Book Reviews: Under the Banner of Heaven

(Re-printed in part from my blog, November 2006)

John Krakauer's Under the Banner of Heaven invites us to explore the murky waters of religion, from the safe and familiar appeal of community and moral fortitude to the mysterious depths of fanaticism. Krakauer focuses on Mormonism, not because he wishes to portray the Mormon faith as more fanatical than competing religions, but for several practical reasons: it’s contemporary, it’s American, and its history is well documented.

Thoughtfully researched and presented, the history of the church is spun around horror stories, past and present, of those who have been victimized by violence and abuse at the hands of early Mormons and modern-day Mormon fundamentalists. Elizabeth Smart’s abduction is covered in one chapter, but the predominant story is that of a grizzly murder—a “blood atonement”—committed against a young mother and her infant. According to the murderers, the act was not a crime because it was commanded by God.

Polygamy is another common theme in the book, and the reversal of the LDS’s position on polygamy is identified as the most influential root of the Mormon fundamentalist movement. Cast out of the church and shunned by mainstream American society, polygamists continue to thrive in secluded areas of Canada, Mexico, and the American West. Krakauer describes the practice of polygamy in terms of rape, incest, neglect, and misogyny.

The book is a worthwhile read, offering a wealth of valuable insight in both historical and modern-day contexts, but I think the author—in spite of his stated intentions—is too easy on mainstream Christianity at the expense of Mormonism. For example, he suggests that Elizabeth Smart wouldn’t have been so easily abducted, had she been raised in a garden-variety Protestant household. On a similar line of criticism, I think the book gives the impression that abuse is integral to the practice of polygamy. Aside from ensuring that all parties to a marriage are consenting adults—an issue which is entirely independent of religion—abuse would be no more prevalent among polygamist families, I imagine, than it is in the average, all-too-revered, nuclear family of any religious persuasion.

I thought this was a very interested book that tells some history while keeping the readers interest.