Religion and Pop Culture: Shotgun Wedding, Marriage of Convenience, or Match Made in Heaven? We’ve come a long way since Hollywood’s idea of religion was confined to biblical sand-and-sword operas; Irish priests and chaplains with twinkly eyes; and morally corrupt Protestant evangelists like Elmer Gantry. Barely a month passes without a movie or television show …
Event: Salt Lake Symposium 2006
Visions In The Nighttime
Visions In The Nighttime Mystical experience has been linked to altered states of consciousness throughout scripture, including Latter-day Saint teachings. How is an altered state measured? Does experience show that positive experiences of this type are exclusively predicated upon righteousness? What can we learn from those who have pursued these states of consciousness? How do …
Marketing Research And The Book Of Mormon
Marketing Research And The Book Of Mormon This presentation reports the results of a means/end market research survey concerning the Book of Mormon. What did the survey reveal to be the underlying values Latter-day Saints bring to their reading of the Book of Mormon? What are the “product features” in the Book of Mormon that …
Two-Wheeled Torture Devices: A Contrarian’s View Of The Handcart Disaster
Two-Wheeled Torture Devices: A Contrarian’s View Of The Handcart Disaster A plenary session at this spring’s meeting of the Mormon History Association asked four experts to address the question: “Who or What to Blame? Assessing the Multiple Causes of the Willie and Martin Handcart Disaster.” All four pointed the finger at Apostle Franklin D. Richards, …
Pillars Of My Faith
Pillars Of My Faith This is Sunstone’s perennially best-attended session. Hear speakers share the events and concepts that animate their religious lives; a little soul-baring, a little spiritual journey, a little intellectual testimony-bearing. This self-reflective night is about the things that matter most, plus spirited congregational hymn-singing. Tom Pixton, Kate Handley, and Phyllis Barber
Update On Current Events Surrounding Fundamentalist Mormonism
Update On Current Events Surrounding Fundamentalist Mormonism Each member of this panel has studied, written about, or closely observed fundamentalist Mormon communities for many years. In this session, they will discuss the latest news about FLDS leader Warren Jeffs, the implications of recent rulings and actions by Utah and Arizona courts, and other current events …
Improvising a Life: A Series of Fortunate Events
Improvising a Life: A Series of Fortunate Events We can’t say that he’s kept a low profile at Sunstone, having led us in sometimes roaring and often soulful song for all but one of the past twenty-six symposiums. We’ve managed brief glimpses into his intellectual and spiritual life through various panelist and respondent stints, including …
Devotional. Baring My Testimony: Adventures In An Old Court
Devotional. Baring My Testimony: Adventures In An Old Court Bearing testimony? Baring testimony? Bears and testimony? It is not a simple matter to bear testimony, let alone understand what is asked of us, and especially difficult for a child to grasp. To whom do we testify? Of what do we testify? Why must everyone testify? …
Our Dual Challenge: Ecumenism And Abiding Faith
Our Dual Challenge: Ecumenism And Abiding Faith Despite precedents to the contrary, such as the Thirteenth Article of Faith, the School of the Prophets, and the 1978 First Presidency declaration on world religions, Mormons have become increasingly insular with respect to other-than- officially enunciated or approved sources of inspiration. By the same token, too many …
‘Blessed Are The Peacemakers’: The Pursuit Of Peace In The Community Of Christ Tradition, A Historical View
‘Blessed Are The Peacemakers’: The Pursuit Of Peace In The Community Of Christ Tradition, A Historical View With the passing of nearly six generations, decision-makers within the Community of Christ tradition have encountered numerous opportunities to take a stand as a people of peace. However, pressures from both without and within reduced the peace option …