Comments on: Passage of Hugh Nibley

By: mstaker

mstaker — Mon, 29 Aug 2005 20:19:41 +0000

I have thoroughly enjoyed the comments.
I suppose the time is past for input on this one–
But, in my busy life currently, I have just (today) come here finally!

Oh, how I wanted to go to the funeral for this great man.
I have watched the video, “Faith of an Observer,” countless times, have read his books, have listened to his tapes–but there is something about meeting the man…

A good Latter-day Saint. A disciple. A scholar. A good man.

I remember seeing him, right after my mission, as I would walk up to campus (south side), he would walk (every day) from his home. I remember seeing him at the gym (walking and the gym, mind and body). I remember seeing him at the library (others have commented on this). I admired him as a sort of hero (although he saw himself as so very mortal and human). I was amazed when my wife(-to-be) just walked up and talked with him (even though he was so down-to-earth, approachable).

“No one knows what he knows,” as Brother Truman Madsen says.

My brother and I went and listened to his presentations on the hypocephalus (I took great notes, but I am sure the book will have much more). He opened with, “if anyone has a pencil, I can begin,” and pulled several from his suit coat pocket. (He could do more with a pencil than the rest of us can with blackberries, palm pilots, and the like). :-)

It all became so REAL when listening to or readin his words.

(I cannot believe he taught my dad’s religion classes over 50 years ago! How many of us he influenced…)

I am grateful for his faith.
God bless you, brother Nibley.
(and your family).

(May we learn from him
how not to waste the days of our probation…)

By: Roberts

Roberts — Mon, 18 Jul 2005 17:02:39 +0000

Hi,
Can any one tell me what is spaming?
Thanks

By: Celeste Nibley

Celeste Nibley — Fri, 15 Apr 2005 08:24:47 +0000

I don’t usually come to websites like this, but a friend sent me a link to ask a question and I was intrigued. I have read almost all the comments posted and would like to thank you for your stories and kind words about Grandpa. It’s always fun to hear about a family member from someone outside the family. Thank you so much!

By: joe summerhays

joe summerhays — Mon, 04 Apr 2005 03:01:03 +0000

Don’t know any of you on this list. Just googled Nibley Funeral because I wanted to fly in from NY, but couldn’t re-arrange the schedule. He changed my life as well.
My first introduction to Nibley was by being introduced to Nibley. My anecdote:
As a missionary in Boulder, CO. in 1981, I was asked by the LDS institute director (Mike Wilcox of CES fame) to accompany one Bro. Hugh Nibley over to the anthropology dept. at CU so he could give a lecture. Nibley was upstairs stealing a nap when I arrived with my companion. We found him zonked on a sofa in his suit. Hat still on. We woke him up and he jumped up and said words to the effect, “Point me in right direction, let’s go.” and off we went.
The lecture was in a stadium seating classroom of about one hundred anthro students and profs. and a handful of admiring LDS locals who’d snuck away from work to hear the lecture. He was speaking on the Coptic references to the flood and the creation, if I remember correctly
By the time he finished, I knew I was in the presense of some kind of juggernaut of a scholar. Most of it completely over my head with all the trademark Nibley (insert language here) references in the original, his wit, etc.
He finished by saying, “Any questions? Good!” and he turned to sit down before anyone could ask a question. But a scholarly looking Prof. stood up (tweed jacket, round glasses, bowtie, straight from central casting) and ripped into Nibley’s thesis.
Nibley looked out the window as the rebuttal unfolded. I’ll never forget that. The attack was quite visceral, given Nibley had brought the BofMormon and PofG into play during his lecture. When the Prof. finished, he got an ovation from the audience. They really pumped up the room. It was like an Jerry Springer kind of response, only in intellectual garb. The guy really went after Nibley in a heated way.
I’ll never forget how Nibley responded. He started by saying something close to, “I’ve been invited her to speak about Shakespeare and you’ve just accused me of not speaking about Milton.” He then took apart the rebuttal point by point, quoting in original languages , the very references this Prof introduced as evidence against Nibley. Nibley also expanded many of the point the Prof made with Chinese references and on and on and on. It was done in a Cyrano DeBergerac type of, “You could have taken me apart with this, or this or this, but all you chose to do was this? Her’s what I’d have said if I were you..” etc. Nibley was quiet gracious and entertaining about it all, but ended up giving a response, which when concluded, induced a standing ovation from the entire group.
This was my first exposure to Hugh. I retold this story that day, the weeks after, and many years after that. I took two years of Hebrew in college after my mission, because his writings and that particular display of virtuosic brilliance so moved me.
I quickly realized I didn’t have the chops for language period, let alone the mind to work in the rarified air of the like of Nibley. I ended up being an artist, but that is a different story.
This man was hilarious, smart, unflinching, and cool. To a 20 year old missionary, he was a rock star.
God bless his family in this time of loss.

By: John Kammeyer

John Kammeyer — Tue, 08 Mar 2005 00:48:08 +0000

I came out of the Provo Temple one Saturday, and there was Nibley, standing in the front entrance, looking around, apparently trying to remember where he’d left his car.
I took Nibley as a bit of a model, and did a political science study of the Book of Mormon, based on the premise that it had to fit into a real-world political context, that of the world of Lehi. It fits. But I found the same thing Nibley apparently found, that all scholarly research into the scriptures inevitably leads back to the Gospel, and questions of faith and revelation. In other words, you can study the Gospel, in the beginning, as an intellectual excercise, but eventually the Spirit will lead you into actually believing in it. I believe in it, and to me the Nephites are totally real. And if I read the above notes correctly, this is the same transition Nibley made. God grant him peace.

By: Terry Foraker

Terry Foraker — Sun, 06 Mar 2005 09:06:35 +0000

My first real introduction to Dr. Nibley came a week before I returned from my mission in August 1990. I borrowed a copy of Since Cumorah from one of the local members (I hope he got it back) and spent an entire P-day reading it. I wasn’t too hot on the chapters dealing with textual issues and archaeological evidence such as metal plates and stone boxes, but I was dazzled by the last half of the book which focused on the messages of the Book of Mormon–I had never come across anything so magnificent and beautifully written. I couldn’t stop talking about the book to my fellow missionaries. A few months later, while visiting relatives in Salt Lake, I picked up Mormonism and Early Christianity. It was pretty heady stuff, but very rewarding. Shortly thereafter, I read An Approach to the Book of Mormon, and followed that by Approaching Zion. What could I say? WHOA! That one totally blew me away, and the scary thing was that it was rooted in the scriptures, confirming some things that I had secretly found myself suspecting as I studied the Doctrine and Covenants on my mission. Impractical? Absolutely, but no more than living the gospel fully as outlined in the scriptures. A couple of months later, I arrived at BYU (along with my new, treasured Nibley books), where I embarked on a crusade to read everything of his which I could get my hands on–The Myth Makers, Sounding Brass, The World and the Prophets, The Prophetic Book of Mormon, etc.–sometimes two at a time. I received a couple more of his books for Christmas–this was 1991–and finished them in time to pick up his brand new Temple and Cosmos, which I thought more highly of than he did. Over the next year or so, I managed to own all of the FARMS collected works, and in the fall of 1992 I took his Pearl of Great Price class–one of the last classes he taught. I’m not sure how much of it I caught, but I do remember the thrill of returning to my modest apartment and sharing the daily gems of wisdom with my new wife. I also was thrilled to have access to some of Dr. Nibley’s articles on reserve at the library (especially his brilliant articles on the world of Abraham–some of his best work, in my view). One of the most exciting experiences came when I got a copy of a talk which he had given less than a week before–”The Value of the Land” (which was later published as “Promised Lands” in his Brigham Young collection). The thrill of knowing that his latest talk was burning a hole in my backpack was almost too much to bear! Of course, I would show these treasures to my wife and we would read them together–this was before we had a TV or children.

That was over ten years ago, but my love for Nibley and his work have only grown. I have read his works many times over (don’t ask me what my favorite is; I love it all, though I am especially impressed by his Enoch writings and some of his work on Abraham; a lot of the Egyptian stuff, though, I still have trouble wrapping my mind around), and look forward (finally!) to the republication of the book on the Egyptian endowment, as well as his final work. We can be grateful that he left us that one last book. As it is, he gave us more than we have any right to expect. For his life well lived, and a mind well cultivated and used, we have the Lord to thank. Brother Nibley’s intellect alone was reason enough for praise; coupled with his gentle nature and his charming persona, it causes the heart to soar and the heavens to weep for joy.

By: Michael C. Reid

Michael C. Reid — Fri, 04 Mar 2005 14:36:44 +0000

Just a quick note about the funeral on Wednesday. I slipped into the back of the balcony and was witness to a spiritual treat. The time flew by as almost 2 hours passed by. There was a power spiritual witness that seemed to permeate the Provo Tabernacle. Funerals can become an introspective meeting for me as many times you see a “fast-forward” version of a person’s life. Invevitably I turn inward, examining my life up to that point in time and shaking my head at how far I still need to progress.

However, having spent 3 years in the Provo 9th Ward, and having had many discussions with Bro. Nibley from time to time, I realized at this funeral that the I was there to pay tribute to one who “fought the good fight” and was triumphal. I felt like I didn’t want the children to finish talking about their father and sharing their experiences.

Then, to have an Apostle of Jesus Christ be the concluding speaker was the proverbial icing on the cake. He spoke from the scriptures and bore a powerful witness to the truth. May we all never stray from the roots of the restoration, and enjoy the power and blessings that come from restored truth. At the end of the day, it all makes sense and a life like Hugh’s is another example of not only the reality of the restoration, but of how rich and happy is the life of one who holds fast to the iron rod.

By: jim s.

jim s. — Fri, 04 Mar 2005 02:24:36 +0000

Kevin:

At the risk of immodesty–well, I’ll embrace immodestia–you’ve got an excellent memory. It is the trophy of my undergraduate life. In my first Nibley class, on the P of G.P., I got this clever idea: I’ll take Hugh’s general interpretive trope and extend it to the PGP. That is, I’ll make a detailed chart listing on the left side, all the elements which outline a certain class of pseudo-epigraphic documents. On the top of the chart, I’ll list all genuinely, ancient pseudo-epigraphic works. I simply argued that the PofGP was an authentic ancient document and not an 19th century forgery. Nibley absolutely loved it. He handed me the paper and said, “That was quite a spectacular paper you wrote.” and he gave me an A+. (Thanks K B for inviting me to dust off the laurel wreath. I’ll send the check.)

By: Kevin Barney

Kevin Barney — Thu, 03 Mar 2005 19:51:38 +0000

Jim S. I remember seeing a paper you wrote for a class you were taking from Nibley. I can’t remember which one, and the only thing I recall about your paper is that it had a table of various ancient texts, comparing which ones had certain elements in common along with the BoM or whatever it was the paper was about. And I seem to recall that you got an A on that paper, which was a very rare event. Does any of this ring a bell with you?

By: Jason

Jason — Thu, 03 Mar 2005 18:59:55 +0000

I saw the live broadcast of the funeral in the HFAC on BYU campus. It was a good tribute, with most children sharing memories, a sermon by Professor Jack Welch on Nibley’s “articles of faith” (how his corpus affirmed and gave supporting testimony to the doctrines Joseph Smith laid out in the Articles of Faith), Elder Holland read and delivered to Phyllis a letter of appreciation/consolation by the First Presidency, and Elder Oaks spoke on some of Nibley’s traits we would do well to emulate and, of course, the resurrection.

His children, I thought, were the stars. Zina put on one of his old hats to, as she said he would want, “put the fun back in funeral.” She also said he went to bed every night in recent years hoping “this could be the night, I could go tonight!” and waking up every morning saying “Damn!” Another daughter whose name I didn’t catch spoke of her father taking her picture at a graduation: “I tried to look intellectual, thoughtful, and sexy–sorry, General Authorities!” The camera didn’t pan out at these funny moments, but it was good to see some characteristic Nibley wit at this meeting in his honor.