The Mormon Polygamy Wars (1800's Edition) w/ Michelle Stone and Cheryl Bruno | Ep. 2124
Mormon Stories Podcast
Dr. John Dehlin
4.5 • 5.7K Ratings
🗓️ 17 March 2026
⏱️ 129 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In this in-depth discussion, Cheryl and Michelle explore one of the most controversial topics in Latter-day Saint history: polygamy. Through a structured, multi-stage presentation, they examine the origins, evidence, and ongoing debates surrounding plural marriage in early Mormonism.
From figures like John C. Bennett and the Nauvoo Expositor to Emma Smith’s testimony and the role of primary sources, both presenters offer contrasting perspectives on what really happened –and why it continues to matter today. They also unpack how the Church has responded over time, from the 1852 public acknowledgment of polygamy to modern apologetics and the impact of the information age.
This conversation highlights the tension between belief and historical evidence, raising difficult questions about leadership, narrative gaps, and the evolution of Mormon identity.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hello, everyone and welcome to another edition of Mormon Stories Podcast. |
| 0:02.9 | I'm your host, John DeLinn. |
| 0:03.9 | It's March 16th, 2026, and we have a live stream episode. |
| 0:09.2 | We have two live stream episodes today. |
| 0:11.5 | It's kind of a busy week on Mormon Stories Podcast. |
| 0:14.3 | But to begin with, we're super excited to be talking about the polygamy wars, not of the 21st century, which we've covered to some degree on Mormon stories podcast. |
| 0:25.4 | We're talking about the Mormon polygamy wars of the 19th century. |
| 0:30.8 | And joining us today to talk about it, coming back on the show is the Michelle Stone. |
| 0:36.2 | Hey, Michelle. |
| 0:37.0 | Hello, thanks for having me back on, John. |
| 0:39.7 | It's great to have you. And Cheryl Bruto, I don't even remember. Did you come on Mormon stories in the early years? |
| 0:45.9 | No, I did not. This is my first one of Mormon stories. |
| 0:50.0 | Well, Cheryl, you and I go way back. Like, I don't know, 2005. How far back do we go? |
| 0:55.1 | Yes, I'm sure that's at least 2005. |
| 0:58.5 | Well, Cheryl Bruno is, well, tell us who you are, Cheryl, because people know Michelle, |
| 1:03.8 | but Michelle, I'm going to have you introduce yourself too, but you go first. |
| 1:07.3 | You go first, Cheryl. |
| 1:08.5 | Well, I am a Mormon historian. |
| 1:10.4 | I do work on early Mormon history, |
| 1:12.6 | 19th century Mormon history. I've written three books and many articles, and it's my passion. |
| 1:19.5 | What are your books about? I have one book on William Marks, a biography of William Marks that I did |
| 1:24.7 | with John Dinger. And I also have a book on Mormonism and Freemasonry, |
... |
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