“Trees,” by Joyce Kilmer I think that I shall never see A poem lovely as a tree. A tree whose hungry mouth is prest Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast; A tree that looks at God all day, And lifts her leafy arms to pray; A tree that may in Summer wear A nest of robins in her hair; Upon whose bosom snow has lain; Who intimately lives with rain. Poems are made by fools like me, But... Read more
My wife and I just now returned from a showing of the film Harriet. We loved it. Absolutely loved it. When I first saw Cynthia Erivo in the role of the slave Araminta Ross, or “Minty,” who would become the great Underground Railroad “conductor” and abolitionist Harriet Tubman, I confess that I wasn’t sure that she could do it. But she carried the film. She could well win a Best Actress Oscar. And I hereby make another... Read more
Responding in a friendly and positive way to some comments that I recently made here about the importance of scriptural historicity, Tom Hobson, a Presbyterian pastor, kindly called my attention to a series of three relevant and thoughtful articles that he published in The Presbyterian Outlook back in 2009. In turn, having read them, I’m happy to bring them to the notice of those who follow this blog: “Historicity: Does it matter?” “Historicity: Does it matter? Part... Read more
Dr. Taylor Halverson is responsible for today’s new article in Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship: “The Role and Purpose of Synagogues in the Days of Jesus and Paul” Abstract: This article explores why Jesus so often healed in synagogues. By comparing the uses and purposes of Diaspora and Palestinian synagogues, this article argues that synagogues functioned as a hostel or community center of sorts in ancient Jewish society. That is, those needing healing would seek out... Read more
“RootsTech Hosts International Conference in London: Thousands participate in groundbreaking event to discover and connect with family” “The big picture of how London is the gateway for RootsTech’s global reach” “Elder Bednar, a centuries-old church, Donny Osmond and Twister wrap up RootsTech London” “Groundbreaking Held for International African American Museum: Church donation to help support Center for Family History” “If you don’t know history, you don’t know anything. You are a leaf that doesn’t know it... Read more
The invaluable Dr. Jeff Lindsay offers some interesting thoughts about peer review, John Robertson’s response to a response to Brian Stubbs’s work on seemingly Egyptian and Semitic elements in Uto-Aztecan, and apparently Roman-era amphorae found underwater near Rio de Janeiro: “Romancing the Rio Wreck: Evidence for Ancient Transoceanic Contact in the Americas vs. a Romantic Notion of Peer Review” *** Thomas S. Kuhn (1922-1996) was trained as a physicist at Harvard University, from which he... Read more
The very first book that we read in the Islamic Humanities class (IHUM 242) that I teach during both fall and winter semesters (and am teaching right now, have just taught this afternoon) is the eighth-century AD Kalila wa Dimna of Ibn al-Muqaffa‘. It is an animal fable that can be read — in fact, it almost certainly must be read — as a satire upon life in a royal court and on the perils and dangers that one... Read more
My long-time friend and FARMS and departmental colleague Don Parry has a new book out with E. J. Brill Publishing in the Netherlands: In Exploring the Isaiah Scrolls and Their Textual Variants, Donald W. Parry systematically presents, on a verse-by-verse basis, the variants of the Hebrew witnesses of Isaiah (the Masoretic Text and the twenty-one Isaiah Dead Sea Scrolls) and briefly discusses why each variant exists. The Isaiah scrolls have greatly impacted our understanding of the textual... Read more
Very much, I believe, rides on our answer to the question of whether or not the Book of Mormon is a genuinely ancient account from authentically ancient authors. (See, on this, such statements as Stephen O. Smoot’s “Et Incarnatus Est: The Imperative for Book of Mormon Historicity” and Dallin H. Oaks’s “The Historicity of the Book of Mormon.”) The Book of Mormon’s value as a second witness for Christ, for instance, would be substantially altered if not altogether neutralized were... Read more
And now, at last, it’s come to this: Political correctness about sexuality, and weaponizing giraffes as campaign resources: “Are 90% of giraffes gay – or have their loving looks been misunderstood? Dawn Butler’s claims regarding animal sexuality have been called ‘offensive’ and ‘homophobic’ by one of Jeremy Corbyn’s advisers. But what’s the scientific verdict?” *** “What would a truly modern human look like?” From a religious or theological point of view, though, is the... Read more
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