Bookstore Home > Conference Proceedings > 2003 > 2003 FAIR Conference WMVs

Random Reflections on the Passing Scene --and-- Church, Race, and Misplaced Apologetics (WMV)

Daniel C. Peterson, "Random Reflections on the Passing Scene," Mesa, Arizona: The Foundation for Apologetic Information & Research (FAIR), 2003 FAIR Conference, Windows Media Video (WMV).

Perennial favorite, Dan Peterson reflects on his experiences with critics, and atheists, and how he continues to find evidence for the reality of God and the truthfulness of the Gospel in this off-the-cuff presentation that is at once thought provoking and incredibly funny.

Peterson believes that if we believe something is true, then it is worth defending. However, apologetics is not about winning points.

Other areas of discussion deal with the inviting target both Christian religion and the Church are by the secular press; bias against scholars who profess faith; a focus on the belief that religion leads to violence and judgementalism (especially since 9/11); the value of religious faith that never makes it into the media headlines and the many books including Evangelical books on Mormon history that do not address serious Mormon scholarship on Mormon history.

Daniel C. Peterson received a bachelor's degree in Greek and philosophy from Brigham Young University (BYU) and, after several years of study in Jerusalem and Cairo, earned his Ph.D. in Near Eastern Languages and Cultures from the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). Dr. Peterson is a professor of Islamic Studies and Arabic at BYU, as well as a member of the board and associate executive director of its Institute for the Study and Preservation of Ancient Religious Texts, which has produced a computer-digitized version of the Dead Sea Scrolls, electronically recovered damaged documents from the ruins of Herculaneum, Petra, and elsewhere, and is engaged in joint publishing ventures with such institutions as the Vatican Apostolic Library in Rome. He is the executive editor of BYU's three-part Middle Eastern Texts Initiative, which includes not only the Islamic Translation Series but two sister series: Graeco-Arabic Sciences and Philosophy, and Eastern Christian Texts. These series publish dual-language editions of classical works of medieval Arabic and Persian philosophy, Arabic medicine and science, and early Coptic, Syriac, and Christian Arabic literature. (The University of Chicago Press distributes the volumes.)

He is the author of several books and numerous articles on Islamic and Latter-day Saint topics. Dr. Peterson served in the Switzerland Znrich Mission, and, for approximately eight years, on the Gospel Doctrine writing committee for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He currently serves as a Gospel Doctrine teacher in his home ward. He is immediate past chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies (FARMS), and edits the FARMS Review of Books.

Armand L. Mauss, "Church, the Race Issue, and Misplaced Apologetics," Redding, California: The Founation for Ancient Research & Mormon Studies (FAIR), 2003 FAIR Conference, Windows Media Video (WMV).

Was Brigham Young a racist? Why was the priesthood withheld from black members until 1978? Armand Mauss deals with these, and other difficult questions regarding the early LDS ban on the priesthood, in this thought-provoking presentation.

Mauss' study of race issues is the fruit of forty years' work. His presentation also proved to be quite up to providing insightful answers during the question and answer period.

Armand L. Mauss is emeritus Professor of Sociology and Religious Studies at Washington State University. He earned his Ph.D. in sociology from the University of California at Berkeley. He has taught, as regular or visiting faculty, at Diablo Valley College, Utah State University, UC Santa Barbara, University of Calgary, University of Lethbridge, and the College of St. Hild and St. Bede of Durham University.

Brother Mauss is a past editor for the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, past president of the Mormon History Association, and current Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Dialogue Foundation. He is the author of numerous books and articles, among them The Angel and the Beehive: The Mormon Struggle with Assimilation and All Abraham's Children: Changing Mormon Conceptions of Race and Lineage. Among other awards and recognitions, in 1995 he received the Mormon History Association's Best First Book Award and their Arrington Award for contributions to Mormon Studies.

iscounts).

An AutoStart Windows Media Video (WMV) is a CD disk that you simply insert into a computer with a CD drive and Windows Media Player software to watch video presentations. Free versions of the necessary software can be downloaded from this site: Windows Media Download Center

Title: Random Reflections on the Passing Scene --and-- Church, Race, and Misplaced Apologetics (WMV)

Your Price: Only $6.95

FAIR is not owned, controlled by or affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. All research and opinions provided on this site are the sole responsibility of FAIR, and should not be interpreted as official statements of LDS doctrine, belief or practice.

You can send comments/suggestions using our contact page.