Finding Evidence of Original Christianity in the Russian Orthodox Church
Some teachings and practices of the Orthodox churches today are similar to those of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
By Marvin R. VanDam
Baptism
for the Dead in Ancient Ukraine
A prominent contemporary Russian
religious scholar says that ancient baptismal practices are similar
to the ones performed in LDS temples today.
By Marvin R. VanDam
Mary,
the Mother of God
Although the scriptures do not
say much about Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, there are many
apocryphal stories about her. We have no idea which of the
stories are true, but they are interesting and enlightening.
By Janet Lisonbee
The
Voice of Rushing Waters
Water is a beautiful metaphor for Jesus Christ.
As our Creator, it is through Him that life began and it is through
Him that we can have eternal life. It is fitting that John the
Revelator saw in vision water associated with God.
By Janet Lisonbee
Philo
of Alexandria, Influencer of Judaism, Christianity and Islam
A rough contemporary of Jesus, Philo
of Alexandria has had enormous influence on the development of
religious thought not only among his fellow Jews, but in Christianity
and Islam as well. Yet he is little known, except among specialists.
By Daniel C. Peterson
Ashoka,
"Beloved of the Gods," and Religion's Power for Good
Militant atheists have recently
been making the case that "religion poisons everything,"
and seeking to lay the blame for virtually every human evil and
every specimen of human cruelty at the feet of religious faith.
It's useful, accordingly, to consider spectacular counterexamples
to this claim — counterexamples that are little known in
the West.
By Daniel C. Peterson
The
Divine Void: Adam and Eve's Model for Life
As Adam and Eve were cast out of
the Garden, a huge void was created in their lives that nothing
could fill —
the daily discourse with and direct love of their Creator. They
endeavored the rest of their lives to get back to where
they had been, to have that at-one-ment.
By G.G. Vandagriff
The
Scriptural Gap Between the Old and New Testaments
Most Christians know little about
the period between the ending of the Old Testament and the beginning
of the New. But an understanding of the intertestamental period
is essential to the understanding of the New Testament. This article
offers a condensed version of the events of these 500 years.
By S. Kent Brown
The
Christmas Tree and the Tree of Life
The Christmas tree
is not the pagan symbol that many suppose. It is a constant reminder
of the Tree of Life and the mission of the Savior.
By
Garth V. Norman
New
Testament Footnotes
In preparation for
the 2007 Gospel Doctrine class study of the New Testament, three
LDS scholars have posted their “Footnotes to the New Testament
for Latter-day Saints” at the “Feasting on the Word”
website.
By John A. Tvedtnes
The Art
of the Divided Kingdom
Queen Jezebel's signet ring is only one
of the many works of art that have been preserved that date from
the period between the time of King Solomon and the Assyrian conquest
of the Kingdom of Israel.
By Bonnie Oswald,
BFA, MA
Boaz
and Ruth — More than a Love Story
If we look, we can glean far more from the
story of Ruth than a simple tale of loyalty and love.
By Janet Lisonbee
Art
of the Old Testament during the Period of the Judges
Israel entered Canaan at a time
that there were a bewildering number of different people living
in the area. It is hard to keep them straight. Many had a rich
artistic tradition, particularly the Phoenicians, Egyptians, and
the Philistines.
By Bonnie Oswald, BFA, MA
The
Art of the Entry into Canaan
Art done by the Israelites during
their travels in the wilderness, and entry into Canaan, no longer
exists. We can speculate on how it might have looked, based on
Bible descriptions, and the art of cultures surrounding the Israelites
that they might have used as models.
By Bonnie Lach Oswald, BFA, MA
The
Art of Israel Related to the Exodus from Egypt
The event of the escape of Israelite
slaves from Egypt fits well with extra-Biblical findings, but
there are no signs saying, "This way to the promised land, signed
Moses." Plagues or the escape of slaves would not have been recorded
by the Egyptians, who only lauded their triumphs.
By Bonnie Oswald, BFA, MA
Joseph
in Egypt
Egyptian art may have inspired Picasso,
4000 years after the last of the Pharoahs had disappeared.
By Bonnie Oswald, BFA, MA
Old
Testament Art in the Early Years
Most art historians consider the ziggurat
as the model for the Genesis story of the Tower of Babel. The
parallels between the purpose of the ziggurat and toe tower are
thought-provoking.
By Bonnie Lach Oswald,
BFA, MA
Joseph Smith, Charles Anthon and the Egyptian Translations
Most scholars agree that language evolves over a period of time. Could Charles Anthon, or other linguists of the 1820's or 1830's, have read the heiroglyphics of the Book of Abraham or the Book of Mormon?
By Bonnie Lach Oswald, BFA, MA
Bedouin
Culture and Bible Customs
Knowing about Bedouin life can help us understand
the Bible, and especially the cultural milieu of the patriarchs.
By John A. Tvedtnes
Abraham
and Sarah: A Love Story without End
The story of Abraham and Sarah is truly
the story of Zion, beginning with two hearts united as one in
one of the greatest love stories on record. It is a story that
continues to this day and of which we are very much a part.
By E. Douglas Clark
Common
Misconceptions about Biblical Geography
The Bible is perhaps the most widely-read
book in history, yet misconceptions about its contents abound,
particularly when it comes to geography.
By John A. Tvedtnes
How
Weather Influenced Bible Stories
Have you ever thought how different
the stories of the Bible would be if the Bible lands had been
located in Florida or Brazil?
By John A. Tvedtnes
Abraham:
Pivotal Man of History
When 14-year-old Joseph Smith knelt to pray,
it was a stunning reenactment of what his forefather Abraham had
also done as a young boy at the very same age. Joseph's prayer
in fact opened the door for the latter-day fulfillment of Abraham's
covenant.
By E. Douglas Clark
’Twas
the Year Before the Millennium
With the New Year celebration behind us,
we are five years past the beginning of a new millennium. Or are
we? Our calendar system is based on the supposed birth of Christ
some 2005 years ago. But the Bible is unclear about the year in
which Jesus was born.
By John A. Tvedtnes
Day
of Atonement
Gethsemane means “oil press.”
Gat (geth) in Hebrew means “press” and shemen
means “oil.” The weight of all mankind’s sins
pressed heavily upon Jesus Christ insomuch that he bled from every
pore, like an olive that was being pressed.
By Janet Lisonbee
A
Brief History of the Limited Geographic View of the Book of Mormon
It is certainly
a good thing for the excellency and veracity of the divine authenticity
of the Book of Mormon, that the ruins of Zarahemla have been found
where the Nephites left them.
By John A. Tvedtnes
Part
Three: Interpreting the DNA Data and the Book of Mormon
The DNA issue, insofar as Lamanites
and other descendants of Lehi are concerned, is another red herring.
By John A. Tvedtnes
Part Two: Interpreting
the DNA Data and the Book of Mormon
Haplotype 1C, found among many Native
Americans (134 of 374 tested, or 36%), is well-attested among
Jewish men. While only 7% of all Jews tested have this haplotype,
31% of the Near Eastern group of Jews tested positive for it.
By John A. Tvedtnes
Interpreting
the DNA Data and the Book of Mormon
Some experts believe there is “strong
evidence that at least nine different founding lineage haplotypes
entered the New World,” and that “these distributions
among Native Americans best fit a single wave of migration into
the New World.”
By John A. Tvedtnes
Praise
to the Man
The question for all men is what
we should make of this nineteenth-century farmer whose teachings
spanned the centuries, from ancient times to the future.
By
John A. Tvedtnes
Surviving
Jaredite Names in Mesoamerica
If the Jaredites were indeed the
Olmec culture, as we believe they were, then our knowledge of
the Olmec culture should also link the two cultures.
By
Bruce Warren
BYU
Discovery Could Instigate "Second Renaissance"
The breakthrough is being touted as the
"classical equivalent of finding the Holy Grail." Some
are saying it will change the way we look at the world.
By Rebecca Walker Clarke
Moses
and Elijah
What is there about Moses that
ties him so closely to Elijah? This chart will compare the activities
of the two men.
By John A. Tvedtnes
The
Blind God
I have often thought of
the devil as a blind guide leading the blind until they both fall
into the chasm. He prompts us to follow him on life's journey
even though he was never a mortal and doesn't know the way.
By John A. Tvedtnes
Translated Beings
"Translated bodies cannot
enter into rest until they have undergone a change equivalent
to death. Translated bodies are designed for future missions."
By John A. Tvedtnes
The Patriarchal Order
of Priesthood
Both Pharaoh and Abraham claimed
patriarchal authority. What made the difference is that Abraham
had the ancient records of “the patriarchs, concerning the
right of Priesthood,” which clearly supported his claim.
By John A. Tvedtnes
"Bearded
Foreigners" in Mesoamerica
Heavy bearded figures are prominent
in Mesoamerican sculpture, which is interesting since the native
Indians aren't bearded.
by V. Garth Norman
Evolution
of the term “Priesthood”
In Joseph Smith’s day, deacons
and teachers were not considered to hold the “Aaronic priesthood,”
nor were elders considered to hold the “Melchizedek priesthood.”
By John A. Tvedtnes
