*** One reaction: “Just Started Dan Vogel’s New Book: Already Chagrined by the Treatment of Champollion” *** An outspoken atheist who frequently comments on my blog routinely declares that there is no evidence at all in favor of theistic belief — a claim that, frankly, I find completely risible — and then adds that, anyway, the only kind of evidence that really counts is what he calls “tangible evidence” (emphasis mine). He has responded (after a... Read more
Two new items went up today on the (evidently) not yet quite dead website of the Interpreter Foundation: Audio Roundtable: Come, Follow Me Doctrine and Covenants Lesson 13: “Jesus Christ Will Gather His People” D&C 29 The discussants for the Interpreter Radio Roundtable on Come, Follow Me Doctrine and Covenants Lesson 13, “Jesus Christ Will Gather His People,” on D&C 29, were Terry Hutchinson, John Gee, and Kevin Christensen. This roundtable was extracted from the 14 February 2021 broadcast of the Interpreter Radio Show. The... Read more
As many of you are undoubtedly aware, the Interpreter Foundation will almost certainly be defunct by 1 January 2014. In the meantime, though, we continue to sputter along. It’s the kind of death you sometimes see in grand opera — think of the “Liebestod,” from Richard Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde — that goes on and on and on and on. And on. The latest article in Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship — this... Read more
Below is my translation of Qur’an 2:30-38. It is not identical to the rendering of the same passage in M. A. S. Abdel Haleem’s 2005 translation of The Qur’an for the Oxford World’s Classics series, but I freely acknowledge that it’s very similar. That’s not coincidental. I like Abdel Haleem’s translation; it’s the one that I’ve used for roughly five years now in my classes on the Qur’an in English translation. I used it as the basis for... Read more
It started off as a pretty busy Saturday. We had a meeting — virtually, online — of the board of the Interpreter Foundation. There are interesting (and good) things on the horizon, and the Foundation, I’m happy to report, is in pretty good shape. Unfortunately, we also officially bade adieu today to Noel Reynolds, who indicated to us some months ago his desire to step off of the board (although he says that he still intends to... Read more
This new item, by Matthew Scott Stenson, went up earlier today in Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship: ““Wherefore, for This Cause”: The Book of Mormon as Anti-type of the Brass Serpent” Abstract: Nephi1 represents the sacred record that becomes the Book of Mormon as a new brass serpent to heal the nations. Nephi’s typological project is reasonable given that he self-identifies with Moses, his family’s scriptures and compass are made of brass, and he consistently describes reading as... Read more
Here is an item that was posted earlier today on the website of the Interpreter Foundation: “Hearing the Voice of the Lord in the Mind: When Ministering and Serving” (Part Two of a Series Compiled by Dennis B. Horne) *** I like this opinion piece, which appeared (of all places) on an NBC News website, regarding the recent Netflix series Murder Among the Mormons: “Netflix’s ‘Murder Among the Mormons’ uses the same stereotypes about... Read more
Here are a trio of interesting items regarding the recent three-part Netflix documentary Murder Among the Mormons: “Your friend just watched ‘Murder Among the Mormons’ and has questions; historian Richard Turley is here to help” “What Latter-day Saint history experts thought of ‘Murder Among the Mormons’: New Netflix docuseries recounts the story of Mark Hofmann, the Salt Lake City forger and murderer” “Notes on Murder Among the Mormons“ With respect to the latter article,... Read more
*** But, first: Newly posted on the website of the Interpreter Foundation: Audio Roundtable: Come, Follow Me Doctrine and Covenants Lesson 12 “All Things Must Be Done in Order” (D&C 27-28) The discussants for the Interpreter Radio Roundtable on Come, Follow Me Doctrine and Covenants Lesson 12, “All Things Must Be Done in Order” (which focuses on D&C 27 – 28), were Neal and Jasmine Rappleye, Hales Swift, and Spencer Marsh. This roundtable was extracted from the 27 February 2021 broadcast of... Read more
*** This piece, by David R. Seely and Jo Ann Seely, went up just a few minutes ago on the website of the Interpreter Foundation: “The Crown of Creation” Abstract: The Seelys discuss the well-known concept of the universe as a temple, and link the creation story to the temple drama. They explore how God, in creating the universe, had the same roles the temple drama gives to Adam and Eve as archetypes of each man and woman... Read more
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