Laurie Maffly-Kipp is the Archer Alexander distinguished Professor at the John C. Danforth Center on Religion and Politics in St. Louis. As an observer of Mormonism, she has researched Mormon mission and the way that the LDS Church replicates it self in places beyond it’s Utah centre.
In this conversation, we discuss Mormonism as a Wasatch Front cultural transplant and consider the issues that arise for both local cultures and for the church as it seeks to be a relevant and vibrant worldwide faith tradition.
The global reality of local adaptations was such a threat that Correlation was established to balance out the message. This is perhaps bad, and perhaps the nations could reject correlation.
Prof. Maffly-Kipp – thank you for spending a bit of time discussing your observations about our wacky religion and culture(s). I am always amazed that people not of this faith could have such a fascination with Mormons. If I wasn’t one I don’t think it could keep my interest.
Gina – I found your comment about Māori culture being preserved by the church when the brits were pushing to remove/reduce it, only to now have the church move into the position of pushing to remove the Māori culture. I just last week finished Greg Prince’s book on David O. McKay that talked about the church building program using local labor. All of the discussion you have been shining light on with Temple View and the church college started making a lot more sense, although tragic. I get a bit better feel for the anger.