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Paper Memory: A Sixteenth-Century Townsman Writes His World (Book Review), John B. Roney

History Faculty Publications

Book review by John B. Roney.

Lundin, Matthew. Paper Memory: A Sixteenth-Century Townsman Writes His World. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 2012.

Galileo's Muse: Renaissance Mathematics And The Arts (Book Review), Calvin Jongsma

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

Reviewed Title: Galileo's Muse: Renaissance Mathematics and the Arts by Mark A. Peterson. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2011, 336 pages. ISBN 9780674059726.

Joseph Smith, Jesus, And Satanic Opposition: Atonement, Evil, And The Mormon Vision, Steven L. Olsen, Douglas J. Davies

BYU Studies

Douglas J. Davies is one of the most insightful and prolific scholars of Mormonism working today. He is a professor in the Department of Theology and Religion at the University of Durham, UK. Two of his earlier studies--The Mormon Culture of Salvation (2000) and An Introduction to Mormonism (2003)--analyze foundational aspects of Mormonism from an engaging academic synthesis of history, religious studies, cultural studies, literary studies, theology, and philosophy. The breadth and depth of his scholarly background enable him to address new and crucial questions, yielding remarkable insights. For example, The Mormon Culture of Salvation proposes that the plan …

Motherhood And Love: Beyond The Gendered Stereotypes Of Theology, Sandra Sullivan-Dunbar

Theology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

This article reviews the book Motherhood and Love: Beyond the Gendered Stereotypes of Theology, by Cristina Grenholm.

Book Review, Cassandra Hedelius

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

I expected better things from Professor Fink’s book, as it points out on the cover that he started as the son of a “conservative Christian Minister” and ended as a professor of philosophy; such a life journey, made thoughtfully, ought to sow very interesting things to say. His stated purpose is broad: an “orderly,” “even-handed” analysis of the Bible, Koran, Torah, and Book of Mormon. He invites readers to imagine themselves on a jury—one called to impartially evaluate the evidence regarding these sacred works, with minds cleared of presupposition and bias, and required to conclude with completely logical answers to …

The Book Of Mormon: A Biography, Paul C. Gutjahr, Tod R. Harris

BYU Studies

There is something of a paradox prevalent in academic religious studies: in order to consider a community and its traditions objectively, one should not be a member of that community; yet the only way to understand fully and appreciate and therefore faithfully report about the community is to be a member. Many times this contradiction leads to the unfortunate situation where "outsiders" do not report their findings objectively or accurately and thus disappoint those hoping for fair and informative treatment, and where the work of members attempting serious scholarly analysis of their own community is viewed with suspicion and distrust …

Shakers, Mormons, And Religious Worlds: Conflicting Visions, Contested Boundaries, Matthew J. Grow, Stephen C. Taysom

BYU Studies

In Shakers, Mormons, and Religious Worlds, Stephen Taysom, an assistant professor of religious studies at Cleveland State University, has written an intriguing and theoretically rich monograph that compares Shaker and Mormon approaches to religious identity formation and boundary maintenance. Although Shakerism dwindled as a religious movement in the twentieth century, Shakers and Latter-day Saints in the nineteenth century stood out as examples of successful new movements on the American religious scene. Taysom's comparison of Latter-day Saints and Shakers places him within a select group of scholars, most notably Mario DePillis, Lawrence Foster, and Spencer Fluhman, who have studied Shakers and …

Brigham Young, Pioneer Prophet, John G. Turner, Thomas G. Alexander

BYU Studies

John G. Turner, an assistant professor of religious studies at George Mason University, used a novelist's convention by beginning his scholarly biography of Brigham Young near the end of the story. The opening paragraphs take the reader to St. George in 1877 and the dedication of Utah's first temple with the author summarizing Young's sermon.

From the St. George Temple dedication, the author essays on the founding of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The summary includes Joseph Smith's discovery of the gold plates, their translation, and the controversy generated by his ministry.

I recommend this book for …

Exhibiting Mormonism: The Latter-Day Saints And The 1893 Chicago World's Fair, Marian Wardle, Reid L. Neilson

BYU Studies

"There is a natural and overwhelming curiosity to know what manner of creature a real live flesh and blood Mormon is," wrote an 1893 reporter for the Chicago Daily Tribune, quoted by Reid Neilson in his study of the participation by the LDS Church at the 1893 Chicago fair (131). Neilson is a scholar of Mormon religious history and current managing director of the Church History Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He convincingly argues that this participation with the larger world community helped Church leaders understand how they could improve the Church's public image. He …

Sacred Symbols: Finding Meaning In Rites, Rituals, And Ordinances, Alonzo L. Gaskill, Herman Du Toit

BYU Studies

The power and viability of symbolism is often lost on the American psyche and also finds mixed reception by American LDS audiences. It is as if the essential pragmatism of the American spirit militates against the very appearance of ambiguity in all its forms. Symbolism and metaphor comprise the tools-in-trade of skillful meaning making and the explication of profound truths in both word and image. Alonzo Gaskill, a professor of Church history and doctrine at Brigham Young University, makes the observation that Latter-day Saints do not always like symbolism. He references Truman Madsen, who recalled: "I had a built-in hostility …

Book Review, Robert Boylan

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

Bart Ehrman’s works have long been known to Latter-day Saint scholars, including his studies that reveal presumably theologically driven corruptions to various biblical passages; 1 his analysis of writings that some early Christian communities privileged as authoritative, though they never became part of the biblical canon; as well as the diverse nature of early Christianity itself.2 Forgery and Counterforgery may well be another volume by Dr. Ehrman that will be referenced by both LDS and non-LDS interested in the question of alleged pseudepigraphic texts in the New Testament and early Christian literature.

Between Pulpit And Pew: The Supernatural World In Mormon History And Folklore, Curtis Ashton, Michael S. Van Wagenen, W. Paul Reeve

BYU Studies

In an address to a joint meeting of the Utah Historical Society and the Folklore Society of Utah in 1991, folklorist William A. Wilson applauded the two organizations for their cooperation over the previous twenty years and then urged even greater cooperation between history and folklore in Utah over the next twenty years. Between Pulpit and Pew serves as one benchmark for measuring just how seriously a rising generation of historians have taken Wilson's challenge. The editors, Paul Reeve and Michael Van Wagenen, are firmly planted in their chosen discipline, each with an impressive start to developing careers that explore …

David J Cohen, Why O Lord: Praying Our Sorrows (Milton Keynes, Uk: Paternoster, 2013)., Angela Mccarthy

Theology Papers and Journal Articles

No abstract provided.

Cohen, David J. Why O Lord? Milton Keynes, Uk: Paternoster, 2013., Angela Mccarthy

Theology Papers and Journal Articles

No abstract provided.

Review Of Piety And Responsibility: Patterns Of Unity In Karl Rahner, Karl Barth, And Vedanta Decika, Hugh Nicholson

Theology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

The article reviews the book Piety and Responsibility: Patterns of Unity in Karl Rahner, Karl Barth, and Vedanta Desika by John Sheveland.

Hell On The Range: A Story Of Honor, Conscience, And The American West, Daniel J. Herman, Taunalyn F. Rutherford

BYU Studies

In the introduction to Hell on the Range, Daniel Justin Herman informs readers that his account of Arizona's Rim Country War of the 1880s is more than revisionist critique; it is self-critique. Herman, an associate professor of history at Central Washington University, is an Arizonan who, like many growing up in the western United States, was "raised on its romance," and in his youth he viewed "Arizonans--especially cowboys--[as] made of sterner, stronger stuff than people who grew up elsewhere" (xxii). His view of Mormons and Mormonism--an important undercurrent animating much of this book--was informed by his experiences as a non-Mormon …

Review Of "The Church Event: Call And Challenge Of A Church Protestant", Brent A. R. Hege

Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS

A review of "The Church Event: Call and Challenge of a Church Protestant" by Vitor Westhelle.

Review Of "Take My Hand: A Theological Memoir", Brent A. R. Hege

Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS

A review of "Take My Hand: A Theological Memoir" by Andrew Taylor-Troutman.

Still, The Small Voice: Narrative, Personal Revelation, And The Mormon Folk Tradition, Tom Mould, Jacqueline S. Thursby

BYU Studies

Tom Mould is an associate professor of anthropology and folklore at Elon University in Greensboro, North Carolina. He is the author of two books on Choctaw narrative: Choctaw Prophecy: A Legacy of the Future (2003) and Choctaw Tales (2004). He has published articles on varied aspects of generic boundaries and constructed identities and has produced video documentaries for public television on folk art and culture in Indiana, Kentucky, and North Carolina. Mould is particularly focused on the study of oral narrative, and his interest in prophecy and sacred narratives led him to his work with the Latter-day Saints. His book …

Early Mormon Missionary Activities In Japan, 1901–1924, Reid L. Neilson, R. Lanier Britsch

BYU Studies

Reid L. Neilson, PhD, the managing director of the Church History Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is well known among LDS Asian and Pacific scholars as a gifted and productive editor and bibliographer. His research and writing on the history of the Church in Japan is informative, enlightening, and enriching. Although the topic of missionary work in Japan has been written about by other authors, Neilson's book adds much to what has already been written.

In Early Mormon Missionary Activities in Japan, 1901-1924, Neilson has created one of the few LDS books dealing with Mormon …

The Death Of A Disco Dancer; A Sense Of Order And Other Stories; The Scholar Of Moab, Shelah M. Miner, David M. Clark, Jack Harrell, Steven L. Peck

BYU Studies

DAVID CLARK. The Death of a Disco Dancer. Provo, Utah: Zarahemla Books, 2011.

JACK HARRELL. A Sense of Order and Other Stories. Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 2010.

STEVEN L. PECK. The Scholar of Moab. Torrey, Utah: Torrey House Press, 2011.

As an enthusiastic reader of literary fiction and as someone who is fascinated by Mormon culture, I am always on the lookout for works of literary fiction that contain Mormon themes or Mormon characters. While there are always plenty of new romances on the shelves at Deseret Book, and Mormon authors frequently find commercial and critical success writing science …

The Heresy Of Orthodoxy: How Contemporary Culture's Fascination With Diversity Has Reshaped Our Understanding Of Early Christianity, Andreas J. Köstenberger, Michael J. Kruger, Noel B. Reynolds

BYU Studies

Readers interested in the ongoing debate over the reliability of the New Testament texts will find this new book to be an excellent contribution to the defense of those texts. Authors Kostenberger and Kruger are both allied personally and professionally with the contemporary movement that defends the inerrancy of scripture. Andreas J. Kostenberger is Professor of New Testament and Greek and director of PhD and ThM studies at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina. He is the editor of the Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society and is the author of books and articles on biblical texts …

Compromising Scholarship: Religious And Political Bias In American Higher Education, George Yancey, Bruce A. Chadwick

BYU Studies

George Yancey, a professor of sociology at the University of North Texas, has focused his research on racial and ethnic bias. His recent books include Interracial Families: Current Concepts and Controversies and Interracial Contact and Social Change. Yancey's newest study in Compromising Scholarship documents the bias of university faculty against members of various groups. Professor Yancey, aware that scientists, just like other Americans, are hesitant to reveal any prejudice or bias, focused his study on "collegiality" in an attempt to distract respondents from the research interest in bias. Yancey conducted his study via Internet survey and blog analyses in the …

Mathematics Through The Eyes Of Faith (Book Review), Calvin Jongsma

Pro Rege

Reviewed Title: Bradley, James, & Russell Howell. Mathematics through the Eyes of Faith. New York: HarperOne, 2011. viii + 280 pages. ISBN: 978-0-06-202447-3.

Barack Obama: The Story (Book Review), James C. Schaap

Pro Rege

Reviewed Title: Maraniss, David. Barack Obama: The Story. New York: Simon and Schuster, 2012. 672 pp. ISBN 10:1439160406 or 13:978-143916404.

Teaching And Christian Practices: Reshaping Faith And Learning (Book Review), Patricia C. Kornelis

Pro Rege

Reviewed Title: Smith, David. A., and James K. A. Smith, eds. Teaching and Christian Practices: Reshaping Faith and Learning. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2011. 223 pages. ISBN: 978-0-8028-6685-1.

Between Heaven And Earth: Christian Perspectives On Environmental Protection (Book Review), Jeff Ploegstra

Pro Rege

Reviewed Title: Van Dyke, Fred. Between Heaven and Earth: Christian Perspectives on Environmental Protection. Santa Barbara: Praeger, 2010. 237 pages. ISBN 978-0-313-37536-1.

John Owen, Richard Baxter And The Formation Of Nonconformity (Book Review), Keith C. Sewell

Pro Rege

Reviewed Title: Cooper, Tim. John Owen, Richard Baxter and the Formation of Nonconformity. Farnham, England: Ashgate, 2011. 343 pages. ISBN: 9780754663614.

Branding Obamessiah: The Rise Of An American Idol (Book Review), Charles Veenstra

Pro Rege

Reviewed Title: Taylor, Mark Edward. Branding Obamessiah: The Rise of an American Idol. Grand Rapids: Edenridge Press, 2011. 373 pages. ISBN 9781937532918.

Mission-Directed Governance: Leading The Christian School With Vision, Unity, And Accountability (Book Review), Ryan G. Zonnefeld

Pro Rege

Reviewed Title: Stob, Leonard. Mission-Directed Governance: Leading the Christian School with Vision, Unity, and Accountability. Grand Rapids: Calvin Press, 2011. 203 pages. ISBN-978-1937555-01-6.