After a brief hiatus, we are back with the weekly round-up. Let’s go!

ICYMI yesterday, there are new developments at The Dictionary of Mormon Biography.

At the US Religion Blog, Mike Altman discusses Mormon attempts to build common ground with Islam through a personal note written in the front of a Book of Mormon. Anyone looking for a paper idea could look in all the copies at Deseret Industries or Goodwill for other attempts of Mormons attempting to connect with other religious cultures.

Brandon Flowers, the front man for The Killers, had this to say to Rolling Stone: “He was also one of the greatest storytellers, and that’s something that I gravitate toward, not just because of the music but because of how open he was about his faith,” Flowers said of the late country icon before leading off with his take on “I Came to Believe.” In an unrelated note, Flowers’ I’m a Mormon video was nearly unanimously viewed when my New Religious Movements class was required to watch 3 “I’m a Mormon” videos.

BYU-Hawaii followed the example of BYU-Idaho, and is closing down its athletic programs in three years. BYU Football coach Bronco Mendenhall quotes Henry Eyring, LDS First Presidency member, as saying BYU athletics is second only to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir for missionary work. Interesting move by BYU-Hawaii. Our condolences go out to the families of those impacted. Go Siders!

The University of Utah is exploring a “Mormon Studies” minor.

A great article on Mormon teens participating in a Mormon Trek in Australia. Our own Tona H has some fantastic thoughts on “becoming pioneer children in the digital age.”

“What Pagans Can Learn From Pioneer Mormons”

This was posted in the previous round-up, but is worth a second look: Malcolm Gladwell on finding common ground with New Religious Movements:

“So why were nineteenth-century Americans so upset with the Mormons? Moore’s answer is that Americans thought the Mormons were different from them because the Mormons themselves “said they were different and because their claims, frequently advanced in the most obnoxious way possible, prompted others to agree and to treat them as such.” In order to give his followers a sense of identity and resilience, Joseph Smith “required them to maintain certain fictions of cultural apartness.” Moore describes this as a very American pattern. Countless religious innovators over the years have played the game of establishing an identity for themselves by accentuating their otherness. Koresh faced the same problem.”

The Maxwell Institute released its annual report. We at JI are thrilled with how the Mormon Studies Review turned out, as well as many endeavors of the academic endeavors at the Institute. You should read the first edition. It costs about the same as a Chipotle burrito and beverage.

The Joseph Smith Papers are hiring.

Darius Gray and Margaret Young continue their work with Mormonism and race; Darius has some poignant words for women and sexual minorities in the LDS Church as well: ” Build up the family… the family of God…and we can’t do it with that sort of a negative attitude. We have to work and change paradigms.”

The Huffington Post had two articles on Mormon missionary work online. The retention rates the articles claim are stunning, if true.

A week late, but no less profound, Gina Colvin’s feelings on the Ordain Women Movement.

Finally, The Atlantic has an article on the Ordain Women Movement: ” several news-making, albeit small, changes have taken place in the Church since OW’s launch, though the Church gives no credit to the grassroots organization for the developments.”