Kristine Haglund on the work of Eugene England, the ‘last Mormon liberal’ | Episode 219

Eugene England, a popular professor at Brigham Young University who died 20 years ago, probably is best known as the founder of Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought. Last summer, Terryl Givens published the first full-length biography of England, titled “Stretching the Heavens: The Life of Eugene England and the Crisis of Modern Mormonism,” detailing his life as a devout but controversial member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A second volume, called “Eugene England: A Mormon Liberal” by Kristine Haglund, now explores the scholar’s work and thought. A respected essayist, England was one of the most influential intellectuals in the modern church. On this week’s show, Haglund examines England’s important contributions to Mormonism, how he was both liberal and conservative, his embrace of church founder Joseph Smith and successor Brigham Young, his friendships and fights with Latter-day Saint apostles, his political views, his theological musings and more.