Lesson from 4th century Christianity: if someone excommunicates you, you excommunicate them right back. This book covering the history of Constantine, the Nicene creed, and the Arian heresy is a fascinating mirror in which to reflect on the doctrinal disputes and approaches of our own day.
Book review: “Life of Moses” by Gregory of Nyssa
Why this book Life of Moses is my first attempt at reading a work by the early church fathers. It was written by St. Gregory of the small town of Nyssa in Cappadocia, a region in present day Turkey. Gregory lived during the last days of the Roman empire (born AD 335, died AD 395).... Continue Reading →
Owning our history: How “Saints” reduces historical doublethink
I am shamelessly proud of my Church and the great strides they have made in the publishing of Saints: The Standard of Truth. This is fantastic history and beautiful prose. I have always been an avid reader, my early encounters with Church history weren't positive: I remember reading excerpts from Our Heritage in Sunday School... Continue Reading →
Church wasn’t always three hours?!: Book review of “A Firm Foundation: Church Organization and Administration”
I added this one to my reading list after I found it in the references of a compelling article at Times and Seasons on the development of the LDS hymnbook. The LDS Church recently announced that they are beginning the process of compiling a new hymnbook, and the documented history of how hymns have been... Continue Reading →
The boogeyman of “Anti-Mormon literature”: A response to Papa Ostler’s interview with Taylor Christensen
I just finished listening to Papa Ostler's interview with a young Mormon, Taylor Christensen. I first found Papa Ostler through his inspiring Facebook posts about being more understanding towards the experiences of LGBT Mormons (for instance, see the article here on KUER). Papa Ostler has since founded an inspiring podcast entitled "Listen, Learn, Love" with... Continue Reading →