In the January 2002 issue of Sunstone, the centerfold read: “If you’ve ever attended a Salt Lake Sunstone Symposium, you know him. He’s the man with the shockingly white hair and irrepressible spirit who has been leading us in wonderful musical adventures and teaching us through delightful conversation and commentary for all but one of …
I analyze the writings of Eugene England, Mormon literary critic, focusing on his advocacy for dialogue and academic freedom, beginning with his editorial in issue one of Dialogue and ending with his last Sunstone Symposium lecture in 2000. How might we move forward from what Eugene England taught in order to achieve greater academic freedom …
The LDS Church has released a guide for journalists titled Approaching Mormon History. The document acknowledges that some journalists “have questioned the miraculous aspects of the faith” and wonder “why Latter-day Saints continue to believe them as reality and not myths.” The document argues for the historical reality of the Mormon foundational stories, namely the …
What does having mature faith mean? This session examines the dimensions of a mature Christian/Mormon discipleship, including responsible doubt, blind obedience, institutional loyalty, thoughtful non-conformity, and loving challenge to authority. It considers the challenges, complexities, and conundrums of what it means to be obedient both to the principles of Christ’s gospel and the demands of …
At the 2010 BYU Studies Symposium, two presentations attacked Hugh Nibley’s argument that the Book of Mormon advocates pacifism and declared that the war in Afghanistan is a just and noble war. In response, Madson outlines a framework for analyzing when, if ever, war is justified, suggesting that the Book of Mormon not only allows …
This session is a continuation of the film screening that started in session SL10311 NOT AVAILABLE
The King James Version of the Bible (1611) is the official Bible for the LDS Church while the RLDS Church has adopted the Joseph Smith Translation, published by the Reorganization in 1867, as its official Bible. Kim McCall will present a paper on the KJV, and William D. Russell will present a paper evaluating the …
Nearly all LDS writers and speakers quote scripture as well as passages from other writers. Whether it is Neal A. Maxwell citing C. S. Lewis, Boyd K. Packer quoting a poem from Best-Loved Poems of the LDS People, or President Monson invoking Abraham Lincoln, the time-honored practice helps clarify thoughts, extend arguments, and provide authority …
Washington state recently followed Oregon’s lead in legalizing physician-assisted suicide. The Netherlands and Belgium have passed even broader laws allowing assisted suicide and limited euthanasia. These trends reflect an evolution in medical technology and culture surrounding death though they generate controversy about the meaning and significance of active control over the timing of one’s death. …
From “The Unwritten Order of Things,” to “The Holy Temple” to “Keeping Confidences,” President Boyd K. Packer has established himself as simultaneously a revealer and keeper of secrets: an expounder of revealed truth who broaches topics not often discussed, but at the same time is emphatic about leaving certain things unspoken in the name of …
