March 20, 2014

March 20, 2014 By

I’ll have the opportunity to travel to Texas this weekend and give several presentations.  The trip is being sponsored by the Miller Eccles Study Group of Texas.  Really looking forward this opportunity to spend time with some thoughtful people… Friday, March 21 J. Rebuen Clark Law Society Belo Mansion 12:00 P.M. Topic:  “A Place of Refuge:  The Evolution of Israelite Asylum Laws in Biblical Legal Collections.” Friday, March 21 Miller Eccles Study Group McKinney Location 7:00 P.M. (see website for... Read more

March 4, 2014

March 4, 2014 By

I’m pleased to announce that my book Authoring the Old Testament: Genesis-Deuteronomy is now officially available.   This work provides a basic introduction to my personal approach to the Documentary Hypothesis.  Written specifically for an LDS audience, the second half of the book illustrates the ways in which the insights of historical criticism can be applied to LDS texts including the Book of Abraham, the Book of Moses, and the Book of Mormon. Two reviews have appeared thus far and... Read more

January 28, 2014

January 28, 2014 By

Dan Wotherspoon has posted our discussion on Abraham and the Akedah as a free podcast through the Mormon Matters website.  This was my favorite exchange so far.  It was an amazing experience to participate and learn with this discussion. Read more

January 26, 2014

January 26, 2014 By

I’m surprised how often I read online someone making the assertion that the Documentary Hypothesis is dead.   “The JEPD theory is no longer dominant,” remarked one recent commentator, “now biblical scholars look towards community authorship or single authorship of the Pentateuch with supplementation.”  I’m not sure where precisely this idea stems from, but it’s certainly not correct.  My concern is that it seems to be expressed most frequently by religious commentators seeking to defend a type of inspired unity to... Read more

January 25, 2014

January 25, 2014 By

I’ve had the privilege of joining my friend Dan Wotherspoon in a series of podcasts on the book of Genesis.  I’m so grateful for the contributions Dan is making towards bringing academic and religious insights to the LDS community.  The discussion group includes BYU professor and current director of the Laura F. Willes Center for Book of Mormon Studies, Dr. Brian Hauglid, and Dr. Tom Roberts, an ordained Priest for Christ’s Catholic Church and Academic Dean of St Elias Seminary and... Read more

January 24, 2014

January 24, 2014 By

I need to begin this post with a frank confession.  I self-identify as a male-feminist.  I love theological readings of scripture that elevate women to a high religious status.  However, I am also a student of the Hebrew Bible drawn to historical criticism.   Historical criticism refers to an interpretive approach that seeks to read the text “historically,” meaning in accordance with its original historic setting and “critically,” meaning independent from any contemporary theological perspective or agenda. As an expression, “Historical... Read more

January 23, 2014

January 23, 2014 By

The Book of Mormon presents a touching exchange between husband and wife.  In a moment of tension, the prophetic figure Lehi attempts to console his wife Sariah’s fears that she has lost her sons and that she and her husband will likewise die a terrible death in the wilderness.   The account presents Lehi’s prophetic conviction as words of consolation: “But behold, I have obtained a land of promise, in the which things I do rejoice; yea, and I know that... Read more

January 22, 2014

January 22, 2014 By

The term “anthropomorphism” refers to the attribution of human form or other characteristics to anything other than a human being.  Whether ancient or modern, it is impossible for religious people to escape an anthropomorphic view of deity.  As humans, we tend to create God in our own image after our likeness.  Thus, as Esther Hamori has explained, all “theism,” meaning a belief in at least one god, is anthropomorphic in its religious orientation: “All theism is anthropomorphic, and there is no escaping it.... Read more

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