Ogden Kraut

Ogden Kraut
Bust photo of Ogden Kraut
Born	Ogden Wedlund Kraut (1927-06-21)June 21, 1927 Shelley, Idaho, United States
Died	Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
Resting place	Salem City Cemetery, Salem, Utah
Occupation	author
Language	English
Nationality	American
Genre	theology
Subject	Mormon fundamentalism
Spouse	Anne Wilde
Website
ogdenkraut.com

Ogden Wedlund Kraut (June 21, 1927 – July 17, 2002) was an American author who wrote about his independent Mormon fundamentalist beliefs. He was set apart as a "seventy" by Joseph W. Musser, a leader of the early Mormon fundamentalist movement. He also served as a missionary in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) in southern California. He was one of the last missionaries to serve in the church "without purse or scrip" (financed entirely by donations from the church or from those to whom they taught), and wrote a book about his experiences. He wrote books, some self-published, on Mormon fundamentalist topics. His 95 Theses, named after a document by Martin Luther, includes specific charges against doctrinal changes in the LDS Church.

Kraut was known to be keeping a distance from the emerging fundamentalist groups. He believed they had no authority to build their own churches and defended his independent lifestyle:

John Taylor authorized and set apart several men to perpetuate the principle of plural marriage and gave them the calling to perform such marriage, regardless of what the Church or the government might say or do .... There is no mention of setting up a church, taking tithing, having weekly meetings, or setting up a colony somewhere. Their calling (or keys) was to (1) live plural marriage, (2) perform plural marriage sealings, and (3) set apart others with this same calling.

In 1972, Kraut was excommunicated from the LDS Church for advocating polygamy. The FBI investigated claims that the church had conducted a wiretapping operation against Kraut.

In 1988, when a polygamist family was in a stand-off with law enforcement agencies, Kraut, who was acquainted with the family, was permitted to bring them food and supplies. He carried letters between the governor and the polygamists. Authorities wished to counter public perceptions that they were employing "psychological warfare" and "siege tactics". In vain, they hoped that Kraut or the governor's letter would influence the outlaws to negotiate or surrender. Anne Wilde, co-founder of the polygamy advocacy group "Principle Voices", was a plural wife of Ogden Kraut.

External links

• Ogden Kraut at Find a Grave
• The Primer: A Guidebook for Law Enforcement and Human Services Agencies Who Offer Assistance to Fundamentalist Mormon Families
• Ogden Kraut at Mormonfundamentalism.com