For several generations, a canonical mischaracterization of God the Father has blinded Latter-day Saints to God the Mother, altered perceptions of the relationship between the mind/spirit and body, and fostered the political conservatism ascendant in Mormonism. This paper deals with the disparity between the concept of deity currently dominating Latter-day Saint conversation and the concept …
Work of Art: Book of Mormon
Woe To The Land Shadowing With Wings William Bickerton The Book Of Mormon And The American Civil War
Since 1845, William Bickerton had watched for the fulfillment of Joseph Smith’s Civil War prophecy. He believed that devastation, unlike anything Americans had ever experienced, would overtake the nation. It was a principal reason for dissociating himself from Sidney Rigdon and Brigham Young and starting his own church. The paper will explain why Bickerton decided …
Joseph As Reader Bible Stories And Mormon Religion
This presentation explores the narrative strategies that characterize Joseph Smith’s readings, or “translations,” of Bible stories (the Book of Mormon, a New Translation, the Book of Abraham, temple rituals, environing revelations). Characters evolve and change in these transformed stories, and Joseph himself becomes a character, re-enacting the plot as his friends follow. Understanding how theology …
A Bible A Bible Interacting With The Book Of Mormon
How one interacts with the Bible as an artifact says as much about one’s identity as how one interprets the Bible’s concepts. The printed Book of Mormon resembles the Bible, but the story of its production and provenance does not fit the biblical model. This panel will explore the coming forth of the Book of …
Woe To The Land Shadowing With Wings William Bickerton The Book Of Mormon And The American Civil War
Since 1845, William Bickerton had watched for the fulfillment of Joseph Smith’s Civil War prophecy. He believed that devastation, unlike anything Americans had ever experienced, would overtake the nation. It was a principal reason for dissociating himself from Sidney Rigdon and Brigham Young and starting his own church. The paper will explain why Bickerton decided …
A Bible A Bible Interacting With The Book Of Mormon
How one interacts with the Bible as an artifact says as much about one’s identity as how one interprets the Bible’s concepts. The printed Book of Mormon resembles the Bible, but the story of its production and provenance does not fit the biblical model. This panel will explore the coming forth of the Book of …
Looking Past the Prophet to Re-envision Early Mormon History
Since 1948, when Fawn Brodie’s No Man Knows My History made Joseph Smith’s story the central element in academic accounts of Mormon beginnings, both LDS and non-Mormon authors have described LDS beginnings as a new religious movement (NRM) with a charismatic leader. In this address, Jan Shipps will return to the Kirtland part of the …
SLC 2013 Symposium/ Session 151: Does a 19th Century Reading of the Book of Mormon Contribute to a Life of Faith?
Mark E. Sherer, Dale E. Luffman, Don H. Compier, Boyd Peterson, and William D. Russell present their panel on August 1, 2013. [powerpress]
Episode 3, “Knowing What It Is To Know” (Moroni 10)
What does it mean to ‘know’ that the Book of Mormon is true? Is it necessary to always have a certain testimony? Is there scriptural or historical precedent for a practice of Mormonism where the foundation of belief is something other than certain knowledge? Join us and listen in for discussion of these questions and …
Episode 1, “What Would Jesus Actually Say? What Did Jesus Actually Say?” (3 Nephi 12-15)
Listen in to “Sunstone Institute,” a new, free podcast series where theologian Michael Vinson leads a rousing group discussion of Mormon scripture, experience and theology. The podcast will be updated on a monthly basis. Click here to download or stream the mp3 of the first episode, recorded in the Sunstone office on Sunday, September 30. You …