Review
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Title: John A. Widtsoe: Scientist and Theologian, 1872-1952
Author: Thomas G. Alexander
Publisher: Signature Books
Genre: Biography
Year Published: 2023
Number of Pages: 165
Binding: Paperback, E-book
ISBN: 978-1-56085-469-2
Price: Paper, $14.95; E-book $9.95
Reviewed by Derek Denney for the Association of Mormon Letters
John A. Widtsoe: Scientist and Theologian tells a brief overview of the life and works of a scientist and educator-turned-LDS apostle at the turn of the 20th century. This era of Mormon history is influential in shaping the policies and the direction of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as it coincides with important scientific advancements such as the theory of evolution. In this biography, Thomas G. Alexander tells of the often quiet – but influential – roles Elder Widtsoe had in shaping the Church Education System and developing church-wide curriculum in an era before correlation.
Elder Widtsoe wrote in his collection of essays, Evidences, and Reconciliations, “truth is the most precious possession of man.” Here, Alexander shows how Widtsoe was driven by a search for truth. Whether it was John’s deep drive for education that began at an early age in Norway, seeking a college degree to understand plant biochemistry, experimenting on soil quality to develop world-renown farming techniques, or producing gospel essays for the LDS Church, Widtsoe spent much of his life seeking truth. His works illustrate the importance of truth in his life, and this love of learning was something he instilled in every location he went. Additionally, John Widtsoe would reconcile his faith and lack of information by trusting in God to reveal more when it was pertinent.
As a scholar, John Widtsoe attended private schools in Norway before moving to Logan, Utah with his mother and brother, where he graduated from high school at the Brigham Young Academy. John then attended college at Harvard University, where he met his future spouse, Leah Eudora Dunford, the daughter of Susa Young Dunford Gates. After college, John and Leah returned to Utah, where John researched agricultural chemistry at the Utah State Agricultural College (later, Utah State University). After some years of researching and teaching, John and Leah moved to Germany so John could pursue a PhD in Chemistry from Göttingen University. After his doctorate, John and Leah returned to Logan where John became the head of the Utah State Agricultural Experiment Station in September 1900. Over the next several years, Widtsoe took academic positions at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, returned to Logan as President of the Utah State Agricultural College, and finally, was appointed as President of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah in 1916.
With each of the academic appointments, John relied on his faith in God to direct his path. He often sought for blessings from the First Presidency or members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. In addition to his teaching and academic writings, he also dedicated portions of his time to writing LDS literature. For example, while a PhD student in Germany, he produced articles under a pseudonym on basic scientific principles for LDS magazines. As the head of the agricultural research station in Logan, Utah, John wrote study manuals for the Old Testament and Doctrine and Covenants. While serving as the President of the University of Utah, Widtsoe compiled sermons from Joseph F. Smith into a volume called Gospel Doctrine and produced a collection of Brigham Young’s works in Brigham Young’s Discourses.
In 1921, John A. Widtsoe was called by Heber J. Grant to be an apostle for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. John accepted the call and left his formal academic positions behind. However, his service in the church was marked by academic activities. Soon after being called to the apostleship, Widtsoe became the commissioner of the Church Education System from 1922 to 1924. He also worked on government panels to study the Colorado River system in the late 1920s. Additionally, he and his wife Leah wrote a book on the Word of Wisdom. Lastly, Widtsoe wrote extensively on pertinent science and gospel topics. These were published in the Improvement Era but later compiled into a three-part series, Evidences and Reconciliations. In these essays, Elder Widtsoe considered topics such as polygamy, the flood of Noah, and doubt versus faith. He also wrote about non-gospel-related topics, such as evolution and the age of the earth, and the existence of pre-Adamite humans. As a scientist, Widtsoe believed the Earth was much older than some of his colleagues in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. In these essays, Widtsoe wrote in faith-promoting ways to reconcile the limited views of man with the eternal nature of God.
Alexander wrote his biography of Widtsoe using autobiographical information from Widtsoe’s published works. The well-cited information gave me a place to go to learn more about John’s life. I appreciated the diligence Alexander took to compile information about Widtsoe. I learned much about one of the first three apostles to ever hold a PhD and I appreciated the attempts to explain the scientific material. I wish there were more information about John’s works and where I could go to see his state-of-the-art techniques and discoveries. As much of the information was drawn from John’s own words, it was challenging to know whether the works Alexander described were truly remarkable discoveries or if they were being offered through the worldview of John Widtsoe and his recollection. Nonetheless, whenever Alexander offered background details and pulled from sources beyond John Widtsoe’s own work, the writing was more compelling and interesting. I appreciated the places in which background context and historical information meshed with John’s life. These explanations made the content more appealing and showed how Widtsoe’s work fit into global events.
Ultimately, I learned much about John A. Widtsoe from this biography by Thomas G. Alexander. As it is part of Signature Books’ Brief Biography Series, it cannot contain everything about John’s life. Ideally, it would have included more information about Widtsoe’s works within the church and how his views on topics such as evolution were met by his contemporaries in church leadership. This era was an important time in which church leaders such as B.H. Roberts conflicted with the views of Joseph F. Smith on scientific advancements. I was surprised to see so little mention of the larger church culture conflicts in this biography. Alexander described the conflicts surrounding Widtsoe’s appointment as President at the University of Utah and faculty member at Brigham Young University, but the conflicts surrounding science and faith were not well-expounded. Nonetheless, the book gave me important insights into an apostle’s life at a pivotal time in church history. This book will serve as a springboard for those who are interested in a deeper dive into church history. It will also whet the reader’s appetite to learn more about a member of the Quorum of the Twelve during a tumultuous time in church history.