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Episode 3 of Apostates explores the Kirtland Crisis of 1837, the largest mass departure in early Church history when 10-15% of members left. We examine how Joseph Smith's expanding role from spiritual leader to business leader created tension, leading to failed ventures like the Kirtland Safety Society bank. We analyze why prominent members including Book of Mormon witnesses left, citing concerns about prophetic authority in temporal matters and personal financial losses from following Church business direction.

Sources

• Essay: Dissent & Shism_Dialogue
• Essay: Rise and Fall of Kirtland Bank_RFM
• Essay: JS and Kirtland Crisis 1837_BYU RSC
• Essay: Kirtland Bank_FAIR
• Essay: Kirtland Safety Society_LDS
• Essay: Kirtland Safety Society_Mormon Think
• Podcast: Houston we have a problem. In Kirtland_Sunstone

AI Prompt

Explore the Kirtland Crisis when 10-15% of the members of the Church left it for good. Do not focus on the Kirtland bank crisis itself. Examine how Joseph arrived in Kirtland impoverished, then became a religious, community, and business leader - communal property, land speculation, stores, banking, temple. Touch on the influence of Sidney Rigdon who influenced Joseph's temporal and spiritual leadership. Above all focus on the members who that left during this biggest mass apostacy in LDS history. Who left and why? Did they feel deceived or misled by Joseph Smith? 

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