Worlds galore
Posted in Ancient Near East Atonement Creation Gospel of Jesus Christ Hebrew Scholarship Science Scripture

“Whole Worlds Are Full of His Glory”: Thoughts on a Passage from the Words of Gad the Seer

In a post on “The Words of Gad the Seer” and in a related book review for Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship, I’ve shared the dramatic…

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Jacob preaching in Jacob 2
Posted in Book of Mormon Doctrine history language marriage Polygamy The Church

What Does Jacob 2:30 Say About Polygamy? Is the Church’s Traditional Interpretation Wrong?

One of the many conundrums related to the controversial past practice of polygamy is the Book of Mormon’s stance on the issue. In Jacob 2, the prophet Jacob condemns the…

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Posted in Ancient Near East Atonement Baptism Book of Mormon covenants Doctrine Faith Gospel of Jesus Christ Jesus Christ Restoration Salvation

Cherishing the Book of Mormon’s Teachings on the Fairness of God

One of the most spiritually and intellectually satisfying elements of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ the is fairness of God. Contrary to centuries of tragically misguided theology about the…

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Mary
Posted in Bible Book of Mormon Charity children Christianity Family Jesus Christ wordplays

Mary, Mother of the Lord: Thoughts for Mother’s Day

In the final week of Christ’s life, we see more of an ongoing theme in which Christ reveals to us the importance of, and His love for, the people we…

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Posted in Ancient Near East Antiquity Bible Book of Mormon Books Charity Christianity covenants Critics Doctrine Evidence Faith Gospel of Jesus Christ Greek history Repentance Restoration

Relational Faith: An Essential Book for Understanding “Faith” as Used in New Testament Times and for Appreciating the Restoration

There’s a new book, Brent Schmidt’s Relational Faith, that may be one of the best resources around to help Latter-day Saints and perhaps many other Christians understand and explain what…

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Posted in Book of Mormon Book of Moses language Scripture Witnesses

To Bear Testimony: Insights on a Popular Latter-day Saint Phrase and Its Connections to Modern Scripture and Early Modern English

Latter-day Saints often use the verb “bear” with “testimony” when expressing their religious conviction, as in “I’d like to bear my testimony that I know that Jesus Christ lives and…

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Posted in Ancient Near East Book of Mormon Evidence Scholarship

Kevin Christensen’s Twenty-year Retrospective on Margaret Barker’s Influence on the Church

Twenty years ago Kevin Christensen introduced Latter-day Saints to the revolutionary work of a unique biblical scholar in the United Kingdom, Margaret Barker. Her message resonated with numerous Latter-day Saint…

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Posted in councils Leadership Policies The Church

Tip for Unit Leaders: When Multiple Organizations Request the Same People for Callings, Have a Meeting with Leaders to Explore Options

Today my wife praised our recently released bishop’s method of handling conflicts in calling requests. She just learned about this technique and was thrilled at the simple beauty of it….

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Posted in freedom Industry Prophets Social Issues Society War

“The False Gods We Worship”: Why Is This First Presidency Message So Hard to Find When Searching?

UPDATE, DAY 0: With the help of my untrustworthy but still very smart friend, ChatGPT 4, I was able to determine that the reason a controversial 1976 First Presidency message…

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Posted in Book of Mormon Books Doctrine Evidence history Origins Problems Repentance Scholarship Scripture Translation

A Simple Example from the Book of Mormon Showing Why Scholarship Is Needed

Many Latter-day Saints seem unaware of the great body of scholarship that can strengthen faith and understanding for members of the Church and those exploring it. Such scholarship can be…

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