Mormon Studies Commons^™

Creativity In The Cosmic Context: Our Challenges And Opportunities, Jerry L. Jaccard, Rita R. Wright, Jon D. Green

BYU Studies

Eric d'Evegnee tells of the angst he experienced when his son expected his help in crafting a wooden car for the Cub Scout pinewood derby, his prowess as a father on the line. In the race the car wobbled across the finish line last, causing grief and feelings of betrayal for the young son. He contrasts himself with King Lear, who refused to acknowledge his failings until the very end, and d'Evegnee sees himself at peace with his children.

The authors look at creativity through the teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, specifically that all people …

The Paternity Test, Eric D'Evegnee

BYU Studies

Eric d'Evegnee tells of the angst he experienced when his son expected his help in crafting a wooden car for the Cub Scout pinewood derby, his prowess as a father on the line. In the race the car wobbled across the finish line last, causing grief and feelings of betrayal for the young son. He contrasts himself with King Lear, who refused to acknowledge his failings until the very end, and d'Evegnee sees himself at peace with his children.

Joseph Smith And The First Principles Of The Gospel, Richard E. Bennett

Religious Educator: Perspectives on the Restored Gospel

No abstract provided.

Latter-Day Saint Courtship Patterns, Jennifer Hurlbut, Thomas B. Holman, Kristi A. Young, Mary J. Woodger

BYU Studies

This book is a collection of twelve sociological studies that examine how active, faithful Latter-day Saint singles go about deciding to marry and selecting a mate. Since most of the research was conducted via surveys of BYU students and asks the question "What makes the Mormon marriage process different from the typical American process?" it accounts for a very narrow part of the worldwide LDS community. Focusing on this small segment is a good start but shows that research in LDS sociology is still often limited in its scope.

An introductory chapter by Thomas B. Holman provides the backdrop necessary …

Edwin Rushton As The Source Of The White Horse Prophecy, Don L. Penrod

BYU Studies

The so-called white horse prophecy has been cited in news media as the source of a prophecy that Latter-day Saint elders will preserve the US Constitution as it hangs by a thread. It is commonly claimed that the white horse prophecy was written and made public among Latter-day Saints in the 1850s. However, Don Penrod shows in this article that it was written around 1900 by Edwin Rushton, a Mormon living in Utah.

Penrod shows that while Brigham Young (in 1854) and Eliza R. Snow (in 1870) reported that Joseph Smith once said that the US Constitution would hang by …

Juggling, Mothering, Nicole H. Dominguez

BYU Studies

No abstract provided.

Full Issue, Byu Studies, Richard N. Holzapfel

BYU Studies

No abstract provided.

Brigham Young University Remembers Walter Kempowski, Alan F. Keele

BYU Studies

David Paulsen, Jacob Hawken, and Michael Hansen discuss Sir Anthony Buzzard's work Jesus Was Not a Trinitarian (2007). In this theological review essay, the authors show that the problems inherent in the doctrines of unitarianism and trinitarianism are addressed elegantly in the doctrines of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Editor's Note: At the authors' request, we have posted two versions of this article--the shorter version that was printed in the journal and the longer 22-page version that is only available here.

Renowned German writer Walter Kempowski, who passed away in late 2007, had a long and interesting …

Jesus Was Not A Unitarian, David L. Paulsen, Jacob Hawken, Michael Hansen

BYU Studies

David Paulsen, Jacob Hawken, and Michael Hansen discuss Sir Anthony Buzzard's work Jesus Was Not a Trinitarian (2007). In this theological review essay, the authors show that the problems inherent in the doctrines of unitarianism and trinitarianism are addressed elegantly in the doctrines of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Editor's Note: At the authors' request, we have posted two versions of this article--the shorter version that was printed in the journal and the longer 22-page version that is only available here.

The Schooled Heart: Moral Formation In American Higher Education, Ronald E. Bartholomew, Michael D. Beaty, Douglas V. Henry

BYU Studies

The Schooled Heart: Moral Formation in American Higher Education is a deeply provocative work. Editors Michael D. Beaty and Douglas V. Henry, both of Baylor University, put forth the objectives of the book in what I found to be an enlightening and engaging introduction. Tracing the history of the institutional position of moral formation once held in higher education, they argue that the traditional emphasis on building morality was displaced primarily by the epistemological shift that occurred during the 1930s. According to their view, in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, liberal education at universities embraced revelation from God as …

What Americans Really Believe, Roger Terry, Rodney Stark

BYU Studies

Forty years after Rodney Stark and Charles Y. Glock published the results of the first two major surveys of American religious beliefs and practices, Stark finally picked up where American Piety (Berkeley: University of California, 1968) left off. Now codirector of the Institute for Studies of Religion at Baylor University, Stark has published an analysis of data gathered in two Baylor Surveys of Religion--one in 2005, the other in 2007--as well as a 2006 survey focusing on economics and religion. The results are surprising in many regards. In fact, Stark delights in debunking popular misconceptions and myths about what Americans …

Mitt Romney’S Religion: A Five Factor Model For Analysis Of Media Representation Of Mormon Identity, Sherry Baker, Joel Campbell

Faculty Publications

Mitt Romney’s religion accounted for 50% of all religion-related presidential primary campaign stories in 2007, and 30% of Romney’s total media coverage focused on his Mormon faith. This article reviews that coverage and considers it within the larger historical context of the complex relationship between media and Mormonism throughout the 180-year history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A factorial model (the first in the area of Mormon Media Studies) is proposed by which to document and analyze the wider societal influences that are reflected in media representation of Mormon identity. The model’s 5 factors include the …

Full Issue, Byu Studies

BYU Studies

No abstract provided.

Acknowledging Differences While Avoiding Contention, Renata T. Forste

BYU Studies

At the institutional level, BYU's statement on fostering an enriched environment notes that "it is the University's judgment that providing educational opportunities for a mix of students who share values based on the gospel of Jesus Christ and come from a variety of backgrounds and experiences is an important educational asset to BYU." Diversity is also valued at the college and department level. For example, one of the program objectives for the undergraduate sociology degree is instruction in the "diversity of social life, the origins of inequality, social conflict, and the relations of power in modern society." As sociology faculty, …

Integration, Inquiry, And The Hopeful Search For Truth, Thomas S. Hibbs

BYU Studies

Over the past five to ten years, a strange discontent has bubbled up out of the nation's leading universities. If I had to put my finger on the source of this discontent-- and this is out of Harvard, Yale, Princeton-- I'd say that leading administrators at many institutions are confronting the perplexing realization that universities seem unable to be universities. Universities seem unable to gain and implement the self-understanding of what they are as an institution, the purpose of what they do in the classroom with their students, and what they hope to form in their students and to produce …

Beehive And Portico, John S. Tanner

BYU Studies

BYU, alas, did not continue to build in the Neoclassical Revival style. Few now study and teach in the Maeser Building on the far end of campus. But in a deeper sense, we all live in its extended shadow. The tradition of the beehive and portico continues in our practices. This is evident every week in the way the campus transforms classrooms into chapels and back again. This transformation never fails to move me. I recall as a student blessing the sacrament in the same classroom in which I studied geology. There, where I learned about dinosaurs and the age …

Clinton F. Larson: "I Miss His Booming Laugh", Neal E. Lambert

BYU Studies

Certainly, the last word regarding Clinton Larson's poetry has not been written. We can be grateful that this collection will make possible a better understanding and a fuller appreciation of what this extraordinary person and pioneer has done. I think it appropriate to conclude with Richard Cracroft's own assessment of his friend. He said to be, as he regretfully handed this assignment off, "I love Clinton. He was a wonderful colleague, good-humored friend, remarkable poet; his contribution to Mormon letters is considerable, influential, and ongoing. I miss his booming laugh." So do we all.

Would That All God's Children Were Poets, Casualene Meyer

BYU Studies

BYU Studies poetry editor Causalene Meyer discusses the qualities of high-quality poetry. She tells how poetry is selected for publication in the BYU Studies journal and as winners in the BYU Studies poetry contest. Winning poems are more than just images, advice, stories, or snapshots. Insightful and elegant poems combine a view with a vision; the best poetry serves readers with substance and purity. Meyer includes statements by three poetry judges, Professors Justin Blessinger, Sirje Kiin, and Jack Walters.

Inquiry, Scholarship, And Learning And Teaching In Religiously Affiliated Colleges And Universities, Gerrit W. Gong

BYU Studies

Overall, the BYU Inquiry Conference sought to affirm by policy statement and living practice BYU's deep commitment to the shared values and approaches of the American academy and to our own unique mission. This collection of contributions to the conference seeks to capture this ongoing campuswide discussion. It invites readers to join the continuing open dialogue, so pertinent in this time, regarding approaches, roles, and relations as they involve inquiry, scholarship, and learning and teaching in religiously affiliated colleges and universities, including Brigham Young University.

Faith And Inquiry, Justin F. White

BYU Studies

My wife's uncle recently, and somewhat smugly, said something to the effect, "It's too bad you're studying philosophy (or perhaps any subject) at BYU since you only get one perspective." For the most part, I've found this is simply not true. I've found professors and students not nearly as homogeneous as often portrayed. Though I agree with my wife's uncle that we should engage in dialogue with those of differing opinions, since there are, of course, disadvantages when only a single perspective is represented on a topic, I'd like to focus on one potential positive interpretation of the sameness he …