Religion Commons^™

Review Of "What’S Wrong With Sin? Sin In Individual And Social Perspective From Schleiermacher To Theologies Of Liberation", Brent A. R. Hege

Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS

A review of "What’s Wrong with Sin? Sin in Individual and Social Perspective from Schleiermacher to Theologies of Liberation" by Derek R. Nelson.

Review Of The Conversation Of Faith And Reason: Modern Catholic Thought From Hermes To Benedict Xvi, Jon Nilson

Theology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

The article reviews the book "The Conversation of Faith and Reason: Modern Catholic Thought From Hermes to Benedict XVI," by Aidan Nichols.

Mathematics And Religion: Our Languages Of Sign And Symbol (Book Review), Calvin Jongsma

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

Reviewed Title: Mathematics and Religion: Our Languages of Sign and Symbol by Javier Leach. West Conshohocken, PA: Templeton Press, 2010, 188 pages. ISBN 9781599471495.

Where Mortals Dwell: A Christian View Of Place For Today (Book Review), Mark Tazelaar

Pro Rege

Reviewed Title: Bartholomew, Craig G. Where Mortals Dwell: A Christian View of Place for Today. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2011. 372 pages. ISBN: 9780801036378.

Joseph Smith Papers. Manuscript Revelation Books, Facsimile Edition, Robin S. Jensen, James B. Allen, Robert J. Woodford, Steven C. Harper

BYU Studies

In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, our most precious founding documents are the handwritten manuscripts of the revelations that constitute the scriptures. However, like so many old manuscripts, those that are still extant are not available for public scrutiny, as constant handling could damage and perhaps even destroy them. The next best thing would be a near-perfect, full-size, full-color facsimile that could be examined at will by anyone. That is what the Church Historian's Press has provided with the publication of two manuscript revelation books dating from 1828 to 1834; these books were the basis for the …

Who Chose The Gospels? Probing The Great Gospel Conspiracy, Lincoln H. Blumell, C. E. Hill

BYU Studies

In Who Chose the Gospels? Probing the Great Gospel Conspiracy, C. E. Hill, professor of New Testament at Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, challenges the seemingly pervasive view in scholarship that it was not until the fourth century, when Christian "orthodoxy" began to be firmly entrenched, that the four canonical Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John were selected by the church and raised to a status above all other competing Gospels. Hill argues that while this paradigm has become increasingly widespread in scholarship and is often propagated by the media or in popular culture (as in Dan Brown's The …

The Mormon Menace: Violence And Anti-Mormonism In The Postbellum South, Patrick Q. Mason, Heather M. Seferovich

BYU Studies

Relatively few stories in late nineteenth-century Mormon history are more riveting than those from missionaries serving in the American South. A handful of legendary Mormon personalities served there, such as J. Golden Kimball, B. H. Roberts, and John Morgan. There are countless inflammatory threats of violence, hundreds of instances of physical assault, and even a few murders. Although tragic on many levels, such violent elements are often the foundation of successful films, plays, and books.

The Lonely Polygamist, Brady Udall, Angela Hallstrom

BYU Studies

Brady Udall's The Lonely Polygamist, published in 2010, arrived amid a wave of pop-culture interest in the polygamist lifestyle: HBO's Big Love was gearing up for its finale; TLC's reality show Sister Wives had just hit the airwaves; and real-life stories of Warren Jeffs, child brides, and FLDS compounds were common tabloid fare. Although Udall had been at work on his novel for many years before polygamy became a hot cultural topic, some skeptical readers--Mormon and non-Mormon alike--wondered if the novel's intentions were more sensational than literary. Once reviews began rolling in, however, it became clear that The Lonely Polygamist …

Scribal Culture And The Making Of The Hebrew Bible, Karel Van Der Toorn, Robert L. Maxwell

BYU Studies

Karel van der Toorn, president of the University of Amsterdam and author of numerous books dealing with aspects of the Bible and ancient Israel, claims to have been writing an introduction to the Bible when he discovered that he was writing an altogether different book--an exploration of scribal culture in the Near East as a means to better understand the making of the Hebrew Bible. The developments he studies will be particularly interesting to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, since he explores the generations surrounding the Babylonian exile, including the time of the migration of …

Parley P. Pratt: The Apostle Paul Of Mormonism And Parley P. Pratt And The Making Of Mormonism, Matthew J. Grow, Gregory K. Armstrong, Dennis J. Siler, Edward A. Geary, Terryl L. Givens

BYU Studies

Parley Parker Pratt (1807-1857) was among the most talented and influential figures in the formative period of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Apostle, missionary, theologian, poet, polemicist, pris!oner, explorer, polygamist, and finally, in the view of many, martyr. Pratt was born in central New York State to Jared Pratt--a weaver thrown out of employment in his trade by the Industrial Revolution--and his wife, Charity. Like the Prophet Joseph Smith, who was two years his senior, Parley P. Pratt grew up in a family on the margins of the rural economy. Jared Pratt moved from place to place …

Not Sure (Book Review), James C. Schaap

Pro Rege

Reviewed Title: Suk, John. Not Sure. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2011. 207 pp. ISBN 978-0-8028-6650-9.

Bible Made Impossible: Why Biblicism Is Not A Truly Evangelical Reading Of Scripture (Book Review), Laurence C. Sibley

Pro Rege

Reviewed Title: Smith, Christian. The Bible Made Impossible: Why Biblicism Is Not a Truly Evangelical Reading of Scripture. Grand Rapids: Brazos, 2011. 220pps. ISBN 978-1-58743-303-0.

Recent Books By Palestinian Christians (Book Reviews), Charles Veenstra

Pro Rege

Reviewed Titles: Awad, Alex. Palestinian Memories: The Story of a Palestinian Mother and Her People. Jerusalem: Bethlehem Bible College, 2008. 387pp. ISBN 978-0978-783907. Munayer, Salim J., ed. Journey Through the Storm: Musalaha and the Reconciliation Process. Jerusalem: Musalaha Ministry of Reconciliation, 2011. 275 pp. ISBN 978-965-555-549-3. McRay, Jonathan. You Have Heard It Said: Events of Reconciliation. Eugene, Oregon: Resource Publications, 2011. xi+106 pp. ISBN 978-1-61097-054-9. Ateek, Naim Stifan. A Palestinian Christian’s Cry for Reconciliation. New York: Orbis Books, 2008. xvi+224 pp. ISBN 978-1570-757846. Saada, Tass Abu, with Dean Merrill. Once an Arafat Man: The True Story …

Baptism In The Early Church: History, Theology, And Liturgy In The First Five Centuries, Everett Ferguson, Noel B. Reynolds

BYU Studies

A Restoration emphasis on baptism has distinguished the teaching and practice of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1829 to the present. In contrast to many Christian denominations, the Church does not condone infant baptism sprinkling, nor does it accept baptisms by other Christian groups that do not have the authority restored by John the Baptist to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. A further critical distinction is their insistence that baptismal ordinances are necessary for salvation. Nevertheless, Latter-day Saints are not completely alone in all their views; the Campbellite Churches of Christ also see themselves as a …

Book Review, George L. Mitton

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

In an earlier work entitled In God’s Image and Likeness,1 Jeffrey Bradshaw provided a remarkable commentary on much of the Book of Moses from the Pearl of Great Price, re lating its details to many examples and parallels from ancient literature and summarizing recent scholarly work and com mentary on this important scripture received from the Prophet Joseph Smith.2 Temple Themes in the Book of Moses expands on that commentary in a special way, emphasizing those aspects of the Book of Moses that help explain and illuminate the cus toms, teachings, and ordinances of the temple.

Book Review, Louis C. Midgley

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

Latter-day Scripture is a potpourri of nine essays, eight of which are, as the subtitle of the introduction indicates, “critical studies in the Book of Mormon” (p. 1, emphasis added).1 Price’s title for his e-book, his promotional blurb,2 and his introduction constitute what is sometimes called paratext, ancillary textual matter that an author or publisher can use to manage the way a book will be read by its intended audi ence. Price’s introduction, “The Golden Bible of Joseph Smith” (p. 1, emphasis added), seems to be an effort to coach his po tential readers on how to understand his endeavors. …

Review Of "An Introduction To Christian Theology", Brent A. R. Hege

Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS

A review of "An Introduction to Christian Theology" by Richard J. Plantinga, Thomas R. Thompson, and Matthew D. Lundberg.

One Eternal Round, Hugh W. Nibley, Michael D. Rhodes, Gary P. Gillum

BYU Studies

Hugh Nibley began serious research on One Eternal Round as early as 1988. When Nibley's long-time colleague Michael D. Rhodes took over the project following Nibley's death in 2005, he was faced with thirty boxes of research notes and drafts, 450 computer files, and as many as twenty versions of one chapter. Fortunately, Michael is familiar with most of Nibley's prodigious output, as well as the subjects listed in the preface, which are a reflection of Nibley's mind and interests and which are all within the scope of One Eternal Round.

Throughout Nibley's long career, his critics have seen him …

Dispensation: Latter-Day Fiction, Scott Hales, Angela Hallstrom

BYU Studies

In her preface to Dispensation, Angela Hallstrom writes that "immersing oneself in a completely foreign place or time is one of the fundamental pleasures of reading good literature," which is certainly the lesson I learned from reading Hemingway, Steinbeck, and countless other writers in my teenage years. Even today, I make a habit of reading books by authors of various backgrounds so that my scope does not become too narrow, my worldview too restricted. But, like Hallstrom, I agree that "recognizing oneself in a work of fiction is an exhilarating experience, too." The good news is that I no longer …

Troels Nørager, Taking Leave Of Abraham: An Essay On Religion And Democracy, Colby Dickinson

Theology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

This article reviews the book, Taking Leave of Abraham: An Essay on Religion and Democracy, by Troels Nørager.

Three Prehistoric Inventions That Shaped Us, Glen Nelson

Consensus

Title: Three prehistoric inventions that shaped us Author: David Martel Johnson Publisher: New York: Peter Lang, 2011. ISBN: 9781453901571

The Introduction Of Mormonism To Finnish Society, 1840–1900, Kim Östman, Melvin J. Luthy

BYU Studies

If one were to ask a returned missionary from Finland, or even a member of the Church in Finland, when missionary work began in that country, a likely response would be that it began in 1946, when Elder Ezra Taft Benson dedicated the land for missionary work. The date is well known, and a small monument commemorating the event has been erected in Larsmo, a small town on Finland's northwestern shore. Although many consider missionaries who served in the years immediately following the dedication to be the first missionaries in Finland, there is a general understanding that some members in …

When Souls Had Wings: Pre-Mortal Existence In Western Thought, Jesse D. Hurlbut, James L. Siebach, David B. Paxman, Dana M. Pike, Terryl L. Givens

BYU Studies

Four experts in different branches of study review Terryl L. Givens's expansive new book When Souls Had Wings: Pre-mortal Existence in Western Thought.

Quotidiana, Eric D'Evegnee, Patrick Madden

BYU Studies

Some LDS readers have an intriguing tendency to venerate obviously scholarly research while turning up their noses at what they consider less "academic" work. These readers are missing out on a potentially impactful genre. Eugene England wrote, "It is the personal essay that seems to me to have the greatest potential for making a uniquely valuable Mormon contribution both to Mormon cultural and religious life and to that of others." If that notion is true, reading works like Pat Madden's collection of personal essays, Quotidiana, should be added to our academic diet to refine and broaden the value we place …

Now You See It, Now You Don't: Biblical Perspectives On The Relationship Between Magic And Religion, Shawna Dolansky, David A. Allred

BYU Studies

Defining terms is a foundational task in academic studies, and a clear example of its importance is in the ongoing debates on the relationship between magic and religion. Because of the various ways in which magic has been defined over time and because of the negative connotations that can accompany some definitions, explorations of magic and religion are rife with misunderstanding and ethnocentrism, most famously dating back to the milieu of cultural evolution that characterized nineteenth-century anthropology, especially in the works of Edward B. Taylor and James G. Frazer. However, questions about the relationship between magic and religion go back …

Review Of "Thinking With The Church: Essays In Historical Theology", Brent A. R. Hege

Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS

A review of "Thinking with the Church: Essays in Historical Theology" by B. A. Gerrish.

Hearing The Call: Liturgy, Justice, Church, And World (Book Review), Roger Henderson

Pro Rege

Reviewed Title: Wolterstorff, Nicholas. Hearing the Call: Liturgy, Justice, Church, and World. Eds. Mark R. Gornik and Gregory Thompson. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2011. 440 pages. ISBN 978-0-8028-6525-0.

Herman Dooyeweerd: Christian Philosopher Of State And Civil Society (Book Review), Keith C. Sewell

Pro Rege

Reviewed Title: Chaplin, Jonathan. Herman Dooyeweerd: Christian Philosopher of State and Civil Society. Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press, 2011. 452 pages including bibliography. ISBN-13: 978-0-26802305-8.

Living In God's Two Kingdoms: A Biblical Vision For Christianity And Culture (Book Review), Carl E. Zylstra

Pro Rege

Reviewed Title: Van Drunen, David. Living in God’s Two Kingdoms: A Biblical Vision for Christianity and Culture. Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2010. 208 pages. ISBN 978-1-4335-1404-3.

Understanding The Book Of Mormon: A Reader's Guide, Steven C. Walker, Grant Hardy

BYU Studies

Understanding the Book of Mormon may be the book for a lot of us. As often as we Latter-day Saints have read the Book of Mormon, we may yet read it better, read it with more understanding, if we were to read it with the benefit of the perceptive perspective that Hardy opens up for us with this volume. For all our Book of Mormon enthusiasms and even our critically careful analyses, we may have sometimes shortchanged ourselves in our readings in the same way Oliver Cowdery did in his translating: "Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that …