Religious Education Commons^™

Dating The Birth Of Christ, Jeffrey R. Chadwick

BYU Studies

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has taken no official position on the exact date of Christ's birth. In his 1915 classic Jesus the Christ, Elder James E. Talmage maintained that Jesus Christ was born on April 6 in the year 1 BC. Talmage was apparently the first LDS writer to propose this particular date. Nearly a century has passed since his book appeared, and in that time it has become practically axiomatic among Latter-day Saints that Jesus was born on April 6 in that year. Two other Apostles, President J. Reuben Clark and Elder Bruce R. …

Leisure In The Life Of The 21st Century Black Church: Re-Thinking The Gift, Steven N. Waller Ph.D.

Movement and Being: The Journal of the Christian Society for Kinesiology, Leisure and Sports Studies

Scholarship devoted to examining the role that leisure plays in the life of the Black Church is lacking. Leisure is an important facet of congregational life in African American churches and permeates congregational dynamics on multiple levels. The purpose of this essay is to examine leisure in the life of the Black Church and posit how a healthy, theologically accurate understanding of the value of leisure can help with health and wellness promotion, community-economic development and church growth. The Black Church is defined as the eight historically Black denominations: African Methodist Episcopal, African Methodist Episcopal Zion, Christian Methodist Episcopal, Church …

Clocks Have Not Stopped, Norma S. Bowkett

BYU Studies

No abstract provided.

Halldor Laxness And The Latter-Day Saints: The Story Behind The Novel Paradisarheimt, Fred E. Woods

BYU Studies

On the fiftieth anniversary of the publication of Halldor Laxness's Mormon-themed novel Paradisarheimt (Paradise Reclaimed), BYU professor Fred E. Woods tells the story of how the Nobel-prize winning author became interested in the topic of Mormon Icelandic immigration to Utah. Woods shares correspondence between Laxness and Latter-day Saints, thus portraying the friendships that developed as Laxness visited Utah for book research and continued to write to his friends for more information. Woods compares stories of real Icelandic Mormon immigrants with the fictional characters in Laxness's novel. At the time of the book's publication, some Mormon readers felt that …

I Roll The Burthen And Responsibility Of Leading This Church Off From My Shoulders On To Yours: The 1844/1845 Declaration Of The Quorum Of The Twelve Regarding Apostolic Succession, Alexander L. Baugh

BYU Studies

The document presented and discussed in this paper is one of the most important early Latter-day Saint manuscripts associated with both the final months of Joseph Smith's life and the postmartyrdom (or apostolic) interregnum period. Written in late 1844 or early 1845, the document appears to have been drafted for possible use as an official statement by the Twelve concerning Joseph Smith's "last charge" to them, given at a special meeting held in late March 1844, three months before his death. On this occasion, the Prophet conferred upon the Twelve the priesthood keys and authority necessary to lead the Church …

Theology And Ecology: Religious Belief And Environmental Stewardship, Gary C. Bryner

BYU Studies

This article explores the potential role religious belief might play in U.S. environmental policy making. Careful environmental stewardship holds a prominent place in Mormon theology as it does among other faiths. It is helpful to know how religious groups are engaged in environmental policy making, the strengths and limitations of these efforts, and the prospects for religious-based contributions to environmental protection policies. The experience of other believers illuminates some of the choices members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints face when engaging in public debates over environmental policy.

Creativity In The Cosmic Context: Our Challenges And Opportunities, Jerry L. Jaccard, Rita R. Wright, Jon D. Green

BYU Studies

Eric d'Evegnee tells of the angst he experienced when his son expected his help in crafting a wooden car for the Cub Scout pinewood derby, his prowess as a father on the line. In the race the car wobbled across the finish line last, causing grief and feelings of betrayal for the young son. He contrasts himself with King Lear, who refused to acknowledge his failings until the very end, and d'Evegnee sees himself at peace with his children.

The authors look at creativity through the teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, specifically that all people …

The Paternity Test, Eric D'Evegnee

BYU Studies

Eric d'Evegnee tells of the angst he experienced when his son expected his help in crafting a wooden car for the Cub Scout pinewood derby, his prowess as a father on the line. In the race the car wobbled across the finish line last, causing grief and feelings of betrayal for the young son. He contrasts himself with King Lear, who refused to acknowledge his failings until the very end, and d'Evegnee sees himself at peace with his children.

Latter-Day Saint Courtship Patterns, Jennifer Hurlbut, Thomas B. Holman, Kristi A. Young, Mary J. Woodger

BYU Studies

This book is a collection of twelve sociological studies that examine how active, faithful Latter-day Saint singles go about deciding to marry and selecting a mate. Since most of the research was conducted via surveys of BYU students and asks the question "What makes the Mormon marriage process different from the typical American process?" it accounts for a very narrow part of the worldwide LDS community. Focusing on this small segment is a good start but shows that research in LDS sociology is still often limited in its scope.

An introductory chapter by Thomas B. Holman provides the backdrop necessary …

Juggling, Mothering, Nicole H. Dominguez

BYU Studies

No abstract provided.

Full Issue, Byu Studies, Richard N. Holzapfel

BYU Studies

No abstract provided.

Brigham Young University Remembers Walter Kempowski, Alan F. Keele

BYU Studies

David Paulsen, Jacob Hawken, and Michael Hansen discuss Sir Anthony Buzzard's work Jesus Was Not a Trinitarian (2007). In this theological review essay, the authors show that the problems inherent in the doctrines of unitarianism and trinitarianism are addressed elegantly in the doctrines of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Editor's Note: At the authors' request, we have posted two versions of this article--the shorter version that was printed in the journal and the longer 22-page version that is only available here.

Renowned German writer Walter Kempowski, who passed away in late 2007, had a long and interesting …

The Schooled Heart: Moral Formation In American Higher Education, Ronald E. Bartholomew, Michael D. Beaty, Douglas V. Henry

BYU Studies

The Schooled Heart: Moral Formation in American Higher Education is a deeply provocative work. Editors Michael D. Beaty and Douglas V. Henry, both of Baylor University, put forth the objectives of the book in what I found to be an enlightening and engaging introduction. Tracing the history of the institutional position of moral formation once held in higher education, they argue that the traditional emphasis on building morality was displaced primarily by the epistemological shift that occurred during the 1930s. According to their view, in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, liberal education at universities embraced revelation from God as …

What Americans Really Believe, Roger Terry, Rodney Stark

BYU Studies

Forty years after Rodney Stark and Charles Y. Glock published the results of the first two major surveys of American religious beliefs and practices, Stark finally picked up where American Piety (Berkeley: University of California, 1968) left off. Now codirector of the Institute for Studies of Religion at Baylor University, Stark has published an analysis of data gathered in two Baylor Surveys of Religion--one in 2005, the other in 2007--as well as a 2006 survey focusing on economics and religion. The results are surprising in many regards. In fact, Stark delights in debunking popular misconceptions and myths about what Americans …

Edwin Rushton As The Source Of The White Horse Prophecy, Don L. Penrod

BYU Studies

The so-called white horse prophecy has been cited in news media as the source of a prophecy that Latter-day Saint elders will preserve the US Constitution as it hangs by a thread. It is commonly claimed that the white horse prophecy was written and made public among Latter-day Saints in the 1850s. However, Don Penrod shows in this article that it was written around 1900 by Edwin Rushton, a Mormon living in Utah.

Penrod shows that while Brigham Young (in 1854) and Eliza R. Snow (in 1870) reported that Joseph Smith once said that the US Constitution would hang by …

Jesus Was Not A Unitarian, David L. Paulsen, Jacob Hawken, Michael Hansen

BYU Studies

David Paulsen, Jacob Hawken, and Michael Hansen discuss Sir Anthony Buzzard's work Jesus Was Not a Trinitarian (2007). In this theological review essay, the authors show that the problems inherent in the doctrines of unitarianism and trinitarianism are addressed elegantly in the doctrines of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Editor's Note: At the authors' request, we have posted two versions of this article--the shorter version that was printed in the journal and the longer 22-page version that is only available here.

The Ursinusiana Project: How The Religious History Of Ursinus College Yielded Today's Liberal Arts Curriculum, Karen Boedecker

Religious Studies Honors Papers

My project is divided into two parts. The first part is a heavily annotated timeline. I have organized all of the bits and pieces I encountered during my time in the Ursinusiana archives in a clear and concise manner that addresses each historical occurrence that led to the abolition of chapel attendance at Ursinus College. I hope that this timeline can serve not only as a reference for the casual reader who is interested in the religious history of the College but also as a guide to my analysis in the second part of the project.

Although constructing the timeline …

The Great Commission Inside The Church, Kathleen Beagles

Memory, Meaning & Faith

No abstract provided.

Full Issue, Byu Studies

BYU Studies

No abstract provided.

Acknowledging Differences While Avoiding Contention, Renata T. Forste

BYU Studies

At the institutional level, BYU's statement on fostering an enriched environment notes that "it is the University's judgment that providing educational opportunities for a mix of students who share values based on the gospel of Jesus Christ and come from a variety of backgrounds and experiences is an important educational asset to BYU." Diversity is also valued at the college and department level. For example, one of the program objectives for the undergraduate sociology degree is instruction in the "diversity of social life, the origins of inequality, social conflict, and the relations of power in modern society." As sociology faculty, …

Integration, Inquiry, And The Hopeful Search For Truth, Thomas S. Hibbs

BYU Studies

Over the past five to ten years, a strange discontent has bubbled up out of the nation's leading universities. If I had to put my finger on the source of this discontent-- and this is out of Harvard, Yale, Princeton-- I'd say that leading administrators at many institutions are confronting the perplexing realization that universities seem unable to be universities. Universities seem unable to gain and implement the self-understanding of what they are as an institution, the purpose of what they do in the classroom with their students, and what they hope to form in their students and to produce …

Beehive And Portico, John S. Tanner

BYU Studies

BYU, alas, did not continue to build in the Neoclassical Revival style. Few now study and teach in the Maeser Building on the far end of campus. But in a deeper sense, we all live in its extended shadow. The tradition of the beehive and portico continues in our practices. This is evident every week in the way the campus transforms classrooms into chapels and back again. This transformation never fails to move me. I recall as a student blessing the sacrament in the same classroom in which I studied geology. There, where I learned about dinosaurs and the age …

Clinton F. Larson: "I Miss His Booming Laugh", Neal E. Lambert

BYU Studies

Certainly, the last word regarding Clinton Larson's poetry has not been written. We can be grateful that this collection will make possible a better understanding and a fuller appreciation of what this extraordinary person and pioneer has done. I think it appropriate to conclude with Richard Cracroft's own assessment of his friend. He said to be, as he regretfully handed this assignment off, "I love Clinton. He was a wonderful colleague, good-humored friend, remarkable poet; his contribution to Mormon letters is considerable, influential, and ongoing. I miss his booming laugh." So do we all.

Would That All God's Children Were Poets, Casualene Meyer

BYU Studies

BYU Studies poetry editor Causalene Meyer discusses the qualities of high-quality poetry. She tells how poetry is selected for publication in the BYU Studies journal and as winners in the BYU Studies poetry contest. Winning poems are more than just images, advice, stories, or snapshots. Insightful and elegant poems combine a view with a vision; the best poetry serves readers with substance and purity. Meyer includes statements by three poetry judges, Professors Justin Blessinger, Sirje Kiin, and Jack Walters.

Inquiry, Scholarship, And Learning And Teaching In Religiously Affiliated Colleges And Universities, Gerrit W. Gong

BYU Studies

Overall, the BYU Inquiry Conference sought to affirm by policy statement and living practice BYU's deep commitment to the shared values and approaches of the American academy and to our own unique mission. This collection of contributions to the conference seeks to capture this ongoing campuswide discussion. It invites readers to join the continuing open dialogue, so pertinent in this time, regarding approaches, roles, and relations as they involve inquiry, scholarship, and learning and teaching in religiously affiliated colleges and universities, including Brigham Young University.

Poetry, The Other, And Byu: Tolerance And Diversity Within Our Campus Community, Natalie Quinn

BYU Studies

If there is any homogeneity at BYU, it is a homogeneity that we believe extends well beyond the bounds of the university's campus to include and encompass the whole world. We believe that we are all children of God, that we have the same Heavenly Father and therefore have an obligation to treat one another with love and respect, or with charity, which is the Christian theological version of Levinas' philosophical concept of acknowledging the Other. As we charitably and respectfully acknowledge the Other, we can promote tolerance and diversity without our campus community. I learned as a junior in …

Individual And Institutional Academic Freedom, James D. Gordon Iii

BYU Studies

Both individual and institutional academic freedom are essential for colleges and universities. Individual academic freedom involves the freedom of an individual faculty member to teach, to research, and to speak as a citizen. Institutional academic freedom is the freedom of the institution to pursue its mission and to be free from outside control. Both dimensions of academic freedom are important, and both need to be understood and respected.

Questions I Ask Myself, Cecil O. Samuelson

BYU Studies

If you will tolerate a few moments of personal privilege as I begin my comments today, I will confess to you that for virtually all of my life I have lived with the notions that faith and learning, questions about life and help from heaven are all part of a consistent whole. My mother and father were people of great faith and religious devotion but were also not afraid to ask or pose questions about almost everything. My mother was an elementary school teacher in her early years and never deserted that role with her five children. My father was …

Covered Wagons And A Child's Eye, Clinton F. Larson

BYU Studies

No abstract provided.

Legal Insights Into The Organization Of The Church In 1830, David K. Stott

BYU Studies

While much has been written about the organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in upstate New York, questions remain regarding the events of April 6, 1830. This article examines the organizational events of the Church from a legal perspective. In the nineteenth century, individuals desiring to form a church had two legal alternatives: forming a religious corporation or organizing a religious society. Understanding the requirements of each and considering which legal entity the Church would have preferred provide new insights into the organizational events.