The emergence and development of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Staffordshire, 1839-1870
This thesis analyses the emergence, development and subsequent decline of the LDS Church in Staffordshire between 1839 and 1870 as an original contribution to nineteenthâcentury British regional and religious history. I begin by examining the origins of the US Mormon Mission to Britain and a social historical study of the Staffordshire religious and industrial landscape. In order to recover the hidden voices of Staffordshire Mormon converts, I have constructed a unique Staffordshire Mormon Database for the purposes of this thesis containing over 1,900 records. This is drawn upon throughout, providing the primary quantitative evidence for this fascinating yet neglected new religious movement. From the data I explore the demographic composition of Staffordshire Mormonism using a more precise definition of class than has been the case previously, whilst also considering gender and age variables of Mormon converts. Subsequent chapters explore the qualitative dimensions of the conversion experience as a dynamic rather than eventâbased process, the demands of Church membership and commitment, the formal and informal institutional structure of the LDS Church and the hazards of emigration to the US in order to
Morris, David Michael
The emergence and development of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Staffordshire, 1839-1870. This thesis analyses the emergence, development and subsequent decline of the LDS Church in Staffordshire between 1839 and 1870 as an original contribution to nineteenthâcentury British regional and religious history. I begin by examining the origins of the US Mormon Mission to Britain and a social historical study of the Staffordshire religious and industrial landscape. In order to recover the hidden voices of Staffordshire Mormon converts, I have constructed a unique Staffordshire Mormon Database for the purposes of this thesis containing over 1,900 records. This is drawn upon throughout, providing the primary quantitative evidence for this fascinating yet neglected new religious movement. From the data I explore the demographic composition of Staffordshire Mormonism using a more precise definition of class than has been the case previously, whilst also considering gender and age variables of Mormon converts. Subsequent chapters explore the qualitative dimensions of the conversion experience as a dynamic rather than eventâbased process, the demands of Church membership and commitment, the formal and informal institutional structure of the LDS Church and the hazards of emigration to the US in order to
emergence_development church jesus christ latter day saints staffordshire analysis emergence_development subsequent_decline church staffordshire british regional religious history begin_examine origin mormon mission britain social historical_study staffordshire religious industrial landscape order recover hidden voice staffordshire mormon convert construct unique staffordshire mormon database purpose contain record drawn_upon throughout provide primary quantitative_evidence fascinate yet neglect new religious_movement data explore demographic composition staffordshire use precise definition class case previously whilst_also consider gender_age variable mormon convert subsequent explore qualitative dimension conversion experience dynamic rather event base process demand church membership commitment formal_informal institutional_structure church hazard emigration order