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Yet to be Revealed
Special issue of BYU Studies Quarterly on open questions in Later-day Saint theology.
304 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2021
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14 people want to read
About the author
Eric A. Eliason
21 books2 followersEric Alden Eliason is a writer and professor in the English department at Brigham Young University, where he teaches courses on literature and folklore.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
February 25, 2022
Coming at this as a believing Latter-day Saint with a reasonable amount of time spent in academia. Not only does this volume cover a wide array of very interesting topics (for anyone interested in LDS theology) but also a nice selection of Latter-day Saint scholars: Givens, Barlow, Faulconer, Peck (his fiction is great as well!), Wilcox, Woodworth, to name some of them. Probably 2/3 of the articles for me were absolutely worth the read. The others weren't a waste of time, but held less appeal. A couple of them felt entirely out-of-place, missing the comparative nature of the other articles.
Most of these articles follow a similar vein: a topic relevant to Latter-day Saint theology or history is introduced (Book of Mormon geography, Jesus's marital status, post-mortal progression — such an interesting history, this last one!). The historical development of this topic is explored, eventually presenting two or more views on the topic that members of the Church hold. (Note that this primarily focuses on the varieties of opinions within the faith.) For Book of Mormon geography, for instance, it focuses primarily on three theories: North and South America, Central America, and the Great Lakes region. It also discusses how the first of these theories has largely fallen out of favor, though it was by far the prevailing theory in the 19th century (I recall coming across a map drawn by James Talmage under Karl Maeser's direction of this understanding). It explores how various elements of the text support one theory or another, but also looks at how the tourism industry, in both the "Homeland" and Central America, have shaped today's arguments, as there is more than a history in the weighing, there are businesses at stake here.
My favorite articles of the 21 in this volume:
- The Introduction (Eliason & Givens). Gives a wonderful defense of holding different opinions on topics within the faith. A well-grounded framing for the entire book.
- Was Jesus Married (Christopher Blythe). While I was somewhat familiar with this discussion among contemporary members, this article also delves into the 19th century church, and some very surprising ideas held by early members. Fascinating, and sometimes shocking.
- Relationship between Grace & Works (Teryl Givens). Brief and content-rich, this gives an excellent overview of what I consider to be one of the more important theological concepts to wrap one's head around for members in the 21st century.
- How Limited is Postmortal Progression (Givens, again). I thought I was well-acquainted with this topic as well, but I was very surprised to see the range of opinions among Church leadership over the years.
- The Joseph Smith Translation (Jared Ludlow). Wonderful account of the history of the JST, focusing on the question of whether or not the entire text should be considered canonical. Explains the provenance of the text (which is important, as the RLDS church held on to the original manuscripts for decades), and how the Church's attitude towards this aspect of Joseph's work has evolved, particularly since we were able to access the original manuscripts. A very helpful overview for anyone wondering about the JST.
- Song of Solomon (Dana Pike & Eric Eliason). I didn't think I'd care for this one, but it turns out that the history of the JST (which is where we get Joseph's comments about this book) impacts the Church's attitude about this text. (Spoiler: it was cited a fair amount in the early church!)
- Book of Mormon Geographies (Hedges)
- Book of Mormon Translation Process (Grant Hardy). I mean, we should all read Grant Hardy. I'm more familiar with this content than any others in this book. This article gives an excellent overview of where the current debate resides, boiling it down to two (distinctive!) camps.
- Women's Relationship to Priesthood (Lisa Olsen Tait). Brilliant overview of a very sensitive topic. It leans a bit on the progressive side, but only slightly, and relies heavily on published materials from established church leaders. I spent more time on this article than any other. I appreciate the content in here, presenting the evolution of the topic over the years, and showing how our understanding of terms like "priesthood" and "ordination" have evolved over time, and how this impacted the culture of how women accessed the power of God. It is friendly to the church and its leaders, blunt at times though not heavy handed. Like the Grace & Works article, this is a must-read.
I read articles from BYU Studies regularly; this is the first time I've gone cover-to-cover. Glad I did. Note that all these articles are available for free on the byu studies website.
Most of these articles follow a similar vein: a topic relevant to Latter-day Saint theology or history is introduced (Book of Mormon geography, Jesus's marital status, post-mortal progression — such an interesting history, this last one!). The historical development of this topic is explored, eventually presenting two or more views on the topic that members of the Church hold. (Note that this primarily focuses on the varieties of opinions within the faith.) For Book of Mormon geography, for instance, it focuses primarily on three theories: North and South America, Central America, and the Great Lakes region. It also discusses how the first of these theories has largely fallen out of favor, though it was by far the prevailing theory in the 19th century (I recall coming across a map drawn by James Talmage under Karl Maeser's direction of this understanding). It explores how various elements of the text support one theory or another, but also looks at how the tourism industry, in both the "Homeland" and Central America, have shaped today's arguments, as there is more than a history in the weighing, there are businesses at stake here.
My favorite articles of the 21 in this volume:
- The Introduction (Eliason & Givens). Gives a wonderful defense of holding different opinions on topics within the faith. A well-grounded framing for the entire book.
- Was Jesus Married (Christopher Blythe). While I was somewhat familiar with this discussion among contemporary members, this article also delves into the 19th century church, and some very surprising ideas held by early members. Fascinating, and sometimes shocking.
- Relationship between Grace & Works (Teryl Givens). Brief and content-rich, this gives an excellent overview of what I consider to be one of the more important theological concepts to wrap one's head around for members in the 21st century.
- How Limited is Postmortal Progression (Givens, again). I thought I was well-acquainted with this topic as well, but I was very surprised to see the range of opinions among Church leadership over the years.
- The Joseph Smith Translation (Jared Ludlow). Wonderful account of the history of the JST, focusing on the question of whether or not the entire text should be considered canonical. Explains the provenance of the text (which is important, as the RLDS church held on to the original manuscripts for decades), and how the Church's attitude towards this aspect of Joseph's work has evolved, particularly since we were able to access the original manuscripts. A very helpful overview for anyone wondering about the JST.
- Song of Solomon (Dana Pike & Eric Eliason). I didn't think I'd care for this one, but it turns out that the history of the JST (which is where we get Joseph's comments about this book) impacts the Church's attitude about this text. (Spoiler: it was cited a fair amount in the early church!)
- Book of Mormon Geographies (Hedges)
- Book of Mormon Translation Process (Grant Hardy). I mean, we should all read Grant Hardy. I'm more familiar with this content than any others in this book. This article gives an excellent overview of where the current debate resides, boiling it down to two (distinctive!) camps.
- Women's Relationship to Priesthood (Lisa Olsen Tait). Brilliant overview of a very sensitive topic. It leans a bit on the progressive side, but only slightly, and relies heavily on published materials from established church leaders. I spent more time on this article than any other. I appreciate the content in here, presenting the evolution of the topic over the years, and showing how our understanding of terms like "priesthood" and "ordination" have evolved over time, and how this impacted the culture of how women accessed the power of God. It is friendly to the church and its leaders, blunt at times though not heavy handed. Like the Grace & Works article, this is a must-read.
I read articles from BYU Studies regularly; this is the first time I've gone cover-to-cover. Glad I did. Note that all these articles are available for free on the byu studies website.
May 1, 2022
As the title Yet to Be Revealed suggests this volume of BYU studies addresses questions that require further revelation. Not all of the topics discussed in this book fit as neatly within the title, but here are a few that I felt were most important to study.
Is God Subject to or The Creator of Eternal Law?, What is the Nature of God's Progress?, The King Follet Discourse: Pinnacle or Peripheral?, Understandings of the Relationship between Grace and Works, How Limited is Postmodal Progression?, and On the Foreknowledge of God: Time, Knowledge, Reality, Agency.
In addition the introduction was very helpful describing the different views on what is orthodoxy within the Church.
Is God Subject to or The Creator of Eternal Law?, What is the Nature of God's Progress?, The King Follet Discourse: Pinnacle or Peripheral?, Understandings of the Relationship between Grace and Works, How Limited is Postmodal Progression?, and On the Foreknowledge of God: Time, Knowledge, Reality, Agency.
In addition the introduction was very helpful describing the different views on what is orthodoxy within the Church.
May 27, 2022
4-1/2 stars. I really enjoyed the opinions regarding open questions in Latter-day theology, especially Women's Relation to the Priesthood, Narrating Religious Heritage, Is God Subject to or the Creator of Eternal Law and Approaches to Doctrine. It's so validating that other people think about these things, research them and present their opinions and even essays.
September 5, 2022
Excellent collection of essays on a handful of unanswered questions in LDS theology, a great historical snapshot of the intellectual debate that has permeated the restoration from the beginning and will continue for decades to come.
November 21, 2023
Clear, Concise, Descriptive, Informed. Valuable Reference.
Balanced presentation of various and differing points of view.
Outstanding reference, including associated footnotes.
I thrill at the laid-bare approach to seeking truth and understanding.
Balanced presentation of various and differing points of view.
Outstanding reference, including associated footnotes.
I thrill at the laid-bare approach to seeking truth and understanding.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews