A couple of weeks ago, I read Cassidy Nichole Pyper, ““Not Only Men but Women Also”: An Argument for Alma’s Intentional Inclusion of Women,” BYU Studies 64/1 (2025): 21-44. I have to admit that, when I began the article, I wasn’t really expecting much. Sister Pyper contends, for example, that, when the Book of Mormon refers to, or addresses, “brethren,” that term can and should generally be taken to include women, sisters, as well. But I’ve assumed that more inclusive... Read more
On Saturday, 5 April, my friend Don Bradley lost his son Donnie suddenly, in an unspeakably tragic and horrible incident. (I don’t feel that, on my own initiative, I can go further into the details of what happened.) I’ve spoken with Don within the past few hours. As you can easily imagine, he is absolutely grief-stricken. He has now set up a gofundme account in honor of his boy: Help Extend Donnie’s Legacy of Love through UNICEF FOR DONNIE’S... Read more
In his very brief article “The Seven Seals, the Age of the Earth, and Ongoing Revelation” (BYU Studies 64/1 [2025]: 95-96, Professor Nicholas J. Frederick argues that Doctrine and Covenants 77 — which is built upon a revelation received by the Prophet Joseph Smith in 1832 — should not be taken in isolation when Latter-day Saints discuss their doctrinal position (if we really even have one -dcp) on the age of the earth. Dr. Frederick says that statements that... Read more
Yesterday, I published an article in Meridian Magazine about a reported phenomenon that puzzles me and that some of you might find . . . well, curious: “Remarkable Signs in the Heavens the Night Joseph Got the Plates.” If nothing else, you might enjoy it. Two very different takes on the legacy of Pope Francis: “Pope Francis, My Worst Protestant Nightmare” (in the Catholic-leaning magazine First Things, written by Carl Trueman, a Protestant theologian whom I admire and who... Read more
“First Presidency Offers Condolences on Passing of His Holiness Pope Francis” As the First Presidency has already done, I offer my condolences on the death of Pope Francis to any Catholic readers who may perhaps wander through here. The Pope’s passing comes as a surprise to many, including me, because he seemed to be recovering reasonably well from a lengthy and serious hospitalization a few weeks ago. Just yesterday, he both appeared on the balcony of St. Peter’s... Read more
A traditional greeting is given on Easter Sunday (beginning at midnight and continuing throughout the day) across much of the Eastern Christian world. It is often expressed in Greek, but often, too, in whatever the actual local language happens to be. In Greek, it goes like this: Χριστὸς ἀνέστη! Christos Anesti (in modern Greek pronunciation) Christ is risen! To which the traditional response is Ἀληθῶς ἀνέστη! Alithos Anesti (in modern Greek pronunciation) Truly, he is risen! He is risen.... Read more
I intended to do more than I have, both here on this blog and personally, with Holy Week or Passion Week — the term passion refers not to emotions in our modern sense, but to Christ’s suffering — which began last weekend on Palm Sunday. I’ll try to make up for it, at least a little bit, today and tomorrow. This has been a very hectic week. Precisely as I wasn’t hoping it to be. On Thursday, I said... Read more
Many years ago, not long after our launch, Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship began to commission a special article for publication every year at Christmas time and at Easter — or, more accurately in the latter case, to appear annually on Good Friday. Today is Good Friday, and here is a link to the Interpreter Foundation’s 2025 Easter article, written by Joseph W. Green and entitled “Easter as Threshold: Trauma, Transformation, and God’s Presence in... Read more
An article reprint — that is, a chapter from an already-published book — has gone up on the website of the Interpreter Foundation. These reprints, which go up on Thursdays, are not to be confused with the articles in Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship, which go up on Fridays. A few months ago, that difficult distinction left one confused critic very indignant, and I don’t want him to have that embarrassing problem again. So here... Read more
I mentioned this case in my immediately prior post, but I regard it as such a manifest outrage that I’m going to mention it again — and I’m going to encourage you to write your senator and your congressman about it: “BYU Ph.D. student’s international student visa revoked over apparent fishing license violation: Husband and father of 5 may have to return to Japan unless the courts allow him to continue his graduate studies” In order to make contacting your... Read more
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