*** “The great religious leaders of the world such as Mohammed, Confucius, and the Reformers, as well as philosophers including Socrates, Plato, and others, received a portion of God’s light. Moral truths were given to them by God to enlighten whole nations and to bring a higher level of understanding to individuals. (The First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 15 February 1978) *** I’m pretty commonly asked by Latter-day Saint... Read more
*** I first read about Srinivasa Ramanujan (1887-1920) back when I was in eighth or ninth grade, probably either in James R. Newman’s four-volume The World of Mathematics or in E. T. Bell’s Men of Mathematics. (These are, incidentally, the books that initially sent me to the university as a mathematics major.) Ramanujan made an unforgettable impression on me. He was largely self-taught, having received formal training in the kind of mathematics needed for an accountant... Read more
*** First, I want to pass along these items from Sam LeFevre, a reader of this blog and, if I’m not mistaken, the director of the Bureau of Epidemiology in the Utah Department of Health. I share them with his kind permission, and with the understanding that they represent his opinions and do not speak for the State of Utah, because I think that what they have to say is urgently important: There is a formula... Read more
*** Newly published just now in Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship: John Gee, “Edfu and Exodus” Abstract: In this essay John Gee draws a connection between the Egyptian “Book of the Temple” and the book of Exodus, both in structure and topic, describing the temple from the inside out. Gee concludes that both probably go back to a common source older than either of them. [Editor’s Note: Part of our book chapter reprint series, this... Read more
*** I cordially dislike the idea of “religious tolerance.” Not because (as certain of my critics will hasten to declare) I favor religious intolerance, but because mere “tolerance” seems too bloodless to me. It suggests that, while I’ll permit differing religious beliefs to exist, I do so at the cost of considerable self-restraint, and that I need to hold my nose whenever I take note of faiths or worldviews that differ from the beliefs of the Church... Read more
*** First, some news from the banks of the River Nile: “‘Lost golden city’ found in Egypt reveals lives of ancient pharaohs: The discovery of a 3,000-year-old city that was lost to the sands of Egypt has been hailed as one of the most important archaeological finds since Tutankhamun’s tomb.” And this is rather interesting, as well: “Mummy Murder Cold Case Shrouded in Mystery for 2,600 Years Has Finally Been Solved” *** And... Read more
*** Two new items appeared today in Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship: Val Larsen, “Josiah to Zoram to Sherem to Jarom and the Big Little Book of Omni” Abstract: The first 450 years of Nephite history are dominated by two main threads: the ethno-political tension between Nephites and Lamanites and religious tension between adherents of rival theologies. These rival Nephite theologies are a Mantic theology that affirms the existence of Christ and a Sophic theology... Read more
*** This new little article, by Jeffrey Mark Bradshaw, appeared today on the website of the Interpreter Foundation: ““The Book Nobody Wants”: Hugh Nibley and the Book of Mormon” You might also enjoy these newly posted videos: “What Was Hugh Nibley Thinking About When He Landed His Jeep on the Beach on D-Day?” (video, roughly five and a half minutes) “A Conversation about Hugh Nibley with Jack Welch (short)” (video, roughly six and... Read more
*** First, though: My inaugural installment of what is intended to be a regular column for Meridian Magazine has now appeared: “But what do the witnesses’ testimonies prove?” *** And, speaking of the witnesses to the Book of Mormon: The Interpreter Foundation’s first theatrical film, Witnesses, will open to the public — in Utah movie houses, anyway, and perhaps somewhat beyond (I’ll have more information about that shortly, I believe) — on... Read more
*** Audio Roundtable: Come, Follow Me Doctrine and Covenants Lesson 16 “If Ye Are Not One Ye Are Not Mine” D&C 37-40 The Interpreter Radio Roundtable for Come, Follow Me Doctrine and Covenants Lesson 16, “If Ye Are Not One Ye Are Not Mine,” on D&C 37-40, was extracted from the 7 March 2021 broadcast of the Interpreter Radio Show. The discussants for this roundtable (and, for that matter, for the entire show) were Neal Rappleye, Jasmine Rappleye, Hales Swift, and Spencer Marsh. The complete... Read more
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