Angels and Seerstones: A Latter Day Saint Folklore Podcast
Latter-day Saints are a people of radical faith. Their tradition is one in which angels visit everyday people and sometimes men and women see the divine in stones. In this podcast we examine the lived religion of Latter-day Saints, the stories we tell, and the beliefs we debate. Join Christine and Chris Blythe, professional folklorists and LDS converts who openly profess their faith while exploring the traditions of their chosen people.
Angels and Seerstones: A Latter Day Saint Folklore Podcast
Episode 27: The Archangel Joseph Smith
On June 29, 1844, the Saints in Nauvoo gathered to mourn Joseph and Hyrum Smith. As their real graves remained hidden for safety, W.W. Phelps stood before two empty coffins and delivered a funeral sermon unlike any other. In this episode of Angels and Seerstones, we dive into that powerful oration—and the mysteries it holds.
Joined by historians Mark Ashurst-McGee and Bruce Van Orden, we explore Phelps’s striking claims: that Joseph Smith was a premortal archangel, possibly the Holy Ghost, the final martyr of the age, and even a future destroying angel bringing divine judgment.
What did early Saints believe about Joseph’s eternal role? Why did Phelps reconstruct the sermon 11 years later? And how do ideas like Gazelem, the Prince of Light, reflect the esoteric teachings of Nauvoo?
We also reflect on how modern Latter-day Saints have interpreted—or quietly sidelined—these bold theologies. Join us as we untangle one of the most fascinating funeral sermons in LDS history.
🎧 Watch the full sermon on YouTube and explore more at angelsandseerstones.com