Daniel C. Peterson's Blog, page 1166

Biblical studies, history, and archaeology

    With his “Notes on Modern Scribal Training,” Dr. John Gee again offers valuable information for evaluating current disputes regarding the relationship between history and the Bible:   http://fornspollfira.blogspot.com    

“The kids are not all right”

    Over and over again, I’ve read someone’s account of suffering at the hands of the Mormon patriarchy, or because of oppressive and bigoted “heteronormativity,” or on account of honest questioning, or something of that sort.   And — wretched man that I am! — I’ve sometimes dared to suggest, rather gently, that there [Read More...]

“Read the Book of Mormon and the Bible”

    A valuable exhortation from a good blog:   http://www.ryancjenkins.com/read-the-...    

Mormonism in the inner city

    All Relief Society presidents in the Church — all leaders in the Church — face challenges.  But the challenges faced by this Relief Society president are perhaps a little different than those that most of us, particularly those of us located in the American West, have experienced:   http://janariess.religionnews.com/201...   It’s an interesting [Read More...]

Theory and Practice

    “In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. But, in practice, there is.”  (Yogi Berra)    

Sheesh! I almost forgot!

    Fortunately, Charles Steinman reminded me that   It’s Groundhog Day!   Which, of course, is the perfect time to remember the greatest film ever made:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSVeD...   Just watching the trailer, I was laughing all over again.  And I have the thing practically memorized.    

“Science and religion are two windows . . . “

    “Science and religion are two windows that people look through, trying to understand the big universe outside, trying to understand why we are here. The two windows give different views, but both look out at the same universe. Both views are one-sided, neither is complete. Both leave out essential features of the real [Read More...]

“If judges can’t join the Boy Scouts, what about the Mormon Church?”

    A recent decision by the California Supreme Court to bar state judges from affiliation with the evil Boy Scouts of America raises interesting issues, as this letter to the Los Angeles Times recognizes:   http://www.latimes.com/opinion/reader...   For example, what if a bishop in California tried to call a member of his ward to [Read More...]

New Testament 60-61

    Matthew 6:1-6   It’s a sore temptation to want to point to one’s good deeds in order to gain the admiration of others, or, even, to silence their condemnation.   I know several people who’ve made substantial, even massive, donations to various worthy causes, yet whose names virtually never appear in connection with such [Read More...]

“On reading scripture and being human”

    Nathaniel Givens offers an interesting perspective on the relationship between scripture and history — a relationship that has been somewhat controversial of late in certain sectors of online Mormondom, sometimes generating considerable unnecessary heat.  Fortunately, he’s lucid and calm:   http://timesandseasons.org/index.php/...