 Portrait of Joseph Smith, Jr. |
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of America's fastest-growing religions and, relative to its size, one of the richest. Church membership, now at 12 million and growing, sweeps the globe. I n the past several decades, the controversial Mormon Church has transformed itself from a fringe sect into a thriving religion that embraces many mainstream American values . Today, its members include prominent and powerful politicians, university presidents and corporate leaders.
American Experience and F rontline join forces to present T he M ormons , a two-part documentary about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The program airs Monday and Tuesday, April 30 and May 1, at 9/8 p.m. CT on KET2 and Monday and Tuesday, May 7 and 8, at 9/8 p.m. CT on KET1.
T he M ormons explores both the history and the current reality of the Mormon faith. Devout Mormons belie ve that in 1827, 21-year-old Joseph Smith dug up a set of golden tablets that contained the seeds of a new religion. According to Smith, he was guided to that spot by an angel who appeared to him in a vision . Smith's visions, which reportedly began when he was 14, are central to Mormons' faith .
The program begins with the turbulent early history of the Mormon faith, from Joseph Smith's astonishing visions and the creation of The Book of Mormon through the Mormons' contentious and sometimes violent conf rontations with their neighbors. The violence climaxed in 1844 when Smith was killed by an angry mob. Following Smith's death, Brigham Young led the faithful across the continent to the Great Salt Lake in what would become modern-day Utah, now the seat of the Mormon Church.
T he M ormons continues with a look at the contemporary realities of the Mormon Church, including the massive missionary program, how the church has entered the mainstream of American culture, the intricacies of Mormon theology and ritual , and the excommunication of those who challenge church doctrine or who do not follow its teachings.
T he M ormons is a co-production of F rontline , American Experience and Helen Whitney Productions.
