Taylor Halverson offers a helpful discussion of three important chapters in the book of Mosiah:   http://www.mormoninterpreter.com/mosiah-4-6-children-of-christ/   Posted from Mesa, Arizona     Read more

    Robert Boylan reminds me of this presentation by Matthew Brown, given roughly three years before his untimely death — at about 47 years of age — in 2011:     Posted from Mesa, Arizona     Read more

    An interesting article — not overly long — that Andrew Sargent kindly brought to my attention:   http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2016/05/how-islam-created-europe/476388/?utm_source=SFFB   Posted from Mesa, Arizona     Read more

    Today’s brief chapter, Alma 6, tells of the chief priest’s setting in order local units of the church — including, I take it, ordaining men to what we would call the Aaronic and Melchizedek priesthoods.   Much of Church leadership — in my experience in bishoprics and on high councils and according to my observation of others, including the General Authorities — consists of a perpetual personnel search, as needs arise and change, and as people mature, age, die,... Read more

    http://www.realclearscience.com/articles/2016/04/16/the_viruses_of_yellowstones_hot_springs_109603.html   Posted from Mesa, Arizona     Read more

    Know why:     Posted from Mesa, Arizona     Read more

    “Faith is not a leap in the dark; it’s the exact opposite.  It’s a commitment based on evidence. . . .  It is irrational to reduce all faith to blind faith and then subject it to ridicule.  That provides a very anti-intellectual and convenient way of avoiding intelligent discussion.” John Lennox, Professor of Mathematics, University of Oxford   Posted from Mesa, Arizona     Read more

    And the link in this article is problematic, too:   “Mormonism and the Scientific Persistence of Circles: Aristotle, Spacetime, and One Eternal Round”   So I offer it to you in a different form, here.   Posted from Mesa, Arizona     Read more

    The link at this previous blog post is iffy, at best.  Sometimes it appears, with visuals and extended text, which is great.  But sometimes it doesn’t appear at all.  (In other words, the New and Improved Link System isn’t always an improvement.)  So I’m giving the to you here, as well, in a more reliable way.   Posted from Mesa, Arizona     Read more

    Over the now fairly long course of my involvement in Mormon studies and apologetics, I’ve often lamented the fact that virtually all of those involved in the field have been men.  When I was chairman of the board of the Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies (FARMS), I tried, unsuccessfully, to recruit more women and to find at least one who would serve on our board.   I wasn’t interested in fulfilling some quota or simply being... Read more