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135 cover.qxp 1/18/2005 1:43 PM Page 2 MORMON EXPERIENCE SCHOLARSHIP ISSUES & ART SUNSTONESUNSTONE MORMONISM AS PRAXIS by Phyllis Barber, H. Parker Blount, John Dewey Remy, Jana Riess, and Holly Welker (p.16) KEEPING FAITH AND READING KAFKA and THE WALLS LEFT STANDING by Neal and Rebecca Chandler (p.42) ROCK, SQUEAK, WHEEZE, Brown fiction contest winner by David M. Clark (p.54) Blake T. Ostler on The Logical Structure of DNA Arguments against the Book of Mormon (p.70) Columns by Lorie Winder MORMON WOMEN’S Stromberg, Velincia Veljasevic, SEXUAL TRAINING IN THE Michael Nielsen, and D. Jeff Burton TWENTIETH CENTURY NEWS by Laura L. Bush, with a response Community of Christ president resigns; by Holly Welker LDS senator becomes top- ranking Democrat; and much more! (p. 73) December 2004—$5.95 ifc.qxp 1/18/2005 12:59 PM Page 1 The Collected Leonard J. Arrington Junius and Joseph Mormon History Lectures Presidential Politics and the Assassination of the First Mormon Prophet PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL COLLECTIONS & ARCHIVES, UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY ROBERT S. WICKS and FRED R. FOISTER LIBRARIES Wicks and Foister engage in a thorough reexamination of Joseph The ten lectures to date in the Leonard J. Smith’s 1844 presidential candidacy, its political context and Arrington Mormon History Lecture Series are implications, and its probable connection to his murder. While their here collected in one volume for the first time. work asserts controversial conclusions about what and who were behind Lectures by Leonard Arrington, Richard Bennett, that murder, its import extends further since it provides unprecedented, Claudia Bushman, Richard Bushman, Kenneth detailed portraits of political Mormonism, politics in 1844 Illinois and Godfrey, Howard Lamar, Ross Peterson, Jan Shipps, Laurel Thatcher the Midwest, the web of connections and personalities that linked the two, and the events of June 27. Ulrich, and Donald Worster. $29.95 cloth, 0-87421-598-6 296 pages, 5¾ x 8¾ $24.95 paper, 0-87421-608-7 $45.95 cloth, 0-87421-607-9 408 pages, 6 x 9, photos and maps The Mormon Vanguard Brigade of 1847 VOLUME 7 IN THE LIFE WRITINGS OF FRONTIER WOMEN SERIES Norton Jacob’s Record No Place to Call Home EDITED BY RONALD O. BARNEY The 1807–1857 Life Writings There are no historical events that have more iconic significance for of Caroline Barnes Crosby, the people of Utah than the trek of the vanguard company of Chronicler of Outlying Mormon Mormons west in 1847. Widely regarded as one of the most detailed and valuable eyewitness accounts, Norton Jacob's record tells the story Communities of Brigham Young’s pioneer company from the perspective of a rank EDITED BY EDWARD LEO LYMAN, and file member. SUSAN WARD PAYNE, and $22.95 paper, 0-87421-610-9 $44.95 cloth, 0-87421-609-5 360 pages, 6 x 9, photos and maps S. GEORGE ELLSWORTH Caroline Crosby left a record of her life and travels, telling us not only UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY PRESS much about herself and her family but also about times and places of UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY PRESS which her documentary record provides a virtually unparalleled view. 780007800 O OLDLD MMAINAIN HHILLILL • LOGANOGAN, ,U UTAHTAH 8432284322 WWW..USU.EDU/USUPRESS • 1.800.239.9974 $29.95 cloth, 0-87421-601-X 584 pages, 6 x 9, photos and maps The Pictograph Murders by P. G. Karamesines here is an other-worldliness about this book that kept me riveted long after I should have been abed. To call the story T “spooky” is not enough. After I finished, I found myself in a state of introspection, a feeling that I need to attain some sense of balance between the real and the mythic. Such explorations can lead alternately to enlightenment and to madness, and in the end, the real challenge is in determining which is which. I’m not so sure I know any more. This is a remarkable book, and merits wide readership. —JEFFERY NEEDLE Association for Mormon Letters WWW.SIGNATUREBOOKS.COM 01_toc.qxp 1/18/2005 12:57 PM Page 1 MORMON EXPERIENCE, SCHOLARSHIP, ISSUES, & ART DECEMBER 2004 Issue 135 FEATURES MORMONISM AS PRAXIS 16 Holly Welker . INTRODUCTION 17 Phyllis Barber . THE PRACTICE OF SIMPLE FAITH 19 H. Parker Blount . WHY I READ THE SCRIPTURES 21 John Dewy Remy . A SKEPTIC’S PRACTICE OF PRAYER 23 Jana Riess . “MORE FULLY UNSPOTTED FROM THE WORLD”: Thoughts on Sabbath Keeping 25 Holly Welker . A JOURNAL WORTH KEEPING (WHETHER THE ANGELS QUOTE FROM ITORNOT) MORMON WOMEN’S SEXUAL TRAINING IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY SUNSTONE (ISSN 0363-1370) is published by The Sunstone 28 Laura L. Bush. FROM BUNKERVILLE TO BABYLON: Juanita Brooks Education Foundation, Inc., a non-profit corporation with no and Phyllis Barber Tell the Story of Twentieth- official ties to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Century Mormon Women’s Sexual Training Articles represent the opinions of the writers only. 38 Holly Welker . SEXUAL SUBJECTS FOR THE TWENTY-FIRST SUNSTONE is indexed in Religion Index One: Periodicals, the Index to Book Reviews in Religion, Religion Indexes: RIO/RIT/IBBR CENTURY OR, RIPE PEACHES AND PEACH 1975–on CD-ROM, and the ATLA Religion Database, published by SCHNAPPS: Just Say No the American Theological Library Association, 250 S. Wacker Dr., 16th Flr., Chicago, IL 60606 42 Neal Chandler. KEEPING FAITH AND READING KAFKA (e-mail: [email protected], WWW: http://atla.com/). 48 Rebecca Chandler . THE WALLS LEFT STANDING: Notes from My Submissions may be on IBM-PC compatible computer discs East German Journal, 1999–2000 (MS Word or WordPerfect format), or by e-mail attachment. Submissions should not exceed 8,000 words and must be 56 David M. Clark . ROCK, SQUEAK, WHEEZE: 2001 Brookie & D. K. accompanied by a signed letter giving permission for the Brown Fiction Contest Winner manuscript to be filed in the Sunstone Collection at the University of Utah Marriott Library (all literary rights are retained POETRY by authors). Manuscripts will not be returned; authors will be 47 Edward Beatty. TEST RESULTS notified concerning acceptance within ninety days. 61 Virgil Suarez . RECITATIVE OF A MOMENT’S FUGUE SUNSTONE is interested in feature- and column-length articles relevant to Mormonism from a variety of perspectives, news COLUMNS stories about Mormons and the LDS Church, and short reflections and commentary. Poetry submissions should have one poem per 6 William Stanford . FROM THE PUBLISHER: e-VOLUTION page, with the poet’s name and address on each page; a self- 8 Dan Wotherspoon . FROM THE EDITOR: Size addressed, stamped envelope should accompany each submission. Short poems—haiku, limericks, couplets, and one- CORNUCOPIA liners—are very welcome. Short stories are selected only through 10 Sarah Ray Allred . RIGHTEOUS DOMINION: A Bishop in Sneakers the annual Brookie and D. K. Brown Memorial Fiction Contest (next submission deadline: 30 June 2005; $5 fee per story). 11 Kristine Haglund Harris . BLOGWATCH: On Spiritual Education Letters for publication should be identified. SUNSTONE does 12 Todd Robert Petersen . IN THE BELLY OF THE WHALE: “Thou Shalt not acknowledge receipt of letters to the editor. Letters addressed Not . Because Thou Art Mormon” to specific authors will be forwarded, unopened, to them. 60 Lorie Winder Stromberg. TURNING THE TIME OVER TO. : Power Hungry SUNSTONE will not provide subscriber addresses to mail list solicitors without permission. 62 Velincia Veljasevic . THE LONG-PROMISED DAY?: Send all correspondence and manuscripts to: On the Outside Looking In SUNSTONE 64 Michael Nielsen . NONSTANDARD DEVIATIONS: 343 N. Third West Inspiration and Desperation Salt Lake City, UT 84103-1215 (801) 355-5926 66 D. Jeff Burton. BRAVING THE BORDERLANDS. : fax: (801) 355-4043 Doubt Proving Faith email: [email protected] website: www.sunstoneonline.com 70 Blake T. Ostler . YEA, YEA, NAY, NAY: Assessing the Logical United States subscriptions to SUNSTONE are $36 for 6 issues, Structure of DNA Arguments against the $65 for 12 issues, and $90 for 18 issues. International Book of Mormon subscriptions are $48 for 6 issues; $89 for 12 issues; $126 for 18 80 Juanita Brooks . AN OLIVE LEAF: A Living Thing issues. All payments must be in U.S. funds drawn on a U.S. bank. All international subscriptions will be sent via surface mail. BOOK REVIEW Bona fide student and missionary subscriptions are $10 less than the above rates. A $10 service charge will be deducted from 68 Gary Shepherd . A SOCIOLOGIST SORTS OUT MORMON refund amount on cancelations. RACIALISM: All Abraham’s Children: Changing Mormon Conceptions of Race and Lineage Printed by A “Green” Shop by Armand L. Mauss UPDATE Copyright © 2004, The Sunstone Education Foundation. All rights reserved. 73 . Community of Christ president steps down; and more Printed in the United States of America. Cover Art: Hsuang-Ju Li 02-05_letters.qxp 1/18/2005 1:00 PM Page 2 SUNSTONE YEA, YEA NAY, NAY ered to offer important precedents for official Founded in 1974 STRIKING A BALANCE SCOTT KENNEY 1974–1978 apologies and renunciations. By reminding ALLEN D. ROBERTS 1978–1980 UANE JEFFERY’S ARTICLE ON NOAH’S us of the strength, not weakness, manifest in PEGGY FLETCHER 1978–1986 DANIEL H. RECTOR 1986–1991 DFlood (SUNSTONE, October 2004) South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation work, LINDA JEAN STEPHENSON 1991–1992 ELBERT EUGENE PECK 1986–2001 serves as a wonderful reminder that there are as well as specific recent apologies to the LDS Editor still many subjects yet to be explored in Church from the state of Illinois and certain DAN WOTHERSPOON Publisher Mormonism. Jeffery could have simply com- Christian groups, Rees’s article strengthens WILLIAM STANFORD pared the scientific record with the biblical the case for the Church to apologize for its Associate Editor CAROL B.