The Maxwell Institute Summer Seminar Symposium (July 11, 2013)

The Maxwell Institute Summer Seminar, co-sponsored by the Mormon Scholars Foundation and the Jack and Mary Lois Wheatley Institution, will be holding a public symposium on Thursday July 11th, 2013 at Brigham Young University, for all interested parties.

This years seminar has continued the series of seminars on Mormon culture begun in the summer of 1997. The seminar was conducted by Terryl Givens, Professor of Literature and Religion and James A. Bostwick Chair of English at the University of Richmond.

This particular seminar has continued a series begun three years ago on the history of Mormon thought. A principal evidence appealed to by early Mormon writers and missionaries, on which they based their claim to authoritative restoration, was the abundance of spiritual gifts manifest among believers in the church founded by Joseph Smith. Closely allied to these gifts was the Latter-day Saint claim to genuine priesthood authority. The participants of the seminar have studied how early Saints understood the workings of the spirit and spiritual gifts, and how those perceptions and manifestations have changed through Latter-day Saint history. They have also investigate the theology behind early Mormon exercise of the priesthood, their understanding of the role of ordinances in salvation, and how such understanding was shaped by and responded to Protestant notions of the sacraments.

The topic for this years seminar is, “Workings of the Spirit and Works of the Priesthood: Gifts and Ordinances in LDS Thought and Practice.” Therefore, presentations for this years symposium will largely revolve around this broad topic.

Presenters will include (listed in alphabetical order):

Helena Bushman, University of Cambridge

Kirk Caudle, The Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

Alan Clark, Claremont Graduate University

Carl Cranney, Catholic University of America

Ryan Davis, Harvard University

James Egan, Brigham Young University

Mie Inouye, University of Toronto

Jeremy Leatham, Baylor University

Kaitlyn Pieper, British Institute at Ankara

Alexander Struk, London School of Economics

Jeremy Talmage, Yale University

Matt Whitlock, University of California Berkeley

Final program, including presentation titles and times, will be announced at a later date. 

The symposium will be held at Brigham Young University in room B-092 in the JFSB  from 9am-4pm. All are invited to attend and the event is free. 

This announcement was posted by kirkcaudle on June 18, 2013  HERE

Art and the Temple : J Kirk Richards Essay

HOPE by J Kirk Richards

 J Kirk Richards has written a great essay about art and temples.  I LOVE looking at the murals in temples during the service.  I find I concentrate better and my mind wanders less (am I the only one with that tendency?).  I love the art used in the film as well.  You can read his essay here.

One of the things he discusses is the use of darkness and light, especially in depicting Christ, like in this Rembrandt:

Now take a look at this Supper at Emmaus by Rembrandt, not to mention this popular painting of Christ walking on the water. Perhaps the former example might come off a bit spooky in the estimation of some, but the device itself is strikingly gorgeous.

Another topic is the use of symbolism and abstraction in art, which apparently is discouraged by the temple art guidelines.  Interesting, given the use of symbolism and abstraction in the REST of the temple experience!

Mother and Child by J Kirk Richards