Tabernacles of Clay

“Bold, original, and timely, Tabernacles of Clay is a field-defining book that does for Latter-day Saints what they have never fully done for themselves: lending a degree of ideological continuity to their shifting views about gender, sexuality, and marriage. A landmark step forward in both documenting and theorizing modern church teaching on sexuality and sexual difference, this is a work that Mormon studies has been waiting for and will come back to again and again.” —Patrick Q. Mason, Arrington Chair of Mormon History and Culture, Utah State University

“[A] landmark work on gender and sexuality in Mormon thought. . . . Information-packed, with a forceful thesis and jargon-free prose, this is an important contribution to Mormon studies as well as a convincing consideration of the ways religions construct and maintain frameworks. Any academic studying the intersection of religious practice and progressive social change will want to pick this up.”—Publishers Weekly

“A brilliant exception to studies of sexuality, gender, and religion that too often focus on a narrow subject and don’t speak to broader concerns of larger issues in history and society. . . . Petrey writes beautifully, offering readers across a wide variety of academic fields, including religious studies and the history of sexuality, an elegant intellectual text that will please casual readers as well. Highly recommended.”—Library Journal

“Petrey . . . looks at how post–WW II political, social, and cultural transformations shaped LDS church leaders' conceptions of race, sexuality, and gender. . . . Adding nuance to the history of Mormonism, Petrey’s book is a remarkable addition to the literature.”—CHOICE

“Tabernacles of Clay is a breakout book, a very modern book in its attention to theory and to sociological approaches to the study of gender, race, and sexuality. But it also has subtle insider knowledge that brings life to the interpretation. More importantly, this book will undoubtedly encourage others to tackle the thorny issues it raises. Petrey models how to do it.”—Nova Religio

“In a sea of scholarship, it can be difficult to know which books are worthy of your time . . . but don’t sleep on this one. . . . Tabernacles of Clay is an instant classic in the field. Pick it up, read it, and assign it to your own students. You'll be glad you did.”—American Religion

“Meticulously researched and well-balanced in structure and argument, Petrey’s book provides new insights into the church’s relationship with gender and sexuality policies. . . . Accessible and addictive in content, this book comes highly recommended.”—Segullah

"Petrey’s book . . . substantially contributes to gender and religious studies as well as to Mormon studies. His work enriches the current scholarship from multiple perspectives . . . excellent.”—Reading Religion

“A fascinating, invaluable resource for those interested in Mormon ideas of sexuality and gender.”—Association for Mormon Letters

“Petrey’s work bridges a gap in the field of Mormon studies where the study of women is often separated from the study of LGBTQ+ sexuality, obscuring 'a fundamental overlap between these two issues.'”—Journal of the American Academy of Religion