarked about a lecture she attended where the speaker shared a near death experience. This friend found the experience to be quite spiritual but defended her remarks by stating that none of the speaker’s revelations contradicted official church doctrine. The other friend queried why God would reveal such an experience with the speaker instead of a prophet. “For a moment, our believing friend nervously defended the right of a Latter-day Saint to testify of his or her personal experiences that confirmed church doctrine. The lunch Continued, but both of our friends seemed quieter in the wake of the awkward exchange.”

One of the greatest strengths of this book is that it does not isolate itself to the apocalyptic traditions of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (“the Church”). Blythe analyzes various different sects and schisms within Mormonism that do not fall under the umbrella of the Church. The chapter on the geography of Mormon apocalyptic was fascinating. Mormonism’s emphasis on sacred apocalyptic locations such as the New Jerusalem and Zion, or temple lots where the temples would be constructed for Christ’s imminent return, drove many of Joseph’s followers into different schisms after his death. Blythe also gives voice to various fundamentalists groups and other fringe, or forgotten voices like Julie Rowe. In the end, the inclusion of these many voices creates a better balanced analysis of the apocalyptic tradition within Mormonism.

Though Blythe employs a folklore analysis at times, Blythe also focuses on the elite, or a more traditional scholarly approach to history. A majority of this book focuses on the teachings and doctrines of the leaders and the historical background in which they were received or delivered to the people. Blythe looks at the broader movements within world (i.e., the Civil War and world wars) and within Mormonism (i.e., Joseph Smith’s martyrdom, the invasion of the federal troops in Utah, and the Church’s assimilation into American society) and how that transformed its apocalyptic teachings. The book goes through many popular apocalyptic texts like the White Horse Prophecy, Visions of Glory, Yellow Dog Prophecy, and the Millennial Messiah. The background to these texts enriches one’s appreciation for the texts and, at times, debunks any credibility that they hold. The book does well to dispel many false stories, or faith promoting rumors that have been shared and distributed throughout the years, while confirming others that one may have thought were false. This work is heavily cited and is a treasure trove of sources for those that want to perform further research. I am sure I will refer back to this book many times in the coming years to increase my understanding of other works within Mormonism.

Terrible Revolution was one of the most exciting and well-researched books I’ve read in a while. It is a book that you want to complete in one sitting, but don’t. Instead, you show restraint and space out the reading because you want to savor the history and enjoy it a moment longer (also, because you are wise, you know retention is infinitely better when you space a reading out).

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