"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 …
Sperry Symposium Papers On Old Testament Prophets Published,
2023
Brigham Young University
Sperry Symposium Papers On Old Testament Prophets Published
Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship
The twenty-sixth annual Sidney B. Sperry Symposium, sponsored by BYU and the Church Educational System, focused on the writings of Old Testament prophets. The publication of papers from that symposium by Deseret Book under the title Voices of Old Testament Prophets provides a significant opportunity to reflect on prophetic voices of the past and their value for Latter-day Saints. See the order form accompanying this issue of Insights to order your own copy.
Reflections On The Psalms By C. S. Lewis,
2023
Brigham Young University
Reflections On The Psalms By C. S. Lewis
Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship
FARMS is pleased to make available a short commentary by C. S. Lewis, noted Christian scholar and author, entitled Reflections on the Psalms, at a discount (see the order form). In the introduction Lewis explains that he writes "as one amateur to another" about what he has learned from the Psalms; his purpose is to compare notes rather than to teach.
Did Joseph Smith Know Egyptian?,
2023
Brigham Young University
Did Joseph Smith Know Egyptian?
Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship
In a letter addressed to Grant S. Heward of Midvale, Utah, an outspoken critic of the book of Abraham, William Foxwell Albright, the doyen of American ancient Near Eastern studies, wrote: "There does appear to be evidence that Joseph Smith had studied some Egyptian. For one thing, he undoubtedly spent a great deal of money and effort in trying to master Egyptian, but, as you know, when the Book of Mormon was written, Egyptian had just begun to be deciphered and it is all the more surprising that there are two Egyptian names, Paanchi and Pahor(an) which appear together in …
Farms Website Expands To Serve You Better,
2023
Brigham Young University
Farms Website Expands To Serve You Better
Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship
For the past two years, volunteers and FARMS staff have been establishing a strong presence for the Foundation on the World Wide Web. With over 350 pages (and growing), the FARMS website (www.farmsresearch.com) features some of the best FARMS publications. It keeps current with the latest catalog and Insights, and it includes excerpts from the latest FARMS Review of Books and Journal of Book of Mormon Studies. Visitors to the site can take advantage of special discounts on popular FARMS products. There is even an online order form that you can print out and mail or fax, plus …
Brown Bags Continue To Inform,
2023
Brigham Young University
Brown Bags Continue To Inform
Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship
The FARMS Brown Bag Lectures are an ongoing series intended to update BYU faculty, staff, and students and interested members of the community on the progress of Book of Mormon research.
Papers In Honor Of John L. Sorenson To Be Presented At March Farms Conference,
2023
Brigham Young University
Papers In Honor Of John L. Sorenson To Be Presented At March Farms Conference
Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship
On 21 March 1998, a conference will be held at Brigham Young University featuring several papers that will be included in a forthcoming Festschrift in honor of BYU's emeritus professor John L. Sorenson. The event, "Mormons, Scripture, and the Ancient World," is cosponsored by FARMS and BYU's Department of Anthropology. It will begin at 8:30 a.m. in room 151 of the Tanner Building on the BYU campus. It is free and open to the public.
