Thunder from the Right: Ezra Taft Benson in Mormonism and Politics

Description

Ezra Taft Benson's ultra-conservative vision made him one of the most polarizing leaders in the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His willingness to mix religion with extreme right-wing politics troubled many. Yet his fierce defense of the traditional family, unabashed love of country, and deep knowledge of the faith endeared him to millions. In Thunder from the Right, a group of veteran Mormon scholars probe aspects of Benson's extraordinary life. Topics include: how Benson's views influenced his actions as Secretary of Agriculture in the Eisenhower Administration; his dedication to the conservative movement, from alliances with Barry Goldwater and the John Birch Society to his condemnation of the civil rights movement as a communist front; how his concept of the principal of free agency became central to Mormon theology; his advocacy of traditional gender roles as a counterbalance to liberalism; and the events and implications of Benson's term as Church president. Contributors: Gary James Bergera, Matthew Bowman, Newell G. Bringhurst, Brian Q. Cannon, Robert A. Goldberg, Matthew L. Harris, J. B. Haws, and Andrea G. Radke-Moss Cover Title Page Copyright Contents Acknowledgments Introduction Part I: Politics and Cold War Anxieties 1. Ezra Taft Benson and the Family Farm / Brian Q. Cannon 2. Ezra Taft Benson Meets Nikita Khrushchev, 1959: Memory Embellished / Gary James Bergera 3. From New Deal to New Right / Robert A. Goldberg 4. From New Deal to New Right / Robert A. Goldberg 5. Martin Luther King, Civil Rights, and Perceptions of a “Communist Conspiracy” / Matthew L. Harris Part II: Theology 6. Martin Luther King, Civil Rights, and Perceptions of a “Communist Conspiracy" / Matthew L. Harris 7. Women and Gender / Andrea G. Radke-Moss 8. LDS Church Presidency Years, 1985–1994 / J. B. Haws Contributors Index