Polygamy or Adultery? Fanny Alger & Joseph Smith - John Turner Pt. 20 | Ep. 2078

Welcome to part 20 of our epic series on Dr. John G. Turner’s landmark biography, “Joseph Smith: The Rise and Fall of an American Prophet.” Things are really heating up as we enter the mid-1830s in the life of Joseph Smith, founder of the Latter-day Saint movement. This episode dives into one of the most controversial and debated episodes in early Mormon history –Joseph’s relationship with Fanny Alger, a young woman employed in the Smith household in Kirtland, Ohio in 1836. Was it adultery? Was it an early form of plural marriage? Or was it something else entirely –a “scrape”? Join us for Part 1 of Chapter 18, where we unpack Turner’s detailed treatment of this scandal, explore how it fractured relationships within the early church (especially between Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery), and trace how it shaped the theology of polygamy that would later emerge in Nauvoo. Please purchase the book ⁠here⁠ . To support this series please donate ⁠here⁠ . One half of all donations will go to Dr. Turner for as long as he is participating in the series. 00:00:00 Introductions 00:02:55 How do you pronounce Fanny Alger’s name? 00:04:25 New headings to the Doctrine and Covenants 00:09:53 The Book of Mormon caveat on polygamy and linking it to the Bible 00:13:58 When Joseph Smith met Fanny and when the affair began 00:15:35 What do we know about Fanny Alger? 00:21:34 Had Joseph not received the keys for sealing in 1836? 00:24:12 How does this scandal erupt? 00:27:54 Why did it take two years for this all to come out? 00:29:16 Levi Hancock background on sealing Joseph to Fanny Alger 00:36:02 The nature of the relationship 00:40:09 “Dirty nasty filthy affair" vs “scrape” 00:45:49 Eliza R. Snow considered Fanny to be Joseph’s first wife 00:47:29 Was Joseph Smith trying to justify his feelings for Fanny? 00:51:55 Another possible interpretation 01:00:08 What happens to Fanny? 01:02:58 Fanny’s final testimony on the matter 01:07:12 Apostles hear rumors that Joseph has committed adultery 01:14:15 The reasons Kirtland collapsed 01:19:19 Why this breach between Joseph and Oliver becomes irreparable 01:21:44 How Joseph Smith got away with this? 01:26:24 One thing that doesn’t seem to have happened is that no one asked Emma 01:33:46 Does this make Joseph Smith a fraud? 01:45:25 Closing Remarks ___________________ Show Notes YouTube At Mormon Stories we explore, celebrate, and challenge Mormon culture through in-depth stories told by members and former members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as scholars, authors, LDS apologists, and other professionals. Our overall mission is to: 1. Facilitate informed consent amongst LDS Church members, investigators, and non-members regarding Mormon history, doctrine, and theology 2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis 3. Promote healing, growth and community for those who choose to leave the LDS Church or other high demand religions 🤝Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today One-time or recurring donations: https://donorbox.org/mormon-stories?default_interval=m Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mormonstories Venmo: https://account.venmo.com/u/mormonstories Paypal: https://paypal.me/mormonstories Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx6OgmoqJbOVRq-Lv1P7SzA/join Our Platforms: 🌐Mormon Stories Blog: https://www.mormonstories.org/episodes 🎙️Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mormonstories ✳️Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4sDzk7dRjODTSEqzZKZJzk?si=148b0efc1ccc4404&nd=1 🍎Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mormon-stories-lds/id312094772 🖼️Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mormstories 📱TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mormonstoriespodcast 🎮Discord: https://discord.com/invite/kuX5p6yyjF Contact us: 📧 MormonStories@gmail.com 📬PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117