News & Blog
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1 Nephi 11-15: Questions, Answers, and the Condescension of God
A central theme of the small plates of Nephi is that God speaks to his children. The plates are filled with the ministering of angels, prophecies, and revelations.
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1 Nephi 6-10: Family and Faith in the Wilderness
The urgency and difficulty of creating the conditions under which faith can take root in one’s children is a major theme in these chapters of 1 Nephi, and it’s a theme that resonates powerfully today.
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1 Nephi 1-5: God’s Generosity and a new beginning of the Book of Mormon
To encounter scripture is to encounter God’s generosity. And God knows how to give generously, “good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over.” (Luke 6:38). The purpose of God’s generosity is to nourish and reinforce his relationship with his children.
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Maxwell Institute Book of Mormon Reflections
In 2024, the Maxwell Institute will offer a weekly series of short essays on the Book of Mormon, in support of the Church-wide Come, Follow Me study curriculum. Each week, the Maxwell Institute blog will feature a post by a member of the Institute faculty exploring an aspect of the week’s reading block. We hope these explorations will enrich your study and teaching of the Book of Mormon throughout the coming year.
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Christmas message from the Maxwell Institute
A short Christmas message from J.B. Haws, the Executive Director of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship. Merry Christmas!
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Discover 1 Nephi 8 again in Approaching the Tree
Approaching the Tree: Interpreting 1 Nephi 8 is coming out on December 12! Look at one of the most familiar texts in the Book of Mormon with a new perspective through various artists and scholars. Pre-order your copy now.
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Approaching the Tree to be released
"If the Book of Mormon is rather generally revealing itself to be a source for rich and sustained theological reflection, then the theological interpretation of Lehi's dream must become a load-bearing wall in the edifice that is now being built."
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Seven Gospels: The Many Lives of Christ in the Book of Mormon
Adam Miller and Rosalynde Welch's book, Seven Gospels: The Many Lives of Christ in the Book of Mormon, was released in October 2023. Seven Gospels is a collection of letters from the authors to each other that explore seven unique witnesses in the Book of Mormon. How do these witnesses vary from one another? And what are we to learn from each particular account?
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BYU courses offered by Maxwell Institute scholars and associates
Looking for a class to take this Winter semester? Many of the Maxwell Institute scholars and associates are teaching courses at BYU covering a variety of topics. Our scholars are specialists trained in history, humanities, and religion. For those seeking a scholarly approach, or those who would like to connect with the Maxwell Institute scholars, these courses are recommended. Classes begin January 9, 2024, and will end April 20, 2024.
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Ancient Art History: Baptistry
This post was written by Lucy Lacanienta, an Art History major at Brigham Young University who works at the Maxwell Institute as a Front Desk Assistant and Graphic Designer. Lucy researched artwork related to the book, Ancient Christians: An Introduction for Latter-day Saints, and wrote a series of educational posts.
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Kate Holbrook's double chocolate bundt cake
Kate Holbrook (1972-2022) worked as a historian for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and spent her career highlighting women's stories. In her book, Both Things Are True, Kate says "I've written some books in Latter-day Saint women's history that I feel have been good contributions. I think I'll be remembered generally through favorite recipes that have come from me. I've decided that's maybe in some ways a richer and more lasting visceral experience that people will have of my having been on this earth."
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Kristian Heal named as Maxwell Institute senior research fellow
The Maxwell Institute is excited to announce that Research Fellow Kristian Heal has been named a Senior Research Fellow as of October 17, 2023. Dr. Heal has worked at the Maxwell Institute since 2000 and is the author of Genesis 37 and 39 in the Early Syriac Tradition (2023) and Jacob of Sarug's Homily on Aaron the Priest (2022). Heal is a scholar of late antique Syriac Christianity, and looks at the point where scripture, poetry, reception, and transmission intersect.
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Seeking Applicants for the Annual Summer Seminar on Latter-day Saint Theology, “A Compound in One: Reading 2 Nephi 2”
In the summer of 2024, the Latter-day Saint Theology Seminar, with support from the Laura F. Willes Center for Book of Mormon Studies and the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship at Brigham Young University, will sponsor a summer seminar for graduate students and faculty devoted to reading 2 Nephi 2.
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Ancient Art History: The Basilica of Sant’Apollinare
The Basilica of Sant’Apollinare in Classe is a Byzantine church which features stunning mosaic decorations on its interior. This particular mosaic depicts a fictive scene of Abel and Abraham bringing their respective offerings to the altar of Melchizedek.
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Artwork Highlight: Ancestors
The Gospel informs us that usually spirits are not something to be afraid of, but rather, they are something to be loved. Many of the spirits in this world are our ancestors. They are living people whom we can communicate with. There is a place where they dwell and wait for us to join.
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Book of Mormon Art Contest Galleries
Thank you to all who participated in the inaugural 2023 Book of Mormon Art Contest! The Book of Mormon Art Contest was inspired by President Spencer W. Kimball's call in "Gospel Vision of the Arts" to "give life and feeling and true perspective to a subject so worthy."
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Book of Mormon Art Contest Reception this Friday
Upcoming event this Friday, 7 PM in the Joseph Smith Building Lobby. The Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship is hosting a Book of Mormon Art Contest Reception. Listen to amazing speakers Jenny Champoux, Director of the Book of Mormon Art Catalog, J. Kirk Richards, Contemporary Christian Artist, and Anthony Sweat, BYU Religion Professor and Artist talk about art and faith. Celebrate the winners of the 2023 Book of Mormon Art Contest and enjoy refreshments.
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Artwork Highlight: New Beginnings
The start of a new school year triggered thoughts about new beginnings. The ability to start over and begin again is a core belief in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Although there are numerous ways that new beginnings are represented in the gospel, I love to study the first beginning.
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