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Articles 181 - 210 of 326
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Scriptures Through The Jeweler’S Lens, Mark J. Johnson
Scriptures Through The Jeweler’S Lens, Mark J. Johnson
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
Among the many revelatory works of Joseph Smith, members and scholars alike seem to give lesser attention to what is found in the Pearl of Great Price. In The Pearl of Greatest Price, Terryl Givens and Brian Hauglid attempt to provide some of the attention that has been lacking. The result is a book that, while spotty in places, provides a good resource that should receive wide exposure in academic circles. Believing members, on the other hand, may find the book lacking or downright questionable because of the secular approach it takes to dealing with scripture understood to have a …
An Other Approach To Isaiah Studies, Joshua M. Sears
An Other Approach To Isaiah Studies, Joshua M. Sears
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
A recent review of Joseph M. Spencer’s book The Vision of All: Twenty-Five Lectures on Isaiah in Nephi’s Record made the case that the book contains several challenges and problems, in particular that it advocates a theologically deficient interpretation of Isaiah that denies Isaiah’s witness of Jesus Christ. This response provides an alternative reading of Spencer’s work and suggests these assertions are often based on misunderstanding. At stake in this conversation is the question of whether or not there is more than one valid way to read Isaiah that draws upon a faithful, Restoration perspective. While Spencer may interpret and …
“We May Not Understand Our Words”: The Book Of Abraham And The Concept Of Translation In The Pearl Of Greatest Price, John S. Thompson
“We May Not Understand Our Words”: The Book Of Abraham And The Concept Of Translation In The Pearl Of Greatest Price, John S. Thompson
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
In recent years there has been an effort among some scholars to make sense of the historical sources surrounding Joseph Smith’s claims to be a translator of ancient records. Terryl Givens, with some assistance from Brian Hauglid, has explored the evidence surrounding the Book of Abraham and suggests that, in this case, Joseph Smith may not have translated an ancient record of Abraham’s writings into English as typically believed in the Latter-day Saint community. Consequently, Givens provides four alternative ways the work of “translating” may have been understood or practiced by the Prophet and his scribes. This essay highlights some …
It Came From Beyond, Daniel C. Peterson
It Came From Beyond, Daniel C. Peterson
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
The early Latter-day Saints viewed the Book of Mormon not only as a symbol of Joseph Smith’s prophetic calling but also as the most powerful evidence for that calling. However, perhaps because they were ardent believers in the Bible who had been formed in a distinctly Bible-drenched culture and perhaps also because many of them had come to the Book of Mormon relatively late in their lives, they tended to quote from the Nephite record only rarely. Surprisingly, this was the case even for Joseph Smith himself — which can be taken as a sign that he didn’t write the …
Table Rules: A Response To Americanist Approaches To The Book Of Mormon, Kevin Christensen
Table Rules: A Response To Americanist Approaches To The Book Of Mormon, Kevin Christensen
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
Americanist Approaches to The Book of Mormon is an ambitious collection of essays published by Oxford University Press. By “Americanist” the editors refer to their preferred mode of contextualization: to situate the Book of Mormon as a response to various currents of nineteenth- century American thought. The “table rules” in this case determine who gets invited to the table and what topics can be discussed, using what types of evidence. The approach is legitimate, and the contributors offer a range of interesting perspectives and observations. Several essays base their arguments on the notion that the Book of Mormon adapts itself …
Ascending Into The Hill Of The Lord: What The Psalms Can Tell Us About The Rituals Of The First Temple, David J. Larsen
Ascending Into The Hill Of The Lord: What The Psalms Can Tell Us About The Rituals Of The First Temple, David J. Larsen
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
In this article, the author attempts to shed light on practics alluded to in the Psalms that may have formed part of the ritual system and theology of Solomon’s original temple. He describes various aspects of the ritual system of pre-exilic Israel, including pilgrimage, questioning at the gates, epiphany, and royal rites. In the culmination of these rites, the king, who likely led the procession up to the temple, was enthroned on or beside the Lord’s own throne and transformed or “reborn” as a Son of God, appearing before the people in glorious fashion as the representative of Yahweh
Count Your Many Mormons: Mormon’S Personalized And Personal Messages In Mosiah 18 And 3 Nephi 5, Nathan J. Arp
Count Your Many Mormons: Mormon’S Personalized And Personal Messages In Mosiah 18 And 3 Nephi 5, Nathan J. Arp
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
The present work analyzes the narrative art Mormon employs, specifically Mormon’s unique strategies for personalized and personal messaging, which can be seen in how Mormon connects the narration of the baptism at the waters of Mormon in Mosiah chapter 18 with his self- introductory material in 3 Nephi chapter 5. In these narratives, Mormon seems to simultaneously present an overt personalized message about Christ and a covert personal connection to Alma1 through the almost excessive repetition of his own name. Mormon discreetly plants evidence to suggest his intention for the careful re-reader to discover that Mormon was a 12th generation …
The Lady At The Horizon: Egyptian Tree Goddess Iconography And Sacred Trees In Israelite Scripture And Temple Theology, John S. Thompson
The Lady At The Horizon: Egyptian Tree Goddess Iconography And Sacred Trees In Israelite Scripture And Temple Theology, John S. Thompson
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
John S. Thompson explores scholarly discussions about the relationship of the Egyptian tree goddess to sacred trees in the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and the temple. He describes related iconography and its symbolism in the Egyptian literature in great detail. He highlights parallels with Jewish, Christian, and Latter-day Saint teachings, suggesting that, as in Egyptian culture, symbolic encounters with two trees of life — one in the courtyard and one in the temple itself — are part of Israelite temple theology and may shed light on the difference between Lehi’s vision of the path of initial contact with Tree …
The Tabernacle: Mountain Of God In The Cultus Of Israel, L. Michael Morales
The Tabernacle: Mountain Of God In The Cultus Of Israel, L. Michael Morales
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
In this article, Michael Morales considers how the building of the Tabernacle had been pre-figured from the earliest narratives of Genesis onward. It describes some of the parallels between the creation, deluge, and Sinai narratives and the tabernacle account; examines how the high priest’s office functions as something of a new Adam; and considers how the completed tabernacle resolves the storyline of Genesis and Exodus, via the biblical theme of “to dwell in the divine Presence.”
Full Issue
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
No abstract provided.
Times Of Reckoning And Set Times In Abraham 3, J. Ward Moody
Times Of Reckoning And Set Times In Abraham 3, J. Ward Moody
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
The third chapter of Abraham considers two types of times regarding the moon, the earth, and the planets: “times of reckoning” and “set times.” A straightforward interpretation of these two times, if correct, sheds light on the cosmology known to Abraham. “Times of reckoning” may be understood as the times of celestial movements directly observed or reckoned by someone standing on the surface of the earth. These times would most likely be synodic, meaning the motion being considered is referenced to the sun, but they could also be sidereal, meaning referenced to the stars. Observed from the earth’s surface, times …
Full Issue
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
No abstract provided.
Conclusions In Search Of Evidence, John Gee
Conclusions In Search Of Evidence, John Gee
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
Riess’s book surveying the beliefs and behaviors of younger members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was supposed to compare the attitudes of younger generations with those of older generations. Unfortunately, flaws in the design, execution, and analysis of the survey prevent it from being what it was supposed to be. Instead the book is Riess’s musings on how she would like the Church to change, supported by cherry-picked interviews and an occasional result from the survey. The book demonstrates confusion about basic sampling methods, a failure to understand the relevant literature pertaining to the sociology of …
Full Issue
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
No abstract provided.
“That Which They Most Desired”: The Waters Of Mormon, Baptism, The Love Of God, And The Bitter Fountain, Matthew L. Bowen
“That Which They Most Desired”: The Waters Of Mormon, Baptism, The Love Of God, And The Bitter Fountain, Matthew L. Bowen
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
Paronomasia in the Hebrew text of Exodus creates narrative links between the name Miriam (Mary) and the “waters” (mayim) of the Re[e]d Sea from which Israel is “pulled” and the nearby “bitter” waters of Marah. Nephi sees Mary (Mariam), the mother of Jesus, associated with the “love of God,” and thus to both “the tree of life” and “the fountain of living waters” (1 Nephi 11:25) vis-à-vis “the fountain of filthy water” (1 Nephi 12:16). Mormon was named after “the land of Mormon” (3 Nephi 5:12). He associates his given name with “waters,” which he describes as a “fountain of …
“Come Unto Me” As A Technical Gospel Term, Noel B. Reynolds
“Come Unto Me” As A Technical Gospel Term, Noel B. Reynolds
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
The Book of Mormon repeatedly outlines a six-part definition of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but most writers within the book refer to only two or three of them at a time in a biblical rhetorical device called merismus. Throughout the scriptures, the term “come unto Christ” in its many forms is used as part of these merisms to represent enduring to the end. This article examines the many abbreviations of the gospel, connects the phrase “come unto Christ” with enduring to the end, and discusses some of the alternate uses of these types of phrases.
Messengers Of The Covenant: Mormon’S Doctrinal Use Of Malachi 3:1 In Moroni 7:29–32, Matthew L. Bowen
Messengers Of The Covenant: Mormon’S Doctrinal Use Of Malachi 3:1 In Moroni 7:29–32, Matthew L. Bowen
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
Although not evident at first glance, shared terminology and phraseology in Malachi 3:1 (3 Nephi 24:1) and Moroni 7:29–32 suggest textual dependency of the latter on the former. Jesus’s dictation of Malachi 3–4 to the Lamanites and Nephites at the temple in Bountiful, as recorded and preserved on the plates of Nephi, helped provide Mormon a partial scriptural and doctrinal basis for his teachings on the ministering of angels, angels/messengers of the covenant, the “work” of “the covenants of the Father,” and “prepar[ing] the way” in his sermon as preserved in Moroni 7. This article explores the implications of Mormon’s …
The Māori Latter-Day Saint Historical Narrative: Additions And Amendments, Louis Midgley
The Māori Latter-Day Saint Historical Narrative: Additions And Amendments, Louis Midgley
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
Selwyn Kātene has again assembled twelve essays written by the descendants of famous Māori Latter-day Saints. This volume flows from a revival of interest in the ground and content of the faith of early Māori Saints that began in the late 1990s. In various ways the essays in this volume add to and amend what has previously been known about what began unexpectedly on Christmas Day in 1882, when the first group of Māori joined the Church of Jesus Christ. Not only did the Māori have Seers who opened the way, some of those elite Māori men, who had been …
Full Issue
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
No abstract provided.
Procedural Violations In The Trial Of The Woman Taken In Adultery, Steven T. Densley Jr.
Procedural Violations In The Trial Of The Woman Taken In Adultery, Steven T. Densley Jr.
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
The story in John 8 of the woman taken in adultery is sometimes used to argue that Jesus was lenient toward sin and that we should be too. However, when placed in its broader context, we can see the story is not one in which Christ shows indifference or contempt for the law, but rather utmost respect for it.
Read This Book: A Review Of The Maxwell Institute Study Edition Of The Book Of Mormon, Brant A. Gardner
Read This Book: A Review Of The Maxwell Institute Study Edition Of The Book Of Mormon, Brant A. Gardner
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
The Maxwell Institute Study Edition of the Book of Mormon is an important tool for personal and class study of the Book of Mormon. Not only does it provide a better reading experience, it has important features that enhance study.
Feasting On The Book Of Mormon, Stephen O. Smoot
Feasting On The Book Of Mormon, Stephen O. Smoot
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
The Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship has recently published a new study edition of the Book of Mormon. Edited by Grant Hardy, the Maxwell Institute Study Edition (MISE) incorporates important advances in Book of Mormon scholarship from the past few decades while grounding the reader’s experience in the text of the Book of Mormon. The reformatted text presented in the MISE improves the readability of the Book of Mormon, while footnotes, charts, bibliographies, and short explanatory essays highlight the strides made in recent years related to Book of Mormon scholarship. The MISE is a phenomenal edition of the …
Campbellites And Mormonites: Competing Restoration Movements, Roseann Benson
Campbellites And Mormonites: Competing Restoration Movements, Roseann Benson
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
: In October 1830, Oliver Cowdery, Peter Whitmer Jr., Parley P. Pratt, and Ziba Peterson were the first missionaries sent to travel through the western states to the Indian territory at the far reaches of the United States. Pratt, a former resident of northeastern Ohio, suggested they stop in the Kirtland, Ohio, area and visit his preacher friend, Sidney Rigdon. It was Rigdon who had earlier convinced Pratt that the restoration of the ancient order that included faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism for the remission of sins, and the promise of the gift of the Holy Spirit could be …
The Record Of My Father, Clifford P. Jones
The Record Of My Father, Clifford P. Jones
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
In 1 Nephi 1:16–17, Nephi tells us he is abridging “the record of my father.” The specific words Nephi uses in his writings form several basic but important patterns and features used repeatedly by Nephi and also by other Book of Mormon writers. These patterns and features provide context that appears to indicate that Nephi’s abridgment of Lehi’s record is the third-person account found in 1 Nephi 1:4 through 2:15 and that Nephi’s f irst-person account of his own ministry begins in 1 Nephi 2:16.
Prospering In The Land: A Comparison Of Covenant Promises In Leviticus And First Nephi 2, Kerry Muhlestein
Prospering In The Land: A Comparison Of Covenant Promises In Leviticus And First Nephi 2, Kerry Muhlestein
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
A careful examination of the Abrahamic covenant, as contained in Leviticus 26, and the covenant established with the Lehites during their exodus to the New World, found in 1 Nephi 2, shows deliberate similarities. These similarities are important to understand, as the role of covenant is central in both ancient Israelite practice and current Latter-day Saint theology.
Recent Reflections While Partaking Of The Sacrament, Daniel C. Peterson
Recent Reflections While Partaking Of The Sacrament, Daniel C. Peterson
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
Sometimes, obedience to the principles of the Gospel and tending faithfully to our stewardships can seem — and can be — a burden. Moreover, we mortal humans are fallible and weak, and we’re free. Accordingly, I’m convinced that the Father (a supremely masterful strategist and tactician) builds in redundancies so as to ensure that his purposes will be achieved even when his mortal servants falter. At the very heart of his plan, though, there could be no redundancy. Only one person could do what absolutely, desperately, needed to be done.
Seeing Psalms As The Libretti Of A Holy Drama, Janet Ewell
Seeing Psalms As The Libretti Of A Holy Drama, Janet Ewell
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
Psalms was the favorite Old Testament book at Qumran and in the New Testament; the Book of Mormon contains more than three dozen allusions to Psalms. While Psalms contains both powerful, poetic words of comfort and doctrinal gems, many psalms also seem to careen between praise, warning, comfort, military braggadocio, and humility, sometimes addressing the Lord, sometimes speaking in the voice of the Lord or his prophets. The texts that most strongly exhibit such abrupt shifts may yield greater meaning if they are read as scripts or libretti of a sacred, temple- based drama.
Translating The New Testament For Latter-Day Saints, Stephen O. Smoot
Translating The New Testament For Latter-Day Saints, Stephen O. Smoot
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
A new translation of the New Testament by Thomas A. Wayment, a professor of Classics at Brigham Young University, offers Latter-day Saints a fresh look at this volume of scripture. Accompanying the translation are study notes that touch on historical, textual, and other items of importance in any critical reading of the New Testament. Wayment’s new edition should prove a helpful aid to Latter-day Saint readers wishing to get more out of their study of the New Testament.
A Precious Resource With Some Gaps, Jeffrey Dean Lindsay
A Precious Resource With Some Gaps, Jeffrey Dean Lindsay
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
The publication of high-resolution documents and carefully prepared transcripts related to the origins of the Book of Abraham in The Joseph Smith Papers, Revelations and Translations, Volume 4: Book of Abraham and Related Manuscripts is a remarkable achievement that can help students of Church history and of the Book of Abraham explore many aspects of that volume of scripture for themselves. The book, especially when coupled with the resources and advanced interface of the Joseph Smith Papers website, will provide lasting value for scholars, students, and anyone wishing to better understand the Book of Abraham and its complex origins. However, …
“And They Shall Be Had Again”: Onomastic Allusions To Joseph In Moses 1:41 In View Of The So-Called Canon Formula, Matthew L. Bowen
“And They Shall Be Had Again”: Onomastic Allusions To Joseph In Moses 1:41 In View Of The So-Called Canon Formula, Matthew L. Bowen
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
Moses 1:41 echoes or plays on the etymological meaning of the name Joseph — “may he [Yahweh] add,” as the Lord foretells to Moses the raising up of a future figure through whom the Lord’s words, after having been “taken” (away) from the book that Moses would write, “shall be had again among the children of men.” Moses 1:41 anticipates and employs language reminiscent of the so-called biblical canon formulas, possible additions to biblical texts meant to ensure the texts’ stability by warning against “adding” or “diminishing” (i.e., “taking away”) from them (e.g., Deuteronomy 4:2; 5:22 [MT 5:18]; 12:32 [MT …