Ryan Reeder
History 390R
Derr and Esplin
March 12, 2001
1. How was the Church generally considered from within and without regarding the ideas of progressivism? Many of the Church's ideas corresponded with aspects of the progressive movement. For example, the Word of Wisdom paralleled ideas of prohibition. Utah even had an anti-cigarette movement for a while. Yet the Word of Wisdom wasn't clearly emphasized until the administration of President Grant. Could an emphasis at this time when earlier administrations had not emphasized the Word of Wisdom as much be a result of a progressive movement within the Church, supported by President Grant? Other examples, such as the advancement of the race, temporal gains in the workplace, and the rights of women and minorities also find their parallels in the teachings of the Church. Were these ideas that the Church had held for some time and were adopted by the progressive movement? How much did progressive platforms influence the policies and programs of the Church?
2. How was the doctrine of a temporal political kingdom of God in the Church modified as the Church adopted a policy of separation of Church and State? How were the elections of George Q. Cannon, B. H. Roberts, Reed Smoot and other Church leaders viewed in this context? Fifty years later, how was Ezra Taft Benson's appointment to the cabinet viewed? How did these views compare?
3. How were intermanifesto polygamous marriages conducted and perceived (1890-1904)? What about marriages after 1904? How often did these marriages have the approval and consent of the President of the Church? Were there differences between marriages in Utah and those in Canada and Mexico? What was the role of the Reed Smoot hearings in the final divorce of the Church with the practice of polygamy, to the point that those who practiced were excommunicated?
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