“Our Hands Have Handled”: Ensuring The Reassuring Doctrine Of The Resurrection In The Lucan And Johannine Writings,
2025
Brigham Young University
“Our Hands Have Handled”: Ensuring The Reassuring Doctrine Of The Resurrection In The Lucan And Johannine Writings, Matthew L. Bowen
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
The Lucan and Johannine writings emphasize the literalness and physicality of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This emphasis does not represent an emerging Christology from an earlier, inchoate conception of Jesus and the meaning of his life. Rather, it reflects an effort to defend the doctrine of the resurrection—of Christ and humanity—against the increasing cultural and intellectual pressures of middle Platonism. Nephi’s vision of the tree of life, which included seeing a “great and abominable church” and its formation among “the nations of the Gentiles” (1 Nephi 13:4–9) matches well with late first- and second-century apostate movements that “made war” …
Verbal Punctuation In The Book Of Mormon Iii—Behold,
2025
Brigham Young University
Verbal Punctuation In The Book Of Mormon Iii—Behold, John Gee
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
As an ancient book, the Book of Mormon employed verbal punctuation rather than typographical punctuation. An example of this verbal punctuation is the word behold, which is used in the Book of Mormon to point things out, to highlight unexpected effects of situations, and to modify a previously expressed proposition. This corresponds to ancient Hebrew usage. Joseph Smith’s usage from the time the Book of Mormon was produced, however, differs in both its frequency and how it was used, even when Joseph Smith was consciously trying to imitate the Book of Mormon.
Perspectives On The Soteriological Problem Of Evil: Nuancing The “Universalist” Theologies Of Henri De Lubac And Joseph Smith,
2025
Brigham Young University
Perspectives On The Soteriological Problem Of Evil: Nuancing The “Universalist” Theologies Of Henri De Lubac And Joseph Smith, Timothy Gervais
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
Since the discovery of the new world by Christian European explorers during the age of discovery, the increasingly global community of the modern age has confronted Christian theologians with difficult soteriological questions. These questions have caused many Christian adherents to abandon conceptions of a uniquely Christian salvation in favor of theological positions of religious pluralism. Other Christian theologians have confronted these issues through creative inclusivist theological constructs that expand the offer of salvation to those who may not have professed Christianity in their mortal life. These inclusivist theologies are uniquely suited to address modern concerns about the salvation of non-believers …
A Closer Look At Transliterations In Divine Translations,
2025
Brigham Young University
A Closer Look At Transliterations In Divine Translations, Spencer Kraus
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
The Book of Mormon contains many words left untranslated by Joseph Smith, such as cureloms, cumoms, senine, and ziff. While some might wonder why these words are left untranslated, a closer examination of the kinds of words that are simply transliterated as well as the frequency at which these phenomena occur provide evidence that Joseph Smith actually had an ancient record that he was translating into English. In this paper, I examine why some words have been transliterated in historical translations of the Bible or other ancient texts and compare these explanations to the Book of …
Looking Again At The Anthon Transcript(S),
2025
Brigham Young University
Looking Again At The Anthon Transcript(S), John S. Thompson
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
The official account of Martin Harris’s visit to Charles Anthon, canonized in the Pearl of Great Price, suggests that Anthon may have been shown more than one transcript by Harris. The differing responses of Anthon to each of these transcripts may shed light on the kinds of characters he was shown and provide additional perspectives that can help clarify a little more what is happening in the historical sources.
“Upon Thy Belly Shalt Thou Go”: The Garden Of Eden Serpent Symbology Based On The Concept Of Seraphim,
2025
Brigham Young University
“Upon Thy Belly Shalt Thou Go”: The Garden Of Eden Serpent Symbology Based On The Concept Of Seraphim, Noel Hudson
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
The concept of the serpentine seraphim from biblical iconography is discussed in the context of biblical serpent symbology. The association of the seraphim with Ancient Near Eastern kings, deities, and temples is noted. The concept of the seraphim as members of the Council of God is explored, and the possibility of the seraph as a symbol of Christ is discussed. These concepts are applied to the story of the snake in the Garden of Eden, and the additional explanatory power of the seraph symbol in connection with the snake is explored. Specific serpentine attributes are discussed in the context of …
Small Hinges, Great Doorways: How Some Descendants Of An Enslaved Youth Unexpectedly Became Prominent Utah Citizens,
2025
Brigham Young University
Small Hinges, Great Doorways: How Some Descendants Of An Enslaved Youth Unexpectedly Became Prominent Utah Citizens, Jeffrey M. Bradshaw
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
A vivid illustration of how “the doorways of history turn on small hinges” is found in the Howell family tradition about Wilford Woodruff’s short stay at the home of slaveholders in the South, where it appears he may have taught a 14-year-old enslaved boy named Jackson Howell. Decades later, Jackson’s son Paul C. Howell would migrate to Utah and become a prominent citizen of Salt Lake City. Later, Paul’s son, Abner, would serve a unique mission and would continue to speak and serve in the Church. Several Church leaders played a key role in the story of the Howell family …
“When Ye Shall Rend That Veil Of Unbelief”: A Typological Reading Of Ether 3 And 4,
2025
Brigham Young University
“When Ye Shall Rend That Veil Of Unbelief”: A Typological Reading Of Ether 3 And 4, Matthew Scott Stenson
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
In the book of Ether, the prophet Moroni “Christianizes” the Jaredite story, inserting extensive Christian elements into an original text that predates the house of Israel, the Nephite nation, and the Christian era. In this paper, a typological and intertextual method is used to show how Moroni uses the words of Christ in Ether 3 and 4 to exhort his Gentile readers to embrace the Nephite record when it is manifest to them that they might receive even greater things (divine truths). Specifically, Moroni uses the brief account of the brother of Jared atop Mount Shelem to illustrate how Gentiles …
Full Issue,
2025
Brigham Young University
Full Issue
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
No abstract provided.
Innovating Institute Modeling Empathy With Challenging Passages Of Scripture,
2025
Brigham Young University
Innovating Institute Modeling Empathy With Challenging Passages Of Scripture, Luke Drake, Ryan Webb
Religious Educator: Perspectives on the Restored Gospel
This article explores various methods for teaching challenging scriptural passages to foster spiritual growth and a sense of belonging. It suggests that instead of avoiding difficult texts or interpreting them narrowly for devotional purposes, teachers can adopt an “empathetic reading of scripture.” This approach emphasizes cultivating compassion for the unique historical circumstances of ancient authors and preparing meaningful ways to discuss this material with Latter-day Saint students. Using 1 Corinthians 11:1–16 as a case study, the article outlines a four-step method that offers guidance on (1) engaging with the “best books” on the passage at hand, (2) identifying principles of …
Front Matter,
2025
Brigham Young University
The Seven Seals, The Age Of The Earth, And Ongoing Revelation,
2025
Brigham Young University
The Seven Seals, The Age Of The Earth, And Ongoing Revelation, Nicholas J. Frederick
BYU Studies
One of the more intriguing elements of the book of Revelation is its mention of a book sealed with seven seals (Rev. 5:1). As John’s vision progresses over the next two chapters, each of the seven seals is broken. These have been interpreted by scholars in a variety of ways. One interpretation, typically known as the “historicist” view, saw the seals as representing periods of time in the earth’s history, whether the entirety of the earth’s history from Adam on or just parts, such as early Christian history.1
Practical Faith For The Real World Reading As If, Believing As If,
2025
Brigham Young University
Practical Faith For The Real World Reading As If, Believing As If, Kylie Turley
BYU Studies
A few years ago, I was talking with some friends about the Book of Mormon. Actually, if you know me much at all, then you know that those last five words are unnecessary. Of course I was talking about the Book of Mormon. My children have been known to complain that the Book of Mormon is all I talk about. But let’s continue the story: One of my friends indicated that we “cannot read the Book of Mormon down to the word level.” She insisted that it was just not possible to read it “as if individual words are meaningful.”
The Heyday Of The Mia Latter-Day Saint Youth Programs In The Postwar Era,
2025
Brigham Young University
The Heyday Of The Mia Latter-Day Saint Youth Programs In The Postwar Era, Lisa Olsen Tait, Amber C. Taylor
BYU Studies
On Saturday, June 16, 1956, a crowd of twenty thousand spectators filled the University of Utah football stadium, nestled against the foothills to the east of Salt Lake City, to witness the Mutual Improvement Association (MIA) Dance-Drama Festival of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Hopes were high that the weather would hold, since Friday night’s performance had been canceled because of rain. The weather did cooperate, and for over two hours, a massive procession of brightly costumed young women and men, representing almost every stake in the Church, presented a spectacular program of intricately choreographed dances and …
Using A Reconciliation Approach To Teach Evolution May Help Religious Students Remain Faithful,
2025
Brigham Young University
Using A Reconciliation Approach To Teach Evolution May Help Religious Students Remain Faithful, Danny Ferguson, Ethan Tolman, Spencer Shumway, Cassidy Shively
BYU Studies
Many religious people struggle to accept the theory of evolution, and about 40 percent of Americans reject the theory outright, preferring a literalist, creationist account that confirms a young earth.1 As Latter-day Saints ourselves, we understand the trepidation surrounding the idea that perhaps evolution contradicts our belief of an earth created by a loving Father and Savior. People may feel that the scientific theory of evolution implies that there is no need for a God or that our existence is simply an accident. As college-age youth, we are familiar with the struggles that students face as they confront evolution in …
Getting To 100,
2025
Brigham Young University
Review: Latter-Day Saint Art: A Critical Reader Edited By Amanda K. Beardsley And Mason Kamana Allred Oxford University Press, 2024,
2025
Brigham Young University
Review: Latter-Day Saint Art: A Critical Reader Edited By Amanda K. Beardsley And Mason Kamana Allred Oxford University Press, 2024, Maddie Blonquist
BYU Studies
The Center for Latter-day Saint Arts’ impressive new volume, Latter-day Saint Art: A Critical Reader (Oxford University Press, 2024), makes an ambitious and long-awaited contribution to the fields of religious studies, art history, visual and material culture, and cultural theory. This edited collection is both intellectually and physically substantial, with over 600 pages, nearly 250 reproductions, and twenty-two authors from a myriad of disciplines. Scholars of history, art, film, and media studies share space with artists, museum directors, filmmakers, curators, theologians, and journalists who span the spectrum in their relationship to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The …
End Matter,
2025
Brigham Young University
A Prophetic Priority A Vital Voice,
2025
Brigham Young University
A Prophetic Priority A Vital Voice, Shauna Seamons
Religious Educator: Perspectives on the Restored Gospel
Prophets today are inviting women to use their voices and are prioritizing the importance and inclusion of women’s voices and their contributions in the kingdom of God—both those from scripture and history as well as those in our religious education classes. As religious educators we must be aware of this priority, and we have a responsibility to create environments that generate greater gender equality in religious education classrooms. This article will address three obstacles to embracing women’s voices and provide suggested solutions to that end.
Nurturing Religious Education Using Artificial Intelligence,
2025
Brigham Young University
Nurturing Religious Education Using Artificial Intelligence, Matt Gardner
Religious Educator: Perspectives on the Restored Gospel
This essay focuses on helping teachers, parents, and students understand and become familiar with artificial intelligence (AI)—specifically, its capabilities and how it will affect our homes and classrooms. In doing so, teachers, parents, students, and children will learn to use certain gospel-approved principles to most successfully use and operate these new technologies to bless the lives of God’s children.
