The King Follett Discourse is one of Joseph Smith’s most well-known sermons. Many consider it the pinnacle of the Prophet’s teachings, although Joseph had previously taught most of the ideas. Interestingly, the King Follett Sermon rarely makes an appearance in general conference or other official sources. In this interview, James Faulconer says that the sermon’s role in Latter-day Saint theology is an open question.
While Latter-day Saints don’t have a formal theology, the tradition is rich with revealed truth and ongoing inquiry. Yet to Be Revealed, a special issue of BYU Studies, explores meaningful questions for which the Church has not offered definitive positions. The volume highlights how prophetic teachings have, at times, emphasized different dimensions of doctrine. In this interview, editor Eric Eliason discusses topics such as God’s progress in knowledge and the King Follett Sermon, exploring how to engage varied perspectives faithfully.
Proclaim Peace: The Restoration’s Answer to an Age of Conflict is a new Maxwell Institute publication by Patrick Mason and David Pulsipher. The authors explain how the book came to be, theorize about the next steps in their theories, and discuss the role of peace in creating a Zion society.
Sharon J. Harris is an assistant professor of English at Brigham Young University. She is also the author of a volume in the Maxwell Institute’s Brief Theological Introductions series about Enos, Jarom, and Omni.
Apocalyptic beliefs and expectations have shaped the beliefs of Latter-day Saints since the time of Joseph Smith. Key narratives of our religious history were formed using apocalyptic language, including the building of temples and conflicts with the government. Popular Latter-day Saint apocalyptic texts such as the White Horse Prophecy and Visions of Glory continue to make headlines today. In this interview, folklorist Christopher Blythe discusses topics from his new book, Terrible Revolution: Latter-day Saints and the American Apocalypse.
Scholar Terryl Givens is the author of 2nd Nephi: A Brief Theological Introduction. He has also published a landmark biography of Eugene England and written about the theology of grace and works.
Spencer Fluhman and Philip Barlow are co-editors of the groundbreaking Maxwell Institute series, Brief Theological Introductions to the Book of Mormon.
The concepts of priesthood power, authority, and keys have evolved since the days of Joseph Smith. That includes changes that impact the relationship of women and the priesthood. In this interview, Wendy Ulrich discusses related concepts from her new book, Live Up to Our Privileges: Women, Power, and Priesthood.
Philip Barlow is a scholar at the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship at Brigham Young University. He has also served as the Leonard Arrington Chair of Mormon History and Culture at Utah State University. Although not as well known as Truman G. Madsen or Terryl Givens, Barlow is considered one of today’s leading Latter-day Saint intellectuals. In this interview, he discusses the roles of his faith and intellectualism.
Reading scriptures like the Book of Mormon can be an incredible experience, but sometimes small things like reading a certain number of verses per day or repeatedly seeing the same layout get in the way. A new book from the Neal A. Maxwell Institute of Religious Studies at BYU hopes to eliminate any obstacles posed by the layout of the text.