Former Farms President Receives Byu Appointment,
2023
Brigham Young University
Former Farms President Receives Byu Appointment
Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship
Noel B. Reynolds, who recently stepped down as president of FARMS, has been named associate academic vice president for undergraduate studies at BYU. Reynolds has served on the FARMS board of directors for the past eleven years, as the organization's president for the past six years, and as director of the FARMS Center for the Preservation of Ancient Religious Texts for the past two years. BYU president Merrill J. Bateman extended the new appointment to Reynolds in April.
Better That One Man Perish,
2023
Brigham Young University
Better That One Man Perish, John W. Welch, Heidi H. Parker
Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship
When constraining Nephi to slay Laban, the Spirit gave the sober justification that "it is better that one man should perish than that a nation should dwindle and perish in unbelief" (1 Nephi 4:13). Alma invoked this same justification when reluctantly subjecting Korihor to divine punishment (see Alma 30:47). This principle runs sharply contrary to modern liberal jurisprudence, but a different view prevailed in certain cases under biblical law.
Farms Review Of Books Examines Works That Misrepresent The Church,
2023
Brigham Young University
Farms Review Of Books Examines Works That Misrepresent The Church
Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship
The new issue of the FARMS Review of Books (volume 10, number 1) reviews several recent publications that are critical of the LDS Church. The Review also examines a Book of Mormon study aid and two novels related to the Book of Mormon.
Byu Research Center Gets New Director,
2023
Brigham Young University
Byu Research Center Gets New Director
Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship
One of the newest entities at Brigham Young University has a new director. The university administration has appointed Daniel C. Peterson, chairman of the FARMS board, to be the director of the Center for the Preservation of Ancient Religious Texts (CPART), a subsidiary of the Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies. He succeeds Noel B. Reynolds, who was recently named associate academic vice president of BYU (see story on page 3). This appointment will constitute Peterson's primary university assignment, and he will be released from most of his teaching duties during his service as director.
Full Issue,
2023
Brigham Young University
Full Issue
Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship
No abstract provided.
Elder Holland's Published Address On Isaiah Is Also Available On Tape,
2023
Brigham Young University
Elder Holland's Published Address On Isaiah Is Also Available On Tape
Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship
In the wake of the recent FARMS release of Isaiah in the Book of Mormon (1998), we have received a number of requests for the audiotape of the first chapter by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, which was the keynote address at the FARMS symposium that resulted in the book. We are pleased to make that tape available again at a discount through the order form included with this issue of INSIGHTS.
"Weasel Words"- A Feature Of Careful Scholarship,
2023
Brigham Young University
"Weasel Words"- A Feature Of Careful Scholarship
Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship
Sometimes readers misunderstand the careful, deliberate phrasing that scholars commonly employ to ensure accuracy in their assertions. So-called weasel words like possibly and likely do not simply reflect timidity on the author's part; rather, they are often necessary to avoid overstatement and other misrepresentations of the facts.
Books On Cd And Web,
2023
Brigham Young University
Books On Cd And Web
Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship
Two new FARMS books, Book of Mormon Authorship Revisited and LDS Perspectives on the Dead Sea Scrolls, plus other FARMS volumes and more than two thousand other works, are included on a new CD, "Infobases Collectors Library."
Imaging The Fire-Damaged Petra Scrolls,
2023
Brigham Young University
Imaging The Fire-Damaged Petra Scrolls
Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship
A FARMS-sponsored team specializing in state-of-the-art imaging technology is producing remarkable images of the Petra scrolls. These ancient papyrus documents were found in a charred heap during the 1993 excavation of a sixth-century Byzantine church in Petra, in southwestern Jordan.
Byu Symposium Honors Renowned Lds Scholar,
2023
Brigham Young University
Byu Symposium Honors Renowned Lds Scholar
Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship
Scholars who contributed to the newly released FARMS book Mormons, Scripture, and the Ancient World: Studies in Honor of John L. Sorenson presented their papers at a symposium held at Brigham Young University on 21 March 1998. Sponsored by the BYU Department of Anthropology and FARMS, the half-day event featured seven LDS scholars who summarized their recent research and then responded to questions from the audience.
New Volume Of Research Honors John L. Sorenson,
2023
Brigham Young University
New Volume Of Research Honors John L. Sorenson
Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship
To many, John L. Sorenson is best known for his research on the lands and cultures of Book of Mormon peoples, the topic of his 1985 book, An Ancient American Setting for the Book of Mormon, and the focus of his most recent book, Images of Ancient America: Visualizing Book of Mormon Life (see article on page 1). A highly trained anthropologist, Sorenson has often broken new ground in other areas of his discipline as well, such as his penetrating empirical studies of Mormon culture. Aside from teaching courses in anthropology and archaeology at BYU for many years, Sorenson …
Deadline For Nibley Fellowships,
2023
Brigham Young University
Deadline For Nibley Fellowships
Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship
Each year FARMS grants fellowships in the name of Hugh Nibley to promising graduate students pursuing degrees in fields of interest to FARMS. The fellowships honor Nibley's contributions to LDS scholarship. They are intended to help young scholars make contributions to research in fields related to ancient scripture.
Farms Board Elects Oswald As Next President,
2023
Brigham Young University
Farms Board Elects Oswald As Next President
Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship
The FARMS board of trustees has elected Daniel Oswald to serve as the next president of the Foundation. His title will change, becoming executive director of FARMS as the affiliation with Brigham Young University is completed. He replaces Noel B. Reynolds, who has served marvelously as president since November 1991.
Drought In The Time Of Abraham,
2023
Brigham Young University
Drought In The Time Of Abraham, John A. Tvedtnes
Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship
Recent evidence of a three-hundred-year drought in ancient Mesopotamia is consistent with references in the Bible and in the book of Abraham to famine during Abraham's time (see Genesis 12:10; Abraham 1:29-30; 2:1, 4-5, 15-17).
New Volume Explores King Benjamin's Speech,
2023
Brigham Young University
New Volume Explores King Benjamin's Speech
Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship
A long-awaited, 679-page volume on King Benjamin's speech has just come off the press-one of four books that FARMS is pleased to have published independently in 1998 (see the articles above and on page 4). Edited by John, W. Welch and Stephen D. Ricks, King Benjamin's Speech: "That Ye May Learn Wisdom" is the culmination of many years' research on numerous aspects of this profound address.
Images Of Ancient America Connects Mesoamerican Peoples And Lands To The Book Of Mormon,
2023
Brigham Young University
Images Of Ancient America Connects Mesoamerican Peoples And Lands To The Book Of Mormon
Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship
Images of Ancient America: Visualizing Book of Mormon Life, by John L. Sorenson, richly portrays the daily lives of the ancient peoples of Mesoamerica and their likely connections to the record known as the Book of Mormon. This fullcolor, large-format volume, the newest release from FARMS, contains careful research and over five hundred high-quality illustrations and photographs that shape vague ghosts from the past into fleshand- blood people.
Full Issue,
2023
Brigham Young University
Full Issue
Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship
No abstract provided.
Lds Scholarship At Sbl,
2023
Brigham Young University
Lds Scholarship At Sbl
Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship
At the recent annual meeting of the American Academy of Religion (AAR) and the Society of Biblical Literature (SBL), held 22-25 November 1997 in San Francisco, there were some interesting developments in the area of LDS scripture studies. In addition to a number of attendees from BYU and FARMS, at least three LDS scholars-Donald W. Parry, Eric G. Hansen, and John A. Tvedtnes-were speakers on the program. Hansen's paper, entitled "Parallels between the Egyptian 'Opening of the Mouth' Ritual and the Book of Mormon (Mosiah 25 through Alma 29)," may have been the first to use the Book of Mormon …
Book Donations Enhance Farms Research Library,
2023
Brigham Young University
Book Donations Enhance Farms Research Library
Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship
The LDS Church Translation Department has donated a collection of books and journals to FARMS. Tod Harris, manager of the department, delivered the 163 books and periodicals, including such works as Vetus Testamentum, Novum Testamentum, Novum Testamentum Supplements, Studies in the History of Religions, Studies in Judaism in Late Antiquity, and The Chicago Assyrian Dictionary. Several of these items will be of immediate value in FARMS research projects currently under way.
Acrostics And Dating The Bible,
2023
Brigham Young University
Acrostics And Dating The Bible, John A. Tvedtnes
Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship
Some biblical poetry is written using acrostics, meaning that each stanza or verse (or sometimes each half verse) begins with a different letter of the alphabet in a specific sequence, usually alphabetic. Acrostics are found in the books of Psalms, Proverbs, and Lamentations. Biblical scholars, believing that the order of the letters of the Hebrew alphabet was established sometime after the sixth century B.C., have used such acrostics to assert that these books of the Bible were composed after 600 B.C. They have suggested that these books are from postexilic times, that is, after the Jews returned from the Babylonian …
