On being chosen

On being chosen

1 Peter 2:9 9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: We have been taught that we are a chosen people.  What does...
The Woman Taken in Adultery in  History and the Gospel of John

The Woman Taken in Adultery in History and the Gospel of John

The question of what is original and what is not to the earliest version of any book of scripture can be a very sensitive subject. This is compounded when you are discussing a section of one of the Christian gospels that deals specifically with a well-known story in...
Spoken of for a Memorial of Her

Spoken of for a Memorial of Her

“Symbolic language conceals certain doctrinal truths from the wicked and thereby protects sacred things from possible ridicule. At the same time, symbols reveal truth to the spiritually alert.” (1) Women are not allowed to preside over the Sacrament; yet the Sacred...
Knowing Better from the Margins, Doing better from the Center

Knowing Better from the Margins, Doing better from the Center

There’s a beautiful thing that happens when 9 verses are removed from a chapter and given a chance to expand into healing scripture.  This is one of the things that has troubled me about the correlation of LDS curricula – all of the answers are there. There’s...
Lest They Be Converted: Mark’s Messianic Secret

Lest They Be Converted: Mark’s Messianic Secret

While we are studying the New Testament in Gospel Doctrines; get ready! This is not your typical Gospel Doctrines lesson… While teaching a New Testament class last year at the community college where I work, I stumbled upon the following verse in Mark: “That...