The Salt Lake Mormon Studies Student Association will host Steve Harper, Professor of Church History at BYU, on January 28, 2010 at 7 pm for a public lecture entitled: “Memory and the First Vision.”  The lecture will be held on the University of Utah Campus in the Carolyn Tanner Irish Humanities Building, room 101 (main floor).

Abstract: “The accounts of Joseph Smith?s first vision are well known among historians of Mormonism.  However, no scholars have yet analyzed these documents in light of the scholarship on memory that psychologists and neuroscientists have generated in the last three decades.  In light of this scholarship, much that has been written and said concerning Joseph?s vision (by believers and unbelievers) appears to be based on assumptions that are not substantiated by the science of memory.  This informal presentation will discuss Joseph?s accounts in light of the science of memory.”

Mark your calendars! I will have a follow up post this week with details about how to get there, and parking. Also, as will be tradition, I will have details on place and time for those who would like to get together beforehand for dinner (Any recommendations? Steve, unfortunately, will not be able to make dinner).  We had a great turn out for dinner and lecture with Kristine Haglund (see notes here), and I hope we can make this and each SLMSSA lecture a success. Please pass this information to all interested parties and support SLMSSA by printing and posting this flier far and wide! You can email saltlakemormonstudies@gmail.com for a pdf or jpeg image.