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I\u2019m pleased to announce that yet another new article \u2014 this one by John Gee<\/a> \u2014 has appeared in Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship<\/em>:<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cFantasy and Reality in the Translation of the Book of Abraham\u201d<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Abstract:<\/strong>\u00a0The volume editors of\u00a0<\/em>The Joseph Smith Papers Revelations and Translations: Volume 4\u00a0propose a theory of translation of the Book of Abraham that is at odds with the documents they publish and with other documents and editorial comments published in the other volumes of the Joseph Smith Papers Project. Two key elements of their proposal are the idea of simultaneous dictation of Book of Abraham Manuscripts in the handwritings of Frederick G. Williams and Warren Parrish, and Joseph Smith\u2019s use of the so-called Alphabet and Grammar. An examination of these theories in the light of the documents published in the Joseph Smith Papers shows that neither of these theories is historically tenable. The chronology the volume editors propose for the translation of the Book of Abraham creates more problems than it solves. A different chronology is proposed. Unfortunately, the analysis shows that the theory of translation of the Book of Abraham adopted by the Joseph Smith Papers volume editors is highly flawed.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n ***<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n And here are two new items from the Christopher Hitchens Memorial \u201cHow Religion Poisons Everything\u201d File\u00a9<\/em>:<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cHow the Church Is Helping Vulnerable Women and Children in Utah: Latter-day Saint Charities donates to the Children\u2019s Justice Center and the Young Women\u2019s Christian Association\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201c\u2018English Connect\u2019 Course Unites Family on their Path to Self-Reliance\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n ***<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n You might enjoy this item, which was brought to my notice by the estimable Irish Latter-day Saint Robert Boylan:<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cJeffrey R. Holland on the Importance of the Book of Mormon in an Interview with Andrew Teal\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n He also called my attention to this short passage:<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cJoseph F. Merrill (1868-1952) on the Definition of \u201cFaith\u201d\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Since Elder Merrill (a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles from 1931 until his death in 1952) compares faith in religious matters to faith in scientific matters, I think that it might be worthy of note that he held a doctorate in physics from Johns Hopkins University.\u00a0 In other words, he seems to have had some actual acquaintance with science.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n ***<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n I found this essay by Interpreter\u2019s own Jeff Lindsay<\/a> quite touching:<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe Fox at My Door\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n ***<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n I would like to share with you, in its entirety, an important anonymous essay that I received this morning:<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n It\u2019s possible, even likely, that I\u2019ve missed one or more of the vitally significant contributions made by the modestly self-concealed gentleman and scholar who sent it to me.\u00a0 But this is the 639th such composition that I have on file, dating back to 4 August 2012.\u00a0 Taken together they provide a remarkable glimpse into the mind of one of the great moral leaders and one of the deepest thinkers of our time.\u00a0 Their themes have been extremely consistent over the past roughly eight and a half years; their length and their verbal expression have varied remarkably little.\u00a0 They\u2019re all quite plainly the products of the same incisive brain, unmistakably written by someone who is associated with the predominantly atheistic ex-Latter-day Saint message board established some years ago by one Dr. Shades.\u00a0 (He must be very proud.)\u00a0 That is where my Malevolent Stalker<\/a> holds court, although this person himself \u2014 while driven by the same unmistakable charity and love \u2014 seems too different in rhetorical style to actually be<\/em> my Malevolent Stalker.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n ***<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Once again, I share links to some past articles from an early volume of Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship.<\/em>\u00a0 I hope that you\u2019ll enjoy them, or that you\u2019ll enjoy them again<\/em>:<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Terryl L. Givens, \u201cLetter to a Doubter\u201d<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n William J. Hamblin, \u201cThe S\u00f4d of YHWH and the Endowment\u201d<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Stephen D. Ricks, \u201cSome Notes on Book of Mormon Names:\u00a0The Book of Mormon as an Ancient Document:\u00a0Proper Names as a Test Case\u201d<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Abstract:\u00a0This study considers the Book of Mormon personal names Josh, Nahom, and Alma as test cases for the Book of Mormon as an historically authentic ancient document.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Benjamin L. McGuire, \u201cJosiah\u2019s Reform: An Introduction\u201d<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n William J. Hamblin, \u201cVindicating Josiah\u201d<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n For an introduction, see\u00a0Benjamin L. McGuire, \u201cJosiah\u2019s Reform: An Introduction.\u201d Abstract:\u00a0Margaret Barker has written a number of fascinating books on ancient Israelite and Christian temple theology. One of her main arguments is that the temple reforms of Josiah corrupted the pristine original Israelite temple theology. Josiah\u2019s reforms were therefore, in some sense, an apostasy. According to Barker, early Christianity is based on the pristine, original pre-Josiah form of temple theology. This paper argues that Josiah\u2019s reforms were a necessary correction to contemporary corruption of the Israelite temple rituals and theologies, and that the type of temple apostasy Barker describes is more likely associated with the Hasmoneans.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Kevin Christensen, \u201cProphets and Kings in Lehi\u2019s Jerusalem and Margaret Barker\u2019s Temple Theology\u201d<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n For an introduction, see\u00a0Benjamin L. McGuire, \u201cJosiah\u2019s Reform: An Introduction.\u201d Abstract:\u00a0King Josiah\u2019s reign has come under increasing focus for its importance to the formation of the Hebrew Bible, and for its proximity to the ministry of important prophets such as Jeremiah and Lehi. Whereas the canonical accounts and conventional scholarship have seen Josiah portrayed as the ideal king, Margaret Barker argues Josiah\u2019s reform was hostile to the temple. This essay offers a counterpoint to Professor Hamblin\u2019s \u201cVindicating Josiah\u201d essay, offering arguments that the Book of Mormon and Barker\u2019s views and sources support one another.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u00a0 \u00a0 I\u2019m pleased to announce that yet another new article \u2014 this one by John Gee \u2014 has appeared in Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship: \u00a0 \u201cFantasy and Reality in the Translation of the Book of Abraham\u201d Abstract:\u00a0The volume editors of\u00a0The Joseph Smith Papers Revelations and Translations: Volume 4\u00a0propose a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1019,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[67,74,1809,8924,3739,7048,380,12668,2905,1812,1815,788,55,1667,313,15262,15259,2028,21230],"class_list":["post-90058","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-abraham","tag-book-of-abraham","tag-church-of-jesus-christ-of-latter-day-saints","tag-cowdery","tag-egyptian","tag-john-gee","tag-joseph-smith","tag-kirtland","tag-latter-day-saint","tag-latter-day-saints","tag-lds","tag-mormon","tag-mormonism","tag-mormons","tag-oliver-cowdery","tag-papyri","tag-papyrus","tag-pearl-of-great-price","tag-phelps"],"yoast_head":"\n
\n<\/a>For a counterpoint, see\u00a0Kevin Christensen, \u201cProphets and Kings in Lehi\u2019s Jerusalem and Margaret Barker\u2019s Temple Theology\u201d<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n
\n<\/a>For a counterpoint, see\u00a0William J. Hamblin, \u201cVindicating Josiah.\u201d<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n