Word of Wisdom and Peyote: The Diversity of Interpretations, Part One

Sacred Record Vol. 15.1 (June, 1994) pp. 3-6.

4 Pages Posted: 8 Apr 2013

Date Written: 1994

Abstract

The Word of Wisdom, a health code introduced by Joseph Smith in 1833, has a history of varied interpretations within the larger body of Mormon faiths. Among the lesser known of these interpretations is that held by the Peyote Way of Church of God, founded in 1977 by Reverend Immanuel P. Trujillo, Rabbi Matthew S. Kent and Right Sister Anne L. Zapf in Arizona. Leaders of the Peyote Way Church of God hold a special place in their faith for the Word of Wisdom and interpret it to endorse the use of peyote, a cactus with hallucinogenic properties, as an herb. This interpretation may be surprising to members of the larger Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) but a review of the history of the health code in the LDS faith also demonstrates a remarkable fluidity of interpretation and innovation. This is the first in a two part series.

Keywords: Peyote, Word of Wisdom, Joseph Smith, Jonathan Koshiway, Native American Church, Immanuel Trujillo, Anne L. Zapf, Matthew S. Kent, Mormon, Diversity, Health Code

JEL Classification: Z10

Suggested Citation

Murphy, Thomas, Word of Wisdom and Peyote: The Diversity of Interpretations, Part One (1994). Sacred Record Vol. 15.1 (June, 1994) pp. 3-6., Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2246451

Thomas Murphy (Contact Author)

Edmonds College ( email )

20000 68th Ave W
Lynnwood, WA 98036
United States
425-640-1076 (Phone)
425-771-3366 (Fax)

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
108
Abstract Views
871
Rank
451,760
PlumX Metrics