“Renaissance Enlightenment Humanism” refers to a philosophical movement that emerged during the Renaissance period, emphasizing the value of human potential, reason, and the study of classical Greek and Roman texts, which continued to influence thought during the Age of Enlightenment, where ideas about human agency and rational inquiry were further developed and applied to various fields like science and politics; essentially, it marked a shift in focus from solely religious doctrine to a more human-centered approach to understanding the world.
Key points about Renaissance Humanism:
Focus on Classical Studies:
Humanists heavily studied ancient Greek and Roman literature, philosophy, and art, believing they held the key to achieving a well-rounded life and understanding human nature.
"Studia Humanitatis":
This term refers to the core subjects studied by humanists, including grammar, rhetoric, poetry, history, and ethics.
Individual Potential:
Humanists emphasized the importance of individual development and the ability of humans to achieve great things through education and self-improvement.
"Renaissance Man":
The ideal of the "Renaissance Man" embodied the humanist belief in cultivating diverse skills and knowledge across various disciplines.
How it connects to the Enlightenment:
Shared Values:
Both movements placed high value on reason, critical thinking, and the pursuit of knowledge as a means to improve society.
Scientific Inquiry:
The Renaissance's renewed interest in classical texts paved the way for scientific advancements during the Enlightenment, where scientific investigation became a central focus.
Social Reform:
Humanist ideas about individual rights and human dignity contributed to Enlightenment thinkers advocating for social and political reform
Orson Hyde taught Joseph Smith grammar and and this began a further pursuit of knowledge in the School of the Prophets. Where the early LDS leaders basically studied indirectly Renaissance Enlightenment Humanism and biblical scholarship. They studied history and science and studied the Hebrew language which led to Joseph Smith moving from monotheism to polytheism after 1839 (see D&C 121:28).
According to historian Dan Vogel, Joseph Smith began as a true believer, a pious convert to Evangelical Christianity. But he quickly modified his beliefs during the composition of the Book of Mormon as he was basically a pragmatic Christian Universalist. We can see how Joseph justified his religious myth-making for the greater good, where in D&C 19, he claims that the use of Protestant Hell language in the Book of Mormon was used to basically scare people; but that such language was only metaphorical and was not to be taken literally. The section further encourages Martin Harris to basically keep this view private so that the Hell language in the book can go on to motivate the Protestant readers of the Book of Mormon.
I think it is clear and obvious that after Joseph became a Universalist and kept that a secret for awhile, Joseph Smith then secretly became a Renaissance Humanist and Pantheistic Polytheist by 1839. Here is a bullet point summary of just a few pieces of evidence of this from 1835 to 1844:
- Smith tells Nancy Rigdon that God is more "liberal in his views," and teaches a form of moral relativism by arguing that whatever God declares is right is right and how God at one point said to utterly destroy after previously saying don't kill. Thus, he explains to Nancy that his new plural marriage doctrine is true as revelation, even though it goes against her puritanical Protestant sensibilities as found in Joseph's earlier revelations like the Book of Mormon.
- Smith stopped preaching from and quoting from the Book of Mormon. I interpret this as he moved beyond its monotheistic Trinitarian Protestant theology; but he still saw it as a "correct book" as a proselyting tool and a form of proof of his seership abilities as prophet and seer.
- His conversion to Freemasonry solidified his Hermetic Deism and/or Pantheistic Polytheism.
- His move from Dualism to Monism (i.e. spirit-matter)
- Joseph's move from the Book of Mormon teachings on Protestant “saved by grace" and finding static "rest in the Lord” to a hermetic gnosis (i.e. being saved by knowledge and intelligence) and ascending exaltation to exaltation in imitation of the kingly Gods.
- Smith removed fear of demon possession by positing you can shake hands with good angels; and used the fear of demons to push Mormons to embrace Abrahamic Expansionism via learning that God the Father has a body in the temple through giving secret hand claspes.
- Smith utilizes Peter's keys of binding, which he saw as a loophole for getting clever and binding/sealing friends and lovers (as wives and concubines) in order gain a celestial kingdom; and thus earn high status enthronement exaltation to exaltation. For example, he told his scribe Clayton that if Clayton's plural wives are frowned upon by LDS members, he will excommunite him and just rebaptize him soon after.
We can see that Joseph moved beyond Augustinian dualistic apocalypticism and toward nondualistic/monist spiritual naturalism. Of course, he could not fully reject all of Augustinian dualism, as the Book of Mormon used such dualistic language, but it is clear that he has abandoned the Augustinian puritanism in the Book of Mormon; even contradicting the Book of Mormon with D&C 132 wherein he justified King David and Solomon in practicing polygamy. Joseph Smith even removes the words attributed to Jesus about plucking out your eye in the JST. We see further evidence of this move away from puritanism and toward pro-body Enlightenment Humanism, when apostle Parley P. Pratt writes an essay, Intelligence and Affection in the 1840s: which rejects the Book of Mormon's conceptual language of "carnal, sensual, and devilish," as basically Protestant superstition. Orson Pratt then writes Absurdities of Immaterialism which rejects immaterial spirits and is referenced in the 1891 D&C. As the Protestant view of dualistic matterless spirits is replaced with pantheistic spirit-atoms and one Great God, which acts like the Force in Star Wars. For more details, see my blog series on the original Mormon Godhead here.
So I see Mormonism as actually a case study in the process of one man's renaissance-enlightenment through Joseph Smith’s spiritual development away from dualistic Augustinianism and toward Renaissance Enlightenment Humanism. Thus to read Mormon scripture as a whole, as an emerging evolutionary development, is to move from dualistic Protestant theism toward monist/pantheistic polytheism: which aligns more with the God of the ancient philosophers, of the Greeks (i.e. Stoics), Norse mythos, and ancient Hebrews, etc., prior to the effect of Zoroastrianism on Judaism.
Joseph Smith held his pro-body polytheism and monist/pantheist-ish views private for the most part, in fear of losing his prophetic status. After all, it was believed that he was channeling the voice of Jesus. But by 1844, he "let the cat out of the bag" with his King Follett Discourse.
He knew the power of perceived revelation and I think he felt justified in moving the consciousness of his people toward renaissance enlightenment ideas. He thus mixed and synthesized several ideas into one, but his consistent direction was the affirmation of the sensual body and joy in this world here and now. Like the ancient Epicurean and Stoic philosophers, for Smith, happiness was the object and design of our existence and man is that be might have joy. By 1844, this meant that joy was to be experienced in the physical body here and now, rather than postponing joy, laughter, and festivity for the afterworld (as was taught in puritanical Protestantism).
