Author: Julie M. Smith

I live in Austin, Texas, with my husband, Derrick, an electrical engineer. We have three boys: Simon ('98), Nathan ('01), and Truman ('04). We are a homeschooling family and I also teach at the LDS Institute here in Austin. I have a BA in English from UT Austin and an MA in Biblical Studies (Theology) from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California, where I specialized in the study of women in the New Testament. I wrote my thesis on Mark 14:3-9, which I explored from literary and feminist perspectives to determine how the story teaches the audience about Jesus's identity. I wrote a book, Search, Ponder, and Pray: A Guide to the Gospels. It contains 4,000 questions (no answers) designed to get the LDS reader to really think about the scriptures and to introduce the major findings of biblical studies to the general reader. I like to read, buy books, and go out for ethnic food.

BMGD #9: 2 Nephi 11-25

by Julie M. Smith • February 20, 2012 • 10 Comments

BMGD #8: 2 Nephi 6-10

by Julie M. Smith • February 13, 2012 • Comments Off

On Not Skimming Isaiah

by Julie M. Smith • February 9, 2012 • 9 Comments

I know as soon as you hear the phrase “cedars of Lebanon,” your eyes glaze over.

BMGD #7: 2 Nephi 3-5

by Julie M. Smith • February 6, 2012 • 2 Comments

BMGD #6: 2 Nephi 1-2

by Julie M. Smith • January 30, 2012 • 8 Comments

Romney’s Taxes and The Clueless Media

by Julie M. Smith • January 22, 2012 • 85 Comments

Dear Media,

BMGD #4: 1 Nephi 12-14

by Julie M. Smith • January 16, 2012 • Comments Off

Note that I will not be posting notes for lesson #5; I’m taking the week off. (Notes for lesson #6 should be right on schedule, however.) Also note that when I teach this, I plan on covering 1 Nephi 11-15, since I think it makes more sense to treat Nephi’s vision in its entirety and in its context.

BMGD #3: 1 Nephi 8-11; 12:16-18; 15

by Julie M. Smith • January 9, 2012 • 16 Comments

This isn’t a lesson; it is the notes from which I will prepare a lesson.

BMGD #2: 1 Nephi 1-7

by Julie M. Smith • January 2, 2012 • 29 Comments

Again, this isn’t a lesson. It is the notes from which I will prepare a lesson. Sorry it is so long. (The rabbit trail of the week was related to the killing of Laban, but I don’t plan on discussing that with my class.)

BMGD #1: Introduction

by Julie M. Smith • December 26, 2011 • 23 Comments

These are the notes from which I will create my Sunday School lesson. It is not a Sunday School lesson, unless your ward has Sunday School for five hours and a high tolerance for rabbit trails that happened to catch my interest.

Mormons in the US: A New Study

by Julie M. Smith • December 15, 2011 • 35 Comments

You can read the study itself here or a summary of it in the DN here.

Now, Even Stronger Youth!

by Julie M. Smith • December 14, 2011 • 83 Comments

The Church announced that it has released a revised Strength of Youth pamphlet.

Book Review: Good Tidings of Great Joy

by Julie M. Smith • December 10, 2011 • 5 Comments

Eric D. Huntsman, Good Tidings of Great Joy, October 2011, Deseret Book, 166 pages.

Book Review: Parley P. Pratt: The Apostle Paul of Mormonism

by Julie M. Smith • December 8, 2011 • 16 Comments

Terryl L. Givens and Matthew J. Grow, Parley P. Pratt: The Apostle Paul of Mormonism, Oxford University Press, October 2011, 521 pages.

Through a Glass, Darkly

by Julie M. Smith • December 6, 2011 • 22 Comments

“Why didn’t I know about this?” She sounds angry.

Congratulations Craig and Jana

by Julie M. Smith • November 8, 2011 • 10 Comments

Publishers Weekly announced their list of the top ten religion books for 2011 recently.

As Sisters In Zion

by Julie M. Smith • November 7, 2011 • 19 Comments

Here are the original words to this hymn.

A Prophet Occupies Wall Street

by Julie M. Smith • November 6, 2011 • 122 Comments

This from then-member of the Quorum of the Twelve Spencer W. Kimball in the October 1953 General Conference:

BYU Women’s Studies Conference

by Julie M. Smith • October 27, 2011 • 8 Comments

I hope to see some of y’all there.

President Monson on 9/11

by Julie M. Smith • September 8, 2011 • 39 Comments

The Washington post’s On Faith blog has a piece from President Monson responding to the question, “What have we learned about religion in the past 10 years? What was the spiritual impact of 9/11?”

In Which My Opinion of Mitch Mayne Improves

by Julie M. Smith • September 1, 2011 • 56 Comments

Every once in awhile, I read or hear something that just zings.

Book Review: Conversions

by Julie M. Smith • August 27, 2011 • 7 Comments

Craig Harline, Conversions.

A Review of Grant Hardy’s Understanding the Book of Mormon

by Julie M. Smith • August 15, 2011 • 22 Comments

In On the Road with Joseph Smith: An Author’s Diary, we get a fascinating peek into Richard Bushman’s psyche during the time immediately after the publication of his monumental work, Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling.

The Tongues of Mortals

by Julie M. Smith • August 13, 2011 • 76 Comments

There’s a sidebar called “The Poetic Language of the King James Bible” in the August 2011 Ensign.

Grant Hardy at Meridian

by Julie M. Smith • July 20, 2011 • 88 Comments

So I haven’t exactly been a fan of Meridian, but lately they have been running some very innovative stuff from Grant Hardy; see here and here. And I suppose you can discuss his essays in the comments here, if you play nice.