Sports in Zion: Mormon Recreation, 1890-1940 (Sport and Society)

By: Richard Ian Kimball

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Synopsis: If a religion cannot attract and instruct young people, it will struggle to survive, which is why recreational programs were second only to theological questions in the development of twentieth-century Mormonism. In this book, Richard Ian Kimball explores how Mormon leaders used recreational programs to ameliorate the problems of urbanization and industrialization and to inculcate morals and values in LDS youth. As well as promoting sports as a means of physical and spiritual excellence, Progressive Era Mormons established a variety of institutions such as the Deseret Gymnasium and camps for girls and boys, all designed to compete with more "worldly" attractions and to socialize adolescents into the faith. Kimball employs a wealth of source material including periodicals, diaries, journals, personal papers, and institutional records to illuminate this hitherto underexplored aspect of the LDS church. In addition to uncovering the historical roots of many Mormon institutions still visible today, Sports in Zion is a detailed look at the broader functions of recreation in society.

Book Quality:: Publisher Quality
ISBN-13:: 9780252091612
Related ISBNs:: 9780252076367, 9780252028571
Publisher:: University of Illinois Press
Date of Addition:: 10/04/16
Copyrighted By:: University of Illinois Press
Adult content:: No
Language:: English
Has Image Descriptions:: No
Categories:: History, Nonfiction, Sports, Religion and Spirituality, Sociology
Submitted By:: Bookshare Staff
Usage Restrictions:: This is a copyrighted book.