We saw March of the Penguins on Thursday. It was great.
Anabaptists II: Diverging Parallels
Despite the striking resemblance of the Mormon and Anabaptist experiences, significant differences remain. The Book of Mormon and the temple are the most obvious LDS elements without a precise Anabaptist parallel, but I’m more interested in how similar beginnings have not (yet) led to parallel outcomes.
Imagining Bathsheba
Recent weeks have seen stimulating (and occasionally heated) discussion of a July Ensign article on the life of Bathsheba W. Smith. The article, meticulously parsed by Justin Butterfield, omits, together with other biographical material, all references to Bathsheba Smith’s sister-wives and any reference to the polygamous families of her husband, George A. Smith. This conspicuous lacuna looks to many readers like a deliberate effort to edit the historical record, selectively striking embarrassing references to polygamy—and, in the process, variously flouting standards of historiography and simple honesty, dishonoring the memory of polygamous wives, and writing women out of Mormon history. I’m instinctively sympathetic to the concerns articulated by Justin and Kris (I mean really, who wouldn’t want to put themselves in such distinguished company?), and to my mind they raise compelling historiographical questions. They stop too soon, though: the work of writing history is just that—writing and history–and thus the questions we ask about that work need to be both historical and rhetorical.
The Great Liberal Death Wish?
Here is an empirical question that I don’t really know the answer to:
Anabaptists on my Mind
Mormons are neither Catholic nor Protestant, we often hear, and I see no reason to doubt the basic truth of the statement. Is there any spectrum of Christian religions such that we can say, “Mormonism is one of the X churches”?
London Calling
We are commanded to mourn with those that mourn, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort. And so, in the aftermath of tragedy and terror in London, we all join together in saying “I am a Londoner.” Our thoughts and prayers at this time are with the brave citizens of London and of England, and in particular with the many victims of the attack.
Ed Firmage’s Apostasy and the Age of Mormonism
Ed Firmage, for many years the token Mormon at the U of U law school, is an interesting apostate.
Introducing (Again) Jonathan Green
A little while ago, Times & Seasons was pleased to announce that Jonathan Green–scholar, master of trivia, academic vagabond and world-class T&S commenter–had agreed to grace our blog with a guest stint. Since his initial post, however, he’s been on the move, taking his family from Charleston, South Carolina (where he had a visiting position at the College of Charleston) to Lansing, Michigan (where he will take up a visiting position at Michigan State University), with stops at Arkansas (where he and his family visited Chez Fox and we shared some nice BBQ ribs) and Illinois in between. (Yes, I know it’s not a direct route; don’t ask.) Now they’re in California, and since they apparently have couple of weeks of consistent internet access before them, Jonathan ready to wow us. So, once again, welcome to T&S, Jonathan!
Missionary work versus religious correctness
When the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake were being announced, I remember how in our priesthood meetings in Provo exciting plans were forged to turn the event into a massive missionary opportunity: we would fill the streets with members passing out copies of the Book of Mormon and taking referrals.
Judicial Activism
A fascinating op-ed in the New York Times discusses the idea of “judicial activism.” The authors suggest that one measure of activism is the amount of times a judge votes to invalidate legislation passed by Congress. Using that measure, they write that: We found that justices vary widely in their inclination to strike down Congressional laws. Justice Clarence Thomas, appointed by President George H. W. Bush, was the most inclined, voting to invalidate 65.63 percent of those laws; Justice Stephen Breyer, appointed by President Bill Clinton, was the least, voting to invalidate 28.13 percent.
Book Review: A Feminist Introduction to Paul
Here’s a sentence I wouldn’t have expected to find in a Deseret Book: If Emerson was right that a stubborn insistence on consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, then Paul’s place among the larger intellects of Western thought must be reckoned as secure.
Iago and Godly Creativity
Early last year, I discussed an idea that I called “the Iago problem.” I argued that one answer to the question “why are there no Mormon Shakespeares” was that church members may lack the skill to breathe life into a truly evil character like Iago. Recently, I rethought the question. And now, I’m not sure that the Iago problem is really much of a problem.
A Beautiful Place
This week I spent a few days in Nauvoo, the last place the Latter-day Saints tried to build a temple before being forced to leave the United States.
Round Here We Stay Up
very very very very late. I do, at least. It’s 11:41 presently, and I’m still planning to finish this post, fire off some comments, do my sit-ups and read the new Adam Gopnik in this week’s New Yorker before I turn in.
The next Supreme Court justice
Danithew is wondering when we’re going to begin idle speculation about who might replace Justice O’Connor. We’re happy to oblige him.
The Theology of Jeffersonian Hypocrisy
I recently spent a week or so immersed in constitutional law, looking at — among other things — the place of the Declaration of Independence in constitutional interpretation. It has gotten me thinking about the virtues of hypocrisy.
Metaphysics and Mormonism: Transcendence
Very roughly and tentatively, but good enough perhaps for the purposes of a blog discussion or an introduction to philosophy, one could say that there are two basic metaphysical positions, with a third that is a variation of one of those two.
To be read June 27, about five o’clock p.m.
To seal the testimony of this book and the Book of Mormon, we announce the martyrdom of Joseph Smith the Prophet, and Hyrum Smith the Patriarch. They were shot in Carthage jail, on the 27th of June, 1844, about five o’clock p.m., by an armed mob — painted black — of from 150 to 200 persons.
Two mites.
Due to an unmentionable poop incident (click on the link if you’re very brave), FMH Lisa may be needing a new washer. At the very least, she could use a few new cleaning supplies. So if you’ve got a spare dime, consider sending Lisa a Paypal.
Sunday School Lesson 27
Lesson 27: Doctrine and Covenants 101, 103, and 105 For more understanding of these sections, read about Zion’s Camp in a church history.
Sunday School Lesson 26
This is an odd post, to be sure, but so that no one wonders: since there are no scriptures associated with this lesson, I’ve not prepared any study questions for it.
The happiest place on Earth
is Ireland.* Really.
Who Are You?
Or maybe what I really want to know is: Who am I ? Am I a feminist?
Very Important News
A frequent morning ritual for me involves taking a bag of compost to our garden, which is several blocks from our house, on my drive to work. I enjoy this little task.