“Very difficult to dismiss”

Last updated on: April 8, 2023 at 2:59 pm By Dan Peterson

Last night, Mike Parker (aka Peter Pan) and Robert Boylan (aka Roibeárd Ó Baíoláin, the proprietor of the impressive Scriptural Mormonism blog) recorded a genial ninety-minute conversation about the Heartland movement (regarding Book of Mormon geography), the origins and approach of Mr. Pan’s Neville-Neville Land blog, and l’affaire Richard Nygren (aka le scandale du siècle). I commend the archived video to the attention of any folks out there who might be interested in those subjects or in the... Read more

Am I a stone, and not a sheep?

Last updated on: April 7, 2023 at 3:56 pm By Dan Peterson

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“The Goodness of the Cross and Good Friday: Lessons from Bavaria,” written by John W. Welch Abstract: It is natural to wonder how the day on which Jesus was crucified could come to be known as Good Friday. In this exploration of the topic, John Welch examines the many events which occurred on that fateful day and the meaning they have for us today. [Editor’s Note: This article is based on a talk delivered on Good Friday, April 2, 2021, to... Read more

Setting the imagination free

Last updated on: April 6, 2023 at 3:30 pm By Dan Peterson

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Just in from a bit of shoveling snow at my father-in-law’s place across the street from the parking lot of the Bountiful Utah Temple. It is a beautiful, clean, clear, sunny day. Spring may actually, finally, be on its way. A lecture went up fairly late yesterday on the website of the Interpreter Foundation website that I think some of you will find of interest: Conference Talks: “‘I Have Done According to My Will’: Reading Jacob 5... Read more

“That the church may stand independent”

Last updated on: April 5, 2023 at 12:47 pm By Dan Peterson

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There has been huge indignation in some circles — including, sadly, among some active and professing Latter-day Saints — over the revelation that, under the aegis of a group called Ensign Peak Advisors, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has built up a reserve investment fund (or a “rainy-day fund”) of one hundred billion dollars. And the indignation flared up again when it was announced that Ensign Peak and the Church had settled with the Securities... Read more

Written from the eye of the storm

Last updated on: April 4, 2023 at 8:19 pm By Dan Peterson

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Since their arrival on Saturday night from the eastern United States, one of my granddaughters and her Dad have been staying with us for the week. At six years of age, she is something of a hurricane; we’ve already gone through all of the craft projects that we had lined up for her and our house has been significantly redecorated with variations on Easter eggs and the Easter Bunny. We’re came back not too long ago from Thanksgiving... Read more

“Never Delay a Prompting”

Last updated on: April 3, 2023 at 12:37 pm By Dan Peterson

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It was, in my judgment, a wonderful General Conference; I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I’m thrilled at the announcement of fifteen new temples — some of them in places where I have friends with whom I’ve already communicated about the news. (And in Jakarta, Indonesia!) Now, too, we have an Easter video from the Prophet: “Forgiving Others: An Easter Message from President Russell M. Nelson” I was struck, during the Sunday afternoon session, by the remarks of President... Read more

On Being “Perfect” (Part One)

Last updated on: April 2, 2023 at 2:30 pm By Dan Peterson

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[Prefatory clarification: The title of this blog entry notwithstanding, it doesn’t actually constitute the first installment of my autobiographical memoirs.] The fifth chapter of the gospel of Matthew closes with one of the most daunting challenges in all of scripture: “Be ye therefore perfect,” says the Savior at Matthew 5:48, “even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48) Perfection? Really? Once or twice, when I’ve been interviewing young adults as part of my Church... Read more

Easter Week and a Distant Beginning

Last updated on: April 1, 2023 at 12:10 pm By Dan Peterson

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I’ve thoroughly enjoyed General Conference thus far. The talks have been uniformly excellent, although I’m sad to hear that Elder Jeffrey R. Holland is home sick with COVID and also to realize, in that light, that he won’t be speaking this weekend. He is always a favorite, and not merely with me. I was absolutely delighted to hear the admonition from Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, the first speaker in this morning’s... Read more

“How Things Look from Here”

Last updated on: March 31, 2023 at 8:27 pm By Dan Peterson

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A new article went up today at noon in Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship: “How Things Look from Here,” written (and, by the way, audio-recorded by) Daniel C. Peterson Abstract: Do defenders of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ see themselves as fighting a desperate rearguard battle against the evidence, hoping to save at least a faint shred of credibility for its claims? Hardly. But, at the same time, we don’t pretend to be able to... Read more

“A very bright, keen, designing lot of fellows”?

Last updated on: March 30, 2023 at 2:47 pm By Dan Peterson

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I frequently read online comments, especially from former believers, claiming that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a corporation that cares only for its own interests and doesn’t care about the needs of its members. I must admit that I find such remarks baffling. Weird, even. It’s true, of course, that believing Latter-day Saints (presumably including their leaders) regard the Church as the Kingdom of God on the earth, and that they feel a powerful... Read more

Which Jewish feast marks the beginning of the new year?