First, though, this was posted yesterday on the website of the Interpreter Foundation:   Conference Talks:  “Jacob’s Sermon (2 Nephi 6-10) and the Day of Atonement,” by William Hamblin This talk from 2012 is just a prelude to the 2022 Temple on Mount Zion Conference, coming this Friday and Saturday and featuring C. Wilfred Griggs, Margaret Barker, and many others. Go to https://tmz2022.interpreterfoundation.org for full information, including abstracts and a link to the live broadcast.     When I was... Read more

    Some time ago, I read John L. Esposito and Dalia Mogahed, Who Speaks for Islam? What a Billion Muslims Really Think (New York: Gallup Press, 2007).  I’m now organizing for my use in a writing project some of the passages that I marked during that reading, and I intend to share at least a portion of those here.   Very plainly, Muslims and Islam have a public relations problem.  That’s obvious.  And it’s obvious why, too.  There is simply no... Read more

    First, I want to remind you of the Interpreter Foundation conference that will take place this weekend.  Please see the graphic image above for information and for links at which you will be able to obtain further information.     We climbed up today from Jericho, which averages nearly 850 feet below sea level, through Bethlehem to Jerusalem, which averages about 2475 feet above the level of the sea.  Whenever I travel this road, in either direction, I... Read more

    I’ve just received the following program update from my friend Royal Skousen, so I share it with you here.  I now believe that — flight connections permitting! — I will be able to attend the conference in person myself, and I hope to see you there as well.  Please note that, thanks to the support of a generous donor, admission to the presentation is free:   Textual Criticism and the Book of Mormon Presentation by Royal Skousen Utah... Read more

    Yet another new video from the Interpreter Foundation has gone up online for you to watch and share:   Witnesses of the Book of Mormon — Insights Episode 28: Ancient Metal Plates? In Joseph Smith’s day, people claimed that his story of ancient metal plates was evidence against him—because no such thing existed. In modern times, with the discovery of many examples of ancient plates, critics now claim that, of course, Joseph knew about ancient records on metal. What... Read more

    Particularly in my early graduate school days, there were times when I thought that my having come from a completely non-academic family had worked against me.   I have friends and long-time colleagues, themselves with strong Ph.D.s from prestigious schools, who have fathers and grandfathers and multiple siblings with professional and academic doctorates — in at least a couple of cases, with more than one doctorate — and for them, I discovered, going into a doctoral program was... Read more

    The Interpreter Foundation continues to sputter along, barely alive, desperate and full of venom.  Or, anyhow, so say some of its critics.  Here are the items that have appeared on its website during the past three days or so:   A new article has appeared in Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Faith and Scholarship:under the title “A Research Note: Continuing Exploration and Research in Oman.”  It was written by Warren P. Aston: Abstract: The significance of the ongoing studies... Read more

    Well, we finally made it to Tel Aviv.  About thirty hours late.  We had time to put our luggage in our room, grab a quick bite to eat for dinner, and hold an orientation meeting with our group.  Ten of them have arrived without their luggage; I hope that that problem can be remedied soon.   When they’re in a better position and can appreciate the humor of it all, perhaps I’ll tell them a trio of lost-luggage... Read more

    I received a note late last night from Royal Skousen.  I excerpt part of it below:   I will be presenting on the current status of the [Book of Mormon] critical text project at UVU [Utah Valley University] on November 12, 2022, a Saturday, from 7 to 9 p.m. The entire campus is open for parking except the parking garage, which costs $1 an hour. The location is the Sorenson Center Center Stage. . . .  I would... Read more