Episode 4: The History

In this exploration of Utah and Church history, co-hosts Alyssa Grenfell and veteran attorney Tim Kosnoff are joined by historian and executive producer Lindsay Hansen Park to trace the LDS Church’s origins through a stark and unflinching lens that reveals how romanticized origins can obscure systemic harm. Together, they examine how secrecy, outlaw theology, and institutional power became woven into the very foundation of the LDS Church and the state of Utah, establishing a blueprint that still shapes the Church’s response to abuse today.

From Joseph Smith’s secret plural marriages to the systemic use of “sacredness” as a shield for silence, Park offers a powerful historical critique, connecting early practices to modern consequences. The episode dissects polygamy, theocratic control, and cultural myths of martyrdom, while exploring how patriarchal reverence and the suppression of discomfort have enabled a long-standing architecture of abuse.

 

Episode Transcript:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NjOXgop_4F3Nl0CLx2EOIhY9NWzx7HMt/view

 

Additional resources, and a contact form are available at ArchitectureOfAbuse.com

 

Listen to Lindsay Hansen Park’s podcast, Year of Polygamy: https://www.yearofpolygamy.com/ Listen to Lindsay Hansen Park’s podcast, Sunstone History Podcast: https://sunstone.org/sunstone-history-podcast/

 

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All views expressed are opinions only and do not constitute legal advice.

Every case is unique and should be considered and handled on a case-by-case basis. Under current law, and after decades of experience bringing cases against institutions like the LDS Church, it is our professional opinion that there is no mechanism to handle CSA-related claims other than individually. Under current law we do not anticipate that, without substantial changes to the law, there will be a mechanism—class action, consolidated cases, federal multi-district actions, or anything else—that will allow these claims to proceed on anything other than an individual basis. They are all simply too fact dependent. For inquiries about legal representation, visit kosnoff.com

 

Hosts | Alyssa Grenfell & Tim Kosnoff

Executive Producers | Lindsay Hansen Park & Eric W. Phillips

Producer | Lizzy Bean

Researcher | Emily Sellers