Billions Shall Know Brother Joseph Again: The Joseph Smith Papers and Latter-day Saint History
RSC/Deseret Book, 2026. First printing. Hardcover/dust jacket. 296 pp. This landmark volume brings together sixteen essays from historians, scholars, and project contributors to reflect on the significance of The Joseph Smith Papers. Together, these authors assess the project’s scholarly achievements, explore how it reshapes narratives of early Latter-day Saint history, and highlight its far-reaching implications across multiple academic disciplines. An essential resource for scholars and students of Latter-day Saint history, this book invites a deeper appreciation for the faith, sacrifice, and scholarly excellence that brought The Joseph Smith Papers to life. More than a celebration, this volume is a springboard for future study and discovery. It offers scholars and believers alike a deeper appreciation for the life of Joseph Smith and the inspired scholarship that has preserved his legacy for generations to come.
Contents:
Introduction (J. Chase Kirkham)
Part I: Significance
The History of the Joseph Smith Papers Project (Dallin H. Oaks)
Remember Their Labors: The Everyday Work of Zion Building in The Joseph Smith Papers (Laurie F. Maffly-Kipp)
The Joseph Smith Papers in Action (Richard Lyman Bushman)
The Twentieth-Century Development of Mormon Documentary Editing (Robin Scott Jensen)
Part 2: Narratives
Abundant Knowledge: A Gentile Reflects on The Joseph Smith Papers, Seer Stones, and Religious History (Adam Jortner)
“Perpetual Troublemaker” or “A Truly Good Man”?: Looking Beyond Sylvester Smith’s Camp of Israel Experiences (Matthew C. Godfrey)
Searching for Joseph Smith’s Political Philosophy (Spencer W. McBride)
“Pray Congress to Pay Every Man a Reasonable Price for His Slaves”: Reexamining Joseph Smith’s Antislavery Views in the Context of Debates About Salvation and Slavery in American Christianity (Jessica M. Nelson)
Indigenous Peoples and the Early Church: What The Joseph Smith Papers Do and Do Not Reveal (Brenden W. Rensink)
“Look Well to Your Legal Rights”: Emma Smith and the Conflict over Joseph Smith’s Estate (Jeffrey D. Mahas)
Part 3: Potential
Searching for Adamses: Lessons from the Joseph Smith Papers Project (Sara Martin)
Temple, Priesthood, and The Joseph Smith Papers: What Do the Papers Tell Us About What We Already Know? (Kathleen Flake)
“Because of Transgression”: The Lost 116 Pages and the Garden of Eden (Kimberly Matheson)
“Surrounding Objects” and “Small Things”: Scenes of Scriptural Production in The Joseph Smith Papers (Seth Perry)
Financing the Nauvoo Temple Through Tithing: The Book of the Law of the Lord and the Commitment of Latter-day Saints in the 1840s (Elizabeth A. Kuehn)
The Challenges of Telling Joseph Smith’s Legal Stories (Nathan B. Oman). New. Item #40989
ISBN: 9781950304776
Price: $27.99