Awards

• Winner of Choice Outstanding Academic Title .
• Winner of Choice Outstanding Academic Title.

Overview

Mormonism and the Emotions: An Analysis of LDS Scriptural Texts is an introductory Latterday Saint (LDS) theology of emotion that is both canonically based and scientifically informed. It highlights three widely accepted characteristics of emotion that emerge from scientific perspectives—namely, the necessity of cognition for its emergence, the personal responsibility attached to its manifestations, and its instrumentality in facilitating various processes of human development and experience. In analyzing the basic theological structure of Mormonism and its unique canonical texts the objective is to determine the extent to which LDS theology is compatible with this three-fold definition of emotion. At this basic level of explanation, the conclusion is that science and Mormon theology undoubtedly share a common perspective. The textual investigation focuses on unique Mormon scriptures and on their descriptions of six common emotions: hope, fear, joy, sorrow, love, and hate. For each of these emotional phenomena the extensive report of textual references consistently confirms an implied presence of the outlined three-fold model of emotion. Thus, the evidence points to the presence of an underlying folk model of emotion in the text that broadly matches scientific definitions. Additionally, the theological examination is enlarged with a particular focus on the Mormon theology of atonement, which is shown to play a significant role in LDS understandings of emotions. A broad exploration of such areas as epistemology, cosmology, soteriology, and the theological anthropology of Mormonism further contextualizes the analysis and roots it in the LDS theological worldview.

Full Product Details

9781611477726

Table of Contents

Reviews

Mormonism and the Emotions is a worthy contribution. It seeks to break new ground, and I hope to see more attention given to the merits of phenomenologically informed textual analysis of our LDS scriptures, building on what Mauro Properzi has done here. I also recommend his reasoned and LDS-centered approach as a contribution to the emerging field of Mormon theology. I hope to see more from this promising scholar. * BYU Studies Quarterly * As he writes in the introduction, Properzi designed this book as an 'introductory Mormon theology of emotions' in which he engages in a theological 'dialogue between science and religion.' He positions factors and outcomes in the constructs of emotion within a particular faith culture, involving conflicting and complementary dualities within Mormon views of authority, cognition, and responsibility. The book comprises two parts: the first lays out a rationale for emotion generally and in LDS context for scripture and modern revelation, especially between parallel churchly and secular authorities; the second examines three dualities (hope/fear, joy/sorrow, love/hate) in some detail, with an identical scaffold for each. . . .Properzi's book is rich, sophisticated, and a pathbreaking study-a valuable resource for those interested in psychology, Western sociology, and Christian theology. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty and professionals; general readers. * CHOICE * Many aspects of this book make it commendable for both the interested lay reader and the scholar of social science and/or religion. Properzi . . . is meticulous in setting out the scope of his study, rigorous in defining his methodology. . . .Properzi's discussion of what theology is . . . and how a Mormon theology will situate itself clear, illuminating, and even motivating. . . .[This book] is thorough and well-supported. Students and scholars of LDS theology and of the emotions in human life will find much to mull over, with pleasure, interest, and even, perhaps, joy. * AML's Dawning of a Brighter Day * As a nonLDS Christian scholar, I found this book fascinating. The psychological and philosophical sophistication is quite striking; its integration of the multiple disciplinary findings on emotion is worth the price of the book alone. I recommend it to anyone who wants deep insight into the LDS religion, if not the Mormon culture. -- Brent D. Slife, Professor of Psychology, Brigham Young University Through Properzi's bifocal philosophical and psychological engagement with classic Latter-day Saint texts, this book prepares the ground and already helps lead the way into an expanding field of study. Properzi creates a seminal `Emotions' volume within Mormon Studies with a method applicable to many wider Christian traditions and beyond. -- Douglas J. Davies, Professor in the Study of Religion at Durham University

As he writes in the introduction, Properzi designed this book as an 'introductory Mormon theology of emotions' in which he engages in a theological 'dialogue between science and religion.' He positions factors and outcomes in the constructs of emotion within a particular faith culture, involving conflicting and complementary dualities within Mormon views of authority, cognition, and responsibility. The book comprises two parts: the first lays out a rationale for emotion generally and in LDS context for scripture and modern revelation, especially between parallel churchly and secular authorities; the second examines three dualities (hope/fear, joy/sorrow, love/hate) in some detail, with an identical scaffold for each...Properzi's book is rich, sophisticated, and a pathbreaking study-a valuable resource for those interested in psychology, Western sociology, and Christian theology. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty and professionals; general readers. CHOICE Many aspects of this book make it commendable for both the interested lay reader and the scholar of social science and/or religion. Properzi ... is meticulous in setting out the scope of his study, rigorous in defining his methodology...Properzi's discussion of what theology is ... and how a Mormon theology will situate itself clear, illuminating, and even motivating...[This book] is thorough and well-supported. Students and scholars of LDS theology and of the emotions in human life will find much to mull over, with pleasure, interest, and even, perhaps, joy. AML's Dawning of a Brighter Day As a nonLDS Christian scholar, I found this book fascinating. The psychological and philosophical sophistication is quite striking; its integration of the multiple disciplinary findings on emotion is worth the price of the book alone. I recommend it to anyone who wants deep insight into the LDS religion, if not the Mormon culture. -- Brent D. Slife, Professor of Psychology, Brigham Young University Through Properzi's bifocal philosophical and psychological engagement with classic Latter-day Saint texts, this book prepares the ground and already helps lead the way into an expanding field of study. Properzi creates a seminal 'Emotions' volume within Mormon Studies with a method applicable to many wider Christian traditions and beyond. -- Douglas J. Davies, Professor in the Study of Religion at Durham University

As a nonLDS Christian scholar, I found this book fascinating. The psychological and philosophical sophistication is quite striking; its integration of the multiple disciplinary findings on emotion is worth the price of the book alone. I recommend it to anyone who wants deep insight into the LDS religion, if not the Mormon culture. -- Brent D. Slife, Professor of Psychology, Brigham Young University Through Properzi's bifocal philosophical and psychological engagement with classic Latter-day Saint texts, this book prepares the ground and already helps lead the way into an expanding field of study. Properzi creates a seminal 'Emotions' volume within Mormon Studies with a method applicable to many wider Christian traditions and beyond. -- Douglas J. Davies, Professor in the Study of Religion at Durham University

Author Information

Mauro Properzi is assistant professor of religion at Brigham Young University.

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