Review | The Interpreter Foundation: Recent Episodes
Review – The Interpreter Foundation
Review of Rodney Dieser, Cease to Contend: Healing a Nation Through Christlike Civility in Politics (Springville, UT: Cedar Fort, 2025). 136 pp., $16.99 (paperback). Abstract: In Cease to Contend: Healing a Nation Through Christlike Civility in Politics, Rodney Dieser offers … Continue reading →
The post Learning Political Civility from Pahoran to Lincoln first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Mustafa Akyol, The Islamic Jesus: How the King of the Jews Became a Prophet of the Muslims (New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2017). 288 pp., $17.99 (paperback). Abstract: In his book, The Islamic Jesus, Muslim author Mustafa Akyol … Continue reading →
The post The Islamic Jesus first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Brant A. Gardner, The Plates of Mormon: A Book of Mormon Study Edition, and its companion volume, Engraven Upon Plates, Printed Upon Paper: Textual and Narrative Structures of the Book of Mormon (Salt Lake City: Greg Kofford Books, … Continue reading →
The post The Plates of Gardner first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Jamie L. Jensen, Steven L. Peck, Ugo A. Perego, and T. Benjamin Spackman, eds. The Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ and Evolution. Provo, UT: College of Life Sciences, Brigham Young University, 2025. 272 pgs. Abstract: This review critically evaluates … Continue reading →
The post Reconciling Evolution by Faith or Framing? first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Jeffrey M. Bradshaw, ed., Joseph Smith: A Life Lived in Crescendo, 2 vols. (Orem, UT: The Interpreter Foundation; Salt Lake City: Eborn Books, 2024). 1,101 pgs., $24.95 per vol. (softback), $69.95 per vol. (hardback). Abstract: Joseph Smith: A … Continue reading →
The post A Fitting Tribute to the Prophet of the Restoration first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Warren P. Aston, Godfrey J. Ellis, and Neal Rappleye, Into Arabia: Anchoring Nephi’s Account in the Real World (Orem, UT: The Interpreter Foundation; Salt Lake City: Eborn Books, 2024). 298 pages. $44.99 (hardback), $39.99 (paperback). Abstract: Into Arabia … Continue reading →
The post Wonder No More: A Review of Into Arabia first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Lars Nielsen, How the Book of Mormon Came to Pass: The Second Greatest Show on Earth (Minnetonka, MN: self-pub., 2024). 390 pages. $19.95. Abstract: Every so often an anti-Mormon book comes along that lowers the bar for attacks … Continue reading →
The post The Flimsiest Show on Earth first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of James W. Lucas and Jonathan E. Neville, By Means of the Urim & Thummim: Restoring Translation to the Restoration (Cottonwood Heights, UT: Digital Legend Press & Publishing, 2023). 288 pages. $19.95. Abstract: In By Means of the Urim … Continue reading →
The post Through a Glass Darkly: Restoring Translation to the Restoration? first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of James W. Lucas and Jonathan E. Neville, By Means of the Urim & Thummim: Restoring Translation to the Restoration (Cottonwood Heights, UT: Digital Legend Press & Publishing, 2023). 288 pages. $19.95. Abstract: In their book, James Lucas and … Continue reading →
The post Trust Us, We’re Lawyers: Lucas and Neville on the Translation of the Book of Mormon first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Morgan Deane, To Stop a Slaughter: Just War and the Book of Mormon (Middletown, DE: Morgan Deane, 2024). 138 pages. $14.99 (paperback). Abstract: Morgan Deane’s To Stop a Slaughter: Just War and the Book of Mormon defines and discusses … Continue reading →
The post A Deep Dive on War first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Peter J. Williams, The Surprising Genius of Jesus: What the Gospels Reveal About the Greatest Teacher (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2023). 113 pages, $14.59 (paperback). Abstract: Peter Williams, an independent biblical scholar, has written an analysis of the parable … Continue reading →
The post A Model for Looking Deeply and Deeply Looking first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Stephen O. Smoot and Brian C. Passantino, eds., Joseph Smith’s Uncanonized Revelations (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center; Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2024). 184 pages, $24.99 (hardcover). Abstract: In an important new volume, we now have easy access … Continue reading →
The post Uncanonized Revelations first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Elliott West, Continental Reckoning: The American West in the Age of Expansion (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2023). 704 pages, $39.95 (hardcover). Abstract: This review explores how Latter-day Saints are portrayed in a new landmark history of the … Continue reading →
The post The Anomaly: Elliott West’s Continental Reckoning and its Latter-day Saints first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Deidre Nicole Green and Eric D. Huntsman, eds., Latter-day Saint Perspectives on Atonement (Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 2024). 344 pages, $35.00 (paperback). Abstract: Latter-day Saint Perspectives on Atonement promises to provide new perspectives on the atonement that … Continue reading →
The post LDS Perspectives on the Atonement? first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Jeffrey M. Bradshaw, Emer Harris & Dennison Lott Harris: Owner of the First Copy of the Book of Mormon, Witness of the “Last Charge” of Joseph Smith (Salt Lake City: Eborn Books, 2023). 235 pages, 67 illustrations, appendix, … Continue reading →
The post An Exceptional Example of the Richness of Church History first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Grant Hardy, The Annotated Book of Mormon (New York: Oxford University Press, 2023). 912 pages; $37.95 (hardcover). Abstract: Oxford University Press has published an annotated edition of the Book of Mormon. This represents a significant event and provides … Continue reading →
The post An Important Addition to the Library first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Richard Lyman Bushman, Joseph Smith’s Gold Plates: A Cultural History (New York: Oxford University Press, 2023). 264 pages, $34.95 (hardback). Abstract: The gold plates were only a physically present artifact for a brief time and only for a … Continue reading →
The post Marvelous Ripples through Time and Mind first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Joshua Gehly, Witnessing Miracles: Historical Evidence for the Resurrection and the Book of Mormon (Monongahela, PA: The Church of Jesus Christ, 2022). 172 pages. $14.95 (paperback). Abstract: Joshua Gehly, an ordained Evangelist of the Church of Jesus Christ, … Continue reading →
The post A New Look at the Miracles of the Resurrection and the Book of Mormon first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Ronald V. Huggins, Lighthouse: Jerald and Sandra Tanner, Despised and Beloved Critics of Mormonism (Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 2022). 392 pages. $39.95 (hardback), $24.95 (paperback). Abstract: Jerald and Sandra Tanner have had a long ministerial career trying … Continue reading →
The post Largely Shadow, Short of Reality first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Avram R. Shannon and Kerry Hull, eds., A Hundredth Part: Exploring the History and Teachings of the Book of Mormon (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2023). 374 pages, $29.99 (hardback). Abstract: This volume collects papers … Continue reading →
The post Exploring the Complex Book of Mormon first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Jeffrey Thayne and Nathan Richardson, Temples of the Imagination: AI-Generated Temples, Human-Generated Insights (Provo, UT: The Interpreter Foundation, Verdant Press, and Eborn Books, 2023). 140 pages, $24.99 (softcover). Abstract: We’re commanded to seek out of the best books … Continue reading →
The post Sacred Imaginings: Using AI to Construct Temples first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of John Gee, Saving Faith: How Families Protect, Sustain, And Encourage Faith (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2020). 313 pages. Abstract: Saving Faith is a truly excellent book, designed especially for families concerned about their children. … Continue reading →
The post A Truly Remarkable Book first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Spencer W. McBride, Joseph Smith for President: The Prophet, the Assassins, and the Fight for American Religious Freedom (New York: Oxford University Press, 2021). 269 pages, $29.95 (hardcover). Abstract: Spencer McBride’s book is the deepest look yet into … Continue reading →
The post A Prophet, a Candidate, and a Just Cause first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Brent J. Schmidt, Relational Faith: The Transformation and Restoration of Pistis as Knowledge, Trust, Confidence, and Covenantal Faithfulness (Provo, UT: BYU Studies, 2022). 356 pages, $21.95 (softcover). Abstract: Brent Schmidt builds on his earlier book on relational grace … Continue reading →
The post A Restoration of Paul’s Understanding of Faith as a Relationship of Action first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Stephen O. Smoot, John Gee, Kerry Muhlestein, and John S. Thompson, “A Guide to the Book of Abraham,” BYU Studies Quarterly 61, no. 4 (2022). 302 pages. Abstract: The new and special issue of BYU Studies containing “A … Continue reading →
The post A New and Most Welcome Resource for Book of Abraham Studies first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Selwyn Kātene, ed., Let Their Light So Shine: Mormon Leaders in New Zealand (Wellington, NZ: Huia Publishers, 2021). “Foreword” by Charles A. Rudd (pp. vii–viii); “Preface” by Peter Lineham (p. ix–x); “Introduction” by Selwyn Kātene (pp. 1–3); “Contributors” … Continue reading →
Review of Nate Oman, “A Welding Link of Some Kind,” Thoughts from a Tamed Cynic (Substack, September 27, 2022). Abstract: Nate Oman claims to demonstrate a theological path that allows for same-sex sealings within existing Latter-day Saint doctrine. In fact, he claims that … Continue reading →
The post “We Don’t Know, So We Might as Well”: A Flimsy Philosophy for Same-Sex Sealings first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Meir Bar-Ilan, Words of Gad the Seer (Scotts Valley, CA: CreateSpace Publishing, 2016); Christian Israel, The Words of Gad the Seer: Bible Cross-Reference Edition (self-published, 2020); and Ken Johnson, Ancient Book of Gad the Seer: Referenced in 1 … Continue reading →
The post The Words of Gad the Seer: An Apparently Ancient Text With Intriguing Origins and Content first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Abstract: Jonathan Neville has offered a response to my two recent reviews of his works; however, in his response, Neville offers a poor defense regarding what he wrote and misrepresents my reviews of his works. As such, I present the … Continue reading →
The post A Rejoinder to Jonathan Neville’s “Response to Recent Reviews” first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Abstract: Since 1829, various theories about the production of the Book of Mormon have been proposed. Modern scholarship has moved away from the idea that Joseph Smith actually translated ancient engravings into English. Two books, A Man That Can Translate … Continue reading →
The post A Man That Can Translate and Infinite Goodness: A Response to Recent Reviews first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Michael R. Ash, Rethinking Revelation and the Human Element in Scripture: The Prophet’s Role as Creative Co-Author (Redding, CA: FAIRLatterDaySaints.org, 2021). 770 pages. $34.95 (paperback). Abstract: A new book by Mike Ash examines to what degree the human mind is … Continue reading →
The post Understanding How the Scriptures Came to Be first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Saints: The Story of the Church of Jesus Christ in the Latter Days: Volume 3: Boldly, Nobly, and Independent: 1893–1955 (Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2022). 757 pages. $6.90 (paperback). Abstract: Volume … Continue reading →
The post The Continuing Saga of Saints first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Jeffrey M. Bradshaw, Freemasonry and the Origins of Latter-day Saint Temple Ordinances (Orem, UT: The Interpreter Foundation, 2022). 556 pages. $39.99 (paperback). Abstract: With the precision of a renowned surgeon, the finesse of a master politician, the insights of an eminent theologian, … Continue reading →
The post Examining the Origins of Temple Worship first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Robert A. Rees, A New Witness to the World (Salt Lake City: By Common Consent Press, 2020). 244 pages. $9.95 (paperback). Abstract: Robert A. Rees has written about the Book of Mormon for over sixty years. In this … Continue reading →
The post Witnessing to the New Witness first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Jonathan Neville, Infinite Goodness: Joseph Smith, Jonathan Edwards, and the Book of Mormon. Salt Lake City: Digital Legends Press, 2021. 339 pages. $22.99 (paperback). Abstract: This is the second of two papers reviewing Jonathan Neville’s latest books on the translation of … Continue reading →
The post Jonathan Edwards’s Unique Role in an Imagined Church History first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Jonathan Neville, A Man That Can Translate: Joseph Smith and the Nephite Interpreters. Salt Lake City: Digital Legends Press, 2020. 385 pages. $22.99 (paperback). Abstract: This is the first of two papers that explore Jonathan Neville’s two latest … Continue reading →
The post An Unfortunate Approach to Joseph Smith’s Translation of Ancient Scripture first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Blaire Ostler, Queer Mormon Theology: An Introduction (Newburgh, IN: By Common Consent Press, 2021). 152 pages. $10.95 (paperback). Abstract: Blaire Ostler attempts to show how “Mormon theology is inherently queer” and may be expanded to be fully “inclusive” … Continue reading →
The post The Queer Philosophies of Men Mingled with Scripture first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Patrick Q. Mason and J. David Pulsipher, Proclaim Peace: The Restoration’s Answer to an Age of Conflict (Provo, UT: Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship; Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2021). 290 pages $19.99 (softcover). Abstract: Proclaim … Continue reading →
The post Rich Vein or Fools Gold? first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of David F. Holland, Moroni: A Brief Theological Introduction (Provo, UT: The Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship, 2021). 147 pages. $9.95 (paperback). Abstract: David Holland, the youngest son of Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, is the John Bartlett … Continue reading →
The post An Elegant Book on Gifts, Gifting, and Remembering first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Rosalynde Frandsen Welch, Ether: A Brief Theological Introduction (Provo, UT: The Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship, 2020). 128 pages. $9.95 (paperback). Abstract: The Book of Ether is a sometimes-overlooked gem of a text within the Book of Mormon, a history within a history that deserves careful … Continue reading →
The post Overwriting Ether: Moroni’s Transfiguration of Jaredite Scripture first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Donald W. Parry, 175 Temple Symbols and Their Meanings (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2020). 310 pages. $26.99 (hardcover). Abstract: In a must-have book written for a Latter-day Saint audience, Donald Parry offers profound insights into 175 features of ancient and modern … Continue reading →
The post A Deeper Understanding of the Temple in 175 Entries first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Kerry Muhlestein, God Will Prevail: Ancient Covenants, Modern Blessings, and the Gathering of Israel (American Fork, UT: Covenant Communications, 2021). 177 pages. $14.99 (hardcover). Abstract: Covenants are central in the Latter-day Saint temple liturgy, our scriptural canon is … Continue reading →
The post Covenant Theology for Latter-day Saints first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Alexander L. Baugh, Steven C. Harper, Brent M. Rogers, and Benjamin C. Pykles, eds. Joseph Smith and his First Vision: Context, Place, and Meaning (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2021). 289 pages. $27.99 (hardcover). Abstract: In the year 2020, members … Continue reading →
The post Honoring Joseph’s Theophany Two Centuries Later first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of S. Michael Wilcox, Holding On: Impulses to Leave and Strategies to Stay (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2021). 128 pages. $11.99 (paperback). Abstract: In his latest book, S. Michael Wilcox has written a masterpiece on grappling with doubts and overcoming our impulses to … Continue reading →
The post A Masterpiece on Resisting Our Impulses to Leave first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Robert J. Sawyer, Calculating God (New York: Tom Doherty Associates, 2000). 336 pp. $23.99 (paperback). Abstract: In an entertaining and provocative science fiction novel, Calculating God, Robert J. Sawyer presents us with a likable alien scientist visiting earth to obtain more data about … Continue reading →
The post Beyond Calculation: A Review of Robert J. Sawyer’s Calculating God first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Terrence J. O’Leary, Book of Mormon: A History of Real People in Real Places (Pennsauken, NJ: BookBaby, 2020). 274 pages. Softcover, $20. Abstract: Terrence O’Leary enters the field of books attempting to describe a geographical and cultural background to the Book of Mormon. Placing … Continue reading →
The post A Sympathetic but Flawed Look at Book of Mormon Historicity first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Dan Vogel, Book of Abraham Apologetics: A Review and Critique (Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 2021). 250 pp. $18.95 (softback). Abstract: The Book of Abraham continues to undergo scrutiny in both academic and polemical publications. The latest offering of … Continue reading →
The post Framing the Book of Abraham: Presumptions and Paradigms first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Fiona Givens and Terryl Givens, All Things New: Rethinking Sin, Salvation, and Everything In Between (Faith Matters Press, 2020). 188 pages. $12.95 (paperback). Abstract: Fiona and Terryl Givens once again deliver a book worthy of the comparatively wide readership … Continue reading →
The post The Good God Hermeneutic: A Reconsideration of Religious Vocabulary first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Dan Vogel, Book of Abraham Apologetics: A Review and Critique (Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 2021). 250 pp. $18.95 (softback). Abstract: Dan Vogel’s latest book claims to offer clear-cut evidence showing what, when, and how Joseph Smith fraudulently translated … Continue reading →
The post Book of Abraham Polemics: Dan Vogel’s Broad Critique of the Defense of the Book of Abraham first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Kylie Nielson Turley, Alma 1–29: A Brief Theological Introduction (Provo, UT: The Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship, 2020). 162 pages. $9.95 (paperback). Abstract: Kylie Nielson Turley delves deep into the conversion and ministry of Alma the Younger, reading new … Continue reading →
The post Alma’s Reality: Reading Alma as Sinful, Repentant, Traumatized, Questioning, and Righteous first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Abstract: This paper addresses the early Christian transition from temple-based Judaism to the Constantinian basilica of the fourth century. David argues that some Christians of the second and early third centuries may have had places of worship that, while not … Continue reading →
The post Early Christian Temples and Baptism for the Dead: Defining Sacred Space in the Late Antique Near East first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Abstract: This essay makes a compelling argument for Jacob, the brother of Nephi, having deep knowledge of ancient Israelite temple ritual, concepts, and imagery, based on two of Jacob’s sermons in 2 Nephi 9 and Jacob 1-3. For instance, he … Continue reading →
The post Ancient Temple Imagery in the Sermons of Jacob first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Raphael Lataster, Questioning the Historicity of Jesus: Why a Philosophical Analysis Elucidates the Historical Discourse (Leiden, Netherlands: E. J. Brill, 2019). 508 pages. Hardback, $210. Abstract: In a recent book, Raphael Lataster correctly argues that the acceptance of … Continue reading →
The post The Implications of Some Standard Assumptions of New Testament Scholars: Responding to a Modern Anti-Christ first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Abstract: In this essay Stephen Ricks takes a close look at the literary structure of a psalm, reintroducing us to chiasmus both in modern and ancient texts, including the Book of Mormon, then uses this literary structure to show how … Continue reading →
The post Psalm 105: Chiasmus, Credo, Covenant, and Temple first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Book Note: Richard E. Bennett, 1820: Dawning of the Restoration (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center at Brigham Young University / Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2020). 380 pages. Hardcover, $31.99. Abstract: Richard E. Bennett’s 1820: Dawning of the Restoration takes a … Continue reading →
The post Understanding the Year 1820 first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Richard E. Bennett, 1820: Dawning of the Restoration (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center at Brigham Young University / Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2020). 380 pages. Hardcover, $31.99. Abstract: Richard E. Bennett’s latest volume, 1820: Dawning of the Restoration, … Continue reading →
The post Seeking a Global Context for the First Vision first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Adam S. Miller, Mormon: A Brief Theological Introduction (Provo, UT: The Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship, 2020). 162 pages. $9.95 (paperback). Abstract: Adam Miller has created a thoughtful and enlightening theological study of the book of Mormon. It is obvious from his textual … Continue reading →
The post Discipleship As the World Collapses Around You first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Hugh Nibley Observed, edited by Jeffrey M. Bradshaw, Shirley Ricks, and Stephen Whitlock (Orem, UT: Interpreter Foundation, 2021). 820 pages. $45.00 (hardback), $35.00 (paperback). Abstract: Those who knew Brother Nibley best knew he was a remarkable man of both depth and breadth. … Continue reading →
The post Remembering Hugh Nibley as a Scholar and, More Importantly, as a Man: Observing the Faith of the Observer first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Mark A. Wrathall, Alma 30–63: A Brief Theological Introduction (Provo, UT: The Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship, 2020). 176 pages. $9.95 (paperback). Abstract: Mark A. Wrathall’s analytic treatment of Alma 30–42 is a sheer gift that inspires insight into the theological depth of Alma’s … Continue reading →
The post An Ingenious and Inspiring Literary Analysis of Alma 30–42 first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Hugh Nibley Observed, edited by Jeffrey M. Bradshaw, Shirley Ricks, and Stephen Whitlock (Orem, UT: Interpreter Foundation, 2021). 820 pages. $45.00 (hardback), $35.00 (paperback). Abstract: Hugh Nibley Observed is the third assembly of essays honoring Nibley by his friends and admirers. … Continue reading →
The post Honoring Hugh Nibley — Again first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Daniel L. Belnap, ed., Illuminating the Jaredite Records (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University / Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2020). 320 pages. Hardback, $27.95. Abstract: Illuminating the Jaredite Record collects ten papers by different Book of Mormon scholars. This is … Continue reading →
The post Giving the Book of Ether its Proper Due first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Jennifer C. Lane, Finding Christ in the Covenant Path: Ancient Insights for Modern Life, (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center at Brigham Young University / Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2020). 188 pages. Hardcover, $29.99. Abstract: In the first half of her … Continue reading →
The post Understanding Covenants Anew: Using Ancient Thought to Enrich Modern Faith first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Chiasmus: The State of the Art, edited by John W. Welch and Donald W. Parry (Provo, UT: BYU Studies and Book of Mormon Central, 2020). 358 pages. $24.68, paperback. Abstract: This collection of essays represents the latest scholarship on chiasmus. They were selected from … Continue reading →
The post Much More than a Reader: The Latest in Chiastic Studies for Interested Scholars and Lay Readers Alike first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Taylor G. Petrey, Tabernacles of Clay: Sexuality and Gender in Modern Mormonism (Chapel Hill, NC The University of North Carolina Press, 2020). 288 pages. $29.95 (paperback). Abstract: Tabernacles of Clay examines the discourse of The Church of Jesus Christ of … Continue reading →
The post Feet of Clay: Queer Theory and the Church of Jesus Christ first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Neylan McBaine, Pioneering the Vote: The Untold Story of Suffragists in Utah and the West (Salt Lake City: Shadow Mountain, 2020). 240 pages. $19.99 (hardback). Abstract: Pioneering the Vote by Neylan McBaine provides a cogent and concise history of … Continue reading →
The post Polygamists and Political Activists: The Unlikely Marriage in Pioneering the Vote first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Donald W. Parry, Preserved in Translation: Hebrew and Other Ancient Literary Forms in the Book of Mormon (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book; Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2020). 171 pages. Hardback, $19.99. Abstract: Donald W. Parry combines a lifetime of insights about … Continue reading →
The post Subtle Hebraic Features in the Book of Mormon first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of James E. Faulconer, Mosiah: A Brief Theological Introduction (Provo, UT: Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship, 2020). 135 pages. $9.95 (paperback). Abstract: The Maxwell Institute for the Study of Religion has released another book in its series The Book of Mormon: Brief Theological Introductions. This … Continue reading →
The post Working out Salvation History in the Book of Mormon Politeia with Fear and Trembling first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Producing Ancient Scripture: Joseph Smith’s Translation Projects in the Development of Mormon Christianity, edited by Michael Hubbard MacKay, Mark Ashurst-McGee, and Brian M. Hauglid (Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 2020). 544 pages with index. Hardback, $70. Paperback $45, eBook … Continue reading →
The post Joseph Smith’s Translation Projects under a Microscope first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 219]Review of Sharon J. Harris, Enos, Jarom, Omni: A Brief Theological Introduction (Provo, UT: The Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship, 2020). 144 pages. $9.95 (paperback). Abstract: Sharon Harris, a professor of English at Brigham Young University, offers an analysis of the theology of the “small … Continue reading →
The post Itty Bitty Books with Big Lessons: Enos, Jarom, Omni first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 211]Review of Deidre Nicole Green, Jacob: A Brief Theological Introduction (Provo, UT: The Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship, 2020). 148 pages. $9.99 (paperback). Abstract: Deidre Nicole Green, a postdoctoral research fellow at the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship, offers an analysis of the … Continue reading →
The post Jacob — The Prophet of Social Justice first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 145]Review of Terryl Givens, 2nd Nephi: A Brief Theological Introduction (Provo, UT: The Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship, 2020). 124 pages. $9.95 (paperback). Abstract: Terryl Givens’s well-written and enjoyable book does much to equip readers of the Book of Mormon with … Continue reading →
The post An Intelligent, Thoughtful Work on One of the Richest Portions of the Book of Mormon first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 131]Review of Joseph M. Spencer, 1 Nephi: A Brief Theological Introduction (Provo, UT: The Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship, 2020). 146 pages. $9.99 (paperback). Abstract: Joseph Spencer’s intimate familiarity with the Book of Mormon text, based upon years of close textual study and … Continue reading →
The post Nephi’s Obsession, Or, How to Talk with Nephi about God first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 49]Review of Michael Hubbard MacKay, Prophetic Authority: Democratic Hierarchy and the Mormon Priesthood (Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press, 2020). 184 pages. $22.95 (paperback). Abstract: With ready access to all the documents acquired by the Joseph Smith Papers project, Michael … Continue reading →
The post A Priesthood Restoration Narrative for Latter-day Saints Believers first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 1]Review of Terryl Givens with Brian Hauglid, The Pearl of Greatest Price: Mormonism’s Most Controversial Scripture (New York: Oxford University Press, 2019). 285 pages. $34.95 (hardback). Abstract: In recent years there has been an effort among some scholars to … Continue reading →
The post “We May Not Understand Our Words”: The Book of Abraham and the Concept of Translation in The Pearl of Greatest Price first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 1]Review of Benjamin E. Park, Kingdom of Nauvoo: The Rise and Fall of a Religious Empire on the American Frontier (New York City: Liveright Publishing, 2020). 336 pages. $28.95 (hardback). Abstract: Benjamin Park recently wrote a substantive revisionist history of Nauvoo, Illinois, the … Continue reading →
The post A Uni-Dimensional Picture of a Multi-Faceted Nauvoo Community first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 321]Review of Samuel Morris Brown, Joseph Smith’s Translation: The Words and Worlds of Early Mormonism (New York: Oxford University Press, 2020). 314 pages. $34.95 (hardback). Abstract: Samuel M. Brown opens up a new and expansive view of Joseph Smith as a religious thinker. Written for … Continue reading →
The post The Expanse of Joseph Smith’s Translation Vision first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 191]Review of William L. Davis, Visions in a Seer Stone: Joseph Smith and the Making of the Book of Mormon (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2020). 250 pages with index. $90.00 (hardback), $29.95 (paperback). Abstract: Visions in a Seer Stone: Joseph Smith … Continue reading →
The post Oral Creation and the Dictation of the Book of Mormon first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 151]A review of William L. Davis, Visions in a Seer Stone: Joseph Smith and the Making of the Book of Mormon. Chapel Hill, North Carolina: University of North Carolina Press, 2020, 264 pp. paperback $29.95, hardcover $90, e-book $22.99, … Continue reading →
The post Theories and Assumptions: A Review of William L. Davis’s Visions in a Seer Stone first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 107]Review of Benjamin E. Park, Kingdom of Nauvoo: The Rise and Fall of a Religious Empire on the American Frontier (New York City: Liveright Publishing, 2020). 336 pages. $28.95 (hardback). Abstract: While Benjamin Park shows promise as a … Continue reading →
The post Sensationalism: A One-sided Perspective first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 35]Review of Derek R. Sainsbury, Storming the Nation: The Unknown Contributions of Joseph Smith’s Political Missionaries (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2020). 400 pages. $27.99 (hardback). Abstract: Derek Sainsbury’s book discusses Joseph Smith’s quest for the presidency of the United States … Continue reading →
The post Offering Americans Religious and Political Salvation first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 67]Review of Elizabeth Fenton and Jared Hickman, Americanist Approaches to The Book of Mormon (New York: Oxford University Press, 2019). 456 pages. $99 (hardback), $35 (paperback). Abstract: Americanist Approaches to The Book of Mormon is an ambitious collection of … Continue reading →
The post Table Rules: A Response to Americanist Approaches to the Book of Mormon first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 29]Abstract: In the Book of Mormon, Nephi draws upon his own knowledge of the Jewish people, their culture and language, and the surrounding area to add to his understanding of Isaiah’s words, and commends that approach to his reader. … Continue reading →
The post How Not to Read Isaiah first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 21]Abstract: It is important when evaluating the words of others to consider the intention of their writing. It also does not hurt to consider what may go on behind the scenes before an article (or a book review) even … Continue reading →
The post The Importance of Authorial Intention first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 1]Abstract: A recent review of Joseph M. Spencer’s book The Vision of All: Twenty-Five Lectures on Isaiah in Nephi’s Record made the case that the book contains several challenges and problems, in particular that it advocates a theologically deficient interpretation of Isaiah that … Continue reading →
The post An Other Approach to Isaiah Studies first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 231]Review of Book of Mormon Central, “ScripturePlus” (https://www.scriptureplus.org/); The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, “Gospel Library” (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/pages/mobileapps/gospellibrary); and Living Tree Software, “ScriptureNotes” (https://scripturenotes.com/). Abstract: ScriptureNotes is a valuable tool for serious, in-depth scripture study, and it definitely … Continue reading →
The post “Feast upon the Words of Christ” first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 85]Review of Terryl Givens with Brian Hauglid, The Pearl of Greatest Price: Mormonism’s Most Controversial Scripture (New York: Oxford University Press, 2019). 285 pages. $34.95 (hardback). Abstract: Among the many revelatory works of Joseph Smith, members and scholars alike … Continue reading →
The post Scriptures through the Jeweler’s Lens first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 29]Review of Eric D. Huntsman, Becoming the Beloved Disciple: Coming unto Christ through the Gospel of John (Springville, UT: CFI, an imprint of Cedar Fort, 2018). 176 pages. $19.99. Abstract: What does the Gospel of John say about discipleship? Does early … Continue reading →
The post Discipleship of Yesterday for Today first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 245]Review of Joseph M. Spencer, The Vision of All: Twenty-Five Lectures on Isaiah in Nephi’s Record (Salt Lake City: Greg Kofford Books, 2016). 318 pages. $59.95 (hardback); $29.95 paperback. Abstract: This review makes a case, briefly, for the … Continue reading →
The post An Approach to Isaiah Studies first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 161]Review of Jana Riess, The Next Mormons: How Millennials Are Changing the LDS Church (New York: Oxford University Press, 2019). 312 pages. $29.95. Abstract: Riess’s book surveying the beliefs and behaviors of younger members of The Church of Jesus … Continue reading →
The post Conclusions in Search of Evidence first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 113]Abstract: In a response to my review of their Book of Abraham and Related Manuscripts volume, the series editors of the Joseph Smith Papers provided feedback and commentary on two important items. There are other, unaddressed issues this rejoinder examines. … Continue reading →
The post Taking Stock first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 105]Abstract: After Interpreter published my lengthy paper that discussed apparent bias and flaws in scholarship in the Joseph Smith Papers volume on the Book of Abraham, two members of the JSP Project team have responded with a defense of their volume. … Continue reading →
The post A Welcome Response, but Flaws Remain first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 97]Abstract: The Joseph Smith Papers welcomes engagement with its work and gratefully acknowledges the important work of various scholars on the Book of Abraham. Recent reviews in the Interpreter of Revelations and Translations, Volume 4, however, significantly misunderstand the purposes … Continue reading →
The post The Joseph Smith Papers and the Book of Abraham: A Response to Recent Reviews first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 53]Abstract: The multiple historical accounts of Joseph Smith’s First Vision have been an area of intense study, debate, and discussion for several decades. The newest addition to the discussion is a specialized monograph engaging the various accounts of the First … Continue reading →
The post Memory and Millennials: A Review of First Vision: Memory and Mormon Origins first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 17]Review of David B. Ostler, Bridges: Ministering to Those Who Question (Salt Lake City: Greg Kofford Books, 2019), 206 pp. $32.95 (hardback), $20.95 (paperback). Abstract: David Ostler’s book Bridges: Ministering to Those Who Question addresses the daunting task of … Continue reading →
The post Ministering across Fault Lines of Belief and Community first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 257]Review of George B. Handley, If Truth Were A Child: Essays, (Provo, Utah: Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship, 2019), 253 pp. $19.99 (paperback). Abstract: George B. Handley challenges his readers to reevaluate conventional definitions of truth and the … Continue reading →
The post Never Static, Never Simple: One Woman’s Conversations Within the Marginalia of If Truth Were a Child first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 175]Review of The Joseph Smith Papers, Revelations and Translations, Volume 4: Book of Abraham and Related Manuscripts, eds. Robin Scott Jensen and Brian M. Hauglid (Salt Lake City: Church Historian’s Press, 2018), 381 pages. Abstract: Volume 4 of the Revelations … Continue reading →
The post The Joseph Smith Papers Project Stumbles first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 161]Review of Adam S. Miller, “Reading Signs or Repeating Symptoms,” in Christ and Antichrist: Reading Jacob 7, eds. Adam S. Miller and Joseph M. Spencer (Provo, Utah: Neal A. Maxwell Institute, 2017), 10 pages (chapter), 174 pages (book). Abstract. The … Continue reading →
The post Jacob Did Not Make a False Prediction first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 123]Review of Jana Riess, “‘There Came a Man’: Sherem, Scapegoating, and the Inversion of Prophetic Tradition,” in Christ and Antichrist: Reading Jacob 7, eds. Adam S. Miller and Joseph M. Spencer (Provo, Utah: Neal A. Maxwell Institute, 2017), 17 … Continue reading →
The post Text as Afterthought: Jana Riess’s Treatment of the Jacob-Sherem Episode first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 305]Review of Michaela Stephens, To Defend Them By Stratagem: Fortify Yourself with Book of Mormon War Tactics (Gilbert, AZ: Lion’s Whelp Publications, 2018). 246 pp. $12.99 (paperback). Abstract: Sometimes it is easy to overlook, disregard, or discount the “war chapters” in … Continue reading →
The post A Nourishing and Accessible Read first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 199]Abstract: Selwyn Kātene has again assembled twelve essays written by the descendants of famous Māori Latter-day Saints. This volume flows from a revival of interest in the ground and content of the faith of early Māori Saints that began in the … Continue reading →
The post The Māori Latter-day Saint Historical Narrative: Additions and Amendments first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 143]Abstract: The Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship has recently published a new study edition of the Book of Mormon. Edited by Grant Hardy, the Maxwell Institute Study Edition (MISE) incorporates important advances in Book of Mormon scholarship from the past few decades … Continue reading →
The post Feasting on the Book of Mormon first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 139]Abstract: The Maxwell Institute Study Edition of the Book of Mormon is an important tool for personal and class study of the Book of Mormon. Not only does it provide a better reading experience, it has important features that enhance study. Review of Grant … Continue reading →
The post Read This Book: A Review of the Maxwell Institute Study Edition of the Book of Mormon first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 95]Abstract: A new translation of the New Testament by Thomas A. Wayment, a professor of Classics at Brigham Young University, offers Latter-day Saints a fresh look at this volume of scripture. Accompanying the translation are study notes that touch … Continue reading →
The post Translating the New Testament for Latter‑day Saints first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 25]Abstract: The Mormon Theology Seminar has produced two volumes of essays exploring 1 Nephi 1 on Lehi’s initial visions, and Jacob 7 on the encounter with Sherem. These essays provide valuable insights from a range of perspectives and raise questions for further discussion … Continue reading →
The post Light and Perspective: Essays from the Mormon Theology Seminar on 1 Nephi 1 and Jacob 7 first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 179]Abstract: Marjorie Newton’s Mormon and Maori is a version of her 1998 thesis in which she rejects key elements of the Māori Latter-day Saint historical narrative. This contrasts with her earlier, faith-affirming Tiki and Temple. In Mormon and Maori … Continue reading →
The post Marjorie Newton’s Account of the Faith of the Māori Saints: A Critical Appraisal first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 77]Abstract: This review essay looks at certain problematical issues in the recently published collection of essays honoring Latter-day Saint historian Richard Lyman Bushman. Problems emerge from the title itself, “To Be Learned is Good,” as a result of the … Continue reading →
The post To Be Learned Is Good, If One Stays on the Rails first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 57]Abstract: Latter-day Saints are often aware that the Apocrypha contains valuable sacred material along with some “interpolations of men,” but few know how to approach those ancient texts and what they could learn from them. A new book by … Continue reading →
The post A Valuable LDS Resource for Learning from the Apocrypha first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 49]Abstract: This informative and very readable volume, targeted to a Latter day Saint audience, serves as an introduction to the Apocrypha and an exploration of Latter-day Saint views of the books. Even those already familiar with the Apocrypha will find this … Continue reading →
The post An Inviting Exploration first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 43]Abstract: What is theosis? Why does the doctrine of theosis matter? Why did God become man so that man might become God? In his book To Become Like God, Andrew C. Skinner answers these questions with compelling clarity. He … Continue reading →
The post A Compelling Case for Theosis first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 1]Abstract: Moroni’s years of wandering alone after the battle of Cumorah have been often discussed, but not in the context of how they impacted his writing and editorial work. John Bytheway’s latest offering provides us insight into the man … Continue reading →
The post An Ancient Survival Guide: John Bytheway’s Look at Moroni first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 251]Abstract: Name as Key-Word brings together a collection of essays, many of them previously published, whose consistent theme is exploring examples of onomastic wordplay or puns in Mormon scripture in general and the Book of Mormon in particular. Without … Continue reading →
The post What’s in a Name? Playing in the Onomastic Sandbox first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 247]Abstract: Matthew L. Bowen’s book compels readers to consider both the Book of Mormon’s construction and the significance of names in the text. Bowen and his coauthors invite readers to contemplate not only scripture but its stages of construction … Continue reading →
The post Toward a Deeper Understanding: How Onomastic Wordplay Aids Understanding Scripture first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 219]Abstract: Textual Studies of the Doctrine and Covenants: The Plural Marriage Revelation is a textual study of Section 132. It offers some interesting information as the author attempts to understand and place within context the revelation, which is, as … Continue reading →
The post Much More than a Plural Marriage Revelation first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 197]Abstract:The first published commentary on Doctrine and Covenants Section 132 is a lengthy volume with much material that deals directly with the revelation as well as extended discussions that go well beyond Joseph Smith’s dictated text. Much of the included … Continue reading →
The post The Case of the Missing Commentary first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 191]Abstract: The concept that race has evolved rather than remaining static is not well understood, both outside and within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In Religion of a Different Color, W. Paul Reeve shows how the … Continue reading →
The post Race: Always Complicated, Never Simple first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 81]Abstract: Walking for 500 miles in a foreign country through heat, arduous terrain, and many inconveniences is difficult enough. Add to the equation a man in a wheelchair, and the task appears impossible. The solution? Determination, humility, humor, faith, … Continue reading →
The post Pushing through Life’s Pilgrimage Together first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 31 ]Abstract: A recent graduate thesis proposes an intriguing new means for discerning if the Book of Mormon is historic or not. By looking at Book of Mormon references to David and the Psalms, the author concludes that it … Continue reading →
The post Too Little or Too Much Like the Bible? A Novel Critique of the Book of Mormon Involving David and the Psalms first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 309]Abstract: As the Church expands among the many nations, peoples, and tongues of the earth, new challenges arise that require the organization and the members of the Church to better meet the needs of the peoples in various nations … Continue reading →
The post A Valuable Book for the Increasingly International Church first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 299]Abstract: The Book of Abraham continues to attract scholarly attention. New findings in the fields of Egyptology, Near Eastern archaeology, and Mormon history have highlighted the complexity surrounding the origins of the Book of Abraham and its relationship to … Continue reading →
The post Pressing Forward with the Book of Abraham first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 257]Abstract: The recently released Abinadi: He Came Among Them in Disguise, a new book from Brigham Young University’s Book of Mormon Academy, offers readers multidisciplinary approaches to Mosiah 11–17 that highlight the literary, historical, and doctrinal richness of the … Continue reading →
The post Approaching Abinadi first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 261]Abstract: The new edited volume Abinadi: He Came Among Them in Disguise, from the Book of Mormon Academy, is a valuable contribution to Book of Mormon studies. It should find a wide audience and stimulate greater and deeper thinking … Continue reading →
The post Abinadi: A Minor Prophet, A Major Contributor first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 233]Review of Gordon Paul Hugenberger, Marriage as a Covenant: A Study of Biblical Law and Ethics Governing Marriage Developed from the Perspective of Malachi (Supplements to Vetus Testam, Book 52). Leiden, Netherlands: Brill, 1994. Pp. xx + 414. Paperback … Continue reading →
The post The Status of Women in Old Testament Marriage first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 121]Abstract: The Mormon Hierarchy: Wealth & Corporate Power is Michael Quinn’s impressive response to a century of books and articles that have often distorted the finances of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This third volume in The … Continue reading →
The post Through a Glass Darkly: Examining Church Finances first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 65]Review of Ann Taves, Revelatory Events: Three Case Studies in the Emergence of New Spiritual Paths Princeton University Press, Princeton, 2016, 366 pages with notes and index $29.93 (paperback). Abstract: Ann Taves’s book offers a comparative look at the … Continue reading →
The post Playing to an Audience: A Review of Revelatory Events first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 37]A review of Paul Y. Hoskisson & Daniel C. Peterson, eds., To Seek the Law of the Lord: Essays in Honor of John W. Welch, The Interpreter Foundation, 2017, 543 pages. $24.95 (paperback). Abstract: In this collection of articles … Continue reading →
The post Celebrating the Work of John W. Welch first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 223]A review of John W. Welch, Neal Rappleye, Stephen O. Smoot, David J. Larsen, and Taylor Halverson, eds., Knowing Why: 137 Evidences That the Book of Mormon is True. Covenant Communications, Inc., 2017, 380 pages including endnotes and biographical material. $34.99 … Continue reading →
The post Heralding a New Age of Book of Mormon Scholarship first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 213]Abstract: Janus parallelism is a recently discovered tool evident in ancient Hebrew poetry. Like the two-faced Roman god Janus, Janus parallelism employs a Hebrew word with two meanings that faces two ways. One meaning of the word relates to … Continue reading →
The post Janus Parallelism in the Book of Job: A Review of Scott B. Noegel’s Work first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 221]A review of Turtle Bunbury, 1847: A Chronicle of Genius, Generosity & Savagery (Dublin: Gill Books, 2016). 388 pages, $43.00, hardback. I’m one of those people who love finding out when people’s lives have crossed each other in … Continue reading →
The post An Important Year in History first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 185]Abstract: Comments made by Philip Barlow on Book of Mormon language for an Oxford-published book are examined. Inaccuracies are pointed out, and some examples are given that show matching with 1611 King James usage as well as with other … Continue reading →
The post Barlow on Book of Mormon Language: An Examination of Some Strained Grammar first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
[Page 181]Review of Alonzo L. Gaskill, Miracles of the Book of Mormon: A Guide to the Symbolic Messages, 2015, Springville, UT: Cedar Fort, 447 pp. + bibliography, appendix of Brief Biographical Sketches of Ancient and Modern Non-LDS Sources Cited, index, … Continue reading →
The post Miracles in the Book of Mormon first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
A Review of Marjorie Newton, Southern Cross Saints: The Mormons in Australia, foreword by Lawrence Foster (xiii-xv). (Laie, HI: Institute for Polynesian Studies, 1991). xxvi+283 pp., with a glossary of Latter-day Saint Terms (257–59), Bibliography (261–71), Index (273–83). Softcover (out of print, but copies are still available).
Abstract: This is a survey of Marjorie Newton’s account of Latter-day Saints in Australia which identifies the roots of her agenda — that is, what she was striving to accomplish in her first book in 1991 (and the other related essays) which she published before turning her attention to a criticism of the faith of Māori Latter-day Saints, first in 1998 and then in 2014. Midgley locates in her early publications on the Saints in Australia early signs of her controlling cultural Mormon agenda and hence how and why she insists that there has been a trampling of the Māori culture by what she considers a Mormon version of American cultural imperialism. Continue reading →
The post Marjorie Newton on “The Mormons in Australia” — A Retrospective Review first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
A review of Blair G. Van Dyke & Loyd Isao Ericson, eds., Perspectives on Mormon Theology: Apologetics. Greg Kofford Books, 2017, 279 pages with endnotes and index.
Abstract: An analysis of the history, scope, and effectiveness of Mormon apologetics is long overdue. Unfortunately, Perspectives on Mormon Theology: Apologetics falls short of providing an in-depth analysis of the field and instead provides a very limited history, very little discussion of the scope of Mormon apologetics, and little discussion of the impact of Mormon apologists on Mormon thought. Furthermore, no attempt is made to discuss how apologetics has affected the arguments of critics of Mormonism. While a few articles do approach apologetics in a positive way, the work is largely critical of the activity of defending the Church with scholarship or of providing academic research to help support the testimony of members of the Church. Continue reading →
The post Should We Apologize for Apologetics? first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Samuel L. Bray and John F. Hobbins, Genesis 1–11: A New Old Translation for Readers, Scholars, and Translators (Wilmore, KY: GlossaHouse, 2017). 326 pages, $14.99, paperback.
Abstract: Samuel L. Bray and John F. Hobbins have recently released a new translation of Genesis chapters one to eleven. The highlight of the work is their extensive notes that provide insight into not just their translation process, but on the process of Bible translation as a whole. The book offers a great deal to interest Bible readers, scholars, and translators. Continue reading →
The post A Modern Translation of Genesis 1–11 in the Traditional Sense first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Mark J. Boda, ‘Return to Me:’ A Biblical Theology of Repentance, volume 35 of New Studies in Biblical Theology, ed. by D. A. Carson (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2015), 198 pp. plus bibliography, author index, and scripture index ($24, paper); and of David A. Lambert, How Repentance Became Biblical: Judaism, Christianity, and the Interpretation of Scripture (New York: Oxford University Press, 2016), 224 pp. plus bibliography and indices of primary sources and subjects ($74, hardcover). Continue reading →
The post Two New Studies of Biblical Repentance first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Brian D. Stubbs, Changes in Languages from Nephi to Now (Blanding, UT: Four Corners Digital Design, 2016) and Exploring the Explanatory Power of Semitic and Egyptian in Uto-Aztecan (Provo, UT: Grover Publications, 2015).
Abstract: Following several articles and presentations over the past two decades on tantalizing finds linking Uto-Aztecan languages with Near Eastern languages, LDS linguist Brian Stubbs has recently published two significant works offering extensive details and documentation. The more comprehensive volume intended for scholars and serious students of language is Exploring the Explanatory Power of Semitic and Egyptian in Uto-Aztecan, a highly technical work providing 1,528 sets of cognates with intricate details linking Uto-Aztecan languages with two versions of Semitic and with Egyptian. This is followed by an analysis of puzzles in Uto‑Aztecan explained by Egyptian and Semitic ties as well as an exploration of grammatical and morphological parallels and many other details that further strengthen the case for an ancient connection to Near Eastern languages. Stubbs has made his work more accessible to general LDS readers with a less technical and highly readable work, Changes in Languages from Nephi to Now, that relates his findings to the Book of Mormon and what we can infer about the languages of Book of Mormon peoples. The changes in those languages, correspond remarkably well with the infusions of Near Eastern language that can be seen in abundance in Uto-Aztecan. Numerous questions remain that may require lifetimes of further research, but the meticulous foundation Stubbs has laid must not be treated like past amateurish and erroneous efforts over the centuries to find Hebrew in Native American languages. This is a serious, scholarly work that rises above the standards typically used to establish authentic language families. The evidence for, say, Hebrew in Uto-Aztecan is actually more impressive than the linguistic evidence for Hebrew influence in Yiddish. While implications for these finds on the Book of Mormon can be overstated, what Stubbs has uncovered may be among the most impressive scholarly finds related to the Book of Mormon. Continue reading →
The post The Next Big Thing in LDS Apologetics: Strong Semitic and Egyptian Elements in Uto-Aztecan Languages first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Brian D. Stubbs, Exploring the Explanatory Power of Semitic and Egyptian in Uto-Aztecan, Provo, UT: Grover Publications, 2015. 436 pp. Continue reading →
The post Exploring Semitic and Egyptian in Uto-Aztecan Languages first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Matthew Jensen’s book Overcoming Obstacles: Becoming a Great Missionary shows how missionaries can remove their “perfect missionary” mask and learn to truly care about their investigators and what is best for them. In the process, they will become great missionaries. Continue reading →
The post Overcoming Obstacles: Becoming a Great Missionary first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of A Reason for Faith: Navigating LDS Doctrine & Church History, ed. Laura Harris Hales. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book; Provo, UT: BYU Religious Studies Center, 2016. 264 pp.
This collection of essays conveniently assembles faithful and rigorous treatments of difficult questions related to LDS history and doctrine. While two or three of the essays are sufficiently flawed to give cause for concern and while some of its arguments have been expressed differently in earlier publications, overall this book can be confidently recommended to interested and doctrinally mature Latter-day Saints. Continue reading →
The post Addressing Prickly Issues first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Review of Carol Lynn Pearson, The Ghost of Eternal Polygamy: Haunting the Hearts and Heaven of Mormon Women and Men. Walnut Creek, CA: Pivot Point Books, 2016. 242 pp. $19.95. Continue reading →
The post Scary Ghost Stories in the Light of Day first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
A Review of Carol Lynn Pearson, The Ghost of Eternal Polygamy: Haunting the Hearts and Heaven of Women and Men. Pivot Point Books, 2016, 226 pages with endnotes.
Abstract: The Ghost of Eternal Polygamy boldly declares “that plural marriage never was — is not now — and never will be ordained of God” (21) and that the Mormon religion is guilty of “extraordinary spiritual abuse” (22) due to the practice. Seven distinct problems associated with plural marriage are identified, four of which have merit: polygamy history is often messy; earthly polygamy is unfair to women; widows and widowers are treated differently regarding future sealings; and the cancellation of sealings has not always paralleled the desires of the participants. Three additional issues form the bulk of the discussion and are based upon assumptions about eternity: polygamy is required in the celestial kingdom; child-to-parent sealings may be unfair in eternity; and eternal polygamy will be everlastingly unfair to women. This review addresses these observations, noting that the idea that all exalted beings are polygamists is false, revelation has not defined the exact nature of earthly parent–child relationships in the afterlife, and the dynamics of eternal plural marriage have not been revealed. The Ghost of Eternal Polygamy seeks to reinforce fears of the unknown while ignoring the abundant messages that God promises eternal joy and happiness to those who live worthily. Continue reading →
The post Opportunity Lost first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.