SunstoneBlog

Please mark your calendars for the 2008 Sunstone West Symposium! It will be held on 14-15 March on the Claremont Graduate University campus in Claremont, California.

Most of you already know that CGU has recently named Richard L. Bushman to a visiting professorship in Mormon studies to begin fall 2008, with plans for a full-time academic chair as soon as fundraising is complete. We’re excited by the CGU School of Religion’s commitment to Mormon studies and appreciate their co-sponsorship of our Sunstone West symposium once again.

The Call for Proposals is mailing right now. Click here for a printable pdf version.

Here are the instructions:

Sunstone seeks to celebrate and explore Mormon experience, issues, and art through diverse approaches and from many perspectives. From scholarly paper to artistic expression, we strive for excellence in thought and quality in presentation.

We welcome proposals on all Mormon-related topics, but we are planning discussions in future magazine issues on topics such as the Mormon soldier experience, addiction and recovery, Mormons and the body (issues such as body image, fitness, obesity, plastic surgery, theology about the body), how technology affects Mormon life and experience, and LDS theology and practices regarding disability. Hence, we’d especially welcome symposium presentations on any of these topics.

FORMATS. Sessions may be scholarly papers, panel discussions, interviews, personal essays, sermons, films, dramatic performances, literary readings, debates, comic routines, art displays, or musical presentations.

PROPOSALS SHOULD INCLUDE: Session title; a one-hundred-word abstract; presenter name(s), background(s), and contact information; a summary of the topic’s relevance and importance to Mormon studies; description of any audio or visual equipment needs. If possible, please include a complete preliminary draft.

DEADLINE. Please submit proposals by 15 January 2008. Proposals submitted after the deadline will be considered on a time/space-available basis.

SUBMIT PROPOSALS. If submitting by email, direct proposals to symposium coordinator Allen Hill at allen@sunstoneonline.com. If submitting by fax or U. S. mail, direct them to Allen Hill, Sunstone Symposium Coordinator, 343 N. Third West, Salt Lake City, Utah 84103; fax (801) 355-4043.

We hope you’ll propose a session or two! If not, we still want to see you there!

December 18th, 2007 | Category: Sunstone, SymposiumCFP | Leave a comment

I was in charge of the priesthood lesson today. It took me a long time to get it together. In fact, I had to write it down to get it out. So I thought I’d share.

Getting ready for this lesson was very difficult. I couldn’t quite get a grasp on how to present it. After three or four hours of thought, I remembered something I read recently by Carl Rogers, a psychologist who was very famous back in the 1950’s. He said,

I find that one way of learning for me is to state my own uncertainties, to try to clarify my puzzlements, and thus get closer to the meaning that my experience actually seems to have.

So, to state my own uncertainty, I often find myself cut off from people when my goal is to help them join the church. I first started to see this while I was on my mission in Toronto. One of the main ways we had of contacting people was to hang around at the busy bus stops. More »

December 9th, 2007 | Category: Doubt, Missionary Work, Sunstone | Comments (34)

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about how I have to “play the game” in order to move forward in my profession (to be specific, my current ‘game’ involves writing grant proposals and getting to know the ‘right’ people who can write letters of recommendation on my behalf).

There’s a part of me that just hates the game. I want to stop playing along. Then there’s this other part of me that’s willing to jump through particular hoops if it gets me what I want in the long run.

Similarly, I think there are many ways we “play the game” of Mormonism. Such as wearing the right clothes on Sunday, saying the right things to the Bishop, having the right hairstyle, and following the letter of the law.

So what I’m wondering is this: when is it worth playing along at Church and when is it time to just step out of the game? There are sacrifices involved either way, so how do you decide if/when the game’s over? Or do you think my analogy is flawed and the Church is never about ‘playing along?’

December 8th, 2007 | Category: Dissent, Doubt | Comments (10)

Friends of Sunstone,

Thanks (in part) to those of you who were able to contribute during our midyear fund-raiser, we (the staff plus a few gracious volunteers) have been working very hard over the past several months on 2 major initiatives for your benefit (in addition to the regular delivery of magazines and symposia):

1. Sunstone Magazine Digitization Project: Much like Dialogue and BYU Studies have already done, we are working overtime to digitize all past issues of Sunstone Magazine — to make them accessible for you (and others) via the Internet. We are scheduled to have this project completed within the next few weeks.
2. Sunstone Web Site Renovation: In addition, we have heard your cries, and are working hard to update the look, feel, and functionality of the Sunstone web site.

Why am I sending you this email? For 2 main reasons: More »

December 4th, 2007 | Category: Sunstone, lds, mormon, mormons, web | Comments (4)

My spouse and I married 15 years ago in the temple–a ceremony that reinforced differing gender roles for men and women. However, my marriage has been fairly egalitarian from the beginning. For example, my husband (John) and I both wore engagement rings–simple gold bands on the appropriate finger. When we married we each added another band with the words “vous et nul autre” (you and no other) inscribed on it. While wearing the same rings might seem a small token, I believe it did start our marriage off with symbols that reinforced our ideals.

Some other ways that we have incorporated equality into our marriage:

–We both take responsbility for household chores and childcare. We’ve chosen to live simply so our home can be tidied quickly and efficiently. We both enjoy cooking and take turns making dinner. We’ve taught our children to join us in housework (for example, they take care of most of the laundry).

–John told me his temple name.

–Both of us volunteer in our kids’ school classrooms, attend their events, etc. We both know their friends and their friends’ parents.

–Neither of us ‘presides’ in spiritual decision-making. We discuss and practice religion together.

–For us sex is not about coercion or ‘favors’ given to the other partner.

–We believe that either of us can be the primary breadwinner (even though in practice it has generally been John).

–John and I both know how to use powertools, to troubleshoot computer problems, and change the oil in our car.

What are your ideas about equality in LDS marriage? In what ways have you seen egalitarian ideals practiced in marriage? Does the ideal of equality ever cause friction with the notion of men ‘presiding’ in marriage as discussed in the Family Proclamation?

November 25th, 2007 | Category: Marriage, Women's Issues | Comments (32)

Just spied this article about two more women who were ordained as Catholic priests. They are being threatened with excommunication for their heretical activities.

My question:
Does anyone know of any groups/movements within Mormonism that’ve tried ordaining women to the priesthood? If there are such groups and there was any public demonstration of such (as accompanied the Catholic ordination), I would imagine that the women would be speedily excommunicated. However I’m surprised that I’ve never heard of any underground groups ordaining LDS women to the priesthood. Am I just clueless or has this never happened?

November 12th, 2007 | Category: Dissent, Ordinances, Ritual, Women's Issues | Comments (48)

A new pamphlet about homosexuality appeared on the church’s website in late July, 2007. The pamphlet is entitled God Loveth His Children, and, among other things, says that the Church does not know what causes same-sex attractions but does not believe sexual abuse and sexual experimentation in childhood are responsible. It declares that same-sex attractions are not considered sinful but affirms that acting on those attractions is incompatible with God’s plan for families in the afterlife. It urges same-sex attracted LDS members to remain active in the church and asks other members to treat them with love and respect.

This presentation was recorded at the Sunstone 2007 Seattle symposium. The panel discusses this new pamphlet and welcomes a wide-ranging and frank discussion of this important topic. The full set of interviews (audio and video) can be located at Mormon Stories podcast. A written version of the presentation by Ron Schow may be found on the blog at www.LDSResources.info.

Panelists

• RON SCHOW, Pocatello, Idaho, is a professor of audiology Panelist at Idaho State University and is co-editor of the book, Peculiar People: Mormons and Same Sex Orientation. He will address progress in the Church since its 1992 statement on homosexuality: “Attractions alone do not make you unworthy.”
• CLARK PINGREE, Salt Lake City, Utah, is the Utah Pride chairman for Wells Fargo. He will address, “The Plan of Salvation as an LDS Gay Man.”
• DAN PINGREE, Seattle, Washington, will offer, “My Response to My Brother, a LDS Gay Man.”

Part 2

More »

November 12th, 2007 | Category: Homosexuality, gay, lds, mormon, mormons | Comments (44)

In the most recent issue of Commonweal Magazine, a lay Catholic publication, Mathew N. Schmalz writes about his experience relating to Mormons through Sunstone, and teaching about other religions in his capacity as associate professor of religious studies at the College of the Holy Cross. The article, Meet the Mormons, can be found here.

Also, Dan Wotherspoon, editor of Sunstone Magazine, last week lectured at the College of the Holy Cross as part of the Deitchman Family Lectures on Religion and Modernity series. His address, titled “Of Golden Plates and Global Warming: Translating Mormonism in the Twenty-first Century,” was reportedly well received. It was also allegedly recorded, and if I can get my hands on a copy we’ll try to make it available.

November 6th, 2007 | Category: Sunstone | Comments (1)

Mormon Mentality

Sunstone Northeast Symposium Roundup 

November 5th, 2007 | Category: Sideblog | Leave a comment