Mark Hofmann & the Forging of New Mormon History

A faithful retelling of the Hofmann forgeries, and their impact on the progressive rewriting of Latter-Day Saint history. Why did New Mormon Historians insist Hofmann's forgeries were legitimate, even when investigators provided convincing evidence to them of the hoax? How did Bruce R. McConkie know Hofmann's Joseph Smith III Blessing was a fake, despite authentication by document experts and pressure by historians calling him "e;incompetent"e; for questioning? Before detection, Mark Hofmann's "e;discoveries"e; challenged the testimonies of many Latter-day Saints as science and history seemed to attack the character and integrity of the Prophet Joseph Smith and the Church. Church leaders endured a great deal of criticism for their inability to detect the deception foisted on them by Hofmann. For progressives, the Hofmann story left behind a black hole and a black eye for the Church. For traditionalists, the Hofmann forgeries can represent a faith-promoting opportunity with diverse lessons for navigating future trials.