PDF feed of Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
377 episodes - English - Latest episode: 1 day ago - ★★★★★ - 1 ratingA nonprofit educational journal focused on the scriptures of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: the Book of Mormon, the Pearl of Great Price, the Bible, Doctrine and Covenants, early LDS history, and related subjects. All publications are peer-reviewed and are made available as free internet downloads or through at-cost print-on-demand services.
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Episodes
The Origin and Purpose of the Book of Mormon Phrase “If Ye Keep My Commandments Ye Shall Prosper in the Land”
July 23, 2021 17:59 - 117 KB application/pdfAbstract: We are told in the Title Page of the Book of Mormon that the Book of Mormon was revealed in our day “to show unto the remnant of the house of Israel what great things the Lord hath done for their fathers; and that they may know the covenants of the Lord, that they […] The post The Origin and Purpose of the Book of Mormon Phrase “If Ye Keep My Commandments Ye Shall Prosper in the Land” first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Adam, Eve, the Book of Moses, and the Temple: The Story of Receiving Christ’s Atonement
July 19, 2021 17:59 - 369 KB application/pdfAbstract: The authors begin by the highlighting the importance of Book of Moses research that has discovered plausible findings for its historicity, rendering it at least reasonable to give the benefit of the doubt to sacred premises — even if, ultimately, the choice of premises is just that, a choice. Emphasizing the relevance of the Book of Moses to the temple, they note that the Book of Moses is not only an ancient temple text, but also the ideal scriptural context for a modern temple pre...
The Goodness of God and His Children as a Fundamental Theological Concept in the Book of Mormon
July 16, 2021 17:59 - 266 KB application/pdfAbstract: The phrase goodness of God does occur occasionally in the Hebrew Bible but has not been considered by Old Testament scholars to be an independent principle in Israelite theology. Rather, it has been interpreted as just another way of talking about God’s acts of hesed, or loving kindness for his covenant people and is […] The post The Goodness of God and His Children as a Fundamental Theological Concept in the Book of Mormon first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Glad Tidings from Cumorah: Interpreting the Book of Mormon through the Eyes of Someone in Hell
July 09, 2021 17:59 - 226 KB application/pdfAbstract: This article offers evidence that at least some Book of Mormon authors may have understood the potential for post-mortal preaching of the gospel. Indeed, they may have recognized that the future Book of Mormon would be a tool to spread the gospel not only among the living but also among those in the spirit world. Prophecies about the message […] The post Glad Tidings from Cumorah: Interpreting the Book of Mormon through the Eyes of Someone in Hell first appeared on The Interpreter...
Early Christian Temples and Baptism for the Dead: Defining Sacred Space in the Late Antique Near East
July 05, 2021 17:59 - 427 KB application/pdfAbstract: This paper addresses the early Christian transition from temple-based Judaism to the Constantinian basilica of the fourth century. David argues that some Christians of the second and early third centuries may have had places of worship that, while not monumental in scale, qualify typologically as temples and were understood as such. These sacred structures […] The post Early Christian Temples and Baptism for the Dead: Defining Sacred Space in the Late Antique Near East first appea...
“If Ye Believe on His Name”: Wordplay on the Name Samuel in Helaman 14:2, 12–13 and 3 Nephi 23:9 and the Doctrine of Christ in Samuel’s Speech
July 02, 2021 17:59 - 322 KB application/pdfAbstract: The Semitic/Hebrew name Samuel (šĕmûʾēl) most likely means “his name is El” — i.e., “his name [the name that he calls upon in worship] is El” — although it was also associated with “hearing” (šāmaʿ) God (e.g., 1 Samuel 3:9–11). In the ancient Near East, the parental hope for one thus named is that the son […] The post “If Ye Believe on His Name”: Wordplay on the Name Samuel in Helaman 14:2, 12–13 and 3 Nephi 23:9 and the Doctrine of Christ in Samuel’s Speech first appeared on The ...
Ancient Temple Imagery in the Sermons of Jacob
June 28, 2021 17:59 - 241 KB application/pdfAbstract: This essay makes a compelling argument for Jacob, the brother of Nephi, having deep knowledge of ancient Israelite temple ritual, concepts, and imagery, based on two of Jacob’s sermons in 2 Nephi 9 and Jacob 1-3. For instance, he discusses the duty of the priest to expiate sin and make atonement before the Lord […] The post Ancient Temple Imagery in the Sermons of Jacob first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
The Implications of Some Standard Assumptions of New Testament Scholars: Responding to a Modern Anti-Christ
June 25, 2021 17:59 - 217 KB application/pdfReview of Raphael Lataster, Questioning the Historicity of Jesus: Why a Philosophical Analysis Elucidates the Historical Discourse (Leiden, Netherlands: E. J. Brill, 2019). 508 pages. Hardback, $210. Abstract: In a recent book, Raphael Lataster correctly argues that the acceptance of the general premises of New Testament scholarship, exemplified in the writings of Bart Ehrman, brings […] The post The Implications of Some Standard Assumptions of New Testament Scholars: Responding to a Modern...
Nephi’s Gethsemane: Seventeen Comparisons from the Literary Record
June 25, 2021 17:57 - 136 KB application/pdfAbstract: This note explores a literary comparison between Nephi’s confronting of Laban and shrinking from the act of shedding blood, to Jesus’s experience in the Garden of Gethsemane of shrinking from the act of shedding blood. Comparing these two stories suggests that we can profitably read Nephi’s experience with Laban as Nephi’s personal Gethsemane. Everyone faces […] The post Nephi’s Gethsemane: Seventeen Comparisons from the Literary Record first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
De Profundis
June 18, 2021 17:59 - 120 KB application/pdfAbstract: Is the Gospel profound? Yes, it is. And one of the goals of the Interpreter Foundation is to call attention to that sometimes-overlooked profundity. In one sense, though, the question is a peripheral one. If we were drowning — which, figuratively and from the vantage point of eternity, we absolutely are — we wouldn’t complain […] The post De Profundis first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Psalm 105: Chiasmus, Credo, Covenant, and Temple
June 14, 2021 17:59 - 160 KB application/pdfAbstract: In this essay Stephen Ricks takes a close look at the literary structure of a psalm, reintroducing us to chiasmus both in modern and ancient texts, including the Book of Mormon, then uses this literary structure to show how the psalm contains the basic historic credo of the Israelites, as seen in Deuteronomy and […] The post Psalm 105: Chiasmus, Credo, Covenant, and Temple first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Understanding the Year 1820
June 11, 2021 17:59 - 69.6 KB application/pdfBook Note: Richard E. Bennett, 1820: Dawning of the Restoration (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center at Brigham Young University / Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2020). 380 pages. Hardcover, $31.99. Abstract: Richard E. Bennett’s 1820: Dawning of the Restoration takes a look at this significant year in a global historical context. He has produced a fascinating […] The post Understanding the Year 1820 first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Seeking a Global Context for the First Vision
June 11, 2021 17:57 - 146 KB application/pdfReview of Richard E. Bennett, 1820: Dawning of the Restoration (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center at Brigham Young University / Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2020). 380 pages. Hardcover, $31.99. Abstract: Richard E. Bennett’s latest volume, 1820: Dawning of the Restoration, is not a book about the First Vision. Instead, it describes the world in 1820 through […] The post Seeking a Global Context for the First Vision first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Jesus’ First Visit to the Temple
June 07, 2021 17:59 - 340 KB application/pdfAbstract: In this rich and detailed description, S. Kent Brown paints an evocative, historically contextualized account of Jesus Christ’s first visit to the Jerusalem Temple since his infancy, when at age twelve he traveled with his family to attend Passover. [Editor’s Note: Part of our book chapter reprint series, this article is reprinted here as […] The post Jesus’ First Visit to the Temple first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Discipleship As the World Collapses Around You
June 04, 2021 17:59 - 149 KB application/pdfReview of Adam S. Miller, Mormon: A Brief Theological Introduction (Provo, UT: The Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship, 2020). 162 pages. $9.95 (paperback). Abstract: Adam Miller has created a thoughtful and enlightening theological study of the book of Mormon. It is obvious from his textual commentary that Miller has given a significant amount of thought and effort into teasing out practical […] The post Discipleship As the World Collapses Around You first appeared on The I...
Types of Repetition and Shadows of History in Hebraic Narrative
June 04, 2021 17:57 - 421 KB application/pdfAbstract: Modern readers too often misunderstand ancient narrative. Typical of this incomprehension has been the inclination of modern biblical critics to view repetitions as narrative failures. Whether you call such repetitions types, narrative analogies, type scenes, midrashic recurrences, or numerous other names, this view of repeated elements has dominated modern readings of Hebraic narratives for […] The post Types of Repetition and Shadows of History in Hebraic Narrative first appeare...
From Dust to Exalted Crown: Royal and Temple Themes Common to the Psalms and the Dead Sea Scrolls
May 31, 2021 17:59 - 142 KB application/pdfAbstract: David J. Larsen, after showing how many of the Qumran texts rely on the “Royal Psalms” in the Bible—which have a vital connection to the temple drama—then goes on to exaltation in the views of the Qumran community. He indicates how Adam and Eve are archetypal for Israelite temple ritual, which makes humans kings […] The post From Dust to Exalted Crown: Royal and Temple Themes Common to the Psalms and the Dead Sea Scrolls first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Remembering Hugh Nibley as a Scholar and, More Importantly, as a Man: Observing the Faith of the Observer
May 28, 2021 17:59 - 121 KB application/pdfReview of Hugh Nibley Observed, edited by Jeffrey M. Bradshaw, Shirley Ricks, and Stephen Whitlock (Orem, UT: Interpreter Foundation, 2021). 820 pages. $45.00 (hardback), $35.00 (paperback). Abstract: Those who knew Brother Nibley best knew he was a remarkable man of both depth and breadth. This new volume plumbs both that depth and breadth in the recounting of personal stories […] The post Remembering Hugh Nibley as a Scholar and, More Importantly, as a Man: Observing the Faith of the Obse...
Did Captain Moroni Lack the Typical Religious Virtues?
May 28, 2021 17:57 - 218 KB application/pdfAbstract: In his well-known volume about the Book of Mormon, Grant Hardy focuses primarily on the book’s main narrators. However, he also makes a number of observations about other figures in the book that are of particular interest, including some about Captain Moroni. In addition to those I address elsewhere, these observations include the claim that Moroni lacked the […] The post Did Captain Moroni Lack the Typical Religious Virtues? first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
“Put Off Thy Shoes from Off Thy Feet”: Sandals and Sacred Space
May 24, 2021 17:59 - 154 KB application/pdfAbstract: While many have written on ancient temples looking at the big picture, John Gee discusses one small detail on a single Egyptian temple from the New Kingdom. He focuses on depictions of Ramses III in and out of the temple of Medinet Habu. Outside the temple and when entering and leaving there are depictions […] The post “Put Off Thy Shoes from Off Thy Feet”: Sandals and Sacred Space first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
“Beloved by All the People”: A Fresh Look at Captain Moroni
May 21, 2021 17:59 - 215 KB application/pdfAbstract: In his well-known volume about the Book of Mormon, Grant Hardy focuses primarily on the book’s main narrators. However, he also makes a number of observations about other figures in the book that are of particular interest, including some about Captain Moroni. In addition to those I address elsewhere, these observations range from the assertion that Captain Moroni […] The post “Beloved by All the People”: A Fresh Look at Captain Moroni first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
“Worlds Without Number”: Hugh Nibley on Science and Religion
May 20, 2021 17:59 - 9.82 MB application/pdfSomehow, in addition to his continual immersion in ancient records and the pressing religious and social issues of the day, Hugh Nibley managed to keep up with important new developments in an impressive range of scientific subjects: cosmology, physics, and brain science — to name but a few of his chief interests. The post “Worlds Without Number”: Hugh Nibley on Science and Religion first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Job: An LDS Reading
May 17, 2021 17:59 - 476 KB application/pdfAbstract: Mack C. Stirling examines the well-known story of Job, one of the literary books of the Bible and part of the Wisdom literature (which is heavy in temple mysticism and symbols), and proposes the story follows the temple endowment to the T. Following Hugh Nibley’s lead in The Message of the Joseph Smith Papyri, […] The post Job: An LDS Reading first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
An Ingenious and Inspiring Literary Analysis of Alma 30–42
May 14, 2021 17:59 - 185 KB application/pdfReview of Mark A. Wrathall, Alma 30–63: A Brief Theological Introduction (Provo, UT: The Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship, 2020). 176 pages. $9.95 (paperback). Abstract: Mark A. Wrathall’s analytic treatment of Alma 30–42 is a sheer gift that inspires insight into the theological depth of Alma’s thought. His reading of Alma teases out insights not previously recognized and not easily discovered […] The post An Ingenious and Inspiring Literary Analysis of Alma 30–42 first ...
The Brass Plates: Can Modern Scholarship Help Identify Their Contents?
May 14, 2021 17:57 - 278 KB application/pdfAbstract: The Book of Mormon contains little information about what the Brass Plates contain. Nephi said it was a larger record than the Hebrew Bible brought to America by the Gentiles. But it could not have contained the records of Old Testament prophets who wrote after Lehi’s party left Jerusalem or the New Testament. We know it contained […] The post The Brass Plates: Can Modern Scholarship Help Identify Their Contents? first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
“We Will Still Weep for Zion”: War and Wealth
May 13, 2021 16:00 - 2.19 MB application/pdfThis is the seventh of eight weekly blog posts published in honor of the life and work of Hugh Nibley (1910–2005). The series is in honor of the new, landmark book, Hugh Nibley Observed, available in softcover, hardback, digital, and audio editions. The post “We Will Still Weep for Zion”: War and Wealth first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Matthew Black and Mircea Eliade Meet Hugh Nibley
May 10, 2021 17:59 - 182 KB application/pdfAbstract: As a graduate student, Gordon Thomasson had the opportunity to introduce two internationally renowned scholars to the publications and scholarship of Hugh Nibley: Matthew Black, an eminent scholar of ancient Enoch writings; and Mircea Eliade, famed chair of the History of Religions program at the University of Chicago. Upon hearing of Nibley’s Enoch discoveries, […] The post Matthew Black and Mircea Eliade Meet Hugh Nibley first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Honoring Hugh Nibley — Again
May 07, 2021 17:59 - 132 KB application/pdfReview of Hugh Nibley Observed, edited by Jeffrey M. Bradshaw, Shirley Ricks, and Stephen Whitlock (Orem, UT: Interpreter Foundation, 2021). 820 pages. $45.00 (hardback), $35.00 (paperback). Abstract: Hugh Nibley Observed is the third assembly of essays honoring Nibley by his friends and admirers. It differs from the other two in many ways. It is packed with photographs, observations […] The post Honoring Hugh Nibley — Again first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Giving the Book of Ether its Proper Due
May 07, 2021 17:57 - 104 KB application/pdfReview of Daniel L. Belnap, ed., Illuminating the Jaredite Records (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University / Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2020). 320 pages. Hardback, $27.95. Abstract: Illuminating the Jaredite Record collects ten papers by different Book of Mormon scholars. This is the second publication from the Book of Mormon Academy at Brigham Young University, a collection of scholars interested in […] The post Giving the Book of Ether its Proper Due first appear...
“One Peep at the Other Side”: What Did Hugh Nibley’s Near-Death Experience Teach Him about the Purpose of Life?
May 06, 2021 16:00 - 2.19 MB application/pdfThis is the sixth of eight weekly blog posts published in honor of the life and work of Hugh Nibley (1910–2005). The series is in honor of the new, landmark book, Hugh Nibley Observed, available in softcover, hardback, digital, and audio editions. Besides those who actively oppose the idea that that a loving, personal God exists in heaven, there have also always been others to whom questions of this sort never even occur. The post “One Peep at the Other Side”: What Did Hugh Nibley’s Near-De...
The Divine Handclasp in the Hebrew Bible and in Near Eastern Iconography
May 03, 2021 17:59 - 346 KB application/pdfAbstract: David Calabro explores what he describes as the “divine handclasp” in the Hebrew Bible. The term refers to a handclasp between God and his human servant that had a place in ancient Israelite temple worship. Calabro indicates it was a ritual gesture that was part of temple rite performance with a priest acting as […] The post The Divine Handclasp in the Hebrew Bible and in Near Eastern Iconography first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
And the One Pointed the Way: Issues of Interpretation and Translation Involving the Liahona
April 30, 2021 17:59 - 500 KB application/pdfAbstract: In describing the operation of the spindles in the Liahona, Nephi’s statement that “the one pointed the way” in 1 Nephi 16:10 is frequently taken to mean that one of the two spindles indicated the direction to travel. However, Nephi’s apparent use of the Hebrew word האחד (ha’echad)1 may imply a different mechanism in which the direction […] The post And the One Pointed the Way: Issues of Interpretation and Translation Involving the Liahona first appeared on The Interpreter Foundat...
Why Is Hugh Nibley More Important Now Than Ever?
April 29, 2021 16:00 - 7.5 MB application/pdfThis is the fifth of eight weekly blog posts published in honor of the life and work of Hugh Nibley (1910–2005). The series is in honor of the new, landmark book, Hugh Nibley Observed, available in softcover, hardback, digital, and audio editions. The premise of this week’s essay is that Hugh Nibley is more important now than ever. Why is this so? The post Why Is Hugh Nibley More Important Now Than Ever? first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Vast Prairies and Trackless Wilds of Snow: A Good Test of Sincerity
April 23, 2021 17:59 - 120 KB application/pdfAbstract: Embarking roughly six months after the organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the 1830–1831 “mission to the Lamanites” faced challenges that we pampered moderns can scarcely imagine. Oliver Cowdery, Peter Whitmer Jr., Parley P. Pratt, Ziba Peterson, and, eventually, Frederick G. Williams demonstrated beyond reasonable dispute the depth of their commitment to the Restoration and […] The post Vast Prairies and Trackless Wilds of Snow: A Good Test of Sinceri...
“The Book That Answers All the Questions”: Hugh Nibley and the Pearl of Great Price
April 22, 2021 16:00 - 7.5 MB application/pdfThis is the fourth of eight weekly blog posts published in honor of the life and work of Hugh Nibley (1910–2005). The series is in honor of the new, landmark book, Hugh Nibley Observed. In line with Nibley’s description of the Pearl of Great Price, we borrow a chapter title from Boyd Jay Petersen’s wonderful biography on Hugh Nibley as the theme of this week’s Insight: “The Book That Answers All the Questions.” The post “The Book That Answers All the Questions”: Hugh Nibley and the Pearl of...
Nibley’s Early Education
April 19, 2021 17:59 - 377 KB application/pdfAbstract: In this intimate glimpse of Hugh Nibley’s childhood, written by his daughter Zina, we read of what it was like for Hugh to grow up as a gifted child with Victorian parents and, in turn, what it was like for Zina and her siblings to grow up as a child in the home of […] The post Nibley’s Early Education first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Understanding Covenants Anew: Using Ancient Thought to Enrich Modern Faith
April 16, 2021 17:59 - 106 KB application/pdfReview of Jennifer C. Lane, Finding Christ in the Covenant Path: Ancient Insights for Modern Life, (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center at Brigham Young University / Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2020). 188 pages. Hardcover, $29.99. Abstract: In the first half of her book, Lane takes us on a tour of ancient worlds by introducing us to ancient words, […] The post Understanding Covenants Anew: Using Ancient Thought to Enrich Modern Faith first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
“The Messiah Will Set Himself Again”: Jacob’s Use of Isaiah 11:11 in 2 Nephi 6:14 and Jacob 6:2
April 16, 2021 17:57 - 273 KB application/pdfAbstract: In sermons and writings, Jacob twice quotes the prophecy of Isaiah 11:11 (“the Lord [ʾădōnāy] shall set his hand again [yôsîp] the second time to gather the remnant of his people”). In 2 Nephi 6:14 and Jacob 6:2, Jacob uses Isaiah 11:11 as a lens through which he interprets much lengthier prophetic texts that detail the restoration, redemption, and gathering […] The post “The Messiah Will Set Himself Again”: Jacob’s Use of Isaiah 11:11 in 2 Nephi 6:14 and Jacob 6:2 first appeared ...
Edfu and Exodus
April 12, 2021 17:59 - 189 KB application/pdfAbstract: In this essay John Gee draws a connection between the Egyptian “Book of the Temple” and the book of Exodus, both in structure and topic, describing the temple from the inside out. Gee concludes that both probably go back to a common source older than either of them. [Editor’s Note: Part of our book […] The post Edfu and Exodus first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Much More than a Reader: The Latest in Chiastic Studies for Interested Scholars and Lay Readers Alike
April 09, 2021 17:59 - 94.4 KB application/pdfReview of Chiasmus: The State of the Art, edited by John W. Welch and Donald W. Parry (Provo, UT: BYU Studies and Book of Mormon Central, 2020). 358 pages. $24.68, paperback. Abstract: This collection of essays represents the latest scholarship on chiasmus. They were selected from papers delivered at an academic conference at Brigham Young University in 2017. Articles reflect both “the […] The post Much More than a Reader: The Latest in Chiastic Studies for Interested Scholars and Lay Reade...
Josiah to Zoram to Sherem to Jarom and the Big Little Book of Omni
April 09, 2021 17:57 - 407 KB application/pdfAbstract: The first 450 years of Nephite history are dominated by two main threads: the ethno-political tension between Nephites and Lamanites and religious tension between adherents of rival theologies. These rival Nephite theologies are a Mantic theology that affirms the existence of Christ and a Sophic theology that denies Christ. The origin of both narrative threads lies […] The post Josiah to Zoram to Sherem to Jarom and the Big Little Book of Omni first appeared on The Interpreter Fou...
The Past and Future of the Temple Lot in Independence, Jackson County, Missouri
April 05, 2021 17:59 - 2.16 MB application/pdfAbstract: Fifteen months after the Church of Christ’s inception in April 1830, Joseph Smith received a revelation indicating that Independence, Jackson County, Missouri, was to be the “center-place” of Zion and a “spot for a temple is lying westward, upon a lot that is not far from the court-house.” Dedication of this spot for the […] The post The Past and Future of the Temple Lot in Independence, Jackson County, Missouri first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Resurrection Month
April 02, 2021 17:59 - 104 KB application/pdfAbstract: We tend to have big events and a full month celebrating Christmas, but here we are in a very Christian church that has come to almost ignore the events of the crucifixion and the resurrection. The Last Supper and the events that followed it are the important events of the season. With some planning and creativity, […] The post Resurrection Month first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
The Ark and the Tent: Temple Symbolism in the Story of Noah
March 29, 2021 17:59 - 360 KB application/pdfAbstract: Jeffrey M. Bradshaw compares Moses’ tabernacle and Noah’s ark, and then identifies the story of Noah as a temple related drama, drawing of temple mysticism and symbols. After examining structural similarities between ark and tabernacle and bringing into the discussion further information about the Mesopotamian flood story, he shows how Noah’s ark is a […] The post The Ark and the Tent: Temple Symbolism in the Story of Noah first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
“Strong Like unto Moses”: The Case for Ancient Roots in the Book of Moses Based on Book of Mormon Usage of Related Content Apparently from the Brass Plates
March 26, 2021 17:59 - 637 KB application/pdfAbstract: Over 30 years ago, Noel Reynolds compared matching non-Biblical phrases in the Book of Moses and Book of Mormon. Based on this analysis, Reynolds proposed a possible connection between the Book of Moses and hypothetical material on the brass plates that may have influenced some Book of Mormon authors. Reynolds’s work, “The Brass Plates Version of Genesis,” provided potentially […] The post “Strong Like unto Moses”: The Case for Ancient Roots in the Book of Moses Based on Book of M...
Variety and Complexity in the Witnesses to the Book of Mormon
March 19, 2021 17:59 - 210 KB application/pdfAbstract: This paper examines the testimonies of the witnesses of the Book of Mormon— not only the Three Witnesses and the Eight Witnesses, but many others who experienced and testified of the reality of the Book of Mormon plates. Together, these testimonies offer impressive support for the claims of Joseph Smith regarding the Book of Mormon and, thus, the Restoration. The variety […] The post Variety and Complexity in the Witnesses to the Book of Mormon first appeared on The Interpreter Fo...
Women and the Priesthood in the Contemporary Church
March 15, 2021 17:59 - 221 KB application/pdfAbstract: During the last century there has been a prophetic emphasis on the understanding of women and their priesthood power and authority that has been unprecedented since the days of Joseph Smith. Through the use of scripture and teachings of our prophets and leaders of the restoration, this paper seeks to clarify the contemporary role […] The post Women and the Priesthood in the Contemporary Church first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
“Wherefore, for This Cause”: The Book of Mormon as Anti-type of the Brass Serpent
March 12, 2021 18:59 - 249 KB application/pdfAbstract: Nephi1 represents the sacred record that becomes the Book of Mormon as a new brass serpent to heal the nations. Nephi’s typological project is reasonable given that he self-identifies with Moses, his family’s scriptures and compass are made of brass, and he consistently describes reading as an act of seeing, looking, or believing. Nephi understands from Isaiah […] The post “Wherefore, for This Cause”: The Book of Mormon as Anti-type of the Brass Serpent first appeared on The Inter...
The Crown of Creation
March 08, 2021 18:59 - 148 KB application/pdfAbstract: The Seelys discuss the well-known concept of the universe as a temple, and link the creation story to the temple drama. They explore how God, in creating the universe, had the same roles the temple drama gives to Adam and Eve as archetypes of each man and woman (that of king, priest, and artisan), […] The post The Crown of Creation first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
Feet of Clay: Queer Theory and the Church of Jesus Christ
March 05, 2021 18:59 - 1.1 MB application/pdfReview of Taylor G. Petrey, Tabernacles of Clay: Sexuality and Gender in Modern Mormonism (Chapel Hill, NC The University of North Carolina Press, 2020). 288 pages. $29.95 (paperback). Abstract: Tabernacles of Clay examines the discourse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints through a “queer theory” lens. This review examines its first two chapters’ use of […] The post Feet of Clay: Queer Theory and the Church of Jesus Christ first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.