Jerry Park, an associate professor of sociology and an affiliate fellow of the Baylor Institute for Studies of Religion, writes of his interest in the PBS series Finding Your Roots. The show explores the ancestry of well-known Americans.
Family History Library
A recent episode shows that, thanks to the work of Latter-day Saint genealogists at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, researchers were able to discover records that contain information about one celebrity's family back to the 1200s. (The Family History Library portion of the program starts at the 40:55 mark.)
“So,” Park says, “if you wind up searching for your roots, you may want to send a thank-you to [The] Church of Jesus Christ of [Latter-day] Saints, who are fervently working at preserving a wealth of data that can give us a sense of rootedness and meaning that is irreplaceable.”
FamilySearch, a service provided by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is committed to helping people connect with their ancestors. This effort is rooted in the Mormon belief that families are meant to be central to our lives and that family relationships are intended to continue beyond this life. Because interest in family history is not limited by culture, ethnicity or religious faith, FamilySearch’s resources, from church records in Europe to oral histories in Africa, are available to everyone who wants to discover more about their family and their heritage.
Read Park’s entire post at Patheos.com.
