{"id":101966,"date":"2023-09-22T15:33:22","date_gmt":"2023-09-22T21:33:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/?p=101966"},"modified":"2023-09-22T23:49:44","modified_gmt":"2023-09-23T05:49:44","slug":"an-expression-of-gratitude","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/2023\/09\/an-expression-of-gratitude.html","title":{"rendered":"An expression of gratitude"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"BY<\/a>
In this photo, shot by Ryan Fuller of our film crew on the set of \u201cSix Days in August,\u201d Mark Goodman goes over a scene between Joseph Smith (Paul Wuthrich, standing to the left in the corner) and a number of the gathered apostles (including Brigham Young, who is standing to the right).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Two new articles appeared today on the website of the Interpreter Foundation:<\/p>\n

\u201cMormon\u2019s Narrative Strategies to Provide Literary Justice for Gideon,\u201d<\/a> written by Nathan J. Arp<\/a><\/p>\n

Abstract:<\/strong> Although unable to write more than a hundredth part of his people\u2019s history, Mormon seemingly found the time and plate-space to deliver literary justice on behalf of Gideon, who suffered a martyr\u2019s death at the hand of the wicked Nehor. This article applies a literary approach buttressed by evidence from the Book of Mormon to suggest that Mormon intentionally supplied tightly-controlled repetitive elements, like the repetition of names, to point the reader to discover multiple literary sub-narratives connected by a carefully crafted network of themes running under the main narratives of the scriptures. The theories espoused in this work may have begun with the recognition of the reader-arresting repetition of Gideon\u2019s name in Alma 6:7-8, but driven by scriptural data points soon connected Gideon with Abinadi, the Ammonites, and others. The repetitive and referential use of the moniker Nehor, Gideon\u2019s murderer, on various peoples by Mormon seemed to connect thematically and organically to a justice prophesied by Abinadi. In parallel with the theme of justice laid upon the Nehor-populations, evidence is marshaled to also suggest that Mormon referenced the place-name of Gideon to intentionally hearken back to the man Gideon. Following the role of Gideon, as a place, we propose Mormon constructed a path for the martyr Gideon via proxy to meet the resurrected Lord in Bountiful. Mormon\u2019s concern for the individual and his technique for rewriting Gideon\u2019s story through proxy ultimately symbolizes the role Christ\u2019s atoning power can take in each of our lives to save us.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u201cInterpreting Interpreter<\/em>: Gideon\u2019s Justice,\u201d<\/a> written by Kyler Rasmussen<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

This post is a summary of the article \u201cMormon\u2019s Narrative Strategies to Provide Literary Justice for Gideon<\/a>\u201d by Nathan J. Arp in Volume 58 of Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship<\/em>. All of the articles may be seen at https:\/\/interpreterfoundation.org\/category\/summaries\/<\/a>. An introduction to the Interpreting Interpreter<\/em>series is available at https:\/\/interpreterfoundation.org\/interpreting-interpreter-on-abstracting-thought\/<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Takeaway:<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0Arp argues that Mormon\u2019s treatment of the story of Gideon\u2014and subsequent use of the name Gideon<\/em> in his writings\u2014includes a carefully crafted subtext that emphasizes the justice of God, promotes peacemaking, and outlines a path to salvation in Christ.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Brigham<\/a>
Miriam Works Young and Brigham Young, following the baptism of Vilate Kimball. Miriam died of \u201cconsumption\u201d (tuberculosis) on 8 September 1832, only about three or four months after her own baptism, at the age of twenty-six.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Yesterday and today represent an important anniversary, and it has not gone wholly unnoticed:<\/p>\n

\u201c200 Years Ago: An Angel\u2019s Visit that Led to the Book of Mormon:\u00a0President Nelson and Elder Stevenson share comments on social media\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cApostles\u2019 Testimonies of the Book of Mormon:\u00a0A compilation of testimonies in honor of the 200th anniversary of the angel Moroni\u2019s first appearance to Joseph Smith on September 21-22\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cVideo: Restoration Ongoing Since the Angel Moroni Appeared to Joseph Smith, Historians Say\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

There is also a connection with the anniversary in this article, from Time<\/em>: \u00a0\u201cHow Mormonism Went Mainstream\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

And, given the subject matter of his latest book, I expect that \u00a0even this article was timed to coincide with \u201cMoroni Day\u201d: \u00a0\u201cThe faithful scholar: Richard Bushman said he finds no contradiction between faith and scholarship\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
The widower Brigham Young, who had two children from his first marriage, was wed to Mary Ann Angell on 31 March 1834.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

I\u2019m delighted to report that, upon returning home today, I found that a copy had arrived at my house of Ronald K. Esplin, Dean C. Jessie, Brent M. Rogers, Gerrit J. Dirkmaat, and Andrew H. Hedges, eds., The Brigham Young Journals<\/em>, Vol. 1, April 1832 \u2013 February 1846 (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center and BYU Press, Brigham Young University, in cooperation with the Brigham Young Center Foundation, Sandy, Utah, and Deseret Book Company, Salt Lake City, Utah).<\/p>\n

We are fortunate to live in a time when wonderful resources like these are being made publicly and widely available.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Phoebe and Sidney Rigdon, as depicted in the forthcoming Interpreter Foundation film \u201cSix Days in August\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Something terrible and frightening occurred to a member of our family this past Sunday, in a far distant place. \u00a0The news came out of the blue. \u00a0It was fragmentary. \u00a0For a while, too, my wife and I were out of cell phone range, and we were left to imagine what might be happening and how bad things were. \u00a0In such times, when we feel powerless and can only pray, it is very good that we can, in fact, pray.<\/p>\n

I won\u2019t give details here, out of respect for the privacy of certain family members and because, quite frankly, there are malicious readers of this blog whom I don\u2019t trust not to seek to exploit such events in order to mock and wound me and in order to torment people for whom I care deeply. \u00a0Happily, though, although the event was genuinely horrific, its effects have turned out about as well as they possibly could have. \u00a0One might indeed say, as I do say, that our prayers in this instance have been answered. \u00a0There are still challenges ahead and possible problems on the horizon, but we will somehow cope with them. \u00a0And we continue to pray and will<\/em> continue to do so.<\/p>\n

Some others who became aware of what had happened joined their prayers with ours, and I want to express my gratitude to them for that, and for their kindness to us. \u00a0It\u2019s satisfyingly good to belong to a community of good and faithful people, as we are fortunate to do.<\/p>\n

\n

And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold\u00a0of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another\u2019s burdens, that they may be light;<\/p>\n

Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life\u2014<\/p>\n

Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you? \u00a0(Mosiah 18:8-10)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King spoke often of \u201cthe beloved community.\u201d \u00a0I\u2019m blessed to belong to one such.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0 \u00a0 Two new articles appeared today on the website of the Interpreter Foundation: \u201cMormon\u2019s Narrative Strategies to Provide Literary Justice for Gideon,\u201d written by Nathan J. Arp Abstract: Although unable to write more than a hundredth part of his people\u2019s history, Mormon seemingly found the time and plate-space to deliver literary justice on behalf […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1019,"featured_media":101978,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[56,36659,36662,25399,1221,28443],"class_list":["post-101966","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-book-of-mormon","tag-gideon","tag-mary-ann-angell","tag-miriam-works","tag-moroni","tag-six-days-in-august"],"yoast_head":"\nAn expression of gratitude<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"    Two new articles appeared today on the website of the Interpreter Foundation: "Mormon\u2019s Narrative Strategies to Provide Literary Justice for\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/2023\/09\/an-expression-of-gratitude.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"An expression of gratitude\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"    Two new articles appeared today on the website of the Interpreter Foundation: "Mormon\u2019s Narrative Strategies to Provide Literary Justice for\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/2023\/09\/an-expression-of-gratitude.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Sic et Non\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-09-22T21:33:22+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-09-23T05:49:44+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/186\/2023\/09\/A730147-Large-scaled.jpeg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"768\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"512\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Dan Peterson\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Dan Peterson\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/2023\/09\/an-expression-of-gratitude.html\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/2023\/09\/an-expression-of-gratitude.html\",\"name\":\"An expression of gratitude\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2023-09-22T21:33:22+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-09-23T05:49:44+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/#\/schema\/person\/77113e9b09701bd1599fa272c4f65045\"},\"description\":\"    Two new articles appeared today on the website of the Interpreter Foundation: \\\"Mormon\u2019s Narrative Strategies to Provide Literary Justice for\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/2023\/09\/an-expression-of-gratitude.html#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/2023\/09\/an-expression-of-gratitude.html\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/2023\/09\/an-expression-of-gratitude.html#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"An expression of gratitude\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/\",\"name\":\"Sic et Non\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/#\/schema\/person\/77113e9b09701bd1599fa272c4f65045\",\"name\":\"Dan Peterson\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5ed1a72d26805e35a503e3167599df7c?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5ed1a72d26805e35a503e3167599df7c?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Dan Peterson\"},\"description\":\"\\\"Life was very unsatisfying until I discovered Dan's blog, which gave me a reason to live.\\\" (gemli, 7 November 2019)\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/author\/danpeterson\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"An expression of gratitude","description":"    Two new articles appeared today on the website of the Interpreter Foundation: \"Mormon\u2019s Narrative Strategies to Provide Literary Justice for","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/2023\/09\/an-expression-of-gratitude.html","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"An expression of gratitude","og_description":"    Two new articles appeared today on the website of the Interpreter Foundation: \"Mormon\u2019s Narrative Strategies to Provide Literary Justice for","og_url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/2023\/09\/an-expression-of-gratitude.html","og_site_name":"Sic et Non","article_published_time":"2023-09-22T21:33:22+00:00","article_modified_time":"2023-09-23T05:49:44+00:00","og_image":[{"width":768,"height":512,"url":"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/186\/2023\/09\/A730147-Large-scaled.jpeg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Dan Peterson","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Dan Peterson","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/2023\/09\/an-expression-of-gratitude.html","url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/2023\/09\/an-expression-of-gratitude.html","name":"An expression of gratitude","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/#website"},"datePublished":"2023-09-22T21:33:22+00:00","dateModified":"2023-09-23T05:49:44+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/#\/schema\/person\/77113e9b09701bd1599fa272c4f65045"},"description":"    Two new articles appeared today on the website of the Interpreter Foundation: \"Mormon\u2019s Narrative Strategies to Provide Literary Justice for","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/2023\/09\/an-expression-of-gratitude.html#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/2023\/09\/an-expression-of-gratitude.html"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/2023\/09\/an-expression-of-gratitude.html#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"An expression of gratitude"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/","name":"Sic et Non","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/#\/schema\/person\/77113e9b09701bd1599fa272c4f65045","name":"Dan Peterson","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5ed1a72d26805e35a503e3167599df7c?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5ed1a72d26805e35a503e3167599df7c?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Dan Peterson"},"description":"\"Life was very unsatisfying until I discovered Dan's blog, which gave me a reason to live.\" (gemli, 7 November 2019)","url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/author\/danpeterson"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/101966","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1019"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=101966"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/101966\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/101978"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=101966"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=101966"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=101966"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}