The Arrington Mormon History Lecture took place at the Logan Tabernacle on Sept. 24 at 7PM. The event featured award-winning historian Benjamin E. Park and was open to the public with free admission.
Park's presentation, titled Declarations of Interdependence: Why the Latter-day Saints Just Can't Quit the United States, examined the complicated relationship between Mormon tradition and the country.
The lecture traced the evolving saga between the United States and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The presentation focused on specific moments where notions of citizenship, allegiance, and patriotism held enhanced significance.
As a historian, Park's work addressed how the religion is often identified as one of the most successful homegrown religions in American history despite its complex history with the nation.
Benjamin E. Park serves as the president of the Mormon History Association and teaches history at Sam Houston State University. He is the author or editor of five books, including Kingdom of Nauvoo: The Rise and Fall of a Religious Empire on the American Frontier and American Zion: A New History of Mormonism.
Park holds a master's degree in theology from the University of Edinburgh's School of Divinity and a doctorate in history from the University of Cambridge.
