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PrevPrevious EpisodeDifferent Succession Claims: Other Mormon Groups
Next ExpisodeMormon Followers of the Prophet James Strang (Part 6 of 8)Next

Alice Cooper’s Roots in Lively Mormon Schisms

Table of Contents: Alice Cooper’s Roots in Lively Mormon Schisms

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Have you ever heard the myth that Alice Cooper was a Mormon?  It turns out that’s partially true.  Historian John Hamer and Apostle Lachlan MacKay of the Community of Christ will talk about some lively Mormon meetings, and we’ll talk a little bit about Alice Cooper as well.

GT:  No, this is great.  We’ve talked about Sidney Rigdon and some of the others.

John:  Oh, by the way, even though his church atomized, there is an extant Rigdonite-tradition church, and it’s called the Church of Jesus Christ.  It’s headquartered in Monongahela, Pennsylvania.  A lot of times people, outsiders, call them the Bickertonites.  They don’t particularly like that.  It’s names after William Bickerton who was an early leader of that church after Sidney Rigdon.  So that is in the Rigdon tradition and it is sometimes seen as the third largest of the extant branches from 1844 with Brighamites being the largest, Josephites, or Community of Christ/RLDS Tradition being the second largest; third-largest being Rigdonite or Bickertonite branch, so they are a very interesting group.

They are headquartered in Monongahela, Pennsylvania.  They have kind of a Kirtland-era church where they do feet-washing.  They have their little pentocostal—they do everything by the spirit.  They don’t write down the talks.  You have to do it by the spirit, just like praying by the spirit….

GT:  Oh, wow.

John:  …and other interesting things like that. They were the first restoration-tradition church to have a black apostle back in the 1920s.

GT:  Oh, wow.

John:  So there is all kinds of—who is the—Alice Cooper.[1]

Lachlan:  Oh, his dad.

GT:  I’m glad you mentioned that.

John:  Alice Cooper, I’m trying to remember his name.  Alice Cooper’s is named, I don’t remember, Nephi or something like that.

GT:  [Ether Moroni Furnier].

John:  Yeah, so he was one of the presidents or one of the apostles.  His grandfather was like one of the apostles.  [Alice] is not like an active member.  He was raised in the church.  I don’t think he was actually even baptized.[2]

GT:  You said they were Pentecostal.  Did they speak in tongues?

John:  That’s what I meant by Pentecostal. I don’t mean modern Pentecostal.

GT:  Oh, not modern Pentecostal.

John:  No, not modern Pentecostal.  Yes they speak in tongues, but not like a modern Pentecostal church.  I didn’t mean it that way, but in that same way:  Pentecost in terms of speaking in tongues.

GT:  A person moved upon by the spirit, would they get up and start speaking just strange [language]?

John:  I haven’t actually been to a service where they’ve don’t it.  Have you been to one where they’ve done it?

Lachlan:  I drove by but wasn’t able to stop.

John:  I went to a regional conference and it was really amazing.  I don’t remember, but nobody actually spoke in tongues during it, but it was the liveliest Latter Day Saint tradition service I have ever been to.  Some traditions, churches are kind of notoriously boring within the tradition.  I won’t point fingers, but this was the opposite of that.

Because at any given moment, the person who is presiding would say, “Brother Lach, do you feel like you can come up and speak to us on tithing?”

{Lachlan shrugs}

John:  And so you would come up and give a speech.  Do you feel to do a musical number?  I mean literally there was no program and you don’t know when it’s even going to end.  At a certain point I’m thinking, “What are they going to call on me to do?”  I’ve got to think what I’m going to say.  {chuckles}  It’s very active and lively.  It was really great.

We’ll also talk about differences between the LDS Church and RLDS Church.  What’s the difference between a pastor and a bishop?   Check out our conversation…..  (Don’t forget to listen to our discussion about people vying for leadership following Joseph Smith’s death.)

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Alice Cooper - Alice Cooper’s Roots in Lively Mormon Schisms - Mormon History Podcast

[1] Alice Cooper was a famous man from the “shock-rock” performer from the 1970s.  His performances included special effects that made it appear his head was chopped off, and other gruesome acts during the concert.  He continues to perform.  He was born February 4, 1948 and his birth name was Vincent Damon Furnier.

[2] More information can be found at https://gospeltangents.com/2010/07/20/the-mormon-myth-about-alice-cooper/

 

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More Podcasts with these Guests:

  • Deep Dive Mormon Schisms (John Hamer 2 of 2)
  • Succession Crisis (John Hamer 1 of 2)
  • Is This the Face of Joseph Smith? (daguerreotype with Lachlan Mackay)
  • My Cousin Vinny - Alice Cooper's Mormon Roots (Part 10)
  • Writing History Without Getting in Trouble (Part 9)

Get more information on the people and things discussed in this episode:

  • Guest: John Hamer, Lachlan MacKay
  • Denomination: Bickertonites, RLDS/CoC
  • Succession Crisis
  • Historical Mentions Sidney Rigdon, William Bickerton
  • Tags: Alice Cooper, Alice Cooper was Mormon, Bickertonites, bishop, GT Podcast, iTunes, LDS Succession crisis, LDS vs RLDS, Mormon schisms, Pastor, Ridgonites, Sidney Rigdon, speaking in tongues, William Bickerton

Tell me when the next episode drops!

PrevPrevious EpisodeDifferent Succession Claims: Other Mormon Groups
Next ExpisodeMormon Followers of the Prophet James Strang (Part 6 of 8)Next
  • Date: January 16, 2018
  • Guest: John Hamer, Lachlan MacKay
  • Denomination: Bickertonites, RLDS/CoC
  • Succession Crisis
  • Historical Mentions Sidney Rigdon, William Bickerton
  • Tags: Alice Cooper, Alice Cooper was Mormon, Bickertonites, bishop, GT Podcast, iTunes, LDS Succession crisis, LDS vs RLDS, Mormon schisms, Pastor, Ridgonites, Sidney Rigdon, speaking in tongues, William Bickerton
  • Posted By: RickB

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Rick Bennett is the friendly, independent historian at the heart of Gospel Tangents LDS Podcast: The Best Source for Mormon History, Science, and Theology. When he isn't interviewing Mormon scholars, prophets, and others, he is teaching math and statistics at Utah Valley University. He also freelances as a research biostatistician in the fields of Dermatology and Traumatic Brian Injuries, as well as in the network television/cable T.V. industries as a sports statistician. Rick holds a Master of Statistics Degree from the University of Utah.

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