Two quotations from Modern Physics and Ancient Faith, by Stephen M. Barr, a cosmologist and theoretical particle physicist at the University of Delaware:   “Science has given us new eyes that allow us to see down to the deeper roots of the world’s structure, and there all we see is order and symmetry of pristine mathematical purity.”    “The universe looks far more orderly to us now than it did to the ancients who appealed to that order as... Read more

    New today in Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture — we’ll get the name adjusted fairly soon! — which, I’m reliably informed by someone who regularly invents and posts negative fictions about the Interpreter Foundation and about me, and who is in no position to know anything about our bank account, is in a severe financial crisis and (guess what!) about to die:   “‘They Shall No More Be Confounded’: Moroni’s Wordplay on Joseph in Ether 13:1-13 and... Read more

    A last-minute and mostly too-late reminder, sent to me earlier today by my friend Jack Welch:   Margaret Barker, a Methodist scholar of Bible and Temple Studies, will present “Creation Theology, Temple, and the Environment” at BYU. Dr. Barker works with faith communities to raise awareness of pressing environmental issues such as the plight of the world’s waters. George Handley, David Larsen, and Jacob Rennaker will be participating. Following the presentations, there will be time for questions and discussion, and the event will... Read more

    There were times, particularly in my early graduate school days, when I thought that my having come from a completely non-academic family had worked against me.   I have friends and colleagues, themselves with strong Ph.D.s from prestigious schools, who have fathers and grandfathers and multiple siblings with professional and academic doctorates — in at least a couple of cases, with more than one doctorate — and for them, I discovered, going into a doctoral program was just... Read more

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    I’ve mentioned the meeting on Tuesday afternoon in which I shared the platform with Elders Randy Funk of the Seventy and Gary Stevenson of the Twelve, as well as with Elder Robert S. Wood, an emeritus member of the Seventy, who was the moderator.  The only other non-General Authority speaker beside myself was my good friend Dr. Brent Top, until recently BYU’s dean of Religious Education.   Brent spoke on near-death experiences, and, knowing my strong interest in... Read more

    I want to call attention to an exhibit that will shortly be opening at Brigham Young University’s Museum of Peoples and Cultures.  Those who have visited Bethlehem will find it of special interest, I think, and those who have not yet been to the city of Christ’s birth will be able, through this exhibit, to have at least a taste of that experience.  Here’s the brief official description:   Explore the streets of modern-day Bethlehem while stepping through... Read more

    Yet another item from an unfinished essay of mine:   Not long after speaking with his mother, Emma Smith, Joseph Smith III wrote a letter in which he summarized some of her responses to his questions. She wrote for Joseph Smith during the work of translation, as did also Reuben Hale, her brother, and O. Cowdery; that the larger part of this labor ws done in her presence, and where she could see and know what was being... Read more

    A couple of science-related items out of Brigham Young University:   31 May 2018:  “Scientists reveal the secrets behind Pluto’s dunes”   9 October 2018:  “Dust storms on Saturn’s largest moon: what can they tell us about Earth’s dunes?”   In this context, having now been introduced to Professor Jani Radebaugh, some of you may enjoy a video of Dr. Radebaugh speaking at a 2013 Interpreter Foundation conference on a related topic:   “The Outer Solar System: A... Read more

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