Grant H. Palmer
Grant Hart Palmer (August 17, 1940 – September 25, 2017) spent thirty-four years in the LDS Church Education System, teaching institute and seminary, and served as a chaplain at the Salt Lake County jail for thirteen years. In 2002 Signature Books published Grant’s book, An Insider’s View of Mormon Origins, in which Grant scrutinized many of Mormonism’s foundational stories. Grant went on to publish two additional books, The Incomparable Christ in 2005, and Restoring Christ: Leaving Mormon Jesus for Jesus of the Gospels.
Biography
Palmer received his
Palmer's wife died of cancer in late 1992.
Career
Initially Palmer was hired to teach history at the
During this time the infamous
After completing his long-coming manuscript, he published the controversial book An Insider's View of Mormon Origins with Signature Books in 2002, in which Palmer challenged the orthodox teachings of Mormonism's beginnings. Palmer's prison teaching led him to write another book, The Incomparable Jesus, published by Greg Kofford Books in 2005.[7]
In 2003 An Insider's View was criticized by BYU's
Church discipline and resignation
Palmer asserts that he was
Palmer concluded that while he liked many of the teachings of
Palmer argues also that the '
At the time of his disfellowshipment, Palmer stated that he still loved the church, and was pleased he was not excommunicated. He also stated that he no longer attended church meetings specifically to avoid offending other members with his opinions as well as due to his rejection of standard LDS beliefs.[11]
In 2010, Palmer resigned his membership in the LDS Church.[12]
Afterward
Critics of the LDS Church, and Palmer himself, have compared the disfellowshipment of Grant Palmer to the
In May 2006, a four-part interview of Grant Palmer was featured on
In 2008 Palmer wrote an article in The Salt Lake Tribune comparing the Mormon and Catholic Churches to the Pharisees, whose observance of strict laws and oral traditions was decried by Jesus. Palmer believed that, instead, a true belief in Christian religion is centered in individually becoming good and loving people.[16]
Palmer stated in a
After learning that Palmer had terminal cancer, John Dehlin promptly announced on February 3, 2017 that the Open Stories Foundation would organize an event to celebrate the life and works of Palmer, tentatively scheduled for February 15.[18] He died on September 25, 2017.[19]
Publications
- Palmer, Grant H. (May 1968). "The Godbeite Movement: A Dissent Against Temporal Control". Master's Thesis. Provo, Utah: Department of History, Brigham Young University. Archived from the original on 2011-06-12. Retrieved 2020-01-02.
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(help). - —— (2002). An Insider's View of Mormon Origins. Salt Lake City: ISBN 1-56085-157-0.
- —— (2005). The Incomparable Jesus. Salt Lake City: Greg Kofford Books. ISBN 978-1-58958-092-3.
- —— (March 2007). "The "Born Again" Saint" (PDF). Sunstone(145): 70–71.
- —— (March 1, 2008). "Jesus stressed kind behavior, not rituals, to get to heaven". The Salt Lake Tribune.
- —— (Spring 2010). "Religious Feeling and Truth". Midwestern Journal of Theology: 115–18.
- —— (June 2010). "My Years in the Church Education System, 1967-2001". SignatureBooks.com. Signature Books. Archived from the original on 2014-03-02.
- —— (June 2010). "Notes on 'The Golden Pot'". SignatureBooks.com. Signature Books. Archived from the original on 2014-03-02.
- —— (Fall–Winter 2012). "Why William and Jane Law Left the LDS Church in 1844". John Whitmer Historical Association Journal. 32 (2): 43–51.
- —— (Fall–Winter 2012). "Did Joseph Smith Commit Treason in His Quest for Political Empire in 1844?". John Whitmer Historical Association Journal. 32 (2): 52–58.
- —— (July 18, 2017). "Restoring Christ: Leaving Mormon Jesus for Jesus of the Gospels".
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References
- ^ Palmer, Grant H. (May 1968). "The Godbeite Movement: A Dissent Against Temporal Control". Master's Thesis. Provo, Utah: Brigham Young University. Archived from the original on 2011-08-07. Retrieved 2012-02-26.
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(help) - ^ a b c d e Palmer, Grant H. "My Years in the Church Education System, 1967-2001". Signature Books. Archived from the original on 2012-05-30. Retrieved 2012-02-26.
- ^ Connie's maiden name from her father's obituary. "Obituary: Que H. Christensen". Deseret News. November 8, 2005. Retrieved 2012-02-26.
- Sunstone(145): 70–71. Retrieved 2012-02-26.
- ^ "Grant Hart Palmer - Larkin Mortuary". Archived from the original on 2017-09-26.
- Marriott Library Special Collections. University of Utah. 2007. Archived from the originalon 2012-07-08. Retrieved 2012-02-26.
- ^ OCLC 62090740
- ^ "An Insider's View of Mormon Origins". Signature Books. Archived from the original on 2012-02-22. Retrieved 2012-02-26.
- ^ "Table of contents". FARMS Review. 15 (2). Provo, Utah: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies. Retrieved 2012-02-26.
- S2CID 164225002. Retrieved 2012-02-26.
- ^ a b Rich Rasmussen (April 21, 2011). "Episode 130: Grant Palmer, Interview with". Provo, Utah: Mormon Expression. Retrieved 2012-02-26.
- ^ Grant H. Palmer, "Timeline of Events for Grant Palmer and the LDS Church", mormonthink.com.
- ^ Mormon Stories. Retrieved 2012-02-26.
- Mormon Stories. Retrieved 2012-02-26.
- ^ Banack, Dave (May 1, 2007). "Who's Who on 'The Mormons'". Dave's Mormon Inquiry. Retrieved 2012-02-26.
- ^ Palmer, Grant (March 1, 2008). "Jesus stressed kind behavior, not rituals, to get to heaven". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved 2012-02-26.
- ^ Dehlin, John (February 26, 2012). "324-326: Grant Palmer Returns to Discuss Sexual Allegations Against Joseph Smith, William and Jane Law, and His Resignation". mormonstories.com. Retrieved 2012-02-26.
- ^ "A Celebration of the Life and Work of Grant Palmer". Mormon Stories. 2017-02-03. Retrieved 2017-02-06.
- ^ Mims, Bob (August 28, 2017). "Grant Palmer, who wrote a landmark insider's critique of Mormonism's beginnings, dies at 77". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved 2018-04-01.
External links
- The Grant H. Palmer Papers housed at the Marriott LibrarySpecial Collections
- "Links to the disfellowship of Grant Palmer"
- Commentary and numerous articles about the Palmer incident, assembled by Mel Tungate
- Mormon Think article about Grant H. Palmer
- Multi-media
- Mormon Stories
- Sexual Allegations Against Joseph Smith: Interview with Grant Palmer, Part 1, Polygamy: What Love Is This?, May 17, 2012
- Treason Allegations Against Joseph Smith: Interview with Grant Palmer, Part 2, Polygamy: What Love Is This?, May 24, 2012
- Uncut Interview with Grant Palmer, Sacred Groves Online (Main Street Church), August 16, 2012
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