A few days ago, an attack on several organizations including the Interpreter Foundation was posted online. It focused on our finances, and it linked us far more closely together than is actually true. I’ll let the other organizations respond (if they choose to do so) for themselves, but I want to say a few things here about the finances of the Interpreter Foundation — the only one of the groups in which I hold a leadership position and... Read more
An item just went up this evening on the FairMormon website that may draw some attention. I thought, in view of the recent controversy regarding certain videos, that at least a few of my readers here might perhaps be interested in it, as well as in the FAQ section that is appended to it: “FairMormon Statement Regarding “This is The Show” Videos” This topic of judging others could actually be taught in a two-word sermon. When... Read more
These two new items appeared today on website of the Interpreter Foundation: Come, Follow Me — Study and Teaching Helps: Lesson 49, December 14-20: Moroni 10 — “Come unto Christ, and Be Perfected in Him” A set of notes kindly contributed by Jonn Claybaugh Audio Roundtable: Come, Follow Me Book of Mormon Lesson 49: “Come unto Christ, and Be Perfected in Him”: Moroni 10 The Interpreter Radio Roundtable for Come, Follow Me Book of Mormon Lesson 49, “Come unto Christ, and Be Perfected in Him,” on... Read more
I’m very happy to welcome a New Vice President for The Interpreter Foundation You can see photos and bios of our Board of Trustees, as currently constituted, here: The Foundation *** We published another article today in Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship. This one, by Noel B. Reynolds (who also serves on Interpreter Foundation’s Board of Trustees), is entitled “Chiastic Structuring of Large Texts: Second Nephi as... Read more
Thus far, four (very) different people have written to tell me that I’ve come under rather sharp criticism today on a podcast by a well-known professional ex-member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. At least two of them judge me to be guilty, to deserve the attack. My understanding is that the criticism primarily stems from my alleged involvement in a video or series of videos, put out wholly or in part under the... Read more
President Booth’s sudden death did not end missionary work in the Near East. No new mission president was called until 1933, however, when an Armenian by the name of Badwagon Piranian was appointed to preside over what would now be called the Palestine-Syrian Mission. He rented a new mission home, at 25 Garden Street in Haifa, and immediately went to work. Unfortunately, a substantial portion of the work that he had to do involved cleansing the portion of... Read more
From the staff of Book of Mormon Central and the Interpreter Foundation’s Jeffrey Mark Bradshaw: “Book of Moses Essays #32: Moses 1 in Its Ancient Context: The Two-Part Pattern of Heavenly and Ritual Ascent (Moses 1)” *** I think that this allegorical spoof of orthodox Darwinian evolutionary doctrine, which can be found in David Berlinski, The Deniable Darwin and Other Essays, edited by David Klinghoffer (Seattle: Center for Science and Culture, Discovery Institute, 2009), 63-64, is absolutely... Read more
Many years ago, a friend who was sympathetic to the Church but not a believer in the Book of Mormon asked me what the point of the golden plates was. After all, he said — he was quite well informed regarding Latter-day Saint beliefs — Joseph Smith apparently didn’t need them in order to translate and dictate the text. Sometimes, in fact, they weren’t even in the same room with him. I recall responding to his question... Read more
My column for this week in the Deseret News: “How the Annunciation and the birth of Jesus are referred to in the Quran: I offer my own translations of Christmas-related passages from a book that will be far less familiar to many” *** Here, newly appeared on the website of the Interpreter Foundation, is a nice contribution for the season from Jeffrey Mark Bradshaw: “Exploring the Symbolism of Christ in Ancient Christmas Carols and Traditions:... Read more
Okay. I’m about to post some political thoughts and links. These political thoughts and links have absolutely no connection with the Interpreter Foundation, which is totally and completely apolitical and should not be blamed for them. I don’t know how the other leaders of Interpreter voted. I’ve never asked. It has never come up. If you think it likely that you’ll be deeply offended and that you’ll want to sever all ties with me (and perhaps with... Read more
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