BYU Studies
Book Bibliography

This popular text, used throughout the Church for the study of world religions, has been revised and expanded. Two additional authors, several new chapters, a number of new illustrations, and much updated material add fresh perspectives to the former edition’s tried-and-true approach. The result portrays the vivid spectrum of truth as it extends across cultures and religious systems. The book presents a…

A stray ink drop and a quirk of nineteenth-century script make the difference between retain that wrong and repair that wrong. More than a decade of meticulous research revealed such insights as Royal Skousen prepared transcripts of the original and printer’s manuscripts of the Book of Mormon for publication.

Discoveries highlights poems that trace Mormon women’s life experiences from creation through childbirth, youth marriage, motherhood, aging, death, and entrance into eternity. The poetry stirs us to remember, to ponder, often to laugh, sometimes to weep, yet always to rejoice.

Note: This is the first edition of this book set. The second edition is available here. Parts 1-6 are offered as a six-book set from BYU Studies while supplies last. Analysis of Textual Variants of the Book of Mormon gives readers detailed access to the central task of Professor Royal Skousen’s Book of Mormon Critical Text Project, the most comprehensive effort ever undertaken to recover the original English-language text of the Book of Mormon. The books in this set consider every significant textual change that has occurred in the English Book of Mormon over the 187 years since Joseph Smith first dictated it to his scribes; it also considers a number of conjectural emendations for specific words or passages. These six large books total 4,060 pages.

The first Latter-day Saint missionaries to Japan encountered formidable language, religious, and cultural barriers. After considerable efforts, Church officials closed the mission in 1924. Later, the gospel was reintroduced in mid-century, when it took root. Since that time, Mormon missionaries have baptized many believers, several missions have opened, auxiliary organizations such as the Relief Society have been instituted, and two temples have been constructed. This volume celebrates the Church’s first hundred years among the Japanese. The articles explore such issues as the Japanese presses’ portrayal of Mormonism and answer questions such as what the historical and cultural challenges are to successful missionary work in Japan; why the Book of Mormon needed to be translated three times in one century; and whether Latter-day Saint converts hail from specific areas based on the region’s religious traditions. The essays in the book let readers witness the expansion and growth of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints among the Japanese.

The Willie Handcart Company offers new insights into the experiences of this group, which sailed from Liverpool, England, in May 1856 and arrived in the Salt Lake Valley five months later. With limited funds and resources, these faithful Latter-day Saints pulled their belongings in handcarts over the Mormon Trail and endured some of the most severe hardships of all those who gathered to Zion. On September 7, for example, after the best oxen were lost in a stampede, flour was taken from one of the company’s few wagons and distributed among the handcarts, according to each man’s strength. James Hurren, age 29, put five of the 100-pound sacks on his handcart, along with his family’s baggage and two small girls who were unable to walk. This extra weight burdened his handcart considerably yet he didn’t complain. Later, on October 19, a member of the rescue party sent by Brigham Young gave Emily Hill, age 20, an onion because she looked starved. Instead of eating it, she gave it to a man who lay on the ground close to death. The man later said this kindness saved his life. These and other heroic sacrifices offer threads of devotion and courage that have enriched the tapestry of spiritual triumph for generations to follow. To illuminate the Willie Company’s daily experiences, Paul D. Lyman includes portions of journals, personal histories, newspapers, maps, and other historical documents. He also has compiled 89 new, detailed maps that show the company’s daily path and campsites. These maps contain modern driving routes and directions for those hardy enough to experience the Saints’ journey firsthand.

Since 1998 the Brigham Young University Museum of Art has hosted the biennial Art, Belief, Meaning Symposium. The purpose of the symposium is to provide an opportunity for Latter-day Saint artists, critics, and commentators to contribute to the ongoing discussion about issues related to art and spirituality. Our goal is to articulate our interest in the making of art that not only is relevant and meaningful for our day, but which also bears witness and gives perspective to the realities that flow from the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. The symposium provides a welcome forum for discussion regarding issues that have always concerned serious religious artists: • What is the role of the artist in relation to the mission of the Church? • What is the place of self expression, belief, and inspiration in religious art? • Do artists have a “mission” through their work? • How does individual testimony find expression in the work of the artist? • Does religion create untenable tensions in the expression of the artist? • What is the relationship between idea and technique in religious art? • Can religious art find expression through contemporary art movements? This series provides an opportunity for like-minded believers, those with deep and often passionate interests in the arts, to come together, reason together, and benefit from each others’ points of view. Hopefully others who find themselves confronted by similar issues will benefit from a careful reading of these essays.

The Frontier Guardian was published in Kanesville, Pottawattamie County, Iowa, from 1849 to 1851. The newspaper was started by Orson Hyde, who used it to maintain contact among the Latter-day Saints and to help keep them focused on their ultimate destination in the West. However, the Guardian’s content reflected the diverse culture of the region. The paper covered local, national, and international news. Information about the westward trek—mostly to the Salt Lake Valley and to the California gold fields—appeared in every issue, and those who traveled west had various religious affiliations. The Guardian is a window into this way station for westward emigration, and the newspaper illuminates the religious, social, economic, and political aspects of this frontier community. The Frontier Guardian connected the Latter-day Saints in Kanesville and recorded their experiences. Including people of all faiths, the newspaper highlights miners, politicians, business owners, and newspaper subscribers, alongside Mormon emigrants, missionaries, and dissidents. Even newlyweds and the deceased emerge from the Guardian’s columns in Black’s annotations, the sum total bringing rich human texture to this period of constant movement. —Jill Mulvay Derr, co-editor of Eliza R. Snow: The Complete Poetry

To help celebrate our 50th anniversary, Doris R. Dant has compiled a new book of personal essays titled Adventures of the Soul: The Best Creative Nonfiction from BYU Studies. Expect startling disclosures if you open this book, for these are personal essays—the reality show of literature. Sometimes with brutal candor, these essays trace gospel messages in the lives of the humble. A Xhosa black man with three teeth and a perfectly round head becomes the Savior of all races. A young mother recognizes her entire body belongs to her children—“take, eat!” A harmonica player is awakened and washed by irrigation water, the water of life. A returned missionary learns to see God’s mysterious hand in the life of a former foe. Miracles, love, pain, the substance of life—all can be found in these stories. “Adventures is a page-turner! When there is a point to be illustrated in a talk or a family home evening discussion, readers are likely to reach for this book.” — Karen Lynn Davidson author of Our Latter-day Hymns: The Stories and the Messages and coeditor of Eliza R. Snow: The Complete Poetry “The stories are compelling because we see ourselves in them and sometimes the author sounds just like us.” — Richard Neitzel Holzapfel Director, Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University “The essays in this volume will provoke reactions from tears to laughter and give readers a window into the richness of the Mormon experience in the modern world.” — Nathan B. Oman Assistant Professor at William and Mary Law School

A son of a prominent Philadelphia judge, Thomas L. Kane came from a family that was well connected to the political and aristocratic powers of east-coast America. In 1846, the governor commissioned Kane as a lieutenant colonel in the state militia, and he carried this title until he became a brigadier general during the Civil War. Although not a member of any organized religion, Kane honorably defended the Latter-day Saints on the national stage for nearly four decades and throughout his life remained a confidant of Young and other Latter-day Saint leaders. As one of the most influential friends of the Mormons, Kane holds an unprecedented place in their history, and his patriarchal blessing promises that his name will be held “in honorable remembrance” among the Saints. For example, after reading newspapers accounts of the Saints’ 1946 forced exile from Illinois, Kane sought out LDS leaders in Philadelphia and soon headed west. In Nebraska Territory at the camp know as Winter Quarters, he assisted with the call of the Mormon Battalion and began his lifelong friendship with Brigham Young and other notable Latter-day Saints. This richly illustrated volume examines the relationship Thomas L. Kane and his wife, Elizabeth W. Kane, had with the Saints from social, political, and religious perspectives. Authors include Thomas G. Alexander, Richard E. Bennett, Lowell C. (Ben) Bennion, Thomas R. Carter, Edward A. Geary, Matthew J. Grow, William P. MacKinnon, and David J. Whittaker.

“Education is more than preparing for life,” George H. Brimhall once said. “It is life.” His love for education was first instilled in him by his mother. Education became his constant passion, sustaining him through humble beginnings as a Utah pioneer to his pivotal role as president of Brigham Young University. For him, the motivating force ­behind education was the Latter-day Saint doctrine of eternal progress. As a teacher at BYU and then its president (1904–1921), Brimhall was known as a dynamic orator and as a compassionate administrator whose primary desire was to help students succeed. Brimhall’s faith in and devotion to his religion coincided with his love for learning, and he believed it was BYU’s unique mission to become a university where spiritual education and secular education supported each other. During times of conflict, disappointment, personal tragedy, and great economic uncertainty, Brimhall steadfastly steered the school through the growing pains of its early years toward its unique mission.

Beginning in 1870, Utah women from both polygamist and monogamist marriages attempted to establish their primacy as the standard-bearer of woman’s rights in the territory. Some sought support from leaders within the territory while others looked to those in the national arena. Ultimately, the activities of Mormon women helped to secure woman suffrage for Utah in 1870. Although it was the New Movement women who helped advance the women’s rights dialogue in the territory and establish a relationship between Utah’s women and eastern suffragists, their efforts prepared the way for an alliance between Mormon women and national suffragists. Many historians have overlooked the role of Mormon women in securing woman suffrage. Because Mormon women neither publicly drafted petitions nor held public demonstrations to seek the vote, many historians have concluded that they were not politically active until after they were enfranchised and then only in response to attempts to disfranchise them. However, the reaction of Mormon women to their enfranchisement and their readiness to assume an active political role in their communities suggest a different conclusion: that they were politicized prior to enfranchisement and their activities contributed to their own enfranchisement. Nineteenth-century woman suffragists in Utah left a legacy of activism, commitment and achievement.

This compilation of groundbreaking Book of Mormon articles is selected from over fifty years of LDS scholarship published by BYU Studies. This volume features articles on various believers and nonbelievers, including William E. McLellan, Mark Twain, B. H. Roberts, and Minerva Teichert. Contents “William E. McLellan’s Testimony of the Book of Mormon” Larry C. Porter “‘The Testimony of Men’: William E. McLellin and the Book of Mormon Witnesses” Mitchell K. Schaefer “The Gentle Blasphemer: Mark Twain, Holy Scripture, and the Book of Mormon” Richard H. Cracroft “B. H. Roberts and the Book of Mormon” Truman G. Madsen “Minerva Teichert: Scriptorian and Artist” Marian Ashby Johnson “Minerva Teichert: A Passion for the Book of Mormon” John W. Welch and Doris R. Dant

Joining the Church in 1838 catapulted William Clayton into new activities and associations, took him from England to the United States, and offered him soul-satisfying spiritual experiences. As Joseph Smith’s friend and scribe, Clayton kept extensive journals and was the one who recorded the revelation on plural marriage. He also wrote the first history of the Nauvoo Temple. As a pioneer, Clayton wrote the words to the hymn “Come, Come Ye Saints,” and compiled the Latter-day Saints’ Emigrants’ Guide. He was among Salt Lake City’s original settlers and worked in a variety of religious, economic, and civil activities. Clayton was faithful, but he had his share of human frailties. Even though his wives considered him a good husband—so far as plural marriage allowed—why did some divorce him? William Clayton’s life encompassed nearly all the joys and struggles that could come to a Church member of his day. Yet “no toil nor labor” did he fear. His story, in many respects, echoes the soul-stirring words of his immortal Mormon pioneer anthem.

Published from November 1854 to December 1855, the St. Louis Luminary was started by Apostle Erastus Snow, the Latter-day Saint leader over the region. The newspaper maintained contact among the members, helped emigrating Saints stay focused on their ultimate destination in the West, and played a significant role in the national discussion of polygamy, which had been publicly announced in 1852. Snow’s goal was to produce a paper “devoted to the exposition of the favorable side of Mormonism,” something the “honest inquirer” had longed to read. The newspaper also consisted of a composite of exchanges from other periodicals, and a variety of local businesses—regardless of whether they were owned by Mormons—advertised in it. Furthermore, hundreds of names published in the columns yield a valuable genealogical database. Its forty-two missionary-agents traveled throughout most of the Midwest soliciting subscribers. I believe that this work will benefit readers and researchers alike by helping them explore another Mormon periodical from the mid-ninteenth century. Professor Black has again provided us with a powerful research tool that sheds light on a corner of history which has gone largely neglected. —Fred E. Woods, Professor, Church History and Doctrine, Brigham Young University and author of When the Saints Came Marching In: A History of the Latter-day Saints in St. Louis

Hymns by Eliza R. Snow—such as “O My Father,” “Behold the Great Redeemer Die,” and “How Great the Wisdom and the Love”—evoke powerful religious imagery. In her hymns and in her hundreds of other poems, Snow captured nineteenth-century Mormonism, where revelation and history intersected and Latter-day Saints labored for the meeting of heaven and earth they named Zion. Snow’s poems convey many sublime truths about the human condition. As Zion’s honored spokeswoman, no public event in the Mormon community from the 1840s to the 1880s was complete without a contribution from her. “Through [Snow’s poems] the names of many of the actors in the drama of Mormonism, will be handed down to posterity,” wrote Emmeline B. Wells. Intelligent, well-read, and articulate, Snow also had an understanding of the scriptures. Through her position in the inner circles of church leadership, her poetry, and her gifts as a spokeswoman, she became one of the most influential and best-known women in Mormon history. As a result, this collection is as much biographical, historical, and theological as literary.

This study investigates Brigham Young and his fellow apostles in the 1830s as they gradually became an effective quorum and moved toward eventual ascendancy. It examines the all-encompassing religious framework from which Brigham Young acted and uses it to shed light on both the complex issues confronting early Mormons and on his emergence as a leader. Young, as president of the Quorum of the Twelve, succeeded in unifying the group and molding it into the effective leadership cadre that received increasing responsibility for general church business. Brigham Young believed his abilities were a gift from God and that his leadership was successful because God was with him and his people. He saw himself as a rough and unpolished instrument with the grit to do his best and the faith to leave the rest to God. Young was certain that in the long run the kingdom would triumph and, as he liked to say, no power from earth or hell could prevent it.

The talks collected here represent a synthesis of the secular and the sacred. Through that synthesis, Thomas encourages us to become grown-ups. Goals without Goads is a superior example his approach. In this talk, Thomas urges scholars to add gospel insights to carefully honed, fundamental skills. He argues that as we integrate secular learning and the gospel, we will freely obey God and escape the shackles of selfishness. Such informed obedience to the difference between being an adult and a self-absorbed child. In addition, such obedience provides us the opportunity to experience joy.

Latter-day Saints often worry about psychotherapy negatively affecting their souls-for good reason. Even religious therapists may promote anti-gospel principles. This hazard is particularly extreme when therapists are unaware of their practicing assumptions. Now counselors-and their clients-can go to Turning Freud Upside Down for a gospel corrective to that problem. No mere Freud basher; this book indicts basic concepts riddling much of traditional psychotherapy. If you want to think about psychotherapy in dramatically new ways, read Turning Freud Upside Down. As its title suggests, this book upends traditional psychological dogma. Far more important it also advances alternative, gospel-based views of human behavior and personality. Latter-day Saint and other Christian clinicians who feel lost in the trenches will find this book an indispensable map for moving further away from secular assumptions and techniques to a more spiritual base. I eagerly await the forthcoming volumes in this series. —Godfrey J. Ellis, PhD Director of the Master’s Program in Counseling Psychology St. martin’s University

Spencer W. Kimball spent innumerable hours working on a biography of his father, Andrew, but was unable to finish it. This book, completed by Spencer’s son and biographer, Edward L. Kimball, brings that desire to fulfillment. Father of a Prophet is the link between Andrew’s apostle father (Heber C. Kimball) and his prophet son (Spencer W. Kimball), and it provides an important prologue to the biographies Spencer W. Kimball (1977), and Lengthen Your Stride: The Presidency of Spencer W. Kimball (2005). Andrew presided for twelve years over the Indian Territory Mission, and he worked for years as a salesman in Utah and Idaho traveling from village to village. Then, in 1898, Church leaders called Andrew to move with his family to Arizona and preside over the St. Joseph Stake, covering southeastern Arizona and extending to El Paso, Texas, including the Mor­mon settlements in the Gila River Valley. Andrew invested himself deeply in his adopted community. He served a term in the Arizona legislature and exerted statewide influence as chair of the agricultural and horticultural commission. Whenever a vacancy occurred in the Quorum of the Twelve, Andrew’s name received speculative mention. His twenty-five years in stake administration illuminate the Church’s maturation from pioneer times to a period of inter­national growth, and his exemplary loyalty and personal high principles were passed on to his son Spencer, especially as father and son served together in the stake presidency.

As the century closes, subcultures are being swallowed up by a world culture of mass media and increased secularization. Like a great and abominable church, much of this culture is fundamentally opposed to the principles of the gospel. For twenty-five years, Arthur Henry King has critiqued this mass culture. But he does more. He teaches us to spiritu­ally arm ourselves and our children to win the battle against the destructive forces encompassing us worldwide. King’s talks encourage a deeper commitment to a life of repentance and service and an empathy for the unconverted. They counsel us to turn away from the ugly, vulgar, violent entertainments of our time. Rather, we should seek happiness, not as a goal, but as an activity that includes learning from the best art, music, and literature. By attending to the minute particulars of texts and to the de­tails of everyday living, we free ourselves from traditions that stunt our souls. We open our hearts and minds to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, our souls to the Atonement. Professor King persuasively argues that genuine education begins in homes where parents read the scriptures to and with their children. The language and moral­ity of scripture then form the foundation for learning and judging every activity, art, and discipline. Arm the Children includes all the talks found in King’s Abundance of the Heart plus several previously unpublished talks that continue his jeremiad on behalf of us all.

Called to the Japan Mission at age eighteen, Alma O. Taylor and his parents would have been shocked had they known his mission would last nearly nine years. Alma, the eighteen-year-old lad, would return a twenty-seven-year-old man, having served one of the longest continuous missions in Church history. For eight and a half years (August 1901–January 1910), Alma worked with intense fervor, keeping a detailed journal of his experiences and impressions. Alma’s journal recaptures early Mormonism in Japan through the eyes of a young missionary. The body of this book is devoted to making his writings available for the first time to all those interested in the foundational events of the Church in Japan. Alma’s many accomplishments included learning both the spoken and written Japanese word; assisting in the translation of missionary tracts, Church hymns, and the Book of Mormon; serving as president of the Japan Mission from his early to late twenties; opening new proselyting areas throughout Japan; and finding, teaching, converting, and strengthening many of the early Japanese Saints. Shortly before Alma left his mission, he recorded his feelings about his final year in Japan: “During the year I have had many experiences some the most pleasant in life and some the most bitter that humans are called upon to experience. . . . Great is the debt of gratitude I owe to the Lord for His many blessings.”

Addressing some of the most consequential yet esoteric subjects and events in Latter-day Saint Church history, this 1971 dissertation makes available items from early Mormon history never previously so thoroughly documented. Specifically, Dr. Larry C. Porter carefully delineates the dynamics of Joseph Smith’s life and movement (and the subsequent movement of the Church) in the context of the infant years of the Church, an era whose documented treatment has been previously obscure and sketchy.

Elder M. Russell Ballard once said, Inspired art speaks in the language of eternity, teaching things to the heart that the eyes and ears can never understand. Students and scholars at Brigham Young University discuss art in our theology in this new publication entitled Art, Belief, Meaning. The articles in this volume come from the proceedings of the 2003 Art, Belief, and Meaning symposium. This volume starts by analyzing some of the challenges of being a Latter-day Saint artist. Examples include Pat Debenham’s “Seduction of Our Gifts” and Tanya Rizzuti’s “Imparting One to Another: The Role of Humility, Charity, and Consecration within an Artistic Community.” The next section deals with the aesthetics of art. Articles in this section like Grant L. Lunds’s “What Makes a Good Image? What Makes a Good Life?” and Bruce H. Smith’s “What Can You Do with an Eclair?” help us to understand what makes art beautiful. The last section looks at the role of postmodernism in art. Some articles include “Taking Off Our Shoes: On Seeing the Other Religiously” by Keith H. Lane, and Nancy Andruk’s “Accountability, Efficacy, and Postmodernism.”

Called as an Apostle at age 25, Heber J. Grant was acutely aware of his inadequacies. Feeling unseasoned and unsure, he questioned whether he had the “qualities that count” for such a position. Yet he took solace in his faith: “There is one thing that sustains me and that is the fact that all powers, of mind or body, come from god and that He is perfectly able and willing to qualify me for His work provided I am faithful in doing my part.” Despite insecurities, Grant always excelled. His single mother, Rachel Ivins Grant, gently fostered the tenacity, industry, and faith that permeated his life. This is the little-known story of Heber J. Grant and his values before he became Church President. “When a leader reaches distinction, we often wonder about his background, the experiences that influenced and molded his aspirations and character. Here, Ronald W. Walker has painstakingly accessed the most reliable sources, mined intimate details, and penetrated to the story behind the story. This is the finest work yet on the formative years of the Church’s seventh president.” —Truman Grant Madsen This book was simultaneously published as BYU Studies Journal volume 43 number 1.

A story that includes spiritualist séances, conspiracy, and an important church trial, Wayward Saints chronicles the 1870s challenge of a group of British Mormon intellectuals to Brigham Young’s leadership and authority. William S. Godbe and his associates protested against Young because they disliked his demanding community and resented what they perceived to be Young’s intrusion into matters of personal choice. Excommunicated from the Church, they established the “New Movement,” which eventually faltered. Both a study in intellectual history and an investigation of religious dissent, Wayward Saints explores nineteenth-century American spiritualism as well as the ideas and intellectual structure of first- and second-generation Mormonism. A compelling story, and the author has a compelling way of drawing the reader into it. I recommend it. —Klaus Hansen, author of Mormonism and the American Experience

Joseph Smith had only one request of the publisher of the Chicago Democrat, to whom he directed his now-famous Wentworth Letter: All that I shall ask at his hands, is, that he publish the account entire, ungarnished, and without misrepresentation. Since 1959, BYU Studies has been a premier publisher of primary historical documents in LDS Church history. Continuing this tradition, Opening the Heavens gathers in one place the key historical collections documenting divine manifestations from 1820 to 1844. Gathered here are the historical documents concerning the First Vision, the translation of the Book of Mormon, the restoration of the priesthood, the many visions of Joseph Smith, the outpouring of keys at the Kirtland Temple, and the mantle of Joseph Smith passing to Brigham Young. Each collection of documents is preceded by a chapter explaining the event. As you read the accounts of divine manifestations in Opening the Heavens, the truth of the Restoration events becomes clearer. The original, eyewitness accounts will endure for generations, making this one of the most persuasive and influential Church history books you may ever read or own. Many new historical resources have become available since the first edition of Opening the Heavens. Newly discovered testimonies have been added to this second edition, and footnotes cite sources recently made available by the Joseph Smith Papers Project. This valuable collection offers remarkable access to the earliest historical sources. The ebook version of the second edition includes live links to online resources that contain images of original documents and information about their creation.

For years, William E. McLellin (1806–1883) has been a mystery to Mormon historians. Converted in 1831, he served missions with Hyrum Smith, Samuel Smith, Parley Pratt, and others. He was also ordained one of the twelve original Latter-day Saint Apostles in 1835. Yet seeds of doubt and difficulty were already evident in his brief period of excommunication in 1832 and in various points of tension and later conflict with Church leaders. In the early 1980s, the fabled McLellin journals were reportedly located by the infamous document forger, Mark Hofmann. Little did anyone know that they were soon to be found in the holdings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which had acquired the journals in 1908. These six detailed and fascinating journals, written from 1831 to 1836 during McLellin’s most faithful years, now shed new light on the nature of early Mormon worship and doctrine, as well as on religious attitudes in America in the 1830s. They document his daily travels, meetings, preachings, healings, sufferings, and feelings. They offer many clues toward solving the mystery of McLellin in early Mormon history. McLellin died in Independence, Missouri, in 1883. Although no longer affiliated with any LDS church or party, he held firm to his testimony of the Book of Mormon and to the events he experienced and reported in these remarkable journals. “McLellin’s unusually full and literate journals open to view another side of Mormonism that was flourishing in the tiny hamlets and small towns of America.” — Jan Shipps “In early Mormon documents like McLellin’s journals, one finds all of the makings of a modern Acts of the Apostles.” — John W. Welch An essential source for anyone interested in the beginnings of Mormonism and the religious history of America. Copublished by the University of Illinois Press and BYU Studies, with permission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Here are the papers presented at the international academic conference held at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., in recognition of the bicentennial of Joseph Smith’s birth. These remarkable articles aim to elucidate Joseph’s life and mission by positioning him—to the degree possible—within the larger framework of American spirituality and world religions. These papers examine the worlds of Joseph Smith, past, present, and future. Session 1 explores the early-nineteenth-century world of his day. Session 2 examines the ancient worlds with which he interacted. Session 3 introduces readers to Joseph Smith at a personal level, showing the breadth of his influence, the depths of his relationships, and the heights of his revelations. Session 4 explains the theological world that his revelations challenged, both temporally and spiritually. Session 5 develops issues ­relating to the future and his efforts to build up the kingdom of God and establish Zion throughout the world. Presenters included Latter-day Saint and other Christian scholars from Brigham Young University, Columbia University, Fuller Theological Seminary, Pepperdine University, Roanoke College, the University of Richmond in Virginia, the University of Illinois at Chicago, Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis, and the University of Durham in England.

The Doctrine and Covenants was meant to be read. It should be read often. Yet it is not easy for most people to get through. So here is a reader’s edition of the Doctrine and Covenants. All of its passages have been organized by topic and formatted to enhance readability.

This compilation of groundbreaking Book of Mormon articles is selected from over fifty years of LDS scholarship published by BYU Studies. This volume features articles on Hebraisms and chiasmus in the Book of Mormon, as well as articles discussing emendation of the text, naturalistic assumptions, wordprint analyses, variations between copies of the first edition, and more. Contents “Hebraisms in the Book of Mormon: A Preliminary Survey” John A. Tvedtnes “Chiasmus in the Book of Mormon” John W. Welch “Does Chiasmus Appear in the Book of Mormon by Chance?” Boyd F. Edwards and W. Farrell Edwards “When Are Chiasms Admissible as Evidence?” Boyd F. Edwards and W. Farrell Edwards “Conjectural Emendation and the Text of the Book of Mormon” Stan Larson “Naturalistic Assumptions and the Book of Mormon” Gary F. Novak “View of the Hebrews: Substitute for Inspiration?” Spencer J. Palmer and William L. Knecht “Who Wrote the Book of Mormon? An Analysis of Wordprints” Wayne A. Larsen, Alvin C. Rencher, and Tim Layton “On Verifying Wordprint Studies: Book of Mormon Authorship” John L. Hilton “Variations between Copies of the First Edition of the Book of Mormon” Janet Jenson “Towards a Critical Edition of the Book of Mormon” Royal Skousen

This compilation of groundbreaking articles about Joseph Smith’s doctrinal teachings is selected from over fifty years of LDS scholarship published by BYU Studies. This volume features articles on the law of adoption, Mormon perceptions of death, the preexistence, the King Follett Discourse, corporeality, and more. Contents “Doctrinal Development of the Church during the Nauvoo Sojourn, 1839–46” T. Edgar Lyon “An Epistle of the Twelve, March 1842” Josh E. Probert “Some Significant Texts of Joseph Smith’s Inspired Version of the Bible” Robert J. Matthews “The Law of Adoption: One Phase of the Development of the Mormon Concept of Salvation, 1830–1900” Gordon Irving “To Overcome the ‘Last Enemy’: Early Mormon Perceptions of Death” M. Guy Bishop “‘Saved or Damned’: Tracing a Persistent Protestantism in Early Mormon Thought” Grant Underwood “The Development of the Doctrine of Preexistence, 1830–1844” Charles R. Harrell “The Doctrinal Impact of the King Follett Discourse” Van Hale “Examining Six Key Concepts in Joseph Smith’s Understanding of Genesis 1:1” Kevin L. Barney “Are Christians Mormon? Reassessing Joseph Smith’s Theology in His Bicentennial” David Paulsen

This compilation of groundbreaking Book of Mormon articles is selected from over fifty years of LDS scholarship published by BYU Studies. This volume features articles that look at doctrines in the Book of Mormon, including resurrection, the allegory of the olive tree, and the appearance of Jesus Christ to the brother of Jared. Contents “The Doctrine of the Resurrection as Taught in the Book of Mormon” Robert J. Matthews “Explicating the Mystery of the Rejected Foundation Stone: The Allegory of the Olive Tree” Paul Y. Hoskisson “The Gospel of Jesus Christ as Taught by the Nephite Prophets” Noel B. Reynolds “‘Never Have I Showed Myself unto Man’: A Suggestion for Understanding Ether 3:15a” Kent P. Jackson Personal Essay: “Watermelons, Alma 32, and the Experimental Method” Joseph Thomas Hepworth Review of The Allegory of the Olive Tree: The Olive, the Bible, and Jacob 5 Reviewed by David B. Honey

This compilation of groundbreaking articles about Mormon views on Islam is selected from over fifty years of LDS scholarship published by BYU Studies. This volume explores the relationship between a major world religion (Islam) and what some scholars have called the newest world religion (Mormonism). It includes articles on such topics as building bridges of understanding, the language of God, Jerusalem’s role as a holy city, the evolving relationship between Islam and Mormonism, and artistry and aesthetics in Mormon and Iranian films.

This compilation of groundbreaking articles comparing Joseph Smith’s theology with the views of other religions and individuals is selected from over fifty years of LDS scholarship published by BYU Studies. This volume features articles on the Shakers, the making of a global religion, the problem of evil, the corporeality of God, Søren Kierkegaard, open and relational theology, preexilic Israelite religion, Calvinism, Catholic liturgy, divine embodiment, and more. Contents “Joseph Smith Challenges the Theological World” David Paulsen “‘Is Mormonism Christian?’; Reflections on a Complicated Question” Jan Shipps “What Does It Mean to Be a Christian? The Views of Joseph Smith and Søren Kierkegaard” David Paulsen “Open and Relational Theology: An Evangelical in Dialogue with a Latter-day Saint” Clark H. Pinnock and David Paulsen “What Does God Think about America? Some Challenges for Evangelicals and Mormons” Richard J. Mouw “Joseph Smith and Preexilic Israelite Religion” Margaret Barker “Joseph Smith Encounters Calvinism” Robert L. Millet “Early Mormon and Shaker Visions of Sanctified Community” J. Spencer Fluhman “The Catholic Liturgy and the Mormon Temple” Marcus von Wellnitz “The Doctrine of Divine Embodiment: Restoration, Judeo-Christian, and Philosophical Perspectives” David Paulsen “Conversation in Nauvoo about the Corporeality of God” Jacob Neusner “A New Pneumatology: Comparing Joseph Smith’s Doctrine of the Spirit with His Contemporaries and the Bible” Lynne Hilton Wilson “Joseph Smith and the Problem of Evil” David L. Paulsen “Joseph Smith and Modern Mormonism: Orthodoxy, Neoorthodoxy, Tension, and Tradition” Robert L. Millet “Joseph Smith’s Christology: After Two Hundred Years” Robert L. Millet Review of Sterling M. McMurrin, The Theological Foundations of the Mormon Religion Reviewed by Truman G. Madsen Review of Louis Midgley, Beyond Human Nature: The Contemporary Debate over Moral Natural Law Reviewed by Dante Germino Review Essay: “Jesus Was Not a Unitarian” David Paulsen, Jacob Hawken, and Michael Hansen

This compilation of groundbreaking articles about Joseph Smith is selected from over fifty years of LDS scholarship published by BYU Studies. This volume features articles on Kirtland, the chronology of the Ohio revelations, the Book of Commandments and Revelations, the United Firm, the Kirtland Temple, Mormon political involvement in Ohio, and more. Contents “Kirtland: A Perspective on Time and Place” Robert L. Layton “From Manuscript to Printed Page: An Analysis of the History of the Book of Commandments and Revelations” Robin Scott Jensen “Joseph Smith and the United Firm: The Growth and Decline of the Church’s First Master Plan of Business and Finance, Ohio and Missouri, 1832–1834” Max H Parkin “Newel and Lydia Bailey Knight’s Kirtland Love Story and Historic Wedding” William G. Hartley “Joseph Smith’s Performance of Marriages in Ohio” M. Scott Bradshaw “An Introduction to the Kirtland Flats Ashery” Benjamin C. Pykles “Sweet Counsel and Seas of Tribulation: The Religious Life of the Women in Kirtland” Linda King Newell and Valeen Tippetts Avery “The Appearance of Elijah and Moses in the Kirtland Temple and the Jewish Passover” Stephen D. Ricks “The Apostle Peter and the Kirtland Temple” Lyndon Cook “Joseph Smith and the 1834 D. P. Hurlbut Case” David W. Grua “Mormon Political Involvement in Ohio” Max H Parkin “The Waning of Mormon Kirtland” Davis Bitton

This compilation of groundbreaking articles about Joseph Smith is selected from over fifty years of LDS scholarship published by BYU Studies. This volume features articles on young Joseph Smith’s leg surgery, the historical setting and early accounts of the First Vision, friends’ and family members’ recollections of Joseph’s early religious experiences, Joseph’s 1826 trial, and more. Contents “Joseph Smith’s Boyhood Operation: An 1813 Surgical Success” LeRoy S. Wirthlin “Awakenings in the Burned-over District: New Light on the Historical Setting of the First Vision” Milton V. Backman Jr. “The Earliest Documented Accounts of Joseph Smith’s First Vision” Dean C. Jessee “Katharine Smith Salisbury’s Recollections of Joseph’s Meetings with Moroni” Kyle R. Walker “The Colesville Branch and the Coming Forth of the Book of Mormon” Larry C. Porter “Joseph Knight’s Recollection of Early Mormon History” Dean C. Jessee “Joseph Smith and the Manchester (New York) Library” Robert Paul “Money-Digging Folklore and the Beginnings of Mormonism: An Interpretive Suggestion” Marvin S. Hill “Joseph Smith’s 1826 Trial: The Legal Setting” Gordon A. Madsen

Here is a very useful collection of articles that clearly explain the essential teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This anthology gives a sensitive introduction to the religious life of Latter-day Saints and what it means to be a committed follower of Christ in the Mormon tradition. The contents have been newly arranged under the convenient headings of Christianity, Church History, Scriptures, Basic Beliefs, Church Structure and Culture, and Comparative Studies. When the editors of Macmillan Publishing Company approached Brigham Young University in 1987 with the proposal of producing the Encyclopedia of Mormonism, they wanted to create a lasting resource that would help unfamiliar readers understand LDS history, scripture, doctrine, organization, and culture. They insisted that the articles be written by creditable scholars who were also trustworthy articulators of Latter-day Saint feelings. In order to know what Mormons believe, it seemed sensible to ask Latter-day Saints themselves. The articles in this ebook are selected from the 1,300 articles in Macmillan’s Encyclopedia of Mormonism. Some of these entries describe key topics that are central to the beliefs or characteristics that Latter-day Saints most fervently cherish. Others address the most basic points of LDS doctrine and practice. This selection of articles offers students of religion everywhere a concise understanding of the essentials of the Latter-day Saint faith.

This compilation of groundbreaking Book of Mormon articles is selected from over fifty years of LDS scholarship published by BYU Studies. This volume examines the first two books of Nephi, with articles on focusing on the experiences and writings of the first two Book of Mormon prophets. Contents “Nephi’s Outline” Noel B. Reynolds “Lehi’s Personal Record: Quest for a Missing Source” S. Kent Brown “1 and 2 Nephi: An Inspiring Whole” Frederick W. Axelgard “The Israelite Background of Moses Typology in the Book of Mormon” Noel B. Reynolds “The Throne-Theophany and Prophetic Commission in 1 Nephi: A Form-Critical Analysis” Blake T. Ostler “The Psalm of Nephi: A Lyric Reading” Steven P. Sondrup “The Political Dimension in Nephi’s Small Plates” Noel B. Reynolds

This compilation of groundbreaking Book of Mormon articles is selected from over fifty years of LDS scholarship published by BYU Studies. This volume features articles on how the El Niño weather pattern may have made Lehi’s voyage to the Americas possible, geological insights into the destruction chronicled in 3 Nephi, and information about olives in antiquity. Contents “Lehi and El Niño: A Method of Migration” David L. Clark “In the Thirty and Fourth Year: A Geologist’s View of the Great Destruction in 3 Nephi” Bart J. Kowallis “‘Many Great and Notable Cities Were Sunk’: Liquefaction in the Book of Mormon” Benjamin R. Jordan “Recent Notes about Olives in Antiquity” Wilford M. Hess

This compilation of groundbreaking Book of Mormon articles is selected from over fifty years of LDS scholarship published by BYU Studies. This volume features articles that explore comparisons between the American Revolution and Book of Mormon governments, Nephi’s justification of his ascent to leadership, protracted war in the Book of Mormon and in modern times, and much more. Contents “The Book of Mormon and the American Revolution” Richard Lyman Bushman “The Political Dimension in Nephi’s Small Plates” Noel B. Reynolds “Cosmic Urban Symbolism in the Book of Mormon” Steven L. Olsen “The Gadianton Robbers and Protracted War” Ray C. Hillam “Scriptural Perspectives on How to Survive the Calamities of the Last Days” Hugh Nibley

As part of the Smith Institute’s women’s initiative, eight advanced students were invited to BYU in summer 2003 to research women’s history in the twentieth century. The eight papers in this volume are the fruits of their labors. The papers show the actions and reactions of faithful women affected by change in the Church, such as international growth and the institution of the correlation program, and by change in American culture, such as the social revolutions of the late twentieth century. While there were a number of great and important women to study, the scholars wanted also to consider the lives of the unsung. This volume reflects the scholars’ search for the generalities that create a master narrative of LDS women’s experience in the twentieth century interwoven with the individual stories, the poignant quotations, and the experiences of individual women.

This compilation of groundbreaking Book of Mormon articles is selected from over fifty years of LDS scholarship published by BYU Studies. This volume features articles that look at literary aspects of the Book of Mormon, including a lyric reading of Nephi’s psalm, the exodus pattern and Moses typology in the book, the literary context that affected its acceptance in England in 1837, a comparison of the Book of Mormon with the Narrative of Zosimus, and even an analysis of the book’s purported verbosity. Contents “The Book of Mormon in the English Literary Context of 1837” Gordon K. Thomas “The Psalm of Nephi: A Lyric Reading” Steven P. Sondrup “The Exodus Pattern in the Book of Mormon” S. Kent Brown “The Israelite Background of Moses Typology in the Book of Mormon” Noel B. Reynolds “The Throne-Theophany and Prophetic Commission in 1 Nephi: A Form-Critical Analysis” Blake T. Ostler “The Treaty/Covenant Pattern in King Benjamin’s Address (Mosiah 1–6)” Stephen D. Ricks “The Narrative of Zosimus and the Book of Mormon” John W. Welch “More Than Meets the Eye: Concentration of the Book of Mormon” Steven C. Walker “Taste and Feast: Images of Eating and Drinking in the Book of Mormon” Richard Dilworth Rust “The ‘Perfect Pattern’: The Book of Mormon as a Model for the Writing of Sacred History” Eric C. Olson

This compilation of groundbreaking Book of Mormon articles is selected from over fifty years of LDS scholarship published by BYU Studies. This volume features articles on Moroni’s visits, the Anthon transcript, the original Book of Mormon manuscript, the Dogberry Papers, copyright law in 1830, and more. Contents “A Survey of Pre-1830 Historical Sources Relating to the Book of Mormon” David A. Palmer “Where Were the Moroni Visits?” Russell R. Rich “The Anthon Transcript: People, Primary Sources, and Problems” Stanley B. Kimball “The Colesville Branch and the Coming Forth of the Book of Mormon” Larry C. Porter “The Original Book of Mormon Manuscript” Dean C. Jessee “The Dogberry Papers and the Book of Mormon” Russell R. Rich “Copyright Laws and the 1830 Book of Mormon” Nathaniel Hinckley Wadsworth “‘Securing’ the Prophet’s Copyright in the Book of Mormon: Historical and Legal Context for the So-called Canadian Copyright Revelation” Stephen Kent Ehat “‘Entered At Stationers’ Hall’: The British Copyright Registrations for the Book of Mormon in 1841 and the Doctrine and Covenants in 1845” Edward L. Carter “The Coming Forth of the Book of Mormon in the Twentieth Century” Noel B. Reynolds

This compilation of groundbreaking articles about Joseph Smith’s famous King Follett Discourse is selected from over fifty years of LDS scholarship published by BYU Studies. This volume features articles examining the King Follett Discourse and its doctrinal impact, including an amalgamated text of Joseph’s greatest sermon. Contents: “The King Follett Discourse: Joseph Smith’s Greatest Sermon in Historical Perspective” Donald Q. Cannon “The King Follett Discourse: A Newly Amalgamated Text” Stan Larson “The Doctrinal Impact of the King Follett Discourse” Van Hale “Examining Six Key Concepts in Joseph Smith’s Understanding of Genesis 1:1” Kevin L. Barney

This compilation of groundbreaking articles about the Martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith is selected from over fifty years of LDS scholarship published by BYU Studies. This volume features articles on Joseph’s meeting with John C. Calhoun Jr., a crime scene analysis of the Carthage Jail, the Joseph/Hyrum funeral sermon, mobocracy, the Martyrdom itself, and the aftermath of this tragic event. Contents “John C. Calhoun Jr. Meets the Prophet Joseph Smith Shortly before the Departure for Carthage” Brian Q. Cannon “The Martyrdom of Joseph Smith and His Brother Hyrum by Dan Jones introduced and translated” Ronald D. Dennis “Physical Evidence at Carthage Jail and What It Reveals about the Assassination of Joseph and Hyrum Smith” Joseph L. Lyon and David W. Lyon “The Joseph/Hyrum Smith Funeral Sermon” Richard S. Van Wagoner and Steven C. Walker “Life in Nauvoo, June 1844: Vilate Kimball’s Martyrdom Letters” Ronald K. Esplin “‘It Seems That All Nature Mourns’: Sally Randall’s Response to the Murder of Joseph and Hyrum Smith” Steven C. Harper and Jordan Watkins “A Little Known Account of the Murders of Joseph and Hyrum Smith” Jan Shipps “The Lynching of an American Prophet” Warren A. Jennings “Mobocracy and the Rule of Law: American Press Reaction to the Murder of Joseph Smith” Paul Ellsworth “Nauvoo’s Whistling and Whittling Brigade” Thurmon Dean Moody “‘Will the Murderers Be Hung?’ Albert Brown’s 1844 Letter and the Martyrdom of Joseph Smith” Timothy Merrill Review of Dallin H. Oaks and Marvin S. Hill, Carthage Conspiracy: The Trial of the Accused Assassins of Joseph Smith Reviewed by Klaus J. Hansen

This compilation of groundbreaking Book of Mormon articles is selected from over fifty years of LDS scholarship published by BYU Studies. This volume features articles on archaeological and anthropological aspects of the Book of Mormon, such as the use of the wheel in ancient America, Hagoth and the Polynesian tradition, the Mulekites, ancient writing in the Americas, and the use of metal plates in the ancient world. Contents “Archaeological Trends and the Book of Mormon Origins” John E. Clark “Notes on ‘Lehi’s Travels’” Robert J. Matthews “The Wheel in Ancient America” Paul R. Cheesman “Hagoth and the Polynesian Tradition” Jerry K. Loveland “The ‘Mulekites’” John L. Sorenson “Ancient Writing in the Americas” Paul R. Cheesman “The Book of Mormon as an Ancient Book” C. Wilfred Griggs “Metallic Documents of Antiquity” H. Curtis Wright “Two Ancient Roman Plates” John W. Welch and Kelsey D. Lambert “A Metallurgical Provenance Study of the Marcus Herennius Military Diploma” Michael J. Dorais and Garret L. Hart “An Analysis of the Padilla Gold Plates” Ray T. Matheny “Mormonism’s Encounter with the Michigan Relics” Mark Ashurst-McGee “Tools Leave Marks: Material Analysis of the Scotford-Soper-Savage Michigan Relics” Richard B. Stamps

This book tells an amazing story about millions of people. Since 1894 the Genealogical Society of Utah (now known as the Family History Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) has sought to collect genealogical information about people from every nation. Latter-day Saints see this work as a fulfillment of Malachi’s prophecy that the hearts of the children would be turned to their fathers to unify all members of the human family and to prepare the world to meet God. In November 1994, the Church celebrated the Genealogical Society’s centennial. At one level, the Society’s story is the history of an organization. At another level, it is the intersection of numerous individual stories, such as the dedication of Susa Young Gates, the tireless determination of Joseph Fielding Smith, the enthusiasm of Archibald F. Bennett, and the daring of Paul Langheinrich. LDS genealogical research is known all over the world. Parts of its story are familiar to many people, but only a fraction of the whole history is widely known. This book tells that story. It is a history of astounding and sustained efforts that have changed the hearts of millions.

More than a century after Latter-day Saints trekked across the Mormon Trail, Church members continue to celebrate this pioneer experience as an identity-defining touchstone of their American-born religion. Latter-day Saints commemorate their pioneer past in folklore, art, museums, and monuments, as well as with annual plays, pageants, and parades throughout the West.

These studies offer solid information about the material culture of the first-century Judea. Even though the story of Masada itself has recently become significantly politicized and rightly reexamined in the scholarly literature, these developments do not diminish the importance of this archaeological site as a source of information about the world of the New Testament.

Mormons in Eastern Europe found themselves mercilessly caught at the center of political and social turmoil during World War II and its aftermath. This book is a completely new collection of first-hand accounts by German and other Eastern European Latter-day Saints who suffered unbelievably brutal trials and lived to tell their stories. These personal statements, gathered and translated by Lynn Hansen, are humbling: Mama always said, ‘Go to bed, then you will not feel the hunger.’ We stumbled around in the dark forest with the others. A fire bomb fell into the bunker and we had to get out because there was so much smoke. As we came out, we saw the entire city on fire. Despite having their homes bombed and their lives shattered, and despite having to struggle for survival in frozen forests and on foreign streets, these Saints clung to their faith. Their vivid memories and poignant testimonies convey this through and through. Often, prayer was their only ally. Though the individual stories of these many Saints are varied and diverse, they all echo a common theme: Our Father in Heaven was accompanying us. The true treasure of these stories is the lesson that faith and testimony, obedience and faithfulness will bring blessings from heaven. As one survivor puts it, The gospel is true. The priesthood of God exists, and we have been mightily blessed in the Church, in our families, and also materially in having what we needed to sustain life. These real-life experiences build faith despite despair, offer hope amidst peril, and champion charity in defiance of hate.

Historians have used a variety of touchstones to describe the Mormon experience—polygamy, communal associations, and corporatization among others—but none has provided a long-term, large-scale interpretation of Mormon leisure and recreation. Focusing on the period from 1890 to 1940, Richard Ian Kimball describes the most significant changes that occurred in Latter-day Saint recreation practices and ideology. Following the contours of recreation thought in progressive America between 1890 and 1940, leaders and member of the Church employed recreation as a tool to socialize adolescents into the faith. Concerned with the problems posed by rapid urbanization and industrialization, Mormons attempted to ameliorate the problems of the city by inculcating morals and values through sports and recreation programs. The effects of these programs are still visible in the Church today. This dissertation represents a pioneering work in early twentieth–century Mormon social history.

A teacher at the Salt Lake Institute of Religion for three decades, T. Edgar Lyon regularly drew more students than could squeeze into his classroom. Lyon’s gift as a vivid storyteller made Church history “come alive.” Dr. Lyon, eyes twinkling, would ask: “Why did Brigham Young choose oxen over horses or mules to move wagons westward?” “Better gas mileage,” Lyon beamed: “They could survive on poor grass without supplemental grain, and they ate less in comparison to the weight they pulled.” Lyon always affirmed, “The testimony is in the details.” Lyon’s rich biography, revealed through an engaging narrative, explores his mission and mission presidency in the Netherlands, University of Chicago study under renowned biblical scholars, contributions to seminary and institute programs during the Church Educational System’s formative years, and work with the Nauvoo Restoration project.

Mapping Mormonism brings together contributions from sixty experts in the fields of geography, history, Mormon history, and economics to produce the most monumental work of its kind. More than an atlas, this book also includes hundreds of timelines and charts, along with carefully researched descriptions, that track the Mormon movement from its humble beginnings to its worldwide expansion. A work of this magnitude rarely comes along. Mapping Mormonism’s first edition proved to be a landmark reference work in Mormon studies; now it is further improved and updated with the latest information in this second edition. This work covers the early Restoration, the settlement of the West, and the expanding Church, giving particular emphasis to recent developments in the modern Church throughout all regions of the world. Of all the books on Church history, Mapping Mormonism may be the single most effective work to date at giving an expansive vision of the rise of the LDS Church⿿a vision as vibrant as those who have led the way in building Zion. In 2012, Mapping Mormonism won the Mormon History Association Best Book Award and the Cartography and Geographic Information Society Best Atlas Award.

In the April 1937 general conference, President David O. McKay, Second Counselor in the First Presidency, asked the following question, “If at this moment each one [of you] were asked to state in one sentence . . . the most distinguishing feature of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, what would be your answer?” He then said: “My answer would be . . . divine authority by direct revelation.” Priesthood authority revealed from heaven is the foundation upon which the Church is built. This collection of writings explores the revelatory nature of authority in the Church, beginning with the restoration of priesthood authority and keys through the ministering of angels and including the 1978 revelation on priesthood. William G. Hartley presents a history of how the priesthood developed from a simple seed planted in 1829 to a fairly complex tree by the time of Joseph Smith’s death in 1844. The unfolding of priesthood restoration produced two major branches, several offices, an organizational hierarchy, and specific instructions on the proper use of priesthood authority. Brian Q. Cannon and the BYU Studies staff then present seventy contemporaneous documents about the restoration of the priesthood. The middle portion of the book addresses the 1978 revelation on priesthood in great detail. Ronald K. Esplin gives circumstantial historical evidence that the priesthood denial to members of black African descent did not originate with Brigham Young, but likely had its roots in Nauvoo prior to Joseph Smith’s death. Edward L. Kimball presents a fascinating history of the revelation received by his father, President Spencer W. Kimball, and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, which made priesthood blessings available to all worthy male members of the Church. Kimball’s account traces the roots of the priesthood ban, examines doctrinal implications of the policy, suggests various influences that impelled his father to make this a matter of long study and prayer, presents a marvelous narrative of the revelation itself, and, finally, describes the aftermath of the revelation. Marcus H. Martins, Emmanuel Abu Kissi, and Tessa Meyer Santiago offer perspectives on how the 1978 revelation affected Church members in Brazil, Africa, and South Africa. Finally, as extra content, reviews of seven books give a glimpse of issues related to the 1978 priesthood revelation: race and slavery in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam; Mormon conceptions of race and lineage; social and historical origins of the Church’s pre-1978 priesthood policy; the first official LDS missionaries in Africa; and the personal experiences of Church members with black African ancestry.

Typical histories of the United States talk about the American Revolution as if the only issues were secular or economic, such as offensive regulations or taxation without representation. But religion was also crucial, as demonstrated by this collection of lectures that were delivered in conjunction with the Library of Congress exhibition Religion and the Founding of the American Republic.

Life in Utah has never been easy. Thin soil and thick politics challenged everyone as Utah grew toward statehood in 1896. Native Americans, Mormon and gentile settlers, federal officials, LDS Church leaders-these Utah men and women all filled crucial roles. This book contains the best articles from BYU Studies on Utah history. Looking back on life in pioneer Utah, this centennial collection includes stories that are deeply rooted in the life of this state.

The Life of Dr. Frederick G. Williams: Counselor to the Prophet Joseph Smith is a thoroughly researched documentary history of Frederick G. Williams and his immediate family. This book provides an intimate look at many significant events in the Ohio, Missouri, Illinois, and pioneer Utah periods of Church history. Frederick G. Williams (1787–1842) was an important figure during the early days of the restoration of the gospel and the organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served as a missionary on the original mission to the Lamanites (1830–1831), was a personal scribe to the Prophet Joseph Smith for four years (1832–1836), participated in Zion’s Camp (1834), was Second Counselor in the First Presidency for five years (1832–1837), was a central figure in the miraculous events surrounding the Kirtland Temple dedication (1836), and for twelve years was the principal doctor for the Saints in Ohio, Missouri, and Illinois until his death in 1842.

This compilation of articles and book reviews on Mormon polygamy is selected from over fifty years of LDS scholarship published by BYU Studies. This volume features articles on the Church’s legal confrontation with government over polygamy, various aspects of plural marriage in St. George, the perspectives of two prominent Mormon plural wives (Eliza R. Snow and Emmeline B. Wells), and several reviews of books addressing various aspects of polygamy. Contents “Letters on Mormon Polygamy and Progeny: Eliza R. Snow and Martin Luther Holbrook, 1866–1869” Jill Mulvay Derr and Matthew J. Grow “A Strange Encounter: The English Courts and Mormon Polygamy” Kenneth L. Cannon II “Emmeline B. Wells: ‘Am I Not a Woman and a Sister?’” Carol Cornwall Madsen “The Legislative Antipolygamy Campaign” Richard D. Poll “The Mormon Disfranchisements of 1882 to 1892” Joseph H. Groberg “The Judicial Campaign against Polygamy and the Enduring Legal Questions” Edwin Brown Firmage “Probing the High Prevalence of Polygyny in St. George, 1861–1880: An Introduction” Davis Bitton, Val Lambson, Lowell C. Bennion, and Kathryn M. Daynes “Demographic Limits of Nineteenth-Century Mormon Polygyny” Davis Bitton and Val Lambson “Mapping the Extent of Plural Marriage in St. George, 1861–1880” Lowell C. Bennion “Striving to Live the Principle in Utah’s First Temple City: A Snapshot of Polygamy in St. George, Utah, in June 1880” Kathryn M. Daynes “Plural Marriage in St. George: A Summary and an Invitation” Davis Bitton, Val Lambson, Lowell C. Bennion, and Kathryn M. Daynes Review of Elizabeth Wood Kane, Twelve Mormon Homes Visited in Successions on a Journey Through Utah to Arizona Reviewed by Eugene E. Campbell Review of Jessie L. Embry, Mormon Polygamous Families: Life in the Principle Reviewed by Kahlile Mehr Review of Larry M. Logue, A Sermon in the Desert: Belief and Behavior in Early St. George, Utah Reviewed by Armand L. Mauss Review of Richard S. Van Wagoner, Mormon Polygamy: A History, 2d ed. Reviewed by Thomas G. Alexander Review of Jennifer Moulton Hansen, Letters of Catharine Cottam Romney, Plural Wife; Maria S. Ellsworth, Mormon Odyssey: The Story of Ida Hunt Udall, Plural Wife; and Stan Larson, Prisoner for Polygamy: The Memoirs and Letters of Rudger Clawson at the Utah Territorial Penitentiary, 1884–87 Reviewed by Kathryn M. Daynes Review of Joan Smyth Iversen, The Antipolygamy Controversy in U.S. Women’s Movements, 1880–1925: A Debate on the American Home Reviewed by Jed L. Woodworth Review of Norman R. Bowen, A Gentile Account of Life in Utah’s Dixie, 1872–73: Elizabeth Kane’s St. George Journal Reviewed by Carol Cornwall Madsen Review of Sarah Barringer Gordon, The Mormon Question: Polygamy and Constitutional Conflict in Nineteenth-Century America Reviewed by Nathan B. Oman and Reviewed by Terryl L. Givens Review of Kathryn M. Daynes, More Wives Than One: Transformation of the Mormon Marriage System, 1840–1910 Reviewed by Sarah Barringer Gordon Review of Brian C. Hales, Modern Polygamy and Mormon Fundamentalism: The Generations after the Manifesto Reviewed by J. Michael Hunter Review of B. Carmon Hardy, Doing the Works of Abraham: Mormon Polygamy, Its Origin, Practice, and Demise Reviewed by Kathryn M. Daynes Review of George D. Smith, Nauvoo Polygamy: “. . . but we called it celestial marriage” Reviewed by Thomas G. Alexander

This compilation of articles exploring topics related to early Christianity is selected from over fifty years of LDS scholarship published by BYU Studies. This volume features articles on the Apocalypse of Peter, the Apocalypse of Adam, the Gospel of Judas, the development of the doctrines of God and creation, early Christian prayer circles, Masada fragments and the Qumran scrolls, and much more. Contents “Rediscovering Ancient Christianity” C. Wilfred Griggs “The Dead Sea Scrolls: A Mormon Perspective” S. Kent Brown “The Apocalypse of Peter: Introduction and Translation” S. Kent Brown and C. Wilfred Griggs “The Apocalypse of Adam” Stephen E. Robinson “The ‘Hymn of the Pearl’: An Ancient Counterpart to ‘O My Father’” John W. Welch and James V. Garrison “A Latter-day Saint Colloquium on the Gospel of Judas: A Note from the Editor” “A Latter-day Saint Colloquium on the Gospel of Judas: Media and Message” Richard N. Holzapfel “The Manuscript of the Gospel of Judas” S. Kent Brown “The ‘Unhistorical’ Gospel of Judas” Thomas A. Wayment “The Gnostic Context of the Gospel of Judas” Gaye Strathearn “Judas in the New Testament, the Restoration, and the Gospel of Judas” Frank F. Judd Jr. “The Apocryphal Judas Revisited” John W. Welch “The Expanding Gospel” Hugh W. Nibley “Ex Nihilo: The Development of the Doctrines of God and Creation in Early Christianity” Keith E. Norman “Clothed Upon: A Unique Aspect of Christian Antiquity” Blake T. Ostler “The Early Christian Prayer Circle” Hugh Nibley “The Masada Fragments, the Qumran Scrolls, and the New Testament” David Rolph Seely “The Noncanonical Sayings of Jesus” Stephen E. Robinson “Understanding Christian Baptism through the Book of Mormon” Noel B. Reynolds “‘With the Voice Together Shall They Sing’” Laurence P. Hemming “The Passing of the Church: Forty Variations on an Unpopular Theme” Hugh Nibley

This compilation of fascinating articles on the U.S. Constitution and Mormonism is selected from over fifty years of LDS scholarship published by BYU Studies. This volume features articles on the history of the Constitution, the unique LDS view of the Constitution as an inspired document, and various issues related to the Constitution, such as philosophical liberalism, terrorism, and individual rights and liberties.

This compilation of articles exploring topics related to Christmas is selected from over fifty years of LDS scholarship published by BYU Studies. This volume features articles on the how Church Presidents and Mormon pioneers have celebrated Christmas, Charles Dickens’s influence on LDS Christmas fiction, a scriptural perspective on three nativity scenes, and the question of dating the birth of Jesus Christ.

This compilation of groundbreaking articles about succession in the presidency after Joseph Smith’s death is selected from over fifty years of LDS scholarship published by BYU Studies. This volume features articles on succession in Church leadership, the passing of the mantle from Joseph to Brigham, two years of hostility and distrust after the Martyrdom, a declaration of the Twelve regarding Apostolic succession, and a review of a book on the subject. Contents “The Mormon Succession Crisis of 1844” D. Michael Quinn “Joseph, Brigham and the Twelve: A Succession of Continuity” Ronald K. Esplin “‘I Roll the Burthen and Responsibility of Leading This Church Off from My Shoulders on to Yours’: The 1844/1845 Declaration of the Quorum of the Twelve Regarding Apostolic Succession” Alexander L. Baugh and Richard Neitzel Holzapfel “The Mantle of the Prophet Joseph Passes to Brother Brigham: A Collective Spiritual Witness” Lynne W. Jorgensen “From Assassination to Expulsion: Two Years of Distrust, Hostility, and Violence” Marshall Hamilton Review of Reed C. Durham Jr. and Steven H. Heath, Succession in the Church Reviewed by Duane E. Jeffrey

This compilation of groundbreaking articles about the handcart migration is selected from over fifty years of LDS scholarship published by BYU Studies. This volume features articles on the Martin company at the Sweetwater; Francis Webster’s testimony regarding the Martin company; weather, disaster and responsibility; and reviews of books about the handcart migration. Contents “Francis Webster: The Unique Story of One Handcart Pioneer’s Faith and Sacrifice” Chad M. Orton “Weather, Disaster, and Responsibility: An Essay on the Willie and Martin Handcart Story” Howard A. Christy “The Martin Handcart Company at the Sweetwater: Another Look” Chad M. Orton Review of LeRoy R. Hafen and Ann W. Hafen, Handcarts to Zion Reviewed by S. Lyman Tyler Review of Gary Duane Long, The Journey of the James G. Willie Handcart Company Reviewed by Howard A. Christy Review of Allen C. Christenson, Before Zion: An Account of the Seventh Handcart Company Reviewed by Paul D. Lyman

This 1996 dissertation demonstrates that the expulsion of the Latter-day Saints from Missouri in 1838-1839 was entirely unwarranted and illegal. Analyzing the history of the seven military episodes of this conflict, especially in terms of the traditional roles of local militias in the United States, Alexander L. Baugh shows that Latter-day Saints as United States citizens had every right to take up arms to defend themselves, particularly when local and state officials failed or refused to intervene in their behalf. While there was wrong-doing especially on the part of some Mormon extremists, this study, contrary to other recent interpretations, places the balance of the responsibility for this antagonism heavily and decisively on the side of the Missourians.

To read the book of Revelation is to see a myriad of representations pass by our gaze, offering a kaleidoscope of bizarre and incongruent images. This world strikes us at first as fearfully and mysteriously strange and fantastic. But once these symbols are properly deciphered, they combine to present crucial messages for those living in the last days. These messages were designed by God to lead all successfully through these troubled times if they will read, hear, and do his will. This commentary presents a comprehensive analy­sis of John’s book aided by the lens of Latter-­day Saint doctrine and experience. God delivered his messages in the form of images housed within discrete visions, with each symbol explaining, exposing, or emphasizing various aspects of the message conveyed. The challenge is getting beyond the symbols to the represented realities. Information is drawn from all the Standard Works, the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible, and from modern Prophets and Apostles. Even so, the best of world scholarship has not been overlooked. Because this commentary relies heavily on the Greek text, the full Greek text of the book is presented in sections along with the King James Version and the authors’ new rendition. The commentary contains translation notes and analysis of every verse. The work strives to be as up to date, comprehensive, ­scholarly, and doctrinally sound as possible. Most important, the commentary emphasizes the primary focus of John’s work, “the revelation of Jesus Christ” (Rev. 1:1). The commentary highlights the Apostle’s witness that Jesus is the Lamb of God alive and active in these last days—directing earthly affairs and preparing his Saints and the faithful so that the Father’s intentions will ultimately be accomplished. Hope and promise dominate the work. The Lamb is in charge, and nothing moves beyond the limits he sets. He is coming to “destroy them which destroy the earth” (Rev. 11:18) and to bring his people into triumphant millennial glory. This commentary details how. This is the most ambitious, detailed, and scholarly commentary series on a portion of the Bible ever produced by Latter-day Saints. Perhaps even more noteworthy is the use of the full range of scholarly sources. The new rendition alone could be of great help to Latter-day Saints, especially those who may be wary of modern translations of the Bible outside the Church and nevertheless find the Elizabethan English of the KJV increasingly difficult to navigate. Adela Yarbro Collins has offered the pithiest summary of the Apocalypse I have ever heard: “Jesus wins!” But Draper and Rhodes offer the necessary unpacking of this summary in language that both captures John’s message accurately and highlights humanity’s appropriate response of worship. — Craig Blomberg, Distinguished Professor of New Testament, Denver Seminary Over the years, I’ve dealt with many biblical commentaries, and this one has a very reader-friendly format. It is at its best when introducing ideas about historical and contextual points from various non-LDS scholars. The authors understand that the audience this book is aimed at may not be as familiar with the terms as those who read and use most such commentaries. In fact, this is the strongest point of the book. It is a great step ahead for LDS readers. Naturally, LDS scholars and especially LDS General Authority and LDS scriptural comments are added at appropriate places. This is a book which will be used and referred to for years to come. — Terry L. Hutchinson, attorney and book reviewer for KDXU Radio This is an important contribution and one that should be applauded by those who wish to see, at the very least, a wider understanding of at least some of the concepts and problems expressed by the wider biblical community that otherwise may have no other way of being “safely” expressed from within. While the answers and issues may not be addressed or resolved how all might ideally like them to be, the fact that issues are being expressed and acknowledged from a substantial work by a Church-run institution is in and of itself, at least for me, a major gain. — David Tayman, media developer for technology consulting company and LDS blogger

This massive dissertation, originally over 500 pages in length, is filled with impressive details about the settlement, troubles, and expulsion of the Latter-day Saints from northern Missouri, 1836–1839. Since its approval at BYU in 1965, this doctoral dissertation has remained a standard reference work for serious historians. Carefully written and copiously footnoted, this study draws heavily on timeless primary sources as it probes the leading causes for the Mormon War in Missouri. Rapid colonization and the unique religious teachings and practices of the Latter-day Saints are among the main factors emphasized by Dr. Leland H. Gentry. Shortly after the founding of Kirtland, speculation increased among Church members as to the future location of “Zion,” the “New Jerusalem” spoken of in the Book of Mormon. A little over a year later, in the course of a visit to the extreme western edge of the American frontier, Joseph Smith was informed by the Lord that he was standing upon the very land “appointed and consecrated for the gathering of his saints, . . . the land of promise, and the place for the city of Zion.” The urge to get to Zion was strong among the Saints. So intense was the desire of some to settle upon the Land of Promise that they consummated the move in haste and without adequate preparation. Migrating families often found themselves entirely dependent upon the charity of their neighbors. The rapid migrations of so many poor and ill-equipped persons threw the Saints into direct conflict with the older and more established settlers of Missouri. The latter tended to view the rapid influx of Saints as an act designed to secure control of the lands surrounding their homes without legal purchase, a thing far from the heart of any true Saint. Thus while Mormonism had many distinct and unusual features, it had certain elements of affinity with its age. For one thing, it shared the common hope of a perfect society and even inculcated a practical plan for the attainment of the same. It shared the dream of a “Manifest Destiny” for America and turned its attention to the great unsettled West early in its history. Finally it recognized the importance of land in frontier economics and set about to secure as much as was practicable.

When the priesthood was extended to blacks in 1978, faithful followers rejoiced and a new day dawned in Africa. Senior missionary couples soon arrived in Ghana, and within a year four hundred people were baptized, many coming from congregations that were patterned after the Church and that had operated unofficially for more than a decade. With Church growth came persecution. Rumors spread that both the organization and the missionaries were American spies. In June 1989, the Ghanaian government instituted an eighteen-month “Freeze,” forcing all Church activities to cease. The Freeze was lifted in 1991. The number of stakes has now multiplied, with a temple dedicated in 2004. “Walking in the sand,” a Ghanaian expression meaning “alive and well,” aptly describes the Latter-day Saints in Ghana.

The Salt Lake Tabernacle held the North American record for the widest unsupported interior space at its completion in 1867. Finished two years before the arrival of the railroad, it was constructed primarily of local stone, timber, and adobe. One of a long succession of buildings constructed to permit members of the Mormon faith to hear from their prophet, the Tabernacle accommodated over thirteen thousand people. A recent seismic upgrade provided a unique opportunity to view details of the historic building. Construction challenges, acoustics, the development of the organ, and subsequent alterations and upgrades are amply illustrated, providing a complete story of this magnificent edifice. Early meetings in the Mormon faith were held in private homes or outdoors. The first buildings constructed by the Church, the Kirtland and Nauvoo Temples, were multipurpose buildings that were woefully inadequate to accommodate the growing number of Saints. After arriving in the Salt Lake Valley, Brigham Young decided to construct a hall where thousands could attend services. The Salt Lake Tabernacle is a bold and daring building, setting a North American record for an unsupported interior span. Developed from bridge trusses, the building was frankly modern in the way it eschewed traditional ornamentation and styles and clearly expressed its form on the exterior. Brigham Young relied upon bridge builder Henry Grow and architects William Folsom and Truman O. Angell to realize the unprecedented structure. Grow tested the truss capacity with scale models and oversaw the construction of the lofty trusses. Folsom developed the initial plans, but then Angell worked out the details of the stand, seating, and gallery. Together they created an audience hall that seated approximately thirteen thousand and held as many as fifteen thousand with congregants standing in the aisles. The recent seismic upgrade of the building provided an opportunity to view many original details and finishes that were long hidden underneath later layers and additions. The upgrade allows the building to be of service continuing into the next century. Built from local materials and volunteer labor before the railroad arrived in the Great Basin, the Tabernacle stands as a witness to the collective sacrifice made by members of the Mormon faith. Driven from homes and disavowed by families, these early Saints made the arduous trek to the West to follow a prophet, and this remarkable building made it possible for many thousands of them to gather as one under a single roof.

Twenty-three landmark speeches by Church and University leaders about the religious and academic nature of education in Zion and BYU. These speeches have charted and refined the singular course of LDS higher education. Everyone will want to be familiar with these valuable statements about academic learning in a spiritual atmosphere by some of our greatest educators, including karl G. Maeser, David O. McKay, Hugh B. Brown, Dallin H. Oaks, Rex E. Lee, Jeffrey R. Holland, Boyd K. Packer, Neal A. Maxwell, Gordon B. Hinckley, and Spencer W. Kimball.

This ebook contains three articles from a conference on Enoch and the temple that was cosponsored by BYU Studies in February 2013 at Utah State University and BYU. George Nickelsburg, an eminent biblical scholar, identifies much temple content in the book of 1 Enoch: Enoch’s commissioning and ascension into the heavenly sanctuary. David Larsen discusses ancient sources regarding a community ascending to heaven as a group. Jeffrey M. Bradshaw shows what ties together the stories about Adam, Eve, Enoch, and Noah in the Book of Moses. The answer, unexpectedly, has to do again with temple motifs, all of which culminate with Enoch in Moses 6–7. The original video presentations of these articles are also included. Finally, this ebook contains an article by Stephen D. Ricks discussing the prophetic commission of Enoch, which is a striking example of a “narrative” type of call (see Moses 6:23–36). This study considers the elements of the narrative call pattern; those elements of this form found in the prophetic commission of Enoch are examined and compared with the biblical narrative call passages. Contents “The Temple According to 1 Enoch” George W. E. Nickelsburg “Enoch and the City of Zion: Can an Entire Community Ascend to Heaven?” David J. Larsen “The LDS Story of Enoch as the Culminating Episode of a Temple Text” Jeffrey M. Bradshaw “The Narrative Call Pattern in the Prophetic Commission of Enoch (Moses 6)” Stephen D. Ricks Video Presentations from the conference “Enoch and the Temple”

This compilation of articles on the art and architecture is selected from over fifty years of LDS scholarship published by BYU Studies. This volume features articles on early Mormon architects and architecture, artwork in the Nauvoo Temple, Minerva Teichert’s Manti Temple murals, symbolism in the Salt Lake Temple, and the art and architecture of the Hawai‘i Temple.

This compilation of articles exploring topics related to the Old Testament is selected from over fifty years of LDS scholarship published by BYU Studies. This volume features articles on the Hebrew Bible at the end of the first century, the prophetic commission of Enoch, Joseph as a type of Christ, Moses typology in the Book of Mormon, the Book of Enoch, the Ezekiel Mural at Dura Europos, Psalm 22, singular and plural address in the scriptures, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and more. Contents “Sacred Books: The Canon of the Hebrew Bible at the End of the First Century” Robert L. Maxwell “A Prologue to Genesis: Moses 1 in Light of Jewish Traditions” E. Douglas Clark “Behold I” by Kent P. Jackson “The Narrative Call Pattern in the Prophetic Commission of Enoch (Moses 6)” Stephen D. Ricks “Joseph as a Type of Christ in Syriac Literature” Kristian S. Heal “The Israelite Background of Moses Typology in the Book of Mormon” Noel B. Reynolds “Elisha and the Children: The Question of Accepting Prophetic Succession” Fred E. Woods “The Ezekiel Mural at Dura Europos: A Witness of Ancient Jewish Mysteries?” Jeffrey M. Bradshaw “‘Wisdom’ (Philosophy) in the Holy Bible” David H. Yarn Jr. “The Psalm 22:16 Controversy: New Evidence from the Dead Sea Scrolls” Shon Hopkin “‘My God, My God, Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me’” Shon Hopkin “Temple Worship and a Possible Reference to a Prayer Circle in Psalm 24” Donald W. Parry “‘The Great and Dreadful Day of the Lord’: The Anatomy of an Expression” Dana M. Pike “Singular and Plural Address in the Scriptures” James R. Rasband “A Bibliography of LDS Publications on the Old Testament (1830–2005)”

Proceedings of the March 2001 symposium of the Joseph Fielding Smith Institute for Latter-day Saint History at Brigham Young University. This symposium was geared to a diverse audience of scholars, family historians, and students interested in how one writes about a life and more specifically the life of a Latter-day Saint.

This compilation of fascinating articles on the books of Moses and Abraham from the Pearl of Great Price is selected from over fifty years of LDS scholarship published by BYU Studies. This volume features articles on the Antonio Lebolo, the mummies, and the papyri; other topics related to the book of Abraham and its origins; the Kirtland Egyptian Papers; and insights into the ministries of Moses and Enoch. Contents “A Prologue to Genesis: Moses 1 in Light of Jewish Traditions” E. Douglas Clark “Behold I” Kent P. Jackson “The Narrative Call Pattern in the Prophetic Commission of Enoch (Moses 6)” Stephen D. Ricks “Changes in the Book of Moses and Their Implications upon a Concept of Revelation” James R. Harris “Robert J. Matthews and the RLDS Church’s Inspired Version of the Bible” Thomas E. Sherry “Prolegomena to Any Study of the Book of Abraham” Hugh Nibley “Fragment Found in Salt Lake City” Hugh Nibley “Joseph Smith and the Lebolo Egyptian Papyri” James R. Clark “A Letter Regarding the Acquisition of the Book of Abraham” Christopher Lund “As Things Stand at the Moment” Hugh Nibley “The St. Louis Museum and the Two Egyptian Mummies and Papyri” Walter L. Whipple “Human Sacrifice and the Book of Abraham” William J. Adams Jr. “Abraham in Egypt: A Collation of Evidence for the Case of the Missing Wife” Thomas W. Mackay “What Is ‘The Book of Breathings’?” Hugh Nibley “A Translation and Commentary of the Joseph Smith Hypocephalus” Michael Dennis Rhodes “The Meaning of the Kirtland Egyptian Papers” Hugh Nibley “Antonio Lebolo: Excavator of the Book of Abraham” H. Donl Peterson

This ebook contains articles from BYU Studies on a variety of topics related to the Doctrine and Covenants. Christopher C. Jones recounts research that has allowed us to identify the person addressed in D&C 39 (James Covel, not James Covill) and again referred to in section 40. Learning that Covel was a Methodist minister, not a Baptist, enabled Jones to learn a great deal about this formerly unknown person. John W. Welch and Trevor Packer examine a newly found manuscript of D&C 65; Steven C. Harper discusses Lazarus, the rich man, and D&C 104:18; David J. Whitaker explains the use of pseudonyms in earlier editions of the D&C; Dean C. Jessee and John W. Welch examine Joseph Smith’s letter from Liberty Jail, March 20, 1839; Ronald E. Bartholomew details the textual changes that occurred in the development of D&C 130:22; and George S. Tate considers the vision received by Joseph F. Smith (now D&C 138) in the context of the Great War and the 1918 influenza epidemic. Contents “An Examination of the 1829 ‘Articles of the Church of Christ’ in Relation to Section 20 of the Doctrine and Covenants” Scott H. Faulring “Mormonism in the Methodist Marketplace: James Covel and the Historical Background of Doctrine and Covenants 39–40” Christopher C. Jones “The Newly Found Manuscript of Doctrine and Covenants Section 65” John W. Welch and Trevor Packer “The Rich Man, Lazarus, and Doctrine and Covenants 104:18” Steven C. Harper “Substituted Names in the Published Revelations of Joseph Smith” David J. Whittaker “Revelations in Context: Joseph Smith’s Letter from Liberty Jail, March 20, 1839” Dean C. Jessee and John W. Welch “The Textual Development of Doctrine and Covenants 130:22 and the Embodiment of the Holy Ghost” Ronald E. Bartholomew “‘The Great World of the Spirits of the Dead’: Death, the Great War, and the 1918 Influenza Pandemic as Context for Doctrine and Covenants 138” George S. Tate

The Archive of Restoration Culture was founded on the belief that Joseph Smith and the Restoration cannot be appreciated without an understanding of his environment. Student-scholars began working on the Archive project in 1997 and were followed during the next two years by other teams of advanced undergraduates and graduate students. The papers in the volume are the fruits of their labors. They show how far afield Joseph Smith’s thoughts ranged, and how many of his contemporaries were wrestling with similar issues—the role of Israel, the nature of priesthood, the quest for the visionary. The nineteen articles collected in this book are divided into the following categories: priesthood and Church government, visionary leaders in the age of Joseph Smith, distinctive doctrines of the Restoration in historical context, and the cultural background of the Restoration. Joseph Smith becomes both more recognizable and more unusual when placed against this background.

In March 2002, the Smith Institute hosted top Latter-day Saint historians at the Telling the Story of Mormon History symposium. This symposium was designed to explore the ways in which Mormon history is presented and the range of purposes it serves. Elder Bruce C. Hafen opened the conference with a keynote address explaining some of the challenges he faced when writing his biography of Elder Neal A. Maxwell, The Story of a Disciple’s Life.

This ebook contains a variety of articles from BYU Studies on aspects of modern scripture. It begins with a series of four articles by the Joseph Smith Papers editors who were involved in publishing the Book of Commandments and Revelations, which contains the earliest version of several of Joseph Smith’s revelations. Robert J. Woodford, Robin S. Jensen, Steven C. Harper, and Grant Underwood discuss the history of the BCR, its provenance, and some of the most relevant features of this unique document, one of the most significant finds in LDS Church history in recent years. In other articles, Scott H. Faulring examines the 1829 “Articles of the Church of Christ”; Robert J. Matthews discusses text of Joseph Smith’s Inspired Version of the Bible; Thomas Sherry recounts Matthews’s work with the RLDS Church in gaining access to original documents involved in Joseph’s Bible translation; James R. Harris examines changes in the book of Moses and their implications; Hugh Nibley offers an introduction to studying the book of Abraham; Robert J. Matthews discusses the 1979 and 1981 editions of the Standard Works; and Lyndon W. Cook explores a 1902 textual change in the fourth Article of Faith. Contents “The Voice of the Prophet” Steven C. Walker “Introducing A Book of Commandments and Revelations, a Major New Documentary ‘Discovery’” Robert J. Woodford “From Manuscript to Printed Page: An Analysis of the History of the Book of Commandments and Revelations” Robin S. Jensen “Historical Headnotes and the Index of Contents in the Book of Commandments and Revelations” Steven C. Harper “Revelation, Text, and Revision: Insight from the Book of Commandments and Revelations” Grant Underwood “More Than an Index: The First Reference Guide to the Doctrine and Covenants as a Window into Early Mormonism” Grant Underwood “A Study of the Text of Joseph Smith’s Inspired Version of the Bible” Robert J. Matthews “Robert J. Matthews and the RLDS Church’s Inspired Version of the Bible” Thomas E. Sherry Changes in the Book of Moses and Their Implications upon a Concept of Revelation” James R. Harris “Prolegomena to Any Study of the Book of Abraham” Hugh Nibley “The New Publications of the Standard Works—1979, 1981” Robert J. Matthews “Note on the Articles of Faith” Lyndon W. Cook”

This compilation of articles on the Latter-day Saint experience in Kirtland and Nauvoo is selected from over fifty years of LDS scholarship published by BYU Studies. This volume features articles on the temples in these two cities, including heavenly manifestations in the Kirtland Temple, temple doctrines developed in Nauvoo, artworks in the Nauvoo Temple celestial room, and the lawsuit over ownership of the Kirtland Temple.

This compilation of articles on the temple doctrines and ordinances is selected from over fifty years of LDS scholarship published by BYU Studies and from the Encyclopedia of Mormonism. This volume features articles on Nauvoo temple doctrines, the law of adoption, the 1877 commencement of endowments and sealings for the dead, prayer circles, and temple elements in ancient religious communities. Contents “Doctrine and the Temple in Nauvoo” by Larry C. Porter and Milton V. Backman Jr. “The Practice of Rebaptism at Nauvoo” by D. Michael Quinn “The Law of Adoption: One Phase of the Development of the Mormon Concept of Salvation, 1830–1900” by Gordon Irving “Believing Adoption” by Samuel M. Brown “‘Line upon Line, Precept upon Precept’: Reflections on the 1877 Commencement of the Performance of Endowments and Sealings of the Dead” by Richard E. Bennett “‘Which Is the Wisest Course?’: The Transformation in Mormon Temple Consciousness, 1870–1898” by Richard E. Bennett “Latter-day Saint Prayer Circles” by D. Michael Quinn “Temple Worship and a Possible Reference to a Prayer Circle in Psalm 24” by Donald W. Parry “Clothed Upon: A Unique Aspect of Christian Antiquity” by Blake T. Ostler “Temple Elements in Ancient Religious Communities” by Brent J. Schmidt “Meanings and Functions of Temples” by Hugh W. Nibley “Latter-Day Saint Temple Worship and Activity” by Immo Luschin “Temple Recommend” by Robert A. Tucker “Temple President and Matron” by David H. Yarn Jr. and Marilyn S. Yarn “Administration of Temples” by Robert L. Simpson “Salvation of the Dead” by Elma Fugal “Family History, Genealogy” by David H. Pratt “Temple Ordinances” by Allen Claire Rozsa “Baptism for the Dead: LDS Practice” by H. David Burton “Baptism for the Dead: Ancient Sources” by Krister Stendahl “Washings and Anointings” by Donald W. Parry “Endowment” by Alma P. Burton “Prayer Circle” by George S. Tate “Garments” by Evelyn T. Marshall “Sealing Power” by David H. Yarn Jr. “Temple Sealings” by Paul V. Hyer “Eternal Marriage” by James T. Duke “Patriarchal Order of the Priesthood” by Lynn A. McKinlay “Born in the Covenant” by Ralph L. Cottrell Jr. “Holy of Holies” by Lyle Cahoon “Altar” by Bruce H. Porter “LDS Temple Dedications” by D. Arthur Haycock “Hosanna Shout” by Lael J. Woodbury “Temples through the Ages” by Stephen D. Ricks “History of LDS Temples from 1831 to 1990” by Richard O. Cowan “Kirtland Temple” by Keith W. Perkins “Nauvoo Temple” by Don F. Colvin “Salt Lake Temple” by Marion Duff Hanks “Endowment Houses” by Lamar C. Berrett “Freemasonry and the Temple” by Kenneth W. Godfrey

Enthroned above all creation towers the exalted, glorified Christ. Descending into the darkest recesses of human agony and sin reaches the warm, caring Jesus. These two are the same person. Luke’s testimony introduces us to this man become God—God the Son. He comes into our world already bearing a divine nature, already carrying divine qualities. His birth is a miracle; he is “Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11). The most distinguishing element of this line-by-line, word-by-word commentary is its use of Latter-­day Saint scriptures—the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Cove­nants, and the Pearl of Great Price—to illuminate Luke’s Gospel. For example, important LDS doctrines arise from Jesus’ activity in the spirit world immediately after his death. More than all other Gospel accounts, Luke captures the compassion and love of the Savior. Such sweet concern manifests itself particularly for the downtrodden and those forced to the margins of society. Within his text, Luke discloses the deep, divine love that runs through his narrative of the Christ. S. Kent Brown combines a lifetime of dedicated study of the ancient world with his reverence for the Bible and insights from restoration scripture to create a readable, relevant, and thought-provoking commentary on the Gospel according to Luke. Beautifully written with a unique sensitivity toward Jesus’ focus on family relationships, the sanctity of the home, and the dangers of materialism, this book invites a fresh view of the Savior’s ministry for a modern world. I am excited to consult it often for both my teaching and research. — Camille Fronk Olson, Chair, Department of Ancient Scripture, BYU Professor Brown’s commentary is an important scholarly achievement. I really cannot say enough about it. On a practical level, this commentary is spiritually enriching and would be a helpful guide for any Christian seeking a closer walk with the one who is the subject of Luke’s testimony. The test of any commentary is how well it makes old words seem young again, and how it illuminates the obscure by drawing overlooked connections while deepening the historical reality from which those words emerge. On that score Professor Brown’s book is a virtuoso performance. — Stephen H. Webb, Catholic Theologian S. Kent Brown is well known among LDS scholars, who have run out of superlatives to describe his work. He has produced the most important LDS commentary on Luke’s Gospel to date. This is his magnum opus, and a reader will be transported to the world of the New Testament to hear Jesus Christ’s voice as he ministered among the people more than two thousand years ago. — Richard Neitzel Holzapfel, Professor of Church History, BYU When I have examined the pages of this book, I have come away with the impression of years of work, sensitivity of much thought, and clear writing. This book is a chest filled with glistening historic and spiritual gems. I have come away rewarded. — Richard L. Anderson, Emeritus Professor of Ancient Scripture, BYU While to be appreciated by scholars, The Testimony of Luke is also a useful resource for the lay reader seeking further insights to textual questions. — Emily Christensen, Deseret News

From living in a dugout called the Castle of Spiders to eating so many weeds their skin took on a green cast to losing four children in just a few weeks to diphtheria, nearly everything imaginable happened to the Mormon settlers of Utah Territory. Here are the details of the lives of the common people⿿what they ate, wore, lived in, and celebrated, how they worshipped, and why they endured. Here are the details of the lives of the common people, those who traveled in the dust of the leaders. What they ate, wore, lived in, and celebrated. How they worshiped. Why they endured. This volume begins with Marlin K. Jensen’s eulogy of the uncommonly heroic common Saint. Twenty-one renowned historians then apply nearly every type of source and method imaginable to capture pioneer life’s ordinary rhythms and cycles. In Nearly Everything Imaginable, you’ll find hundreds of vignettes from Utah’s early settlers, including these: Old and young would gather for dancing; everybody came early and left about the midnight hour. The bedrooms opening from the hall were generally filled with babies snugly tucked away, while the mothers enjoyed the dance. The huge fireplaces at either end of the hall were piled high with dry cedar fagots, the flames from which leaped and danced up the chimneys. Candles held in place by three nails driven into wooden brackets were ranged high along the walls. Tickets were paid for in any kind of produce that the fiddlers could be induced to accept. Usually a couple of two-bushel sacks could be seen near the door, into which the dancers deposited their contributions. Father made a plow out of a big forked stock and we boys held it in place while our father pulled it. The stock plow was made of quaking aspen. He fastened it to himself by a strap. We plowed two and a half acres that way, and planted wheat. I always remembered that picture of my father doing the work of a horse.

This anthology is the first to present the full range of Brazilian poetic creativity and beauty in English translation. English editions of modernist and contemporary poets exist, most notably An Anthology of Twentieth-Century Brazilian Poetry, edited by Elizabeth Bishop and Emanuel Brasil, and the more recent Other Shores: 13 Emerging Brazilian Poets, by Ricardo Corona and Charles A. Perrone. Until now, however, no volume has assembled the works of the great poets of Brazil’s earlier periods-those who wrote according to the baroque, neoclassical, romantic, Parnassian, and symbolist styles that were sequentially popular from the seventeenth through the nineteenth centuries.

Portugal has enjoyed three major poetic ages of universal stature and interest: (1) the medieval era, with a large body of verse known as cantigas (canticles or songs) written by King Dinis and some 152 other troubadours; (2) the sixteenth century with such luminaries as Gil Vicente, court playwright and poet, and Luis de Camoes, the most celebrated poet in the Portuguese language and author of the epic poem The Lusiads; and (3) the twentieth century, where there are numerous writers of unquestioned merit headed by the renowned Fernando Pessoa. These three poetic moments also enjoyed excellence in prose. Attention is called to the medieval chronicles of Fernao Lopes and, from the sixteenth century, the Perigrination of Fernao Mendes Pinto, and the so-called shipwreck literature, which can properly be called a genre invented by the Portuguese. Undoubtedly the best-known novelist of the twentieth century is Jose Saramago, the first writer in Portuguese to be awarded the Nobel Prize in literature.

Of all of Paul’s epistles, First Corinthians may resonate the most with Latter-day Saints. Many of its doctrinal teachings reappear in the Restoration: baptism for the dead, degrees of glory, charity never faileth, the administration of the sacrament, and others. The counsel Paul gave remains remarkably relevant today because conditions and attitudes found in ancient Corinth have reemerged in the postmodern Western world. The Corinthian microcosm was largely a skeptical, materialistic, pluralistic, immoral society whose standards were contrary to those of the Christian community. The Corinthians questioned God, the Resurrection, and the place of the Spirit in their lives. Paul was compelled to address such issues in that society, and the result is an epistle highly germane still today. This book is the most comprehensive study of First Corinthians that LDS scholars have yet produced. It relies on the LDS canon of scripture and the teachings of LDS prophets alongside rigorous biblical scholarship and Paul’s original Greek. Because this commentary relies heavily on the Greek text, the full Greek text is presented along with the King James Version. It also presents a new rendering of the Greek text that makes the text more understandable to modern readers. This rendition is set side by side with the King James text for easy comparison. The commentary contains translation notes and helpful historical and cultural background. The work strives to be as up to date, comprehensive, scholarly, and doctrinally sound as possible. Through examining every verse of First Corinthians, the rich theology of the Atonement, grace, the gifts of the Spirit, the sacrament, love, and resurrection of the dead come alive. Those who read this volume will find in it faith, hope, and understanding of key principles and doctrines. The text bears a strong witness of the Lord Jesus Christ and a clear elucidation of his gospel as articulated by the Apostle Paul. The commentary on Paul’s first epistle to the Corinthians is absolutely enlightening! It provides the Greek text, a translation entitled a “Rendition,” and an in-depth explanation for why most words, phrases, and verses are rendered the way they are. But the authors don’t stop there. They give us the historical, sociopolitical, and religious background necessary to understand Paul’s writing in context. Their discussion of Paul’s teachings is articulate, straightforward, and doctrinally and spiritually insightful. Paul’s message to the Corinthians and the conditions surrounding it have truly come alive for me. This commentary has become an invaluable tool and a regular part of my scripture study. — Eleanor Thorne, Administrator with BYU Continuing Education, PhD from University of Missouri–Columbia Draper and Rhodes’s collaboration on First Corinthians, is, in my estimation, even better than their very solid and substantial commentary on ­Reve­lation. A detailed introduction sets the stage for Paul’s letter by surveying questions of authorship, date, historical background to Corinth, circumstances for writing, unifying themes, and, as a special bonus, a collection of interpretations and famous quotations by LDS authorities for each chapter of the letter, organized in decreasing order of the frequency of comments on the chapter. This commentary advances by light years what previous Mormon projects of this nature have done. — Craig L. Blomberg, Distinguished Professor of New Testament, Denver Seminary Draper and Rhodes collectively have many decades of experience teaching and writing about the New Testament in a faith-promoting manner. This volume examines First Corinthians on many levels, both secular and spiritual. Their rendition closely follows the Greek when possible while also idiomatically and skillfully rendering cryptic and ambiguous passages into plain English. Their analysis often illuminates terms, doctrines, and concepts that sometimes escape traditional New Testament scholarship. Their commentary deeply explores the first-century setting and context of this important letter of Paul. The results are invaluable for students, teachers, leaders, and scholars of all types who seek wisdom by study and also by faith. — Brent J. Schmidt, Professor of Religious Education at Brigham Young University-Idaho, author of Relational Grace: The Reciprocal and Binding Covenant of Charis

In ancient Greece and Rome, charis was a system in which one person gave something of value to another, and the receiver gave service, thanks, and lesser value back to the giver. It was the word used to describe familial gifts, gifts between friends, gifts between kings and servants, and gifts to and from the gods. In Rome, these reciprocal transactions became the patron-­client system. Orderly gift exchange is a key building block in the development of societies. Charis (grace) is the word New Testament authors, especially Paul, sometimes used to explain Christ’s gift to people. But what is the nature of the gift? Since the fifth century, a number of Christian scholars have taught that grace is something bestowed by God freely, with little or nothing required in return. This book sets out to show that “free grace” is not what Paul and others intended. The practice in the ancient world of people granting and receiving favors and gifts came with clear obligations. Charis served New Testament authors as a model for God’s mercy through the atonement of Jesus Christ, which also comes with covenantal obligations. LDS scriptures make it clear that being saved comes through grace accompanied by forsaking sin and making and keeping covenants. For Latter-day Saints, being saved by grace means coming to Christ, being baptized and joining the community of saints, and continually living with thanks and praise for God’s gift. All of these expressions of grace are found both in the Greek and Pauline use of the word. Knowing what charis means helps us understand what God expects us to do once we have accepted his grace.

Joseph Smith believed in sustaining the law. This book presents his main legal encounters in the context of his day. Party to more than two hundred suits in the courts of New York, Ohio, Missouri, Illinois, and elsewhere, he faced criminal charges as well as civil claims and collection matters. In the end, he was never convicted of any crime, and he paid his debts. These incidents were significant institutionally as well as personally. Eleven legal scholars analyze these legal encounters. Topics cover constitutional law, copyright, disorderly conduct, association, assault, marriage, banking, land preemptive rights, treason, municipal charters, bankruptcy, guardianship, habeas corpus, adultery, and freedom of the press. A 53-page legal chronology presents key information about Joseph’s life in the law. An appendix provides biographies of sixty lawyers and judges with whom he was involved, some being the best legal minds of his day. This book is for anyone interested in the life of Joseph Smith, whether general readers, historians, lawyers, or law students. Each chapter tells a fascinating story based on controlling legal documents—many just recently discovered—that allow detailed legal analysis and accurate understanding. The full book is available for free here: Sustaining the Law, edited by Gordon A. Madsen, Jeffrey N. walker, and John W. Welch Individual chapters: Preface Introduction Joseph Smith and the Constitution The Smiths and Religious Freedom Jesse Smiths 1814 Church Tax Protest Standing as a Credible Witness in 1819 Being Acquitted of a Disorderly Person Charge in 1826 Securing the Book of Mormon Copyright in 1829 Organizing the Church as a Religious Association in 1830 Winning against Hurlbuts Assault in 1834 Performing Legal Marriages in Ohio in 1835 Looking Legally at the Kirtland Safety Society Tabulating the Impact of Litigation on the Kirtland Economy Losing Land Claims and the Missouri Conflict in 1838 Imprisonment by Austin Kings Court of Inquiry in 1838 Protecting Nauvoo by Illinois Charter in 1840 Suffering Shipwreck and Bankruptcy in 1842 and Beyond Serving as Guardian under the Lawrence Estate 1842-1844 Invoking Habeas Corpus in Missouri and Illinois Defining Adultery under Illinois and Nauvoo Law Legally Suppressing the Nauvoo Expositor in 1844 Legal Chronology of Joseph Smith Lawyers and Judges in the Legal Cases of Joseph Smith Glossary of Early Nineteenth-Century Legal Terms Contributors Index

There are twenty-seven poets represented in this bilingual anthology and over 130 poems; these range from the sixteenth century to the present but with the bulk coming from the twentieth century. There is also a broad range of topics and political points of view, as well as a diversity of racial and cultural ethnicity represented among the poets. But whether they were native African, Portuguese-born, or mestizo, the principle guiding criterion for their inclusion is their poems’ inherent literary value.

Issued by the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve in 1995, “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” has instructed and inspired Latter-day Saints throughout the world, including many LDS scholars who seek to strengthen and defend marriages and families. This new volume, edited by Alan Hawkins, David Dollahite, and Thomas Draper, all of The School of Family Life at Brigham Young University, draws together the best of their latest findings.

These newest books in The Book of Mormon Critical Text Project analyze every basic type of editorial change or grammatical variation in the Book of Mormon, beginning with the handwritten manuscripts and considering every major printed edition. Each of the sixty-eight grammatical sections in these books describes the usage in the original text and shows how it has been altered, either consciously or accidentally, over time. Each section also compares Book of Mormon usage with biblical usage.

The Nature of the Original Language (NOL) continues the analysis of the Book of Mormon text that was begun in Grammatical Variation (GV), parts 1 and 2 of volume 3 of the critical text, published in 2016. In that first work, Royal Skousen (with the collaboration of Stanford Carmack), discussed all the editing that the Book of Mormon has undergone, in its manuscript transmission and in the printed editions from 1830 up to the current edition.

Accounts of the pioneers’ trek across the plains have inspired Latter-day Saints of different lands and cultures for generations. But as the Church becomes more global, there are other histories to tell. Voyages of Faith is a new book that tells one of those histories. The first compilation of its kind, Voyages brings together scholarly research, personal reminiscences and stories of inspiration and faith of Latter-day Saints in the Pacific Islands over the last 150 years. Contributors to the book include native Pacific Islanders, notably Chieko N. Okazaki, the first non-Caucasian called to the Relief Society, Young Women’s and Primary general boards. While some chapters are scholarly in focus, others give insight into the emotions and experiences of contemporary Polynesian Latter-day Saints. Voyages chronicles early LDS Church life in the pacific, missionary work and pacific temples. There is even an account written by a surviving Church member from the Kalaupapa leper colony. The content is drawn from presentations made during the last 20 years to the Mormon Pacific Historical Society, an organization dedicated to gathering, recording and publishing LDS history of the Pacific area. Grant Underwood, BYU historian and editor of Voyages, said although the stories within the volume are about Pacific Islanders, they will inspire all who read them. This book relates wonderful accounts of ordinary people receiving extraordinary blessings, said Underwood. It’s inspirational for readers to know that God has been dealing with his children all over the world. Underwood said the publication of Voyages illustrates the worldwide nature of the Church. Stories of faith and courage can come from any culture and inspire any culture, he said. Polynesians have had many wonderful spiritual experiences that can hearten Saints everywhere. Voyages of Faith is the second volume in the Studies in Latter-day Saint History series published by the Joseph Fielding Smith Institute for Latter-day Saint History at Brigham Young University

In 1939 when Hitler’s armies marched into Poland, the LDS missionaries marched out of Germany and eventually out of continental Europe, leaving a strong and thriving Church in eastern Germany. Through personal interviews with East German Saints, this volume documents the moving personal faith of those Saints who survived World War II and rebuilt Zion during the communist years.

Minerva Teichert was an avid letter writer. She carried on a vigorous correspondence, especially with her daughter, Laurie, who kept the letters her mother sent to her. Laurie Teichert Eastwood has edited and introduced these letters, published in an attractive 244-page hard bound volume produced by BYU Studies. The letters contain the artist’s thoughts on her mural projects, dealings with agents, family activities, ranch chores, personal concerns, church work, political feelings, rural town life, and many other fascinating subjects. Anyone interested in an artistic woman’s view of rural existence will not want to miss the rare opportunity to obtain a copy of this important publication.

Between the first Mormon missionary visit to central Europe in 1888 and the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the Church made only a few advances in this region. But in a mere decade, that all changed. By the end of the twentieth century, nineteen missions existed in central and eastern Europe and thousands of missionaries labored where only a handful had served before.

Famine and hard times in Utah in the mid-1850s convinced Church leaders that God was not pleased with the state of the Kingdom. Consequently, they initiated a program of rebaptism, rededication, and retrenchment among the Saints between 1856 and 1857. Jedediah Grant exerted much influence during this period, helping to convince members to change and repent. Over time, however, the fervor subsided and was replaced by a more moderate and reasoned approach to reform. This short-lived but somewhat controversial period saw excommunications and heavy-handed rhetoric, but also spiritual rejuvenation, forgiveness, and recommitment. Paul H. Peterson’s 1981 dissertation paints a clear and fascinating picture of the Mormon Reformation.

We are pleased to announce the publication of the second edition of volume 4 of Royal Skousen’s Book of Mormon Critical Text Project. This six-book set, entitled Analysis of Textual Variants of the Book of Mormon (ATV), fulfills the central task of the critical text project, to restore the original text of the Book of Mormon to the extent possible using scholarly means. In the six books of ATV, Skousen discusses every substantive change to words or phrases in the text as well as changes in the spelling for about a dozen Book of Mormon names. ATV also includes a brief discussion of every type of grammatical change that the text has undergone over the years. (A complete discussion that lists every individual grammatical change was published last year in the two-volume set Grammatical Variation, also available from BYU Studies.) The changes in the second edition (ATV2) include: 37 new write-ups (34 of these involve suggested changes to the text, nearly all of which have come from independent readers). 8 additional substantive changes to the Book of Mormon text, besides the 606 substantive changes first published in 2009 by Yale University Press in The Book of Mormon: The Earliest Text. 60 earlier write-ups in ATV1 now thoroughly revised for ATV2. 101 addenda items in ATV1 now in their appropriate place in ATV2, so that everything reads correctly in a single sequence (there is no longer a need to consult any addenda for later corrections or revisions to previous analyses). This second edition is truly a limited edition: only 250 copies of the six-book set have been printed.

The talks collected in this volume are drawn from John S. Tanner’s later years at Brigham Young University, prior to his appointment as president of BYU–Hawaii. They contain a record of how, as an administrator, he tried to keep the dream of BYU alive. More broadly, they speak to a vision of learning that has been central to Latter-day Saint doctrine and practice from the earliest days of the Church. He calls it learning in the light (see Psalm 36:9). Bruce C. Hafen observes, Since I began teaching at BYU forty-five years ago, I have heard many talks and read many essays about BYU’s spiritual and intellectual mission. I’ve not heard that mission described more eloquently or with more insight than in John’s work. At his best, he is reminiscent of Elder Neal A. Maxwell, with whom he has much in common—intuitive confidence in gospel premises as the best foundation for sound reasoning; a high degree of awareness about cultural context; equally fluent, even native-tongued, in both the language of the scriptures and the language of liberal education; meek, bright, and empathic.

An increasing number of psychotherapists reject traditional psychology’s marginalization of religion. As in the original Turning Freud Upside Down, this second volume looks to Christ’s gospel for direction. With a gospel perspective, the authors have questioned some of psychotherapy’s standard assumptions and have proposed features that should be found in gospel-compatible psychotherapy. “As I read these chapters, I was grateful for the thoughtful contributions of each of the authors. There was a genuine respect for the complexity inherent in trying to view therapy through a gospel lens. If you, like me, find yourself feeling inspired, uplifted, strengthened, and more committed to being true to gospel truths in the context of the relationships we engage in as therapists, then you have experienced the invitation to dialogue about significant issues in helping the clients that come to us. I offer deep appreciation for this opportunity to recalibrate my thinking and actions as a therapist. I wholeheartedly endorse this book in the spirit living the gospel and practicing it with others.” Vaughn E. Worthen, PhD Clinical Professor of Counseling Psychology at Brigham Young University Turning Freud Upside Down is not child’s play. However, I recommend any serious believer who is trained to heal troubled minds to examine this volume. It ably strives to seal clinical psychological thoughts with principles available to us as Saints of the latter days. Unchanging eternal gospel principles fit very nicely into this new examination of old theories. Turning Freud Upside Down really is Turning Truth Right Side Up.” Joseph Cramer, MD Pediatrician for over thirty-five years, past president of the Utah Medical Association

David L. Paulsen, professor emeritus of the Brigham Young University Philosophy Department, is one of the most prominent LDS theologians. His writings span an impressive array of topics. BYU Studies has collected all his articles, book chapters, and reviews and arranged them by topic in three impressive ebooks, of which this is the second. In this second volume, readers will find Paulsen’s writings on the nature of God, including early Mormon modalism and other myths, the social model of the Trinity in 3 Nephi, the corporeality of God, divine determinateness, and the logically and ontologically possible proofs of God’s existence.

David L. Paulsen, professor emeritus of the Brigham Young University Philosophy Department, is one of the most prominent LDS theologians. His writings span an impressive array of topics. BYU Studies has collected all his articles, book chapters, and reviews and arranged them by topic in three impressive ebooks, of which this is the third. In this third volume, readers will find dialogues, reviews, and rejoinders by Paulsen and others regarding his work. It includes dialogues with Christian theologian Clark Pinnock, a review of Mormonism in Dialogue with Contemporary Christian Theologies, Paulsen’s replies to various reviews of his works, and Paulsen’s reviews of the work of others.

This compilation of articles exploring topics related to government and politics is selected from over fifty years of LDS scholarship published by BYU Studies. This volume features articles on the Constitution and its amendments, political campaigns, early Saints’ involvement in the political process, reviews, and much more. Contents “Mormon Political Involvement in Ohio” by Max H. Parkin “William W. Phelps’s Service in Nauvoo as Joseph Smith’s Political Clerk” by Bruce A. Van Orden “‘It Seems Like Heaven Began on Earth’: Joseph Smith and the Constitution of the Kingdom of God” by Andrew F. Ehat “The Constitution of the State of Deseret” by Richard D. Poll “The Judicial Campaign against Polygamy and the Enduring Legal Questions” by Edwin D. Firmage “Public Virtue and the Roots of American Government” by Richard Vetterli and Gary Bryner “The Constitution as Covenant” by Lynn D. Wardle “Bicentennial Reflections on the Media and the First Amendment” by Bruce C. Hafen “One Moment Please: Private Devotion in the Public Schools” by Richard G. Wilkins “The Misunderstood First Amendment and Our Lives Online”by Cheryl B. Preston “Mormonism, Phosophical Liberalism, and the Constitution” by R. Collin Mangrum “Government in America—Master or Servant?” by John T. Bernhard “The 1968 Presidential Decline of George Romney: Mormonism or Politics?” by Dennis L. Lythgoe “Beyond Politics” by Hugh W. Nibley “A Mormon Approach to Politics” by Thomas B. Griffith “The Necessity of Political Parties and the Importance of Compromise” by David B. Magleby Conflict and Compromise: The Mormons in Mid-Nineteenth Century American Politics by J. Keith Melville, Reviewed by Jan Shipps The Mormon Question: Polygamy and Constitutional Conflict in Nineteenth-Century America by Sarah Barringer Gordon, Reviewed by Nathan B. Oman The Mormon Question: Polygamy and Constitutional Conflict in Nineteenth-Century America by Sarah Barringer Gordon, Reviewed by Terryl Givens

The New Rendition of the epistle to the Ephesians provides a modern English translation of the letter’s Greek text. It is excerpted from the forthcoming volume on Ephesians by S. Kent Brown. This Rendition was created by Philip Abbott. The matchless, quiet Epistle to the Ephesians allows glimpses into the tides of Christian life in Asia Minor, modern western Turkey. More than this, from this letter we gain clear views of the premortal council that set events on this earth in motion, of the Savior’s descent into the spirit prison to release its captive souls, of the firm foundation of apostles and prophets that undergirds the church, and of the armor of God that protects a believer from the wiles of the devil. The New Rendition, sensitive to meanings that carry significance for Latter-day Saints, offers a fresh look at eternal truths draped in the letter’s worshipful dress. This Rendition is part of the BYU New Testament Commentary series. This scholarly project aims to create a faithful modern English translation together with a full, in-depth, carefully researched Latter-day Saint commentary for each book on the New Testament. More of the New Rendition and commentary volumes will be added in coming months and years. As of 2019, volumes have been published on Mark, Luke, First Corinthians, and Revelation.

Mormonism and the Temple: Examining an Ancient Religious Tradition contains the proceedings of the Academy for Temple Studies conference held under the same title on the campus of Utah State University on 29 October 2012, and includes the following presentations: • Restoring Solomon’s Temple by Margaret Barker • Chapel, Church, Temple, Cathedral: Lost Parallels in Mormon and Catholic Worship by Laurence Paul Hemming • Questions and Answers with Margaret Barker and Laurence Hemming • The Temple, the Sermon on the Mount, and the Gospel of Matthew by John W. Welch • A Divine Mother in the Book of Mormon? by Daniel C. Peterson • Temples—Bridges of Eternity by LeGrande Davies • The Temple, the Book of Revelation, and Joseph Smith by John L. Fowles

Martin Harris: Uncompromising Witness of the Book of Mormon reveals the compelling story of a man who had seen angels and knew Joseph Smith was a prophet but who nevertheless struggled to keep his faith in the prophetic calling of Joseph Smith and the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. His is a story of fascination with worldly honors, flirtations with apostasy, and pride that nearly cost him the joy of his later years in the West. It is the biography of a witness who clung tenaciously to his testimony of the Book of Mormon. Well-known historians Susan Black and Larry Porter have written a landmark biography of Martin Harris, one of the most important figures in early Church history. Joseph Smith relied on his generosity and goodwill to publish the Book of Mormon, of which he was one of the Three Witnesses. But Latter-day Saints in the twenty-first century know relatively little about him, especially the decades he spent away from the Restoration—until now. This biography deserves a place on the bookshelves of historians and other interested Church members. Strongly recommend. Reid L. Neilson Assistant Church Historian and Recorder The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints This deeply researched book examines the life of one of Joseph Smith’s closest associates in the Church’s early years. It tells us more about signifi­cant episodes, such as the printing of the Book of Mormon, than anyone has ever known. Most important, it helps us reassess the character of Martin Harris, a key contributor to the Restoration. Harris emerges as a man of substance and judgment, a fitting witness to the angel and the plates. The book explains how he fell away and then returned but at no time backed away from his testimony. Richard Lyman Bushman Author, Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling As one of the earliest believers in Joseph Smith’s spiritual claims, Martin Harris figured prominently in the early events of the Restoration. He observed firsthand many of the sacred scenes associated with the coming forth of the Book of Mormon, assisted in its translation, was one of the book’s Three Witnesses, financed its publication, and was one of the first converts baptized into the Church of Christ. Authors Susan Easton Black and Larry C. Porter have produced an insightful, informative, well-­documented biography of Martin Harris’s lifelong religious sojourn—a life characterized by integrity, faith, and generosity, but most of all, testimony. This is solid, down-to-earth biographical history at its best. Alexander L. Baugh Professor, Church History and Doctrine, BYU

Jeffrey R. Chadwick, in three landmark articles published in BYU Studies Quarterly, discusses accurately dating key scriptural events. The first article (2010) presents evidence from historical and scriptural sources suggesting that Jesus Christ was born in December of the year 5 BC, rather than in April of 1 BC as commonly claimed in traditional Latter-day Saint sources. The second article (2015) is a follow-up to the first and lays out a more complex collection of evidence pointing to the day and date of Jesus’s crucifixion and death as a Thursday early in April of AD 30, thirty-three years and three months after his birth. The third article (2018) assembles a vast array of historical and archaeological data suggesting that the date of Lehi’s departure from Jerusalem must have been late in the year 605 BC, some six hundred years prior to Jesus’s birth in December of 5 BC.

The New Rendition of the Gospel of Luke provides a modern English translation of Luke’s Greek text. It is excerpted from The Testimony of Luke by S. Kent Brown. This Rendition was created mainly by Eric D. Huntsman. Luke lays claim to writing more than any other New Testament author. With his Gospel and Book of Acts, this second-generation Christian’s portrait of the world out of which Jesus and his church arose is beyond measure. Here, readers will discover a newly opened window into the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth, offering a welcoming vista warmed by the presence of the caring and compassionate Son of God and graced by the personalities, stories (especially of women), and parables (such as the Good Samaritan and the Prodigal Son) that only Luke has preserved. This Rendition is part of the BYU New Testament Commentary series. This scholarly project aims to create a faithful modern English translation together with a full, in-depth, carefully researched Latter-day Saint commentary for each book on the New Testament. More of the New Rendition and commentary volumes will be added in coming months and years. As of the beginning of 2019, volumes have been published on Mark, Luke, First Corinthians, and Revelation.

The rendering of the Greek text of the Epistle to the Hebrews into modern English presents a flowing and easily understood translation of one of the most beautiful biblical studies of the nature and ministry of Christ. The English rendering comes from an extensive and excellent Commentary entitled The Epistle to the Hebrews by Richard D. Draper and Michael D. Rhodes forthcoming in 2019. This translation seeks to correct one of the major problems the King James translators were unable to overcome. These men were classists and knew well the power and beauty of the Attic prose of Plato and Aristotle. Unfortunately, “the rubbed down and difficult Greek” of the New Testament era held a number of mysteries they were unable to solve. This left a number of passages, especially in the dense and difficult writings of the epistles, very hard to understand in their translation. In this new rendering of the Greek text, the current translators have attempted to present the true sense of the New Testament writings as faithfully and clearly as possible in modern English. It strives to balance the esoteric details of a text with the importance of communicating the breadth of its meaning as clearly as possible to English readers. Sometimes grammatical and syntactical forms that make good sense in Greek seem stilted, odd, and even weird when translated word for word into English. The translators’ purpose has been to render the Greek in such a way that an educated reader could readily understand its meaning. They have consistently tried to avoid an overly “literal” translation, which would likely obscure original intents. They have, therefore, followed Bruce Metzger’s dictum to be “as literal as possible, but as free as necessary” in order to communicate to the English reader the meaning of the text. This Rendition is part of the BYU New Testament Commentary series. This scholarly project aims to create a faithful modern English translation together with a full, in-depth, carefully researched Latter-day Saint commentary for each book on the New Testament. As of 2019, volumes have been published on Mark, Luke, First Corinthians, and Revelation. More of the New Rendition and commentary volumes will be added in coming months and years.

The New Rendition of the book of Revelation provides a modern English translation of the Greek text while remaining true to the Apostle John’s intent. This translation is excerpted from The Revelation of John the Apostle by Richard D. Draper and Michael D. Rhodes. The text of Revelation in the King James Version seems oblique and in some cases inexplicable, but this New Rendition clarifies many misunderstood or misinterpreted passages and helps make John’s powerful testimony more understandable and applicable to the modern disciple. The authors have studied, taught, and published scholarly works on the book of Revelation for decades and aim to make the text accessible with this version. Insights into the meaning of this grand apocalyptic book are drawn from early Christian perspectives, Latter-day Saint scriptures, and a panoply of references to churches, angels, trumpets, seals, signs, beasts, and elders leading to the great marriage supper of the Lamb of God and the establishment of the celestial New Jerusalem. This Rendition is part of the BYU New Testament Commentary series. This scholarly project aims to create a faithful modern English translation together with a full, in-depth, carefully researched Latter-day Saint commentary for each book on the New Testament. More of the New Rendition and commentary volumes will be added in coming months and years. As of 2019, volumes have been published on Mark, Luke, First Corinthians, and Revelation.

The New Rendition of the book First Corinthians provides a modern English translation of the Greek text while remaining true to Paul’s intent. This translation is excerpted from Paul’s First Epistle to the Corinthians by Richard D. Draper and Michael D. Rhodes. This new version clarifies many previously vague or misunderstood passages and enlightens the text for today’s readers. This epistle is particularly interesting and important to faithful Christians interested in the Apostle Paul’s testimonies of knowledge, revelation, purity, gifts of the spirit, the sacrament, charity, the resurrection, baptism for the dead, heavenly glory, and many other topics crucial to the life of righteousness. This Rendition is part of the BYU New Testament Commentary series. This scholarly project aims to create a faithful modern English translation together with a full, in-depth, carefully researched Latter-day Saint commentary for each book on the New Testament. More of the New Rendition and commentary volumes will be added in coming months and years. As of 2019, volumes have been published on Mark, Luke, First Corinthians, and Revelation.

In this part 5 of volume 3 of the critical text, we identify one more use of Early Modern English – in fact, a very specific one – in the original text of the Book of Mormon, namely, quotations from the King James Bible.

The New Rendition of the Gospel of Mark provides a modern English translation of Mark’s earliest known Greek texts. It is excerpted from The Gospel according to Mark by Julie M. Smith. There is no such thing as perfect translation, even theoretically. This Rendition reflects Julie Smith’s deliberate choice to translate as literally as possible in order to aid the reader in appreciating the literary features of Mark’s text. These include purposeful repetitions, awkward constructions, intentional word choices, and similar features. One exception to the principle of strictly literal translation is that the Greek idioms in Mark are translated with comparable English idioms. A second exception is for culturally specific expressions. For example, “the fourth watch” is translated as “when night was ending,” and “over three hundred denarii” is rendered as “over a year’s wages.” But aside from these two exceptions, the quest for authentic literalism is the overriding concern—even at the cost of smoothness and elegance. There is no doubt that this Rendition will strike the reader as infelicitous at first. But hewing closely to the source text outweighs, in this context, the benefits of attempting to improve the source. This New Rendition will sound a little foreign to LDS readers accustomed to the distinctive register of the King James Version—which strikes the modern reader as elegant, formal, and magisterial. But because the New Rendition more closely reflects the original tone of Mark’s text, readers soon experience this dynamic Gospel more as it would have sounded to a first-century audience: not antiquated, lofty, or reverent but rather common, plain, and impressive. This Rendition is part of the BYU New Testament Commentary series. This scholarly project aims to create a faithful modern English translation together with a full, in-depth, carefully researched commentary for each book on the New Testament. More of the New Rendition and commentary volumes will be added in coming months and years. As of 2019, volumes have been published on Mark, Luke, First Corinthians, and Revelation.

The Gospel of Mark is an undiscovered gem, hiding in plain sight. Mark’s story—at least from the vantage point of a twenty-first-century audience—is virtually unknown. Following broader trends in Christian history, Latter-day Saints have focused on the other Gospels. Mark’s Gospel gets very little attention and, when it does, it is usually read through the lenses of the other Gospels, with the result that Mark’s distinctive voice is muted. But the Jesus presented in Mark’s Gospel is worthy of study: He is a man of action and few words. He is witty, warm, and wise. He’s also the Son of God. He has power which leaves people in awe, and he uses that power to help the people most people don’t like. He hugs little kids. He listens to and learns from women. He banishes demons and reminds parents to feed their children. He doesn’t know everything, but he does know how to end chaos. His disciples usually misunderstand him, but he teaches them continually and patiently. This Jesus is betrayed and abandoned and alone and humiliated, but he still chooses God’s will over his own—even though he didn’t want to. Mark tells an amazing story. The overriding goal of this commentary is to recover Mark’s unique voice. Special attention is given to five areas: An examination of the differences in ancient texts of Mark is used to make conjectures about how the text read in its earliest versions. Basic cultural knowledge is supplied to help the modern reader bridge the gap to the ancient world. Biblical allusions in Mark’s text are explored and explained. Literary structures, both large and small, are considered. The traditional neglect of women’s stories is corrected. The result is a commentary that answers the question, “What would Mark’s story of Jesus have meant to its first audiences?” in a way that informs and inspires Mark’s readers twenty centuries later. No other biblical commentary directed specifically to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints eclipses the quality of Julie Smith’s accomplishment with the Gospel of Mark. It is informed, gracefully composed, accessible, and, most importantly, trustworthy. It opens a range of possible interpretations of key and challenging passages but is not guilty of imposing extraneous meaning on the text. The volume’s preoccupation—“What would this story have meant to Mark’s earliest audiences?”—is judiciously chosen and frees Smith from distractions and diverse thickets. A superb example of what light may emerge from scripture in the company of a competent, faithful, and honest guide. — Philip L. Barlow, Leonard Arrington Professor of Mormon History & Culture, Utah State University Julie Smith’s new commentary on the Gospel of Mark represents an important addition to Latter-day Saint scholarship on the New Testament. Mark is a book that has been somewhat neglected by Latter-day Saints, and Smith’s commentary goes a long way towards correcting that neglect. With its numerous explanatory notes, this commentary takes the Gospel of Mark seriously, both as scripture and as a witness of the mission of Jesus. Where this commentary is especially welcome is in Smith’s thoughtful and thought-provoking treatment of women’s issues in the Gospel and in the scriptures generally. — Avram R. Shannon, Assistant Professor of Ancient Scripture, Brigham Young University Among Latter-day Saints, the Gospel of Mark has often been overshadowed by the other Gospels. This volume aims to restore Mark’s distinct voice so that latter-day audiences can better understand and appreciate his unique testimony of Jesus Christ. By focusing on issues of translation, cultural knowledge, biblical allusions, literary interpretation, and the significance of women’s stories and concerns, this volume impressively narrows the gap between the expectations of modern readers and Mark’s ancient, yet vibrant, testimony of Jesus. — Jacob Rennaker, John A. Widtsoe Fellow of Latter-day Saint Scholarship and Life, Chapman University

Notwithstanding the frigid circumstances, a genuine warmth emanates from the Alaskan Saints. The match that lit this internal flame was the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, first striking the Alaskan borders at the turn of the twentieth century. They have subtly shaped Alaskan society, although composing less than five percent of the state’s population. Their influence on Alaskan communities can be seen through their family values, humanitarian service, community projects, and family history centers. This book tells the story of the rise and influence of Latter-day Saints as they joined hands on their journey of “melting the ice.” Melting the Ice was praised by the Alaska Historical Society in Volume 33, Number 2 of Alaska History. Read the review here. Companion Documentary

“Iron we need and iron we must have”—so said Brigham Young in 1855. Utah’s pioneers depended on it for survival. Necessities, such as nails, stoves, plows and sawmill bearings, required iron, which had to be shipped from St. Louis at great expense. Brigham Young envisioned a regional iron works that would fill the territory’s need for iron and help make it economically self-sufficient. In April 1850, Church leaders established an Iron Mission in southern Utah, where iron ore, coal and timber were plentiful. Among these first Iron County settlers were experienced iron workers from the British Isles. Between 1851 and 1858, this colony of hard-working Saints tried many smelting techniques, yielding objects such as pots, crank shafts and bells. Despite sustained, even heroic, efforts, the iron missionaries did not succeed. Nature itself worked against them. Droughts, floods and inferior raw materials challenged them at every turn. When the iron works closed its books in 1858, some of the colonists moved away. Yet the pioneers’ legacy is still visible in Parowan and Cedar City—Iron Mission townships that have survived for over 150 years. A Trial Furnace chronicles the lives of people who transcended the practical, finding in their wilderness crucible an inner strength and resilience more durable than the iron they came south to find.

For part 6 of volume 3 of the Book of Mormon critical text project, we take up what may seem like a mundane subject, namely, misspellings in the manuscripts and in the printed editions. This brief summary of the book will introduce the reader to three important questions regarding scribal misspellings in the manuscripts: First, did the 1830 typesetter adopt Oliver Cowdery’s misspellings in the manuscript when he set the text for the 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon? Second, just how good were the Book of Mormon scribes in doing their copywork? And third, can the misspellings tell us anything important about the Book of Mormon text, or are they just innocuous errors? The answers to all three of these questions turn out to be crucial in doing critical text work on the Book of Mormon.

This volume presents the second series of papers from the Archive of Restoration Culture seminar on Joseph Smith and his times at the Joseph Fielding Smith Institute for Latter-day Saint History. The Archive of Restoration Culture was founded on the belief that Joseph Smith and the Restoration cannot be appreciated without an understanding of his environment. Advanced undergraduate and graduate students from several disciplines were drawn by the opportunity to examine Joseph Smith from the viewpoint of their disciplines, often in comparative perspective. This volume continues with the research papers written by the seminar participants in the years 2000 to 2002. Investigations range widely, covering varied topics arranged into the broad themes “Interpreting Sacred Texts,” “Cosmologies and Theologies,” “Temple and Ritual,” and “People and Places.” The nineteen papers in this volume show great imagination in the students’ innovative approaches to Joseph Smith’s character, his works, and his history.

A verse-by-verse commentary on the New Testament Epistle to the Hebrews. Provides a modern English version of the text. Cites scriptures of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons). Focuses on Jesus Christ and his role as High Priest and Savior, highlighting the saving nature of faith in him. The Epistle to the Hebrews is a faith-filled testimony of Jesus Christ. This commentary is the most comprehensive study of the epistle that Latter-day Saint scholars have yet produced. The commentary removes many of the barriers that hinder the reader from understanding this complex work. The volume is not written for an academic audience but for anyone interested in a detailed examination of this highly spiritual and insightful work. The authors show that although the epistle has been ascribed to the Apostle Paul because its doctrines and approaches are so similar to his, it is actually the work of an unnamed early church authority. The result of this conclusion stresses that the Apostle was not alone in his understanding of the work, ministry, and mission of the Lord. In the past, many non–Latter-day Saint readers have viewed the epistle as a polemic against certain Jews who were making trouble for Jewish Christians. This work finds Hebrews to be primarily a pastoral work carefully designed to encourage its readers to base their lives on nothing more and nothing less than Jesus Christ. The commentary presents the full Greek text alongside the King James Version and the authors’ New Rendition, followed by translation notes and analysis. The translation notes explain the meaning and context of words, phrases, and passages and the choice of words in the New Rendition. The analysis examines the doctrine and teachings of each section, opening the epistle to the reader’s understanding. The work strives to be up to date, comprehensive, scholarly, and as doctrinally sound as possible. It relies on the canon of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Joseph Smith Translation, and teachings of latter-day prophets alongside rigorous biblical scholarship and the original Greek text. This commentary has the same purpose as the epistle itself: to bear witness of the Lord and his lifegiving ministry. This up-to-date commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews provides a unique restoration perspective on the Jewish and first-century Christian themes of Jesus Christ’s authority, priesthood, temples, and faithfulness. Draper and Rhodes make this somewhat neglected and challenging epistle much more understandable through a careful examination of the Greek text accompanied by a side-by-side KJV text and translation notes. Their analysis sections contain numerous invaluable insights gleaned from many decades of teaching. This commentary assists modern readers to gain the scripture study skill of context as Draper and Rhodes elucidate this epistle’s text from both a Semitic and Gentile historical and cultural milieu. — Brent Schmidt, faculty, Department of Religious Education, Brigham Young University–Idaho The commentary on Epistle to the Hebrews is fascinating! As with the other commentaries written by Richard D. Draper and Michael D. Rhodes, we have the Greek text, the translation, and the reasoning behind the translation. The historical, sociopolitical, and religious background they provide is invaluable in fully understanding the inspired (and inspiring) messages of the writer of Hebrews. I find this commentary very accessible. You don’t have to have a background in history or be a biblical scholar. You can dive in where you are at and learn at the feet of masters. I also appreciate the enhanced insights from the inclusion of Latter-day Saint scripture. There are a number of scholarly commentaries on Hebrews, but very few that are accessible to a lay person, and none with a Latter-day Saint perspective. If you are seeking a deeper understanding of Jesus Christ and His Atonement, this commentary will be invaluable. — Eleanor Thorne, administrator with BYU Continuing Education, PhD from University of Missouri–Colombia Draper and Rhodes have written a useful commentary to this important New Testament book. Their commentary is especially helpful for teasing out connections between the ancient writings in the New Testament and the unique contributions of the Restoration. The Epistle to the Hebrews is a book that has a lot of resonance with latter-day scripture and teachings, and Draper and Rhodes’s commentary is written with an ear to that resonance. — Avram Shannon, assistant professor, Department of Ancient Scripture, Religious Education, Brigham Young University

In her fifty years as a public figure, Emmeline B. Wells edited the Woman’s Exponent, represented Latter-day Saint women in national women’s organizations, courageously defended her religion in the halls of Congress, and helped mitigate anti-Mormon sentiments, all before becoming Relief Society General President in 1910 at age eighty-two. Her mediating efforts won friends inside and outside LDS circles and earned her a sculpted bust placed in a niche in the Utah state Capitol. The simple inscription speaks volumes: “A Fine Soul Who Served Us.” “Emmeline Wells left indelible footprints not only in Utah—where she had a close working relationship with five church presidents—but on the national stage, including interviews with four U.S. Presidents, one in her own home. . . . Madsen broadens and deepens what she began in her award-winning dissertation [on Wells’s life and work] to provide the full, engaging story of this woman who both chronicled and made history. Wells encouraged and inspired the women of her day. With Madsen’s eloquent retelling, Emmeline’s accomplishments may now inspire those of our own age, too.” Ronald K. Esplin, Joseph Smith Papers general editor, president Mormon History Association (2006–2007)

Hopeful and heartbreaking, sobering and exultant. A Call to Russia captures missionary life as experienced by a mission president, his wife and daughter, and the sisters and elders who served under him. But above all, this book is an invitation to reflect upon our own lives. Some glimpses from President Rogers: “Every morning Merriam still wakes up and asks, ‘Where am I?’ while I shake off the night’s slumber and involuntarily ask, ‘Who am I?’” “Our senior district president recently asked me, ‘What are your greatest impressions since coming here?’ I answered, ‘Faith and love. Love and faith.’ And the way things seem to fall apart on at least a weekly basis before they’re somehow put back together.” “In our quest to see God’s face, what most matters in mortality is how we face one another—with what patience, tenderness, mercy, and good humor.” “Another great blessing—a mission makes us more aware than otherwise of our personal inadequacies.” “A friend wrote me, ‘You’ve certainly changed.’ It’s good others can see how the gospel has indeed changed us—how we have repented. As a great assistant to the president put it, ‘The best missionary is a repenting missionary.’” “We all confront, all the time, a choice between two paths. One is higher, with steeper terrain, where you often strain to catch your breath or to reach a handhold. The other lies well below it and tends if anything toward a gradual and easy descent.”

Tucked into the New Testament after Galatians and the Corinthian correspondence, the Epistle to the Ephesians casts a warm, quieting glow when compared to the strident character of Galatians and the rather tough lines that Paul penned to former associates in Corinth. In Ephesians, by contrast, the Apostle Paul has shined a bright light on both an overly generous God the Father, who “is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Eph. 3:20), and the Gentiles whom he has recently welcomed into the celestial fold, making them “no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God” (2:19). But there is much more, for the letter opens on the scene of the premortal council and ends with church members clothed in God’s sacred, protective armor that helps them “to stand against the wiles of the devil,” an indicator of the looming apostasy (6:11). In addition, enfolded within Ephesians is a tightly woven strand of family-centered interests, including an expectation of eternal families, pointers to sacred rituals, and the joyous assurance to believers that Christ “hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (2:6). This exalted position is made possible because of one of the grandest gifts that comes from the Father through the Son— “redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins” (2:7). Hallelujah!

An important part of discipleship is knowing what questions to ask—and which ones have not yet been adequately answered. From the beginning to recent times, prophets have reminded the Saints that the Restoration is ongoing, not an event. Our purpose in assembling this collection of essays is simple: we wish to celebrate the miracle of continuing revelation, and the promise of more to come, that God will “yet reveal many great and important things.” This means that the essays selected for inclusion represent only a few of the hundreds of possible subjects. Ours is an effort to clarify some of the hazy borders of orthodoxy and to honor the dynamism, the richness, and the possibilities of a Restoration still very much in process of unfolding. Joseph Smith taught, “By proving contraries truth is manifest.” A fuller understanding of truth can come by keeping multiple perspectives in mind and letting them work themselves out in patience and God’s own time, like fruitful leaven. Topics include: What is the nature of God’s progress? Where did Book of Mormon events take place? What is women’s relationship to priesthood? Is God subject to or the creator of eternal law? Will things get better or worse before the Second Coming? Was Jesus married? Is the Song of Solomon scripture? How was the Book of Mormon translated? “We as Latter-day Saints have too often felt sure about things the prophets haven’t actually decided, and about things God seems to have left open for us to reflect on humbly. This breathtakingly honest collection of essays does excellent work to make clear just how much we in fact don’t know. That there’s so much to learn is wonderful news, however. We’ll have to bring all of our minds, and not just all of our hearts, to the task of being earnest disciples.” —Joseph Spencer, author of 1st Nephi: A Brief Theological Introduction “This much-needed engagement with . . . interesting theological questions is long overdue.” —Blake T. Ostler, Esq., author of the four-volume Exploring Mormon Thought book series on Latter-day Saint theology

The restoration of priesthood authority was a key event in the organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Joseph Smith in 1830, as is well known. Much less familiar is the fascinating process of continuing revelation and administrative brilliance that has unfolded over the last two centuries as priesthood offices and quorums have gone into action. This book makes available William G. Hartley’s lifetime of research about that powerful story. Interesting questions include: How were local congregations organized before there were wards and ward bishops? Do bishopric counselors need to be high priests? When did leaders begin to expect all boys to receive the Aaronic priesthood at age 12 in preparation for becoming elders? What is a quorum? Who defines the work of an elders quorum? What is the relationship between the Presiding Bishop and Aaronic Priesthood quorums? When and why did the Seventies become General Authorities? These, and many others, are answered on the pages of this unique and very significant book. This remarkably thorough collection of Professor William Hartley’s career writings is a handsome tribute to a very talented and careful scholar, and a “must read” for every serious student of LDS Church History. —Richard E. Bennett, Associate Dean, Religious Education, Brigham Young University

Women constituted a significant portion of the membership of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during its first decade of existence. However, little historical analysis exists to document the contribution and experience of these women as a whole. Janiece Johnson’s work examines the religious experience of some of those early Mormon women through the documentary editing and analysis of nineteen letters written between 1831 and 1843. Three themes dominate these women’s correspondence: spiritual knowledge, bearing witness of the restored gospel, and sacrifice. The women exhibited knowledge of the existence of God as a Heavenly Father, His Son Jesus Christ as Savior of the world, and Joseph Smith Jr. as God’s direct mouthpiece. The women’s conviction was explicitly demonstrated through their personal writings, proffering an intimate glimpse of a unique religion and belief as the motivation of these women.

This book reports on selected buildings and objects that bring to life important events that took place in the first two decades of the Restoration. As museum curators and historians worked to exhibit and tell the history of these objects, they sometimes found that stories told about them were incorrect. This collection’s aim is to tell a more accurate history about these treasured heirlooms. Since the beginning of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, members have kept records and honored their past. Documents and artifacts provide evidence of sacred events and connect the spiritual aspect of the Church to tangible objects. This book reports on selected buildings and objects that bring to life important events that took place in the first two decades of the Restoration. As museum curators and historians worked to exhibit and tell the history of these objects, they sometimes found that stories told about them were incorrect. This collection’s aim is to tell a more accurate history about these treasured heirlooms. Items discussed in this volume: The two Smith family homes in Palmyra-Manchester, New York The artifacts of the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith, including weapons, canes, Carthage Jail, and watches Eliza R. Snow’s watch, given to her by Joseph Smith The Nauvoo Temple bells The Relief Society Campanile on Temple Square Cannons and other artillery used in Nauvoo and Utah Odometers used on the pioneer trail Telling a better history of these physical objects helps preserve them for future generations. 504 pages Paperback

New Scholarship on Latter-day Saint Women in the Twentieth Century opens dialogue on women’s past experiences and analyzes developments for Mormon women from the Progressive Era through civil rights reforms to the emerging women’s movement. This volume of proceedings covers essays by new and seasoned scholars presented at Women’s History Initiative seminars held in 2003 and 2004.

Mormonism began with a single family—the family of Joseph Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith. Just how did this family operate, and what characteristics did they exemplify? Although much has been written about this family, little has been produced with the intent of sifting through the historical records to reveal what kind of family this was. Through careful research, marriage and family therapists have developed several paradigms or models to facilitate family assessment, and these constructs can be used to evaluate a historical family. While there are certain limitations, there also are many constructs that can be successfully evaluated in a historical family. Kyle Walker uses five family process concepts—cohesion, resiliency, religiosity, conflict management, and family work and recreation—to examine historical sources that identify how the Smith family operated.

Some have argued that Mormonism began with a book, the Book of Mormon. This printed beginning quickly spawned a prolific amount of published material both expounding and defending early doctrines of the Latter-day Saints. Between 1836 and 1860 about ninety Church members authored a variety of written works. Although many publications were based on the writings of Parley P. Pratt and Orson Pratt, some represented original ideas. Most pamphlets grew from missionary efforts, but others countered anti-Mormon literature then in circulation. In promoting truth, Mormons found the press to be a powerful weapon. These early pamphlets developed from the interactions of Church members with themselves, their message, and their neighbors. As Mormonism grew, David Whittaker explains, the press became a key element in providing the institutional glue for helping to hold together this dynamic social and religious movement. Whittaker’s dissertation explores the rise and development of pamphlet literature during the Church’s formative years. Whittaker’s dissertation explores the rise and development of pamphlet literature during the Church’s formative years.

Faith is a precious doctrine of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Ancient prophets and apostles clearly taught that faith is relational: faith is trust, loyalty, obedience, and devotion to God and his Son, and it encompasses God’s blessings to us. In the language and culture of ancient Greece, pistis (faith) meant faithfulness and trust, and when New Testament writers taught about faith, their ancient readers understood its relational nuances. An apostasy regarding the meaning and doctrine of faith occurred, and the word faith came to have many varied meanings. Some theologians have taught that faith is a passive belief in a creed or a statement of belief in God that would guarantee one’s salvation. Theologians such as Augustine, Aquinas, Wyclif, Hus, Luther, Calvin, and Bultmann went off course in their understanding of faith. The restoration of the gospel that came through Joseph Smith and living prophets has revived the correct understanding of faith as a reciprocal relationship between people and God. For Latter-day Saints, faith is a principle of action, knowledge, understanding, trust, obedience, and faithfulness. Faith once again motivates disciples to trust in Jesus Christ, repent, and follow his straight and narrow covenant path leading to salvation and exaltation. Review of Relational Faith by Jeff Lindsay at his website “Arise from the Dust”