A Rebellious Spirit

In his new biography, Brigham Young: Sovereign in America, David Mason explains that early Mormonism had roots in the Protestant tradition: both Presbyterian and Methodist practices influenced the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In this podcast interview with Chapter 16, Mason also considers the relationship between Young and Mormon founder Joseph Smith, who admired Young for bringing a heightened sense of spirituality to the young church. Young spurred the community to move west because he associated their own migration with the wanderings of biblical Hebrews, and he viewed the new frontier as a promised land.

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Stephen Usery is the producer of Book Talk, an author-interview program that airs daily on WYPL FM 89.3 and is sponsored by the Memphis Public Library. Usery also produces Mysterypod, an independent podcast focused on mysteries, thrillers, and crime novels. He lives in Memphis.