Back in 2017, I sat down with Anne Wilde, one of the foremost experts on modern-day polygamy. While I like to call her the First Lady of Fundamentalism, she has lived an incredibly unique life as an Independent Fundamentalist. For 33 years, Anne lived as the secret second wife of Ogden Kraut, a prolific fundamentalist author whose 65 books she personally helped write and edit. From the secret history of Mormon schisms to her own spiritual journey, you won't want to miss this fascinating conversation!

https://youtu.be/LH2zMt27kxM

Don’t miss our other conversations Shannon: https://gospeltangents.com/people/shannon-flynn

Copyright © 2026

Gospel Tangents

All Rights Reserved

Check out a transcript of the interview on Amazon.

Pick up a transcript of our conversation!

Raised in the mainstream LDS Church, Anne later became an "Independent Fundamentalist" and lived for 33 years as the secret second wife of prolific fundamentalist author Ogden Kraut. This sweeping conversation covers everything from the hidden history of Mormon schisms to controversial theology and modern civil rights.

Hidden History of Post-Manifesto Polygamy

Many believe plural marriage ended abruptly with the LDS Church's 1890 Manifesto, but Anne explains it was more like a sunset: "when does it get dark? It's just gradually." She points to an uncanonized 1886 revelation received by Church President John Taylor, which fundamentalists believe declared plural marriage an everlasting covenant that could not be changed. Consequently, polygamy continued underground and in places like Mexico and Canada. It took the 1904 Second Manifesto and the 1933 Third Manifesto—which enforced excommunication for those practicing plural marriage—to create a permanent rift between the mainstream church and fundamentalist groups.

Untangling the Polygamous Sects

One of Anne's main goals is to dispel the myth that all polygamists are the same. She breaks down the diverse landscape of modern polygamy:

The AUB (Apostolic United Brethren): With about 7,500 members, this group has a priesthood council and allows members more free agency in choosing their spouses. (Kody Brown of the TV show Sister Wives comes from this tradition.)

FLDS (Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints): Notorious for the extreme one-man rule of Warren Jeffs, this group practices arranged marriages and strict dress codes. Anne notes that Jeffs' oppressive control and habit of splitting up families has caused their numbers to plummet. Since he went to prison, the numbers are about 10% of what they were.

Centennial Park: A breakaway group of about 2,000 members who separated from the FLDS because they wanted a priesthood council rather than a one-man dictatorship.

Ervil LeBaron: Anne also discusses dangerous outliers like Ervil LeBaron, a militant polygamist who claimed his own priesthood authority and became an assassin responsible for roughly 20 deaths, including that of AUB leader Rulon Allred.

Independent Fundamentalists: Anne identifies with this category—believers who adhere to early doctrines and plural marriage but choose not to affiliate with any centralized sect.

Surprising Stances on Gay Marriage

Despite their conservative theology, Anne reveals that many fundamentalists support the legalization of gay marriage. Viewing it through the lens of civil rights, she argues that if polygamists want the government to decriminalize their own family structures, they must grant the same free agency to the LGBTQ+ community. She also expressed deep disappointment with the LDS Church's 2015 policy that temporarily barred the children of gay parents from being baptized, feeling it wrongly punished children.

Anne Wilde's Controversial Theology: Was Jesus a Polygamist?

Anne Wilde and her late husband, Ogden Kraut, authored numerous books, including a highly popular 1969 text arguing that Jesus Christ was a polygamist. She suggests that the wedding feast at Cana was actually Christ's own wedding, and that he was married to at least Mary, Martha, and Mary Magdalene. She also tackles difficult aspects of Doctrine and Covenants Section 132, such as the "Law of Sarah," which ideally requires a first wife's consent for subsequent marriages. However, Anne notes that if a first wife adamantly refuses to consent to a priesthood law, the husband is exempt from her approval and can marry anyway. Furthermore, she interprets the scriptural mentions of "concubines" not as sex slaves, but as lesser, non-covenant wives permitted by the customs of the era.

Advocacy and the 2002 Olympics

After living in secret for decades, Anne stepped into the public eye ahead of the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics. Tired of seeing only bitter ex-members defining the narrative around plural marriage, Anne co-founded an advocacy group called "Principle Voices". During the Olympics, they provided hundreds of press packets and fielded interviews with global media to offer a positive perspective on the lifestyle and to clearly distinguish themselves from the abuses of the FLDS church. Ultimately, Anne’s story is a call for understanding. Whether you agree with her lifestyle or not, her experiences provide a rare, inside look at a marginalized community deeply woven into the fabric of Mormon history.

Questions to ponder:

1. In what ways do the civil rights struggles of polygamists align with those of the LGBTQ+ community?

2. Why is it important to recognize the structural and cultural differences between various polygamous sects?

3. How does the "Law of Sarah" impact the balance of agency and power within a plural marriage?

4. What role does media representation play in shaping the narrative of marginalized or secretive religious communities?

Don’t miss our other conversations Shannon: https://gospeltangents.com/people/shannon-flynn

Copyright © 2026

Gospel Tangents

All Rights Reserved

Check out a transcript of the interview on Amazon.

Shannon Flynn was a former close associate of the notorious Mormon forger and bomber, Mark Hofmann. Recorded before Flynn’s 2021 passing, this conversation provides a chilling, up-close look at Hofmann's methods, his personality, and the desperate unraveling that led to two murders. We'll get up close and personal and discuss this crazy chapter of Mormon History.

https://youtu.be/9QcITtuSxLo

Don’t miss our other conversations Shannon: https://gospeltangents.com/people/shannon-flynn

Copyright © 2026

Gospel Tangents

All Rights Reserved

Check out a transcript of the interview on Amazon.

Mark Hofmann's Beginnings

The Origins of a Forger (Early Life & Coins): Hofmann’s life of deception began long before he forged church documents; he started electroplating fake mint marks onto coins at just 12 years old. Flynn reveals that Mark Hofmann successfully fooled experts for years, though a simple block of dry ice would cause the forged mint marks to flake right off.

Fabricating Provenance (The "Oath of a Freeman"): Flynn details the ingenious ways Mark Hofmann established legitimate backstories for his fake documents. For the highly valuable "Oath of a Freeman," Hofmann slipped a forged copy into a stack of pamphlets at a massive New York bookstore, took it to the register, and obtained a genuine receipt to prove where he "found" it.

Mastering the Art of Deception (Forgery Techniques): Mark Hofmann's historical research and chemical techniques were unprecedented. He would steal blank flyleaves from 19th-century books at the University of Utah and BYU so the paper would pass carbon dating. To age the ink instantly, he placed documents in a fish tank with an old electric train motor, using the ozone (O3) to oxidize the ink. This technique eventually led to his downfall, as the rapid drying caused the ink to crack—a telltale sign investigators later used against him.

Beating the Polygraph: Despite murdering two people and fabricating dozens of documents, Mark Hofmann passed a polygraph test with a highly truthful score of +14. Flynn explains that Hofmann had a genius-level IQ of 137 and used intense self-hypnosis and biofeedback—skills he learned from a hypnotist at age 13—to suppress his physical stress responses.

Police Coercion and Flynn’s Arrest: Flynn was briefly caught up in the investigation and was arrested for possessing an unregistered automatic weapon that actually belonged to Hofmann. Flynn vividly recounts how the police lied to the media about finding a "bomb factory" in his storage unit, which initially made Flynn believe that the police were framing Hofmann for the bombings too.

The Murders and Mark Hofmann's Unraveling: Hofmann operated heavily on a "forgery on demand" basis, constantly producing documents to put out financial fires. The pressure reached a breaking point when a $185,000 bank loan for the nonexistent "McLellin collection" came due. Hofmann built pipe bombs to kill Steve Christensen and Kathy Sheets purely to buy himself time and distract investigators. The third bomb, which injured Hofmann himself, was likely triggered in a moment of desperation as he realized his web of lies had trapped him.

Life in Prison & Church Fallout: Flynn visited Mark Hofmann several times in prison during the early 1990s, noting that Hofmann had fully adapted to convict life and still practiced self-hypnosis daily. Flynn also addresses the faith crises many experienced over the Hofmann saga, arguing that it is unreasonable to leave the LDS Church just because its leaders failed to detect the forgeries, pointing out that general authorities "don't have magic powers."

00:00 Introduction

01:39 How Shannon Met Mark

02:32 Mark's Early Forgery Career - Coins

09:07 Shannon's Work with Mark

11:33 Oath of a Freeman Forgery

16:57 Mark's Legitimate Collecting & Financial Dealings

20:31 McLellin Collection Scheme & First Interstate Bank Loan

25:12 Mark's Personality

27:57 Beating the Polygraph

51:49 Shannon's Arrest & Jail Time

1:02:09 The Bombings - Initial Response

1:32:03 Document Forgery Techniques - Paper & Ink

1:38:04 Advanced Forgery Methods - Oxidation & Cracking

1:23:16 Bombing Motives & Third Bomb

1:11:20 Mark's Production to Demand Strategy

1:15:45 Impact on LDS Scholarship

1:43:40 Prison Life & Suicide Attempt

1:46:05 Shannon's Prison Visits & Correspondence

1:57:28 Legal Strategy & Plea Agreement

1:40:03 Parole Hearing & Life Sentence

2:04:30 Closing Thoughts on Church Authority

Don’t miss our other conversations Shannon: https://gospeltangents.com/people/shannon-flynn

Copyright © 2026

Gospel Tangents

All Rights Reserved

A key figure who accelerated the historical crisis for both the Tanners (who left the group in 1962) and Pauline’s church was Wes Walters, a Presbyterian minister from Marissa, Illinois.

Walters was asked to write an article on Mormons for Christianity Today. His detailed research focused on testing Joseph Smith’s claims against tangible historical records, particularly those surrounding the First Vision. Walters reasoned that while you couldn't prove whether Smith spoke to God, you could prove whether he was standing in a given place on a given day.

https://youtu.be/ifGZ-3IrGPQ

Don’t miss our other conversations with Sandra: https://gospeltangents.com/people/sandra-tanner

Copyright © 2025

Gospel Tangents

All Rights Reserved

 

Walters used his expertise in church history (specifically Baptist, Methodist, and Presbyterian records in the New York area) to investigate Joseph Smith’s claim that the First Vision was prompted by an intense local revival where ministers were fighting over converts.

Walters’ findings: the great revival and the subsequent fighting over converts among the denominations did not happen in 1820. Instead, significant church growth (hundreds of converts) occurred between 1823, 1824, and 1825. This discovery forced a complete recalibration of the chronology, as it meant the First Vision and the subsequent Moroni visits leading up to the plates could not logically fit the existing timeline.

Walters’ small pamphlet, New Light on Mormon Origins, caused such a disruption that it "threw the Mormon Church into a tizzy," forcing LDS historians to travel back East to conduct their own major studies. Walters is credited by Sandra Tanner as being a key factor in pushing the LDS Church into serious historical scholarship.

Magic Connection: A Bridge Too Far

While Walters’ dating research was shocking, his discovery of the 1826 trial documents cemented the crisis.

Pauline’s group, following David Whitmer, already accepted the story that Joseph Smith used a "rock" in his "hat" to translate the Book of Mormon, aligning with the "seer stone" narrative. However, the 1826 trial confirmed Joseph Smith’s involvement in money digging, associating the seer stone with divination and magic practices—the occult that the Christians in Pauline’s group firmly rejected.

The group found this connection irreconcilable:

They questioned why God would use an instrument associated with magic.

They noted that Joseph Smith seemed to bypass the instruments God allegedly supplied (the plates) and continued using the same rock used in divination.

The transition from seeking treasure (magic) to seeking revelation (religion) looked too "fishy," suggesting it was merely a "switching of what you're using this stone for".

The fact that the same individuals involved in drawing magic circles and searching for treasure were the same first converts to Mormonism was deeply troubling.

Pauline Hancock’s Church Voted to Disband

The Church of Christ (Bible Book of Mormon), founded and led by Pauline Hancock, emerged as a unique splinter group focused on returning to what they believed was "1830 Mormonism"—a faith centered purely on the Bible and the Book of Mormon, devoid of later revelations (like the Doctrine and Covenants past 1830) and "Aaronic, Melchizedek Priesthood ideas".

However, this small community, known for meeting in the “Basement church” in Independence, ultimately discovered that even their foundational scripture, the Book of Mormon, could not withstand intense historical scrutiny, leading to its dissolution years after Pauline Hancock's death in 1962.

The Vote & Dissolution

Faced with this overwhelming historical evidence, the Church of Christ had to make a choice regarding their "litmus test"—the Book of Mormon.

In 1972, approximately a decade after Pauline’s death (she died in the summer of 1962), the church took a formal vote on whether to retain the Book of Mormon as scripture.

The majority voted no, choosing to jettison the Book of Mormon.

The consequences were immediate:

Families who wanted to retain the Book of Mormon left and joined other smaller splinter groups, such as the Hedrickites.

The remaining members decided they would continue to meet as Christians studying only the Bible.

After a few more years, however, they concluded that since they were just Bible-believing Christians, they no longer had a purpose to stand independently from the rest of the Christian world. They decided to disband, sell the building, and disperse into various Christian churches.

The building, which had been the "Basement church," was eventually purchased by another restoration group. Olive Wilcox, who led the group after Pauline, stated that she believed Pauline herself, had she lived to see the comprehensive research done by Walters, would also have chosen to give up the Book of Mormon.

What are your thoughts?

Don’t miss our other conversations with Sandra: https://gospeltangents.com/people/sandra-tanner

Copyright © 2025

Gospel Tangents

All Rights Reserved

Was Hugh Nibley wrong? Is global capitalism compatible with a Zion society? And when is a Latter-day Saint actually justified in defying a corrupt, oppressive government?

https://youtu.be/IWZgHZT5Q9w

Don’t miss our other conversations Nathan: https://gospeltangents.com/people/nathan-oman

Copyright © 2026

Gospel Tangents

All Rights Reserved

Hugh Nibley was wrong?

First, Professor Oman challenges the popular anti-capitalist teachings of the legendary LDS scholar Hugh Nibley. While Nibley viewed commerce as being driven primarily by greed and pride, Oman argues for the 18th-century ideal of doux commerce ("sweet commerce"). He explains how the necessity of trade actually forces us to consider the needs of others and argues that markets have done more to alleviate global poverty than any other economic system. While acknowledging that the modern global economic order is not Zion, Oman points out that early Mormon revelations—such as those concerning the for-profit Nauvoo House—prove that commerce and markets will absolutely be a part of a Zion society. Then, the conversation pivots to the agonizing moral paradox of civil disobedience and the 12th Article of Faith.

Civil Disobedience

Using the tragic story of Helmuth Hübener—a young Latter-day Saint who was excommunicated and executed by the Gestapo for distributing anti-Nazi pamphlets—Oman explores why the Church historically demands strict legal obedience to survive under hostile regimes. From the East German Stasi to Pinochet's Chile, we explore the dangerous tightrope the Church must walk. Does strict obedience to the law risk moral complicity with dictators, or is it a necessary safeguard to protect a vulnerable church from being entirely suppressed? Oman argues that there are no easy answers when balancing the dangers of institutional complicity against the naive, potentially destructive consequences of grand individual defiance.

Be sure to check out Professor Nathan Oman's extensive work on these topics in his two-volume set, Law and the Restoration, as well as his newest book from Oxford University Press, Living Oracles!

CHAPTERS

0:00 Taking on Hugh Nibley

9:13 Civil Disobedience (Hubener)

Don’t miss our other conversations Nathan: https://gospeltangents.com/people/nathan-oman

Copyright © 2026

Gospel Tangents

All Rights Reserved

Have you wondered what's behind the energy in the polygamy revisionist movement? Are these the same as RLDS polygamy arguments? Back in 2010, Newell Bringhurst wrote a chapter in "Persistence of Polygamy" on the evolution of RLDS thinking on Joseph Smith's polygamy, how it got forgotten, and recycled among a new generation of LDS members who weren't aware of the previous history.

https://youtu.be/wD-ZHracUnA

Are the modern arguments that Joseph Smith was a strict monogamist actually new? In this deep dive, we explore the "layered archive" of historical claims surrounding Joseph Smith’s polygamy, revealing that many of today’s "polygamy revisionist" arguments are actually recycled 19th-century RLDS positions.

The presentation breaks down the 150-year evolution of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (now Community of Christ) through four distinct phases:

The Early Concessions (1852–1860): Contrary to popular belief, early leaders like William Marks and Isaac Sheen did not initially deny Joseph Smith's involvement. Instead, they claimed he had been involved in "spiritual wifery" but recognized his error and repented shortly before his death in Carthage.

The Era of Absolute Denial (1860–1960): Under the leadership of Joseph Smith III, the strategy shifted toward establishing the absolute innocence of the founding prophet. This century-long "institutional mandate" framed D&C 132 as a "Brighamite forgery" and placed the blame for polygamy entirely on Brigham Young.

The Academic Shockwave (1960s–1980s): The "dam broke" when mid-century historians like Robert Flanders and Lawrence Foster published research that eroded the bedrock of the church's denial. This led to a painful institutional reckoning, eventually forcing the church to acknowledge Joseph Smith’s foundational role in plural marriage.

The Modern Revisionist Resurgence: Today, a new wave of LDS members—facing their own faith crises—are adopting these older RLDS arguments to resolve cognitive dissonance regarding the prophet's moral legacy.

Drawing on works like Newell Bringhurst’s The Persistence of Polygamy and Robert Flanders’ Nauvoo: Kingdom on the Mississippi, this presentation weighs revisionist claims against the preponderance of contemporaneous evidence. We also discuss the psychological toll of these shifting narratives and the ongoing battle to control the legacy of Joseph Smith.

RLDS Polygamy Arguments

Chapters

0:00 Introduction and the RLDS Foundation

07:53 Anatomy of a Narrative Shift

08:19 The Bedrock: 1852 to 1960

12:30 Early Concessions

16:42 Joseph Smith III and the Strategy Shift

21:09 D&C 132: Brighamite Forgery?

27:35 Historical Reckoning (1960s to Present)

51:12 Modern Skeptic Movement

1:26:44 Three Paradigms of Polygamy

1:29:17 Conclusion: The Enduring Battle for Legacy

What do you do when your personal conscience clashes with official LDS Church positions? Why did the LDS Church transition from the fiery, anti-communist speeches of Ezra Taft Benson in the 1960s to the strict political neutrality we see today?

https://youtu.be/cDExXX00Y0o

Oman is the author of 2 volumes of Law and the Restoration Volume 1 and Volume 2, from Greg Kofford Books.

Don’t miss our other conversations Nathan: https://gospeltangents.com/people/nathan-oman

Copyright © 2026

Gospel Tangents

All Rights Reserved

In this episode of Gospel Tangents, I sat down with Nathan Oman, law professor and author of Law and the Restoration, to explore the fascinating evolution of Mormon political theology and the realities of modern Church discipline.

We dive into the Church's shift toward "quietism"—a strategy of withdrawing from global political conflict to focus on personal righteousness and international missionary work. Discover why praise for the U.S. Constitution has largely vanished from General Conference, replaced by an emphasis on the 12th Article of Faith and being an unthreatening, law-abiding citizen in international environments.

Personal Conscience

The conversation also tackles the complex tension between personal conscience and institutional authority. Oman explains the "epistemic advantage" of church doctrine and shares practical, ethical advice on how faithful members can navigate deep personal disagreements with the Church without undermining its global mission.

Finally, we pull back the curtain on LDS Church discipline. While liberal intellectuals and internet critics dominate the media headlines, Oman reveals a surprising historical truth: the modern concept of apostasy was primarily developed for, and is overwhelmingly used against, polygamist fundamentalists.

In this video, we cover:

The legacy of Ezra Taft Benson's Cold War apocalypticism.

Why the Church avoids taking stances on hot-button political issues like immigration.

The "epistemic advantage" of obedience and trusting Church doctrine.

How to ethically handle personal disagreements with Church leaders without being insubordinate.

The truth about who actually gets excommunicated for apostasy.

📚 Guest: Nathan Oman, law professor at William & Mary and author of Law and the Restoration.

🔓 Want the full, uncut conversation? Sign up at patreon.com/gospeltangents to hear this entire interview without interruptions and to support the Gospel Tangents podcast network!

Oman is the author of 2 volumes of Law and the Restoration Volume 1 and Volume 2, from Greg Kofford Books.

CHAPTERS

0:00 Taking on Hugh Nibley

9:13 Civil Disobedience (Hubener)

Don’t miss our other conversations Nathan: https://gospeltangents.com/people/nathan-oman

Copyright © 2026

Gospel Tangents

All Rights Reserved

What case helped end polygamy in the LDS Church? What do a 19th-century Mormon polygamist, reality TV star Kody Brown, and the Native American religious use of peyote all have in common?

https://youtu.be/r32GTYt0N5g

Don’t miss our other conversations Nathan: https://gospeltangents.com/people/nathan-oman

Copyright © 2026

Gospel Tangents

All Rights Reserved

How Did LDS Church end polygamy?

In this fascinating episode of Gospel Tangents, host Rick Bennett sits down with Nathan Oman, law professor and author of Law and the Restoration, to unpack one of the most consequential Supreme Court cases in American history: the 1879 Reynolds v. United States decision. Oman is the author of 2 volumes of Law and the Restoration Volume 1 and Volume 2, from Greg Kofford Books.

We explore how this landmark ruling was the "big bang" that launched the federal government's legal crusade against the Latter-day Saints, systematically crushing their legal options and ultimately forcing the 1890 Manifesto that ended plural marriage. But the impact of Reynolds didn't stop in Utah!

Discover the shocking history of how the Reynolds decision was later used during the Spanish-American War to legally justify American imperialism, denying full constitutional rights to "conquered" peoples in the Philippines and Puerto Rico by comparing them to "barbaric" polygamist Mormons.

We also jump forward in time to discuss Sister Wives star Kody Brown's famous lawsuit. Find out why his lower-court victory decriminalizing polygamy was thrown out by the 10th Circuit Court, and why modern prosecutors deliberately avoid bringing pure polygamy charges today just to keep the Supreme Court from having to officially answer if polygamy is actually unconstitutional. Finally, we dive into the unexpected crossover between Mormon polygamy and the Native American Church's sacramental use of peyote.

In this video, we cover:

The 1879 Reynolds v. United States test case and its impact on the First Amendment.

How the federal legal crusade forced the LDS Church to issue the 1890 Manifesto.

How Mormon polygamy was used to justify denying constitutional rights in Puerto Rico and the Philippines.

Why Kody Brown's legal victory to decriminalize polygamy was vacated.

Why the modern Supreme Court secretly avoids ruling on the constitutionality of polygamy.

The surprising link between the Reynolds decision and the 1990 peyote Supreme Court case written by Justice Antonin Scalia

📚 Guest: Nathan Oman, law professor at William & Mary and author of Law and the Restoration.

🔓 Want the full, uncut conversation? Sign up at patreon.com/gospeltangents to hear this entire interview without interruptions and to support the Gospel Tangents podcast network!

Chapters

0:00 Federal Prosecution of Polygamy in Utah

14:46 Kody Brown Polygamy Case

21:09 Is Peyote Affected by Reynolds Polygamy Case?

Don’t miss our other conversations Nathan: https://gospeltangents.com/people/nathan-oman

Copyright © 2026

Gospel Tangents

All Rights Reserved

Why was Joseph Smith killed? Did early Mormons try to start their own independent country? And did you know 19th-century Mormon bishops literally served as civil judges?

In this episode of Gospel Tangents, host Rick Bennett sits down with Nathan Oman, law professor and author of Law and the Restoration, to uncover some of the most explosive and fascinating legal history of the Latter-day Saints. We dive deep into the unique world of 19th-century Mormon church courts, where bishops bypassed the traditional secular systems to build a harmonious Zion. Discover how these bishops handled financial disputes, strictly enforcing contracts for those who could pay, while actually helping poor and vulnerable members pay off their debts based on a highly "moralized vision" of equality. We also look into Joseph Smith and Brigham Young's efforts to repay creditors following the Kirtland banking failure.

The episode also cracks open the secrets of the Council of 50. Learn about their aborted attempt to write an inspired constitution for the Kingdom of God—drafted by John Taylor, Parley P. Pratt, and Willard Richards—which was ultimately abandoned because it lacked the necessary legal detail to function. Oman explains the Council's radical political maneuvers to move the Saints beyond U.S. borders into the Far West to carve out an independent nation, much like what had just happened in Texas. Finally, we explore the explosive "witch's brew" of 1844 Illinois that ultimately led to Joseph Smith's murder. Why was Joseph Smith killed? Why did the Nauvoo Expositor paint him as a "tyrant in waiting"?

Learn how critics used centuries-old Protestant tropes, which naturally linked claiming to be a prophet with Anabaptist history, polygamy, and sexual licentiousness, to create a recognizable villain out of Joseph Smith. In this video, we cover: Mormon Bishops acting as literal civil judges in monetary disputes. How church courts forgave debts and handled secular bankruptcies. The aftermath of the Kirtland Safety Society failure. The Council of 50's secret, unfinished Constitution. Mormon plans to build an independent country outside U.S. borders. The Nauvoo Expositor, polygamy, and the political fears that got Joseph Smith killed.

📚 Guest: Nathan Oman, law professor at William & Mary and author of Law and the Restoration.

🔓 Want the full, uncut conversation? Sign up at patreon.com/gospeltangents to hear this entire interview without interruptions and to support the Gospel Tangents podcast network!

Oman is the author of 2 volumes of Law and the Restoration Volume 1 and Volume 2, from Greg Kofford Books.

CHAPTERS

0:00 Bishops Legal Courts

5:11 Joseph Tried to Pay Kirtland Bank Debts

7:29 Council of 50 Constitution

10:58 Joseph's Crown Leads to Expositor Death

Don’t miss our other conversations Nathan: https://gospeltangents.com/people/nathan-oman

Copyright © 2026

Gospel Tangents

All Rights Reserved

Some call new LDS Prophet Dallin Oaks a prophet, seer, and litigator. We'll see what Nathan Oman thinks of Dallin Oaks. Nathan is a legal historian at William and Mary University. He discusses how law has affected Latter-day Saints over the past 2 centuries. We'll discuss Dallin Oaks perspectives on Joseph Smith's martyrdom and polygamy up to modern polygamy cases, politics, and LGBT issues. Oman is the author of 2 volumes of Law and the Restoration Volume 1 and Volume 2, from Greg Kofford Books. Check out our conversation...

https://youtu.be/FcHDLy8_PRI

Don’t miss our other conversations Nathan: https://gospeltangents.com/people/nathan-oman

Copyright © 2026

Gospel Tangents

All Rights Reserved

CHAPTERS

0:00 Meet Nathan Oman - Law Prof William & Mary

4:11 Destroying the Expositor Press Was Legal?

9:55 Is Oaks an Apologist?

13:46 Oaks & LGBT Legal Fights

Was the destruction of the Nauvoo Expositor actually a violation of the First Amendment? And who are the top three most influential lawyers in Latter-day Saint history?

In this episode of Gospel Tangents, host Rick Bennett sits down with Nathan Oman, law professor at William & Mary and author of Law and the Restoration, to dive deep into the fascinating world of Mormon legal history.

Dallin Oaks Shapes Legal History

We tackle one of the most controversial moments in Church history: the suppression of the Nauvoo Expositor. Oman breaks down how a young Dallin H. Oaks famously defended the legality of Joseph Smith’s actions, revealing why our modern understanding of free speech and the First Amendment simply didn't apply to state governments in 1844.

The conversation also explores the evolution of Latter-day Saint legal scholarship. Oman explains his "three generations" of legal history, showing how scholars transitioned from simply using legal records to tell historical stories, to defensive apologetics, and finally to using the Mormon legal experience as a lens to understand broader American law.

Finally, we look at President Dallin H. Oaks's enduring legacy. Discover how his early work on the Carthage Conspiracy paved the way for modern scholarship, how his current role in the First Presidency drives the Church's aggressive push for religious freedom globally, and find out why the forgotten Franklin S. Richards makes Oman's list of the top three most influential lawyers in Mormon history.

In this video, we cover:

Why suppressing the Nauvoo Expositor wouldn't have violated American law in the 1840s.

The anachronism of applying the First Amendment to Joseph Smith's actions.

The "three generations" of Mormon legal history and apologetics.

How Dallin H. Oaks uses legal history today as a tool to advocate for religious freedom.

The top three most influential lawyers in Latter-day Saint history (including the unsung hero of the anti-polygamy battles!).

📚 Guest: Nathan Oman, law professor at William & Mary and author of Law and the Restoration.

🔓 Want the full, uncut conversation? Sign up at patreon.com/gospeltangents to hear this entire interview without interruptions and to support the Gospel Tangents podcast network!

Priesthood Restoration, Priesthood Restriction, and Revelation

June was the month of the priesthood restoration, priesthood restriction, and revelation in LDS Church history. It serves as a month of profound historical significance for Latter-day Saints, marking both the commemoration of the priesthood restoration and the anniversary of the 1978 revelation ending the priesthood and temple ban. Rick Bennett of Gospel Tangents explores the complex history of how priesthood authority was first established and how it evolved over nearly two centuries.

https://youtu.be/Tkc1j6r23s0

Don’t miss our other conversations on LDS Faith Journeys: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9pQpKe9CEk&list=PLLhI8GMw9sJ7WQNTJCyCO3U5D2fn7d0JF

Copyright © 2026

Gospel Tangents

All Rights Reserved

Restoration Shrouded in Mystery

While the restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood has a clear date—May 15, 1829—the restoration of the Melchizedek Priesthood is far more mysterious. Historians have identified three primary hypotheses for when this authority was conferred by Peter, James, and John:

June 1829: The traditional narrative, though it lacks contemporary evidence.

July 1830: An account involving a nighttime escape from persecution between Colesville and Harmony.

June 1831: Records from a special church conference suggest the high priesthood was manifested and conferred "for the first time" over a year after the Church was organized.

This presentation relies heavily on Michael Quinn's research in his book Origins of Power.

Forgotten Black Pioneers

Contrary to popular belief, the early Church under Joseph Smith featured a "flat" authority structure where Black men were ordained to the priesthood. Pioneers like Elijah Abel, a faithful member of the Seventy, and Joseph Ball, who served as a branch president in 1844, prove that the "one-drop rule" did not exist in the Church's earliest days. These men served missions and received temple ordinances decades before the restriction was codified.

1852 Pivot

The priesthood ban was not a founding tenet but a mid-19th-century shift. In 1852, amid a legislative struggle in the Utah Territory regarding slavery, Brigham Young declared that "a man who has the African blood in him cannot hold one jot nor tit of priesthood." This declaration marked the formal beginning of a century of restriction, often justified by theories—now officially disavowed—such as the "Curse of Cain" or the idea that Black members were "less valiant" in the premortal life.

Brazil Temple: A Tipping Point

The path to the 1978 revelation (Official Declaration 2) was heavily influenced by the Church's global expansion. The construction of the Sao Paulo Brazil Temple in 1975 created a "dilemma": faithful Black and mixed-race members were funding and building a temple they would be barred from entering. This reality, combined with years of prayerful supplication by President Spencer W. Kimball, led to the "hallowed and sanctified" moment in the Salt Lake Temple that finally extended priesthood and temple blessings to all worthy members.

Moving Toward Unity

Today, the Church unequivocally condemns all racism and rejects the past explanations used to justify the ban. The goal of the restoration remains one of redemption and connection, inviting all of God's children—regardless of race or gender—to walk the covenant path together.

Rick shares his theory as to why leaders reacted with hostility to interracial marriage as the primary motivation for Brigham Young to implement the ban.

Don’t miss our other conversations on LDS Faith Journeys: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9pQpKe9CEk&list=PLLhI8GMw9sJ7WQNTJCyCO3U5D2fn7d0JF

Copyright © 2026

Gospel Tangents

All Rights Reserved