AuthorCast
Authorcast #118: Joseph Spencer: 1st Nephi, Isaiah, and a Message of Hope March 30 2020
Show description: In this episode, we chat with Joseph M. Spencer about his newest book, 1st Nephi: A Brief Theological Introduction (Maxwell Institute) and how this new work ties into his previous work on Nephi's use of Isaiah: The Vision of All: Twenty-five Lectures on Isaiah in Nephi's Record. We then switch gears and analyze a few passages in Isaiah that discuss despair and hope and relate them to current events.
Through Easter, you can get 30% off all Book of Mormon-related titles. Also, be sure to check out our massive ebook sale also running through Easter where you can pick up Joseph Spencer's first book, For Zion: A Mormon Theology of Hope for only $1.99!
The Greg Kofford Books Authorcast is now available through Spotify
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Authorcast #117: The Book of Mormon with Brant Gardner, Part 5 of 5 February 26 2020
Show description: We are pleased to bring you part five of our five-part conversation with Brant Gardner about the Book of Mormon. In this final episode, we discuss the purpose of the Book of Mormon. Topics discussed in this series include anthropology, Joseph Smith's translation process, authorship of the Book of Mormon, historicity and anachronisms, archaeology, geographic models, and more. Brant Gardner is the award-winning author of the Second Witness commentary series, The Gift and Power: Translating the Book of Mormon, and Traditions of the Father: The Book of Mormon as History. We are grateful to the staff of Book of Mormon Central for hosting this series and allowing us to use their recording facilities.
| Brant A. Gardner earned his M.S. in anthropology (specializing in Mesoamerican ethnohistory) from the State University of New York at Albany. He is the author of the six-volume Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon and The Gift and Power: Translating the Book of Mormon. He has presented papers at the Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research (FAIR), the Book of Mormon Archaeological Symposium, and Sunstone. His other published works include chapters in Estudios de Cultura Nahuatl and Symbol and Meaning beyond the Closed Community: Essays in Mesoamerican Ideas, and articles in the FARMS Review, Sunstone, and Meridian Magazine. Brant and his wife, Valerie, have four children and eleven grandchildren. |
Authorcast #116: The Book of Mormon with Brant Gardner, Part 4 of 5 February 19 2020
Show description: We are pleased to bring you part four of a five-part conversation with Brant Gardner about the Book of Mormon. In this episode, we discuss geographic models for the Book of Mormon. Topics discussed in this series include anthropology, Joseph Smith's translation process, authorship of the Book of Mormon, historicity and anachronisms, archaeology, geographic models, and more. Brant Gardner is the award-winning author of the Second Witness commentary series, The Gift and Power: Translating the Book of Mormon, and Traditions of the Father: The Book of Mormon as History. We are grateful to the staff of Book of Mormon Central for hosting this series and allowing us to use their recording facilities.
| Brant A. Gardner earned his M.S. in anthropology (specializing in Mesoamerican ethnohistory) from the State University of New York at Albany. He is the author of the six-volume Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon and The Gift and Power: Translating the Book of Mormon. He has presented papers at the Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research (FAIR), the Book of Mormon Archaeological Symposium, and Sunstone. His other published works include chapters in Estudios de Cultura Nahuatl and Symbol and Meaning beyond the Closed Community: Essays in Mesoamerican Ideas, and articles in the FARMS Review, Sunstone, and Meridian Magazine. Brant and his wife, Valerie, have four children and eleven grandchildren. |
Authorcast #115: The Book of Mormon with Brant Gardner, Part 3 of 5 February 12 2020
Show description: In this episode, we are pleased to bring you part three of a five-part conversation with Brant Gardner about the Book of Mormon. Topics discussed in this series include the organization of the small and large plates, Joseph Smith's translation process, authorship of the Book of Mormon, historicity and anachronisms, archaeology, geographic models, and more. Brant Gardner is the award-winning author of the Second Witness commentary series, The Gift and Power: Translating the Book of Mormon, and Traditions of the Father: The Book of Mormon as History. We are grateful to the staff of Book of Mormon Central for hosting this series and allowing us to use their recording facilities.
| Brant A. Gardner earned his M.S. in anthropology (specializing in Mesoamerican ethnohistory) from the State University of New York at Albany. He is the author of the six-volume Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon and The Gift and Power: Translating the Book of Mormon. He has presented papers at the Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research (FAIR), the Book of Mormon Archaeological Symposium, and Sunstone. His other published works include chapters in Estudios de Cultura Nahuatl and Symbol and Meaning beyond the Closed Community: Essays in Mesoamerican Ideas, and articles in the FARMS Review, Sunstone, and Meridian Magazine. Brant and his wife, Valerie, have four children and eleven grandchildren. |
Authorcast #114: The Book of Mormon with Brant Gardner, Part 2 of 5 February 05 2020
Show description: In this episode, we are pleased to bring you part two of a five-part conversation with Brant Gardner about the Book of Mormon. Topics discussed in this series include the organization of the small and large plates, Joseph Smith's translation process, authorship of the Book of Mormon, historicity and anachronisms, archaeology, geographic models, and more. Brant Gardner is the award-winning author of the Second Witness commentary series, The Gift and Power: Translating the Book of Mormon, and Traditions of the Father: The Book of Mormon as History. We are grateful to the staff of Book of Mormon Central for hosting this series and allowing us to use their recording facilities.
| Brant A. Gardner earned his M.S. in anthropology (specializing in Mesoamerican ethnohistory) from the State University of New York at Albany. He is the author of the six-volume Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon and The Gift and Power: Translating the Book of Mormon. He has presented papers at the Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research (FAIR), the Book of Mormon Archaeological Symposium, and Sunstone. His other published works include chapters in Estudios de Cultura Nahuatl and Symbol and Meaning beyond the Closed Community: Essays in Mesoamerican Ideas, and articles in the FARMS Review, Sunstone, and Meridian Magazine. Brant and his wife, Valerie, have four children and eleven grandchildren. |
Authorcast #113: Brant Gardner on the Book of Mormon, Part 1 of 5 January 29 2020
Show description: In this episode, we are pleased to bring you the first part of a five-part conversation with Brant Gardner about the Book of Mormon. Topics discussed in this series include the organization of the small and large plates, Joseph Smith's translation process, authorship of the Book of Mormon, historicity and anachronisms, archaeology, geographic models, and more. Brant Gardner is the award-winning author of the Second Witness commentary series, The Gift and Power: Translating the Book of Mormon, and Traditions of the Father: The Book of Mormon as History. We are grateful to the staff of Book of Mormon Central for hosting this series and allowing us to use their recording facilities.
| Brant A. Gardner earned his M.S. in anthropology (specializing in Mesoamerican ethnohistory) from the State University of New York at Albany. He is the author of the six-volume Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon and The Gift and Power: Translating the Book of Mormon. He has presented papers at the Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research (FAIR), the Book of Mormon Archaeological Symposium, and Sunstone. His other published works include chapters in Estudios de Cultura Nahuatl and Symbol and Meaning beyond the Closed Community: Essays in Mesoamerican Ideas, and articles in the FARMS Review, Sunstone, and Meridian Magazine. Brant and his wife, Valerie, have four children and eleven grandchildren. |
Authorcast #112: Don Bradley, live author event at Writ & Vision January 20 2020
Show description: In this episode, we bring you a recording of a live author event with Don Bradley at Writ & Vision rare books and gallery in Provo, UT. Don discusses his new book, The Lost 116 Pages: Reconstructing the Book of Mormon's Missing Stories. He discusses his background, faith journey, research into the missing pages, and how piecing together many of the missing stories changed his view of the Book of Mormon.
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The Lost 116 Pages: Reconstructing the Book of Mormon's Missing Stories “Extraordinary. Sparkling with fresh and important insights into the history, nature, and contents of the lost portion of the Book of Mormon—and of the portion that we still have.” —Daniel C. Peterson, editor, Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship |
Authorcast #111: Don Bradley, author of The Lost 116 Pages: Reconstructing the Book of Mormon's Missing Stories January 14 2020
Show description: In this highly anticipated work, author Don Bradley presents over a decade of historical and scriptural research to not only tell the story of the lost pages but to reconstruct many of the detailed stories written on them. In this interview, Don Bradley discusses his methodology for reconstructing the missing stories as well as provides insight into how the missing stories reframe our view of the existing text of the Book of Mormon.
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The Lost 116 Pages: Reconstructing the Book of Mormon's Missing Stories “Extraordinary. Sparkling with fresh and important insights into the history, nature, and contents of the lost portion of the Book of Mormon—and of the portion that we still have.” —Daniel C. Peterson, editor, Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship |
Authorcast #110: Bradley J. Kramer, author of Gathered in One: How the Book of Mormon Counters Anti-Semitism in the New Testament September 24 2019
Show description: For devotees of Christian scripture, the suggestion that the New Testament contains anti-Semitic rhetoric is challenging. After all, how could the New Testament, largely written by Jewish authors about the Jewish Messiah contain any trace of disdain towards its own people? However, centuries of Christian hatred towards Jews demonstrates its roots in the New Testament portrayals of the Jews as a corrupt, conspiring, and murderous people. Take for example the near absolution of Pontius Pilate regarding the crucifixion of Jesus. The Gospels make clear that the blame for Jesus’s death rests upon the corrupt Jewish leaders and people who handed the Savior over to Roman authorities and, when given the chance to redeem him, shouted: “crucify him!” This New Testament depiction has led to the labeling of Jews as “Christ-killers.” Horrifically, this attitude has inspired pogroms against the Jewish people, the killing of Jews during the Crusades, and, in more recent times, the Jewish Holocaust. We are still dealing today with negative stereotypes of Jews that stem from early Christian attitudes.
For author Bradley Kramer, a scholar dedicated to interfaith studies and relations between Jews and Latter-day Saints, the Book of Mormon offers a different, decidedly pro-Jewish take while not undermining the authority of the New Testament. In his book, Gathered in One: How the Book of Mormon Counters Anti-Semitism in the New Testament, Bradley demonstrates how The Book of Mormon contains an intentionally pro-Judaic stance. For example, Bradley argues that the Book of Mormon minimizes Jewish involvement in the crucifixion of Jesus and rejects supersessionist claims by portraying the Jewish people as still being God’s covenant people. Taken together with the New Testament, the Book of Mormon smooths out the sharp edges of anti-Semitic imagery, settings, and language.
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Gathered in One: How the Book of Mormon Counters Anti-Semitism in the New Testament “His thesis is fresh, provocative, and rigorously argued. A signal contribution to Book of Mormon studies.” — Terryl Givens |
Authorcast #109: David B. Ostler, author of Bridges: Ministering to Those Who Question August 08 2019
In this episode of the Greg Kofford Books Authorcast, we chat with David B. Ostler about his book, Bridges: Ministering to Those Who Question. We discuss his personal story and what led him to write this topic as well the larger trends of disaffection and disaffiliation from religion in Western society and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as ways to reach out and minister to those whose faith has changed.
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Bridges: Ministering to Those Who Question “A deeply Christian book that calls upon us all to seek understanding and minister to the wounded.” —Terryl Givens |
Authorcast #104: Laura Rutter Strickling, author of On Fire in Baltimore: Black Mormon Women and Conversion in a Raging City October 11 2018
On this episode, we chat with Laura Rutter Strickling, author of On Fire in Baltimore: Black Mormon Women and Conversion in a Raging City.
On Fire in Baltimore: Black Mormon Women and Conversion in a Raging City
By Laura Rutter Strickling
$20.95 paperback
$34.95 hardcover
197 pages
Free sample preview
Q&A with the author
Authorcast #103: The Expanded Canon August 24 2018
Episode 103: The Expanded Canon
Hosted by Brian Whitney
On this episode, editors Blair Van Dyke, Brian Birch, and Boyd Petersen discuss the development of the Mormon Studies program at Utah Valley University, their annual conferences, the new UVU Comparative Mormon Studies series with Greg Kofford Books, as well as the contributors and topics in the first volume: The Expanded Canon: Perspectives on Mormonism and Sacred Texts.
For those in the Utah area, please join us for the following events with the editors:
Tue Sep 18 | Writ & Vision (Provo) at 7:00 PM | RSVP on Facebook
Wed Sep 19 | Benchmark Books (SLC) at 5:30 PM | RSVP on Facebook
The Expanded Canon: Perspectives on Mormonism and Sacred Texts
Edited by Blair G. Van Dyke, Brian D. Birch, and Boyd J. Petersen
Part of the UVU Comparative Mormon Studies series
Pre-order your copy
AuthorCast #102: Interview with Charles Randall Paul July 25 2018
Episode 102: Interview with Charles Randall Paul
Hosted by Brian Whitney
In this episode, Charles Randall Paul discusses his forthcoming book, Converting the Saints: A Study of Religious Rivalry in America, as well as the interfaith organization he founded, the Foundation for Religious Diplomacy, and offers a few suggestions for dealing with religious, political, and ideological conflict. Be sure to check out his recent article, "Contesting Truth through Mutual Openness."
Converting the Saints: A Study of Religious Rivalry in America
By Charles Randall Paul
Available August 7, 2018
Pre-order your copy
AuthorCast #101: Interview with Blake Ostler July 11 2018
Episode 101: Interview with Blake Ostler
Hosted by Brian Whitney
Blake T. Ostler is an independent scholar residing in Salt Lake City, Utah,and the author of the multi-volume Exploring Mormon Thought series. Volume 1: The Attributes of God has recently been re-issued in paperback. In this interview, Blake discusses his background, the series, some of the key philosophocal discussions in The Attributes of God, such as the nature of free will, God's existence within time, and Mormon Christology.
“These books are the most important works on Mormon theology ever written. There is nothing currently available that is even close to the rigor and sophistication of these volumes.” — FARMS Review, Neal A. Maxwell Institute, Brigham Young University
AuthorCast #96: Gospel Doctrine Lessons 13–15 with David Bokovoy April 18 2018
Episode 96: Gospel Doctrine Lessons 13–15 with David Bokovoy
Hosted by Brian Whitney
(See the full list of Gospel Doctrine episodes here.)
We are back from our break! Brian and David discuss Gospel Doctrine lessons 13 through 15, which covers most of Exodus and begins Numbers. Topics discussed include the story of Moses, the ten plagues and the Passover, the Ten Commandments, and Israel's curse to wander the desert for forty years. This is a long episode that compresses three lessons into one. We hope you find it useful in your personal study and class preparation.
David Bokovoy holds a PhD in Hebrew Bible and the Ancient Near East and an MA in Near Eastern and Judaic Studies both from Brandeis University. He is the author of Authoring the Old Testament: Genesis–Deuteronomy and the forthcoming Authoring the Old Testament: The Prophets, both part of the Contemporary Studies in Scripture series.
“This book should be basic reading for serious LDS students of the Bible.” — Eric D. Huntsman, Coordinator of Ancient Near Eastern Studies, Brigham Young University
AuthorCast #95: Interview with Newell G. Bringhurst April 03 2018
Interview with Newell G. Bringhurst
Hosted by Brian Whitney
In this episode, we interview Newell G. Bringhurst, author of Saints, Slaves, and Blacks: The Changing Place of Black People Within Mormonism, 2nd ed. We discuss the history of the race-based priesthood and temple ban within Mormonism, the role that Mormon ethnic "whiteness" and "Ephraimite" identity played in Mormon racial views, and causes for the eventual policy shift within Mormonism that ended the priesthood and temple restriction to blacks.
Read Newell's article, "Five Times Mormons Changed Their Position on Slavery."
Newell Bringhurst will be signing books and speaking at Writ & Vision in Provo on Tuesday, April 24th at 7:00 PM, and at Benchmark Books in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, April 25th at 5:30 PM.
Saints, Slaves, and Blacks: The Changing Place of Black People Within Mormonism, 2nd ed.
By Newell G. Bringhurst
Available April 10, 2018
Purchase your copy
AuthorCast #90: Interview with William V. Smith February 22 2018
Interview with William V. Smith
Hosted by Brian Whitney
In this episode, we interview William V. Smith about his new book, Textual Studies of the Doctrine and Covenants: The Plural Marriage Revelation
Read Bill's article, "A Very Brief History of D&C Section 132: The Plural Marriage Revelation"
William V. Smith will be signing books and speaking at a panel discussion hosted by Writ & Vision in Provo on Tuesday, March 13th. The panel will also feature Lindsay Hansen Park (Year of Polygamy podcast) and independent historian Don Bradley. The event is free to attend and begins at 7PM. Writ & Vision is located at 274 W. Center Street, Provo, UT.
Textual Studies of the Doctrine and Covenants: The Plural Marriage Revelation
By William V. Smith
Part of the Contemporary Studies in Scripture series
Purchase your copy