Evening with the Author – Thomas Murphy – Unsettling Scripture
June 9 @ 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
We are pleased to announce that Thomas Murphy will be here to speak about Unsettling Scripture: Iroquois and the Book of Mormon (published by the University of Utah Press) on Tuesday, June 9. He will be here from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., will speak at 6:00, and answer questions and sign books before and after that time.
A groundbreaking exploration of the unexpected intersections between Haudenosaunee oral tradition and Latter-day Saint scripture.
In Unsettling Scripture: Iroquois and the Book of Mormon, anthropologist Thomas W Murphy delves into the visions of Seneca prophet Handsome Lake, the epic narratives of the Iroquois Confederacy, and the origin story of the Book of Mormon, revealing surprising parallels between Indigenous and Mormon traditions.
Through ethnohistorical research and decolonizing methodologies, Murphy reexamines how both communities understand their origins, faith, and prophecy. From Handsome Lake’s revelations to Joseph Smith’s seer stone, from ancient sibling rivalries to the Great Peace, this book unsettles traditional narratives while opening new conversations on scripture, identity, and cultural exchange. Drawing from living Indigenous voices, Unsettling Scripture challenges readers to rethink sacred texts and the histories they tell.