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The Coming Forth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ: The
evolution of Ritualistic Clothing in the American Religion.
An extension paper to
Ritual Clothing in Latter-day Saint Practice
September 2022 for SOC395R: Directed Study
The Clothes We Wear: Spiritual Consumerism - the Religious Garment
and Global Identity
July 2022, for SOC230: Sociological Exploration
Cyrus Simper
Anticipated Graduation: Winter, 2024.
Brigham Young University - Idaho
Faculty Mentor: (Name removed for privacy.)
Assisting Faculty: (Names removed for privacy.)
Purpose: To provide a social cultural background for the authenticity of the
garments of Latter-day Saint temple worship; this paper places research
into ancient and modern clothing practices alongside the ever evolving
ritual of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (or Mormons)
placing them within their proper historical-social position.
Introduction:
The imagery conveyed through one's apparel and body movement can be
powerful tools to convey cultural values, social attitudes, foundational
ideas, and expressions of individuality. References to revered or sacred
attire are found in all nations and in all cultures. Though differing in use,
some are used only for ceremonial rituals and or by certain people, while in
other cultures such clothing is used in quotidian by the masses. Long
established apparel movement is led both by leaders in high fashion, and
by more conservative leaders and fashion innovators of various cultures.
This article specifically focuses on the relationship between Mormons and
their clothing, placing their changing and sometimes hidden ritual clothing
in the context of its historical past and development from the garments of
the ancient times to those used in the modern era.
The Clothing articles worn during worship by members of the Church of
Jesus Christ have been the subject of ridicule ever since their introduction
in Nauvoo, Illinois in the 1840’s. Not much is known about their origins in
that era other than that of the Temple Garment. In which their religious
leader is said to have held up a garment made in “likeness” to that of which
he received by heavenly messengers.1However, further examinations into
previously lost artifacts of the early history of the Church turn up
remarkable information on their origins.
The Keystone of this American Religion is The Book of Mormon purportedly
translated through the gift and power of the spirit through various methods.
Prior to the completion of the translation the first portion of the manuscript
was lost leaving us without a very rich introduction to the mind of their
leader who would later be known as the Prophet Joseph Smith. Recent
findings by researcher Don Bradley place a remarkable introduction to the
exploration of the topic of sacred apparel into the context of an Jewish
American restorationist movement which is where we begin our journey.
1UoU Library, Special Collections, H. Michael Marquardt Papers, MS 36 Box 74, Folder 16
侘Contextualizing Ritual and Church of Jesus Christ
סקטהחתפתמהלשהוהי