AuthorCast
AuthorCast #58: Exploring Mormon Thought, episode 13 June 27 2017
Exploring Mormon Thought, Episode 13: The Attributes of God Ch 7 - Divine Foreknowledge and the Mormon Concept of Free Agency (Part 2)
By Corey Ostler
Part two of our discussion of the Mormon concept of free agency and foreknowledge. We look at different views of free will and what it means to have the ability to 'choose otherwise.' We give several variations of a hypothetical situation and ask if one would still be truly free given the scenario. We then discuss how free agency is the crux of Mormonism and a truly beautiful opportunity to create ourselves with God.
Topics Discussed:
• Objections to Power to Do Otherwise
• Semi-Compatibilism
• Intervention after an Effective Interaction Is Formed
• Intervention before an Effective Intention Is Formed
• Is Intervention Possible before an Intention Is Effective?
• Is Causal Determinism Essential to Free Acts?
• A Mormon Concept of Free Agency
Learn more about Blake Ostler’s book series, Exploring Mormon Thought.
Subscribe in Pocket Casts
AuthorCast #57: Exploring Mormon Thought, episode 12 June 27 2017
Exploring Mormon Thought, Episode 12: The Attributes of God Ch 7 - Divine Foreknowledge and the Mormon Concept of Free Agency (Part 1)
By Corey Ostler
Topics Discussed:
• Hypothetical Free Will
• Libertarian Free Agency
www.exploringmormonthought.com/
Learn more about Blake Ostler’s book series, Exploring Mormon Thought.
AuthorCast #56: Exploring Mormon Thought, episode 11 June 27 2017
Exploring Mormon Thought, Episode 11: The Attributes of God Ch 6 - The Incompatibility of Free Will and Infallible Foreknowledge
By Corey Ostler
We discuss arguments for infallible foreknowledge being compatible or incompatible with libertarian free will. We come up with a logical argument for the incompatibility of free will and infallible foreknowledge and discuss the assumptions of each premise.
Topics Discussed:
• An unsound Argument for Incompatibility
• Argument A
• A Sound Argument for Incompatibilism from the Necessity of the Past
• Argument B
• Some Clearly Unsuccessful Attempts to Escape Incompatibility
www.facebook.com/ExploringMormonThought
www.exploringmormonthought.com/
Learn more about Blake Ostler’s book series, Exploring Mormon Thought.
AuthorCast #55: This Month in Mormon Studies June 16 2017
Join co-hosts Brian Whitney (Greg Kofford Books) and Brandt Malone (Mormon News Report) in this lively look at the latest happenings in the field of Mormon studies, including news, blogs, new book releases, and events from the past month.
Highlights from this month include: MHA 2017, barbecue, Book of Mormon as literature, Joseph Smith: Monogamist?, LGBT history in Utah, new history of the Church, and David Bokovoy's mustache.
In the News
Passing of Nathan Ulrich
Passing of Charles S. Peterson
Administrative changes at Maxwell Institute
On the Blogs
Ardis Parshall, "The Sailor and the Apostle: 'The Thinking Has Been Done'?"
Ben Park, "LDS Church Distances Itself from Boy Scouts: Some Thoughts"
Matt B, "Ted Chiang, 'Arrival,' Mormons, Science Fiction, Angels, Time Travel, Sex, Free Will, The Tower of Babel, and the Secular: A Roundtable"
Michael Austin, "The Chosen People are Always Wrong"
Michael Austin, "Scripture as Genre"
Steve Evans, "Book Review Roundup"
Blair Hodges, "Troubling the Old Stories with Laurel Thatcher Ulrich"
Juvenile Instructor Summer Book Club Update
Jeff Turner, "The End of the Gathering: Mormonism and Immigration Regulation"
Grant Shreeve, "The Book of Mormon Gets the Literary Treatment"
Digital Content
Joseph Smith Papers updates
Signature Books updates at Archive.org
Podcasts
LDS Perspectives: "A Heavenly Mother - Rachel Steenblik and Caitlin Connolly"
LDS Perspectives: "Joseph's Seer Stones - Michael Hubbard MacKay"
LDS Perspectives: "Tough Questions about Mormon Polygamy - Brian and Laura Hales"
Year of Polygamy: "The Succession Crisis"
Year of Polygamy: "Lorenzo Snow"
Faith Matters: "Conversations with Terryl Givens"
Recent Book Releases
Joseph Smith Papers: Documents, Vol 5 (Church Historian's Press)
Seth Anderson, LGBT Salt Lake (Arcadia)
Joseph M. Spencer and Jeremiah John, Embracing the Law: Reading Doctrine and Covenants 42 (Maxwell Institute)
Mark D. Ogletree, No Other Success: The Parenting Practices of David O. McKay (BYU RSC)
Papers/Articles
Gerrit J. Dirkmaat, "A New Voice from the Past: The Council of Fifty Minutes"
Brady Winslow, "Irregularities in the Work of the Nauvoo Lodge: Mormonism, Freemasonry, and Conflicting Interests on the Illinois Frontier"
Brian C. Hales, "Joseph Smith: Monogamist or Polygamist?"
Colby Townsend, "Behold Other Scriptures I Would That Ye Should Write: Malachi in the Book of Mormon"
Joseph Spencer, "Isaiah 52 in the Book of Mormon: Notes on Isaiah's Reception History"
Conferences and Events
Faith Matters: "New Perspectives on Joseph Smith and Translation"
Mormon Scholars in the Humanities
Mormon Transhumanist Association
JSP Documents, Vol 5 release event at Benchmark Books
Mormon History Association 2017 Conference
Sunstone 2017 SLC Symposium
FairMormon 2017 Conference
John Whitmer Historical Association 2017 Conference
Book of Mormon Studies Conference
Call for Papers/Applications
2018 Church History Symposium
2018 Mormon History Association Conference
AuthorCast #54: Exploring Mormon Thought, episode 10 June 07 2017
Exploring Mormon Thought, Episode 10: The Attributes of God Ch 5 - Models of Divine Knowledge (Part 2)
By Corey Ostler
In this episode we go over the second part of Ch 5: Models of Divine Knowledge. We talk about Middle Knowledge and Joseph Smith's evolving view of God's knowledge. We discuss James E. Talmage's view of God knowing our character so well that he can know the future and problems with that.
Topics Discussed:
• Middle Knowledge
• Problems of Middle Knowledge
• No Grounds Objection
• Counterfactuals of Freedom Are Probable Only
• The "Agents Are Not Free" Objection
• Mormonism and Middle Knowledge
Learn more about Blake Ostler’s book series, Exploring Mormon Thought.
AuthorCast #53: Exploring Mormon Thought, episode 9 June 01 2017
Exploring Mormon Thought, Episode 9: The Attributes of God Ch 5 - Models of Divine Knowledge (Part 1)
By Corey Ostler
We start discussing different models for God's knowledge. We focus on the aspect of God's knowledge of the future or infallible foreknowledge and if it can coexist with free will.
Topics Discussed:
• Simple Foreknowledge
• Timeless Knowledge Through Perception
• The Einstein-Minkowski Spacetime
• Timeless Knowledge Through Divine Causation
Learn more about Blake Ostler’s book series, Exploring Mormon Thought.
Show notes for this episode.
AuthorCast #52: Exploring Mormon Thought, episode 8 May 25 2017
Exploring Mormon Thought, Episode 8: The Attributes of God Ch 4 - Maximal Divine Power
By Corey Ostler
We go over various theories of God's power and then come to a definition that seems to fit. We then address problems with that view and see if they can be overcome while keeping the definition intact.
Topics Discussed:
• Logical Limitations on God's Power
• Limitations on God's Power Arising from Divine Attributes
• Limitations on God's Power Imposed by Significant Human Freedom
• Past Necessity and God's Power
• Problems for Omnipotence
• Persuasive and Coercive Power
• God's Power and Natural Laws
• God's Power and Creation
Learn more about Blake Ostler’s book series, Exploring Mormon Thought.
AuthorCast #51: Exploring Mormon Thought, episode 7 May 25 2017
Exploring Mormon Thought, Episode 7: The Attributes of God Ch3 - The Restoration and Systematic Theologies (Part 2)
By Corey Ostler
Continuing our survey of Mormon systematic Theologies we discuss the thought of the Pratts, John A. Widtsoe, B.H. Roberts, and Modern Mormon leaders. We talk about why they portrayed things as they did and what some strengths and weaknesses of each view are.
Pratt's 'The Seer': archive.org/details/seereditedbyorso01unse
Widtsoe's 'A Rational Theology': archive.org/details/rationaltheologywidtsoe
B.H. Roberts' 'The Seventy's Course in Theology': archive.org/details/seventyscoursein00robe
Learn more about Blake Ostler’s book series, Exploring Mormon Thought.
AuthorCast #50: Exploring Mormon Thought, episode 6 May 25 2017
Exploring Mormon Thought, Episode 6: The Attributes of God Ch 3 - The Restoration and Systematic Theologies (Part 1)
By Corey Ostler
We discuss The Lectures on Faith and Joseph Smith's evolving revelations on the nature of God, man, the universe, and how they relate to each other. We get into discussing different interpretations of the King Follett Discourse and The Sermon in the Grove.
The Lectures on Faith can be found here: lecturesonfaith.com/
King Follett Discourse:
www.lds.org/ensign/1971/04/the-…ett-sermon?lang=eng
www.lds.org/ensign/1971/05/the-…ett-sermon?lang=eng
Sermon in the Grove: emp.byui.edu/jexj/courses/sermon_in_the_grove.htm
Topics Discussed:
The Lectures on Faith
Joseph Smith and the Foundational Scriptures
Learn more about Blake Ostler’s book series, Exploring Mormon Thought.
AuthorCast #49: Exploring Mormon Thought, episode 5 May 08 2017
Exploring Mormon Thought, Episode 5: Apostasy and Concepts of Perfection (Part 2)
By Corey Ostler
Part 2 of the second chapter in The Attributes of God.
We discuss Process Thought/Theology, developed by Alfred N. Whitehead and Charles Hartshorne, and juxtapose it with the previously discussed Thomist/Classical Theism view. We also examine the striking similarities between Process Thought and Joseph Smith's revelations.
Topics Discussed:
Relative Perfection
Perfect Relatedness
Potentiality
Proportional Dependence
Complexity
Temporality
Mutability and Immutability
Passibility
Creator By Organizing
Maximal Persuasive Power
Maximal Knowledge
Learn more about Blake Ostler’s book series, Exploring Mormon Thought.
AuthorCast #48: Exploring Mormon Thought, episode 4 May 08 2017
Exploring Mormon Thought, Episode 4: Apostasy and Concepts of Perfection (Part 1)
By Corey Ostler
Part 1 of the second chapter in The Attributes of God.
We discuss how concepts of perfection from Platonism/Neo-Platonism heavily influenced early Christian thought on God's attributes. We then discuss the Absolutist system developed largely by Augustine and articulated by Thomas Aquinas. We bring up issues with the 'God' that arises when you follow this system to its logical conclusions.
Topics discussed:
Confluence of Greek Philosophy and Christian Theology
Emergence of the Absolutist Tradition in Christian Theology
The Logic of Absolute Independence
Pure Actuality
Divine Simplicity
Immutability
Timeless Eternity
Aseity
Impassibility
Omniscience
Omnipotence
Learn more about Blake Ostler’s book series, Exploring Mormon Thought.
AuthorCast #47: Exploring Mormon Thought, episode 3 May 08 2017
Exploring Mormon Thought, Episode 3: The Meaning of God in Mormon Thought (Part 2)
By Corey Ostler
Part 2 of the First chapter in The Attributes of God.
We go over the following topics:
Subordinate "Gods"
Apotheosis: Human Gods
“God” as a Relationship of Unity Among a Plurality of Persons
God and Perfection
God and Possible Worlds
Learn more about Blake Ostler’s book series, Exploring Mormon Thought.
AuthorCast #46: Exploring Mormon Thought, episode 2 May 08 2017
Exploring Mormon Thought, Episode 2: The Meaning of God in Mormon Thought (Part 1)
By Corey Ostler
Part 1 of the First chapter in The Attributes of God.
We go over the following topics:
The Meaning of "God" In Mormon Discourse
Attribute and Essence
Is "God" a Title or a Name?
God and Monotheism
The Divine Thou
Learn more about Blake Ostler’s book series, Exploring Mormon Thought.
AuthorCast #45: Exploring Mormon Thought, episode 1 May 08 2017
Exploring Mormon Thought, Episode 1: Interview with Blake Ostler
By Corey Ostler
My father Blake Ostler is a well-known Mormon Theologian and Scholar (In a addition to being a full-time attorney ) Over the years he has written several articles for scholarly Mormon publications such as Dialogue, FARMS, Sunstone Mag, Element, and others.
What I want to do is take the complex issues in these books and discuss them in a way that makes sense to the average listener. So this is sort of going to be like taking me to school on a lot of these issues and topics.
For the most part we will go chapter by chapter of each book starting with the first one: The Attributes of God
However I wanted to start off with an episode of getting to know Blake Ostler. His background, journey and motivations for writing these books and so forth.
Learn more about Blake Ostler’s book series, Exploring Mormon Thought.
AuthorCast #44: Introducing Exploring Mormon Thought with Blake Ostler (Trailer) May 04 2017
From its beginning, the Kofford Books AuthorCast was envisioned as a show to connect our authors with our audience. We have done this through author interviews, recordings of live events, author readings from their books and, more recently, with our monthly This Month in Mormon Studies show that comments on the field of Mormon Studies more widely.
In line with our vision of bringing our authors to you, we are excited to announce a new series that we will sharing through the Kofford Books AuthorCast: Exploring Mormon Thought with Blake Ostler. Blake is the author of the multi-volume series by the same name, published by Greg Kofford Books. In fact, Exploring Mormon Thought, Volume 1: The Attributes of God, was the first book ever published by Greg Kofford Books and is considered a groundbreaking work in Mormon theology. Throughout his volumes, Blake took on challenging philosophical topics such as classical vs Mormon theism, the problem of evil, the Atonement, the nature of God; and he discussed the Mormon temple endowment in relationship with the Atonement in a stand-alone volume titled Fire on the Horizon: A Meditation on the Endowment and Love of Atonement.
Outside of his books, Blake has published widely on Mormon philosophy in journals such as Religious Studies, International Journal for the Philosophy of Religion, and Element: The Journal of the Society for Mormon Philosophy and Theology, as well as Mormon scholarly publications Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, Sunstone, BYU Studies, and FARMS Review of Books. He has also contributed chapters to Discourses in Mormon Theology and Mormonism at the Crossroads of Philosophy and Theology, and has taught Philosophy at Brigham Young University.
But enough about his credentials. This podcast series, Exploring Mormon Thought, is produced and hosted independently by Corey Ostler, Blake’s son. Corey's aim is to take the complex issues presented in his books and discuss them chapter by chapter in a way that makes sense to a general audience. As of this recording, they have released five episodes. We’ll release all five together, and then we’ll continue releasing more as they become available.
We hope you enjoy this new podcast series.
Learn more about Blake Ostler’s book series, Exploring Mormon Thought.
AuthorCast #43: This Month in Mormon Studies May 01 2017
Join co-hosts Brian Whitney (Greg Kofford Books) and Brandt Malone (Mormon News Report) in this lively look at the latest happenings in the field of Mormon studies, including news, blogs, new book releases, and events from the past month.
Highlights from this month include: Blogs becoming independent presses, Mormon studies nerds filing briefs in the U.S. Court of Appeals, Marlin K. Jensen and insider baseball, summer book club, temple ships and Ouija boards, and big words like indigeneity!
In the News
Firm Foundation Expo and bad science
BCC Press; See also
Ben Park in Newsweek; See also
Signature Books digital archives project
Jana Riess The Next Mormons survey: trust gap
On the Blogs
Vincenzo di Francesca: Cultural Impediments in the Way of His Baptism
Mormon Scholars Opposed to Refugee and Immigrant Ban
Embracing the Chaos and Diversity of Mormonism's Past: Laurie Maffly-Kipp's MHA Presidential Address
Mormon Interpreter: Looking Back, Almost Five Years On
“Providing intellectual and devotional frameworks” (Nibley Fellow Reflections)
Looking Deeper Into Joseph Smith's First Vision: Imagery, Cognitive Neuroscience, and the Construction of Memory
An Evening With Elder Marlin K. Jensen
My Thoughts on Patrick Mason's Miller Eccles Presentation
BCC Press Q&A for academic historians
The Third Annual Summer Book Club: A House Full of Females
Podcasts
LDS Women at the Pulpit - Jenny Reeder and Kate Holbrook
Tithing and the Law of Consecration - Steven C. Harper
Laurel Thatcher Ulrich and “A House Full of Females”
Darron Smith interviews on Gospel Tangents
Richard Bennett interviews on Gospel Tangents
On the Erasure of Native Americans from the Book of Mormon Conversation: Thomas Murphy
Kava, Culture, Indigeneity and Mormonism: Daniel Hernandez
God, the Image of God, Theosis, Sex and Godly Creation: Blair Ostler
Recent Book Releases
Steven Peck, Science the Key to Theology: Volume One: Preliminaries (BCC Press); See also
Reid L. Neilson and Nathan N. Waite, eds., Settling the Valley, Proclaiming the Gospel: The General Epistles of the Mormon First Presidency (Oxford University Press)
Carol Cornwall Madsen, Emmeline B. Wells: An Intimate History (University of Utah Press)
Published Articles
Brian Hauglid, “Book of Abraham and Translating the Sacred”
Robin Scott Jensen, “The Joseph Smith Papers and the Book of Abraham”
Christopher Blythe, “The Church and Kingdom of God: Ecclesiastical Interpretations of the Council of Fifty”
Conferences and Events
Reid Neilson and Nathan Waite at Benchmark Books
2017 UVU Mormon Studies Conference on YouTube: Thurs sessions, Friday sessions
Sunstone Symposium in Southern Utah
2017 Association for Mormon Letters conference; AML Book Awards, Fundraiser
Sunstone Symposium in Boise
2017 Mormon History Association Registration
2017 Sunstone Symposium SLC
2017 FairMormon Conference
2017 JWHA in Nauvoo
Call for Papers/Applications
The International Society of Landscape, Place and Material Culture
AuthorCast #42: This Month in Mormon Studies April 03 2017
Join co-hosts Brian Whitney (Greg Kofford Books) and Brandt Malone (Mormon News Report) in this lively look at the latest happenings in the field of Mormon studies, including news, blogs, new book releases, and events from the past month.
In the News
Dr. Robert Rees appointed chair of Mormon studies at GTU
Community of Christ announces three new World Church Historians
Joseph M. Spencer named editor of JBMS
George Q. Cannon digitization update (sort of)
175th Anniversary of the Articles of Faith
Richard Turley honored by Mormon Historic Sites Foundation
Signature Books newspaper digitization at Archive.org
JSP creates index to Joseph Fielding Smith's Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith
On the Blogs
William Law’s Amazing (and Suspect) Diary
Florence Smith Jacobsen: Saving Our Material Heritage
Eugenics and the Intellectual Underpinnings of Mormonism in the Alt-Right
Fake News, Leaked Documents, and the Book of Mormon
Also check out: Extra! Extra! Read All About It!: The Fake News of 1859
Seers and Stones: The Translation of the Book of Mormon as Divine Visions of an Old-Time Seer
Why Evolution and LDS Thought are Fully Compatible: Overcoming our Suspicions of Science
Denver Snuffer's teachings to be canonized
The good and bad of studying history
Paul Reeve wrote the race essay
The Relief Society 175th Anniversary–A Sermon
Five People Who Helped Found the Relief Society
Podcasts
Mark Lyman Staker on Gospel Tangents
The Three Witnesses–Larry Morris on LDS Perspectives
In Brigham Young's Words–Gerrit Dirkmaat and LaJean Carruth on LDS Perspectives
New Perspectives on Joseph Smith and Revelation on Mormon Matters
Also: Faith Matters
Women at the Latter-day Saint pulpit, with Jennifer Reeder and Kate Holbrook on MIPodcast
Recent Book Releases
Devery Anderson's Mississippi Freedem Summer Kickstarter
Patrick Q. Mason, What is Mormonism? A Students Introduction (Routledge)
Michael Austin and Ardis E. Parshall, eds., Dime Novel Mormons (Greg Kofford Books)
Published Papers
William Davis, “Reassessing Joseph Smith Jr.’s Formal Education”
Conferences and Events
Book of Mormon Conference (formerly Book of Mormon Archaeological Foundation)
Mormon Transhumanist Association 2017 conference
Mormon History Association 2017 conference
Kate Holbrook at Benchmark Books for At the Pulpit release event
Call for Papers/Applications
Neal A. Maxwell Institute Summer Seminar
Surveying Trends in the Field: Mormon History and Mormon Studies in the Modern Academy
AuthorCast #41—Live event for Dime Novel Mormons March 24 2017
Kofford Books AuthorCast, hosted by Brian Whitney. In this episode, we are featuring a recording from a round table press event for Dime Novel Mormons that took place on March 17 at the Greg Kofford Books office. Dime Novel Mormons is the latest volume in The Mormon Image in Literature series, edited by Michael Austin and Ardis E. Parshall.
About the book:
For this volume, four full-length dime novels have been chosen to represent different aspects of the Mormon image in dime novels: Eagle Plume, the White Avenger. A Tale of the Mormon Trail (1870); The Doomed Dozen; or, Dolores, the Danite’s Daughter (1881); Frank Merriwell Among the Mormons; or, The Lost Tribes of Israel (1897); and The Bradys Among the Mormons; or, Secret Work in Salt Lake City (1903). The often-lurid and scandalous portrayals of Mormons in these dime novels had consequences for the relationship between Mormons and the rest of the United States. They would represent reality for millions of people, and the basic portrayals found their way into more serious literature. Understanding how these stereotypes were created and first employed can help us understand many things about the way that Mormonism has always functioned in American culture.
Preview the volume here.
Read a Q&A with the editors here.
AuthorCast #40: This Month in Mormon Studies March 01 2017
Join co-hosts Brian Whitney (Greg Kofford Books) and Brandt Malone (Mormon News Report) in this lively look at the latest happenings in the field of Mormon studies, including news, blogs, new book releases, and events from the past month.
In the News
Laurel Thatcher Ulrich on NPR's Fresh Air
Neylan McBaine, “As potters at the wheel, let us shape Utah from inside and outside” in SL Trib
Henry J. Eyring named president of BYU-Idaho
Updates to Joseph Smith Papers website
On the Blogs
“More Thoughts on Mormons and Muslims” by Paul Reeve
“The Modern Mormon Athletic Image” by Ben Park
“The Complexities of History in The Ensign” by Ben Spackman
“The Dance of Discourse” by Hannah Jung
Profile on Greg Kofford Books at AML by Andrew Hall
“Canon as Context: Insights from the Bible Wars” by Mike Austin
Recent Book Releases
Scott Hales, The Garden of Enid: Adventures of a Weird Mormon Girl, Part Two (Greg Kofford Books)
Devery S. Anderson, Ed., Salt Lake School of the Prophets, 1867-1883 (Signature Books)
Reid L. Neilson and Nathan N. Waite, eds., Settling the Valley: Proclaiming the Gospel: The General Epistles of the Mormon First Presidency (Oxford University Press)
Jennifer Reeder and Kate Holbrook, eds., At the Pulpit: 185 Years of Discourses by Latter-day Saint Women (Church Historian's Press)
Book Reviews by Brandt
Ann Taves, Revelatory Events: Three Case Studies of the Emergence of New Spiritual Paths (Princeton University Press)
Events
Faith and Knowledge Conference
Society for Mormon Philosophy and Theology
Kate Holbrook speaking at Tabernacle
Call for Papers/Applications
Joseph Smith Papers Conference
AuthorCast #39—Scott Hales, author of The Garden of Enid, Part Two February 13 2017
In this episode, we invited Scott Hales back to discuss The Garden of Enid: Adventures of a Weird Mormon Girl, Part Two.
About the book:
Fifteen-year-old Enid Gardner is a self-proclaimed “weird Mormon girl.” When she isn’t chatting with Joseph Smith or the Book of Abraham mummy, she’s searching for herself between the spaces of doubt and belief. Along the way, she must grapple with her Mormon faith as it adapts to the twenty-first century. She also must confront the painful mysteries at the heart of her strained relationship with her ailing mother.
This edition of The Garden of Enid: Adventures of a Weird Mormon Girl recasts the award-winning webcomic as a two-part graphic novel. With revised and previously unpublished comics, it features the familiar story that captivated thousands online, yet offers new glimpses into Enid’s year-long odyssey.
Part one set up the groundwork for Enid, but part two is where things in her life really get into motion. Enid's journey of self-discovery continues as she learns more about her mother's past and as she comes of age, learning more about her faith and relationships with others. The Garden of Enid, Part Two is sure to make you laugh, cry, and reflect.
Preview the volume here.
AuthorCast #38—Conversation with Russell Stevenson, author of For the Cause of Righteousness: A Global History of Blacks and Mormonism, 1830–2013 January 30 2017
In this episode, we are joined by Russell Stevenson, author of For the Cause of Righteousness: A Global History of Blacks and Mormonism, 1830–2013, published in 2014 and the winner of the Best Book Award from the Mormon History Association in 2015. We discuss the the academic field of an Africanist as well as how For the Cause of Righteousness fits in with both Mormon history as well as the comparative black history genres; and what For the Cause of Righteousness adds to the scholarly discussion on race within Mormonism.
About the book:
This book broaches one of the most sensitive topics in the history of Mormonism: the story of the LDS community’s turbulent relationship with the black population. For the Cause of Righteousness: A Global History of Blacks and Mormonism, 1830-2013 promises to tell a story of how an American religious community could wander through the rocky landscape of American racial politics, all while hoping to hold onto its institutional integrity in the face of attacks from both within and without. Drawing on a rich array of archival documents and oral testimonies, For the Cause of Righteousness suggests that understanding race and Mormonism requires far more than watching the movements of well-dressed men on North Temple; it calls for understanding the dynamics of global Mormon communities ranging from Mowbray to Accra, from Berkeley to Rio Di Janeiro.
But as any historian will say, primary sources matter. Thus, For the Cause of Righteousness offers up not only a narrative history of the global black Mormon community but also an anthology of primary source transcripts: letters, newspaper articles, and speech transcripts, all in hopes that readers might take one more step toward understanding a story that simultaneously inspires, troubles, and urges Latter-day Saints into understanding a provincial religion that has reached global proportions.
Preview the volume here.
AuthorCast #37: This Month in Mormon Studies January 18 2017
Join co-hosts Brian Whitney (Greg Kofford Books) and Brandt Malone (Mormon News Report) in this lively look at the latest happenings in the field of Mormon studies, including news, blogs, new book releases, and events from the past month!
In the News
Sunday School Supplement on Mormon Women Project
JSP “Firsthand Accounts of the First Vision” video
Ordain Women “Where We Stand” documentary
“Understanding Church History by Study and by Faith” in Ensign
On the Blogs
“Previewing 2017: Looking Ahead to Forthcoming Books in Mormon History” by Ben Park
“Year in Review ... 1975, That Is” by Tona H
“A Note of Discord? The Mormon Tabernacle Choir at Trump's Inauguration” by Joseph Stuart
“What is 'Early' Mormon History?” by Christopher
“George Q. Cannon Journals” by Richard Dilworth Rust
“Scripture and Historical Context: A Contemporary Example” by Nathaniel Givens
“Look Back at 2016 With the Tarefic Wheaties Awards”
Podcasts
Maxwell Institute Podcast: “Standing Apart, or Reconsidering the 'Great Apostasy,'” featuring Miranda Wilcox and John Young
Year of Polygamy: “Married to Warren Jeffs”
LDS Perspectives Podcast: “Curriculum and Correlation with David B. Marsh”
Recent Book Releases
Joseph Smith Papers, Joseph Smith's Revelations: A Doctrine and Covenants Study Companion from the Joseph Smith Papers e-book (Church Historian's Press)
Janiece Johnson and Jenny Reeder, The Witness of Women: Firsthand Experiences and Testimonies from the Restoration (Deseret Book Company)
Book Reviews by Brandt
Holly Welker, ed., Baring Witness: 36 Mormon Women Talk Candidly about Love, Sex, and Marriage
Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, A House Full of Females: Plural Marriage and Women's Rights in Early Mormonism, 1835–1870 (Knopf)
Recent and Upcoming Events
Utah Valley Historical Society explores impact of the former RLDS Church in Utah
"Enamored but Ambivalent: Mormonism and 20th Century New Media" lecture at University of Utah
Call for Papers/Applications
Marlin K Jensen Mormon Studies and Artist in Residence Program at University of Utah
AuthorCast #36—This Month in Mormon Studies, November 2016 December 20 2016
Join co-hosts Brian Whitney (Greg Kofford Books) and Brandt Malone (Mormon News Report) in this lively look at the latest happenings in the field of Mormon studies, including news, blogs, new book releases, and events from the month of November!
Special guest: Stephanie Lauritzen from Signature Books.
In the News
Maxwell Institute Visiting Fellows
D. Todd Christofferson invocation on Senate floor
Retirement of "To Young Men Only" pamphlet
Revelations in Context Sunday School supplement
Gospel Topics Essays added to Sunday School lesson manual
On the Blogs
Ben Park, "2016 in Retrospect"
Christian Anderson, "Heavenly Parents at Conference"
Jessica Finnegan, Kari Waters, and Nancy Ross, "What are Mormon feminists trying to do?"
Nancy Ross review of One Hundred Birds Taught Me to Fly
Fair Mormon interviews:
Braving Isaiah with Joseph M. Spencer
Translating with Seer Stones with Michael Hubbard McKay
The Book of Mormon: A Closer Look with Brant Gardner
Emma Smith "An Elect Lady" with Matthew J. Grow
Steve Evans Book Review Roundup
Ashley Mae Hoiland "For many years my voice shook"
Johnathan Stapley, "Tools for teachers 2017"
Recent Book Releases
Donald Faber, James Jesse Strang: The Rise and Fall of Michigan's Mormon King (University of Michigan Press)
Scott Hales, The Garden of Enid: Adventures of a Weird Mormon Girl, Part One (Greg Kofford Books)
Richard S. Van Wagoner, Natural Born Seer: Joseph Smith, American Prophet: 1805–1830 (Smith-Pettit Foundation)
Recent and Upcoming Events
"Intellectual Life of Mormonism" final panel at University of Utah
Call for Papers
2017 Mormon Scholars in the Humanities
AuthorCast #35—Conversation with Scott Hales, creator of The Garden of Enid December 13 2016
In this episode, we chat with Scott Hales, author and illustrator of The Garden of Enid: Adventures of a Weird Mormon Girl.
About the book:
Fifteen-year-old Enid Gardner is a self-proclaimed “weird Mormon girl.” When she isn’t chatting with Joseph Smith or the Book of Abraham mummy, she’s searching for herself between the spaces of doubt and belief. Along the way, she must grapple with her Mormon faith as it adapts to the twenty-first century. She also must confront the painful mysteries at the heart of her strained relationship with her ailing mother.
This edition of The Garden of Enid: Adventures of a Weird Mormon Girl recasts the award-winning webcomic as a two-part graphic novel. With revised and previously unpublished comics, it features the familiar story that captivated thousands online, yet offers new glimpses into Enid’s year-long odyssey.
Preview the volume here.