Episode 17

Joseph Smith's First Vision

Original Air Date: 2022-09-08

First VisionJoseph Smith

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This detailed summary covers the discussion between the host of the Mormon Stories Podcast and Mike from LDS Discussions regarding the historical veracity and evolution of Joseph Smith’s First Vision. The episode aims to provide "informed consent" by examining the empirical evidence behind the foundational truth claims of the LDS Church 1.

The Foundational Stakes

The discussion begins by establishing the high stakes surrounding the First Vision. The hosts cite President Gordon B. Hinckley, who declared that the church's entire strength rests on the validity of this event: "It either occurred or it did not occur. If it did not, then this work is a fraud" 2. Hinckley asserted that the vision is the "pivotal substance of our faith" 3. However, the hosts argue that the historical record contradicts the official narrative, suggesting the story was created later to address specific theological and leadership needs 4.

The "Black Hole" of History (1820–1832)

A primary issue identified is the complete absence of the First Vision in the historical record for at least 12 years after it supposedly occurred.

  • Total Silence: Despite Joseph Smith’s later claim that he was persecuted for sharing his vision, there is no mention of it in family journals, local newspapers, anti-Mormon publications, or early church periodicals 5, 6.
  • Unaware Leadership: Early church leaders and close associates—including Oliver Cowdery, Martin Harris, Brigham Young, and Wilford Woodruff—seemingly knew nothing of a vision involving God the Father and Jesus Christ; early accounts refer only to angels 7.
  • Conclusion: The hosts argue this silence suggests the story had not yet been developed, rather than being kept private due to sacredness 8.

    • The Evolving Accounts

    Joseph Smith produced multiple accounts of the vision, which the hosts argue show a clear evolution rather than mere differences in emphasis.

  • 1832 Account: This is the earliest known version, written in Joseph’s own hand. In this version, Joseph is 16 years old (not 14), seeks forgiveness for his sins (rather than asking which church is true), and sees only one personage ("the Lord") 9, 10, 11.
  • 1835 Account: Retold to a visitor, this version introduces two personages for the first time but describes them as distinct appearances accompanied by many angels 12, 13.
  • 1838 Account: This is the official canonized version. It claims Joseph was 14, occurred during a religious revival, and explicitly describes God the Father and Jesus Christ appearing as separate physical beings to tell him all churches were corrupt 9, 14.

    • The Timeline and Revival Problem

    The hosts highlight a significant anachronism in the official 1838 account.

  • Revival Dates: The 1838 account relies on an "unusual excitement on the subject of religion" in 1820. However, historical records, including church membership rolls and newspapers, show no revival in Palmyra in 1820. A major revival did occur in 1824, which aligns with Joseph’s description but disrupts the church’s official timeline 15, 16.
  • Family Affiliation: The official story claims the revival led Joseph's mother and siblings to join the Presbyterian church. Historical evidence suggests Lucy Mack Smith joined around 1823–1824, following the death of her son Alvin, further supporting the 1824 timeline over 1820 17.
  • The Consequence: If the vision happened in 1824, it conflicts with the visitation of Moroni (claimed in 1823), forcing the church to adhere to the historically unsupported 1820 date 18.

    • The Theological "Smoking Gun"

    Mike from LDS Discussions argues that the most damning evidence against the First Vision is Joseph Smith's evolving theology regarding the nature of the Godhead.

  • Trinitarian Origins: Up until 1835, Joseph Smith consistently taught a Trinitarian or Modalist view (God and Jesus are the same being), which matches the 1832 First Vision account (seeing one being) 19, 20.
  • Joseph Smith Translation (JST): In 1831—11 years after supposedly seeing two separate beings—Joseph revised Luke 10:22 in the Bible to explicitly state that the Father is the Son and the Son is the Father. The hosts argue he would never have done this if he had actually seen them as separate individuals in 1820 21.
  • Book of Mormon Changes: The original 1830 Book of Mormon contained Trinitarian passages (e.g., Mary is the "mother of God"). In 1837, Joseph edited these verses to separate the beings (e.g., "mother of the Son of God") to match his new theology 22.
  • Lectures on Faith: Published in the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants, these lectures taught that God is a spirit and Jesus has a body, contradicting the 1838 First Vision account where both have bodies. These lectures were later removed from canon 23, 24.

    • Context and Motive

    The discussion explores why Joseph Smith created and evolved this narrative.

  • Commonality of Visions: The hosts present evidence that visionary claims were common in Joseph’s era. Figures like Norris Stearns (1815) and Solomon Chamberlain (1829) published similar accounts of seeing God or lights, suggesting Joseph was borrowing from his cultural environment 25, 26, 27.
  • Establishing Authority: The hosts argue the accounts emerged during times when Joseph’s authority was challenged. The 1832 account coincided with challenges from Edward Partridge 28. The 1838 account was written after the Kirtland bank failure and the excommunication of high-ranking witnesses, serving to re-establish Joseph’s primacy as the sole authorized prophet 29, 30.

    • Suppression of Evidence

    Finally, the hosts discuss the church's handling of these contradictions. They detail how Church Historian Joseph Fielding Smith discovered the 1832 account (which contradicted the official story), ripped the pages out of Joseph Smith’s letterbook, and hid them in a safe for decades. The pages were only restored and published in the 1960s after their existence was leaked 31, 32. The hosts argue this demonstrates an intentional effort to mislead membership regarding the vision's history 33.

    Conclusion: The episode concludes that the "most consistent way" to view the evidence is that the First Vision did not happen as officially taught. Instead, it was a story that evolved over time to fit Joseph Smith’s changing theology and to bolster his authority during crises 34, 35.

    Episode Info

    Guests: Mike (LDS Discussions)

    Related Article: LDS Discussions