Anthropology & Mormonism - Dr. Thomas Murphy Pt. 1 | Ep. 1645

When Anthropology Meets Scripture: Dr. Thomas Murphy's Challenge to the Book of Mormon's Indigenous Narrative

The relationship between anthropology and Mormonism has rarely been more direct, or more uncomfortable, than in the scholarly work of Dr. Thomas Murphy. An anthropologist trained in indigenous studies, Murphy spent decades examining how the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has understood Native American identity through the lens of the Book of Mormon. His research raises a fundamental question that few in the faith community have been willing to ask: Who actually gets to define what it means to be Lamanite, ancient scripture or indigenous voices themselves?

This inquiry matters beyond academic corridors. For generations, Latter-day Saint missionaries have taught Native Americans that they are descendants of Book of Mormon peoples, shaping identity, spirituality, and cultural understanding. Yet Murphy's work, documented in interviews for the Mormon Stories Podcast, reveals a troubling gap: most discussions about Native Americans in Mormon theology have completely ignored what Native Mormons themselves actually believe and experience.

Background: How the Book of Mormon Shaped Mormon-Indigenous Relations

To understand Murphy's contribution, one must first grasp the historical context. The Book of Mormon describes ancient peoples in the Americas, including the Lamanites, who according to the text would receive a "skin of blackness" as a curse for disobedience. The text also promises that if Lamanites convert to Christianity, they will "become white and delightsome", a phrase that was eventually changed to "pure and delightsome" in 1981.

For over a century, the LDS Church explicitly taught that Native Americans were literal Lamanite descendants. Missionaries in places like Guatemala and Oaxaca taught indigenous families that their traditional customs, including Day of the Dead celebrations and other cultural practices, were incompatible with Mormonism. The implicit message was clear: abandon your indigenous identity and embrace white, American Latter-day Saint culture.