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Critiquing the Gospel Topics Essays

Table of Contents: Critiquing the Gospel Topics Essays

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Between 2013-2015, the LDS Church published a series of essays dealing with sensitive topics in the LDS Church.  They are known as the Gospel Topics Essays.  Dr. Newell Bringhurst and Dr. Matt Harris have produced an anthology that will be released later this summer critiquing these Gospel Topics Essays.  In our final conversation, Dr. Newell Bringhurst will tell us more about the work that he’s been putting together on these essays.

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Newell:  We go through all 13 Gospel Topics Essays.  It’s composed of 13 chapters.  I probably should pull out my notes so I can remember the name of all the contributors.  We start with the Book of Mormon and look at the historicity of the Book of Mormon, critiquing that essay, critiquing the essay on DNA and the authenticity of the Book of Mormon and of course the different accounts.  We critique the essay that was written on the various accounts of the First Vision, the historicity and authenticity of the Book of Abraham which is another very controversial topic.

We look at peace and violence along the Mormon frontier.  John Turner who did the biography on Brigham Young did the essay on that for us.  He is kind of a marquis figure.  He really did an outstanding job in looking at the whole issue of violence and how it involved the saints.  Although I think one of the strongest essays in there is Gary Bergera who presented at [Sunstone.]  He presented on Joseph Smith and his involvement with polygamy.  Of course, he has a much different spin on whether Joseph had sex with those other women.  {chuckles}

We’ll talk about the other authors as well!  Check out our conversation, and don’t forget to hear our other episodes on polygamy, blacks, and women in religion!  (A transcript of the entire interview will be available soon!)

Gospel Topics Essays - Critiquing the Gospel Topics Essays - Mormon History Podcast

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More Podcasts with these Guests:

  • GT Live! Top 20 Topics We Missed with Matt Harris
  • *What was Left Out? (Matt Harris 6 of 6)
  • Fired from First Presidency (Matt Harris 5 of 6)
  • Inside the Room for 1978 Revelation (Matt Harris 4 of 6)
  • What Lester Bush Missed (Matt Harris 3 of 6)

Get more information on the people and things discussed in this episode:

  • Guest: Matt Harris, Newell Bringhurst
  • Theology: Gospel Topics Essays, Polygamy, Women & Priesthood, Women & Priesthood
  • Mormon violence, Mountain Meadows Massacre, Persecution against Mormons, Priesthood-Temple Restriction, Racial Priesthood/Temple Ban
  • Science Topics Covered: Science & Religion, Women's Studies
  • Historical Mentions Mormon History
  • Tags: best Mormon history podcast, Critique Gospel Topics, Gospel Topics Essays, GT Podcast, iTunes, Matt Harris, Peace & Violence, Women and priesthood

Tell me when the next episode drops!

PrevPrevious EpisodeRole of Women in 4 American Religions
Next ExpisodeDr. Bill Smith on the Origins of PolygamyNext

5 Responses

  1. Allen Reed says:
    May 20, 2019 at 9:05 am

    I have been trying to locate the book discussed on your program, but have not been successful. Do you know if it’s available? The book is Critiquing the Gospel Topic Essays? Thank you any help you can give me.

  2. RickB says:
    May 20, 2019 at 4:40 pm

    I’ll have to ask Matt Harris, but I don’t think they have a publication date yet. To my knowledge, it has not been published yet.

  3. BrianQ says:
    November 17, 2019 at 12:15 pm

    Can you tell me if the book contemplated by Dr. Newell Bringhurst and Dr. Matt Harris has been published yet? How can I get more information?

  4. RickB says:
    November 17, 2019 at 2:09 pm

    It has not been published yet. Every time I ask about it, the publication date is still up in the air. I’m not sure why, but hopefully in 2020.

  5. RickB says:
    November 20, 2019 at 11:04 pm

    I spoke with someone at Signature Books and they estimate the book will come out 2nd half of 2020.

  • Date: March 13, 2018
  • Guest: Matt Harris, Newell Bringhurst
  • Theology: Gospel Topics Essays, Polygamy, Women & Priesthood, Women & Priesthood
  • Mormon violence, Mountain Meadows Massacre, Persecution against Mormons, Priesthood-Temple Restriction, Racial Priesthood/Temple Ban
  • Science Topics Covered: Science & Religion, Women's Studies
  • Historical Mentions Mormon History
  • Tags: best Mormon history podcast, Critique Gospel Topics, Gospel Topics Essays, GT Podcast, iTunes, Matt Harris, Peace & Violence, Women and priesthood
  • Posted By: RickB

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Rick Bennett is the friendly, independent historian at the heart of Gospel Tangents LDS Podcast: The Best Source for Mormon History, Science, and Theology. When he isn't interviewing Mormon scholars, prophets, and others, he is teaching math and statistics at Utah Valley University. He also freelances as a research biostatistician in the fields of Dermatology and Traumatic Brian Injuries, as well as in the network television/cable T.V. industries as a sports statistician. Rick holds a Master of Statistics Degree from the University of Utah.

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