"Older, scripture-based courses are still being offered, the letter said, but as electives, not as core curriculum.
Critics, who have been debating the plan’s merits for months, this week began blogging about it.
Longtime BYU history professor William Hamblin called the new curriculum "appalling."
"It will result in the further decay of scriptural literacy — already a significant problem among the Saints. Scripture study in the church has now become nothing more than completely decontextualized proof-texting," Hamblin writes in a Patheos online essay. "There is, practically speaking, no further institutional support by the church for the actual study of scripture —as opposed to church doctrine, devotion and daily application." "
"(1)Jesus Christ and the everlasting gospel: A study of the savior and his roles in Heavenly Father’s plan as taught across all the Utah-based faith’s standard works.
(2)Teachings and doctrine of the Book of Mormon: A study of the signature LDS scripture with emphasis on Christ’s ministry.
(3)Foundations of the restoration: A study of the key revelations, doctrine, people and events of the restored gospel. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe their faith’s founder, Joseph Smith, brought back, or restored, the pure gospel taught by the savior.
(4) The eternal family: A study of the central role of the family in the LDS plan of salvation as taught in the scriptures and the words of modern Mormon prophets."
"Longtime BYU history professor William Hamblin called the new curriculum "appalling."
"In a second essay on Patheos, Hamblin scolds liberal Mormon scholars, who he says want to study LDS scripture, especially the Book of Mormon, apart from its "authentic ancient history."
"Hamblin also accuses LDS Church Educational System (CES) faculty, who teach students in Mormon high school seminaries and college institutes, of trying to "decontextualize both the Bible and LDS scripture in the search for proof-texts regarding the three D’s — doctrine, daily application and devotion."
My take. The Book of Abraham has likely just been thrown under the bus and The Book of Mormon is now inspired fiction.
WoW!
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/28/2014 04:07PM by fudley.
The letter then states, “Clearly, this decision of the Board will not please everyone. But we are confident that we will now put aside any differences of opinion and roll up our sleeves and go to work. One of the things that makes BYU a unique university in all the world is a Board of Trustees comprised of prophets, seers, revelators and inspired leaders of the Church. We need to trust that inspiration and honor their sacred responsibility.”
"It will result in the further decay of scriptural literacy — already a significant problem among the Saints. Scripture study in the church has now become nothing more than completely decontextualized proof-texting," Hamblin writes in a Patheos online essay. "There is, practically speaking, no further institutional support by the church for the actual study of scripture —as opposed to church doctrine, devotion and daily application."
Oh Nooooo. Where will the "skill" of cognitive dissonance be taught? This is the move we've been predicting on here for at least 10 years. They have to move away from the "historical" context of the scriptures (because they simply aren't historical) and try to focus on the "inspired" doctrine. And they need to drop the crazy stuff like God ordering beheadings, and focus on the Jesus stuff.
How can they teach that the new and everlasting covenant of marriage is about one man and one woman being sealed in a temple if the history clearly shows that it totally referred to plural marriage? And don't even get into the priesthood restoration history.
It's the only thing they CAN do if they want the corporation to survive.
Every time I get into discussions with some in the comments section over there it gets ugly, and I wind up either unsatisfied or having to leave piles of rhetorical roadkill with my tire tracks on them. I really need to get on other tasks; the apartment is trashed, and elections are next week, and Halloween is this weekend...
(do I really need a sarcasm tag for this one?)
Thank you, howevever. for the biggest laugh of my day with this one:
>Longtime BYU history professor William Hamblin called the new curriculum "appalling."
>"It will result in the further decay of scriptural literacy — already a significant problem among the Saints. Scripture study in the church has now become nothing more than completely decontextualized proof-texting,"
Hamblin, BTW, as many long-timers here know, is a close friend of Perfesser Peterson, and he has often proven himself to be on of RFM's "most loyal allies" with his heroic and legendary jousts with windmills (if you're reading this, Dr. Bull, blame Denial C. He's the one that insists you're a wicked satirist, and I figured I'd give you some grad-level schooling in that black art. And Danny Boy, don't you be stealing that one).
I have decided to keep quiet beyond this post, however. I am a firm believer in the Obama doctrine....
Never interfere with your enemy when he is destroying himself.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/28/2014 04:46PM by SL Cabbie.
An entire year studying eternal families? Glad I don't have to sit through this. There are only a couple of "scriptures" that even mention this doctrine. I assume the course will have to devote several months to a close reading of D&C 132... Either that or just fluff platitudes..
It sounds like the Q15 has seen the light -- the BoM is not a historical account.
So, why not water down the curriculum so that people only need to focus on doctrine?
In a few years, the Q15 will deny that it was ever doctrine that the BoM was historical. They can blame it on leaders who were clearly "speaking as men only." And anyone who preaches the historicity of the BoM will be called an apostate.
This is bad if you think about it. It causes less stress to learn the doctrine and dumbs it down so there will be less questioning. I expect to see more and more getting away from controversial things as time goes on.
It's sounds like a whole bunch of "dumbing it down"!! It'll make going to boring morg church for 3 hours even more boring! I wonder if they'll lose more members over this!!??
My former deacon quorum's advisor is the dean of religious education at BYU. I am incredibly amused.
I think that some longtime members will be disappointed with these changes. My parents actually thought that seminary was rigorous scripture study. Getting up and driving their kids to church to study the Old Testament at 6 am was at least a sacrifice. What is the motivation when it's just the equivalent of Sunday School lessons?
It was never that rigorous to begin with, and now their really going puffy marshmallow.
My suspicion is that they are worried about the following at LDS HQ. When you had to read the scriptures cover to cover it was boring, but at least it raised questions. Why are they talking about steel here? or Were there horses in the Americas at this time? or Why does God curse people with dark skin? or What's up with all these hieroglyphics in the Book of Abraham?
There is a potential drawback. Even the marginal students will now probably notice the lack of rigor in the religious education department compared to everything else, and wonder why that is so. Should be fun!
I guess if you want to know anything about the Bible, you'll have to go to a church that teaches it. Apparently that won't be the Mormon church.
The mormon church sounds like it' leaning toward more detailed brain washing.
They still aren't going to tell the truth about their history. For some stupid reason, they think cleaning out their libraries will change something. They can't seem to wrap their mind around the idea that people can find out anything concerning mormon history on the internet. They will continue to lose members. In fact, I think they'll accelerate the process. As usual, they're the best enemy they have. Constantly shooting themselves in the foot.