Update: Between now and Dec 5, get 5$ off any physical Amazon book order of 15$ or more. Details here. One of the things I love about the massive American Academy of Religion/Society of Biblical Literature conference is the football’s field worth of booksellers with discounts, new books, preorders, and giveaways. A few recent and forthcoming popular books might be of interest to my readers. To be clear, I haven’t read any of these yet, but I hope to. (more…) Read more
A few general notes about the Book of Ether. First, unlike the other two Book of Mormon migratory peoples, the Jaredites (as we call them) are not Jews under the Law of Moses. Abraham>Isaac>Jacob (Israel)>>>>Moses. They’re not even Israelite (also a late term) or Canaanite, but Mesopotamian. So they are operating under a different set of religious ideas, different language (Sumerian, Akkadian, something else? Hebrew isn’t an option), different cultural background than the rest of the Book of Mormon. And indeed, Ether has a different... Read more
Several things make next year extremely challenging for me. D&C is the book I have taught the least, read the least, know the least about, and have the most limited mental bibliography. The arrangement of the manual is not chronological nor section-by-section, but a hybrid topical/chronological mix. Some lessons draw on multiple D&C sections and others none at all, like this one. So today, as I’ve done for Book of Mormon, New Testament, and Old Testament, I’m providing a list of resources for the... Read more
I’m combining these lessons for two reasons. First, lesson 44 (chapters 7-8) is included within the reading of lesson 43 (chapters 1-6, 9). Second, since time is limited and both the end of the semester AND the Book of Mormon draw nigh, I need to write efficiently. So I’ll be posting the (shorter) final Book of Mormon lessons soon, along with some pre-D&C posts and my “What to Read for Gospel Doctrine.” With Mormon, we finally arrive in “the present” or at... Read more
Since I’ve already covered 3Ne 27-28 in previous posts, I’ll focus on 4 Nephi. Why is 4th Nephi so short? Two interrelated ideas, I think. Remember, Mormon is dependent upon his written sources for writing the Book of Mormon. As Elder Widtsoe articulated, “When inspired writers deal with historical incidents they relate that which they have seen or that which may have been told them [as with written sources], unless indeed the past is opened to them by revelation.” Evidences... Read more
A couple of notes first. I’ll be in San Antonio for the annual joint Society of Biblical Literature/American Academy of Religion meeting in late November, plus a few extra days with family. This is a massive, multi-day meeting with thousands of people and dozens of concurrent sessions, all day every day. It’s a place to see lots of current scholarship and debate, meet people, do job interviews (not me, this time around), and also drool at the massive and discounted book section. Imagine... Read more
People are multi-faceted and complex. It’s very easy to develop an attitude of putting either a halo or a black hat on someone from one incident, one aspect of them, particularly when it’s a historical figure. It can be hard to get a full picture of someone. Elder Maxwell once said that the tragedy of Elder McConkie was that he had the most fantastic sense of humor, and no one in the Church knew it. (See my old post here.) It’s... Read more
I’m on the road and having technical problems. So I’m posting this rough, now, and will try to clean up when I get home tonight or tomorrow morning. Outline 3 Nephi 20- Miraculous production of bread and wine; Jesus interprets Isaiah. 3 Nephi 21- Jesus continues interpreting Isaiah. 3 Nephi 22- Jesus quotes Isaiah 54 3 Nephi 23 Jesus asks to see the records, to give them more. Rebukes Nephi. Tells them to include Samuel. 3 Nephi 24-25 Gives them... Read more
The Improvement Era in September 1925 ran a short article in the Editor’s Table called “Teaching Bible Stories.” To set the stage a little, this was 14 years after the 1911 Crisis at BYU over evolution and how to read scripture (see here as well), and immediately after the 1925 Scopes Trial over teaching evolution. I included an excerpt and little analysis here in the larger context of Elder Stephen Richards May 1925 address to BYU. I’d like to revisit it. Recently... Read more
These chapters constitute the end of Day 1 of Jesus’ visit (ends in 19:3) and the beginning of Day 2 (19:4-26:15) Outline 17- Jesus, moved by the people, stays longer than planned (or so the text appears to say). He addresses the multitude, heals people, prays. 18- Bread and wine for sacrament, various instructions and teachings, then Jesus ascends into heaven. 18:5-7, 10-16 to disciples (“administrative” instructions) 18:18-25 to multitude 18:27-35 back to disciples 19- Everyone goes home, tells their... Read more
Benjamin the Scribe
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