I love it when I run across other members' writings in which they give close readings of scripture stories with careful analysis. For your edification, I direct you to the chapter called "Three Stories" by Charles Swift from the book My Redeemer Lives. The analyze the stories of feeding the five thousand, Jesus walking on the water, and an incident from Charles Swift's conversion story. I loved it, and I think you'll love it too.
Showing posts with label article. Show all posts
Showing posts with label article. Show all posts
29 Ways of Writing to Learn About the Scriptures
I stumbled upon an
article by Dennis A. Wright from
the Religious Educator (a magazine
for seminary and institute instructors) called “Using Writing to EnhanceLearning in Religious Education: Practical Ideas for Classroom Use.” (Religious
Educator 3, no. 3 (2002): 115–121.)
In this article, Brother
Wright describes a variety of different writing activities that can be used in
seminary and institute classrooms to help students think about the
scriptures. He lists 29 in all.
(excited noises in all the land) Check it out!
I was delighted to find that
many of these activities are ones that I have done as part of my scripture
study and writing for this blog. I
was pleased to find more activities to try.
I love the perspective
Brother Wright gives about the importance of writing about the gospel, since it
informs my efforts to blog about the scriptures:
The Lord esteems the
writings of His servants so highly that He has declared He will judge the whole
world from their books (see 3 Nephi 27:25–26).
But all the books have not
been written. As students and teachers of the gospel, we have our own
opportunity to write the words that God speaks to us. This invitation is
extended to all the Saints, not just the prophets. Paul taught, “He that
prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation and comfort” (1
Corinthians 14:3). As a church, we seek to edify others through our sacrament
talks, via the lessons we teach, and in our missionary efforts. The process of
thinking and writing enhances the service we offer. When we help our students
learn how to ponder the gospel of Jesus Christ through classroom and personal writings,
we teach students to act upon an important principle of edification. When we
encourage students to communicate their faith through writing as well as
through speaking, we provide an important opportunity for the Spirit to witness
the truth.
Learning to ponder the
gospel of Christ through writing is an important principle of edification
(often neglected). Often I’ve only
understood a scripture passage more fully while in the middle of writing about
it. If I had only thought and not
written, I would not have learned as much.
Communicating faith through
writing gives additional opportunities for the Spirit to witness of the truth
beyond the bounds of our personal presence or even our lifetime. (This is a hope a cling to as I continue to blog.) I think it was Hugh Nibley who
speculated that writing was given by the Lord for that purpose.
Skin Color in the Book of Mormon
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The blog Gently Hew Stone has a video The “Racist” Book of Mormon in
which Jamie Huston very carefully analyzes the passages in the Book of Mormon about
“dark skin” and “curse.” (Don’t
let the video title freak you out; those are irony quotes.) His examination is instructive and refreshing, and his
conclusions are surprising and edifying.
Well done, Jamie Huston! (general applause all around)
Go watch it, people!
More interesting outside articles
Recently I found a book at the institute library that had some really good articles in it that changed the way I looked a number of different parts of the Book of Mormon. I was also thrilled to discover that this book, Reexploring the Book of Mormon, is accessible online. The following are chapters that I found particularly enlightening. Each one is a fairly short article of maybe 2-3 pages, so it shouldn’t take too much of your time.
Statutes, Judgments, Ordinances, and Commandments by John W. Welch
I found this to be interesting as it suggested some meaning to a ritual phrase “laws, rites, and ordinances” that I encounter.
Jacob’s Ten Commandments by John W. Welch
This added an additional dimension to a block of verses that I’d read over many times before, which begin “Wo unto..”
What Was a Mosiah? by John W. Welch
Connects together the king’s name, the historical events of the Book of Mosiah, and makes it a type of Christ.
Abinadi and Pentacost by Robert F. Smith, Gordon C. Thomasson, and John W. Welch
This shows that Abinadi may have chosen the time of his confrontation of King Noah and the wicked priests to best emphasize his message.
Four Quarters by Steven L. Olsen, and Diane E. Wirth
Symbolism of the number four.
The Destruction of Ammonihah and the Law of Apostate Cities by John W. Welch
Links the Ammonihah events to provisions in the Law of Moses that concern cities that go bad. Fascinating.
The Case of an Unobserved Murder by John W. Welch
Talmudic examination of the evidence for the assassinated chief judge and conviction of the murderer.
Thieves and Robbers by Kelly Ward, and John W. Welch
Do you know the difference between those two terms?
The Sermon at the Temple by John W. Welch
Suggests the Sermon on the Mount in the New Testament was a given in a covenant context.
The Gospel as Taught by Nephite Prophets by Noel B. Reynolds
Delineates what is covered by the term 'gospel' when it is used in the Book of Mormon.
The Survivor and the Will to Bear Witness by Gordon C. Thomasson
Mormon and Moroni’s books as survivor literature.
Statutes, Judgments, Ordinances, and Commandments by John W. Welch
I found this to be interesting as it suggested some meaning to a ritual phrase “laws, rites, and ordinances” that I encounter.
Jacob’s Ten Commandments by John W. Welch
This added an additional dimension to a block of verses that I’d read over many times before, which begin “Wo unto..”
What Was a Mosiah? by John W. Welch
Connects together the king’s name, the historical events of the Book of Mosiah, and makes it a type of Christ.
Abinadi and Pentacost by Robert F. Smith, Gordon C. Thomasson, and John W. Welch
This shows that Abinadi may have chosen the time of his confrontation of King Noah and the wicked priests to best emphasize his message.
Four Quarters by Steven L. Olsen, and Diane E. Wirth
Symbolism of the number four.
The Destruction of Ammonihah and the Law of Apostate Cities by John W. Welch
Links the Ammonihah events to provisions in the Law of Moses that concern cities that go bad. Fascinating.
The Case of an Unobserved Murder by John W. Welch
Talmudic examination of the evidence for the assassinated chief judge and conviction of the murderer.
Thieves and Robbers by Kelly Ward, and John W. Welch
Do you know the difference between those two terms?
The Sermon at the Temple by John W. Welch
Suggests the Sermon on the Mount in the New Testament was a given in a covenant context.
The Gospel as Taught by Nephite Prophets by Noel B. Reynolds
Delineates what is covered by the term 'gospel' when it is used in the Book of Mormon.
The Survivor and the Will to Bear Witness by Gordon C. Thomasson
Mormon and Moroni’s books as survivor literature.
Interesting outside reading
You know how every once in a while you find an article on something in the scriptures that just seems to open your eyes and help you make much more sense of it? Here’s an article by John W. Welch called “Was Helaman 7-8 An Allegorical Funeral Sermon?” If you remember, Helaman 7-8 is when the prophet Nephi comes back to Zarahemla to find everything is a complete mess and he mourns on the top of his tower. Welch’s explanation adds an extra layer of meaning to this incident. I recommend it.
I also happened to stumble upon Hugh Nibley’s “Teachings of the Book of Mormon” which is broken up into four semesters, consisting, it seems, of transcripts of 112 lectures he gave. I expect to be working my way through these for a very long time. This would probably make very good Sunday reading. You can pick and choose or go from beginning to end.
Teachings of the Book of Mormon: Semester 1 (1 Nephi 1 to Mosiah 5)
Teachings of the Book of Mormon: Semester 2 (Mosiah 6 to Alma 41)
Teachings of the Book of Mormon: Semester 3 (Alma 45 to 3 Nephi 20)
Teachings of the Book of Mormon: Semester 4 (3 Nephi 6 to Moroni 10)
I also happened to stumble upon Hugh Nibley’s “Teachings of the Book of Mormon” which is broken up into four semesters, consisting, it seems, of transcripts of 112 lectures he gave. I expect to be working my way through these for a very long time. This would probably make very good Sunday reading. You can pick and choose or go from beginning to end.
Teachings of the Book of Mormon: Semester 1 (1 Nephi 1 to Mosiah 5)
Teachings of the Book of Mormon: Semester 2 (Mosiah 6 to Alma 41)
Teachings of the Book of Mormon: Semester 3 (Alma 45 to 3 Nephi 20)
Teachings of the Book of Mormon: Semester 4 (3 Nephi 6 to Moroni 10)
Outside Article on learning emotional maturity from the Book of Mormon
Please consider Larry W. Tippets’ article “Toward Emotional Maturity: Insights from the Book of Mormon” from the The Religious Educator, volume 10, issue 2, 2010.
The scriptures that he examines may have been well-known to me, but his focus on how they help us develop emotional maturity provides a very helpful and insightful practical connection to our real life difficulties. I, for one, am very grateful for it.
What do you think of the article?
The scriptures that he examines may have been well-known to me, but his focus on how they help us develop emotional maturity provides a very helpful and insightful practical connection to our real life difficulties. I, for one, am very grateful for it.
What do you think of the article?
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