Juvenile Instructor

“Our forefathers, by their blood, have purchased for us liberty; but as far as the rights of the weak are concerned, the Revolution has progressed slowly.”

David G. — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 04:18:00 +0000

Happy Independence Day. Here’s a discourse given by George A. Smith on the fourth in 1854. Remember that at this time the Saints are struggling with the federal government over the right to self government. Notice how Smith negotiates in his narration his commitment to both an American identity and a Mormon identity.

George A. Smith, “Celebration of the Fourth of July,” July 4, 1854, Journal of Discourses, 6: 364-67.

Gentlemen and Ladies-Fellow-Citizens,-I arise here to address you a few moments upon a subject which has, perhaps, been worn threadbare by orators, statesmen, and divines, for the last seventy years, in the minds of a great portion of (more…)

In defense of the Pew survey: a recap

matt b. — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 03:18:32 +0000

This is, quite simply, the single most extensive canvass of American religious life ever achieved. (more…)

The Transcendentalist’s “New Bible”, the Book of Mormon, and the Romantic Quest for Modern Scriptural Texts

Ben — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 01:52:45 +0000

Literary scholar Lawrence Buell, in his excellent New England Literary Culture, explored one of the most important ideas related to the antebellum Romantic thinkers–an idea that he defines as “literary scripturism.” (more…)

It Does Not Die?: The Mountain Meadows Massacre

Janiece — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 21:59:03 +0000

In It Does Not Die, Maitreyi Devi wrote a “she said” to Mircea Elidae’s Bengal Nights, the “he said” semi-autobiographical account of his time in 1930s Calcutta and his relationship with Devi.[1] Unsurprisingly, Devi offered a very different version of events in her narrative. Academia (and even Oprah thanks to James Frey) has long debated the definition of memoir and its highly subjective nature. A comparison of It Does Not Die and Bengal Nights provides many aspects for analysis of events personally subjective and emotive while grounded in history. Can scholarship ever overcome personal opinion or reaction in highly emotionally charged historical events? (more…)

AML at RMMLA in Reno rescue call for papers

Stan — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 04:21:36 +0000

Bruce Jorgensen is looking for submissions for this year’s Mormon Letters session at RMMLA–a great opportunity to present at a conference, especially for anyone doing stuff in Mormon literature or film. I’ve posted Jorgensen’s CFP and submission details below:

For about three decades, since shortly after its organization, AML has had a “conjoint” or (now) “affiliated” session at the annual Convention of the Rocky Mountain Modern Language Association. This year, as of the program deadline for the RMMLA Convention, no program for the AML session had been filed. With permission from the RMMLA Secretariat, I’m attempting a rescue mission with this rather belated call for papers.

(more…)

The Juvenile Instructor, guest starring Janiece Johnson

matt b. — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 20:51:49 +0000

We at the JI are honored to host the esteemable Janiece Johnson for the next couple of weeks.

In her own words, Janiece’s biography relevant to this blog can be measured out in “BYU, BYU, Vandy, the U,” corresponding roughly to “poli-sci, history, theology, history.” She’s currently PhD’ing in the University of Utah’s history department and writing a dissertation that will resolve everybody’s questions about the Mountain Meadows Massacre in a satisfying and logical way. If we are all particularly lucky, perhaps she will have something further to say about that.

Welcome, Janiece!

The JI Scores Yet Another Great Acquisition…Edje

David G. — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 14:31:30 +0000

Please welcome out latest grad student acquisition, Edje, who after two weeks of guestblogging is now joining us permanently. See here for his bio. (more…)

On Numbers, or Women Speak Too Often in General Conference

Edje — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 10:37:03 +0000

Thank goodness for laptops and wireless internet. For this post I had to dress my young, whippersnapping self as a black stew-pot and climb onto a very high horse. Balancing a desktop would have been nigh impossible, especially with all the kettles watching. This pot is stewing a rant (with a soupçon of rave) on some basic number sense (more…)

“Theosoph[ies] and Mormonism,” etc.

Stan — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 22:30:53 +0000

Tradition has it that Madame Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, co-founder of the well-known Theosophical Society, had wanted to travel to Nauvoo to see the Mormons but was unable to do so due to their expulsion from the state of Illinois shortly before she arrived in the U.S. [1]. Though such a visit unfortunately never materialized (it could have been an encounter to rival Joseph Smith’s interview with the prophet Matthias in its historical delectability), tradition also has it that she did pass through Salt Lake City in the early 1850s, (more…)

For never, since the Son of God was slain/ Had blood so noble, flow’d from human vein

David G. — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 14:39:50 +0000

No time for a real post dealing with the martyrdom today, but here’s ERS’s memorial of Joseph Smith’s death. (more…)