Religion Commons^™

Temporal Mercies And Eternal Being: Using The Science Of Time To Understand God’S Nature And Our Own, Jared R. Stenson

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

How does God relate to time? How do we? Modern science and revelation offer distinctive and fascinating perspectives to these questions. Specifically, the physical mechanisms underlying time have doctrinal parallels, they appear to be operative at the Fall, and they correlate with several phenomena that make God’s mercy possible.

Nephi’S “Shazer”: The Fourth Arabian Pillar Of The Book Of Mormon, Warren P. Aston

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

Many Book of Mormon students are aware that several locations along Lehi’s Trail through the Arabian Peninsula now have surprising and impressive evidence of plausibility, including the River Laman, Valley of Lemuel, Nahom, and Bountiful. One specific named location that has received much less attention is Shazer, a brief hunting stop mentioned in only two verses. After reviewing the potential etymology of the name, Warren Aston provides new information from discoveries made during field work in late 2019 at the prime candidate for the Valley of Lemuel, discoveries that lead to new understanding about the path to Shazer. Contrary to …

“God Hath Taken Away His Plainness”: Some Notes On Jacob 4:14, Revelation, Canon, Covenant, And Law, Matthew L. Bowen

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

This article examines Jacob’s statement “God hath taken away his plainness from [the Jews]” (Jacob 4:14) as one of several scriptural texts employing language that revolves around the Deuteronomic canon formulae (Deuteronomy 4:2; 12:32 [13:1]; cf. Revelation 22:18‒19). It further examines the textual dependency of Jacob 4:13‒14 on Nephi’s earlier writings, 1 Nephi 13 and 2 Nephi 25 in particular. The three texts in the Hebrew Bible that use the verb bʾr (Deuteronomy 1:5; 27:8; Habakkuk 2:2) — each having covenant and “law” implications — all shed light on what Nephi and Jacob may have meant when they described “plain” …

Faith, Hope, And Charity: The “Three Principal Rounds” Of The Ladder Of Heavenly Ascent1, Jeffrey M. Bradshaw

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

This chapter argues that “the scriptural triad of faith, hope, and charity should be understood as something more than a general set of personal attributes that must be developed in order for disciples to become like Christ. Instead, as part of the ‘guarded tradition of the Apostle’ [Paul] that is transmitted to readers in 1 Corinthians and elsewhere in scripture, these terms have been used to describe a distinct progression of ‘stages in a Christian’s earthly experience.’ The three stages that correlate to faith, hope, and charity were described by Joseph Smith as the ‘three principal rounds’ of a ladder …

The Visions Of Moses And Joseph Smith’S Bible Translation, Kent P. Jackson

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

This contribution focuses on the earliest and one of the most significant chapters of the Book of Moses: Moses 1, sometimes called the “Visions of Moses.” Kent Jackson summarizes the sources available relating to the production of this chapter, illuminating obscure corners of its often misunderstood background with his extensive knowledge of the history, manuscripts, and significance of the Joseph Smith Translation.

The Theology Of C. S. Lewis: A Latter-Day Saint Perspective, Robert L. Millet

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

In this essay, Robert Millet describes the work and impact of C. S. Lewis as it pertains to the Latter-day Saints. He explores possible reasons why Church leaders have felt comfortable quoting Lewis in General Conference more than any other non-Latter-day Saint writer and provides a substantial list of the subjects for which his writings have had special appeal to the Saints. While acknowledging Lewis’ personal faults and the obvious points of difference between his faith and our own, Millet concludes with an expression of gratitude for his “lasting lessons and his noble legacy.”

A Priesthood Restoration Narrative For Latter-Day Saints Believers, Brian C. Hales

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

With ready access to all the documents acquired by the Joseph Smith Papers project, Michael Hubbard MacKay, co-editor of the Joseph Smith Papers’ Documents, Volume 1: July 1828–June 1831, presents a new historical reconstruction of the priesthood restoration in Prophetic Authority: Democratic Hierarchy and the Mormon Priesthood. MacKay summarizes how Joseph Smith’s initial authority was based primarily on charisma drawn from the Book of Mormon translation and his revelations. The transition next to apostolic authority — derived from priesthood keys restored by Peter, James and John — is also detailed. MacKay contextualizes the priesthood as part of Smith’s efforts to …

“We Are A Remnant Of The Seed Of Joseph”: Moroni’S Interpretive Use Of Joseph’S Coat And The Martial Nēs-Imagery Of Isaiah 11:11–12, Matthew L. Bowen

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

Genesis 30:23–24 offers a double etiology for Joseph in terms of “taking away”/“gathering” (ʾāsap) and “adding” (yāsap). In addition to its later narratological use of the foregoing, the Joseph cycle (Genesis 37–50) evidences a third dimension of onomastic wordplay involving Joseph’s kĕtōnet passîm, an uncertain phrase traditionally translated “coat of many colours” (from LXX), but perhaps better translated, “coat of manifold pieces.” Moroni1, quoting from a longer version of the Joseph story from the brass plates, refers to “Joseph, whose coat was rent by his brethren into many pieces” (Alma 46:23). As a military and spiritual leader, Moroni1 twice uses …

Itty Bitty Books With Big Lessons: Enos, Jarom, Omni, Jasmin Gimenez Rappleye

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

Sharon Harris, a professor of English at Brigham Young University, offers an analysis of the theology of the “small books” of Enos, Jarom, and Omni in this next installment of The Book of Mormon: Brief Theological Introductions by the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship. Harris argues that the theology of these small books focuses on the covenant with the Nephites and Lamanites, the importance of genealogy, and the role kenosis plays in several of these Book of Mormon prophets. Harris presents both new and familiar readings of these compact books, providing a fair contribution to their study.

Ayahuasca’S Religious Diaspora In The Wake Of The Doctrine Of Discovery, Roger K. Green

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

‘Ayahuasca’ is a plant mixture with a variety of recipes and localized names native to South America. Often, the woody ayahuasca vine (Banisteriopsis caapi) is combined with chacruna leaf (Psychotria viridis) in a tea, inducing psychedelic effects among its users. While social usage varies among Indigenous Peoples of South America, during the twentieth century new religious movements in Brazil began employing the mixture as religious sacrament. Additionally, various centers for ayahuasca “healing” have emerged both inside and outside of the Amazon Rainforest, frequently with the aim of helping people addicted to other substances. As interest grew, …

Immigration Debates In America (Calvin Shorts), William Katerberg

Calvin Press

Immigration Debates in America begins in the 1830s and 1840s, with campaigns against Irish-Catholic immigration. Then it turns to anti-Chinese legislation (1870s-1920s), immigration policies about Europeans (1880s-1920s), the rejection of Jewish refugees from Hitler's Germany (1930s), the Mexican American border region, and Muslim immigration today.

Review Of Serving The Amish: A Cultural Guide For Professionals By James A. Cates, Carol A. Leibiger

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The Future Of Open Theism: From Antecedents To Opportunities [Review] / Rice, Richard., Martin F. Hanna

Andrews University Seminary Studies (AUSS)

Book Review

Management As A Liberal Art? Exploring The Connections, Laura G. Singleton

Pollard Research Fellowship Papers

Essay exploring Peter Drucker's claim for the field of management as a liberal art, comparing his writing with works on liberal education by John Henry Newman and Martha Nussbaum, and drawing upon examples of management practice from C. William Pollard of ServiceMaster.

Servant Leadership At Servicemaster: A Commitment To Love, Development, And Diversity, Helen H. Chung

Pollard Research Fellowship Papers

In recent years, servant leadership has gained currency as a promising pathway for inclusive organizations, where individuals can experience a sense of belonging and participate in decision-making. Given the framework’s significant attitudinal and behavioral demands, potential servant-leaders may need to consider the costs and benefits of the servant leadership mantle. Drawing from a conservation of resources theory, I propose that both individuals and organizations will increasingly need to consider the personal and environmental conditions (i.e., resource caravans) that support servant leader behaviors. Specifically, I examine servant leadership from a critical lens, asking the question of how women and members of …

"To Bloom In Empty Space": An Introduction And Commentary On The Petichta To Esther Rabbah, Ethan Nosanow Levin

Religious Studies Honors Projects

The petichta to Esther Rabbah (c. 6^th century CE) reflects a pessimistic rabbinic response to the physical and theological displacement of the Jews in an increasingly Christianized Roman Palestine. Using the covenantal curses (specifically Deuteronomy 28 and Leviticus 26) as a frame, the rabbis situate the book of Esther and their current socio-political context into the rabbinic paradigm of the Four Kingdoms, representative of ongoing imperial oppression. According to Esther Rabbah, Jews living under Roman rule–even those in Palestine–are living in a state of “exile” characterized by the ongoing impact of the covenantal curses. For the rabbis, Israel cannot …

Calvin Theological Seminary Forum: January 2020, Julius T. Medenblik, Amanda W. Benckhuysen, Jeffery A. D. Weima, Shannon Jammal-Hollemans

Calvin Theological Seminary Forum (2002- )

Main Features
3 - Hurting Churches & Hurting Pastors by Jul Medenblik
4 - Grief & Doubt in the Christian Life
8 - Christian Triumphalism by Gibson Danjuma
12 - Dementia & Wilderness by Mary L. Vanden Berg

Q&A: The Hurting Church
16 - Are Christians Allowed to Grieve the Death of a Loved One? by Jeffrey A. D. Weima
18 - Where Does Pastoral Care End? by Shannon Jammal - Hollemans
20 - What to Do When Church Leadership Feels Lonely? by Cecil Van Niejenhuis

Calvin Seminary News
22 - Calvin Seminary Names New Canadian Church Relations Liaison: Shawn …

Editorial

Andrews University Seminary Studies (AUSS)

Editorial

Contours Of European Adventism: Issues In The History Of The Denomination On The Old Continent [Review] / Höschele, Stefan, And Chigemezi N. Wogu, Ed., Aleksandar S. Santrac

Andrews University Seminary Studies (AUSS)

Book Review

Mara Pavlovic, Marija Maracic, Josipa Karaca

SICANJE

No abstract provided.

Seek Ye Words Of Wisdom, Stephen D. Ricks, Donald W. Parry, Gaye Strathearn, Shon D. Hopkin

Interpreter Foundation Books

Stephen David Ricks is a professor of Hebrew and cognate learning in the Department of Asian and Near Eastern Languages at Brigham Young University (BYU), where he has taught for almost four decades (1981–). It was at BYU, in a freshman Book of Mormon class, that he first met Shirley Smith. Four years later, after they had both served German- speaking missions (Stephen in Switzerland and Shirley in Southern Germany), they were married in the Provo Utah Temple in 1974. They are now the proud parents of six children—three girls and three boys, all of whom are married—and have twenty …

Spring Hill Missionary Baptist Church, Oakland, University Archives And Special Collections, Prescott Memorial Library, Louisiana Tech University

Manuscript Finding Aids

Church roll, 1850-1907, and minutes, 1878-1907, of an early Union Parish church. [See M-064.]

Oral Creation And The Dictation Of The Book Of Mormon, Brant A. Gardner

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

Visions in a Seer Stone: Joseph Smith and the Making of the Book of Mormon introduces a new perspective in the examination of the construction of the Book of Mormon. With an important introduction to the elements of early American extemporaneous speaking, Davis applies some of those concepts to the Book of Mormon and suggests that there are elements of the organizational principles of extemporaneous preaching that can be seen in the Book of Mormon. This, therefore, suggests that the Book of Mormon was the result of extensive background work that was presented to the scribe as an extended oral …

Jesus’S Courtroom In John, John Gee

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

John Gee gives us a sketch of the divine judgment as presented in the gospel of John. “In John’s gospel, the individual is the defendant; Jesus is the judge; the devil is the prosecuting attorney; and the Holy Ghost is the defense attorney.” Somewhat surprisingly, this model “fits more closely the Roman model of judgment than the Jewish one.” He concludes with a lesson for the reader: “Since all will have to stand before the judgment bar, all of us will need to heed the counsel of our defense attorney.”

Some Notes On Joseph Smith And Adam Clarke, Kent P. Jackson

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

Authors of two recent articles believe they have found evidence that Joseph Smith, in preparing his revision of the Bible, drew ideas from a contemporary Bible commentary by British scholar Adam Clarke. The evidence, however, does not bear out this claim. I believe that none of the examples they provide can be traced to Clarke’s commentary, and almost all of them can be explained easily by other means. The authors do not look at their examples within the broader context of the revisions Joseph Smith made to the Bible, and thus they misinterpret them. Some of the revisions they attribute …

Two Essays On Sustaining And Enlarging The Doctrine, Daniel C. Peterson

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

In a pair of recent books, Patrick Mason and Terryl and Fiona Givens seek to revitalize, reinvigorate, and deepen our understanding of basic terms and concepts of the Restoration. I welcome such efforts, convinced (even where I sometimes quibble) that the conversations they will engender among faithful and committed believers can be very healthy. Now that “the times of refreshing [have] come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:18), it is imperative, both for ourselves and for a world that needs to hear the news, that we not lose sight of the radical freshness of the divine gift and …

Nephi’S Obsession, Or, How To Talk With Nephi About God, Ralph C. Hancock

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

Joseph Spencer’s intimate familiarity with the Book of Mormon text, based upon years of close textual study and informed by a well- developed theological sensibility, is in full evidence in this lead-off volume in Neal A. Maxwell Institute’s new series of books on the various books of the Book of Mormon. Leaving to prophets and apostles the responsibility for “declaring official doctrine,” this new series approaches the book with the tools of the “scholarly practice” of theology. In Spencer’s case at least, his practice is understood to be (1) informed by an emphasis on grace that is skeptical of claims …

Understanding Ritual Hand Gestures Of The Ancient World: Some Basic Tools, David Calabro

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

The ritual use of hand gestures in covenant-making in ancient times is a topic of peculiar interest to Latter-day Saints. In this article, David Calabro summarizes results drawn from his doctoral research, providing readers with some tools to evaluate ancient gestures. The questions he suggests are novel, as is the way they are couched in an organized scheme. The author concludes that Latter -day Saints, who belong to a tradition saturated with ritual gestures, should be among those most educated about them.

Ezekiel's Priestly Imaginary: A Symbolic Or Idolatrous Reality?, Dale Launderville Osb

School of Theology and Seminary Faculty Publications

The images and genres as well as the structure of the Book of Ezekiel aim to promote symbolic thinking in which the reader receives the word of Yhwh as an engagement with the divine Other. Such engagement fosters a priestly imaginary in which the Judean exiles are called to look beyond appearances as they wrestle with the contradictions generated by the exile and the destruction of the Jerusalem temple. The readers, like Ezekiel and the exiles, can become living symbols of Yhwh. Such symbolic thinking will be illustrated through a focus on chaps. 17-20 in which the tensions between individual …

Our Silent News, January-February-March 2020

Our Silent News

A newsletter published for Deaf Catholics in Fort Worth, TX

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