Author: benspackman

James E. Talmage, the Articles of Faith, and Progression between Kingdoms: New Light

August 17, 2021 /

A young and pugnacious James E. Talmage, per the picture in the BYU Geology Dept.

The idea of progression between kingdoms in the afterlife has long been debated, with Church leaders taking differing positions. One interesting and well-known point in this debate is textual differences between the first and later editions of Talmage’s The Articles of Faith.1See Dialogue 15:1 (Spring 1982) “Is there Progression Among the Eternal Kingdoms?” p. 181ff However, no one has ever explained why Talmage apparently changed his mind.

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How to Pick BYU Religion Classes and Enjoy Them: A Guide for Seniors in Seminary

August 13, 2021 /

 

I have both taken and taught courses in BYU’s College of Religious Education (RelEd).1Please note: “Religious Education,” not “Religion.” BYU does not teach “religious studies.” And from my own experience and talking to lots of people, it seems many people did not like their RelEd courses.

So let me pull back the curtain a little, as there’s a key to having a good experience. The most important thing to know for a good experience with Religion courses?

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I don't know the origin of this image, but I like it

Science as a Legitimate Contributor to our Knowledge of Creation and Earth History

March 11, 2021 /

As noted in a prior post, Orson F. Whitney authored the 1909 First Presidency statement on “The Origin of Man.” He sent a letter to John Widtsoe with that draft, along with some notes. Although Whitney was strongly opposed to evolution, he acknowledge that science could play a role in clarifying earth history.   Continue reading

What I’m Doing Here, and What I Hope Others Will Do

February 14, 2021 /

I am not an “evolution apologist.” Although I suspect I have more scientific training than your average historian, I’m not a scientist. And more likely than not, neither is my average reader. For that reason, and because I don’t follow the specialized and technical literature, I don’t engage in scientific debate about evolution. Rather, in keeping with my own training and expertise, my approach is historical, scriptural, and theological.  And historically, I understand how and why evolution has come to be the dominant way to make sense of mountains of data across multiple fields, and why 98% of scientists accept evolution as the best explanation of all that data. Continue reading