Sandra shares her experiences (with late husband, Jerald), uncovering ‘hidden history’ of the LDS church, being confronted by angry leaders, and initially joining one of the Mormon splinter groups, the Church of Christ.
This series follows the early part of the Tanners’ biography, Lighthouse: Jerald and Sandra Tanner – Despised and Beloved Critics of Mormonism.
- Part 1 — Pioneers of Criticism: Sandra Tanner, Pauline Hancock and the Quest for the Original Church of Christ
- Part 2 — Shocking Truth: Murderers in the Celestial Kingdom? Challenging Sandra Tanner’s Faith
- Part 3 — Missing 1832 First Vision Account
- Part 4 — Jerald and Sandra Tanners’ Apostolic Scolding
- Part 5 — How Wes Walters’ Revival Research Forced Mormon Historians to Confront the 1820 Story
Part 1
Sandra discusses Pauline Hancock, who greatly influenced her and her husband, Jerald in their faith journey, and was a preacher in the original Church of Christ
(10/22/2025 – YouTube — Gospel Tangents, Ep. 1093)
Further reading:
Part 2
Will there be murderers in the Celestial Kingdom? An Institute Teacher’s answer challenged Sandra Tanner’s faith back in the 1950s.
(10/25/2025 – YouTube — Gospel Tangents, Ep. 1094)
Further reading:
- Eternal Progression Chart
- “Need More Than Atonement?”
- “The Unpardonable Sins” in Mormon Claims Answered, chapter 10
Part 3
Sandra discusses one of the most intriguing episodes in Mormon history: her early inquiry into the missing 1832 account of Joseph Smith’s First Vision.
(10/28/2025 – YouTube — Gospel Tangents, Ep. 1095)
Further reading:
- “Jerald Tanner’s Quest for Truth — Part 2”
- “Grappling With the Past” (First Vision accounts)
Part 4
Sandra relates the scolding that she and Jerald received from Apostle LeGrand Richards when they confronted him about the different versions of the First Vision.
(10/31/2025 – YouTube — Gospel Tangents, Ep. 1096)
Further reading:
Part 5
Sandra discuses how Wesley Walters’ research into Joseph Smith’s 1820 revival story forced Mormon historians to explain their position.
(11/2/2025 – YouTube — Gospel Tangents, Ep. 1097a)
Related:
- Money Digging in New York & Joseph Smith’s 1826 Trial (Wesley Walters lecture — YouTube – audio)
- “Revivals and Visions”
- Joseph Smith’s Bainbridge, N.Y., Court Trials, by Wesley P. Walters (1974)(PDF)