It’s Friday.  So, of course, Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture is in publishing mode:   “My People Are Willing”: The Mention of Aminadab in the Narrative Context of Helaman 5-6   We hope that you’ll enjoy this article.   Posted from Idaho Falls, Idaho     Read more

    It seems to me that the distinction between a group that funds itself and a group that receives government money is crucial here:   http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/mormon-scolded-christian-group-center-kansas-law-37703750   Now, you might say, simply being allowed to meet in a room at a public university constitutes a kind of taxpayer subsidy.  I see the point, but I don’t agree.  There seems to me a world of relevant difference between allowing a Republican or Democratic or socialist group (do I repeat myself?)... Read more

    Interesting reading from Book of Mormon Central on a long-controversial topic:   http://www.knowhy.bookofmormoncentral.org/content/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-white-and-delightsome-people       Read more

    An eloquent personal tribute from a friend of Stephen Webb, written for the superb magazine First Things, to which Steve was a frequent contributor:   http://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2016/03/the-excess-of-stephen-h-webb   Many of us also considered Steve a (relatively newfound) friend.   We still mourn his passing, and we missed him deeply at the events connected with the Interpreter Foundation’s conference on science and Mormonism last weekend.     Read more

  My friend Scott Gordon, president of FairMormon, shared this article with me about an important milestone in the history of scholarship:   Peer reviewed studies soon to be replaced by CAPS LOCK   Many of my internet and email critics will feel themselves vindicated.  Mostly, beyond their sheer and entirely understandable scorn for Y’r Humble Servant, these are opponents of Mormonism and of my defense of Mormonism. But the Trumpists who’ve recently been writing to me with powerful rebuttals... Read more

    I still have about ten minutes, so . . .  Happy St. Patrick’s Day, Brother Joseph!   http://www.irishcentral.com/news/irish-roots-of-mormon-founder-joseph-smith-discovered-100251279-237361951.html   Thanks to Cody Quirk for reminding me of this article.   Incidentally, on Dr. Ugo Perego (who spoke at our Interpreter symposium on science and Mormonism over the weekend), see here:   http://www.mormoninterpreter.com/author/ugop/     Read more

    The eloquent discussion in Mosiah 5, today’s reading, of taking upon ourselves the name of Christ and becoming his children — that is, members of his family and his true disciples — before the Day of Judgment has always spoken powerfully to me:   For how knoweth a man the master whom he has not served, and who is a stranger unto him, and is far from the thoughts and intents of his heart?  (5:13)     Read more

    We enjoyed a BYU concert tonight by Wu Man, one of the world’s leading players of the pipa.  The pipa is a stringed instrument that originally came to China from Persia and that is akin to the Arabic ‘ud — which is perhaps why I felt so completely at home with the evening’s music — as well as to the lute (which derives its name from the Arabic for “the ‘ud” [al-‘ud]) and, more distantly, to the guitar, and,... Read more

    I used to read articles pretty regularly from Dr. Paul McHugh, but hadn’t seen anything from him in years.  In fact, oddly enough, I thought of him about a week ago, wondering where he had gone.   Thanks to David Wills, a reliable Australian source of good reading, for calling my attention to this interesting and timely article:   Transgenderism: A Pathogenic Meme     Read more

    But with Christ, we have access in a one-to-one relationship, for, as in the Old Testament, it was more one of worship and awe, a vertical relationship. The New Testament, on the other hand, we look across at a Jesus who looks familiar, horizontal. The combination is what makes the Cross. Bono     Read more