ePub feed of Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture

Book Review: Temple Mysticism: An Introduction, by Margaret Barker - Kevin Christensen

Kevin Christensen — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 17:51:30 +0000

Review of Margaret Barker, Temple Mysticism: An Introduction (London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 2011), 181 pp. Continue reading →

The Spectacles, the Stone, the Hat, and the Book: A Twenty-first Century Believer’s View of the Book of Mormon Translation - Roger Nicholson

Roger Nicholson — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 18:07:00 +0000

This essay seeks to examine the Book of Mormon translation method from the perspective of a regular, nonscholarly, believing member in the twenty-first century, by taking into account both what is learned in Church and what can be learned from historical records that are now easily available. What do we know? What should we know? How can a believing Latter-day Saint reconcile apparently conflicting accounts of the translation process? An examination of the historical sources is used to provide us with a fuller and more complete understanding of the complexity that exists in the early events of the Restoration. These accounts come from both believing and nonbelieving sources, and some skepticism ought to be employed in choosing to accept some of the interpretations offered by some of these sources as fact. However, an examination of these sources provides a larger picture, and the answers to these questions provide an enlightening look into Church history and the evolution of the translation story. This essay focuses primarily on the methods and instruments used in the translation process and how a faithful Latter-day Saint might view these as further evidence of truthfulness of the restored Gospel. Continue reading →

When Hypotheses Collide: Responding to Lyon and Minson’s “When Pages Collide” - Brant A. Gardner

Brant A. Gardner — Fri, 31 May 2013 18:12:50 +0000

At the end of 2012, Jack M. Lyon and Kent R. Minson published “When Pages Collide: Dissecting the Words of Mormon.” They suggest that there is textual evidence that supports the idea that Words of Mormon 12-18 is the translation of the end of the previous chapter of Mosiah. The rest of the chapter was lost with the 116 pages, but this text remained because it was physically on the next page, which Joseph had kept with him. In this paper, the textual information is examined to determine if it supports that hypothesis. The conclusion is that while the hypothesis is possible, the evidence is not conclusive. The question remains open and may ultimately depend upon one’s understanding of the translation process much more than the evidence from the manuscripts. Continue reading →

Finding Parallels: Some Cautions and Criticisms, Part Two - Benjamin L. McGuire

Benjamin L. McGuire — Fri, 24 May 2013 18:04:09 +0000

Discovering parallels is inherently an act of comparison. Through comparison, parallels have been introduced frequently as proof (or evidence) of different issues within Mormon studies. Despite this frequency, very few investigations provide a theoretical or methodological framework by which the parallels themselves can be evaluated. This problem is not new to the field of Mormon studies but has in the past plagued literary studies more generally. In Part One, this review essay discusses present and past approaches dealing with the ways in which parallels have been used and valued in acts of literary comparison, uncovering the various difficulties associated with unsorted parallels as well as discussing the underlying motivations for these comparisons. In Part Two, a methodological framework is introduced and applied to examples from Grunder’s collection in Mormon Parallels. In using a consistent methodology to value these parallels, this essay suggests a way to address the historical concerns associated with using parallels to explain both texts and Mormonism as an historical religious movement. Continue reading →

Finding Parallels: Some Cautions and Criticisms, Part One - Benjamin L. McGuire

Benjamin L. McGuire — Fri, 17 May 2013 18:28:55 +0000

Review of Rick Grunder. Mormon Parallels: A Bibliographic Source. Layfayette, New York: Rick Grunder—Books, 2008. 2,088 pp. On CD-ROM. Discovering parallels is inherently an act of comparison. Through comparison, parallels have been introduced frequently as proof (or evidence) of different issues within Mormon studies. Despite this frequency, very few investigations provide a theoretical or methodological framework by which the parallels themselves can be evaluated. This problem is not new to the field of Mormon studies but has in the past plagued literary studies more generally. In Part One, this review essay discusses present and past approaches dealing with the ways in which parallels have been used and valued in acts of literary comparison, uncovering the various difficulties associated with unsorted parallels as well as discussing the underlying motivations for these comparisons. In Part Two, a methodological framework is introduced and applied to examples from Grunder’s collection in Mormon Parallels. In using a consistent methodology to value these parallels, this essay suggests a way to address the historical concerns associated with using parallels to explain both texts and Mormonism as an historical religious movement. Continue reading →

Standing on the Shoulders of Giants - Daniel C. Peterson

Daniel C. Peterson — Fri, 10 May 2013 19:20:47 +0000

Technological innovations have enabled the continuation and growth of the Church in these Latter-days, as well as this organization, The Interpreter Foundation. Continue reading →

Prophets and Kings in Lehi’s Jerusalem and Margaret Barker’s Temple Theology - Kevin Christensen

Kevin Christensen — Fri, 03 May 2013 18:04:53 +0000

King Josiah's reign has come under increasing focus for its importance to the formation of the Hebrew Bible, and for its proximity to the ministry of important prophets such as Jeremiah and Lehi. Whereas the canonical accounts and conventional scholarship have seen Josiah portrayed as the ideal king, Margaret Barker's argues Josiah's reform was hostile to the temple. This essay offers a counterpoint to Professor Hamblin's "Vindicating Josiah" essay, offering arguments that the Book of Mormon and Barker's views and sources support one another. Continue reading →

Vindicating Josiah - William J. Hamblin

William J. Hamblin — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 18:02:51 +0000

Margaret Barker has written a number of fascinating books on ancient Israelite and Christian temple theology. One of her main arguments is that the temple reforms of Josiah corrupted the pristine original Israelite temple theology. Josiah’s reforms were therefore, in some sense, an apostasy. According to Barker, early Christianity is based on the pristine, original pre-Josiah form of temple theology. This paper argues that Josiah’s reforms were a necessary correction to contemporary corruption of the Israelite temple rituals and theologies, and that the type of temple apostasy Barker describes is more likely associated with the Hasmoneans. Continue reading →

Josiah’s Reform: An Introduction - Benjamin L. McGuire

Benjamin L. McGuire — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 18:00:44 +0000

In 1951 in The Improvement Era, Sidney B. Sperry published a short article titled “Some Problems of Interest Relating to the Brass Plates.” In this article he outlines several problems including issues related to the Pentateuch, Jeremiah’s prophecies, The Book of the Law, and the Brass Plates themselves. In many ways, Sperry laid down a gauntlet that has been taken up many times by LDS scholars looking for answers that help to explain these issues in the Book of Mormon within the context of the best current biblical scholarship. Continue reading →

Some Notes on Book of Mormon Names - Stephen D. Ricks

Stephen D. Ricks — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 18:00:47 +0000

This study considers the Book of Mormon personal names Josh, Nahom, and Alma as test cases for the Book of Mormon as an historically authentic ancient document. Continue reading →

The Sôd of YHWH and the Endowment - William J. Hamblin

William J. Hamblin — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 18:00:46 +0000

In the Hebrew Bible, the Sôd of God was a council of celestial beings who consulted with God, learned His sôd/secret plan, and then fulfilled that plan. This paper argues that the LDS endowment is, in part, a ritual reenactment of the sôd, where the participants observe the sôd/council of God, learn the sôd/secret plan of God, and covenant to fulfill that plan. Continue reading →

Letter to a Doubter - Terryl L. Givens

Terryl L. Givens — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 18:00:40 +0000

In this open letter to doubters of the Latter-day Saint faith, the well-known author Terryl Givens does not attempt direction to resolve uncertainties and perplexities, but attempts to endow them with the dignity and seriousness they deserve--and even to celebrate them. Specific topics include the prophetic mantle, the nature of restoration, Mormon exclusivity, the inefficacy of institutional religion, and satisfactions of the Gospel/personal revelation. Givens argues that there is profit to be found, and advantage to be gained, even—perhaps especially—in the absence of certainty. Continue reading →

Whither Mormon Studies? - John Gee

John Gee — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 18:14:54 +0000

The proliferation of Mormon Studies is surprising, considering that many of the basic questions about the field have never been answered. This paper looks at a number of basic questions about Mormon Studies that are of either academic concern or concern for members of the Church of Jesus Christ. They include such questions as whether Mormon Studies is a discipline, whether those who do Mormon Studies necessarily know what is going on in the Church, or if they interpret their findings correctly, whether there is any core knowledge that those who do Mormon Studies can or should have, what sort of topics Mormon Studies covers or should cover and whether those topics really have anything to do with what Mormons actually do or think about, whether Mormon Studies has ulterior political or religious motives, and whether it helps or hurt the Kingdom. Is Mormon Studies a waste of students’ time and donors’ money? Though the paper does not come up with definitive answers to any of those questions, it sketches ways of looking at them from a perspective within the restored Gospel and suggests that these issues ought to be more carefully considered before Latter-day Saints dive headlong into Mormon Studies in general. Continue reading →

Confronting Five-Point Calvinism - Louis C. Midgley

Louis C. Midgley — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 19:17:45 +0000

Review of Roger E. Olson. Against Calvinism. Foreword by Michael Horton, author of For Calvinism. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011. 207 pp., no index. $16.99 (paperback). Continue reading →

Trusting Joseph - Neal Rappleye

Neal Rappleye — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 17:58:34 +0000

The “first steps” of Mormon history are vital to the faith claims of the Latter-day Saints. The new volume Exploring the First Vision, edited by Samuel Alonzo Dodge and Steven C. Harper, compiles research into the historical veracity of Joseph Smith’s First Vision narrative which shows the Prophet to have been a reliable and trustworthy witness. Ultimately, historical investigation can neither prove nor disprove that Joseph had a theophany in the woods in 1820. Individuals must therefore reach their conclusions by some other means. Continue reading →

Ancient Affinities within the LDS Book of Enoch Part Two - Jeffrey M. Bradshaw

Jeffrey M. Bradshaw — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 20:22:09 +0000

In this article, we will examine affinities between ancient extracanonical sources and a collection of modern revelations that Joseph Smith termed “extracts from the Prophecy of Enoch.” We build on the work of previous scholars, revisiting their findings with the benefit of subsequent scholarship. Following a perspective on the LDS canon and an introduction to the LDS Enoch revelations, we will focus on relevant passages in pseudepigrapha and LDS scripture within three episodes in the Mormon Enoch narrative: Enoch’s prophetic commission, Enoch’s encounters with the “gibborim,” and the weeping and exaltation of Enoch and his people. Continue reading →

Ancient Affinities within the LDS Book of Enoch Part One - Jeffrey M. Bradshaw

Jeffrey M. Bradshaw — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 19:13:59 +0000

Reflecting on Gospel Scholarship with Abū al-Walīd and Abū Ḥāmid - Daniel C. Peterson

Daniel C. Peterson — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 18:19:39 +0000

Al-Ghazālī and Ibn Rushd, two of the greatest thinkers in the Islamic tradition, gave a great deal of thought to the relationship between faith and reason, and to what should be done when received religious tradition appears to conflict with what reason appears to demonstrate. With whom should such problems and their resolutions be shared? Mainstream Christians and Jews have studied the works of the two men for centuries; perhaps what they say will prove interesting to Latter-day Saints, as well. Continue reading →

One Day to a Cubit - Hollis R. Johnson

Hollis R. Johnson — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 19:31:20 +0000

An investigation of ancient astronomy shows that a cubit was used not only as the metric of length (elbow to fingertip) but also as a metric of angle in the sky. That suggested a new interpretation that fits naturally: the brightest celestial object—the sun—moves eastward around the sky, relative to the stars, during the course of a year, by one cubit per day! Continue reading →

New Light and Old Shadows: John G. Turner’s Attempt to Understand Brigham Young - Craig L. Foster

Craig L. Foster — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 19:15:31 +0000

Review of John G. Turner, Brigham Young: Pioneer Prophet (Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2012), viii, 500, map, photos, notes, index. Continue reading →

Nephite insights into Israelite Worship Practices before the Babylonian Captivity - A. Keith Thompson

A. Keith Thompson — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 20:00:15 +0000

General historical consensus holds that synagogues originated before the destruction of the Second Temple in AD 70, and therefore probably originated during the Babylonian captivity. The suggestion in Philo and Josephus that synagogues may have originated during the exodus was discredited by some historians in the 17th century, yet the Book of Mormon speaks of synagogues, sanctuaries, and places of worship in a manner which suggests that Lehi and his party brought some form of synagogal worship with them when they left Jerusalem around 600 BC. This essay revisits the most up to date scholarship regarding the origin of the synagogue and suggests that the Book of Mormon record provides ample reason to look for the origins of the synagogue much earlier that has become the academic custom. Continue reading →

From the East to the West: The Problem of Directions in the Book of Mormon - Brant A. Gardner

Brant A. Gardner — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 19:00:27 +0000

The 1985 publication of John L. Sorenson’s An Ancient American Setting for the Book of Mormon presented the best argument for a New World location for the Book of Mormon. For all of its strengths, however, one aspect of the model has remained perplexing. It appeared that in order to accept that correlation one must accept that the Nephites rotated north to what we typically understand as northwest. The internal connections between text and geography were tighter than any previous correlation, and the connections between that particular geography and the history of the peoples who lived in that place during Book of Mormon times was also impressive. There was just that little problem of north not being north. This paper reexamines the Book of Mormon directional terms and interprets them against the cultural system that was prevalent in the area defined by Sorenson’s geographical correlation. The result is a way to understand Book of Mormon directions without requiring any skewing of magnetic north. Continue reading →

Book Review: Forgery and Counterforgery: The Use of Literary Deceit in Early Christian Polemics, by Bart D. Ehrman - Robert S. Boylan

Robert S. Boylan — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 19:04:10 +0000

Review of Bart D. Ehrman. Forgery and Counterforgery: The Use of Literary Deceit in Early Christian Polemics. New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012). x + 628 pp, including bibliography and index. $39.95. Hardback. Continue reading →

In His Footsteps: Ammon₁ and Ammon₂ - Val Larsen

Val Larsen — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 19:09:30 +0000

Mormon is a historian with a literary sensibility and considerable literary skill. Though his core message is readily apparent to any competent reader, his history nevertheless rewards close reading. Its great scope means that much that is said must be said by implication. And its witness of Christ is sometimes expressed through subtle narrative parallels or through historical allegory. This article focuses on parallel narratives that feature Ammon1 and Ammon2, with special attention to the allegorical account of Ammon2 at the waters of Sebus. To fully comprehend the power of the testimony of Christ that Mormon communicates in his Ammon narratives, readers must glean from textual details an understanding of the social and political context in which the narratives unfold. Continue reading →

Evangelical Controversy: A Deeply Fragmented Movement - Louis C. Midgley

Louis C. Midgley — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 19:09:07 +0000

Abstract: Four Views on the Spectrum of Evangelicalism should be helpful to Latter-day Saints (and others) seeking to understand some of the theological controversies lurking behind contemporary fundamentalist/evangelical religiosity. Four theologians spread along a spectrum speak for different competing factions of conservative Protestants: Kevin Bauder for what turns out to be his own somewhat moderate version of Protestant fundamentalism; Al Mohler for conservative/confessional evangelicalism; John Stackhouse for generic evangelicalism; and Roger Olson for postconservative evangelicalism. Each author introduces his own position and then is critiqued in turn by the others, after which there is a rejoinder. In addition, as I point out in detail, each of these authors has something negative to say about the faith of Latter-day Saints. Continue reading →

Biblical and Non-Biblical Quotes in the Sermons and Epistles of Paul - John A. Tvedtnes

John A. Tvedtnes — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 19:13:38 +0000

In 2010, BYU’s Neal A. Maxwell Institute published an article in which I demonstrated that the charge of plagiarism, frequently leveled against Joseph Smith by critics, is untrue. I noted, among other things, that the authors of books of the Bible sometimes quoted their predecessors. One of those authors was the apostle Paul, who drew upon a wide range of earlier texts in his epistles. This article discusses and demonstrates his sources. Continue reading →

Book Review: Comparing and Evaluating the Scriptures: A Timely Challenge for Jews, Christians, Muslims, and Mormons - Cassandra S. Hedelius

Cassandra S. Hedelius — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 21:07:16 +0000

Review of Paul F. Fink. Comparing and Evaluating the Scriptures: A Timely Challenge for Jews, Christians, Muslims, and Mormons. Lompoc, CA: Summerland Publishing, 2008. 166 pp. $16.95 (paperback and e-book format). Continue reading →

The Role of Apologetics in Mormon Studies - Daniel C. Peterson

Daniel C. Peterson — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 18:32:41 +0000

The following essay was presented on 3 August 2012 as “Of ‘Mormon Studies’ and Apologetics” at the conclusion of the annual conference of the Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research (FAIR) in Sandy, Utah. It represents the first public announcement and appearance of Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture, which had been founded only slightly more than a week earlier, on 26 July. In my view, that rapid launch was the near-miraculous product of selfless collaboration and devotion to a cause on the part of several people—notable among them David E. Bokovoy, Alison V. P. Coutts, William J. Hamblin, Bryce M. Haymond, Louis C. Midgley, George L. Mitton, Stephen D. Ricks, and Mark Alan Wright—and I’m profoundly grateful to them. This essay, which may even have some slight historical value, is something of a personal charter statement regarding that cause. It is published here with no substantial alteration. Continue reading →

The Apocryphal Acts of Jesus - John Gee

John Gee — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 21:05:21 +0000

Numerous noncanonical accounts of Jesus’s deeds exist. While some Latter-day Saints would like to find plain and precious things in the apocryphal accounts, few are to be found. Three types of accounts deal with Jesus as a child, his mortal ministry, or after his resurrection. The Jesus of the infancy gospels does not act like the Jesus of the real gospels. The apocryphal accounts of Jesus’s ministry usually push a particular theological agenda. The accounts of Jesus’s post-resurrection teaching often contain intriguing but bizarre information. On the whole, apocryphal accounts of Jesus’s ministry probably contain less useful information for Latter-day Saints than they might expect. Continue reading →

Defending the King and His Kingdom - Louis C. Midgley

Louis C. Midgley — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 20:19:38 +0000

Some vocal cultural Mormons, busy asking themselves “why stay,” claim that it is not at all probable that there is a God, or that there even was a Jesus of Nazareth. They also ridicule the Atonement. In the language of our scriptures they are antichrists—that is, they deny that there was or is a Christ. Being thus against the King and His Kingdom, their trumpet does not give a clear sound; they are clearly against the one whom they made a solemn covenant to defend and sustain. Instead of seeking diligently to become genuine Holy Ones or Saints, they worship an idol—they have turned from the Way by fashioning an idol. They preach and practice a petty idolatry. Genuine Saints, including disciple-scholars, have a duty to defend the King and His Kingdom. Continue reading →

Shaken Faith Syndrome and the Case for Faith - Stephen O. Smoot

Stephen O. Smoot — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 19:00:40 +0000

Michael R. Ash is a Mormon apologist who has written two thoughtful books and a number of insightful articles exploring a wide range of controversial issues within Mormonism. His recent book Shaken Faith Syndrome: Strengthening One’s Testimony in the Face of Criticism and Doubt is an outstanding apologetic resource for individuals searching for faith-promoting answers that directly confront anti-Mormon allegations and criticisms. Ash does an excellent job in both succinctly explaining many of the criticisms leveled against The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and articulating compelling answers to these criticisms. Review of Michael R. Ash. Shaken Faith Syndrome: Strengthening One’s Testimony in the Face of Criticism and Doubt. Redding, CA: Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research, 2008. x + 301 pp., with index. $19.95 (paperback). Continue reading →

Why was one sixth of the 1830 Book of Mormon set from the original manuscript? - Royal Skousen

Royal Skousen — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 20:00:43 +0000

Evidence from the manuscripts of the Book of Mormon (as well as internal evidence within the Book of Mormon itself) shows that for one sixth of the text, from Helaman 13:17 to the end of Mormon, the 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon was set from the original (dictated) manuscript rather than from the printer’s manuscript. For five-sixths of the text, the 1830 edition was set from the printer’s manuscript, the copy prepared specifically for the 1830 typesetter to use as his copytext. In 1990, when the use of the original manuscript as copytext was first discovered, it was assumed that the scribes for the printer’s manuscript had fallen behind in their copywork, which had then forced them to take in the original manuscript to the 1830 typesetter. Historical evidence now argues, to the contrary, that the reason for the switch was the need to take the printer’s manuscript to Canada in February 1830 in order to secure the copyright of the Book of Mormon within the British realm. During the month or so that Oliver Cowdery and others were on their trip to nearby Canada with the printer’s manuscript, the 1830 typesetter used the original manuscript to set the type, although he himself was unaware that there had been a temporary switch in the manuscripts. Continue reading →

Rethinking the Apostle Peter’s Role in the Early Church - Noel B. Reynolds

Noel B. Reynolds — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 19:03:21 +0000

Review of Martin Hengel, Saint Peter: The Underestimated Apostle. English translation by Thomas H. Trapp. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 2010. 161 pp., with indices. $18.00. Continue reading →

Variants in the Stories of the First Vision of Joseph Smith and the Apostle Paul - John A. Tvedtnes

John A. Tvedtnes — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 21:12:32 +0000

Some critics of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have noted that the different accounts of Joseph Smith’s first vision, though written by the prophet himself, vary in some details. They see this as evidence that the event did not take place and was merely invented to establish divine authority for his work. They fail to realize that the versions of Paul’s vision on the road to Damascus, in which the risen Christ appeared to him, also differ from one another. Indeed, they vary more than Joseph Smith’s accounts of his experience. This article examines those variants. Continue reading →

Revisiting the Forgotten Voices of Weeping in Moses 7: A Comparison with Ancient Texts - Jeffrey M. Bradshaw

Jeffrey M. Bradshaw — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 18:44:36 +0000

The LDS Book of Moses is remarkable in its depiction of the suffering of the wicked at the time of the Flood. According to this text, there are three parties directly involved in the weeping: God (Moses 7:28; cf. v. 29), the heavens (Moses 7:28, 37), and Enoch (Moses 7:41, 49). In addition, a fourth party, the earth, mourns—though does not weep—for her children (Moses 7:48–49). The passages that speak of the weeping God and the mourning earth have received the greatest share of attention by scholars. The purpose of this article is to round out the previous discussion so as to include new insights and ancient parallels to the two voices of weeping that have been largely forgotten—that of Enoch and that of the heavens. Continue reading →

Christian Faith in Contemporary China - Louis C. Midgley

Louis C. Midgley — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 17:45:06 +0000

Review of Lian Xi. Redeemed by Fire: The Rise of Popular Christianity in Modern China. New Haven: Yale University, 2010. 352 pp., with glossary, bibliography and index. $45.00 (hardcover). Continue reading →

Evaluating Three Arguments Against Joseph Smith’s First Vision - Steven C. Harper

Steven C. Harper — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 18:00:58 +0000

Historically there have been just three basic arguments against the authenticity of Joseph Smith’s first vision. They all begin with the a priori premise that such a vision simply could not have happened. The arguments originated with the Methodist minister to whom Joseph related his vision, author Fawn Brodie, and the Reverend Wesley Walters. The minister’s critique is explained by Methodism’s shift away from ecstatic religious experience. Fawn Brodie is shown to have made innovative yet flawed arguments within the narrow scope allowed by her conclusion that Joseph was a charlatan—a conclusion that did not allow for alternative interpretations of new evidence. Walters is shown to make fallacious arguments of irrelevant proof and negative proof in his understandably determined effort to undermine Joseph Smith’s credibility. Close-minded believers in Joseph’s vision are similarly likely to make unfounded assumptions unless they become open to the rich historical record Joseph created. Belief in the vision should correspond to Christian empathy for and civility toward critics. Continue reading →

Attacking Rather Than Explaining - Cassandra S. Hedelius

Cassandra S. Hedelius — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 16:21:18 +0000

In his book on Mormonism, the Reverend Andrew Jackson claims to explain “the teaching and practices of the LDS Church,” with an intended audience of non-Mormon Christians but also “interested Mormons.” He doesn’t succeed well. Although his presentation of Mormon history is mostly fair, his discussion of the faith of Latter-day Saints devolves into the usual anti-Mormon tropes, to which he adds a celebration of a simplified evangelical theology. What might have been a useful, straightforward account of The Church of Jesus Christ and its history ended up, instead, as a clumsy attack. Reverend Jackson eventually re-released his book under a different title as a warning against what he considers Mitt Romney’s reticence to publicly explain his faith to the Reverend’s specifications. The later iteration of Reverend Jackson’s opinions was not even revised beyond a new introduction, making plain his basic antagonistic agenda. Continue reading →

E-Books of Interpreter Volume 1 Now Available - Administration

Administration — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 03:43:50 +0000

Volume 1 of Interpreter is now available in various e-book formats. Continue reading →

Charity in Defending the Kingdom - Daniel C. Peterson

Daniel C. Peterson — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 17:59:36 +0000

This is the introduction to volume 1 of Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture, in which Daniel C. Peterson discusses the topic of "Charity in Defending the Kingdom." Continue reading →

To Really Read the Book of Mormon - Ralph C. Hancock

Ralph C. Hancock — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 18:44:41 +0000

Review of Grant Hardy. Understanding the Book of Mormon: A Reader’s Guide. New York: Oxford University Press, 2010. xix + 346 pp., with index. Continue reading →

Mormonism and Wikipedia: The Church History That “Anyone Can Edit” - Roger Nicholson

Roger Nicholson — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 18:00:09 +0000

The ability to quickly and easily access literature critical of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been made significantly easier through the advent of the Internet. One of the primary sites that dominates search engine results is Wikipedia, an online encyclopedia that “anyone can edit.” Wikipedia contains a large number of articles related to Mormonism that are edited by believers, critics, and neutral parties. The reliability of information regarding the Church and its history is subject to the biases of the editors who choose to modify those articles. Even if a wiki article is thoroughly sourced, editors sometimes employ source material in a manner that supports their bias. This essay explores the dynamics behind the creation of Wikipedia articles about the Church, the role that believers and critics play in that process, and the reliability of the information produced in the resulting wiki articles. Continue reading →

Book Review: Latter-day Scripture: Studies in the Book of Mormon, by Robert M. Price - Louis C. Midgley

Louis C. Midgley — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 19:13:28 +0000

This is a book review of Latter-day Scripture: Studies in the Book of Mormon, by Robert M. Price. Review by Louis C. Midgley. Continue reading →

Atheist Piety: A Religion of Dogmatic Dubiety - Louis C. Midgley

Louis C. Midgley — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 19:09:55 +0000

The “Special Feature” of this mass-market secular humanist magazine consists of an introduction to “America’s Peculiar Piety” followed by a miscellany of brief, nonscholarly essays critical of The Church of Jesus Christ. The questions posed in the introduction to this flagship atheist magazine go unaddressed in the essays. Some of the essays are personal exit stories by former Latter-day Saints. One is an effort by Robert M. Price to explain away the Book of Mormon without confronting its contents. This is done by ignoring the details of Joseph Smith’s career in order to picture him as the equivalent of a bizarre, emotionally conflicted figure like Charles Manson or as the embodiment of one of a wide range of mythical trickster figures like Brer Rabbit, Felix the Cat, or Doctor Who. The assumed link between these mythical or legendary figures and Joseph Smith is said to be a Jungian archetype lodged in his presumably deranged psyche, leading him to fashion the Book of Mormon. Another essay merely mentions the well-known criticisms of Joseph Smith by Abner Cole (a.k.a. Obadiah Dogberry), while others complain that the faith of the Saints tends to meet emotional needs or that their religious community has various ways of reinforcing their own moral demands. In no instance do these authors see their own deeply held ideology as serving similar personal and community-sustaining religious functions. All of the essays reflect a fashionable, dogmatic, naive, and deeply religious enmity toward the faith of Latter-day Saints. The essays are also shown to be instances of a modern militant atheism, which is contrasted with earlier and much less bold and aggressive doubts about divine things. The ideological links between those responsible for Free Inquiry and some critics on the fringes of the LDS community are also clearly identified. Review of Tom Flynn et al. “America’s Peculiar Piety: Why Did Mormonism Grow? Why Does It Endure?” Free Inquiry, October/November 2011, 21–41. Continue reading →

An Open Letter to Dr. Michael Coe - John L. Sorenson

John L. Sorenson — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 19:41:18 +0000

In August 2011 John Dehlin conducted a three-part interview with famed Mesoamericanist Michael Coe. Dehlin operates the podcast series Mormon Stories, which features interviews discussing the faith and culture of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This article examines a large number of dubious claims made in those interviews, providing clarifications, responses, and references to numerous sources dealing with those issues. Much more detail will be forthcoming in Dr. Sorenson’s new book, Mormon’s Codex. Continue reading →

“I Have Revealed Your Name”: The Hidden Temple in John 17 - William J. Hamblin

William J. Hamblin — Fri, 24 Aug 2012 18:35:03 +0000

John 17 contains a richly symbolic Last Discourse by Jesus, in which the disciples are assured a place in the Father’s celestial house or temple. To fulfill this promise Christ reveals both the Father’s name and his glory to his disciples. Jesus’s discourse concludes with the promise of sanctification of the disciples, and their unification—or deification—with Christ and the Father. This paper explores how each of these ideas reflects the temple theology of the Bible and contemporary first-century Judaism. Continue reading →

Book Review: Temple Themes in the Book of Moses, by Jeffrey M. Bradshaw - George L. Mitton

George L. Mitton — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 18:00:03 +0000

This is a book review of Temple Themes in the Book of Moses by Jeffrey M. Bradshaw. Salt Lake City: Eborn Publishing, 2010. Review by George L. Mitton. Continue reading →

The Cultural Context of Nephite Apostasy - Mark Alan Wright

Mark Alan Wright — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 18:00:26 +0000

Abstract: Nephite apostates turned away from true worship in consistent and predictable ways throughout the Book of Mormon. Their beliefs and practices may have been the result of influence from the larger socioreligious context in which the Nephites lived. A Mesoamerican … Continue reading →

“Thou Knowest That I Believe”: Invoking The Spirit of the Lord as Council Witness in 1 Nephi 11 - David E. Bokovoy

David E. Bokovoy — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 11:03:22 +0000

Abstract: The Book of Mormon features an esoteric exchange between the prophet Nephi and the Spirit of the Lord on an exceedingly high mountain. The following essay explores some of the ways in which an Israelite familiar with ancient religious … Continue reading →