Best of the Week 2: Academic LDS

Posted on June 9, 2008
Filed Under Philosophy | 4 Comments

Well I’ve not had much time to post the last week. (And when I did have time I was way too exhausted to try and do any technical reasoning. Whenever I try while tired bad things result.) I can’t forget my weekly “best of the web” for more academic LDS posts. So here’s this week’s installment.

I’d mentioned it earlier this week but there is a new online seminar on Alma 32 that many might enjoy. Also, although I’ve not had time to contribute in some time, I can’t forget to mention the blog Feast Upon the Word which does close readings of LDS scripture. One recent post there folks might find interesting is their list of online study references. They also had a post about Isaiah commentaries and study aids. But of course there are always great posts there in general.

Elsewhere J. Stapley has up his textual history of the King Follet Discourse. He just put out part II which is about the reception of the discourse in the early 20th century. It wasn’t quite as well received by everyone as you might have thought. (Part I is here in case you missed it)

Over at Faith Promoting Rumor they had a discussion of experience within LDS thought. They suggest that experience is a particularly modern way of looking at religion mainly arising in the 18th and 19th century. Has the category of experience within Mormonism gone unexamined? (I don’t think so – but it could be done better I suppose)

In response to a humorous discussion of the Ark of the Covenant at BCC FPR also had an interesting post on 1 Chr 13 aka why Uzzah was struck down for touching the Ark. (A plot point for all you Indiana Jones fans although this post is more serious)

FPR also had a post about the Documentary Hypothesis and what you have to explain if you reject it.

Finally (they were on a roll this week) was a post about praying for mundane things. AKA why on earth God should care about your lost keys when all hell is breaking out in Iraq or Burma. It’s kind of an interesting post although they didn’t really pursue the interesting philosophical implications. (I ought do a post one of these days on mundane matters and religion)

Over at Juvenile Instructor there was a discussion of cognitive dissonance and scholarly pursuits. No, it’s not the discussion you think it is. Rather it is the big divide between what academics appear to profess ethically and how they often behave. Not necessarily a “blood sport” discussion but rather a broader set of questions.

Moving on to By Common Consent there were a lot of great posts. Starting with a discussion of the Joseph Smith Papers that is quite interesting.

There was also at BCC this week a question of what doctrine is (prompted by the celebration this week of the end of the practice of racial based priesthood). And just because it hasn’t been done enough, a discussion of Mormon Darwinism. (OK, some joking aside – but it is an oft discussed topic)

Turning to Times and Seasons (who started off the week with a discussion of the FAIR/Tanners lecture) were posts on Rev 1:12-20 and discussions about Joseph’s ideal city.

Turning to Ardis’ blog she has up a very interesting sociological discussion of the LDS concept of Mother in Heaven. She has an other discussion of women’s visionary narratives as well as several other posts you might find interesting while there.

Over at Life on Gold Plates is a brief (and very incomplete) discussion of Mormon Studies in the 20th Century.

At LDS Science Review Jeff continues his discussion on naturalism with a post on ID and Context. Jeff also brought my attention to my favorite science post of the week. Zimmer on bacteria left to evolve for 20 years. Yes they become a new species. Fantastic discussion to throw at folks who still make the Macro/Micro distinction when “rejecting Darwinism.”

At Mormanity they have a discussion of the 8 Witnesses some might find interesting. (Although as some note in terms of grounding faith I just don’t see the witnesses being that significant)

I was hoping there would be more academic posts on the commemoration of the priesthood revelation. There were a lot of posts but the only real academic one I saw was brief history at Mormon Matters.

The Mormon Organon has a funny satirical post on how Darwinism is too harsh to be good theology. Well worth reading.

I think that’s it. (I may have missed a few – if so let me know)

Related posts:

  1. Best of the Week 6: Academic LDS
  2. Best of the Week 3: Academic LDS
  3. Best of the Week 5: Academic LDS
  4. Best of the Week: Academic LDS
  5. Ostler Reading Club Schedule
  6. Best of the Week 4: Academic LDS

Comments

4 Responses to “Best of the Week 2: Academic LDS”

nice highlights.

“At LDS Science Review Jeff–”

Do you mean “Jared”?

Whoops. Yeah. Sorry. I was trying to finish it up and my wife was trying convince me to go watch BSG.

Thanks, Clark, both for pointing to some posts I hadn’t seen yet, and for your inclusion of Keepapitchinin.

Thanks for this.

Leave a Reply