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<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n ***<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n A new article has appeared in Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship<\/em>:<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cOverwriting Ether: Moroni\u2019s Transfiguration of Jaredite Scripture,\u201d<\/a> by David J. Larsen<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n Review of Rosalynde Frandsen Welch,\u00a0Ether: A\u00a0Brief Theological Introduction<\/em>\u00a0(Provo, UT: The Neal\u00a0A.\u00a0Maxwell\u00a0Institute for Religious Scholarship, 2020). 128 pages. $9.95 (paperback).<\/span><\/p>\n Abstract:<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>The Book of Ether is a\u00a0sometimes-overlooked gem of a\u00a0text within the Book\u00a0of\u00a0Mormon, a\u00a0history within a\u00a0history that deserves careful and innovative investigation. Rosalynde Frandsen Welch offers such with a\u00a0novel perspective in her entry in the Maxwell Institute\u2019s series of \u201cbrief theological introductions\u201d to the books within the Book\u00a0of\u00a0Mormon. The principal focus of Welch\u2019s analysis is on issues concerning Moroni\u2019s editorial purposes, how he interacts with his source text, and the ethics of his agenda for his abridgment of the Jaredite record. She critiques what she sees as Moroni\u2019s lack of interest in the Jaredite record for its own sake and his attempts to \u201cChristianize\u201d the indigenous religion and culture of the former inhabitants of the land he occupies. Additionally, Welch presents Moroni as offering his future audience a\u00a0\u201creader-centered theology of scripture\u201d that seeks to transfer the authority of Scripture from the author to the reader. This review finds some of Welch\u2019s proposals to be problematic but recognizes the great value of her beautifully written contribution to the academic study of the Book of Ether and the Book\u00a0of\u00a0Mormon.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n ***<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n I called attention yesterday<\/a> to the forthcoming Hulu miniseries Under the Banner of Heaven<\/em>, suggesting that Latter-day Saints should probably be aware of it and that they might want to be prepared for it.\u00a0 In response, readers of my blog have called attention to a couple of helpful resources responding to the original publication of Jon Krakauer\u2019s book, which bears the same title as the approaching miniseries and forms the basis for it.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The first is a review that was written by Richard E. Turley, Jr., who was, at the time, the managing director of the Family and Church History Department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints:<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cFaulty History: A Review of Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith\u201d<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The second is this, on the Church Newsroom website:<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cChurch Response to Jon Krakauer\u2019s Under the Banner of Heaven<\/em>\u201c<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Read and be ready.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n ***<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n I\u2019ve recently encountered a criticism of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that is connected with the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine:\u00a0 Why, thesse critics demand to know, hasn\u2019t the Church denounced this brutal and unprovoked assault on an independent nation?\u00a0 And perhaps, of course, the Church will eventually issue such a statement.\u00a0 But I doubt it.\u00a0 What good would it do?\u00a0 Would the former KGB thug Vladimir Putin, unmoved by economic sanctions and international outrage, suddenly repent at the sight of a letter from the First Presidency?\u00a0 I\u2019m betting against it.\u00a0 What possible harm could it do?\u00a0 It might put Russian Latter-day Saints at risk.\u00a0 It might put Ukrainian Latter-day Saints at risk under a harsh Russian military occupation.\u00a0 These are not trivial concerns.\u00a0 The lives and the freedom of Slavic Latter-day Saints shouldn\u2019t be exploited as weapons against their church.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Here\u2019s a valuable unofficial<\/em> Latter-day Saint statement on the Russian invasion:<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe Can\u2019t Even Agree on Vladimir Putin?\u00a0 If we can\u2019t even agree about the threatened invasion of a democratic, sovereign nation playing out before us, what does that say about our own condition as an American people?\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Yesterday, I noted an article by Katherine Kelaidis<\/a> about an Orthodox Christian dimension to Russia\u2019s current attempt to destroy independent Ukraine.\u00a0 Today, I point to an article by Ms. Kelaidis on the role played by anti-Semitism in what\u2019s going on:<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe Enigmatic Role of Anti-Semitism in the Russia-Ukraine Conflict\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Please note her comment that \u201caccording to credible US intelligence, Russian forces in the disputed regions intended to target Russian and Belorussian dissidents living in Ukraine, including religious and ethnic minorities, journalists, and LGBT activists.\u201d\u00a0 Is that likely to affect Ukrainian Latter-day Saints, who belong to a church that is headquartered in the United States?<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Don\u2019t be surprised if it does.\u00a0 Consider this, for instance, from the Protestant magazine Christianity Today<\/em>:<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cRussia Keeps Punishing Evangelicals in Crimea: Last year, there was an uptick in fines to Protestants and fellow religious minorities in the region annexed from Ukraine.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n And consider this article, from National Review<\/em>:<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWhat Putin\u2019s Invasion Means for the Baptists of Ukraine: Ukraine\u2019s Baptist population is under threat of oppression as Putin seeks \u2018spiritual security\u2019 for Russia.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Question:\u00a0 Are Latter-day Saint missionaries from other countries allowed to enter Russia?\u00a0 (Subtle hint:\u00a0 No.)<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Here\u2019s a 2018 item from Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty:\u00a0 \u201cKeeping The Faith: With Missionary Work Banned, Mormons In Russia \u2018Just Making Friends'\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n I have two good friends who have served as mission presidents in Ukraine.\u00a0 What are the prospects for future missionary work there?\u00a0 At the moment, it seems to me, they\u2019re not good at all.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n<\/a>