The Charles Redd Center for Western Studies is pleased to announce multiple awards for 2024 that are available for scholars, students, or organizations conducting research or producing public programming from any discipline that is related to the Intermountain regions of Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, or Wyoming. Applications for 2024 are due by 11:59 p.m. MST on March 15, and awardees will be notified by May 1.
Scholars have hotly debated the role that faith should play within Mormon Studies. Richard Bushman, for example, has argued believing scholars should develop their own hermeneutic that recognizes the presence of God in human history. Other scholars have rejected his suggestion, asking what evidence a person would use to identify the hand of God. The role that faith should play in writing history has been particularly contentious within Mormon history. Apologists and critics of the LDS Church have long used history to try to prove or disprove its truth claims. In this webinar, five scholars will discuss the role that faith should play in writing Mormon history and the difference between academic and devotional history.
Be sure to nominate your work, your friend’s work, your colleague’s work, and any work that you enjoyed on Mormon history for a Mormon History Association Award!
Information about all awards: https://mormonhistoryassociation.org/awards/
Printing for the Youth of Zion: One Approach to the History of Latter-day Saint Print Culture
In 1831, Joseph Smith dictated a revelation on the “printing…selecting and writing books for schools in this church, that little children also may receive instruction.” (D&C 55:4) This instruction to W.W. Phelps and Oliver Cowdery established that the creation of printed material for children and youth was to be a priority for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. While the effort of creating printed material for children lay largely dormant for a few decades, by the late nineteenth century, a robust print culture had developed around this goal, and it continued to gain momentum into the twentieth century.
Along with its relaunch, Element: A Journal of Mormon Philosophy and Theology seeks submissions for its upcoming 2024 issue. Submissions are welcomed from students and from lay and professional philosophers alike. Papers must engage with subject matter relevant to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in an intellectually rigorous manner, and must do so through the lens of the academic disciplines of philosophy or theology. To be considered for publication in the journal’s 2024 issue, submissions must be received by April 15, 2023, and must adhere to the journal’s submission and style guides. Submissions received after this date may be considered for publication in subsequent issues.
In 2023, The John Whitmer Historical Association Journal published twenty-three articles through a special edition for the association’s fifth anniversary (Vol 43, no.1) and the Fall/Winter Issue (Vol. 43, no. 2). Topics for these two volumes include international history (Community of Christ in England and Nigeria), women’s history, Latter-day Saint/Community of Christ interdenominational studies, art/theatre/literature, and more. The denominations published about include Community of Christ, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite), and the Church of Christ (Temple Lot).
The John Whitmer Historical Association also has a full index of published articles with short descriptions and past issues (2-year wall) available on its website. Subscriptions to the journal can be made by joining the association with both physical and electronic journal options available. Journal articles can also be found in libraries and through ILL.
The Young Women and Young Men Organizations of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The Department of Church History and Doctrine at BYU and the Church History Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announce the Church History Symposium, October 24–25, 2024. The symposium will convene at Brigham Young University (October 24) and at the Church History Library in Salt Lake City (October 25). Keynote speakers include Young Women General President Emily Freeman, and Young Men General President Steven J. Lund, and Dr. Monica Mercado, Professor of Women’s Studies and North American Religions at Colgate University.
The Mormon History Association presents Latter Day Histories–a three-part virtual lecture series that features the latest research in Mormon history from award-winning members of our community. This year will feature lectures with Richard Bushman (Colombia University) “Do the Gold Plates Matter?” and interview with Kris Wright–11/30/23; Elisa Pulido (Independent Historian) “Marriage and Divorce in the Latter Day Saint Tradition: Parallel Histories” and interview with Amanda Hendrix-Komoto–01/25/24; and Christopher Blythe (Brigham Young University) “Emma Hale Smith In the Eyes of Her LDS Descendants” and interview with Janiece Johnson–03/28/24. You can sign up for a single lecture or for full season access. All proceeds are earmarked for the live-streaming and recording of the annual conference. Event Details Latter Day Histories
The University of Virginia’s Mormon Studies Program is pleased to announce the inaugural award of the Aileen H. and Hal M. Clyde Research Fellowship in Mormon Studies and Gender. For the year 2024, as many as two fellowships of $2,500 will be awarded for research in the Gregory A. Prince Collection related to Mormonism and gender, including women’s history, feminist studies, masculinity studies, or sexuality studies. Proposals will be reviewed beginning on January 15, 2024.
Also, beginning January 15, 2024, we will begin reviewing applications for two, short-term fellowships of $2,500 each to conduct research in the Prince Collection on any topic related to Mormonism.
Steve Fleming on Study and Faith, 5:: “The burden of proof is on the claim of there BEING Nephites. From a scholarly point of view, the burden of proof is on the…”
Eric on Study and Faith, 5:: “But that's not what I was saying about the nature of evidence of an unknown civilization. I am talking about linguistics, not ruins. …”
Steve Fleming on Study and Faith, 5:: “Large civilizations leave behind evidence of their existence. For instance, I just read that scholars estimate the kingdom of Judah to have been around 110,000…”
Eric on Study and Faith, 5:: “I have always understood the key to issues with Nephite archeology to be language. Besides the fact that there is vastly more to Mesoamerican…”
Steven Borup on In Memoriam: James B.: “Bro Allen was the lead coordinator in 1980 for the BYU Washington, DC Seminar and added valuable insights into American history as we also toured…”
David G. on In Memoriam: James B.: “Jim was a legend who impacted so many through his scholarship and kind mentoring. He'll be missed.”
Recent Comments
Steve Fleming on Study and Faith, 5:: “The burden of proof is on the claim of there BEING Nephites. From a scholarly point of view, the burden of proof is on the…”
Eric on Study and Faith, 5:: “But that's not what I was saying about the nature of evidence of an unknown civilization. I am talking about linguistics, not ruins. …”
Steve Fleming on Study and Faith, 5:: “Large civilizations leave behind evidence of their existence. For instance, I just read that scholars estimate the kingdom of Judah to have been around 110,000…”
Eric on Study and Faith, 5:: “I have always understood the key to issues with Nephite archeology to be language. Besides the fact that there is vastly more to Mesoamerican…”
Steven Borup on In Memoriam: James B.: “Bro Allen was the lead coordinator in 1980 for the BYU Washington, DC Seminar and added valuable insights into American history as we also toured…”
David G. on In Memoriam: James B.: “Jim was a legend who impacted so many through his scholarship and kind mentoring. He'll be missed.”