Richard Lyman Bushman : A Mormon Ambassador

A portrait of the celebrated intellectual

As a historian, theologian, and mentor, Richard Lyman Bushman greatly influenced the shaping of how those inside and outside the Church perceived Latter-day Saint history. J.B. Haws’s examination of Bushman’s life and thought tells the story of a scholar with a foot in both the LDS faith and secular society, and his efforts to bridge their two very different worldviews.

Bushman integrated his acquired fluency and comfort inside academia with his native understanding of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In his work, he translated, interpreted, and explained the LDS faith to the wider world. His professional status strengthened his arguments for an honest, transparent, and responsible approach to Church history. His devoted religious practice convinced his co-religionists of his sincerity. To his academic colleagues, Bushman advocated for a religious perspective in scholarship, while widespread respect for his work opened the door to his ideas.

Perceptive and illuminating, Richard Lyman Bushman explores the far-reaching contributions of an important LDS historian, theologian, and teacher.