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Benjamin the Scribe

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LDS Church History

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Select a Month August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 March 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 November 2014 October 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 January 2010 December 2009

November 2018

November 07, 2018

“Absolutist” Revelation and Creation Accounts in Moses, Abraham, and the Temple

I presented a short paper at the Joseph Smith Papers conference a few weeks ago,...

May 2018

May 03, 2018

What Prophets Know: A Short Follow-up

I've had a bad bug for a week, but I'll have some Gospel Doctrine updates...

April 2018

April 20, 2018

The Scientific Deformation and Reformation of Genesis: How “Science” Messed It Up, but Also Fixes It

I was grateful for the invitation to speak at UVU's Mormon Studies Conference on Mormonism...

March 2018

March 20, 2018

An essay on the nature of prophetic knowledge, with a side helping of evolution

Regardless of what you think about evolution, it poses a problem. In the past, the issue...

November 2017

November 02, 2017

D&C Gospel Doctrine Lesson 42: Some important background and resources on OD2

This, I think, is important enough for a post. Lesson 42 on Continuing Revelation highlights Official...

August 2017

August 02, 2017

Announcement: MI Seminar Conference on Thursday

The Maxwell Institute Seminar draws to an end with a public conference this Thursday. I'll be...

June 2017

June 06, 2017

My MHA Presentation and Reconciling Science with Scripture

Here is a copy of my MHA presentation text, "Early LDS Attempts to Reconcile...

May 2017

May 04, 2017

May 4th is Not Just Star Wars Day…

Few Mormons, I think, know that May 4 is a significant day in LDS liturgical...

March 2017

March 07, 2017

Transitional Mormonism, Part 2: An Earlier Transition

What do I mean by "transitional Mormonism"? (Part 1 is here if you missed it.)...

February 2017

February 16, 2017

The Complexities of History in The Ensign

I still haven't had time for the second post in my Transitional Mormonism series, but I...

February 01, 2017

Transitional Mormonism and Tradition: Part 1

I wrote the last post while traveling and have just started a new and busy...

January 2017

January 11, 2017

Mormon Said It, I Believe It, That Settles It?

Occasionally, one hears Mormons (usually laypeople) critiquing Protestants for slavish and uncritical interpretation of the...

January 01, 2017

Quick Thoughts on D&C 1:30 “the only true and living Church”

A few scattered thoughts on what "the only true and living Church" might and might...

November 2016

November 02, 2016

A Vague Post on Joseph Fielding Smith, Evolution, and Other Sides of His Story

People are multi-faceted and complex. It's very easy to develop an attitude of putting either...

October 2016

October 27, 2016

“Teaching Bible Stories”- History vs. Fiction in the Improvement Era

The Improvement Era in September 1925 ran a short article in the Editor's Table called...

October 08, 2016

The Backstory to Elder Eyring’s Age of the Earth Comment and Creationism

Elder Eyring told a story in this recent General Conference. My father... was a seasoned...

September 2016

September 11, 2016

Brigham Young, Studying Evil, and Living in a Bubble

I originally wrote this about 10 years ago, reposted it five years ago, and since...

August 2016

August 03, 2016

David O. McKay, Genesis, and Evolution: Part 2.

In a previous post, I detailed President McKay's explicit, published, written approval of a very...

July 2016

July 23, 2016

A Note on Pioneer Day Talks, Sweetwater, and Tradition

I didn't grow up in Utah, and never heard of Pioneer Day until I was...

June 2016

June 28, 2016

David O. McKay on Evolution and Reading Genesis

One part of my book on Genesis 1 (trying to finish this summer) addresses the question...

May 2016

May 09, 2016

Stephen L. Richards on science, religion, questions, and General Authorities

On May 31, 1925, Elder Stephen L. Richards gave the baccalaureate sermon to the graduating class...

March 2016

March 29, 2016

Joseph F. Smith on Evolution and Teaching in Church Schools

The general thrust of my research over the next few years will be science, religion,...