Audio podcast of Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture

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 →

Scripture Roundtable 27: D&C Gospel Doctrine Lesson 23, “Seek Learning, Even by Study and Also by Faith” - Administration

Administration — Tue, 21 May 2013 19:14:27 +0000

This is Scripture Roundtable 27 from The Interpreter Foundation, in which we discuss Doctrine & Covenants Gospel Doctrine Lesson #23, "Seek Learning, Even by Study and Also by Faith," focusing on D&C 88. 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 →

Scripture Roundtable 26: D&C Gospel Doctrine Lesson 22, “The Word of Wisdom” - Administration

Administration — Sun, 12 May 2013 02:03:26 +0000

This is Scripture Roundtable 26 from The Interpreter Foundation, in which we discuss Doctrine & Covenants Gospel Doctrine Lesson #22, "The Word of Wisdom: 'A Principle with Promise,'" focusing on D&C 89, and also some from 49, 59, and 88. 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 →

Scripture Roundtable 25: D&C Gospel Doctrine Lesson 21, “Looking Forth for the Great Day of the Lord to Come” - Administration

Administration — Sun, 05 May 2013 22:22:38 +0000

This is Scripture Roundtable 25 from The Interpreter Foundation, in which we discuss Doctrine & Covenants Gospel Doctrine Lesson #21, "Looking Forth for the Great Day of the Lord to Come," focusing on D&C 29, 34, 45, 88, 101, and 133. 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 →

Scripture Roundtable 24: D&C Gospel Doctrine Lesson 20, “The Kingdoms of Glory” - Administration

Administration — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 23:09:13 +0000

This is Scripture Roundtable 24 from The Interpreter Foundation, in which we discuss Doctrine & Covenants Gospel Doctrine Lesson #20, "The Kingdoms of Glory." 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 →

Scripture Roundtable 23: D&C Gospel Doctrine Lesson 19, “The Plan of Salvation” - Administration

Administration — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 03:13:03 +0000

This is Scripture Roundtable 23 from The Interpreter Foundation, in which we discuss Doctrine & Covenants Gospel Doctrine Lesson #19, "The Plan of Salvation." 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 →

Scripture Roundtable 22: D&C Gospel Doctrine Lesson 18, “Establish … a House of God” - Administration

Administration — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 23:09:25 +0000

This is Scripture Roundtable 22 from The Interpreter Foundation, in which we discuss Doctrine & Covenants Gospel Doctrine Lesson #18, "Establish … a House of God." 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 →

Scripture Roundtable 21: D&C Gospel Doctrine Lesson 17, “The Law of Tithing and the Law of the Fast” - Administration

Administration — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 02:34:52 +0000

This is Scripture Roundtable 21 from The Interpreter Foundation, in which we discuss Doctrine & Covenants Gospel Doctrine Lesson #17, "The Law of Tithing and the Law of the Fast," covering scriptures in D&C 59, 119, and 120. Continue reading →

Scripture Roundtable 20: D&C Gospel Doctrine Lesson 16, “Thou Shalt … Offer Up Thy Sacraments upon My Holy Day” - Administration

Administration — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 20:50:50 +0000

This is Scripture Roundtable 20 from The Interpreter Foundation, in which we discuss Doctrine & Covenants Gospel Doctrine Lesson #16, "Thou Shalt … Offer Up Thy Sacraments upon My Holy Day." 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 →

Scripture Roundtable 19: D&C Gospel Doctrine Lesson 15, “Seek Ye Earnestly the Best Gifts” - Administration

Administration — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 04:05:12 +0000

This is Scripture Roundtable 19 from The Interpreter Foundation, in which we discuss Doctrine & Covenants Gospel Doctrine Lesson #15, "Seek Ye Earnestly the Best Gifts," covering scriptures in D&C 46, Articles of Faith 1:7, 1 Cor. 12-13, and Moroni 10 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 →

Scripture Roundtable 18: D&C Gospel Doctrine Lesson 14, “The Law of Consecration” - Administration

Administration — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 23:53:01 +0000

This is a Scripture Roundtable 18 from The Interpreter Foundation, in which we discuss Doctrine & Covenants Gospel Doctrine Lesson #14, "The Law of Consecration." 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 →

Scripture Roundtable 17: D&C Gospel Doctrine Lesson 13 - Administration

Administration — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 03:45:17 +0000

This is a Scripture Roundtable from The Interpreter Foundation, in which we discuss Doctrine & Covenants Gospel Doctrine Lesson #13, "This Generation Shall Have My Word through You." 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

Scripture Roundtable 16: D&C Gospel Doctrine Lesson 12 - Administration

Administration — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 07:37:00 +0000

This is a Scripture Roundtable from The Interpreter Foundation, in which we discuss Doctrine & Covenants Gospel Doctrine Lesson #12, "The Gathering of My People," bringing in various insights to help us better understand the scriptures. Continue reading →

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 →

Scripture Roundtable 15: D&C Gospel Doctrine Lesson 11 - Administration

Administration — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 04:19:05 +0000

This is a Scripture Roundtable from The Interpreter Foundation, in which we discuss Doctrine & Covenants Gospel Doctrine Lesson #11, covering scriptures in D&C 4, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 18, 31, 33, and 75. Continue reading →

Scripture Roundtable 14: D&C Gospel Doctrine Lesson 10 - Administration

Administration — Sat, 16 Feb 2013 01:00:53 +0000

This is a Scripture Roundtable from The Interpreter Foundation, in which we discuss Doctrine & Covenants Gospel Doctrine Lesson #10, or D&C 25. 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 →

Scripture Roundtable 13: D&C Gospel Doctrine Lesson 9 - Administration

Administration — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 03:26:23 +0000

This is a Scripture Roundtable from The Interpreter Foundation, in which we discuss Doctrine & Covenants Gospel Doctrine Lesson #9, covering the organization of the LDS Church (D&C 20, 21, 27, 115). 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 →

Scripture Roundtable 12: D&C Gospel Doctrine Lesson 8 - Administration

Administration — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 03:42:55 +0000

This is a Scripture Roundtable from The Interpreter Foundation, in which we discuss Doctrine & Covenants Gospel Doctrine Lesson #8 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 →

Scripture Roundtable 11: D&C Gospel Doctrine Lesson 7 - Administration

Administration — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 17:51:53 +0000

This is a Scripture Roundtable from The Interpreter Foundation, in which we discuss Doctrine & Covenants Gospel Doctrine Lesson #7, covering the first principles and ordinances of the gospel. 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 →

Scripture Roundtable 10: D&C Gospel Doctrine Lesson 6 - Administration

Administration — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 16:33:15 +0000

This is a Scripture Roundtable from The Interpreter Foundation, in which we discuss Doctrine & Covenants Gospel Doctrine Lesson #6, covering Doctrine & Covenants sections 6, 8, 9, and 11. 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 →

Scripture Roundtable 9: D&C Gospel Doctrine #5 - Administration

Administration — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 03:22:24 +0000

This is another Scripture Roundtable from The Interpreter Foundation, in which we discuss Doctrine & Covenants Gospel Doctrine Lesson #5. 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 →

Scripture Roundtable 8: D&C Gospel Doctrine #4 - Administration

Administration — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 06:12:15 +0000

This is the seventh Scripture Roundtable from The Interpreter Foundation, in which we discuss Doctrine & Covenants Gospel Doctrine Lesson #4, bringing in various insights to help us better understand these scriptures. Continue reading →

Scripture Roundtable 7: D&C Gospel Doctrine #3 - Administration

Administration — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 04:55:12 +0000

This is the seventh Scripture Roundtable from The Interpreter Foundation, in which we discuss Doctrine & Covenants Gospel Doctrine Lesson #3 (First Vision), bringing in various insights to help us better understand these scriptures. 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 →

David J. Larsen on “From Dust to Exalted Crown: Temple in the Psalms and the Dead Sea Scrolls” - Administration

Administration — Sat, 22 Dec 2012 23:00:23 +0000

This is a presentation which was given at “The Temple on Mount Zion” Conference on September 22, 2012. (We apologize for the blurriness.) This presentation is also available as an audio podcast, and will be included in the podcast feed. … 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 →

Scripture Roundtable 6: D&C 1 - Administration

Administration — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 03:38:41 +0000

This is the sixth Scripture Roundtable from the Interpreter Foundation, in which we discuss Doctrine & Covenants section 1, bringing in various insights to help us better understand these scriptures. Continue reading →

Mack Stirling on “Job: An LDS Reading” - Administration

Administration — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 18:47:30 +0000

This is a presentation by Mack Stirling on "Job: An LDS Reading" which was given at "The Temple on Mount Zion" Conference on September 22, 2012. 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 →