Scholar Patrick Mason opined that "The Mormon Moment was good for Mormon Studies. It raised the profile of Mormonism in universities, media outlets, churches, and living room conversations across the country. The fact that a devout Latter-day Saint was a serious contender for the White House made his religion a serious topic of conversation, even for people who find the religion's faith claims anything but serious. Like it or not, academics, journalists, and public intellectuals learned, Mormonism is a force to be reckoned with." While reporter McKay Coppins astutely observed "...the rising relevance that Mormonism has enjoyed in 2012 cuts both ways for the church, which now faces the task of disentangling its public image from polarizing Republican politics."
Thus I believe that detangling from political perceptions of Mormonism while finding a comfortable seat at the academic table is the next moment for Mormons.
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