I visited an old love this weekend, almost a year after we parted. I found her more beautiful than ever, and we spent a wonderful few days together before saying goodbye again.
New York
Contention
I love the book of Fourth Nephi in the Book of Mormon, especially this verse: “And it came to pass that there was no contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people.”
“God being with thee when we know not”
Sunday afternoon I found myself reading the Oxford Book of English Verse (the Quiller-Couch edition in honor of a great advocate of the Inner Temple), and I read the following:
The Sabbath as “Family Day”?
Are we losing the battle for Sundays?
Out of Africa
Nathan (enters, stage left): “Tell Simon that America is part of Texas!”
Over Two Million
Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, “as of December 31, 2004, there were 2,267,787 people behind bars in the United States.”
Arguments and Authority
The March 2006 issue of The New Era features an article on the Lord’s prayer, wherein we can read the following:
Spring Has Brought Us Such a Nice Surprise!
Check out the new online Mormon-themed narrative arts magazine at popcornpopping.net.
“There is nobody against this—nobody, nobody, nobody, but a bunch of mothers!”
Jane Jacobs passed away today in Toronto. She was 89 years old.
The Puzzle of Blasphemy
In one of its fitful bursts of faux-oracular prose, the Supreme Court once declared that the U.S. Constitution knows no blasphemy.
The Rhetorical Burden of Authority
Authority is a key concept in Mormonism.
A Primary Primer
I haven’t been in Primary very long, but it has been long enough to notice this: most adults could benefit from a few simple ideas that will make them much, much better at teaching a group of children.
Earth Day and the Church
Today is Earth Day. A number of denominations have given their support to environmental issues, encouraging their members to be sensitive to the protection of the environment. This not only pertains to the major (and controversial) topic of climate change and global warming, but to all the small things people can do daily to save energy, sort waste, recycle, be attentive to what we purchase…
Sunday School Lesson #17
Lesson 17: Deuteronomy 6; 8; 11; 32: 1-4, 15-18, 30-40, 45-47
Puritanism without Calvinism
Three of the best books that I have ever read on Mormonism are not about Mormonism at all:
The KJV: A Sealed Book?
I’ve been teaching the second half of the Old Testament in Institute this semester. The KJV is a terrible obstacle to understanding the scriptures.
The Vicar’s Garden in the Global South
This week’s New Yorker features an interesting article by Peter Boyer on the crisis facing the Episcopalian Church in the United States after a New Hampshire diocese elected the openly-gay Gene Robinson as bishop. (This post, by the way, is not principally about gay issues.)
The organ
It was a historic day for our tiny Flemish branch when we replaced the old harmonium with a new electric organ. Nothing could better symbolize our progress, lift the morale of our handful of members, and prepare the way to convert the whole city.
When do you blog, and why?
I blog most on Tuesdays.
In Defense of Janice Kapp Perry
I have often heard or read conversations that go something like this:
Correlation Gone Mad!
BCC is hosting an all-star panel of academics on questions relating to correlation. Talking about correlation reminds me of a time from our history when doctrinal correlation efforts were incredibly restrictive.
An Interview with Valerie Hudson
BYU Political Science professor Valerie Hudson has been in the news lately as a result of her new book, Bare Branches.
What’s the Mormon-est Surname?
A while back I stumbled upon this website that allows you to map the prevalence of a given surname, by state, in the United States for the years 1850, 1890, 1920, and 1990.
A Mother in Heaven Sighting
Mother in Heaven recently made a cameo appearance in correlated materials.