Dr. Matthew Bowman has just released a new biography on Joseph Fielding Smith. Bowman is the Howard W. Hunter Chair of Mormon Studies at Claremont Graduate University in Claremont, California. The Mormon Studies chair Bowman holds at Claremont Graduate University is the oldest in the country, having been established over 15 years ago. Bowman is the third person to hold the chair, following Richard Bushman and Patrick Mason. Patrick Mason left Claremont to take the chair at Utah State University.

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Other Mormon studies chairs exist at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley (held by Deidre J Green), and the University of Virginia. Although not directly affiliated with Claremont, the late Jan Shipps is credited with making the study of the Mormon tradition a legitimate academic pursuit for those outside the tradition, enabling universities like Claremont without historical ties to Mormonism to establish such a chair. Before the endowed chair, Anne Taves, a professor interested in Mormonism, taught American religious history at CGU, and Armand Mauss was involved in fundraising and occasionally taught classes.

Bowman is also involved in the “Introductions to Mormon Thought” book series, which he co-edits with Joseph Spencer. Published by the University of Illinois, the series aims to stimulate the growth of Mormon intellectual history through accessible introductory volumes on important Mormon thinkers. The series broadly defines “Mormon thinkers” to include artists like CCA Christensen and Minerva Teichert, alongside more traditional intellectuals. The books are intended to be short, accessible, and explore how these individuals influenced how members of the Mormon tradition understood themselves. The series uses the term “Mormon” intentionally broadly to encompass all denominations and movements originating from Joseph Smith’s work, including fundamentalist Mormons and figures from the Community of Christ. While initially planned for 10-15 books, the series is doing well and is expected to continue. Other volumes in the series cover figures such as Eugene England (by Christine Hagund), Vardis Fisher (by Mike Austin), Sonia Johnson (by Chris Talbot), Lowell Bennion (by George Handley), Hugh Nibley (by Joseph Spencer), and Richard Bushman (by JB Haws). A future volume is planned on Eliza R. Snow (by Deidre Green), and Bowman hopes for one on Sheri Dew.

Bowman chose to write his book in the series about Joseph Fielding Smith, though his initial interest was in Bruce R. McConkie. He agreed to write about Smith instead to secure another author’s participation in the series. Bowman views Joseph Fielding Smith as Bruce R. McConkie’s intellectual parent and considers him the most significant LDS theologian of the 20^th century, leaving a deeper and more persistent mark than others like James E. Talmage. While McConkie was influential, Bowman sees him more as a systematizer of his father-in-law’s ideas rather than being an original. Other significant 20^th/21^st-century Mormon thinkers mentioned include B.H. Roberts, Margarita Bautista, Sheri Dew, and Leverne Parmley..

A significant fact about Joseph Fielding Smith is that he was the grandson of Hyrum Smith and the son of Joseph F. Smith. Bowman emphasizes that being a “Smith” was incredibly important to Fielding Smith, shaping his sense of duty and responsibility to continue his family’s work. His memories of his father and uncle’s violent deaths and his father’s need to hide from federal marshals profoundly influenced him, fostering a sense of defensiveness and a perception that the world was hostile and persecuted the family for their beliefs. This background deeply marked his legacy and understanding of his life’s mission.

Bowman suggests that Joseph Fielding Smith contributed significantly to fostering a “circle the wagons mentality” within the church. Unlike figures such as John A. Widtsoe and B.H. Roberts, who sought dialogue with the outside world, Fielding Smith saw it as threatening and believed his job was to defend the church against those trying to destroy the truth. This defensive posture spread among his followers and readers, increasingly becoming the church’s general mentality, perhaps starting earlier than often assumed, possibly in the 1930s with his opposition to evolution. This opposition led to public disagreements, including with James E. Talmage, who endorsed the idea of an older earth.

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Gospel Tangents

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Except for book reviews, no content may be reproduced without written permission.