In doing research on 19th century church courts, I recently came across a legal issue that I haven’t seen before: What exactly is the evidentiary value of speaking in tongues? Be the first to like. Like Unlike Read more »
LDS Newsroom
- Church Working With Oklahoma Officials to Provide Support in Wake of Tornadoes May 21, 2013
- Funeral Services for Frances J. Monson Announced May 20, 2013
- Frances J. Monson, Wife of President Thomas S. Monson, Passes Away May 17, 2013
- Elder Dallin H. Oaks Honored for Championing Religious Freedom May 16, 2013
- Mormonism in the News: Getting It Right| 15 May 2013 May 15, 2013
- Rendering of Meridian Idaho Mormon Temple Now Public May 15, 2013
- Mormon Delegation Encourages Religious Dialogue at International Conference May 14, 2013
- Mormons Around the World: Country Newsroom Websites |14 May 2013 May 14, 2013
- Mormons Around the World: Country Newsroom Websites | May 9 May 9, 2013
- Church Donates More Than 1 Million Pounds of Food to Top Hunger-Relief Organization May 9, 2013
Blog Archives
Javelin Man
I consider my brother-in-law to be a twisted genius (in a good, vaguely Wierd-Al-Yankovich sort of way). I am happy to say that the fruits of his desire to be a rock star, his labors as a scriptorian (his favorite Book of Mormon character is Teancum), and his calling as a road show director are now available on YouTube. Without further ado, here is the song that has rocked family reniuns for years…”Javelin Man” Be the first to like. Like Unlike Read more »
God in the Elements and God in the Market
I recently had a theological epiphany while reading a case about conditions precedent in crop insurance contracts. Be the first to like. Like Unlike Read more »
A Sermon from My Past
I recently came across a talk delivered in church by a missionary in 1994 who was about to depart for Pusan, Korea via the MTC. It was interesting (and a little mortifying) to read the words of my past self. Here is what I said: Be the first to like. Like Unlike Read more »
Legal and Religious Irony on the BYU Website
I recently ran across the “Education for Eternity” website put together by the BYU Faculty Center, which collects materials on Mormonism and higher education. It is not a bad collection, and given that William & Mary has no comperable collection, I appreciate that it is online. I couldn’t help but laughing, however, when I clicked to the section on law only to find a picture of Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. staring at me. Holmes is a rightly iconic figure in the law, and I assume that he was added to provide a bit of jurisprudential ambiance. On the other... Read more »
Holy Week v. Passover
Kristine is trying to get everyone reved up for Holy Week over at BCC. I wish her well, but I suspect that she isn’t going to succeed on this one. Be the first to like. Like Unlike Read more »
PBS and the Bloggernacle
The trailer is now online for PBS’s up-coming documentary extravaganza on “The Mormons.” You’ll be happy to know that the Bloggernacle had a bit part in the series’ production. Be the first to like. Like Unlike Read more »
Spring Planting
Spring is here with a vengeance, and I don’t think there can be any real argument but that the land south of the Mason-Dixon Line does spring better than any other region of the country. Be the first to like. Like Unlike Read more »
RSR and the William & Mary Book Store
Much to the consternation of my wife (who handles our money), I am a rather frequent visitor to William & Mary’s book store. It has been a while since I glanced through their religion section (of late I have been buying poetry or history), but the other day I did glance through the “Mormon” section to see what they have. Be the first to like. Like Unlike Read more »
Temples and God’s Discount Function
I think that one of the reasons that God commanded Brigham Young to build the Salt Lake Temple was to signal his discount function. Be the first to like. Like Unlike Read more »
The 16th Century Origins of a Mormon Idea
The Mormon court system emerged from the much older tradition of ecclesiastical discipline among the English Protestants who settled North America. Be the first to like. Like Unlike Read more »
Mormonism and the Memo to the Dean
Earlier this week I engaged in what I am told is an annual academic ritual, and wrote a memo to the Dean explaining what I have done this year in terms of teaching, scholarship, and service. Since I have been engaged in a number of projects related to Mormon studies, the question arises should I include these in the memo? Does Mormonism “count†academically speaking? Be the first to like. Like Unlike Read more »
The Poetry of Red Rocks
I am currently doing some research on Mormon legal history, and earlier today found myself reading through an old issue of Western Humanties Review from 1951. Be the first to like. Like Unlike Read more »
Intelligences and Zion: An Essay in Mormon Political Philosophy (part IV, concluded)
To read the previous sections of this essay, go here (Part I), here (Part II), and here (Part III). Be the first to like. Like Unlike Read more »
Intelligences and Zion: An Essay in Mormon Political Philosophy (part III)
To read the first section of this essay, go here (Part I) and here (Part II). Be the first to like. Like Unlike Read more »
Intelligences and Zion: An Essay in Mormon Poltical Philosophy (part II)
To read the first section of this essay, go here. Be the first to like. Like Unlike Read more »
Intelligences and Zion: An Essay in Mormon Political Philosophy (part I)
The following is an essay that I wrote several years ago and never published. I have divided the essay into four posts that will run over the next couple of days. Academics regularlly present unpublished papers at workshops where they get feedback and criticism. I want to experiment with a blog-based version of the same thing in which folks offer thoughts and criticism of the essay as they read it. Enjoy! Be the first to like. Like Unlike Read more »
What is Church Doctrine? One Possible Theory…
Church Doctrine is a ubiquitous idea among Mormons, but in some ways it is quite mysterious. Be the first to like. Like Unlike Read more »
Brigham Young and the Spectacle of Litigation
On February 24, 1856, Brigham Young delivered a blistering attack on lawyers and law courts. Be the first to like. Like Unlike Read more »
Scripture and Interpretation: Some Thoughts Inspired by “The Family: A Proclamation to the World”
A couple of weeks ago we had stake conference, and among other things the visiting authority talked about “The Family: A Proclamation to the World.” Among many good and true things, he said that we ought to treat the Proclamation as scripture and that the only reason it was not added to the Doctrine & Covenants is because President Hinckley didn’t want us to all have to go out and buy new scriptures. I don’t want to read too much into what was clearly an off the cuff remark, but this struck me as a rather facile attempt to... Read more »
The Power of Prayer
I am something of a realist and a cynic. I assume that I basically have little or no power over the universe, and that there is almost nothing I can do to change that. You know the story of the guy walking along the beach and throwing back star fish. Someone points out that there are more star fish than he can possibly save, and he replies, “Perhaps, but I made a difference to that one,” throwing another star fish back into the ocean. I have to confess that my sympathies tend to be with the questioner. Be the... Read more »
Thoughts on Trying to Teach the Priests How to Read the Scriptures
I am the secretary in my ward’s young men’s presidency and occasionally teach lessons to our priest’s quorum. I recently taught a series of lessons on how to study the scriptures better. Be the first to like. Like Unlike Read more »
Further Complications in Excommunicating the President of the Church
A couple of years ago, I wrote a post on the procedure for excommunicating the President of the Church. In doing a bit of research on the history of the church court system, I came across some interesting complications in the story. Be the first to like. Like Unlike Read more »
The Institute for Mormon Studies
The various threads about the position at CGU has gotten me thinking about what Mormon scholarship needs, and I think that it is probably not a chaired position in Mormon studies, welcome as such a thing might be (especially if it allows a prolific scholar to churn out a lot of high quality work on Mormon studies). Rather, I think that Mormons ought to look to the libertarian wing of the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy for models. Be the first to like. Like Unlike Read more »
The Bushman Diaries
On the Road With Joseph Smith: An Author’s Diary by Richard Bushman is a very difficult book to get a hold of, which is unfortunate. Be the first to like. Like Unlike Read more »
A Really Long Post about Mitt Romney, Damon Linker, and Pope Pius V
In 1570, Pope Pius V issued his bull Regnans in Exelcis, a pontifical act that seems to be creating problems for Mitt Romney and the Mormons. Be the first to like. Like Unlike Read more »
Are Mormons American? Can They Be?
Thanks to Mitt Romney’s candidacy, I suspect that the Mormons-as-bizarre-ridiculous-and-perhaps-dangerous theme will be increasingly with us in the months to come. There are two reasons for this: one parochial and one fundamental. Be the first to like. Like Unlike Read more »
The Cursing of Mormon Lawyers
Cursing, it would seem, forms something of a theme in Mormon legal history. Not only was it a way of dealing with unsolved crimes, but it also seems to have been used as a way of controlling frivolous litigation. Be the first to like. Like Unlike Read more »
The Judicial Use of Mormon Cursing
I have posted before on the now largely forgotten Mormon tradition of cursing. As you would expect, I have found that Mormon cursing also has a legal angle. Be the first to like. Like Unlike Read more »
Space and Time in Mormon Thought
One of Einstein’s great discovery was that time and space were intimately related concepts. It is an insight that one ought to keep in mind when thinking about Mormonism. Be the first to like. Like Unlike Read more »
Conferences and Events
- American Society of Church History Annual Meeting
- American Academy of Religion/Society of Biblical Literature Annual Meeting
- Communal Studies Association Annual Meeting
- Society for the Scientific Study of Religion/Religious Research Association
- Western History Association Annual Conference
- Utah State Historical Society Annual Meeting
- Center for Studies on New Religions
- Mormon History Association
- European Mormon Studies Association Conference
- Sunstone Symposium