"Mormon and Maori" is now available. April 29 2014

Greg Kofford Books is pleased to announce the release of Marjorie Newton's trailblazing and long-awaited new book Mormon and Maori, available in paperback and e-book. A follow-up to Tiki and Temple: The Mormon Mission in New Zealand, 1854–1958, her acclaimed history of LDS missionary work in New Zealand, Mormon and Maori examines the appeal of Mormonism for the Maori of New Zealand from its first introduction to them in the 1880s and the reasons for its continuing success. It canvasses the impact of an American religion on its Maori converts and their culture over the last 130 years and surveys the attempts of American LDS leaders and missionaries to find a consistent policy reconciling Mormonism and Maoritanga.

Early reviews praise the unique and unprecedented value of Mormon and Maori:

• “Unflinchingly honest yet unfailingly compassionate, Mormon and Maori is a must-read for anyone interested in the extraordinary history of the LDS experience in New Zealand.”— Grant Underwood, Professor of History, Brigham Young University
• “Marjorie Newton’s Mormon and Maori is an exemplary scholarly work. In this volume Newton deftly untangles the historical and narrative threads that have given rise to a singular variant of Mormonism.” — Gina Colvin, Ngati Porou, Nga Puhi; Lecturer, University of Canterbury, New Zealand

Order Your Copy Today

Preview Marjorie Newton's _Mormon and Maori_ April 25 2014

Here is a preview of the front matter and first ten pages of Marjorie Newton's Mormon and Maori, which will be officially available in print and ebook on April 29th. To purchase your copy or see more information, including advance praise, click here.

Mormon and Maori, available April 29th! April 17 2014

Greg Kofford Books is pleased to announce the release of Marjorie Newton's trailblazing and long-awaited new book Mormon and Maori, available on April 29th for purchase in paperback and e-book. A follow-up to Tiki and Temple: The Mormon Mission in New Zealand, 1854–1958, her acclaimed history of LDS missionary work in New Zealand, Mormon and Maori examines the appeal of Mormonism for the Maori of New Zealand from its first introduction to them in the 1880s and the reasons for its continuing success. It canvasses the impact of an American religion on its Maori converts and their culture over the last 130 years and surveys the attempts of American LDS leaders and missionaries to find a consistent policy reconciling Mormonism and Maoritanga.

Early reviews praise the unique and unprecedented value of Mormon and Maori:

• “Unflinchingly honest yet unfailingly compassionate, Mormon and Maori is a must-read for anyone interested in the extraordinary history of the LDS experience in New Zealand.”— Grant Underwood, Professor of History, Brigham Young University
• “Marjorie Newton’s Mormon and Maori is an exemplary scholarly work. In this volume Newton deftly untangles the historical and narrative threads that have given rise to a singular variant of Mormonism.” — Gina Colvin, Ngati Porou, Nga Puhi; Lecturer, University of Canterbury, New Zealand

Pre-Order Your Copy Here

Authoring the Old Testament: Genesis - Deuteronomy, Now Available March 03 2014

272 Pages

Paperback: $26.95  
ISBN 978-1-58958-588-1

Hardcover: $70.00
ISBN 978-1-58958-675-8

Click here to order a copy today

This title is also available in e-book for the

• Amazon Kindle
• Apple iBook
• Barnes and Noble Nook
• Kobo eReader

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Kofford Books is pleased to announce the release of David Bokovoy's innovative and extremely valuable new volume Authoring the Old Testament: Genesis—Deuteronomy, available now for purchase in paperback, hardcover, and e-book.

For the last two centuries, biblical scholars have made discoveries and insights about the Old Testament that have greatly changed the way in which the authorship of these ancient scriptures have been understood.

In the first of three volumes spanning the entire Old Testament, David Bokovoy dives into the Penateuch, showing how and why biblical scholars today understand the first five books of the Bible as a compilation of multiple texts into a single, though often complicated narrative—not unlike the process Mormon undertook in editing and compiling the Book of Mormon. Professor Bokovoy also discusses what implications those have for Latter-day Saint understandings of the Bible and modern scripture. 

Early reviews praise the unique and unprecedented value of Authoring the Old Testament

• “First rate scholarship made accessible to a broad audience.” 
• “Readers will be positively served.”
• “Should be basic reading for serious LDS students of the Bible.” 
• “A must for those seeking to incorporate the best of biblical scholarship in their personal or professional scripture study.” 
• “A book like this for a Latter-day Saint audience is long overdue.” 
• “Bokovoy and Greg Kofford Books have done Latter-day Saints a great service with this publication.”
• “A foundational resource for serious LDS students of scripture.”    

David Bokovoy discusses _Authoring the Old Testament: Genesis--Deuteronomy_ February 12 2014

Contemporary Studies in Scripture—a new series from Greg Kofford Books February 06 2014

We are pleased to announce Contemporary Studies in Scripture, an exciting new series from Greg Kofford Books featuring authors whose works engage in rigorous textual analyses of the Bible and other LDS scripture. Written by Latter-day Saints for a Latter-day Saint audience, these books utilize the tools of historical criticism, literature, philosophy, and the sciences to celebrate the richness and complexity found in the standard works. This series will provide readers with new and fascinating ways to read, study, and re-read these sacred texts.*

The inaugural title for this series will be David Bokovoy's Authoring the Old Testament: Genesis—Deuteronomy, available for purchase in paperback, hardcover, and e-book on March 4, 2014.

For the last two centuries, biblical scholars have made discoveries and insights about the Old Testament that have greatly changed the way in which the authorship of these ancient scriptures have been understood.

In the first of three volumes spanning the entire Hebrew Bible, David Bokovoy dives into the Penateuch, showing how and why textual criticism has led biblical scholars today to understand the first five books of the Bible as an amalgamation of multiple texts into a single, though often complicated narrative; and he discusses what implications those have for Latter-day Saint understandings of the Bible and modern scripture. Subsequent Authoring the Old Testament titles will examine these issues in the histories and writings of Old Testament prophets. 

272 Pages
$26.95 (paperback) ISBN 978-1-58958-588-1
$70.00 (hardcover) ISBN 978-1-58958-675-8

This title will also be available in e-book for the Amazon Kindle, Apple iBook, Barnes and Noble Nook, and Kobo eReader

Advance praise for Authoring the Old Testament:  

• “Authoring the Old Testament is a welcome introduction, from a faithful Latter-day Saint perspective, to the academic world of Higher Criticism of the Hebrew Bible. . . . [R]eaders will be positively served and firmly impressed by the many strengths of this book, coupled with Bokovoy's genuine dedication to learning by study and also by faith.” — John W. Welch, Editor BYU Studies Quarterly
• “Bokovoy provides a lucid, insightful lens through which disciple-students can study intelligently LDS scripture. This is first rate scholarship made accessible to a broad audience—nourishing to the heart and mind alike.” — Fiona Givens, co-author, The God Who Weeps: How Mormonism Makes Sense of Life 
  
• “Authoring the Old Testament opens up a much-needed dialog on the historical-critical approach for Latter-day Saints.... In my view, this book is a must for those seeking to incorporate the best of biblical scholarship in their personal or professional scripture study.” — Brian Hauglid, author, A Textual History of the Book of Abraham: Manuscripts and Editions 
  
• “As clear an introduction to historical and source criticism as Friedman’s Who Wrote the Bible and Baden’s The Composition of the Pentateuch, Bokovoy’s Authoring the Old Testament: Genesis—Deuteronomy provides an important resource in making many of the intricacies of higher criticism available to Latter-day Saint readers in an accessible fashion.... [T]his book should be basic reading for serious LDS students of the Bible.” — Eric D. Huntsman, Coordinator of Ancient Near Eastern Studies, Brigham Young University
• “Bringing fresh insights to the Old Testament, a book like this for a Latter-day Saint audience is long overdue.... Charting a middle path between conservative inerrancy and secular dismissal of biblical texts, this book refreshingly expounds on the nature of ancient and modern scripture.” — Taylor G. Petrey, Lucinda Hinsdale Stone Assistant Professor of Religion, Kalamazoo College

The author is available for signings, interviews, and public appearances to promote and discuss the book. For more information about this or other titles in this series, or to request a review copy of Authoring the Old Testament, please contact Brad Kramer at 801.572.7417 or at bradk@koffordbooks.com 

*Forthcoming titles in the Contemporary Studies in Scripture series include:

• Authoring the Old Testament: The Prophets, by David Bokovoy
• Authoring the Old Testament: The Writings, by David Bokovoy
• Re-reading Job: Understanding the Ancient World's Greatest Poem, by Michael Austin
• Search, Ponder, and Pray: A Guide to the Gospels, by Julie Smith
• Buried Words: Recovering the Nonviolent Message of the Book of Mormon, by Joshua Madson
• According to Their Language: The King James Bible in the Book of Mormon, by Colby Townsend

A Teaser for David Bokovoy's _Authoring the Old Testament: Genesis-Deuteronomy_ January 28 2014

The book is in the final proofing stages and about to be sent to the printers. We hope to have a price and release date announced soon. Until then, check out the front matter for the exciting volume.

Forthcoming Kofford Titles! January 27 2014

Authoring the Old Testament: Genesis -- Deuteronomy
by David Bokovoy
Examines how biblical scholars today understand the first five books of the Bible as an amalgamation of multiple ancient texts, along with the implications of biblical scholarship for  Latter-day Saints. 

Even Unto Bloodshed: A Latter-day Saint Perspective on War
by Duane Boyce
Outlines a general framework for an LDS scriptural view of war. Such a framework is neither pacifist nor aggressive, and includes the morality and wisdom expected of all disciples of Christ.

The History of the Danish Latter-day Saints

Towards a Latter-day Saint Theology of Religions
by James Holt
Systematizes Mormon approaches to christology, pneumatology and eschatology, developing a paradigm that will maintain Mormonism's exclusivism while embracing truths found in other religions.
 

The Lost 116 Pages: Rediscovering the Book of Lehi
by Don Bradley
The lost 116 pages are the earliest scripture of the Restoration. Historical and textual evidence for the Book of Lehi’s contents enables a reconstruction of the book's structure and themes.

Understanding Evangelicalism: A Guide for Latter-day Saints
by John W. Morehead
An exercise in interfaith dialogue, this volume brings together several prominent Evangelical Christian authors to address the misunderstandings that many Latter-day Saints have of their beliefs.

William B. Smith: In the Shadow of a Prophet
by Kyle R. Walker
Brother to the prophet Joseph, William Smith was one of the first called apostles of the restoratioon and eventually succeeded his father as Church Patriarch. This biography tells his fascinating story. 

Exploring Mormon Thought: Volume 4, Existential Issues: Epistemology and Evil
by Blake Ostler
The fourth volume in Ostler's Exploring Mormon Thought series tackles the problem of knowledge and the problem of evil.

In addition to these titles, other future Kofford titles include works from the following authors:

• Julie Smith, an LDS commentary on the four gospels
• Russell Stevenson, on the history of black Latter-day Saints
• Neylan McBain, on gender cooperation in Church administration
• Jim McConkie, on gospel insights from historical Jesus scholarship
• Stuart Parker, on the role of influential LDS scholars in shaping Mormon historiography
• Michael Austin, on reading the Book of Job
• Christine and Christopher Blythe, a documentary history of the succession crisis and early Mormon schismatic movements
• Jacob Baker, philosophical and theological meditations on suffering
• Brad Kramer and Seth Payne, on "hard questions" and the pastoral potential of LDS apologetics
• Richard Davis, on gospel-centered approaches to political ideology
• Colby Townsend, on the influence of King James English on the text of the Book of Mormon

2013 Year In Review January 17 2014

2013 was another banner year for Kofford Books—a year of groundbreaking research, newsmaking authors, and great books.

Highlights from this year's catalogue include these titles:

• Joseph Smith's Polygamy series, by Brian Hales (3 volumes)
• Mormon Women Have Their Say: Essays from the Claremont Oral History Project, edited by Claudia Bushman and Caroline Kline
• From Above and Below: The Mormon Embrace of Revolution, 1840-1940, by Craig Livingston
• Fire On the Horizon: A Meditation on the Endowment and Love of God, by Blake Ostler
• Common Ground—Different Opinions: Latter-day Saints and Contemporary Issues, edited by Jim Faulconer and Justin White
• Dead Wood and Rushing Water: Essays on Mormon Faith, Culture, and Family, by Boyd Jay Petersen

Boyd Jay Petersen, Inaugural Speaker at 2014 John A. Widtsoe Lecture Series January 09 2014

Translating the Book of Mormon December 31 2013

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The translation of the Book of Mormon is also examined in Brant Gardners 6-Volume Second Witness series, as well as Volume 1 of the Book of Mormon Symposium Series from Brigham Young University. 
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The majority of Kofford Books titles are available as ebooks.
Click here to see our ebook catalog

EBOOKS!!! December 26 2013

Get a new Kindle, iPad, or e-reader this Christmas? Check out these exciting titles available as ebooks!

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Saints of Valor: Mormon Medal of Honor Recipients 
by Sherman Fleek

“Sherman Fleek brings to life the Saints who demonstrated absolutely extraordinary heroism, conspicuous gallantry and valor in action—true American heroes...” — Lieutenant Colonel Marc Boberg, U. S. Army

The majority of Kofford Books titles are available as ebooks.
Click here to see our ebook catalog

Scholarly Resources on Mormon Polygamy from Kofford Books December 17 2013

LDS plural marriage has been in the news recently.

A federal district judge in Utah, in the so-called "Sister Wives" case, ruled last week that portions of state anti-polygamy laws were unconstitutional, in effect de-criminalizing polygamy as practiced today (read the ruling here).

Additionally, the LDS Church posted a detailed and candid essay at LDS.org on the historical practice of plural marriage, including a discussion of polygamous marriages after President Woodruff issued the 1890 Manifesto. 

Several Kofford Books authors have written about Mormon polygamy. Brian Hales has written the definitive work on the Nauvoo origins of plural marriage under Joseph Smith, including a detailed analysis of the theological and doctrinal underpinningsof polygamy. Jessie Embry and Brian Hales have also both written about Mormon fundamentalism and the modern practice and experience of polygamy. And Stan Larsen has compiled detailed accounts of the experiences of Church leaders imprisoned during the 1880s for their participation in plural marriage.

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Remember: save 20% on your purchases by using the promotional code 'CHRISTMAS' at checkout.

20% Discount and Free Shipping for orders over $75 December 04 2013

Merry Christmas
from Greg Kofford Books

To celebrate both the holiday season and another year of great books, we are taking 20% off all purchases and offering free shipping for orders over $75. To take advantage of this promotion, simply enter in the discount code 'CHRISTMAS' at the checkout.

This is the perfect time to get that historian in your family the complete set of Brian Hales's highly-praised Joseph Smith's Polygamy or to share the lives of Mormon women with Claudia Bushman and Caroline Kline's Mormon Women Have Their Say: Essays from the Claremont Oral History Collection.

For more gift ideas, check out our recent newsletter.

This offer lasts through December 19th.

Mormon Scholars in the Humanities: Call for Papers November 07 2013

Below is a copy of the call for papers for the upcoming MSH conference in Claremont California. If past conferences are an indicator, there will be several Kofford Books authors presenting. 

2014 MSH Call for Papers 

The study of narrative is now interdisciplinary and increasingly important within disciplinary silos. Narrative theory has also over the past few decades has been increasingly imperialistic. Long the domain of literary critics, now narrative’s theorists are claiming that all human understanding is narrative. The following are examples of some central issues regarding narrative in various disciplines. 

• I. Philosophy: the epistemological and ethical implications of story are increasingly being studied by philosophers and phenomenologists who ask if narrative is the way that human experience comes packaged. Many philosophers also insist that readers become better people (more empathetic) by reading stories.
• II. Religious Studies: scriptures most commonly come in story form. Biblical critics tussle over whether or not the narrative form undermines the content’s historicity; similar claims are made about Mormon scripture. Narrative theology often asserts that an excess escapes ratiocination, that this abundance can’t be contained by the categories inherited from the Enlightenment.
• III. History: the boundary between fiction and history has always been problematical, but over the past four decades historiography has increasingly found the boundary difficult to fix. Before the discipline attempted to become scientific, historians recognized that both literature and history were branches of the same tree—rhetoric. In the past few decades a return to the status quo ante has been achieved with a difference. 
• IV. Literature: literary criticism is the disciplinary home of narrative theory. Such theorizing has been done there longer and has developed more sophisticated vocabulary and tools than other fields. Abundant opportunities for examination of literary texts (of fictional and nonfictional kinds) exists. Wallace Martin argues that part of the recent paradigm shift in the humanities and social sciences is the return of narrative from marginal status to “inhabit the very center of other disciplines as modes of explanation necessary for an understanding of life.” 
• V. Gender Studies: The expansion of the story of equality is one notable story as women writers marked out a place for themselves. Hawthorne dismissed that mob of scribbling women who became so popular that they squeezed him out the place he thought he deserved on readers’ bookshelves. The emergence of women authors and women readers is a world-historical development in Western literacy. Readings are increasingly viewed as gendered. 
• VI. Legal studies: Stories have a revered place in legal decisions and legal reasoning. In legal arguments the heavy rhetorical lifting is often performed by case studies, examples, or hypothetical situations: stories. 
• VII. Social Sciences: narrative theory has increasingly penetrated the social sciences. For social scientists in the positivistic tradition, stories are too subjective, too anecdotal, to be proper evidence. Such narratives aren’t suitable for generalization. Is a statistic just a story trying to shed it particularity? Maynes, Pierce, and Laslett assert that narrative makes distinctive epistemological claims on us because it is individual and personal. 

Society for Mormon Philosophy and Theology, Annual Conference This Weekend! October 31 2013

The Society for Mormon Philosophy and Theology(SMPT) is holding its annual conference this weekend at the Utah Valley University campus in Orem, Utah. Greg Kofford Books published the proceedings of SMPT's first conference in Discourses in Mormon Theology (ed. James McLachlan and Loyd Ericson). The conference features some of the brightest and most interesting voices in Mormon philosophical and theological scholarship, and includes an impressive list of Kofford Books authors.

Among the authors featured in Kofford publications speaking at this weekend's conference are: Adam Miller, Jim Faulconer, Blake Ostler, Charles Harrell, Taylor Petrey, Dennis Potter, Joe Spencer, Bruce Young, Ben Huff, Loyd Ericson, and Paul Owen. 

Beginning tomorrow (Friday) morning, Kofford Books will be live-blogging each session of the SMPT conference at the KB Facebook page. Follow the conference there and join us in the discussions of these fascinating presentations.

Dead Wood and Rushing Water, Now Available! October 29 2013

Greg Kofford Books announces the release today of a new volume of essays on faith, culture, and family for Latter-day Saints. This collection is full of personal stories, insight, and subjects varied and interesting. For over a decade, Boyd Petersen has been an active voice in Mormon studies and thought. In essays that steer a course between apologetics and criticism, striving for the balance of what esteemed Mormon essayist Eugene England once called the “radical middle,” he explores various aspects of Mormon life and culture--from the Dream Mine near Salem, Utah, to the challenges that Latter-day Saints of the millennial generation face today.

Dead Wood and Rushing Water, writes prize-winning historian Richard Bushman, “gives us a reflective, striving, wise soul ruminating on his world. In the tradition of Eugene England, Petersen examines everything in his Mormon life from the gold plates to missions to dream mines to doubt and on to Glenn Beck, Hugh Nibley, and gender. It is a book I had trouble putting down.”

Jana Riess, author of Flunking Sainthood, writes: “Boyd Petersen is correct when he says that Mormons have a deep hunger for personal stories—at least when they are as thoughtful and well-crafted as the ones he shares in this collection.”

And Kristine Haglund, editor of Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Though, writes: “Petersen’s essays speak in the voice of the best kind of friend—the one whose company is warm and familiar and comfortable, but who still manages to surprise you, make you laugh at unexpected moments, and show you new ways to think about everything you thought you knew.” 

Dead Wood and Rushing Water is in paperback as well as in ebook for the Amazon Kindle, Barnes and Noble Nook, Kobo eReader, and Apple iBookstore. It will also be the first Kofford Books title available through Amazon's new Matchbook program.

Dead Wood and Rushing Water, Available October 29th! October 22 2013

Dead Wood and Rushing Water: Essays on Mormon Faith, Culture, and Family

By Boyd Jay Petersen

$22.95, 248 pages
ISBN 978-1-58958-658-1

Greg Kofford Books announces the release on October 29th of a new volume of essays on faith, culture, and family for Latter-day Saints. This collection is full of personal stories, insight, and subjects varied and interesting. For over a decade, Boyd Petersen has been an active voice in Mormon studies and thought. In essays that steer a course between apologetics and criticism, striving for the balance of what esteemed Mormon essayist Eugene England once called the “radical middle,” he explores various aspects of Mormon life and culture--from the Dream Mine near Salem, Utah, to the challenges that Latter-day Saints of the millennial generation face today.

Dead Wood and Rushing Water, writes prize-winning historian Richard Bushman, “gives us a reflective, striving, wise soul ruminating on his world. In the tradition of Eugene England, Petersen examines everything in his Mormon life from the gold plates to missions to dream mines to doubt and on to Glenn Beck, Hugh Nibley, and gender. It is a book I had trouble putting down.”

Jana Riess, author of Flunking Sainthood, writes: “Boyd Petersen is correct when he says that Mormons have a deep hunger for personal stories—at least when they are as thoughtful and well-crafted as the ones he shares in this collection.”

And Kristine Haglund, editor of Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Though, writes: “Petersen’s essays speak in the voice of the best kind of friend—the one whose company is warm and familiar and comfortable, but who still manages to surprise you, make you laugh at unexpected moments, and show you new ways to think about everything you thought you knew.” 

Dead Wood and Rushing Water will be available in paperback as well as in ebook format through Kindle, Kobo, Barnes and Noble, and Apple. It will also be the first Kofford Books title available through Amazon's new Matchbook program.

Common Ground, Different Opinions---Now Available! October 15 2013

Greg Kofford Books announces the release on October 15, 2013 of a new volume of essays, Common Ground--Different Opinions: Latter-day Saint and Contemporary Issues. Contributors include former U.S. Senator Robert Bennett, Robert L. Millet, James Faulconer, Taylor Petrey, Margaret Young, and Kristine Haglund.

There are a number of controversial topics that faithful Latter-day Saints can engage from a variety of perspectives, drawing a wide range of moral, ethical, and policy conclusions. These difficult issues--from evolution to environmentalism, war and peace to political partisanship, stem cell research to same-sex marriage--can affect how we interact as Latter-day Saints, even on the common ground of our shared religious commitments. 

In this volume various Latter-day Saint authors address these and other issues from variable points of view. Though they differ on these tough questions, they have all found common ground in the gospel of Jesus Christ and the latter-day restoration. Their insights offer diverse approaches to tough questions while demonstrating the value in loving, respecting, and listening to those with whom we disagree.

Editors: Justin F. White, James E. Faulconer. Contributors: Bob Bennett, Kent R. Brooks, Sariah Cottrell, Richard Davis, Eric A. Eliason, Daniel Fairbanks, James Faulconer, Robert L. Gleave, David Grandy, Kristine Haglund, George B. Handley, David A. Jensen, Robert Millet, Nathan B. Oman, Taylor G. Petrey, Steven L. Peck, Justin F. White, Camille S. Williams, Marleen S. Williams, Richard N. Williams, Larry Wimmer, Bruce Young, Margaret Young.

Common Ground—Different Opinions available October 10th October 04 2013

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEW TITLE FROM KOFFORD BOOKS ON CONTEMPORARY ISSUES

Greg Kofford Books announces the release on October 10, 2013 of a new volume of essays on contemporary issues for Latter-day Saints. This collection addresses controversial issues from all sides while grounding the discussion in Latter-day Saint thought and culture.  Contributors include Senator Bob Bennett, Robert L. Millet, James Faulconer, Taylor Petrey, Margaret Young; issues addressed include same-sex marriage, race, feminism, partisanship, militarism, pacifism environmentalism, science and religion, and others.

This timely compilation is certain to generate interest and discussion.  The authors and editors are available for interviews to discuss the book, their contribution, and the place of Latter-day Saints in the larger social dialogue.  If you’d like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview please contact Brad Kramer at 801.572.7417 or by email at bradk@koffordbooks.com

Official summary: “There are many hotly debated issues about which many people disagree, and where common ground is hard to find.  From evolution to environmentalism, war and peace to political partisanship, stem cell research to same-sex marriage, how we think about controversial issues effects how we interact as Latter-day Saints. In this volume various Latter-day Saint authors address these and other issues from differing points of view.  Though they differ on these tough questions, they have all found common ground in the gospel of Jesus Christ and the latter-day restoration.  Their insights offer diverse points of view while demonstrating we can still love those with whom we disagree.”

Editors: Justin F. White, James E. Faulconer.
Contributors: Bob Bennett, Kent R. Brooks, Sariah Cottrell, Richard Davis, Eric A. Eliason, Daniel Fairbanks, James Faulconer, Robert L. Gleave, David Grandy, Kristine Haglund, George B. Handley, David A. Jensen, Robert Millet, Nathan B. Oman, Taylor G. Petrey, Steven l. Peck, Justin F. White, Camille S. Williams, Marleen S. Williams, Richard N. Williams, Larry Wimmer, Bruce Young, Margaret Young.

Challenging Issues in Mormon History July 29 2013

The New York Times recently interviewed Hans Mattsson, a former regional Seventy of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, discussing the challenges that he, his wife, and many Mormons face today when encountering new aspects of Mormon history that lead them to question some of the things that they had believed for so long.

For over a decade Greg Kofford Books has sought to publish the most up to date and honest works on Mormon history and thought. We recently published a three volume set by Brian Hales, Joseph Smith’s Polygamy, that transparently discusses every aspect of Joseph Smith’s practice and teachings on polygamy, including the challenging issues of polyandry and adolescent marriages. Brant Gardner’s Gift and Power: Translating the Book of Mormon frankly explores Joseph Smith’s use of seer stones and involvement with folk magic to understand how he translated the Book of Mormon. Charles Harrell’s This Is My Doctrine: The Development of Mormon Theology  details the evolution of Mormon teachings and beliefs from the earliest days of the Restoration through its multiple phases. Hearken O Ye People, Fire and Sword, and Mormonism in Transition examine key periods of Mormon history, where the actual events prove to be more complicated and robust than the traditional and sometimes official narratives portray them. 

Rather than publishing exposés or devotional works, we strive to be faithful to history. Our books provide a middle ground for anyone interested in Mormon Studies. 

All of these titles are available through Deseret Book, Benchmark Books, the Church History Museum, the BYU Bookstore, and other booksellers.

Tiki and Temple wins 2013 Best International Book Award June 08 2013

Tiki and Temple wins 2013 Best International Book Award from the Mormon History Association

LAYTON, UT, June 7, 2013. Marjorie Newton’s Tiki and Temple: The Mormon Mission in New Zealand 1854-1958 received the Best International Book Award at the 2013 conference for the Mormon History Association, held in Layton, Utah.

Published last year by Greg Kofford Books, Tiki and Temple tells the enthralling story of Mormonism’s encounter with the genuinely different but surprisingly harmonious Maori culture. Drawing on hitherto untapped sources, including missionary journals and letters and government documents, this absorbing book is the fullest narrative available of Mormonism’s flourishing in New Zealand. Although written primarily for a Latter-day Saint audience, this book fills a gap for anyone interested in an accurate and coherent account of the growth of Mormonism in New Zealand.

Concerning this book, Emily Johnson from Deseret News has said, “Marjorie Newton’s newest book, Tiki and Temple: The Mormon Mission in New Zealand, 1854-1958, is a detailed yet accessible documentation of the growth of the LDS faith in New Zealand.”

And Gina Colvin from International Journal of Mormon Studies has praised this book, noting: “Newton has produced a fine work, dense, historically rigorous and an important contribution in the study of the LDS church outside of the United States.”

Blake T. Ostler’s Fire on the Horizon Available June 11, 2013 May 31 2013

News Release

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Blake T. Ostler’s Fire on the Horizon Available June 11, 2013

Fire on the Horizon: A Meditation on the Endowment and Love of Atonement

ISBN: 978-1-58958-553-9; 138 pages; $17.95

Available June 11, 2013 in paperback and e-book

http://www.gregkofford.com/products/fire-on-the-horizon

Greg Kofford Books is pleased to announce a new publication by Blake T. Ostler, author of the groundbreaking Exploring Mormon Thought series.

In Fire on the Horizon: A Meditation on the Endowment and Love of Atonement, Ostler explores and provides insights into two of the most central aspects of Mormon theology and practice: The Atonement and the temple endowment.  Utilizing observations from Soren Kierkegaard, Martin Buber, and others on what it means to be a being in relationship, Ostler offers further ruminations on what it means to become alienated from God and to once again have at-one-ment with Him.

Advance Praise for Blake Ostler’s Fire on the Horizon:

“Fire on the Horizon distills decades of reading, argument, and reflection into one potent dose. Urgent, sharp, and intimate, it’s Ostler at his best.”—Adam S. Miller, author of Rube Goldberg Machines: Essays in Mormon Theology

“Blake Ostler has been one of the most stimulating, deep, and original thinkers in the Latter-day Saint community. This book continues and consolidates that status. His work demonstrates that Mormonism can, and indeed does, offer profound nourishment for reflective minds and soul-satisfying insights for thoughtful believers.”—Daniel C. Peterson, editor of Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture

Blake T. Ostler is available for interviews and speaking engagements. For more information please contact Natalie Gifford at (801) 572-7417

About the author:

Blake T. Ostler, a practicing attorney, is one of the premiere philosophical thinkers on Mormonism. He is the author of the multi-volume Exploring Mormon Thought series and has been published widely in journals such as Religious Studies, International Journal for the Philosophy of Religion, BYU Studies, and Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought.