Sterling M. McMurrin once noted that even among the best Mormon theologians, one can find “a confused combination of the entire gamut of atonement theories.” Panelists in this session will attempt to bring forth clarity from this confusion, as well as suggest areas in which Mormonism has made unique contributions to Christology (how Jesus can …
Event: Salt Lake Symposium 2005
A Taste Of Everything: Why We Read Ken Wilber
Ken Wilber is considered by many to be the world’s foremost integral theorist, someone who, according to Huston Smith, has “book by book [been] laying the grounds for a genuine world integration.” So, who is Ken Wilber? What are the basic premises of his integral vision? Panelists will talk about what attracted them to Wilber’s …
What Does It Mean To Me To Call Joseph Smith A Prophet?
There are now a number of biographies painting a different picture of Joseph Smith than that which is typically presented at church. What should one make of the differing accounts of the first vision, Joseph’s version of celestial marriage, peep stones and magic, for example? This session asks active Latter-day Saint panelists to focus on …
Observations On Organized Religions And The Uses Of Power
Since all collective organizations inevitably generate and exercise power, some inquiry into the basis of LDS power seems germane. More specifically, what is the nature of the Mormon priesthood? Does the Church enjoy a unique authorization to act for God? Beyond the obvious function of the priesthood as a mechanism for Church governance, does it …
Post-Mortem Materialism: A Mormon Approach To Embodiment
Traditionally, materialism reduces embodiment to static physical characteristics. Such an ontology is “dead” insofar as no reference to the life of a body is required to comprehend it. By contrast, I argue that we need to embrace a living materialism. To be embodied is to have a life. On this view, the claim that the …
The Defense Of Cain
Prepare for a radical idea. Suppose Cain was framed?!! In this interactive, musical play, The Defense of Cain, the playwright claims that the scriptural record is one sided, that Cain has never had his day in court! This is that day. What are the implications of a possible ancient miscarriage of justice? How would the …
Plural Marriage Yesterday and Today & How Is the State of Utah Dealing with Contemporary Polygamy?
We are at the pioneering stages of embryonic research that promise great medical advancement. However, ethical guidelines have yet to be agreed upon regarding how far we go or how and when we utilize this technology. There is not, as of yet, any established LDS doctrine or official statement regarding the beginning of life nor …
Film: Go Forward
In a 1998 general conference address in which he addressed the issue of Latter-day Saints with same-sex attraction, President Hinckley expressed his love for them as sons and daughters of God, and added that “if they do not act upon [their same-sex] inclinations, then they can go forward as do all other members of the …
‘They Have Their Place’: Race And Identity In The Mormon Church
Through interrogating stories told by white Latter-day Saints to explain racial difference and justify subordinating and excluding people of color from full participation in the Church, this panel seeks to understand the past and present “place” of people of color in Mormonism, including how minority members and converts were and are viewed, understood, conceptualized, and …
Arnold Toynbee In Salt Lake City In 1967, His Relevance In 2005
In June 1967, the late, eminent English historian, Arnold Toynbee, visited the University of Utah at the invitation of Professor Calvin Taylor where he gave three addresses: “Three Generations in a Crisis,” “On the Role of Creativity in History,” and “Is America Neglecting Her Creative Talents?” Have things changed significantly in the nearly forty years …