Richard Bushman

Richard Bushman traces the heritage of Mormon transhumanism back through John Widtsoe and B. H. Roberts, who believed Mormonism’s “eternalism”—its rejection of creation ex nihilo—made it uniquely compatible with science. Bushman poses the provocative question: “Are there laboratories in heaven?” He outlines three models for how human science might relate to divine knowledge—textbook study, investigative learning, or a “plural science” where our discoveries possess unique value. If science reveals eternal truths, he concludes, then seeking knowledge becomes not just fun speculation but a serious religious obligation.

Chris Bradford, co-founder and president of the Mormon Transhumanist Association, opens the 2012 conference with reflections on the theme “Redeeming Our Dead.” Drawing on Joseph Smith’s vision of a “welding link” between generations, he explores how genealogy, proxy ordinances, and the sealing power create bonds that transcend mortality. Bradford suggests that resurrection and redemption necessarily involve “the creation of worlds”—contextualizing the resurrected in environments where they can flourish. He concludes that embracing the ghosts of our past, rather than freeing them to leave, may be the key to building a divine future community.