Digital Commons Network^™

Gold & Jewelry: From Ancient Egypt To Hip-Hop, Ashley Kay Randle

COD Library Student Research and Award Symposium

Gold & Jewelry: From Ancient Egypt to Hip-Hop, argues that the importance, value, and sentiment of jewelry in ancient Egypt, is found in hip-hop culture. In ancient Egypt, all classes of Egyptians owned some gold or jewelry. As a religious practice, Egyptians wore jewelry for physical and spiritual protection. They even buried their dead with jewelry for protection in the afterlife. Today, similar importance is seen in Hip-Hop culture. In addition to jewelry being a status symbol for rappers, it is a way for them to express their religion, respect their dead, and express their sense of self-identity as successful …

The Adaptive Radiation And Convergent Evolution Of Island Lizards, Britney Nakhammouane

COD Library Student Research and Award Symposium

The genus Anolis comprises of species of iguanian lizards called anoles that have vastly diversified to over 400+ species. Looking specifically at those that inhabit the islands of the West Indies, this genus has remarkably evolved where they have undergone adaptive radiation on each island, much like Darwin’s finches on the Galapagos islands, and have convergently evolved to similar characteristics as described by different ecomorph classes. In examining the evolution of the genus Anolis on the islands of the West Indies, this paper goes into detail the factors that go into adaptive radiation and convergent evolution.

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Susan …

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 …

New Book Features Scholarship On Tree Of Life

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

The tree of life, an ancient and richly evocative symbol found in sacred art, architecture, and literature throughout the world, is the intriguing subject of a new book published by the Maxwell Institute and Deseret Book: The Tree of Life: From Eden to Eternity, edited by BYU professors John W. Welch and Donald W. Parry.

Full Issue

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

No abstract provided.

Latest Review Takes Up Church Media, Promised Land, Teen Religiosity, And More

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

The latest issue of the FARMS Review (volume 22, number 2), which appeared at the end of 2010, features a transcript of last year’s Neal A. Maxwell Lecture given by Mark H. Willes, president and CEO of Deseret Management Corporation. Willes illustrates the kind of creative thinking required for the LDS Church’s media outlets to eventually reach hundreds of millions of people worldwide. For a full report of this lecture, see Insights 30/2 (2010).

Syriac Manuscripts From The Egyptian Desert, Carl Griffin

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

The birthplace and spiritual heart of Christian monasticism is the Nitrian Desert of Egypt and the long, shallow valley of Scetis (Wadi el-Natrun). It was to here, from the fourth century onwards, that Macarius the Great and others of the sainted desert fathers retreated from the world, devoting their lives to worship and prayer. While some monks chose to live in isolation as hermits, many others banded together to establish the first monasteries, building churches for worship and libraries for study.

Dead Sea Scrolls Is Topic Of New Volume, Kristian S. Heal

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

Volume 2 (2010) of Studies in the Bible and Antiquity promises to be a significant contribution to the ongoing Latter-day Saint scholarly conversation on the Dead Sea Scrolls. This volume features essays from Donald W. Parry, Dana M. Pike, and Andrew C. Skinner, all of whom have served on the international team of editors of the Dead Sea Scrolls and have helped produce several of the 40 volumes in the Discoveries in the Judaean Desert series.

Two New Volumes Added To Book Of Abraham Series

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

Two new volumes in the Studies in the Book of Abraham series emphasize the Maxwell Institute’s continued interest in advancing research on the Book of Abraham and will offer scholars and others useful tools for their study.

On-Demand Printing, M. Gerald Bradford

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

The Maxwell Institute makes every effort to keep most of the books we produce and publish, either on our own or with others, in print. At the same time, we face increasing costs to do this. Many of our recent books (and all of our periodicals) are available digitally, and we are working to ensure that our past titles will be available both digitally and in print. In the future our publications, includ- ing our periodicals, will come out in both formats.

Full Issue

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

No abstract provided.

New Byu Booth Debuts At Aar/Sbl Conference

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

In November, the Maxwell Institute teamed up with BYU Studies and the Reli- gious Studies Center to launch a new booth at the American Academy of Religion/Society for Biblical Literature annual meeting. The booth was designed by students and faculty at the BYU Adlab.

Journal Of The Book Of Mormon And Other Restoration Scripture: New Issue Released

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

The second issue of the Journal of the Book of Mormon and Other Restoration Scripture for 2012 features five articles that delve into aspects of words in the Book of Mormon. The cover design reflects that unifying theme and presents word in various languages and scripts.

Swensen Mentorships Awarded

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

The Russel B. Swensen Endowed Mentorship Fund was established by a generous gift from Elder Robert C. Gay to honor the BYU professor who was much beloved by Elder Gay’s father, William (Bill) Gay. The Swensen mentorships give students the opportunity to work with faculty at the Maxwell Institute in a mentored research environment. This year, Aubrey Brower and Emily Bateman were awarded mentorships to work on research projects with Kristian S. Heal, PhD, director of the Center for the Preservation of Ancient Religious Texts.

New Issue Of Studies In The Bible And Antiquity

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

Articles in the latest issue of Studies in the Bible and Antiquity range from the study of ancient Mesopotamian art to a contemporary meditation on one of Jesus’s most famous parables.

Maxwell Institute Announces Nibley Fellows

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

Named in honor of the late Latter-day Saint scholar Hugh W. Nibley, the Maxwell Institute’s Nibley Fellowship Program is intended to help foster the next generation of faithful scholars by providing financial aid to students enrolled in accredited doctoral programs in areas of study related to the work and mission of the institute, including study of the Bible, early Christianity, the Book of Mormon and other restoration scriptures, and Mormon studies.

Lectures & Events

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

BYU Professor James Faulconer will give the Laura F. Willes Book of Mormon Lecture for 2012–13 on “Sealings and Mercies: Moroni’s Final Exhortation in Moroni 10.” The lecture will be held on Tuesday, January 15, 2013, at 7:00 PM in the Gordon B. Hinckley Alumni and Visitors Center at Brigham Young University.

“Another Holy Land” Maxwell Institute Development Council Visits Turkey, Kristian Heal

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

In September, Morgan Davis, Daniel Peterson, and I led a development council tour through some of Turkey’s most remarkable religious sites. In doing so, we followed in the footsteps of a fifth-century abbott called Daniel, who was told not to go to Jerusalem as he had planned, but instead to “go to Byzantium and you will see a second Jerusalem!” Daniel did indeed go to Byzantium, or Constantinople as it was called then, and found a city filled with Christian sites. Fifteen hundred years later, Maxwell Institute friends and scholars descended on Turkey to ex- plore the ancient ruins and …

Moses, Captain Moroni, And The Amalekites, Matthew Roper

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

After Israel’s deliverance from Egyptian bondage and crossing of the Red Sea, another enemy, the Amalekites, attacked the camp on its pilgrimage to worship God at Sinai. Moses, in response to this cowardly act, directed Joshua to fight them. For his part, Moses would stand atop a nearby hill holding the rod of God. “And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.” Moses, however, was tired and could not always keep his hands up, so “Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on …

Origins Of Les Miserables, Fiona Lashmet

COD Library Student Research and Award Symposium

This essay examines the internal and external influences of Victor Hugo's 1862 novel Les Misérables. Les Misérables was written over a period of 17 years as a result of the great upheavals and struggles of the 19th century that Hugo observed throughout his life. Far from only being a social novel, Les Misérables incorporates Hugo's religious philosophy as its framework and recontextualizes the French Revolution and the ensuing tumultuous 19th century as part of a greater narrative of the French nation and the evolution of humanity.

Faculty Sponsor: Timothy Henningsen

Importance Of Failure, Destiny Belzey

COD Library Student Research and Award Symposium

Have you ever struggled with creating something and then it didn't quite work out as planned? If so, that's okay, failure is an important part of life, as it leads you to success and I'm here to tell you why failure is so important. In my presentation, I will explain how my English class found out that failure isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but rather a lesson to learn from. I will also mention what exactly led to us learning this important lesson and how it urged us to keep moving forward.

Faculty Sponsor: Steven Accardi

The Impact Of Social Media Reviews On Restaurant Business, Surendra Rawat

COD Library Student Research and Award Symposium

The aim of my study was to find out what changes are taking place in the restaurant industry due to social media reviews. I examined eleven scholarly articles and selected five practical experts in the restaurant business to understand whether social media reviews can determine the future of a restaurant. Whether even bad reviews can be helpful in fixing a restaurant’s problems. My research focused on how reviews are written, what motivates positive reviews and what causes negative reviews. Restaurant reviews are not flawless, but they have nevertheless contributed to reshape the restaurant industry, and will certainly continue to have …

Full Issue

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

No abstract provided.

Gerrit Bos Lecture Series

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

The Maxwell Institute is proud to sponsor a lec- ture series at Brigham Young University by Dr. Gerrit Bos, editor and translator of the Medical Works of Moses Maimonides and chair of the Martin-Buber-Institut at Cologne University.

Kristian Heal Appointed Director Of Advancement

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

Dr. Kristian Heal has been appointed to serve as the Maxwell Institute’s new director of advancement (fundraising). He succeeds in this position Professor Daniel C. Peterson, who has elected to step down and return to full-time teaching as professor of Arabic and Islamic studies in BYU’s Department of Asian and Near Eastern Languages. Professor Peterson will continue to serve as editor-in-chief of the Institute’s Middle Eastern Texts Initiative series.

Third Nephi: An Incomparable Scripture— Proceedings Of A Willes Center Symposium

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

The personal appearance of Jesus Christ as recorded in the book of 3 Nephi constitutes the narrative and spiritual climax of the Book of Mormon. Although the sacred account repeats and reinforces many of the Savior’s Old World teachings, many aspects of his New World ministry have no parallel elsewhere in scripture. In this light, Third Nephi: An Incomparable Scripture is a fitting title for a new book published by the Maxwell Institute and Deseret Book.

Joseph Bonyata Hired As Director Of Production

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

We are pleased to announce that we have recently hired Joseph Bonyata as our director of publication production. Joe started his career in book publishing at Fortress Press in Minneapolis, a leading publisher in biblical studies and theology. As managing editor at Fortress, Joe was responsible for over 60 new titles a year and oversaw the digital publication of the 55 volumes of Martin Luther’s Works, as well as a new translation of the foundational book of Lutheranism, The Book of Concord. Joe also headed the team that initially developed fortresspress.com. After Fortress, he published books on “planes, trains, and …