OTFTW 2: Is the King James a Good Translation
Before discussing my 3 Bible suggestions from OTFTW 1, we need to discuss the KJV a bit. Below is a slightly fleshed-out Institute handout I’ve used in my Bible classes.  Is the King James Bible a Good Translation? Short Answer: “No with an if, Yes with a but…” Long Answer: A good translation is one by which the reader can accurately understand the meaning of the original text through the language of the translator(s). “Accurately” has been understood various ways, with two theories of translation at opposite endpoints along a spectrum. “Word-for-word” AKA “formal equivalenc

OTFTW 1: Out of the Best Books
For your post-turkey degustation, I present this list I handed this out in Gospel Doctrine recently, with a 5-minute plug for three books in particular (starred below). I wanted to include more commentary on each book, but as is I had to stretch my margins to fit everything onto one front-back piece of paper. I also trucked in all the paper versions of the books I own on this list, and set up a table near the exit so people could flip through those they were interested in. List below, commentary below that. Old Testament Resources- (not a substitute for regular reading of the scriptures themselves) Many of these are available at public or

Lacking Celestial Motivation
Before leaving on my mission I spent several evenings teaming up with the missionaries in our ward to see how they taught and to gain a general feel for mission life. I still recall teaching one investigator a lesson on the role of Jesus Christ, part of which included a discussion on the resurrection–how it was a free gift and that we would gain a perfect body, etc. There wasn’t anything special about the lesson that still keeps it in my mind today; rather it was the investigators reaction and the lack of a compelling response on the part of the missionaries that I’m occasionally reminded of. When asked about how she felt about the resurrection, she replied

Old Testament FTW! Introduction
Around here, we love us some Old Testament. And so, as D&C winds down and some of us start hearing the music build in anticipation, I bring you the first part of a series to run for the next 14 months or so, Old Testament For The Win™, or OTFTW. Among other things, I’m going to provide an annotated list of recommended Old Testament books and resources; discuss individual books on that list; explain how to use some Hebrew resources without knowing much Hebrew, what that’s good for, as well as caveats therein; talk about some computer resources and how to get started with them; discuss the vulgarity of lang

Historic. Orthodox. Christianity.
Many contemporary Christians subscribe to a certain normative fable of a “historic orthodox Christianity.” This view of Christian history relies on a master narrative of a “pure” Christianity which is distinct from heresy. In this view, Christianity is differentiated from heresy in double terms, that it is both “historic” and that is “orthodox.” The problem comes in equating “historic” and “orthodox.” One suggests a certain degree of detatched objectivity while the other suggests a degree of partisan politics. Both make a normative claim on what counts as “Christianity,” but the