Sandra shares her experiences (with late husband, Jerald) during the years of the infamous forger and murder, Mark Hofmann. She tells how they sifted documentary evidence that eventually helped uncover his legacy of lying that had fooled even the prophetic powers of LDS leaders.
- Part 1 — When Mark Hofmann Met Sandra Tanner
- Part 2 — How Jerald Tanner Identified the Fake Salamander Letter
- Part 3 — Oliver Cowdery Forgery
- Part 4 — Jerald Tanner’s Forensic Background
- Part 5 — What Does Sandra Tanner Have to Say About Biblical Forgeries?
- Part 6 — Sandra’s View on the Hofmann Trial
Part 1
Sandra tells how she met Mark Hofmann, when he came to the Utah Lighthouse Ministry Bookstore and bought Mormonism—Shadow or Reality? She also relates some of his document forging activities.
(7/19/2018 – YouTube — Gospel Tangents, Ep. 176)
Further reading:
- “Joseph Smith ‘Caractors’ Found!” (Hofmann documents first appear)
- “Joseph as a Prophet: An Important New Document Comes to Light”
- “Embarrassing Letters”
Part 2
After Jerald Tanner finally received a typescript of the Salamander Letter, he noticed that the wording was similar to passages in an 1830 book about Mormonism by E. D. Howe and became convinced that the Salamander Letter was a forgery.
(7/21/2018 – YouTube — Gospel Tangents, Ep. 177)
Further reading:
Part 3
Sandra describes how Jerald researched and finally concluded that a pamphlet, purportedly by Oliver Cowdery, was a fake (unrelated to Mark Hofmann). It was good training for Jerald before encountering Hofmann’s forged documents.
(7/22/2018 – YouTube — Gospel Tangents, Ep. 178)
Further reading:
- “Mormon and Anti-Mormon Forgeries” (Oliver Cowdery forgery)
- A Critical Look (PDF)
Part 4
Due to Jerald’s very poor eyesight he was not encouraged to read as a young man. But having become interested in Mormon history, he was driven to solve problems related to the church, which launched him into his life of research. His eventual decline into Alzheimer’s was a tragic contrast, as Sandra describes.
(7/25/2018 – YouTube — Gospel Tangents, Ep. 179)
Further reading:
Part 5
Sandra Tanner answers questions about biblical issues in light of her experiences with forgery, discussing topics like the Dead Sea Scrolls, the dating of the Earth, biblical characters, the exodus from Egypt, and Jesus’ resurrection, as she explains some of the basis for her Christian faith.
(7/29/2018 – YouTube — Gospel Tangents, Ep. 180)
Further reading:
- Mormon Scriptures and the Bible (PDF)
- A Look at Christianity (PDF)
- Is There a Personal God? (PDF)
Part 6
Sandra Tanner discusses the plea bargain and Hofmann’s preliminary hearing.
(7/31/2018 – YouTube — Gospel Tangents, Ep. 181)