The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints newsroom recently released a statement on historical accuracy in media following the release of a fictional streaming series depicting events in mid-19th century Utah.
The commentary piece, “Depictions that Deceive: When Historical Fiction Does Harm,” was released on Jan. 24, 2025.
While historical fiction can be “illuminating,” the series at hand is “dangerously misleading,” the Church's statement said.
Matthew Godfrey, a senior managing historian for the Church History Department, said sensationalized historical fiction shows can be problematic if they are presented as historically accurate.
"You probably start to think that's really how it was," Godfrey said. "I think it can distort the public's view of the church and also distort their view of our past."
The Church's statement specifically addressed recent depictions of Church President Brigham Young and historical events such as the Mountain Meadows Massacre.
"Brigham Young, a revered prophet and courageous pioneer, is, by any historical standard, egregiously mischaracterized as a villainous, violent fanatic. Other individuals and groups are also depicted in ways that reinforce stereotypes that are both inaccurate and harmful," the statement said.
The Church also stated that the series “inaccurately portrays” the Mountain Meadows Massacre as representative of the entire faith.
"The Church has long acknowledged and condemned this horrific tragedy," the statement said regarding the Mountain Meadows Massacre. "It has also taken significant steps to uncover and share the full truth of what happened and promote healing."
Godfrey highlighted the issue of sensationalized portrayals in the Netflix series American Primeval, which premiered in early January. He noted that the series “depicts itself as a historically accurate miniseries.”
American Primeval is set in 1857 during the Utah War. It follows a mother and son fleeing their past as they navigate the harsh realities of the American West.
When people see sensationalized portrayals of the Church or Brigham Young — especially if they don’t know a lot about Church history — they may assume that those depictions are accurate, Godfrey explained.
The series portrays Church members as inherently violent, driven by their religion to attack immigrant wagon trains and other groups, Godfrey added.
The statement referenced President Russell M. Nelson’s talk from the April 2023 general conference, "Peacemakers Needed," emphasizing the need for peacemakers now more than ever and warning that deceptive portrayals “can foster animosity, hate, and even violence.”
“The Savior’s message is clear: His true disciples build, lift, encourage, persuade, and inspire — no matter how difficult the situation. True disciples of Jesus Christ are peacemakers. … Peacemaking is a choice. … I urge you to choose to be a peacemaker, now and always,” Nelson said, as quoted in the statement.
The message of peace is a prophetic tiding of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, shared by all modern prophets including Brigham Young, the Church stated.
Jared Halverson, an associate professor of ancient scripture in BYU’s Religion Department, also specializes in the academic study of anti-Mormonism, he said.
“We’re at the mercy of people’s framing of things,” Halverson said. “In terms of historical fiction … they’re going to take whatever will grab the attention of potential viewers.”
Church members should continue studying church history if they come across something that challenges their faith, Halverson said.
“If something is troubling to you, then get past the surface level and try to understand what really went on,” Halverson said.
Halverson described "presentism" as “one of the cardinal sins of studying history poorly.” Presentism is when one judges the past according to present-day standards.
“Actually, our members study our own history probably more than any church's members do,” Halverson said. “But it's often those who don't want to study it all the way that learn just enough to get destabilized and not enough to get stabilized.”
The Church has confidence in its members’ ability to navigate these kinds of challenges, Halverson explained.
“I think it's up to us church members to be able to push through the initial shock and awe of a negative portrayal to be able to understand really what happened,” Halverson said.
The Church History section of the Gospel Library app is a good place to turn to for reputable sources for accurate information, Godfrey said.
The section includes two categories: “Church History Topics” and “Gospel Topics Essays,” both of which, he explained, address challenging episodes in church history by providing historical context and explanations to help readers better understand past events.
“These essays are written by historians who have training and practice in the field and have good standing in the field as well,” Godfrey said. “They’ve also been approved by the church for publication.”