The Sunstone Symposium preliminary program is available online here in pdf format. They’ve put together some real phenomenal sessions (kinda makes me wonder what I was doing in that job for three years!) Some of the highlights are a panel on the 20 year anniversary of the Hofmann bombings, with Mark Hofmann’s ex-wife Doralee and Gretchen Sheets McNees, a daughter of Hofmann victim Kathy Sheets.
Also, Don Gale of KSL fame will be presenting. His name might not be that recognizable outside Utah but I think this is a real coup for Sunstone. Gale was responsible for delivering KSL editorials for many years and was an important leader at the Church-owned TV station.
A panel on women and Joseph Smith, with Lavina Fielding Anderson, Linda King Newell, and Margaret Toscano should be interesting, if a bit on the "liberal" side for some people :) L. Jackson Newell delivering the banquet address will be top notch as well, I think. Also, Duane Jeffery and other scientists will discuss recent controversies surrounding "intelligent design". Jan Shipps is also speaking this year.
On the book side of things, you’ve got Michael Quinn discussing several different biographies of Joseph Smith published since the 70s. A panel of award-winning biographers will be reviewing Greg Prince’s book on David O. McKay – Gary Bergera, Boyd Petersen, Ed Kimball, Newell Bringhurst, and Greg himself.
They’re also screening the film, "This Divided State." A UVSC filmmaker dropped out of school to make this documentary which chronicles the intense controversy of Michael Moore speaking at UVSC in the heart of Utah county. If you lived here, it’d been a while since something had polarzied Utah so much and this film is supposed to be very good.
Finally, who can beat Darius Gray doing Pillars of My Faith? now I’ll be picking up all these sessions and plenty more on tape, and I’ll miss those of you who are planning on going.
I downloaded this because we’re having problems with our Acrobat.
You gotta love anything titled “preliminary final hybrid”
Will they get Mr. Mac on the Hoffman panel as well?
“Will they get Mr. Mac on the Hoffman panel as well?”
Doubtful, but you never know.
BTW, the last paragraph was supposed to say that I will be out of town for this years symposium. I’ll be visiting my dad in Washington, DC and taking a desperately needed vacation with my wife. It’ll be mighty strange not being at the symposium, and as I hint, I’ll miss those of you who are planning on attending.
“A panel on women and Joseph Smith, with Lavina Fielding Anderson, Linda King Newell, and Margaret Toscano should be interesting, if a bit on the ‘liberal’ side for some people.”
Err, more like the “apostate” side IMHO.