BYU Church History Symposium
Throughout the history of the symposium, presenters have included notable General Authorities of the Church, historians, scholars, educators, and authors. This symposium was established to explore annually a topic of special interest in the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Historians and scholars meet to share the fruits of their research with each other and a general audience of interested Latter-day Saints and friends. Selected papers from previous symposia have been printed in books copublished by the Religious Studies Center and Deseret Book.
2020 BYU Church History Symposium
Visions and Visionaries: Joseph Smith in Comparative Contexts
President Oaks
The Department of Church History and Doctrine at Brigham Young University and the Church History Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will host the BYU Church History Symposium, March 12–13, 2020. Dr. Steve Harper, a member of the Church History Symposium committee, said they “chose the theme ‘Visions and Visionaries,’ given that this is the 200th anniversary or bicentennial of Joseph Smith’s First Vision.”
The symposium will convene at Brigham Young University (March 12) and at the Assembly Hall at Temple Square, then the Church Office Building auditorium in Salt Lake City (March 13). Speakers include Richard Lyman Bushman, Gouverneur Morris Professor of History emeritus at Columbia University and author of Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling (Alfred A. Knopf, 2005); Sheri Dew, Executive Vice President of Deseret Management Corporation and former counselor in the General Presidency of the Relief Society (March 12); and President Dallin H. Oaks, First Counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (March 13).
The symposium is free, and no registration is required. Everyone is encouraged to attend and learn more about Joseph Smith’s First Vision and other visions associated with the restoration of the gospel.
Past Symposia
185 Heber J. Grant Building
Brigham Young University
Provo, UT 84602
801-422-6975