Word of Wisdom and Peyote: The Diversity of Interpretations, Part Two
Sacred Record, Vol. 15.2 (June, 1994) pp. 4-6
3 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 second in a two part series.
Keywords: Peyote, Word of Wisdom, Joseph Smith, Jonathan Koshiway, Native American Church, Immanuel P. Trujillo, Matthew S. Kent, Anne L. Zapf, Mormon, Health Code
JEL Classification: Z10
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation