Fred Woods

Fred Emmett Woods IV (born 1956) is a Brigham Young University professor of Latter-day Saint Church History and Mormon Doctrine, an author specializing in Mormon migration and the Globalization of Mormonism.

Biography

Early life

Woods was born and grew up in Southern California. He was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at age 20 and about a year later left on a mission to Australia. After returning from his mission he began studying at Ricks College where he met his wife, JoAnna Merrill. They are now the parents of five children.

Education

After completing his associate degree at Ricks, Woods earned a bachelor's degree from Brigham Young University, and received a Ph.D. in 1991 from the University of Utah. His doctoral dissertation was entitled Water and Storm Polemics against Baalism in the Deuteronomic History. His Ph.D. was in Mideastern Studies with an emphasis in Hebrew Bible.

Since that time Woods has focused his studies primarily on 19th century Mormon history. He has had research fellowships with both the Mariners' Museum in Newport News, Virginia and the St. Louis Mercantile Library at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.