Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Latter-day Saint
“By Small Means”

“By Small Means”

Last updated on: November 16, 2018 at 3:59 pm by Dan Peterson

“By Small Means” 2018-11-16T15:59:03-07:00 Dan Peterson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

A modern image of some of the artifacts related to the Book of Mormon
(Wikimedia CC: David A. Baird/Historical Arts and Castings)

New, in the soon to be renamed Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture:

“‘By Small Means’: Rethinking the Liahona,” by Timothy Gervais and John L. Joyce

The Liahona’s faith-based functionality and miraculous appearance have often been viewed as incongruous with natural law. This paper attempts to reconcile the Liahona to scientific law by displaying similarities between its apparent mechanisms and ancient navigation instruments called astrolabes. It further suggests the Liahona may have been a wedding dowry Ishmael provided to Lehi’s family. The paper displays the integral connection Nephi had to the Liahona’s functionality and how this connection more clearly explains the lack of faith displayed by Nephi’s band during the journey than traditional conceptions of its faith-based functionality.

***

This is an important statement from Book of Mormon Central regarding the Annotated Edition of the Book of Mormon that’s being published by the FIRM Foundation:

Executive Summary of the Annotated Edition of the Book of Mormon

***

And here’s a significant resource for those who are thinking and talking about President Russell M. Nelson call for us to reemphasize the official name of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which believing members regard as having been given to us by divine revelation:

“A ‘Mormon’ By Any Other Name”

***

I’m hoping that this will be helpful to at least some folks out there:

“Am I good enough? A conversation on mental illness with Elder J. Devn Cornish (+podcast)”

Incidentally, before he was called to serve as a General Authority of the Church, Elder J. Devn Cornish was a physician and a professor at a prominent medical school.

And this topic is obviously something that’s been on his mind for a while, as is manifest from the title of this 2016 address in General Conference:

“Am I Good Enough? Will I Make It?”

***

“CNN Features Video of Latter-day Saint Praying as She Escapes Deadly Camp Fire”

Regarding those fires, by the way, see my post from yesterday entitled “Paradise Lost”:

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/danpeterson/2018/11/paradise-lost.html

***

This has the potential — if members of the Church will rise to the occasion — to be really spectacular and to do a very great deal of good. I have to admit that I particularly like the vending machines. They’re actually fun:

“5 Incredible Ways the Church’s #LightTheWorld Will Be Different This Year”

Uncategorized

Previous Post

November 16, 2018

"I had left my body"

Next Post

November 16, 2018 "Dispute with them in the best way"

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 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 December 2014 November 2014 March 2014 August 2013 February 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who walked with God and was taken to heaven without dying?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Enoch Daniel Elijah Moses