Baptism for the Dead, Re-Baptism and John C. Bennett - John Turner Pt. 26 | Ep. 2100
Mormon Stories Podcast
Dr. John Dehlin
4.6 ā¢ 5.2K Ratings
šļø 27 December 2025
ā±ļø 114 minutes
šļø Recording | iTunes | RSS
š§¾ļø Download transcript
Summary
Welcome to Part 26 of our Joseph Smith Podcast series! In this episode, we continue our deep dive into Chapter 22 of John Turnerās new biography, Joseph Smith: The Rise and Fall of an American Prophet, as the story moves to the founding of Nauvoo, Illinois in 1840 āa fresh start for the Latter-day Saints and a turning point in Joseph Smithās theology and authority.
We explore the emergence of baptism for the dead, one of the most distinctive doctrines introduced in Nauvoo, and how Joseph Smith framed proxy ordinances as answers to grief, death, and eternal family bonds. From New Testament passages to Adam Clarkeās biblical commentary, we examine how this doctrine developed, why the Saints embraced it so enthusiastically, and how it eventually became tied to the temple.
This episode also covers the doctrine of re-baptism, a ritual that allowed faithful members to recommit repeatedly, and what this reveals about early Mormon ideas of salvation, renewal, and belonging. We also introduce one of the most controversial figures of the Nauvoo period: John C. Bennett āa charismatic leader with a scandalous past whose rise and fall would have lasting consequences for Nauvoo, Joseph Smith, and the Churchās political and legal standing.
Along the way, we discuss Nauvooās utopian hopes, strange theological ideas, spiritual experimentation, the growing power of the Nauvoo militia (and Joseph Smith), and the seeds of opposition that will eventually lead to Joseph Smithās death.Ā
Join us in the next episode for our discussion on Polygamy!
Please purchase the book ā hereā .
To support this series please donate ā hereā . One half of all donations will go to Dr. Turner for as long as he is participating in the series.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hello, everyone, and welcome back to another episode of Mormon Stories podcast and the Joseph Smith |
| 0:04.8 | podcast as well. I am your host for today, John DeLynn. It's December 17th, 2025. Happy holidays. |
| 0:12.5 | We are here to discuss chapter 22 of this book, Joseph Smith, The Rise and Fall of an American Prophet by Dr. John G. Turner. |
| 0:24.0 | This is, by my best count, episode 26. In our series on this book that we hope will continue, |
| 0:31.3 | we are going to be talking about the doctrine of baptisms for the dead and its emergence. |
| 0:36.9 | We are also going to be talking about |
| 0:39.7 | one of the most nefarious and diabolical characters in the history of Mormonism, and especially |
| 0:47.9 | during Joseph Smith's lifetime. I am referring, of course, to John C. Bennett, not to be confused with John P. DeLinn or John G. Turner. It's a different John altogether. But we're going to be talking about him. We're even going to be talking about the doctrine of re-baptism, which a lot of people ascribe or attribute to Brigham Young, if I'm remembering right, but it turns out it originates with the OG. |
| 1:17.3 | And speaking of the OG, I have John Turner with us today, ready and eager to school us. |
| 1:25.7 | So welcome John Turner. |
| 1:27.1 | Happy holidays. What does your shirt say? |
| 1:29.9 | This is my Navu shirt, which I got when I visited the city of Joseph several years ago. |
| 1:37.8 | And I, you know, we finally got to Navu, I think last week. So it was time to bust out the Navu shirt again. |
| 1:46.0 | All right. Well, I'm stoked. I'm here for it. And next chapter, next chapter, polygamy heats up. |
| 1:54.9 | The next chapter is called ceilings, and John goes straight for it. So lots of really fascinating stuff on the horizon. |
| 2:02.7 | I'll just say really quickly, |
| 2:04.0 | this series can be experienced and enjoyed in the Mormon Stories podcast feed, |
| 2:09.5 | of course, on YouTube and on Spotify. |
| 2:12.4 | Please like and subscribe. |
| 2:14.1 | We're only a few thousand away from 300,000 subscribers on YouTube, so I'd really appreciate it if remaining listeners and viewers would just subscribe on YouTube. |
| 2:24.8 | It'd be fun to break the 300,000 barrier. |
| 2:28.3 | And I think I'll count that good. |
... |
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