Jan Shipps
Encyclopedia
Jo Ann Barnett "Jan" Shipps (born 1929) is an American historian specializing in Mormon
History, particularly in the latter half of the 20th century to the present. Shipps is generally regarded as the foremost non-Mormon scholar of the Latter Day Saint movement
, having given particular attention to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Her first book on the subject was Mormonism: The Story of a New Religious Tradition published by the University of Illinois Press
. Recently, The University of Illinois Press published her book Sojourner in the Promised Land: Forty Years Among the Mormons, in which she interweaves her own history of Mormon-watching with 16 essays on Mormon history and culture.
for many years and is now professor emeritus of history and religious studies. Her interest in Mormonism was sparked when she lived briefly with her young family in Logan, Utah
in the 1950s, graduating from Utah State University
in 1961. A lifelong practicing Methodist, Shipps is widely respected in Mormon
historical circles, as well as secular historical circles, for her ability to understand Mormonism
on its own terms while maintaining sufficient distance as an outsider. Shipps served as a senior editor of The Journals of William McLellin, 1831-1836, the earliest extended account of the Mormon experience. She was the first non-Mormon and the first woman elected president of the Mormon History Association
. Her articles about the Latter-day Saints have been published in a number of both academic and popular journals, and she speaks frequently about Mormonism to both Mormon and non-Mormon audiences.
for the various churches and movements that trace their origins back to Joseph Smith, Jr. Her scholarship has brought attention to the "doughnut syndrome"; cases where histories of the Western United States ignore or give superficial treatment to the history of Utah
territory, Mormonism and Mormon colonization. This syndrome, Shipps argues, may be due to the fact that Utah and Mormon history is dramatically different from the settlement of the rest of the West. While Western history usually emphasizes the individualistic, universalistic nature of early Western U.S. society, the settlement of the Utah Territory was characterized by ordered and communal societies.
to local stakes anywhere in the world as spiritual, cultural and physical gathering points.
Since retiring from her career as a professor, Shipps continues to write about Mormon history and consults with journalists about news on Mormonism
. In 2005 she gave a paper on Mormonism as a global religion at a conference commemorating Mormonism's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr., held at the Library of Congress
. She also keynoted an April 2007 conference in Arkansas honoring early Mormon apostle Parley P. Pratt
. The conference marked the sesquicentennial of Pratt's 1857 murder and the bicentennial of Pratt's birth.
(1979–80), the John Whitmer Historical Association
(2004–05) and the American Society of Church History
(2006).
As editor:
Collections:
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
History, particularly in the latter half of the 20th century to the present. Shipps is generally regarded as the foremost non-Mormon scholar of the Latter Day Saint movement
Latter Day Saint movement
The Latter Day Saint movement is a group of independent churches tracing their origin to a Christian primitivist movement founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. in the late 1820s. Collectively, these churches have over 14 million members...
, having given particular attention to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Her first book on the subject was Mormonism: The Story of a New Religious Tradition published by the University of Illinois Press
University of Illinois Press
The University of Illinois Press , is a major American university press and part of the University of Illinois system. Founded in 1918, the press publishes some 120 new books each year, plus 33 scholarly journals, and several electronic projects...
. Recently, The University of Illinois Press published her book Sojourner in the Promised Land: Forty Years Among the Mormons, in which she interweaves her own history of Mormon-watching with 16 essays on Mormon history and culture.
Career as a scholar
Shipps has a Ph.D. in history. She taught at Indiana University-Purdue University IndianapolisIndiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis
Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis is an urban campus of Indiana University and Purdue University in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Indiana University is the managing partner...
for many years and is now professor emeritus of history and religious studies. Her interest in Mormonism was sparked when she lived briefly with her young family in Logan, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
in the 1950s, graduating from Utah State University
Utah State University
Utah State University is a public university located in Logan, Utah. It is a land-grant and space-grant institution and is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities....
in 1961. A lifelong practicing Methodist, Shipps is widely respected in Mormon
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
historical circles, as well as secular historical circles, for her ability to understand Mormonism
Mormonism
Mormonism is the religion practiced by Mormons, and is the predominant religious tradition of the Latter Day Saint movement. This movement was founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. beginning in the 1820s as a form of Christian primitivism. During the 1830s and 1840s, Mormonism gradually distinguished itself...
on its own terms while maintaining sufficient distance as an outsider. Shipps served as a senior editor of The Journals of William McLellin, 1831-1836, the earliest extended account of the Mormon experience. She was the first non-Mormon and the first woman elected president of the Mormon History Association
Mormon History Association
The Mormon History Association is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to the study and understanding of all aspects of Mormon history to promote understanding, scholarly research, and publication in the field...
. Her articles about the Latter-day Saints have been published in a number of both academic and popular journals, and she speaks frequently about Mormonism to both Mormon and non-Mormon audiences.
Theories and Arguments
Shipps has studied how perceptions of Mormons have changed over time and the process by which Latter-day Saints have gained a sense of distinctive self identity. She has established academic standards for the use of the terms Latter Day Saint, Latter-day Saint and MormonMormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
for the various churches and movements that trace their origins back to Joseph Smith, Jr. Her scholarship has brought attention to the "doughnut syndrome"; cases where histories of the Western United States ignore or give superficial treatment to the history of Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
territory, Mormonism and Mormon colonization. This syndrome, Shipps argues, may be due to the fact that Utah and Mormon history is dramatically different from the settlement of the rest of the West. While Western history usually emphasizes the individualistic, universalistic nature of early Western U.S. society, the settlement of the Utah Territory was characterized by ordered and communal societies.
Recent Contributions
In her 2000 book Sojourner in the Promised Land: Forty Years Among the Mormons, Shipps documents what she calls, "the gathering of the scattered and the scattering of the gathering". Shipps details how the LDS church changed its central gathering point from UtahUtah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
to local stakes anywhere in the world as spiritual, cultural and physical gathering points.
Since retiring from her career as a professor, Shipps continues to write about Mormon history and consults with journalists about news on Mormonism
Mormonism
Mormonism is the religion practiced by Mormons, and is the predominant religious tradition of the Latter Day Saint movement. This movement was founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. beginning in the 1820s as a form of Christian primitivism. During the 1830s and 1840s, Mormonism gradually distinguished itself...
. In 2005 she gave a paper on Mormonism as a global religion at a conference commemorating Mormonism's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr., held at the Library of Congress
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
. She also keynoted an April 2007 conference in Arkansas honoring early Mormon apostle Parley P. Pratt
Parley P. Pratt
Parley Parker Pratt, Sr. was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of Quorum of the Twelve Apostles from 1835 until his murder in 1857. He served in the Quorum with his younger brother, Orson Pratt...
. The conference marked the sesquicentennial of Pratt's 1857 murder and the bicentennial of Pratt's birth.
Scholarly Associations
Shipps has long been an avid promoter of scholarly associations. She has served as president of the Mormon History AssociationMormon History Association
The Mormon History Association is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to the study and understanding of all aspects of Mormon history to promote understanding, scholarly research, and publication in the field...
(1979–80), the John Whitmer Historical Association
John Whitmer Historical Association
The John Whitmer Historical Association "is an independent scholarly society composed of individuals of various religious faiths who share a lively interest in ......
(2004–05) and the American Society of Church History
American Society of Church History
The American Society of Church History was founded in 1888 with the disciplines of Christian denominational and ecclesiastical history as its focus. Today the society's interests include the broad range of the critical scholarly perspectives, as applied to the history of Christianity and its...
(2006).
Publications
As author:- Mormonism: The Story of a New Religious Tradition. 1987. ISBN 0-252-01417-0
- Sojourner in the Promised Land: Forty Years among the Mormons. 2000. ISBN 0-252-02590-3 – collected essays
As editor:
- with Welch, John W.John W. WelchJohn Woodland "Jack" Welch is an LDS law and religion scholar who currently teaches at the J. Reuben Clark Law School at Brigham Young University .- Biography :...
The Journal of William E. McLellin, 1831-1836. 1994. - with Silk, Mark. Religion and Public Life in the Mountain West: Sacred Landscapes in Transition (Religion by Region Series, #2). 2004. ISBN 0-7591-0626-6
Collections:
- Howard R. Lamar, Richard L. Bushman, Donald Worster, Jan Shipps. Collected Leonard J. Arrington Mormon History Lectures. Merrill Library, 2004.
- Gerald D. Nash, Eugene EnglandEugene EnglandGeorge Eugene England, Jr. , usually credited as Eugene England, was a Mormon writer, teacher, and scholar. He founded Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, the oldest independent journal in Mormon Studies, with G. Wesley Johnson in 1966 and cofounded the Association for Mormon Letters in 1976...
, Dean L. MayDean L. MayDean Lowe May was an American academic, author and documentary filmmaker and professor of History at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah. May specialized in nineteenth- and twentieth-century social and cultural history of the American West through the study of community and family...
, Jan Shipps, James B. AllenJames B. Allen (historian)James Brown "Jim" Allen is an American historian of Mormonism and was an official Assistant Church Historian of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1972–1979.-Biography:...
. Twentieth Century American West: Contributions to an Understanding. 1994.