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Journal Of The Book Of Mormon And Other Restoration Scripture Volume 24, Neal A. Maxwell Institute For Religious Scholarship

Journal of Book of Mormon Studies

No abstract provided.

Father Is A Man: The Remarkable Mention Of The Name Abish In Alma 19:16 And Its Narrative Context, Matthew L. Bowen

Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship

The mention of “Abish” and a “remarkable vision of her father” (Alma 19:16) is itself remarkable, since women and servants are rarely named in the Book of Mormon text. As a Hebrew/Lehite name, “Abish” suggests the meaning “Father is a man,” the midrashic components ʾab- (“father”) and ʾîš (“man”) being phonologically evident. Thus, the immediate juxtaposition of the name “Abish” with the terms “her father” and “women” raises the possibility of wordplay on her name in the underlying text. Since ʾab-names were frequently theophoric — i.e., they had reference to a divine Father (or could be so understood) — the …

For Zion: A Mormon Theology Of Hope, Lauren Mccombs

BYU Studies

For Zion: A Mormon Theology of Hope, by Joseph M. Spencer (Salt Lake City: Greg Kofford Books, 2014)

Nauvoo & Hancock County, Illinois: A Guide To Family History And Historical Sources, Gerrit Van Dyk

BYU Studies

Nauvoo & Hancock County, Illinois: A Guide to Family History and Historical Sources, by Kip Sperry. Provo, Utah: Religious Studies Center, 2014.

Armenian Apocrypha Relating To Abraham, Michael E. Stone, E. Douglas Clark

BYU Studies

Over a decade ago while attending an annual meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature, I heard Professor Michael Stone mention he was working on a group of medieval Armenian texts containing traditions about the Patriarch Abraham. Having spent considerable time gathering every Abrahamic tradition I could find, I was excited at this news and asked when the work would be published. Professor Stone replied that it would not be soon. Since then, I have eagerly looked forward to this volume.

As one of Stone's many publications on Armenian apocrypha, and a sequel to two of those in particular ( …

The Use Of Diacritical Marks In Our Earliest New Testament Papyri, Alan Taylor Farnes, Dr. Thomas Wayment

Journal of Undergraduate Research

I unfortunately was not able to complete this specific research project on diacritical marks but rather applied these funds to my honors thesis. Therefore, my report will focus on the results and experiences of my honors thesis which also had a substantial mentoring element from Dr. Wayment.

Blood And Water: Unity In The Gospel Of John(1), Matthew G. Ancell, V. Stanley Benfell

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The stated purpose of the Gospel of John is that the reader or hearer “may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name” (20.31) (2). Regardless of whether the Fourth Gospel is written to a community of believers or to convert the unbelieving, as is debated, this verse points to life through Jesus Christ as the focus of the book. Each of the four Gospels offers a testimony of Jesus as the Christ. Culminating in the passion and resurrection narratives, each version presents a unique …

Correspondence Between The Spartans And The Jews In 1 Maccabees, Carl Griffin

Journal of Undergraduate Research

On December 9, 1993, I was informed by letter that I had been chosen as a recipient of the Research and Creative Work Scholarship. I was delighted at the time at the prospect of exploring my proposed research topic, and am now pleased to report the results of that research. Perhaps a brief review of my topic is in order.

“…And So We Went Toward Rome (Acts 28:14):” Tracing The Final Journey Of The Apostle Paul, Matthew J. Grey, Dr. Richard Neitzel Holzapfel

Journal of Undergraduate Research

After traveling the Mediterranean world for 30 years as a missionary for Jesus Christ, the Apostle Paul embarked on his final journey from the port of Caesarea in ancient Judaea. Eventually his company would sail toward Italy, land in the harbor at Puteoli (just north of modern Naples), and from there travel the road to Rome. Traditionally, it was in Rome where he would spend the final years of his life “preaching the kingdom of God (Acts 28:31)” and eventually be martyred for the cause of Christ. Interestingly enough, the scriptural account in Acts 28 offers less than five verses …

Some Reflections On The Revelation Of John In Mormon Thought: Past, Present, And Future, Grant Underwood

Studies in the Bible and Antiquity

No abstract provided.

Mormon Studies Review Volume 1, Mormon Studies Review

Mormon Studies Review

No abstract provided.

Editor's Introduction, Journal Of The Book Of Mormon And Other Restoration Scripture

Journal of Book of Mormon Studies

No abstract provided.

Mormon Studies In The Academy: A Conversation Between Ann Taves And Spencer Fluhman, Mormon Studies Review

Mormon Studies Review

No abstract provided.

Eye Of The Beholder, Law Of The Harvest: Observations On The Inevitable Consequences Of The Different Investigative Approaches Of Jeremy Runnells And Jeff Lindsay, Kevin Christensen

Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship

In his Letter to a CES Director, Jeremy Runnells explains how a year of obsessive investigation brought about the loss of his testimony. In an LDS FAQ, LDS blogger Jeff Lindsay deals with all of the same questions, and has done so at least twenty years and has not only an intact testimony, but boundless enthusiasm. What makes the difference? In the parable of the Sower, Jesus explained that the same seeds (words) can generate completely different harvests, ranging from nothing to a hundredfold increase, all depending on the different soil and nurture. This essay looks at how different expectations …

The Case For The Documentary Hypothesis, Historical Criticism, And The Latter-Day Saints, Colby J. Townsend

Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship

Bokovoy’s new volume substantiates the claim that faithful Latter-day Saint students of Holy Scripture can apply the knowledge and methods gained through academic studies to the Bible.

The Inevitability Of Epistemology In Historiography: Theory, History, And Zombie Mormon History, Alan Goff

Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship

Fundamental changes have occurred in the historical profession over the past thirty years. The central revolutionary change is that workers in the historical profession can no longer ignore theory and philosophy of history. A built-in resistance to theory causes historians to abjure philosophical analysis of their discipline at a time when such analysis is recognized to be indispensable. If one doesn’t have an explicit theory, one will appropriate one uncritically, without the felt need to articulate and defend the theory. The dominant theory in history over the past century has been positivism, a conception of disciplinary work that ruled history …

Reading The Scriptures Geographically: Some Tools And Insights, Taylor Halverson

Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship

The purpose of this article is to provide several examples of how meaning, understanding, and interpretation of scriptures may be enhanced when scriptures are read in their geographical context. Many scholarly articles seek exclusively to break new ground in meaning and meaning-making, to essentially produce new knowledge. This article hopes to break new ground both in terms of new knowledge (insights) as well as in the pragmatics of giving readers additional tools and opportunities for exploring the scriptures in fresh ways. In particular, this article will also highlight several free geographical tools that can improve one’s learning with the scriptures, …

Founded Upon A Rock: Doctrinal And Temple Implications Of Peter’S Surnaming, Matthew L. Bowen

Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship

The famous Petros/petra wordplay in Matthew 16:18 does not constitute Jesus’s identification of Peter as the “rock” upon which his church would be built. This wordplay does however identify him with that “rock” or “bedrock” inasmuch as Peter, a small “seer-stone,” had the potential to become like the Savior himself, “the Rock of ages.” One aspect of that “rock” is the revelation that comes through faith that Jesus is the Christ. Other aspects of that same rock are the other principles and ordinances of the gospel, including temple ordinances. The temple, a symbol of the Savior and his body, is …

A Note On Chiasmus In Abraham 3:22-23, Julie M. Smith

Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship

Chiasmus, or inverted parallelism, is well-known to most students of Mormon studies;1 this note explores one instance of it in Abraham 3:22-23:

“What Thank They The Jews”? (2 Nephi 29:4): A Note On The Name “Judah” And Antisemitism, Matthew L. Bowen

Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship

The Hebrew Bible explains the meaning of the personal and tribal name “Judah”—from which the term “Jews” derives—in terms of “praising” or “thanking” (*ydy/ ydh). In other words, the “Jews” are those who are to be “praised out of a feeling of gratitude.” This has important implications for the Lord’s words to Nephi regarding Gentile ingratitude and antisemitism: “And what thank they the Jews for the Bible which they receive from them?” (2 Nephi 29:4). Gentile Christian antisemitism, like the concomitant doctrine of supersessionism, can be traced (in part) to widespread misunderstanding and misapplication of Paul’s words regarding Jews and …

Between Exegesis And Homiletics: Examining The Genres At Play In An Lds Commentary, D. Jill Kirby

Studies in the Bible and Antiquity

No abstract provided.

Revelation, Reason, And Faith: Essays In Honor Of Truman G. Madsen, Donald W. Parry, Daniel C. Peterson, Stephen D. Ricks

Maxwell Institute Publications

The distinguished career of Truman G. Madsen has earned him wide respect in and outside of LDS circles as an outstanding teacher, scholar, researcher, speaker, university administrator, church leader, and religious ambassador. With the publication of Revelation, Reason, and Faith: Essays in Honor of Truman G. Madsen, the Institute pays tribute to this remarkable man whose many accomplishments include helping to advance Book of Mormon scholarship and related interests of the Institute.

Edited by Donald W. Parry, Daniel C. Peterson, and Stephen D. Ricks (each of whom also author a chapter), the 800-plus-page volume contains contributions by 31 scholars, …

Sorting Out The Sources In Scripture, Jeffrey M. Bradshaw

Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship

To date, LDS scholars have largely ignored the important but rather complex questions about how primary sources may have been authored and combined to form the Bible as we have it today. David Bokovoy’s book, one of a projected series of volumes on the authorship of the Old Testament, is intended to rectify this deficiency, bringing the results of scholarship in Higher Criticism into greater visibility within the LDS community. Though readers may not agree in every respect with the book’s analysis and results, particularly with its characterization of the Books of Moses and Abraham as “inspired pseudepigrapha,” Bokovoy has …

Can A Man See God? 1 Timothy 6:16 In Light Of Ancient And Modern Revelation, James Stutz

Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship

Joseph Smith’s First Vision is a favorite target of critics of the LDS Church. Evangelical critics in particular, such as Matt Slick of the Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry, seek to discredit the First Vision on biblical grounds. This article explores biblical theophanies and argues that Joseph’s vision fits squarely with the experience of ancient prophets, especially those who are given the rare blessing of piercing the veil of light and glory within which God dwells, the Hebrew kabod.

Enoch And The City Of Zion: Can An Entire Community Ascend To Heaven?, David J. Larsen

BYU Studies

One of the most significant additions to the Book of Genesis in Joseph Smith's inspired translation of the Bible is to the story of the prophet Enoch, who the biblical record briefly implies was taken up into heaven alive. In Joseph Smith's rendering of the story, however, not only Enoch, as an individual, ascends into heaven, but also his entire community. This article explores the notion of communal ascent in ancient Jewish and Christian literature and seeks to find affinities with the story of Enoch's Zion found in the LDS Book of Moses. Ancient narratives such as The History of …

Journal Of The Book Of Mormon And Other Restoration Scripture Volume 23, Neal A. Maxwell Institute For Religious Scholarship

Journal of Book of Mormon Studies

No abstract provided.

The Lds Story Of Enoch As The Culminating Episode Of A Temple Text, Jeffrey M. Bradshaw

BYU Studies

The story of Enoch might be understood as the culminating episode in a temple text cycle woven through the Book of Moses in the LDS Pearl of Great Price. A "temple text" is a sacred text that uses ceremony and commandments to allow a person to stand ritually in the presence of God. The Book of Moses reflects elements of temple architecture, furnishings, and ritual in the story of the Creation and the Fall. Like other scripture-based temple texts, the general structure of the second half of the Book of Moses follows a pattern exemplifying faithfulness and unfaithfulness to a …

The Byu New Testament Commentary: "It Doth Not Yet Appear What It Shall Be", Philip L. Barlow

Studies in the Bible and Antiquity

No abstract provided.

“And There Wrestled A Man With Him” (Genesis 32:24): Enos’S Adaptations Of The Onomastic Wordplay Of Genesis, Matthew L. Bowen

Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship

In this brief note, I will suggest several instances in which the Book of Mormon prophet Enos utilizes wordplay on his own name, the name of his father “Jacob,” the place name “Peniel,” and Jacob’s new name “Israel” in order to connect his experiences to those of his ancestor Jacob in Genesis 32-33, thus infusing them with greater meaning. Familiarity with Jacob and Esau’s conciliatory “embrace” in Genesis 33 is essential to understanding how Enos views the atonement of Christ and the ultimate realization of its blessings in his life.

Peter And Paul In Antioch, Gaye Strathearn

Faculty Publications

When Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision” (Galatians 2:11–12). So wrote the Apostle Paul to the Galatian Saints. This passage is a difficult one. Just as ancient Saints were not comfortable with the public tension between Christianity’s most prominent leaders, neither are modern Saints today.