The Flight From Reason: The Dynamics Of Faith And Rationality Latter-day Saints often appeal to the mantra, “Seek learning, even by study and also by faith,” to explain the appropriate relationship between faith, reason, and revelation in our tradition. But what about cases where faith and reason conflict? What do these conflicts tells us about …
Speaker: Ph.D.
The Hunchback Prophet: Victim Of The Muses
The Hunchback Prophet: Victim Of The Muses Hugh Nibley gave a series of talks about sophic and mantic persons in society: the sophic offers the shallow, deceitful cleverness of public relations and spin, which often leads to success in this world, while the mantic (from Greek mantis, “seer”) looks to the eternal vision of things. …
Great Movies That Have Expanded My Religious World
Great Movies That Have Expanded My Religious World For many of us, movies not only entertain but can also change how we see and experience life and the world. From watching a film, we can feel cleansed, live without guilt, or be more selfless. For exalting recommendations, come to this session! Scot Denhalter, Moderator; Elbert …
Open Reading Of Genesis: Jacob Boehme’s Mysterium Magnum And Joseph Smith’s Books Of Moses, Abraham, And The Book Of Mormon
Open Reading Of Genesis: Jacob Boehme’s Mysterium Magnum And Joseph Smith’s Books Of Moses, Abraham, And The Book Of Mormon Jacob Boehme and Joseph Smith each offered what they claimed were divinely inspired expansions on the creation story that point to the openness of God. In doing so, both rejected doctrines of predestination and creatio …
Mormon Studies In The Academy
Mormon Studies In The Academy Courses and programs in Mormon studies are being established across the country. Panel members will discuss the challenges, tensions, and rewards of teaching and studying Mormon history, literature, and culture outside LDS-sponsored institutions and with both member and non-member students in the same classroom. Panelists will also discuss the current …
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 …
A New Look At I Woodbridge Riley
A New Look At I Woodbridge Riley This presentation is based on an investigation of every factual statement and biographical reference in I. Woodbridge Riley’s The Founder of Mormonism: A Psychological Study of Joseph Smith, Jr. Who was Riley? Why was he so fascinated with religious leaders such as Smith and Mary Baker Eddy, founder …
Toward A Comparative Mormon Erotics
Toward A Comparative Mormon Erotics This presentation takes seriously the suggestion that cultures be read closely to see how they understand erotics and their understandings of and practices concerning bodies. As part of an effort to build a comparative erotics, this paper works from a close reading of key Latter-day Saint texts, such as “A …
Scarlet Threads In The Lineage Of Jesus
Scarlet Threads In The Lineage Of Jesus In his list of who fathered whom in the lineage of forty-two generations from Abraham to Jesus, Matthew includes five women. This presentation focuses on four of them, Tamar, Rachab, Ruth, and Bathsheba, who, though chosen as members of the most royal of lineages, are largely ignored today, …
Reflections On Mormon Liminality: A Generational Response
Reflections On Mormon Liminality: A Generational Response Dan Wotherspoon’s December 2005 Sunstone editorial speaks of the concept of liminality in relation to the Sunstone community, that as we explore questions within Mormonism, we often find ourselves in the awkward, sometimes dangerous, threshold (limen) between two worlds. Wotherspoon speaks of his own sustained immersion in liminality …