By Common Consent, a Mormon Blog
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Kate Holbrook and Matt Bowman have organized what looks to be a fantastic conference on women and the LDS Church for this August. The keynote will be the inimitable Laurel Thatcher Ulrich.
The Tanner Humanities Center website has the details.
Conference is open to the public, no pre-registration required. You might want to get there early, as I suspect it will be packed.
For those in the Boston area needing a spiritual boost before the traditional Saturday evening water inspection this weekend, I will be delivering a devotional fireside at the Cambridge Stake building at 6pm, called “The Faith of a Reader.”[1]
Congratulations to one of BCC’s own!!
(click to enlarge)
Historian/Writer, Church History Department
Job Description
The Church History Department seeks a full-time historian/writer with the appropriate academic training, research and writing skills to contribute to major writing projects on the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. [smb: female applicants encouraged]
[Read more…]
BCC is thrilled to announce that Jacob Baker has agreed to join us as a permablogger. Jacob is a doctoral student in Philosophy of Religion and Theology at Claremont Graduate University, and currently teaches philosophy at BYU and Utah Valley University. He thinks quipping is an art, doesn’t tweet, and does not have a favorite food. He wants to be like Steven Peck when he grows up.
In lieu of a hearty welcome, please send flowers to Steve Evans.
Slim pickings in the nominees, folks. So slim, in fact, that there are no winners. We could only find one nominee for the Best and Worst Comment awards that met all the criteria, so these will roll over to next week!
In conjunction with Jana Reiss’ new book, Flunking Sainthood, we’re pleased to offer a new contest: storytelling. We want to hear your stories of when you’ve been honest about who you really are at Church. Says Jana, “I would like our contest to be for people to tell stories of times they allowed themselves to be really vulnerable and candid in a church setting — both positive and negative stories.” [Read more…]
As part of BCC’s ongoing quest for World Domination, we feel the need to recognize a vital part of what makes blogging fun and what makes BCC a great place to hang out: YOU!
If you’re a follower of our Facebook Page or Twitter feed (and if you’re not, then please get with the program!), then you’re already aware of a new feature, which we hope will become a fun and exciting part of the regular programming here at BCC. Starting next week, BCC will be dishing out two awards every other Friday (unless we forget or get burned out or something), one for the Best Comment of the Week and one for the Worst Comment of the Week. Now, before you start penning your acceptance speeches, there are a few guidelines to be aware of. [Read more…]
Matt Brown died earlier today. He was, I believe, 46 years old. [Read more…]
Spend an Evening with the Authors
We are excited to announce the arrival of Parley P. Pratt: The Apostle Paul of Mormonism by Terryl L. Givens and Matthew J. Grow, published by Oxford University Press. We will have both authors at our store to speak about and sign their book on Friday, October 14. They will be here from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., speaking at 6:00, and will answer questions and sign books before and after that time. [Read more…]
It’s that Semi-Annual time of year again, and the rumors of an announcement regarding the 2-hour block have reached a fever-pitch.
It's not like they're mutually exclusive options...
BCC’s coverage of the 181st Semi-Annual General Conference kicked off with President Beck last weekend. This weekend, settle in with a casserole dish of funeral potatoes and a bowl of Jell-O salad while J. Stapley, John C., and Scott B. spoon-feed The Only True and LivingTM conference coverage: Live-blogging, tweeting (#ldsconf), Facebook (guaranteed to all be Top Stories!), and analysis of the proceedings throughout the weekend. As always, free babysitting will be provided, courtesy of Times & Seasons.
What you need to know:
1. Live-blogging, with BCC perma commentary, photos, and open threads for all sessions here at By Common Consent, starting about about 30 minutes before each session.
2. Twitter Updates throughout the weekend at Twitter.com/ByCommonConsent. Use the #ldsconf hash tag on Twitter for more (albeit inferior) updates from the Twittersphere.
3. Commentary, quotes, and photos on Facebook. Be sure to “Like” or Subscribe to BCC’s Facebook page in order to access this new area of coverage! [Read more…]
We’re really excited that Blair Hodges has agreed to join us as a permablogger here at BCC. The work at both his solo blog, Life on Gold Plates, and at Faith-Promoting Rumor has been tremendous, and we feel lucky to have him aboard. It’s no secret that his book reviews are among the best in the business.
Everyone be sure to wish him a hearty welcome and don’t forget to pass judgment on his sketchy beard!
A number of BCC permas will be presenters this weekend at the annual Restoration Studies / Sunstone Midwest Symposium. The symposium kicks off Friday night with an address on the conference theme: “‘A Woman’s Place…’ Ideas, Impacts, and Experiences of Restoration Women” given by Gail Mengel. (Now retired, Gail was one of two women who became the first female apostles in the RLDS Church, now known as the Community of Christ.)
Russel Arben Fox chairs a star-studded panel that includes our own Kristine Haglund and Tracy McKay, along with Christian Harrison and Chris Henrichsen, in a session entitled “Homemaking Radicalism and Homemaking Realities.” Kristine will also be joining Stacy Mengel Keenan, JWHA Executive Director Sherry Mesle-Morrain, and Sunstone Executive Director Mary Ellen Robertson, to explore the topic of “Getting Educated: How Attending a Church University (or not) Shapes Restoration Women’s Experiences.”
My own presentation will look at the histories of two small American denominations that initially embraced problematic doctrines that they eventually jettisoned before they each ultimately became “just another Protestant church”. The Worldwide Church of God (now Grace Communion International) believed in Anglo-Israelitism (the view that the Anglo-Saxons were the lost tribes of Israel), and the Christian Catholic Apostolic Church (now Christ Community Church) famously believed that the world is flat. How has becoming just another Protestant church worked out in these two examples and what lessons might these experiences hold for the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (now Community of Christ)?
The European Mormon Studies Association
Annual Conference
Durham University, England
4–5 August 2011 [Read more…]
The people at Claremont Graduate University continue to outdo themselves. On March 18-19, 2011, the Howard W. Hunter chair for Mormon Studies is sponsoring this conference.
Just when you thought last year’s Mormon Studies conference at UVU could not be improved upon…
Check this out.
The last six years have been a lot of fun, and I count myself very fortunate to have been able to work on this project and to work on it with Kristine. Honestly, there were moments in the Church History Library when I thought to myself, “If I never have the opportunity to see anything else or work on another project, I will still be full.” We owe many friends and institutions much for their support. Thank you.
[Read more…]
UPDATE/REMINDER!
In just under 2 weeks , Tomorrow evening, By Common Consent and 9 Moons will form an unholy union for an evening of munching and mingling. Rusty Clifton and Susan M from 9 Moons will co-host the event with Scott & Cynthia from BCC, with MikeInWeHo serving as chaperone and designated driver throughout the evening.
Can you think of any better way to skip the State of the Union Address?!?
[Read more…]
Voting is over, and the 2010 Gentile of the Year is Judge Vaughn Walker!
Judge Vaughn Walker. (Photo credit: Mike Linksvayer for WikiMedia Commons)
By Common Consent wishes a Happy Thanksgiving to all of those who share and participate in this wonderful community. In celebration of a holiday characterized by a table overflowing with countless delicious and diverse culinary creations, we offer you a selection of Thanksgiving-themed contributions from our authors. Whether you crave cranberries or haiku, music or football, there is something here for everyone. Enjoy!
From Steve Evans
Thanks to all of our readers and friends. You are the reason we maintain this site. We don’t always show it, but we love our BCC community. I’m profoundly grateful for all of you. Yes, even Aaron.
It’s that semiannual time of year again, folks.
BCC’s coverage of the 180th Seminannual General Conference started last Saturday evening with the Relief Society Broadcast, and will continue throughout the coming weekend and into next week. As is our custom, we will be providing you with the Only True and LivingTM live blogging, Twitter feeds, and analysis of the proceedings throughout the weekend. As always, free babysitting will be provided, courtesy of Times & Seasons.
(As an added bonus, at Kevin Barney’s request, we will also being using talks from the upcoming General Conference in all of our Sunday posts for the next year.) [Read more…]
After penning five* excellent guest posts (and many years of excellent comments), we are pleased to announce that the ever-impressive mmiles has signed a contract with By Common Consent in her own blood, promising to contribute to BCC until the Constitution no longer hangs by a thread. For more about mmiles, check out her bio page.
All hail Sister Miles, BCC’s newest perma!
*There is some question about the authenticity of one of the posts, as it appears that her husband may have been the actual author. Our investigation is ongoing. [Read more…]
Today, the LDS Church launched a new beta Newsroom Website. As can be seen by clicking on the screen shots below, the difference between the two sites is quite remarkable, with considerable changes in content, format, functionality, and color scheme.
If any of you fans of Mormon Studies happen to be in or around Logan this Thursday, be sure to check out the 16th Annual Leonard J. Arrington Mormon History Lecture, held in the Logan Tabernacle. Details below the fold.
After numerous guest posts, applications were submitted and waivers were filed with the PTB, and we are pleased to announce that W.V. Smith has agreed to contribute to By Common Consent on a regular basis. For more about WVS, check out his bio page.
All hail WVS, BCC’s newest perma! [Read more…]
The Annual Summer Seminar on Mormon Culture
“THE GOLD PLATES AS CULTURAL ARTIFACT”
Brigham Young University
July 11 – August 19, 2011
In the summer of 2011, the Neal A Maxwell Institute at Brigham Young University will sponsor a summer seminar for graduate students and junior faculty on “The Gold Plates as Cultural Artifact.” The seminar will be held on the BYU campus in Provo, Utah, from July 11 to August 19. Admitted participants will receive a stipend of $3000 with an accommodations subsidy if needed. The seminar continues the series of seminars on Mormon culture begun in the summer of 1997.
The seminar will be conducted by Richard Bushman, Professor of History Emeritus at Columbia University, and Terryl Givens, Professor of Literature and Religion at the University of Richmond. [Read more…]
If you’re in or near SoCal next weekend, you should check out this conference at USC. For one thing, it’s probably the only time Daniel Peterson and I will ever be on a program together–talk about ecumenism! Seriously, it’s an astonishing lineup of folks, and I’m really looking forward to listening and observing. [Read more…]
Sponsored by BYU Department of Communications, BYU Broadcasting, and BYU Studies
In Conjunction with the 50th Anniversary of BYU Broadcasting
November 11 & 12, 2010
Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, USA
http://ce.byu.edu/cw/mmstudies
“Mormon Media Studies: Across Time, Space, and Disciplines”
**KEYNOTE SPEAKER: TERRYL GIVENS**
The full announcement, with additional information on submission guidelines, deadlines, conference and contact information can be found here.
As this is the first ever interdisciplinary Mormon Media Studies Symposium, the range of topics to be explored in paper and panel sessions is wide. [Read more…]
After three superb posts BCC is pleased to announce that Sunny Smart has agreed to contribute to the blog on a regular basis as a perma. We do, however, want to make it very clear that the fact that she refuses to be a Visiting Teacher had absolutely nothing to do with this decision. [Read more…]
Readers of Dialogue know how indispensable it is. Dialogue represents the best of independent Mormon thought available today. The product of a rich spiritual and intellectual heritage, today’s Dialogue is an immensely valuable tool in promoting interesting conversations and in fostering a thoughtful LDS community. I firmly believe that without Dialogue, sites like BCC would probably not exist today. And now, with some elbow grease on your part, you can win a subscription for yourself. [Read more…]
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