By Jared TJanuary 31, 2011
In 2004, J. Spencer Fluhman joined the faculty of the department of Church History and Doctrine in the BYU Department of Religious Education (“The Religion Department” as it’s commonly known) as a full-time employee. In the interim he has rapidly gained a reputation not only for solid scholarship but for his engaging and entertaining teaching style. He recently published an important piece about Joseph Smith’s polygamy in the latest number of Mormon Historical Studies and his dissertation, ?Anti-Mormonism and the Making of Religion in Antebellum America” will be published within the year. He also recently finished a term on the board of the Mormon History Association. Many of us here at the JI count Spencer as a mentor and a friend as well as a colleague.
We’re pleased to announce that this past week, Spencer was hired by the BYU department of history and will begin teaching in the fall. Please join us in congratulating Spencer on this new chapter in his career.
By GuestJanuary 28, 2011
David Golding is a PhD student in the History of Christianity at Claremont Graduate University and a co-editor (with Loyd Ericson) of the new Claremont Journal of Mormon Studies. He has been kind enough to share a little bit about this new publishing venture and a Call for Papers.
Continue Reading
By David G.January 28, 2011
Patrick Q. Mason. He did his graduate work at Notre Dame under George Marsden and recently published a form of his dissertation as The Mormon Menace: Violence and Anti-Mormonism in the Antebellum South (I have to say that the title of his dissertation, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry Mob,” is pretty dang awesome). He has also published several articles of note. Apparently it won’t be official until March, but the word is now out.
Congrats, Pat. This is great news for Claremont, too.
By Ben PJanuary 27, 2011
MHA put up its quarterly newspaper this week, and there are a few items worth noting.
Continue Reading
By January 14, 2011
“Church History and Doctrine has 2 or 3 faculty positions to be filled this year. Candidates can apply at https://yjobs.byu.edu. Applications will be accepted through January 21, 2011.”
Here are a few random (one that was posted recently and the others which were linked to in the subsequent discussion) posts in the Bloggernacle dealing with the BYU Religion Department:
Continue Reading
By Jared TJanuary 14, 2011
2011 JWHA Annual Meeting Call for Papers
Continue Reading
By ChristopherJanuary 11, 2011
The Mormon History Association is pleased to announce the following award competitions, including the new Silver Award for Mormon Women’s History. Submissions for each category must be received by February 15, 2011 at the respective email addresses indicated below.
Continue Reading
By Jared TJanuary 10, 2011
*Updates in comments 7, 11, 25, 27, 30 and 32. Also, in the Signature Books section I’ve added anticipated release dates for forthcoming publications provided by the publisher.*
Last year I put together, with help from a number of publishers, booksellers, and friends, a list of forthcoming and recently published books on Mormon history. Most of those books highlighted last year have indeed found a place on bookshelves, so it?s about time to do it again. There are some exciting books that have recently come off the press and which are still forthcoming. Ben did a good job last week of mentioning some highlights from recent publications, so I’m going a bit light on the “recently published” aspect of this list. Generally speaking, the books that were on last years list and have been published I will not list here. As always, I?m sure I missed some titles, so if you know of others or have heard rumors of other forthcoming books/projects, please leave a comment and I?ll add it to the list.
Continue Reading
By matt b.December 8, 2010
The Intellectual Prospects for Mormonism?: The Third Biennial Faith and Knowledge Conference for LDS Graduate Students in Religion
Duke University
February 11-12, 2011
The Faith and Knowledge conference series was established in 2006 to bring together LDS graduate students and young faculty in religious studies and related disciplines in order to explore the intellectual interactions between religious faith and scholarship. In past conferences, graduate students have been invited to reflect upon aspects of their own intellectual reconciliations?or their failures to do so?between church and academy, and to offer fruitful solutions to fellow students undergoing similar intellectual journeys.
In keeping with these past objectives, we invite graduate students in religious studies and related disciplines working on issues related to religion (including philosophy, anthropology, sociology, ethics, history, and others) to consider Mormonism?s prospects. What intellectual and ethical issues do Mormons now face in the academy and in the intellectual world generally? What are Mormonism?s prospects for development, reconciliation, or heightened conflict?
The conference will feature a keynote address by Grant Hardy, author of Understanding the Book of Mormon: A Reader?s Guide.
Papers should be brief, pointed comments of ten to fifteen minutes reflecting the author?s experience and designed to serve as starting points for discussion.
Travel and accommodations subsidies will be available for those who contribute papers.
The deadline for paper proposals has been extended to October 15, 2010. Short proposals (no more than 250 words) should be sent to Ariel Bybee Laughton ( ariel.laughton@gmail.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ). Presenters will be notified by December 1, 2010.
Richard Bushman
Jason Combs
Ariel Bybee Laughton
Seth Payne
Taylor Petrey
UPDATE:
The upcoming Faith and Knowledge conference for graduate students in Religious Studies is now accepting participant registration for those not giving papers. The 2011 conference schedule should soon be finalized and made available to those who register. In the past, qualified registrants have been eligible for a free hotel room for the duration of the conference in order to make it easier for graduate students to attend. The $25 registration fee helps pay for the conference expenses. Register here.
By ChristopherOctober 22, 2010
Stephen C. Taysom. Shakers, Mormons, and Religious Worlds: Conflicting Visions, Contested Boundaries. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2010. xvi + 263 pp. Notes. Bibliography. Index. $34.95. Cloth.
Continue Reading
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.”