Perspectives on Parley Pratt’s Autobiography: Pratt and the Enervating Power of Evil

By August 14, 2009


In my spare moments this summer, I returned to Pratt’s Autobiography just to see what would strike me. Probably because of my continuing work on Mormon theodicy, my interest in the changing Mormon conceptions of evil and the accompanying shift in apotropaic ritual, I was most interested in several passages dealing with Pratt’s view of evil in the world.

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Neither Johnny Lingo nor the Eight-Cow Husband Fought in the Mormon Cow War

By August 13, 2009


Moving onward, ever onward, through the simile and metaphor zoo, we arrive at Bos primigenius, ?civilization?s most important animal,? the cow. [1] Mormonism?s pre-eminent bovine octet first lumbered across a public screen in 1969 when Johnny Lingo used them to buy a bride, perpetuate his culture?s patriarchal commodification of women, and teach us that if we?re nice and/or Machiavellian enough we?ll get a hot wife. Or something. [2] Fittingly for a Mormon-produced film, plurality dominated the plot.

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Preserving Your Personal History: A Lecture Series Sponsored by the Church History Library

By August 13, 2009


I was at the Church History Library and inadvertently struck gold as I picked up a pamphlet at the desk.  I say gold because I’m in an ongoing effort to preserve my family history and these lectures seem like a great opportunity to get ideas and direction in this from professional archivists and conservators from the Church History Library and the Church History Museum. Here is the Schedule:

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Notes from the 2009 Eborn Book Event: Dennis Horne on Abraham Cannon and Other Projects

By August 12, 2009


Here are my notes from Dennis Horne’s presentation. As always, these are imcomplete notes and not a complete transcript.

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Sunstones along the Road to Zion: Mary Farrell Bednarowski and Women’s Religious Experience

By August 11, 2009


After salivating over Mystic Pizza and briefly, very briefly, missing Connecticut, I flipped to KBYU for a little late-night telethon watching. I was pleased to have my appetite whetted again. The fare was a documentary miniseries called Road to Zion: Travels in Church History, France.

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Perspectives of Parley Pratt’s Autobiography: Joseph Spencer on Pratt’s Poetry

By August 10, 2009


[Yet another post in the Perspectives on Parley Pratt’s Autobiography series. Joe recently received a MLS degree from San Jose State University, but has decided to turn from the practical back to the abstract and will be applying to PhD programs in philosophy this fall. He is active in the Society of Mormon Philosophy and Theology, Mormon Scholars in the Humanities, and the Mormon Theology Seminar, and is well-known in the bloggernacle for his Priesthood/RS lesson posts over at Feast Upon the Word blog. Joe is married with a  handful of kids, and his only flaw is his belief that continental philosophy can solve all the world’s problems.]

Parley P. Pratt is still well known for his poetry, didactic and pedestrian as it often enough is.

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Notes From The 2nd Annual Eborn Book Event: Brent Ashworth and Harvard Heath on the Recently Discovered McLellin Manuscript

By August 8, 2009


On August 6, 2009, I attended two sessions from Bret Eborn’s 2nd annual book event. It was a small affair, under 30 people when I was there.  Here are notes from Brent Ashworth and Harvard Heath on the McLellin manuscript (I’ll put up notes from the second session I attended next week):

Brent Ashworth

I?ve been honored to have the assistance of Harvard Heath to put this journal into context, we have the beginnings of that, once we have the complete text roughed out, I will say as preparing for this, my first goal was to try to avoid talking about Hoffman, but it?s impossible to do that. 

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Notes From the FAIR Conference: Robert White and Ron Barney

By August 6, 2009


Here are some notes from Ron Barney’s presentation and that of Robert White. I would encourage everyone to read these notes, especially from White’s talk. There is a lot there to digest including jabs at the “Sunshine” symposium and other things. As always, these are notes and are not a complete transcript. Official proceedings including transcripts and MP3s will be made available at the FAIR official site. Please see their site for full proceedings.

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Ron Romig’s new gig: Kirtland Temple Site Director

By August 6, 2009


As reported first by Ardis at Keepapitchinin, Ron Romig, MHA President and recently displaced Community of Christ archivist, has been appointed as the new site director for the Kirtland Temple. From Ardis:

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The Perspectives on Parley Pratt’s Autobiography: BiV on “Conjugal Relations of Parley P. Pratt as Portrayed in his Autobiography”

By August 6, 2009


[This is another installment of the Perspectives on Parley Pratt’s Autobiography series. BiV is a legend around the ‘nacle, blogging at Hieing to Kolob and Mormon Matters, and a common contributor to JI.]

Searching the Parley P. Pratt autobiography for clues about his love and marital experiences is a fascinating enterprise, both because of what he includes, and what he purposely leaves out.

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