Leonard Arrington and the Writing of Mormon History

Leonard Arrington and the Writing of Mormon History chronicles the life and career of Leonard Arrington, who served as the first professional historian of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The biography follows his path from farm boy to celebrated scholar and his decade-long tenure as Church Historian from 1972-1982. Prince draws on Arrington's personal papers, extensive interviews, and Church archives to document his subject's quest to bring academic rigor to Mormon historical scholarship. The book details the creation of the History Division within the Church Historical Department and examines the relationships between historians and Church leadership during a pivotal period. Through Arrington's story, the book traces broader developments in Mormon historiography and institutional dynamics during the latter half of the 20th century. The narrative provides context for ongoing discussions about faith, scholarship, and the role of history in religious institutions. This biography raises fundamental questions about the intersection of religious authority and intellectual freedom, and the challenge of balancing institutional loyalties with academic integrity. The work speaks to enduring tensions between faith traditions and historical inquiry.

Readers describe Prince's biography as thorough but occasionally dry, drawing heavily from Arrington's personal journals and papers. Many note it provides insight into the challenges Arrington faced while serving as LDS Church Historian. Readers appreciated: - Detailed exploration of church politics and bureaucracy - Coverage of tensions between faith-promoting vs objective history - Extensive use of primary sources and research - Balanced treatment of controversial topics Common criticisms: - Writing style can be academic and dense - Too much focus on administrative details - Limited coverage of Arrington's personal life - Some readers wanted more analysis of Arrington's historical works Ratings: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (47 ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (22 ratings) Notable reader comment: "Prince shows how Arrington tried to navigate between writing honest history while maintaining institutional loyalty - a challenge that remains relevant today." - Goodreads reviewer Several Mormon history enthusiasts called it "required reading" for understanding the development of Mormon historiography.

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🔹 Leonard Arrington was the first professional historian to serve as Church Historian of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (1972-1982), marking a significant shift from the previous tradition of having church leaders fill this role. 🔹 The book reveals how Arrington's team discovered and brought to light the Mountain Meadows Massacre documents that had been hidden in the First Presidency's vault for decades. 🔹 Gregory A. Prince conducted over 200 interviews over multiple years to research this biography, including extensive conversations with Arrington's children and colleagues. 🔹 During Arrington's tenure, he established the "History Division" which employed both Mormon and non-Mormon historians, leading to unprecedented scholarly access to church archives. 🔹 The controversy surrounding Arrington's work eventually led to the transfer of the History Division from Church Headquarters to BYU in 1982, marking the end of what many scholars call "Camelot" - a golden age of Mormon historical research.