“The Evangelical Church is Breaking Apart”

Last updated on: October 27, 2021 at 11:40 pm By Dan Peterson

*** Newly up today, from Kyler Rasmussen, on the website of the Interpreter Foundation: “Estimating the Evidence Episode Episode 17: On Geographical Consistency” [Editor’s Note: This is the seventeenth in a series of 23 essays summarizing and evaluating Book of Mormon-related evidence from a Bayesian statistical perspective. See the FAQ at the end of the introductory episode for details on methodology.] And please be sure to mark your calendar for the upcoming next installment in our series... Read more

“That You May Come Off Conqueror”

Last updated on: October 27, 2021 at 3:21 pm By Dan Peterson

*** Nibley Lectures: Come, Follow Me Doctrine and Covenants Lesson 6 “That You May Come Off Conqueror” (D&C 10-11) During 1978, 1979, and 1980, Hugh Nibley taught a Doctrine and Covenants Sunday School class. Cassette recordings were made of these classes, and some of them have survived. These were recently digitized by Steve Whitlock. Most of the tapes were in pretty bad condition. The original recordings usually don’t stop or start at the beginning of the class... Read more

“Moses 6–7 and the Book of Giants: Remarkable Witnesses of Enoch’s Ministry”

Last updated on: October 27, 2021 at 12:23 am By Dan Peterson

*** Posted earlier today on the website of the Interpreter Foundation: Jeffrey M. Bradshaw, “Moses 6–7 and the Book of Giants: Remarkable Witnesses of Enoch’s Ministry” Abstract: The Book of Giants (BG), an Enoch text found in 1948 among the Dead Sea Scrolls, includes a priceless trove of stories about the ancient prophet and his contemporaries, including unique elements relevant to the Book of Moses Enoch account. Hugh Nibley was the first to discover in the BG a rare personal name... Read more

“The prisoners shall go free.”

Last updated on: November 4, 2021 at 12:38 am By Dan Peterson

*** The Babylon Bee recently had a little bit of fun with Calvinism: “Man Showing No Signs Of Repentance In His Life Still Pretty Sure He’s One Of The Elect” But the question of the salvation of those who, in this life, were not reached by the preaching of the Gospel remains a very serious one. And it becomes increasingly urgent as formerly segregated religious groups — e.g., Christians and Muslims, and Christians and Buddhists... Read more

“No hands, no feet on earth but yours”

Last updated on: November 4, 2021 at 12:21 am By Dan Peterson

*** Here are a couple of interesting items that were kindly shared with me by the Utah-based Latter-day Saint psychologist Dr. Lynn Johnson: “Do Religious Struggles Mediate the Association between Day-to-Day Discrimination and Depressive Symptoms?” Abstract: Although numerous studies have shown that discrimination contributes to poorer mental health, the precise mechanisms underlying this association are not well understood. In this paper, we consider the possibility that the association between day-to-day discrimination (being disrespected, insulted, and harassed)... Read more

“The Rise and Fall of Korihor, a Zoramite”

Last updated on: October 22, 2021 at 11:04 pm By Dan Peterson

*** A new article has appeared in Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship: Godfrey J. Ellis, “The Rise and Fall of Korihor, a Zoramite: A New Look at the Failed Mission of an Agent of Zoram” Abstract: The accounts of the Anti-Christ, Korihor, and of Alma’s mission to the Zoramites raise a variety of apparently unanswered questions. These involve Korihor’s origins, the reason for the similarity of his beliefs to those of the Zoramites,... Read more

Light and Height in the Story of Joseph Smith, and a Bit of Economic History

Last updated on: October 22, 2021 at 10:50 pm By Dan Peterson

*** Did you miss Jeffrey Mark Bradshaw’s virtual fireside last Sunday, on the subject of “Freemasonry and the Origins of Modern Temple Ordinances”? If so, don’t despair! It was recorded, and it is available via this link: “Videos of the “A Life Lived in Crescendo” Firesides” And don’t miss the virtual fireside this coming Sunday, 24 October 2021, by Brian C. Hales, which will be entitled “Doctrine and Covenants 132: Questions and Discussions.” Go... Read more

A significant statement regarding the Church and Islam

Last updated on: October 22, 2021 at 1:38 pm By Dan Peterson

*** First, though, Kyler Rasmussen’s latest installment in his series of Bayesian investigations has now been posted: “Estimating the Evidence Episode Episode 16: On Varying and Variable Themes” [Editor’s Note: This is the sixteenth in a series of 23 essays summarizing and evaluating Book of Mormon-related evidence from a Bayesian statistical perspective. See the FAQ at the end of the introductory episode for details on methodology.] It seems unlikely that an ancient book would have so many themes and... Read more

Into the Woods, with Joseph

Last updated on: October 18, 2021 at 11:16 pm By Dan Peterson

*** It seems that — between roughly 5 PM and 5:45 PM this evening (Tuesday evening) — I’ll be chairing the “Concluding Roundtable Session” of the Brigham Young University conference on “The Islamic World Today: Issues and Perspectives,” which is watchable online. It should be fun. Monday’s conference sessions were quite interesting. Congratulations to Grant Underwood and those who worked with him for putting together a very solid program. *** Interesting thoughts, easily transferred to... Read more

All of you can partake, freely.

Last updated on: October 18, 2021 at 12:36 pm By Dan Peterson

*** I presented a lecture last week in connection with the Interpreter Foundation’s upcoming “Ultimate Egypt Tour,” under the title “What You Need to Know About Egypt’s Most Recent Two Thousand Years.” That lecture is now available online and at no charge for anybody who cares to watch it. You simply need to scroll down on the page to which I link immediately below. Of course, as you scroll down you’ll also notice many other lectures that... Read more