Wednesday, Aug 10, 2022

EVENING WITH THE AUTHORS

We are excited to announce that Cheryl Bruno and Nick Literski, two of the authors of Method Infinite: Freemasonry and the Mormon Restoration (published by Greg Kofford Books) will be here Wednesday, August 10, to speak about their book. They will be here from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and will speak at 6:00 and will answer questions and sign books before and after that time. We hope you will be able to make it that night but, if not, we can mail a signed copy or hold one here at the store for pick-up. To RSVP on Facebook, click here.

While no one thing can entirely explain the rise of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the historical influence of Freemasonry on this religious tradition cannot be refuted. Those who study Mormonism have been aware of the impact that Freemasonry had on the founding prophet Joseph Smith during the Nauvoo period, but his involvement in Freemasonry was arguably earlier and broader than many modern historians have admitted. The fact that the most obvious vestiges of Freemasonry are evident only in the more esoteric aspects of the Mormon faith has made it difficult to recognize, let alone fully grasp, the relevant issues. Even those with both Mormon and Masonic experience may not be versed in the nineteenth-century versions of Masonry's rituals, legends, and practices. Without this specialized background, it is easy to miss the Masonic significance of numerous early Mormon ordinances, scripture, and doctrines. Method Infinite: Freemasonry and the Mormon Restoration offers a fresh perspective on the Masonic thread present in Mormonism from its earliest days. Smith's firsthand knowledge of and experience with both Masonry and anti-Masonic currents contributed to the theology, structure, culture, tradition, history, literature, and ritual of the religion he founded.

Method Infinite: Freemasonry and the Mormon Restoration. Greg Kofford Books. Hardback. 531pp. $44.95. Click here to purchase

Cheryl L. Bruno has a BS in Recreation Management from Greensboro College and did graduate work in Educational Psychology at Brigham Young University. Cheryl is an independent researcher on Mormon history, with publications in the Journal of Religion and Society, the John Whitmer Historical Association Journal, and the Journal of Mormon History. She has also presented at the Mormon History Association Annual Conference, the Claremont Mormon Studies Conference, the Pacific Northwest Region Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion and the Society of Biblical Literature, the John Whitmer Historical Association Annual Conference, Sunstone Symposium, and the Mormonism and Western Esotericism Conference. In addition, Cheryl is Director of Resident Life at Madonna Gardens Assisted Living and Memory Care, has published personal essays and poetry in several anthologies, and has created a deck of Mormon-themed tarot cards. 

Nicholas S. Literski, JD, PhD, is an adjunct senior lecturer at the California Institute of Integral Studies and a professional spiritual guide. In 2001, Nick became the first Master Mason raised in Hancock County after the 1840s Mormon exodus, going on to receive the Royal Arch, Cryptic, and Knight Templar degrees within the York, as well as the 32nd degree of the Scottish Rite. Nick’s work has been published in FARMS Review of Books on The Book of Mormon, Psychological Perspectives: A Quarterly Journal of Jungian Thought, and the recent compilation, The Reality of Fragmentation and the Yearning for Healing: Jungian Perspectives on Democracy, Power, and Illusion in Contemporary Politics.