July 2003
LATIN – apologeticus GREEK – apologetikos Apologetics: “The branch of theology that is concerned with defending or proving the truth of Christian doctrines” (The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th edition, Houghton Mifflin Company, 2009).
JOURNAL CONTENTS
- SPECIAL CONFERENCE EDITION. An overview of the fantastic array of Conference presentations highlighted in this issue of the FAIR Journal.
- GET YOUR TICKETS NOW! Conference is less than two weeks away. Information on how to get your tickets so you won’t be left out.
- NEW ON THE WEBSITE: CONFERENCE TALKS FROM 2001. Highlights of five conference presentations that are newly available on the Web site.
- NEW ON THE WEBSITE: CONFERENCE TALKS FROM 2000. Great information on six conference presentations from 2000 that can now be read on the Web site.
- NEW ON THE WEBSITE: CONFERENCE TALKS FROM 1999. Titles, authors, and links to seven presentations from the 1999 FAIR Conference.
- FAIR LDS BOOKSTORE. Reminders about the resources available through the FAIR LDS Bookstore.
- ARTICLE SUBMISSIONS. Interested in writing for FAIR? Learn how you can have your apologetics work published.
- PUBLISHING NOTES. Learn how you can become more involved in FAIR and how you can reuse the material we publish.
- FAIR JOURNAL ARCHIVES
SPECIAL CONFERENCE EDITION
In honor of this upcoming conference, we have posted the conference talks from prior years on the FAIR Web site. We have also highlighted many of the articles in this month’s FAIR Journal. We are only highlighting those talks that have not previously appeared in the Journal. See the full list of these excellent articles here:
If you like what you see, please don’t forget to include FAIR in your list of charitable donations this year. Donations from people like you are what allow us to put on our conferences.
Donate here:
GET YOUR TICKETS NOW!
The deadline for ordering conference tickets that include the catered luncheons is July 31–less than a week away!
After that time, you may continue to order tickets to go to the conference right up until the conference start date, but it won’t include lunch.
To order your tickets to this year’s FAIR conference, click here:
If you would like more information on the conference itself, click here:
CONFERENCE TALKS FROM 2001
THE DIVINE SOURCE OF THE BOOK OF MORMON IN THE FACE OF ALTERNATIVE THEORIES ADVOCATED BY LDS CRITICS
In this fascinating talk given at the 2001 FAIR conference, Daniel C. Peterson explores the many theories of the origins of the Book of Mormon, discussing their plausibility. This talk is certainly one you won’t want to miss.
Read his talk here:
The Divine Source of the Book of Mormon in the Face of Alternative Theories Advocated by LDS Critics by Daniel C. Peterson
SCHOLARSHIP IN MORMONISM AND MORMONISM IN SCHOLARSHIP
John Tvedtnes says it best in his 2001 conference talk as he says, “The opportunity to discuss LDS topics in scholarly venues has prompted me to discuss with you the status of scholarship in Mormonism and of Mormonism in scholarship. In doing so, it will be necessary to discuss the recent history of LDS scholarship and how it has fared in both the scholarly world and with critics of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I will not be discussing LDS scholarship in general, which is rather extensive. Rather, we will be looking at scholarly work on LDS topics that have published in non-LDS publications.”
Read his talk here:
Scholarship in Mormonism and Mormonism in Scholarship by John Tvedtnes
ARABIA AND THE BOOK OF MORMON
“Whenever students who are interested in the ancient world and want to pursue a career in the study of antiquity ask me about a direction that they might take, I say, “Think Arabia.” There are literally thousands of inscriptions on temples and other buildings that are still preserved in southern Arabia and have never been read or studied. People who work archaeologically in other Near Eastern places would love just a couple of small inscriptions. In contrast, scholars of ancient Arabia enjoy access to hundreds and hundreds of unread lines.” In this talk from the 2001 FAIR conference, BYU professor of Ancient Scripture S. Kent Brown discusses the journey of Lehi and Sariah in the desert.
Arabia and the Book of Mormon by S. Kent Brown
BENJAMIN OR MOSIAH? RESOLVING AN ANOMALY IN MOSIAH 21:28
At Mosiah 21:28 of the Book of Mormon, both the Printer’s Manuscript and the 1830 edition reads Benjamin, while all subsequent editions read Mosiah. Why was this change made, and was it warranted? In this talk from the 2001 FAIR conference L. Ara Norwood discusses this unusual change.
Benjamin or Mosiah? Resolving an Anomaly in Mosiah 21:28 by L. Ara Norwood
NEPHI AND GOLIATH: A REAPPRAISAL OF THE USE OF THE OLD TESTAMENT IN FIRST NEPHI
In this talk from the 2001 FAIR conference, Ben McGuire talks about the literary aspects of the writings of Nephi in the Book of Mormon by comparing First Nephi with the Old Testament story of Goliath.
Nephi and Goliath: A Reappraisal of the Use of the Old Testament in First Nephi by Ben McGuire
CONFERENCE TALKS FROM 2000
MORMONISM–SHADOW OR REALITY?: HISTORY OR PROPAGANDA? JOSEPH SMITH AS A CASE STUDY
This article by Danel W. Bachman explores the objectivity of this book. If you are a fan of the Tanner’s work, you should certainly take a look at this.
Mormonism–Shadow or Reality? History or Propaganda? Joseph Smith as a Case Study by Danel W. Bachman
AN INCIDENT CONCERNING PAGE 81 OF “MORMONISM–SHADOW OR REALITY?”
Robert Vukich gives a second look at the Tanner’s book.
An Incident Concerning Page 81 of “Mormonism–Shadow or Reality?” by Robert Vukich
A REAL PEOPLE, TIME, AND PLACE: CONTEXTUALIZING THE BOOK OF MORMON
Brant Gardner writes, “Perhaps the best illustration of a popular tactic in the on-going polemic against the Book of Mormon was encapsulated in a question Abraham Lincoln reportedly asked of some in the crowd who were disputing him. He asked, “If you call a sheep’s tail a leg, how many legs does a sheep have?” After many answers of “five,” he replied, ‘A sheep has four legs. Calling a tail a leg doesn’t make it one.'”
A Real People, Time, and Place: Contextualizing the Book of Mormon by Brant Gardner
BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS WITH WRECKING BALLS OF FALLACY
Kevin C. Hill writes, “Some critics of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have claimed that Joseph Smith changed his doctrine regarding the nature of The Godhead. They claim that in the early period of The LDS Church the teachings on The Godhead are more Trinitarian in nature and follow a classical theistic approach. Indeed, they claim that the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants and other non-canonical sources teach a concept of God similar to that found in the Protestant world and that up until approximately 1838 the LDS Church taught this concept of God. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate that the claim that Joseph changed his view of God is incorrect.”
Breaking Down Barriers with Wrecking Balls of Fallacy by Kevin C. Hill
NEHORS IN THE LAND: A LATTER-DAY VARIATION ON AN ANCIENT THEME
L. Ara Norwood writes, “The Book of Mormon records descriptions of many peoples and their religious beliefs. Some of these beliefs are holy and others are evil. This is reflective of Lehi’s teaching that there must needs be an opposition in all things or else the very purposes of creation itself would have been compromised. The Book of Mormon tells of other champions of righteousness, Nephi and Jacob, Benjamin and Mosiah, Captain Moroni and Teancumur, Alma and Amulek, to name a few. It also records various villains, such as Korihor and King Noah, Sherem and Amlici, Zemnarihah and Giddianhi. We learn of noble deeds as well as ignoble deeds done in Nephite society.” Read this year 2000 conference paper to learn about modern day Nehors.
Nehors in the Land: A Latter-day Variation on an Ancient Theme by L. Ara Norwood
EASIER THAN RESEARCH, MORE INFLAMMATORY THAN TRUTH
Daniel C. Peterson gives us the rules for dealing with other religions and then identifies how those rules are broken.
Easier than Research, More Inflammatory than Truth by Daniel C. Peterson
CONFERENCE TALKS FROM 1999
The following talks were given at the 1999 FAIR conference. All of them are excellent. The titles are very descriptive so we have opted not to include a paragraph on each one. All of these articles fall into the “must read” category.
A TALE OF TWO RESTORATIONS,
by Kevin Barney
A Tale of Two Restorations by Kevin Barney
MORMONISM IN THE EARLY JEWISH CHRISTIAN MILIEU,
by Barry Bickmore
Mormonism in the Early Jewish Christian Milieu by Barry Bickmore
JOSHUA THE HIGH PRIEST AND THE COUNCIL OF THE GODS IN THE BOOK OF ZACHARIAH: A POST-EXILIC JEW IN KING YAHWEY’S COURT,
by Roger Cook
Joshua the High Priest and the Council of the Gods in the Book of Zechariah: A Post-exilic Jew in King Yahweh’s Court by Roger Cook
WHAT HAS ATHENS TO DO WITH JERUSALEM?: APOSTASY AND RESTORATION IN THE BIG PICTURE,
by Daniel C. Peterson
“What Has Athens to Do with Jerusalem?”: Apostasy and Restoration in the Big Picture by Daniel C. Peterson
I HAVE SAID, ‘YE ARE GODS,’
by D. Charles Pyle
SALVATION FOR THE DEAD: A RESPONSE TO LUKE WILSON
by Matt Roper
Salvation for the Dead: A Response to Luke Wilson by Matthew Roper
EARLY CHRISTIAN AND JEWISH RITUALS RELATED TO TEMPLE PRACTICES
by John Tvedtnes
Early Christian and Jewish Rituals Related to Temple Practices by John Tvedtnes
FAIR ONLINE BOOKSTORE
Our bookstore personnel are busy getting ready for conference and making sure that everything is in order. This month we are featuring the following books:
Defending Zion: George Q. Cannon and the California Mormon Newspaper Wars of 1856-1857
by Roger Ekins. In 2003
Dr. Ekins was the recipient of the the Phi Theta Kappa Mosal Award Award as well as winning the Steven F. Christensen Best Documentary History Award by the Mormon Historical Association. (Dr. Ekins is attending and presenting at this year’s FAIR Conference.)
Lehi in the Wilderness: 81 New Evidences Documenting the Book of Mormon Is a True History
by George D. Potter and Richard Wellington
A great book for anyone interested in Book of Mormon evidences. (Brothers Potter and Wellington are attending and presenting at this year’s FAIR Conference.)
By The Hand of Mormon: The American Scripture that Launched a New World Religion
by Terryl L. Givens
This is the new paperback edition of this amazing book. This is a must-read for anyone interested in LDS scripture and history. As an “Editor’s Pick” in The FARMS Review, Volume 15, Number 1 (2003), this titled was rated as “Outstanding, a seminal work of the kind that appears only rarely.”
For these specials, visit the FAIR LDS Bookstore:
FAIR Bookstore – Monthly Specials
See you at Conference!
– The FAIR Bookstore Staff
ARTICLE SUBMISSIONS
We welcome article submissions for the FAIR Web site. If you would like to submit an article, please review the editing guidelines at:
Submit your article to the FAIR Journal Editor. An appropriate article would be one that affirms the truthfulness of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
While LDS apologetics (in the broadest sense) deals with refuting critics of the Church, articles don’t necessarily have to deal with anti-Mormonism, but may deal with some new evidence of the Book of Mormon, some interesting scripture interpretation, a viewpoint or quote from the early Christian Fathers or other historical figure, an interesting lesson idea, an inspiring missionary story, Church history, or your view on a current event related to the Church or a piece from a historical journal.
We may also accept articles from people who are not members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that may not necessarily meet the guidelines of supporting the church if it is a topic of general interest to people involved in apologetics.
A submission may range in length from several pages to a single paragraph.
PUBLISHING NOTES
FAIR is not owned, controlled by or affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. All research and opinions provided in the FAIR Journal and on the FAIR Web site (http://www.fairlds.org) are the sole responsibility of FAIR, and should not be interpreted as official statements of LDS doctrine, belief or practice.
If someone has forwarded this e-journal to you and you would like to join you should go to www.fairlds.org and click on the FAIR Publications link.
If you are very interested in apologetics and would like to actively participate in FAIR you should consider joining our apologetics e-mail list. Visit www.fairlds.org and click on the Join FAIR link to join this list.
If you manage your own e-mail list, and wish to include some of these thoughts or articles on your list, contact us through our Web site, at this page: www.fairlds.org/contact.psp. We have a fairly liberal policy of using our material so long as you contact us first to gain permission and clearly identify that your source was FAIR and by adding a link to the FAIR Web site (www.fairlds.org).
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To return to the index of past FAIR Journal issues, click here.
