More than forty years ago, Jan Shipps, was an American historian specializing in Mormon history, particularly in the latter half of the 20th century and into the 21st century. Shipps was generally regarded as the foremost non-Mormon scholar of the Latter Day Saint movement.

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One of her key observations was that the Mormons had become an ethnic group more than two hundred years sooner than was generally thought possible. This gave Mormon individuals a deep sense of identity, community, and social capital. These connections often resulted in improved well-being and practical advantages in various areas of life. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. Importantly, being a Mormon was more important to members than race, social status, wealth, education, political identity or other factors.

One of the interesting developments of the last twenty years is that the Mormon ethnic group has ended and seems to have been dissolved by the actions of the leadership.

One result is that issues of race, social status, wealth, educational attainments and political party are now more important than being “Mormon” — a term that has pretty much come to an end, outside of “anti-Mormons” who like to emphasize that use of the word from Joseph Smith to Gordon B. Hinkley, where the church embraced the term, and has now rejected it means that the Church has now admitted that the word is a marker of being satanists. (Something that many might disagree with, and others embrace as treating “Mormon” as giving a victory to Satan).

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The loss of “Mormon” as a primary identity has become obvious as vaccine deniers proliferate, Measles outbreaks show up in Utah, and other social trends have become significant. Political party has become more important to many than membership in the Church. Social stratifications seems to proliferate.

The development has raised the question, now that we are not the extended family that comprises an ethnic group, just what are we? Now that membership in the Church is no longer the primary identity of the members, what is the role of the Church and the community in the life of members?

Where does the Church go now that we have faced an end to the Mormons?

(for historical perspective, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/music/songs/i-am-a-mormon-boy?lang=eng).