Maxwell Institute Podcast

Latter-day Saints recognize the Book of Mormon as the “keystone of our religion,” a book that will bring a person closer to Christ than by any other book. How do non-Latter-day Saints read the Book of Mormon, though, especially in their academic work? To answer that question, we’ll speak to Dr. Rosalynde Frandsen Welch, Research Fellow and Associate Director of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute, about an article she wrote called “The Secular Syllabus and the Sacred Book: Literary Scholars Approach the Book of Mormon.” As always, we ask you to share the podcast with a friend by word of mouth, sending a link to our YouTube page, or to one of our social media handles @byumaxwell. Without any further ado, let’s speak to Dr. Rosalynde Frandsen Welch. The post Maxwell Institute Podcast #151: The Book of Mormon and Literature Studies, with Rosalynde Frandsen Welch appeared first on Neal A. Maxwell Institute | BYU.

In last week’s episode, we discussed how Jeremiah introduces ideas about seemingly disparate events, including the apocalyptic here-and-now and the hope of a better future for all of humankind. As we continue into our second episode on Jeremiah, we take a turn to earthy practicalities. How do we commit ourselves to God’s work? How do we recognize prophetic teachings? And what’s important about the fact that Lehi and Jeremiah lived at the same time? We discuss that and much more in this week’s episode of Abide: A Maxwell Institute Podcast. The post Abide: Jeremiah and Lamentations Part II appeared first on Neal A. Maxwell Institute | BYU.

The post Abide: Jeremiah Part I appeared first on Neal A. Maxwell Institute | BYU.

In June 2022, the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship and the David O. McKay Center for Intercultural Understanding hosted a conference based upon Patrick Mason’s and David Pulsipher’s new book Proclaim Peace: The Restoration’s Answer to an Age of Conflict.  Participants–scholars and non-scholars alike–reflected together on the interpersonal, ethical, and social dimensions of Christian discipleship and the search for peace in non-Christian traditions.  You can hear Professors Mason and Pulsipher discuss Proclaim Peace on the Maxwell Institute Podcast HERE. The post Maxwell Institute Podcast #150: The Proclaim Peace Conference appeared first on Neal A. Maxwell Institute | BYU.

Today we are joined by Dr. Joseph Spencer, a philosopher, theologian and Assistant Professor of Ancient Scripture here at Brigham Young University. Dr. Spencer is the editor of the Journal of Book of Mormon Studies and a leading scholar of the Book of Mormon. He is a prolific author, and among his recent works are The Vision of All: Twenty-five Lectures on Isaiah in Nephi’s Record (Kofford, 2016) and 1st Nephi: A Brief Theological Introduction, published by the Maxwell Institute in 2020. He has recently completed a monograph on Isaiah in the Book of Mormon, which is currently under review with Oxford University Press. The post Abide: Isaiah 58-66 appeared first on Neal A. Maxwell Institute | BYU.

Listen to Pastor Derwin Gray and Vicki Gray speak on Derwin’s new book, Healing Our Racial Divide: What the Bible Says, and the First Christians Knew, About Racial Reconciliation!Link to book: Amazon The post Maxwell Institute Podcast #149: Healing Our Racial Divide, with Derwin and Vicki Gray appeared first on Neal A. Maxwell Institute | BYU.

Jesus promises in the Gospel of John that he will not leave us comfortless, but that He will come to us. He promises in Matthew that he will give us rest when we are weary and heavy-laden. In my experience, though, that isn’t at the first instance of pain, whether it’s physical, mental, spiritual, or emotional. God asks us to find answers, to knock, to work and watch and fight and pray with all our might and zeal. How do we do that? And how can we think about being comforted by the Divine while also knowing that divine lessons often come in the pursuit of finding that comfort? We’ll discuss that and much more on today’s episode of “Abide: A Maxwell Institute Podcast.” The post Abide: Isaiah 40-49 appeared first on Neal A. Maxwell Institute | BYU.

Richard Bushman once told me that “panic precedes revelation.” Dr. Bushman was discussing the process by which Joseph Smith received the First Vision (recall the line from the Pearl of Great Price that “at that moment of great alarm” that the Father and Son appeared to the boy prophet). While reading, Isaiah, though, I think that the same can be said for Isaiah. He lived in difficult times, with wars, rumors of wars, and the horrors that accompany them. How did he care for his people? How do his revelations affect Latter-day Saints today? We’ll discuss that, and much more, on today’s episode of Abide: A Maxwell Institute Podcast. The post Abide: Isaiah 13-14; 24–30; 35 appeared first on Neal A. Maxwell Institute | BYU.

Isaiah. Latter-day Saints have a special relationship to this Old Testament prophet. Not only do we recognize prophets across all dispensations, but his words were carried by Lehi’s family to the Americas. How do we think about Isaiah? What should we know about the construction of the book of Isaiah? We discuss this, and much more, on this episode of Abide: A Maxwell Institute Podcast. The post Abide: Isaiah 1-12 appeared first on Neal A. Maxwell Institute | BYU.

Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Songs can fall by the wayside when we study them in Sunday School. They don’t always fit into the narratives that we understand about dispensations of authority or give us sustained treatises in the way that a theologian might consider during personal scripture study. However, in preparing for this week, our team recognized the value of these books and understanding the literary, doctrinal, and other beauties that accompany these books. We’ll discuss these topics, and much more, in today’s episode of “Abide: A Maxwell Institute Podcast.” The post Abide: Proverbs and Ecclesiastes appeared first on Neal A. Maxwell Institute | BYU.