In an interesting little article, the eminent — if not downright venerable — Austrian-American sociologist of religion Peter Berger considers the possibility that there might be a religious revival of sorts occurring in German-speaking Europe.   He looks particularly at recent phenomena in Dresden and Stuttgart:   http://www.the-american-interest.com/2015/06/03/are-evangelicals-winning-the-world/   If true, this wouldn’t altogether surprise me.  I recall a talk from many years ago by a BYU historian of Europe, Douglas Tobler, who argued that such a rebirth of... Read more

    Here’s a cute little story from the “Scientists Are Human, Too” file:   http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2015/06/04/scientist-discovers-new-dinosaur-sneaks-marriage-proposal-into-the-study/?tid=sm_tw   Maybe not altogether inappropriate for the sabbath, since marriage is such an important element of the gospel and of the plan of happiness.  (I served for some time as bishop of a singles ward.  I like hearing about marriage proposals.)   Posted from Darmstadt, Germany     Read more

    http://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2015/5-june/news/uk/uk-anglicans-are-in-serious-decline-say-researchers   Posted from Darmstadt, Germany     Read more

    The 2015 FairMormon conference in Darmstadt is over, and our trip is drawing to its end.  So some of those of us who’re still left did a bit of sightseeing today.   First, we drove to Heidelberg, the beautiful university city on the Neckar River that I visited (and fell in love with) during my first trip to Europe many, many years ago.  We spent most of our time there touring the ruined castle that sits above the... Read more

    A man never discloses his own character so clearly as when he describes another’s.  (“Jean Paul”)   Whenever we hear ourselves maligning others, or judging them uncharitably, we should remember the comment above.   Posted from Darmstadt, Germany     Read more

    Some of you will like this:   http://ldsliving.com/story/79104-after-la-lakers-workout-lds-basketball-star-tyler-haws-answers-question-about-his-mission?utm_source=ldsliving&utm_medium=email   I think such things are helpful.  Many people, never having actually (knowingly) met Mormons, assume that we’re something like the Amish.   The Salt Lake City visitors bureau, for example, routinely fields questions from tourists and convention attendees about where to go to “see Mormons.”  And there was a wonderful article in a Russian newspaper, some years back, regarding a group of militant vegetarians who were terrorizing the people of... Read more

    Adam Brown brings this surprising item to my notice:   http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/foodanddrinknews/11653932/Patrick-Stewart-defends-Christian-bakers-in-gay-cake-controversy.html   Posted from Darmstadt, Germany     Read more

      Our second to last full day in Berlin, late last week, focused on Nazism and Communism.   Not very cheery subjects, but I’m absolutely dedicated to the notion that the crimes of these two mutually hostile but closely related totalitarian ideologies must not be forgotten.   We walked over, first, to the famous Checkpoint Charlie, which, until the collapse of East Germany, was the transit point between the American zone (i.e., West Berlin) and the Soviet zone (i.e.,... Read more

    I’m not in a position to check right now, but I believe that this is the 150th consecutive Friday that Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture has published at least one new article:   http://www.mormoninterpreter.com/freemasonry-and-the-origins-of-modern-temple-ordinances/   Which reminds me of the confident prophecy issued nearly two and a half years ago by a pseudonymous critic on a small, rather nasty, and mostly atheist ex-Mormon message board: “By Jan. 1, 2014 Interpreter will be dead. . . .  Either totally dead or down to token... Read more

    A report on his funeral service today:   http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/funeral-services-held-on-temple-square-for-elder-l-tom-perry?cid-HP_FR_6-5-2015_PERY_fAFNRL_xLIDyL1-A_   My wife and I wish that we could have been there.   Posted from Darmstadt, Germany     Read more