Vol. 18 Num. 1 the FARMS Review
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Review of Books on the Book of Mormon 1989–2011 Volume 18 Number 1 Article 25 2006 Vol. 18 Num. 1 The FARMS Review FARMS Review Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/msr BYU ScholarsArchive Citation Review, FARMS (2006) "Vol. 18 Num. 1 The FARMS Review," Review of Books on the Book of Mormon 1989–2011: Vol. 18 : No. 1 , Article 25. Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/msr/vol18/iss1/25 This Full Issue is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Review of Books on the Book of Mormon 1989–2011 by an authorized editor of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. The FARMS Review The FARMS Review Editor Daniel C. Peterson Associate Editors Louis C. Midgley George L. Mitton Production Editor Shirley S. Ricks Cover Design Andrew D. Livingston Layout Jacob D. Rawlins The Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship Executive Director Andrew C. Skinner Associate Executive Director M. Gerald Bradford Assistant Executive Director Alison V. P. Coutts Director, FARMS S. Kent Brown Director, METI Daniel C. Peterson Director, CPART Kristian Heal The FARMS Review Volume 18 • Number 1 • 2006 ! Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship Brigham Young University © 2006 Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship Brigham Young University All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America ISSN 1550-3194 To Our Readers The Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship encour- ages and supports research on the Book of Mormon, the Book of Abraham, the Bible, other ancient scripture, and related subjects. The Maxwell Institute publishes and distributes titles in these areas for the benefit of scholars and interested Latter-day Saint readers. Primary research interests at the Maxwell Institute include the history, language, literature, culture, geography, politics, and law rele- vant to ancient scripture. Although such subjects are of secondary im- portance when compared with the spiritual and eternal messages of scripture, solid research and academic perspectives can supply certain kinds of useful information, even if only tentatively, concerning many significant and interesting questions about scripture. The Maxwell Institute makes reports about this research avail- able widely, promptly, and economically. These publications are peer- reviewed to ensure that scholarly standards are met. The proceeds from the sale of these materials are used to support further research and publications. The purpose of the FARMS Review is to help serious readers make informed choices and judgments about books published on the Book of Mormon and associated topics, as well as to publish substantial freestanding essays on related matters. We hope, thereby, to encour- age reliable scholarship with regard to such subjects. Most reviews and articles are solicited or assigned. Any person in- terested in writing a specific article or review should send a proposal to the editor. If the proposal is accepted, the Review style guidelines will be sent with the acceptance. The opinions expressed in these reviews and articles are those of the authors. They do not necessarily represent the opinions of the vi • FARMS Review of Books 18/1 (2006) Maxwell Institute, its editors, Brigham Young University, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or the authors’ employers. No por- tion of the reviews or articles may be used in advertising or for any other commercial purpose without the express written permission of the Maxwell Institute. The FARMS Review is published semiannually. See the Web site at maxwellinstitute.byu.edu for reviews and articles appearing in the FARMS Review. Contents Editor’s Introduction, “Knowing Brother Joseph Again,” by Louis Midgley ................................................................................ xi Book of Mormon Brinley, Geri. The Book of Mormon: A Pattern for Parenting (Thomas W. Draper and Lindsey Kenny, “Book of Mormon Parenting”) ......................................................... 1 Kramer, Joel P., and Scott R. Johnson. The Bible vs. the Book of Mormon (film) (David E. Bokovoy, “The Bible vs. the Book of Mormon: Still Losing the Battle”) ..................................................... 3 Riess, Jana, annotator. The Book of Mormon: Selections Annotated and Explained (Shirley S. Ricks, “The Book of Mormon Abridged Anew”) ...............................................................................21 Articles Mark Ashurst-McGee. “Moroni as Angel and as Treasure Guardian” .............................................................. 35 John M. Butler. “Addressing Questions surrounding the Book of Mormon and DNA Research” ..................................101 David G. Stewart Jr. “DNA and the Book of Mormon” .................... 109 John S. Welch. “Keep the Old Wine in Old Wineskins: The Pleasing (Not Pleading) Bar of God” .................................... 139 viii • The FARMS Review 18/1 (2006) Daniel C. Peterson. “Authority in the Book of Mosiah” .................. 149 Royal Skousen. “Conjectural Emendation in the Book of Mormon” ..................................................................... 187 Mormon Studies Harris, Sam. The End of Faith: Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reason (Michael D. Jibson, “Imagine”) ..................................................... 233 McMurrin, Sterling M. The Theological Foundations of the Mormon Religion (Ted Vaggalis, “The Gospel and the Captive Woman”) ............ 265 Ostler, Blake T. Exploring Mormon Thought: The Attributes of God Ostler, Blake T. Exploring Mormon Thought: The Problems of Theism and the Love of God (Richard Sherlock, “Blake Ostler’s Mormon Theology”) .......... 291 Evenson, William E., and Duane E. Jeffery. Mormonism and Evolution: The Authoritative LDS Statements (Frank B. Salisbury, “The Church and Evolution: A Brief History of Official Statements”) ...................................... 307 Stephens, Trent D., and D. Jeffrey Meldrum, with Forrest B. Peterson. Evolution and Mormonism: A Quest for Understanding (Frank B. Salisbury, “Creation by Evolution?”) ...........................313 Vogel, Dan. Joseph Smith: The Making of a Prophet (Larry E. Morris, “Joseph Smith and ‘Interpretive Biography’ ”) .............................................................. 321 Articles Paul Y. Hoskisson. “Aaron’s Golden Calf” ......................................... 375 Daniel C. Peterson. “Mormonism as a Restoration” ......................... 389 Contents • ix Scriptural Studies Clark, E. Douglas. The Blessings of Abraham: Becoming a Zion People (Brian M. Hauglid, “ ‘Look unto Abraham Your Father’ ”) .................................................................................. 419 Kitchen, Kenneth A. On the Reliability of the Old Testament (John Gee, “The Old Testament as Reliable History”) ............... 425 Article Stephen D. Ricks. “Dexiosis and Dextrarum Iunctio: The Sacred Handclasp in the Classical and Early Christian World” ............................................................................ 431 Book Notes Bridgstock, Ben. The Joseph Smith Family .......................................... 437 William J. Hamblin. Warfare in the Ancient Near East to 1600 BC: Holy Warriors at the Dawn of History ......................... 437 Hansen, Carol. Reorganized Latter Day Saint Church: Is It Christian? ................................................................... 438 Hatch, John P., ed. Danish Apostle: The Diaries of Anthon H. Lund, 1890–1921 ...................................................... 439 Holzapfel, Richard Neitzel, and Thomas A. Wayment, eds. The Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ, Volume 2: From the Transfiguration through the Triumphal Entry ............ 439 Trask, Paul. Part Way to Utah: The Forgotten Mormons; A Look at the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints .........................................................................440 About the Contributors .........................................................................443 Editor’s Introduction Knowing Brother Joseph Again Louis Midgley, associate editor The truth you speak doth lack some gentleness. William Shakespeare here have been times when I have been, as my former students Tmight testify, obsessed with the words and deeds of James Madi- son and Alexis de Tocqueville, as well as various theologians and phi- losophers. I know these authors only by pondering texts written by or about them. But they have, despite my passion for their writings, been for me merely of secondary concern. There are a few others— Joseph Smith is an example—who are permanently in my thoughts, even more so than my own parents. Why am I haunted by him? Why should all of us come to know Brother Joseph? I will try to explain. I will also describe and then draw some preliminary conclusions from my own initial encounters with challenging explanations and jarring bits of information about Joseph. More than those others about whom I have or once had an intel- lectual curiosity, for me Brother Joseph holds a key to something deep in my soul. His words and deeds ground my faith. From time to time I have revisited him in the hope of knowing him better. When a new essay or book appears, even—or especially—an attack on him, I am back at it again. I very much want to be aware of and reflect on all that . The Tempest, 2.1.138 (Riverside ed.). xii • The FARMS Review