Sunstone lost a number of dear friends in the past year. Join us as we pay tribute to their lives and contributions to the Sunstone community. ANNE WILDE, BEVERLY HOPPE, KAREN ROSENBAUM, DOUGLASS TABER
Event: Salt Lake Symposium 2010
SL10322: Gender Differences in the Early Patriarchal Blessings of the LDS Church, 1834–1845
Based on a random sample of 90 patriarchal blessings from Michael Marquardt’s compilation, Early Patriarchal Blessings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, this study uses content analysis to determine the most frequent blessing themes pronounced by the first three LDS patriarchs, Joseph Smith Sr., Hyrum Smith, and William Smith. In particular, the …
SL10356: On Social Justice and Mormonism
From the perspective of philosopher John Rawls, themes of social justice can be found in Mormon thought and culture. Yet, many tensions remain and likely will not be resolved. This presentation will look at these common themes and tensions from the perspective of an LDS scholar who is also an advocate of liberal social justice. …
SL10113: Maturing Faiths: A Comparison between Mormonism and Islam During their First Two Centuries
In this paper, I explore the first two hundred years of Islam and compare and contrast with Mormonism during a similar time frame. I use three foci of comparison. First, I explore ways Mormonism and early Islam seek to control the telling of history. Second, I will explore similarities in the rift between Sunni and …
SL10154: Two Short Plays: Adam & Eve and Prodigal Son
With two back-to-back AML awards for Best Drama and a commitment to producing consistently solid scripts and productions, New Play Project will continue to have an important part in the world of Mormon arts and literature. We will share Adam & Eve and Prodigal Son–some of the best work from NPP–and open a dialogue about …
SL10213: Joseph Smith III: From Reorganization to Community of Christ
An illustrated exploration of the life of Joseph Smith III, his impact on the Reorganization, and ways in which Community of Christ members still find meaning and value in his teachings and experience. The year 2010 marks the sesquicentennial of the 1860 Reorganization and provides an opportunity to explore how our history can be mined …
SL10264: The Big Fan: Joseph Smith and the Danites in Missouri
In 1838 Missouri, certain Mormons organized in a secret paramilitary organization called the Danites, led by Sampson Avard, who later left the Church. Many Mormons then disavowed the Danite movement, portraying it as lies concocted by Avard. When Leland Gentry wrote his groundbreaking 1965 thesis about the 1838 Mormon War, however, he reported that irrefutable …
SL10323: Getting It Right: Changes in the Gospel Principles Manual from 1979 to 2009
This paper examines teachings in the 1979 Gospel Principles manual that have been eliminated, revised, or downplayed in the manual currently used in Sunday classes. Included are teachings about abortion, fasting, following the prophet, the responsibility of women to keep a “clean” house, the Word of Wisdom, rape, the roles of men and women, and …
SL10361: Hindering the Saints: Taking Away the Key of Knowledge
In Matthew 23 and Luke 11, Jesus lambasted the religious leaders of his day for blatant hypocrisy and a style of spiritual leadership that took away “the key of knowledge” and “shut up the kingdom of heaven against men.” According to Jesus, not only did this prevent the leaders themselves from entering the kingdom but …
SL10114: Money Troubles: Fiscal and Psychological Crises at Kirtland
In Kirtland, Joseph Smith began to take a greater role in managing the financial matters of the Church. His efforts met with resistance from some Saints, which mushroomed into outright rebellion from others. When the Kirtland Safety Society began to fail, intense anger and opposition began to mount against the prophet. Many asked, “How much …