This week, Utah Valley University plays host to what promises to be a fascinating conference on Mormonism’s scriptural canon. Five reasons you should attend:
There has been a lot of discussion about “Mormon studies” recently. The best way to be a judge of the field, I would argue, is becoming acquinted with the great work currently taking place within it. Much of this conference promises to be an embodiment of the field’s finest.- David Holland, recently hired at Harvard Divinity School and whose fantastic book is on the conference’s theme, is a keynote speaker. I had the privilege of attending a lecture of his a couple months ago, and I can honestly say it was one of the best academic presentations I’ve ever heard, so I promise you are in for a treat.
- The other keynote is to be given by Paul Charles Gutjahr, a respected figure in American religious history. Besides his well-received book on the Bible in America, he recently published a biography of the Book of Mormon.
- The rest of the papers are given by a number of prominent scholars whose names should be familiar to BCC readers.
- What better way to prepare for General Conference, one the most visual representations of our tradition’s notion of continuing revelation, than by gaining a deeper understanding of the roots of that tradition?
The program’s website is here, which also includes bios for all the presenters, and the schedule is below.
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The Expanded Canon
Perspectives on Mormonism & Sacred Texts
April 4-5, 2013
Lakeview Room, UVU Library (4th floor) – free and open to the public
Schedule of Events
Thursday, April 4
8:15 – 8:30 a.m. – Welcome
8:30 – 9:45 a.m.
Mormons Reading Scripture
“On the Literal Reading of Scripture”
James Faulconer”Reading Mormon Women Back Into the Prophetic Line”
Claudia Bushman”Waning Primacy of Printed Scripture in Mormonism:
Gutenberg to E-Scripture”
Blair Van Dyke
10:00 – 10:50 a.m.
Keynote Address
“Past, Present and Personal:
The Councillary Character of Mormon Scripture.”
David Holland
11:00 – 12:00 p.m.
Panel Discussion
James Faulconer, Claudia Bushman, Blair van Dyke, and David Holland
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. – Break for Lunch
1:00 – 2:15 p.m.
Adding to the Canon: The Book of Mormon
“The Gold Plates and Devotional Reading of the Book of Mormon”
Richard Bushman“The Book of Mormon as Post-canonical Canon”
Grant Hardy“Restoring the Original Text of the Book of Mormon”
Royal Skousen
2:30 – 3:30 p.m.
Adding to the Canon: The Doctrine & Covenants
“Relishing the Revisions: The Doctrine and Covenants and the Revelatory Process”
Grant Underwood“How long can rolling waters remain impure?” Literary Aspects of the Doctrine and Covenants
Richard Dilworth Rust
3:30 – 4:30 p.m.
Panel Discussion
Richard Bushman, Grant Hardy, Royal Skousen, Grant Underwood, Richard Dilworth Rust
5:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Reception
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Friday, April 5th
8:30 – 8:45 a.m. – Welcome
8:45 – 9:50 a.m.
The Role of Scripture and the
Challenge of the Pearl of Great Price
“The Scriptures and the Rise of Global Christianity”
Todd M. Johnson“The Pearl of Great Price: Its Ascendancy and Legitimation”
Brian Hauglid“‘The Book Which Thou Shalt Write’: Higher Criticism and the Book of Moses”
David Edward Bokovoy
10:00 – 10:50 a.m.
Keynote Address
“Different Print Cultures Spawning Different Books of Mormon”
Paul Charles Gutjahr
11:00 – 11:50 a.m.
Panel Discussion
Brian Hauglid, David Edward Bokovoy, and Paul Charles Gutjahr
12:00 – 2:00 p.m.
Global Mormonism & Global Christianity
Orem Institute of Religion
2:10 – 3:30 p.m.
An Ever-Expanding Canon:
From Patriarchal Blessings to the Proclamation on the Family
”Patriarchal Blessings in the Prophetic Development of Early Mormonism”
Gordon Shepherd“Beyond the Canon: Authoritative Discourse in the Digital Age”
Brian Birch“The Art of Scripture and Scripture as Art: The Proclamation on the Family and the Expanding Canon”
Boyd Petersen & David Scott
3:30 – 4:30 p.m.
Panel Discussion
Gordon Shepherd, Brian Birch, Boyd Petersen, David Scott
By Common Consent, a Mormon Blog 
And yes, this post at first said “three reasons” while listing five. Let’s just say quantitative history is not one of my specialties.
Mormons have a particular interest in Paul Gutjahr’s study of the Bible in American and his biography of the Book of Mormon, but his finest work, in my opinion, is his recent biography of Charles Hodge–which is a model of astute, empathetic religious scholarship. I would be happy to listen to a lecture on anything by someone who wrote a book like that.
Indeed. His Hodge book is phenomenal.
Wish I could be there; looks like a terrific line up.
Webcast in for those of us in the diaspora?
Does anyone know if the conference will be streamed live? I can’t see anything about that on the website, but didn’t they stream it last year?
From what I’ve heard, they won’t be streaming it, but they do hope the video will be put online at some point.
Thanks for the reminder, Ben. Looks like a nice conference.