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Work Of Maxwell Institute To Be Presented At Education Week

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

Brigham Young University Campus Education Week, slated for August 16–20, 2010, will feature a series of presentations that represent a range of the work done by the Maxwell Institute.

Nibley Fellowship Program Assists Rising Scholars

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

For a number of years the Maxwell Institute has sponsored a graduate fellowship program that gives financial aid to students pursuing advanced degrees in fields of special interest to the Institute. Named in honor of the late eminent Latter-day Saint scholar Hugh W. Nibley, this program fosters the next generation of faithful scholars by provid- ing financial aid to students enrolled in accredited PhD programs in areas of study directly related to the work and mission of the Maxwell Institute. Of particular interest is work done under the auspices of the Laura F. Willes Center for Book of Mormon Studies …

Nibley Lecture Series Presentations Available Online

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

The lecture series “The Work of Hugh W. Nibley: On the 100th Anniversary of His Birth” concluded in April. The videos of each lecture are currently being prepared for availability on our Web site. Presently, video of four of the lectures can be accessed through the Upcoming Events section of the Maxwell Institute home page (maxwellinstitute .byu.edu).

An Early Islamic Challenge To Christian History, D. Morgan Davis

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

One of the great lessons to be drawn from the Islamic world of the Middle Ages is that in order for people of varying faiths and persuasions to coexist peacefully, it is not necessary that significant differences between them be settled or even downplayed. Islamic society was vibrant with debate and ideological rivalry. But there was a framework of tolerance that allowed for these differences while preserving basic modes for coexistence. For example, the Islamic caliphates (beginning in the seventh century and continuing into the early modern period) treated the Jews and Christians living within their domains as ahl al-kitab …

Full Issue

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

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“He Shall Add”: Wordplay On The Name Joseph And An Early Instance Of Gezera Shawa In The Book Of Mormon, Matthew L. Bowen

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

In explaining the prophecies of Isaiah in which his soul delighted, Nephi sets up an intriguing wordplay on the name Joseph. On several occasions he combines segments of Isaiah 11:11 and Isaiah 29:14 to foretell the gathering and restoration of Israel at the time of the coming forth of additional scripture. The most discernible reason for Nephi’s interpretation of these two specific texts in the light of each other is their shared use of the Hebrew verb yāsap, which literally means “to add” but can have the more developed senses to “continue” or “proceed to do” something and “to do …

Early Book Of Mormon Writings Now Online

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

The most extensive collection of writings about the Book of Mormon published between 1829 and 1844 has been made available as an online database. The collection, 19th-Century Publications about the Book of Mormon (1829–1844), includes nearly 600 publications and close to one million words of text. It is intended to comprise, insofar as possible, everything published during Joseph Smith’s lifetime relating to the Book of Mormon. Under the auspices of Digital Collections at Brigham Young University’s Harold B. Lee Library, this ambitious project can be accessed at lib.byu.edu/dlib/bompublications.

Willes Describes Lofty Goals At Fourth Annual Neal A. Maxwell Lecture

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

Mark Willes delivered the fourth annual Neal A. Maxwell Lecture on March 11, 2010. Willes, president and chief executive officer of Deseret Management Corporation, endowed the Laura F. Willes Center for Book of Mormon Studies in 2007 in honor of his wife.

Full Issue

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Jeremiah’S Game, Paul Y. Hoskisson

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

Ancient authors loved to play with their composi­tions much more than we do today. In fact, it was much easier to manipulate words and structure in some ancient languages than it is in Modern English. Ancient writers even played games with the readers of their work. One such ancient Hebrew game is called atbash, and Jeremiah used it quite effectively.

Byu Herculaneum Project Honored With Mommsen Prize

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

On January 11, the 2009 Theodor Mommsen Prize, Section Papirologia Ercolanese, was presented to Steven Booras, senior project manager with the Maxwell Institute’s Center for the Preservation of Ancient Religious Texts and to Brigham Young University for “the production of multispectral images of the Herculaneum Papyri.”

Breakthrough Translation Of Avicenna’S Physics Published, D. Morgan Davis

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

The Middle Eastern Texts Initiative, which pub­lishes texts and accompanying English translations of important works of philosophy, theology, science, and mysticism from the classical Islamic period (roughly the 9th through 14th centuries), has announced the publication of a new title in its Islamic Translation Series. Avicenna: The Physics of The Healing, translated by Jon McGinnis, an associate professor in the Department of Philosophy of the University of Missouri, St. Louis, brings to 16 the total number of volumes pub­ lished by METI in its various series.

Latest Research In Africa

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

See the latest research in Africa relating to social impact.

Full Issue - Africa

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

What is the latest research in Africa related to nonprofits and social impact? Read about the latest research and statistics in Africa along with trusted nonprofits working in Africa.

Quality Nonprofits In Africa

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Read about a few nonprofits working in Africa.

University Archives And Etds: Exploring Best Practices, Cory L. Nimer, Rebecca A. Wiederhold

Faculty Publications

This poster reports on a preliminary study of current best practices for the management of theses and dissertations (TD) by university archivists in the United States. This will include procedural concerns, such as the maintenance of print copies, digital preservation, microfilming, and participation in external databases of TDs. It also begins to explore the relationships between university archives programs and institutional repositories in electronic TD submission/management, and the status of theses and dissertations as student records.

Assessing Our Digital Asset Management System (Contentdm) From The Undergraduate Patron Perspective, Lindsey Memory, Abby Beazer, Rebecca A. Wiederhold, Brent Ellingson

Faculty Publications

COVID underscored the desire of the student population to access library and special collections materials online. After two decades of hosting BYU’s digitized content in the digital asset management system CONTENTdm, we decided in summer 2021 to evaluate its interface for ease of use and reliability. We wanted to determine how our system was performing for an undergraduate population specifically, and to understand the typical undergraduate students’ experience searching for and accessing digitized materials. Our study involved the use of Gen-Z student researchers, who observed undergraduate patrons via a Zoom screenshare. These patrons performed a variety of user tasks and …

Tabletop Extreme-Ultraviolet Source Using High Harmonic Generation For Polarization Sensitive Imaging, Taylor Jordan Buckway

Theses and Dissertations

We are developing a tabletop extreme-ultraviolet source using high harmonic generation at Brigham Young University. The thesis goes over the theory of high harmonic generation using the three-step model. This tabletop source was designed for probing magnetic domains of iron nanoparticles. We present optimization of the 42 eV and 52 eV harmonics through phase matching. Phase matching consists of tuning the intensity of the IR beam and pressure of the gas medium. The target gas medium used for this thesis is argon. The 42 eV harmonic was optimized to 8.2 billion photons per second. This was used with a 1500 …

The Effect Of Two Rate Change Approaches On Speech Movement Patterns, Noelle Marie Lewis

Theses and Dissertations

The current study examined the effect of different rate change approaches on speech movement patterns, including increasing and decreasing speaking rate volitionally, as well as with delayed auditory feedback (DAF). There were 10 participants, five male and five female, with a mean age of 25 years. All were typical speakers. Participants spoke the sentence “Don’t fight or pout over a toy car” under slow, fast and DAF speaking conditions. A total of 5 sensors were glued to each participant’s tongue, teeth, and lips. NDI Wave electromagnetic articulography recorded the articulatory movements from these sensors as the participants spoke. Metrics for …

Contextual Factors Associated With Organizational Learning In Hospitals: An Instrument Development Study, Bret Lyman, Kylie C. Thorum

Faculty Publications

Aim: Develop a valid, reliable research instrument to measure contextual factors associated with organizational learning in hospitals.

Background: A valid, reliable instrument for measuring contextual factors associated with organizational learning is needed so nurse leaders and researchers can improve healthcare by facilitating and studying organizational learning.

Methods: The Organizational Learning in Hospitals model guided development of the Organizational Learning Instrument-Context. Content validity was refined and evaluated through cognitive interviews and expert reviews. The instrument was distributed to direct care nurses in Magnet® hospitals in the United States. Intraclass correlation coefficients validated the use of multilevel analyses. Construct validity was assessed …

Inclusion And Deliberative Dialogues: Exploring Outcomes Of Transformative Experiences For Adolescents, Hadley Robertson

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to explore outcomes of participating in a deliberative dialogue for adolescents. Participants attended a deliberative dialogue facilitated by the primary researcher. After the dialogue, participants completed journal prompts that asked about their experience participating in the dialogue. Results indicated that participation in the dialogues impacted adolescents’ confidence and open-mindedness. Findings also indicated components of atmosphere that contributed to willingness to engage, and strategies participants can use in future conversations. Deliberative dialogues are an avenue for transformative experiences and the data from this study can help experience designers understand these types of experiences for adolescents. …

Full Issue

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Website’S Multimedia Offerings Expand

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

Videos of each lecture from the series “The Work of Hugh W. Nibley” are now available for viewing on the Maxwell Institute website. Speakers include Daniel C. Peterson, Richard L. Bushman, Robert L. Millet, Terry B. Ball, Ann Madsen, Eric D. Huntsman, Marilyn Arnold, Michael D. Rhodes, C. Wilfred Griggs, Alex Nibley, Zina Nibley Peterson, and William A. (Bert) Wilson. Bushman’s video begins with an introduction to the series and an overview of Nibley’s work by Paul Y. Hoskisson. The lectures celebrated the 100th anniversary of Nibley’s birth (27 March 1910).

Byu Hosts Papyrology Summer Institute, Lincoln Blumell

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

This past summer Brigham Young University, in collaboration with the American Society of Papyrologists (ASP), hosted the Seventh International Papyrology Summer Institute (June 20– July 29, 2011). The ASP began hosting these institutes in 2003 and plans to continue through 2015. The objective of the seminar is to teach participants how to read and use papyri and to provide them with the kind of practical experience that would enable them to make productive use of papyrus texts in their own research. Fields of study include Classics, ancient history, Egyptology, archaeology, ancient religions, and biblical studies.

The Perspective Of History, D. Morgan Davis

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

The perspective of history can be sobering, even humbling. Not so recently, two men from the same faith tradition but different perspectives joined in a debate about whether and how a man whom they both acknowledged as a prophet could have seen what he said he saw and be who he claimed to be. As it unfolded, their discussion touched upon many aspects of what it means to have faith in such a person and in his revelations. The role of reason in relation to revelation, the relevance of history to faith, and the connection of language to perception were …

New Mormon Studies Review A Scholarly Feast

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

Emerging from a 22-year tradition of penetrating scholarly reviews and essays is the new Mormon Studies Review. Formerly titled The FARMS Review, it sports a sleeker design and larger format and promises to survey a broader spectrum of topics. In his editor’s introduction, Daniel C. Peterson reprises the Review’s history and attainments during the past two decades. He notes how it will continue to defend LDS scripture and faith claims through the kind of “vigorous and learned discourse” tempered with satire and wit that has set it apart from the beginning.

Full Issue

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Nibley Fellowship Program Assists Rising Scholars

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

The Maxwell Institute sponsors a graduate fellowship program that gives financial aid to students pursuing advanced degrees in fields of special interest to the Institute. Named in honor of the late eminent Latter-day Saint scholar Hugh W. Nibley, this program fosters the next generation of faithful scholars by providing financial aid to students enrolled in accredited PhD programs in areas of study directly related to the work and mission of the Maxwell Institute. Of particular interest is work done on the Bible, the Book of Mormon and other restoration scriptures, early Christianity, and ancient temples.

Dysphemisms, Paul Y. Hoskisson

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

All of us are familiar with puns, wordplays, and the fun such word games provide. Euphemisms, where an objectionable word is replaced by a less objectionable one, are a practical and sometimes amusing aspect of these word games. For example, in the nineteenth century and extending into the twentieth century, the word pregnant seems not to have been common in polite conversation. Instead, euphemisms such as “with child” or “in a family way” were used. I can remember my mother, in hushed conversations, rather than saying “pregnant,” would quietly declare, “She is PG.” This may explain why the large, white …

New Jst Electronic Library Offers Added Features

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

Joseph Smith’s Translation of the Bible: Electronic Library brings together a wealth of information and recent scholarship on Joseph Smith’s translation of the Bible. The electronic library, produced by the Religious Studies Center and the Maxwell Institute, also includes high-resolution images of every page of the original manuscripts, images and transcriptions of the earliest copies made from those manuscripts, and a collection of recently published studies based on the manuscripts. A short introductory essay precedes each manuscript. This collection also includes the entire 851-page book Joseph Smith’s New Translation of the Bible: Original Manuscripts, edited by Scott H. Faulring, Kent …