Thesis (M.S.) -- Brigham Young University. Dept. of Art, 1943.

Thesis (M.S.) -- Brigham Young University. Dept. of Art, 1943. / Electronic thesis. Also available in print ed.

For tens of thousands of contemporary Latter-day Saint pilgrims, the Kirtland Temple near Cleveland, Ohio, provides an opportunity to visit a place where they believe Jesus appeared and restored long-lost priesthood powers. The Kirtland Temple, however, is not owned by the LDS church. Instead, the shrine is owned by a related denomination that has doctrinally aligned itself with mainline Protestant Christianity--the Community of Christ (formerly known as the RLDS church). Members of both churches include Kirtland on pilgrimage itineraries yet have understood the site's significance in radically different ways between themselves and within their denominations over time. The Kirtland Temple provides an opportune case study for changing contestation and cooperation by multiple groups at an American pilgrimage shrine--a phenomena that I term parallel pilgrimage. Two orienting metaphors help focus my moving picture of parallel pilgrimage: proximity (how the site ”moves“ in relation to changing pilgrimage routes, new shrines, and new interest groups) and performance (plays re-enacting the history of the temple and tour scripts, along with the reception of these performances). My study works out these two themes across the last forty years of change at the Kirtland Temple. Ultimately, I draw three main conclusions in my study. First, parallel pilgrimage at Kirtland Temple reveals sacred places, not simply pilgrimage routes, as itineraries in motion, constantly contested and constantly changing. Second, acts of cooperation and contestation at Kirtland Temple have formed a dialectical relationship that allowed the site to function. Acts of contestation helped the site retain its heightened importance while acts of cooperation allowed members from various denominations to minimize potentially disruptive conflict. Finally, in a wider context, parallel pilgrimage at Kirtland Temple, with its moving alliances and contested narratives, may be seen as suggestive of how many late twentieth-century Christians negotiated a pluralistic and fragmented religious America.

The first eight temple sites in Utah were studied to determine important geographical characteristics of each, and to test the hypothesis that Mormon temple sites conform to definitions of sacred space. President Brigham Young of the Church greatly influenced the selection of the first four temple sites, and the construction of each until his death in 1877. Claimed revelation from God to Young and other leaders and members of the Church, was evident concerning the temple sites. The later four temple sites of the twentieth century were approved by the First Presidency of the Church, but local Church leaders and members were involved more in the site selection and construction process than nineteenth century temple sites.The hypothesis was proven correct, by comparing sacred space definitions of various authors, with teachings and practices of the Church concerning its temple sites. In all comparisons, Mormon temple sites met the stated criteria of sacred space.

The original intent of this paper was to examine early mormon pioneer woodworking. Upon investigation, however, it was discovered that there is one type of early utah mormon woodworking about which very little has been written and which includes some of the best efforts of these early craftsmen. This woodworking is the interior work done in the construction of the early mormon temples. This paper will attempt to document the state of early pioneer craftsmanship and show examples of this work.

Thesis (M.S.)--Brigham Young University. Dept. of Industrial Education. / Bibliography: leaves 95-96.

The purpose of this study was to ascertain the effect conveyed by color in the murals of four Latter-day Saint Temples: St. George, Logan, Manti, Salt Lake, compared to the desired effect relative to the spiritual function of each room in which they are found.

President Gordon B. Hinckley, the fifteenth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, excited the membership of the Church by increasing the number of temples available to members. He announced that the Church would construct smaller buildings – as compared with existing temples at the time – thereby allowing for greater numbers of temples to be built. He set a goal to build 50 temples in a two and half-year period: double the number the Church had ever attempted to build in any decade. Thirty-four of these temples were built in the United States, and newspapers – both local and national – covered the construction of these temples with over 330 articles. This thesis analyzes the newspaper coverage of temples built within the United States from October 1997 through December 2004, and draws important conclusions from this data regarding the nation's perception of the Latter-day Saint temples.Each of the 330 articles was scored according to specific criteria, and grouped by region (as defined by the Church's official web-site). Then, after individual and regional scoring, overall newspaper exposure for the Church's small temple building was scored for the United States as a whole. As each temple's unique story unfolded in the newspapers, the general public's view of the Church's small temple construction became clear. Although quite a few of the proposed temples experienced opposition with regard to building specifics and anti-Latter-day Saint efforts, Church departments and members negotiated, compromised, and softened the impact of this opposition, and many people welcomed the temples into their communities.In addition to gaining a sense for the public's viewpoint, some global observations emerged from this study, revealing the importance of professionalism within Church departments and programs when working with the media and public. A few observations also revealed three lessons to be remembered in future temple building relations. But most importantly this study shows that not only did the Lord's revelation through a prophet open the way for the Church to build more temples, but as a by product of this revelation, the smaller temple concept helped to lessen the controversial and negative articles that the larger temples tended to generate.