Ep 155 – Alexander Neibaur and Kabbalah

On this episode, we pick up with a European convert who made his way to Nauvoo in 1841. Alexander Neibaur was a “learned” man who was given to linguistic studies, dentistry, and esoteric Hebrew mysticism. Joseph Smith found a friend and fellow occultist in Neibaur and Mormon doctrine and theology exploded upon Neibaur’s arrival. We tell Neibaur’s story, give a brief overview of Kabbalah, and speculate on how Nauvoo theology was influenced by Kabbalah and Neibaur specifically.

Links:

Joseph Smith and the Kabbalah
http://gnosis.org/jskabb3.htm

Brief History of Neibaur
https://www.neibaur.org/journals/alexnotes.htm

Neibaur Journal
http://www.neibaur.org/journals/alex.html

Susa Young Gates biographical sketch of Alexander Neibaur
https://archive.org/stream/reliefsocietymag09reli#page/136/mode/2up

Usage of ‘Elohim’ in early Mormonism
https://rsc.byu.edu/archived/volume-14-number-1-2013/usage-title-elohim

“The Jews” by Alexander Neibaur circa July 1843
https://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/digital/collection/NCMP1820-1846/id/8533
https://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/digital/collection/NCMP1820-1846/id/8539

Show links:

Website http://nakedmormonismpodcast.com
Twitter @NakedMormonism
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Patreon http://patreon.com/nakedmormonism
Music by Jason Comeau http://aloststateofmind.com/
Show Artwork http://weirdmormonshit.com/
Legal Counsel http://patorrez.com/