Jason Mack's Universalism and Its Echoes in the Smith Family's Faith

Explore how Jason Mack's fervent Universalist beliefs shaped the religious landscape of his family, particularly influencing the spiritual development of his daughter Lucy Mack Smith and, by extension, her son Joseph Smith Jr.

By Garret Merkley · Explainer · Jun 2, 2026

Branched from The $1,000 Mack Inheritance and Joseph Smith Sr.'s Disastrous Ginseng Venture

Quick take

Jason Mack was a devout Universalist, believing all people would eventually be saved through God's universal love.
This contrasted sharply with the prevailing Calvinist doctrines of predestination and limited atonement in early America.
Mack's Universalism deeply influenced his daughter, Lucy Mack Smith, fostering an open, less punitive view of God within her household.
This family religious environment likely contributed to the Smith family's readiness to embrace new revelations and a more benevolent concept of divinity.

Jason Mack's Universalist preaching centered on the belief that God's love and grace are so boundless that all humanity will ultimately be saved and reconciled with Him, rather than only a select few. This theological perspective, which he actively taught and lived, formed a significant part of the religious environment in which his daughter, Lucy Mack Smith, and later her son, Joseph Smith Jr., were raised.

The Core Tenets of Early American Universalism

In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Universalism stood in stark opposition to the dominant Calvinist doctrines of the time. While Calvinism often emphasized human depravity, predestination (that God chooses only certain individuals for salvation), and eternal damnation for the unchosen, Universalism offered a radically different vision. It taught that God is a loving parent whose ultimate desire is the salvation of all His children. Proponents like Jason Mack believed that any punishment for sin was remedial, designed to correct and refine, not to eternally condemn. Therefore, hell was seen not as a permanent state of torment, but as a temporary crucible leading to eventual purification and reunion with God.

This emphasis on a benevolent, all-encompassing God provided immense comfort and hope. It countered the fear and uncertainty often associated with traditional hellfire preaching, promoting a God who was merciful and just in a way that ensured no soul would be eternally lost. For families like the Macks, this belief system provided a foundation of optimism and a deep trust in divine goodness.

Jason Mack's Influence on the Mack-Smith Family Outlook

Jason Mack was not merely a passive believer; he was an active preacher of Universalist ideas, often inviting ministers into his home and engaging in religious discussions. His daughter, Lucy Mack Smith, grew up immersed in this environment. From her mother, Lydia Gates Mack (who was also a Universalist), and her father, Lucy absorbed a spiritual outlook characterized by a profound belief in a loving God, a rejection of rigid sectarianism, and an openness to direct spiritual experiences. She often expressed discomfort with the harsh, condemning sermons of other denominations.

This household faith fostered a spiritual curiosity and a willingness to seek divine truth beyond established churches. It cultivated a sense that God was accessible, desirous of communication, and deeply concerned with the welfare of individuals. This benevolent view of God, inherited from her parents, was a foundational element Lucy brought into her own marriage with Joseph Smith Sr., and subsequently passed on to their children, including Joseph Smith Jr. It provided fertile ground for embracing new religious ideas that might otherwise have been considered radical or heretical by those steeped in more traditional, punitive theological frameworks.

Jason Mack's Universalist preaching matters because it represents a significant undercurrent in early American religious thought that profoundly shaped one of the most influential religious families of the era. It illustrates how a specific theological belief, passed down through generations, can create a spiritual climate ripe for new religious movements. For the Mack and Smith families, it meant approaching God not with fear of eternal damnation, but with an expectation of His universal grace and a hope for direct revelation. This outlook likely contributed to the Smith family's receptiveness to Joseph Smith Jr.'s claims of divine visitations and new scripture, as it aligned with a vision of a God actively involved in humanity's salvation and open to communicating with His children.

Was Universalism a common belief in early America?

While not the dominant theology, Universalism gained traction in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, particularly as a reaction against the stricter doctrines of Calvinism. It offered a more hopeful and inclusive view of salvation to many.

How did Universalism differ from other Christian beliefs at the time?

Its primary distinction was the belief in universal salvation – that all souls would eventually be reconciled with God. This stood in contrast to doctrines of predestination (God chooses who is saved) and limited atonement (Christ died only for the elect), which were prevalent in many Protestant denominations.

Did Joseph Smith Jr. identify as a Universalist?

No, Joseph Smith Jr. did not identify as a Universalist. While he grew up in a family environment influenced by Universalist ideas, his revelations and the theology of the Latter-day Saint movement developed distinct doctrines, though some scholars see echoes of Universalist optimism in its expansive view of salvation and human potential.

Did all of Jason Mack's family become Universalists?

Many members of the Mack family, including his daughter Lucy Mack Smith, were influenced by or embraced Universalist ideas. However, individual beliefs varied, and some later explored or joined other denominations before the emergence of the Latter-day Saint movement.