One of our fellow posters and favorite apologists just received a Faculty Appointment with the University of Utah!
He is part of the permanent faculty in the Biblical Hebrew department, and has also been appointed to teach Mormon Studies for the upcoming year.
One of the classes he is teaching is a Book of Mormon as Literature class. This is groundbreaking since it is the first time in a university setting that the Book of Mormon has been taught as a literary work outside of a devotional setting.
Congrats, Professor David!!!!!
Last edited by _Yoda on Fri Nov 30, 2012 7:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"Any over-ritualized religion since the dawn of time can make its priests say yes, we know, it is rotten, and hard luck, but just do as we say, keep at the ritual, stick it out, give us your money and you'll end up with the angels in heaven for evermore."
I am genuinely glad to hear this news about David Bokovoy.
The Book of Mormon is a fascinating creation of the anarchically creative early 19th century American religious environment, and deserves study as such.
(Though as a guide to the meaning of life it is ... oh well, why be negative in a congratulatory thread?)
By the way, my first sentence contains a gentle hint to moderators about the title of this thread.
Zadok: I did not have a faith crisis. I discovered that the Church was having a truth crisis. Maksutov: That's the problem with this supernatural stuff, it doesn't really solve anything. It's a placeholder for ignorance.
Chap wrote:I am genuinely glad to hear this news about David Bokovoy.
The Book of Mormon is a fascinating creation of the anarchically creative early 19th century American religious environment, and deserves study as such.
(Though as a guide to the meaning of life it is ... oh well, why be negative in a congratulatory thread?)
By the way, my first sentence contains a gentle hint to moderators about the title of this thread.
dblagent007 wrote:David is a class A scholar and human being. The U of U is very lucky to have him (and BYU is stupid for passing him up).
BYU does not have a theology or Biblical Studies department. Its Department of Religion is geared towards (1) providing the 2-hour per semester course that each student needs and (2) educating Church educators. BYU's administration for years has said it does not want a theology or Bible Studies department, like you'd see at Cal Berkeley (although that has been spun off to the Theological Union), Harvard or Claremont. There's too much of a history of General Authorities criticizing these types of educational facilities.
So it isn't a matter of being "stupid." There is no place for somebody like Bokovoy to publish in New Testament studies from a department that doesn't offer degrees in that.
I do need to clarify, however, that the position in Mormon Studies is a one year assignment that will be offered to PhD's interested in teaching courses in Mormon studies from here on out. I'm really pleased to see the U of U move in this direction. The professor who is in charge is non-LDS.
Moreover, with the opportunity, though my position teaching Biblical Hebrew would continue next year, it is not a permanent offer. There's a lot to be worked out still in terms of the U of U's Religious Studies major and Mormon studies program, but the university, in my estimation, is really moving in an exciting direction.
I'm still interested in a few tenure track positions in Hebrew Bible for next year, so I have not yet determined that I will take the offer, but I'm very excited to have this as a back-up plan.
Warm regards,
--David
"We know when we understand: Almighty god is a living man"--Bob Marley
Fixed it!