In our modern, busy world there’s always a need for a guide to this or that. Hence we see guides for coin collecting, guides for fitness, guides for video games, guides for travel, and guides for sports. Since, by some accounts, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is teetering on the brink of … Read more
By the Gift and Power of God (2014) by Anthony Sweat Not long ago I posted a note from Michael McKay and Gerrit Dirkmaat on why the gold plates were necessary despite Joseph Smith translating the Book of Mormon by revelatory means. Here is a follow-up by McKay and Dirkmaat published just this month. With … Read more
He doesn’t have a cult of anonymous redditors following him, you say? How good of a scholar could he even be? Readers of my blog will recall that some time ago Jeremy Runnells amusingly accused Brian C. Hales (undoubtedly one of the finest living authorities on the topic of the history of Mormon plural marriage) … Read more
By the way, there’s really no reason to think Joseph Smith didn’t actually have these in his possession. A question I’ve encountered from time to time is why, if Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon through revelatory means, were the golden plates necessary. Jeremy Runnells, for instance, wonders how this doesn’t make useless “the … Read more
Paul Writing His Epistles attr. Valentin de Boulogne (17th century). Paul had a thing or two to say about salvation. The Book of Mormon famously teaches, “For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it … Read more
Darius Gray (left) and Stephen P. Smoot (right). My grandfather and namesake, Stephen Parkinson Smoot, lived from 1928–2012. (You can read his full obituary here.) His legacy includes being a civil rights champion (for both people of color and LGBT individuals), a successful businessman, a notable Utah politician, a faithful member of The Church of … Read more
The Creation of Eve (c. 1509–1510) by Michelangelo. Concerning the creation of חוה (or, more properly, the אשׁה) from the צלע of אדם, Genesis 2:21 records: וַיַּפֵּל֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֱלֹהִ֧ים׀ תַּרְדֵּמָ֛ה עַל־הָאָדָ֖ם וַיִּישָׁ֑ן וַיִּקַּ֗ח אַחַת֙ מִצַּלְעֹתָ֔יו וַיִּסְגֹּ֥ר בָּשָׂ֖ר תַּחְתֶּֽנָּה Yahweh Elohim caused a deep slumber to fall upon the man, and he slept. Then he took one of his ribs and closed it up with flesh. What’s interesting is … Read more
Sure, but does he even have a podcast? The Salt Lake Tribune recently released an article on the “mass resignation” of some 100 persons* from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This event was led by Kate Kelly, who has been busy dismantling the Patriarchy with op-eds for the Huffington Post. The group … Read more
Pope Pius XII (1876–1958) I recently celebrated my birthday. (Being single at 25, I believe I am now officially a “menace to society.”) Per my usual habit whenever I get gift money, I bought myself some books off of my Amazon wish list. One of the books I purchased is Lawrence Boadt’s Reading the Old … Read more
This is an excellent presentation by Steven C. Harper, a Latter-day Saint historian whom I greatly respect and admire. Unfortunately, those who need to hear this message the most will likely either ignore or mock it.
[This guest post from Joshua Sears is a follow-up to my last post on the new Institute manual. Joshua is a graduate student in Hebrew Bible and serves as the mission leader in his Texas ward. This post is adapted from an email to fellow members of his ward council.] The problem To understand the importance … Read more
Some time ago I blogged about a new seminary manual on the Doctrine and Covenants released by the Church. The manual is significant because it includes discussions of sensitive topics related to Church history, such as the multiple accounts of the First Vision, the Mountain Meadows Massacre and the Utah War, the history of plural … Read more
Carlfred Broderick (1932–1999) The Latter-day Saint psychologist and family therapist Carlfred Broderick shared the following thought on Joseph Smith in his 1996 volume My Parents Married on a Dare: And Other Favorite Essays on Life. I am impressed with the enormous amount of scholarship that has, in recent years, provided us with a far more textured … Read more