Religious Education Commons^™

On The Road With Richard Bushman, Grant Wacker

BYU Studies

Richard Bushman invited me to respond to his essay, given my long-standing interest in the Protestant encounter with world religions. With this very short essay of my own, I am pleased to offer a few words of appreciation and thoughts about further inquiries.

Black Sheep, Merrijane Rice

BYU Studies

You don’t want to come to our party,

you say. No one here knows you

even though we all grew up together

in the same home. No one understands

how being with us feels

Paul Sighs Under House Arrest, James Goldberg

BYU Studies

I longed to be with you—

to bask in the warmth of bodies

clustered in a kitchen. Cradled

between two conversations,

sipping wine, waiting up late

for an old friend to arrive.

Assuming Stewardship: Notes On The Recent Transfer From Community Of Christ, Keith A. Erekson, Matthew J. Grow

BYU Studies

On March 5, 2024, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Community of Christ jointly announced that “the responsibility and ownership for the Kirtland Temple (fig. 1), several historic buildings in Nauvoo, and various manuscripts and artifacts” had “officially transferred” between the two churches. In the joint statement of announcement, President Russell M. Nelson observed, “We are deeply honored to assume the stewardship of these sacred places, documents, and artifacts. We thank our friends at Community of Christ for their great care and cooperation in preserving these historical treasures thus far. We are committed to doing the same.” …

The Curse Of The Covenant: The Deuteronomic Curses In The Book Of Mormon, T. J. Uriona

BYU Studies

The ancient Near East had a rich and well-developed covenant tradition that helped to define the relationships between covenant parties. Much like modern contracts, which tend to follow a conventional construction, there is within the ancient Near East tradition a prominent covenant construction known as the suzerain-vassal treaty. Covenant treaties of this type stipulated the conditions of loyalty between a lord or suzerain to the vassal or subject. A major feature of this type of treaty was the promise of blessings as well as the threat of curses. The blessings and curses ensured covenant fidelity and maintained the social and …

Lessons We Can Learn From The Mountain Meadows Massacre, Richard E. Turley Jr.

BYU Studies

The Mountain Meadows Massacre of 1857 has been called the worst incident in Utah, Latter-day Saint, and northwest Arkansas history. I don’t remember the first time I heard about it, but I coauthored my first publication about the atrocity more than thirty years ago, an article on the subject published in a multivolume encyclopedia set issued by Macmillan Publishing Company of New York in 1992.

Ten Views On The Falling Away, John Gee

BYU Studies

Latter-day Saints have long known about the falling away or Apostasy of Christianity from the Church established by Jesus Christ. The two terms both come from 2 Thessalonians 2:3. Falling away is the expression used by the King James translators to render the Greek word apostasia, which came into English as a loan word: apostasy. The terms are thus synonyms for the same thing. The term apostasia was a later form of the classical term apostasis and a more intense form of the term stasis, all of which mean “dissension,” “revolt,” or “rebellion.” The Septuagint uses both the …

Temple Marriages Are Less Likely To End In Divorce: Insights From The B. H. Roberts 2023 Current And Former Latter-Day Saint Survey, Stephen Cranney, Joshua Coates

BYU Studies

It is a commonly held truism that temple marriages are less likely to end in divorce. But is it true? How do we know? The fact is that this popular belief is primarily based on surveys that are now forty to fifty years old. A popular statistic of temple marriages having a 6% divorce rate is cited by the Gospel Topics essay on “Temple Marriage,” which in turn cites an article from the Los Angeles Times. However, the Times article came from a 1985 Church study that used 1981 data, making this 6% number more than forty years out …

Front Matter

BYU Studies

No abstract provided.

What Jesus Didn’T Do: The Discipled Pursuit Of Less, Greg Mckeown

BYU Studies

The soft, muted lighting reflected off wooden pews in a local church building, casting a glow on the faces of leaders gathered for a stake meeting. Among those on the stand was the young bishop of the Sixth-Seventh Ward in the Temple View Stake. Tall, with a commanding presence, he was known for his dedication, but tonight, he felt restless. He had promised to visit an older ward member in the hospital right after this stake meeting was over. As the meeting progressed, he felt a strong impression to leave the meeting and rush to the hospital. The feeling became …

Parental Influence On Adolescent Perfectionism, Jenet Erickson, Olivia Forsberg, Mckenna Schmidt

BYU Studies

I (primary author) will never forget a poignant moment in the mother’s lounge at church when our first child was about nine months old. Two other mothers with younger babies were in the lounge at the same time, and we talked as our babies nursed, then played. As I watched the two younger children crawl around, I became acutely aware that our daughter, who had not yet started to crawl, was clearly behind these other children. A panicky feeling overtook me as I wrestled with what it meant to me that these children appeared to be ahead of mine. I …

Response To Grant Wacker, Richard Lyman Bushman

BYU Studies

As so often happens when Latter-day Saint historians discuss Joseph Smith with their non-LDS compatriots, Grant Wacker wants to welcome Joseph Smith into the company of American prophets, while I insist that Smith is bizarre, strange, and other. Wacker sees Smith as a recognizable figure on the American religious landscape; I see him as an outlander notably because he presented himself initially as a translator. I admit it had never occurred to me to think of Pentecostal speakers in tongues as translators, but of course they were. It seemed a natural connection to Wacker, who is deeply conversant in Pentecostal …

Ward Choir, John Alba Cutler

BYU Studies

We brought no gold to make an offering, no goat, no lamb, no blood on the lintel— only voices.

Like A Fiery Meteor: The Life Of Joseph F. Smith By Stephen C. Taysom, Matthew B. Christensen

BYU Studies

Like a Fiery Meteor: The Life of Joseph F. Smith by Stephen C. Taysom dives into the extraordinary life of Joseph F. Smith, the sixth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Taysom expertly navigates the complexities of Smith’s life, offering readers a comprehensive and insightful biography of this important Church leader.

Empty Spaces, Jolyn Brown

BYU Studies

Sometimes my children slept in his place.

Review: A Word In Season: Isaiah’S Reception In The Book Of Mormon By Joseph M. Spencer, Joshua M. Sears

BYU Studies

This groundbreaking study by Joseph Spencer, who teaches in Religious Education at Brigham Young University, invites both Latter-day Saints and those outside our faith to consider what the Book of Mormon has to say about the relevancy of prophecy and scripture in our modern world.

Appendix

BYU Studies

All unique analyses in the articles “Perfectionism Across Adolescence,” “Parental Influence on Adolescent Perfectionism,” “Perfectionism’s Influence on Adolescent Mental Health,” and “Religion and Perfectionism” were conducted by Justin Dyer. Details of the data collection and analysis are contained in this appendix. All code and detailed outputs are available from Justin Dyer upon request.

Love Is A Law, Not A Reward, Adam S. Miller

BYU Studies

1. Love is the substance of God’s law. As Paul puts it: “If there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself ” (Rom. 13:9). Or, as Jesus summarizes the law: “On these two commandments”—love of God and love of neighbor—“hang all the law and the prophets” (Matt. 22:40). What’s more, this love can’t be treated as a special reward. “Ye have heard that it hath been said,” Jesus acknowledges, “thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies” (Matt. 5:43–44). …

Faith And Stem Education: A Path To Mutual Elevation In Catholic Schools, Michael Szopiak, Matthew Kloser

Journal of Catholic Education

Amidst increasing religious disaffiliation, often due to a perceived tension between faith and the STEM disciplines, Catholic schools provide critical opportunities for young people to recognize how these domains can be mutually elevating. The field, however, lacks guidance as to how this integration should occur in practice. This conceptual paper first provides an overarching framework for how aspects of the Catholic tradition, like Scripture and the Catholic social tradition, can shape traditional educational domains of STEM teaching and learning. Secondly, we provide a heuristic of three criteria for deeply engaging students at the interface of the Catholic faith and the …

Increasing Parent Faith Engagement At A Parish School, Grace Mazza Urbanski

Journal of Catholic Education

Increasing faith engagement among Catholic school shareholders is a priority for school leaders. Catholic school communities can learn from this year-long project with a parish school. Sacred Heart Parish School serves approximately 300 K3-8th grade students. Like many parish schools, Sacred Heart sees a growing number of parents disengaged with the faith life of the parish and school, despite 98% of them being registered parishioners. The parent population enjoys robust and regular social activities, but report they are uncomfortable or uninterested in faith activities. The mission of Sacred Heart Parish School is to nurture “children’s growth in the Catholic faith,” …

Teacher Faith Formation As Response To An “Existential Crisis” In Catholic Schools: Western Canadian Superintendents’ Perspectives, Matt Hoven, Dean Sarnecki, Eugenia Pagotta-Kowalczyk

Journal of Catholic Education

The shortage of teachers who can strongly identify with the religious mission of Catholic schools is at the point of an “existential crisis,” according to a system leader in Catholic schools in Western Canada. Drawing upon exploratory interviews completed with ten chief superintendents (who oversee large school districts), this paper reveals that while school districts offer various forms of faith formation regulating the personal lives of teachers amidst divergences between Church doctrines and social trends is complicated. Because the complexity of teacher faith formation is incredibly difficult to address, we discuss three key areas to renew the state of affairs: …

Augustinian Composition Pedagogy And The Catholic Liberal Arts In The Time Of Generative Ai, Gavin F. Hurley

Journal of Catholic Education

This article proposes a theoretical basis of Augustinian composition pedagogy by tracing the symbiotic relationship between writing and knowing found within St. Augustine’s Letters, The Trinity, Soliloquies, and Confessions and connecting them to modern writing-to-learn composition pedagogies. Given today’s trying times of generative AI, this article argues that Catholic schools revitalize the writing arts in a manner proposed by Augustine—that is, to enrich inward contemplation and outward love for others. In embracing such philosophy of writing and applying it across the disciplines, Catholic schools can enrich their distinctively Catholic liberal arts mission—and ward off dangers found in …

The Sound Of Silence: The Significance Of Nurturing Spirituality, Self-Transformation, And Academic Excellence In Augustinian Schools, William R. Driscoll

Journal of Catholic Education

This article examines silent reflection within the context of Augustinian Catholic schools. Tracing the rich lineage of Augustinian spirituality, it explores how cultivating interiority serves as a transformative practice that fosters spiritual growth, nourishes a deeper understanding of self and others, and compliments academic inquiry. Through a synthesis of theological, educational, and psychological perspectives, this article illuminates the multifaceted benefits of integrating silent reflection into the educational ethos of Catholic schools. Emic descriptions from students, teachers, and leaders provided insights into silent reflection programming designed to enrich the holistic development of students.

The Existential Turn: An Adventist Response, Stephen Yeagley

Journal of Adventist Youth and Young Adult Ministries

Youth ministry has taken several “turns” in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, culminating in the current existential turn. This latest shift acknowledges a more diverse youth demographic (Gen Z) concerned with identity, significance, purpose, belonging, and survival. Numerous existential threats have contributed to this generation’s unprecedented mental health crisis. Nevertheless, members of Gen Z are determined to meet these threats and create the conditions for all to flourish. This paper seeks to articulate a supportive and uniquely Adventist response to the existential turn in the form of Sabbath rest.

Divine Attachment As A Context For Discipleship Transformation In Youth, Kristina Freed

Journal of Adventist Youth and Young Adult Ministries

O ne of the most profound human lifespan needs, especially among youth, is to have a worthy purpose for living. A growing body of research has identified a serious discrepancy between a Christian’s doctrinal and experiential knowledge of God, leading to disengagement from the practice of discipleship. This may be related, in part, to an unfortunate null curriculum rooted in the assumption that believers understand God in such a way that predisposes them to a discipleship lifestyle. This paper suggests that the missing relational context and the discrepancy between doctrinal and experiential knowledge of God may be remedied by an …

Who Has The Most Influence On Your Spirituality?, S. Joseph Kidder, Natalie M. Darisme

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The Priesthood Of Christ From An Eschatological Perspective: A Systematic Theological Reflection On Hebrews, Adriani Rodrigues

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The 180° Symposium 2022 A New Opportunity: Summary, Steve Case

Journal of Adventist Youth and Young Adult Ministries

No abstract provided.

The Power Of The Story, Rogelio Paquini

Journal of Adventist Youth and Young Adult Ministries

When most people ignore the story of Scripture, there needs to be a different approach to reach them for Jesus regarding knowledge of the biblical narrative. The evangelistic system to reach this generation needs to change. The Next BIG Thing in youth ministry is returning to the power of storytelling. To reach this generation it is imperative to practice storytelling, especially the story of the Bible. Our identity as Seventh-day Adventists depends on the strength of our story in connection with prophetic and historical narratives. We get to tell a story of hope, not of disappointment; a story of cooperation …

180° Symposium 2024 Focus Group—Academicians, Rogelio Paquini, Scott R. Ward, Kristina Freed

Journal of Adventist Youth and Young Adult Ministries

No abstract provided.