About seventy-five friends of The Interpreter Foundation gathered tonight for a birthday dinner celebrating the Foundation’s third birthday (which was actually a few days ago).   A high point for me, and I think for many if not all of those who were there, was a roughly sixty minute question-and-answer session (which I moderated) with the British Methodist biblical scholar Margaret Barker and the Catholic theologian and philosopher of religion Stephen Webb, who joined us for our celebration.... Read more

    Luke 17:5-6 Compare 17:19-21; 21:21; Mark 9:28-29; 11:22-23   I’m reminded, in this context of the Lectures on Faith:   Lecture One 1. Faith [is] the first principle in revealed religion, and the foundation of all righteousness. 9. Faith is the assurance which men have of the existence of things which they have not seen and . . . the principle of action in all intelligent beings. 12. As faith is the moving cause of all action in temporal... Read more

    “Divine worship means the same thing where time is concerned, as the temple where space is concerned. ‘Temple’ means . . .  that a particular piece of ground is specially reserved, and marked off from the remainder of the land which is used either for agriculture or habitation. . . .  Similarly in divine worship a certain definite space of time is set aside from working hours and days . . . and like the space allotted to... Read more

    It appears to be a complete disaster:   http://www.nationalreview.com/article/422257/iran-deal-sanctions-inspections-obama-kerry-iaea Hope and change!     Read more

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    Stretch your mind with this little item!   http://www.space.com/30124-is-our-universe-a-fake.html     Read more

    My former Maxwell Institute colleague Dr. Kristian Heal has asked that I announce this.  So here it is:   http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/now-accepting-nominations-and-applications-for-next-institute-director/   One of the questions submitted following my FairMormon remarks late yesterday afternoon asked whether I would be submitting my name as a candidate to be the next executive director of the Maxwell Institute.   That question elicited a very vocal reaction from the audience.   I’m pretty unlikely to apply for the position — even though I’m a veteran crusader... Read more

    Cruise Lady, the travel company for which I sometimes lead tours to Israel and elsewhere, has inaugurated a series of lectures at a newly-created little facility adjacent to their offices in West Jordan, Utah:   http://www.cruiselady.com/learn-our-religion-lecture-series/   You’ll notice, for example, that Michael Ballam, the impresario of the Utah Festival Opera in Logan, is speaking on Monday night.   You’ll also notice that there is a charge of eight dollars per person to attend, and that reservations are... Read more

    Luke 17:3-4 Compare Matthew 18:15, 21-22   Notice the requirement in this passage, absent from Matthew 18:21-22, that the sinner acknowledge his sin and repent.     Read more

    The latest installment of the biweekly joint Hamblin/Peterson column is up in the Deseret News:   http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865634095/Wars-of-religion-then-and-now.html     Read more