THE RELIGIOUS CONSTRUCTION OF ETHNIC IDENTITY: THE CASE OF THE MORMONS Mormonism is an intriguing case in which an “ethnicity” of sorts was constructed from the ground up using a unique theological system and the common cultural stories. In the course of constructing their religion, Mormons began to see themselves as special descendants meant to congregate together on chosen land, and they believed that they shared a common bloodline heretofore unknown to them. I explore the religious rhetoric that created a people, the common experiences that strengthened that identity, the factors that diminished it in the last century, and how that identity now affects the way Mormons act and are perceived in the world today.

RACHAEL MORRIS and FRANCIS NELSON HENDERSON