LDS Scholar John Tvedtness

[Anakin7]

    It has just come to my attention that LDS Scholar John Tvedtness passed away yesterday. I never met him personally but we spoke much on the phone regarding spiritual things, responding to critics, He often would send me via snail mail papers/responses to LDS critics, correspondences he had with a # of LDS critics who respected him as an individual and LDS Apologist. May True Grace be with him in the Eternal Mansions on High.

The Atonement it Is The Central Doctrine

Washing My Garment/Robe In His Blood

In His Eternal Debt/Grace

Anakin7

[Scott Lloyd]

I never met Tvedtness, nor do I recall ever hearing him speak live. But I do know of his stellar reputation as a scholarly defender of the Mormon faith, and I regret his passing. 

As a sample, here is a a transcript of an address he gave years ago at one of the FAIR (now FairMormon) conferences:

https://www.fairmormon.org/conference/august-2003/the-charge-of-racism-in-the-book-of-mormon

[Kevin Christensen]

I met him a few times, first in 2003 when Margaret Barker went to BYU, and at FAIR and Interpreter events.  He was a remarkable scholar with impressive intellectual resources, devout, insightful, rigorous and wide ranging in his readings, and memorable in his insights.  I heard that he had been working on a book about Joseph Smith and the Ancient World since his retirement.  I hope that comes to fruition.  His essay on King Benjamin's Discourse as a Feast of the Tabernacles was very important and influential.  He produced several important articles in the old Review, and produced several important books.  The Most Correct Book, and The Book of Mormon and Other Hidden Books.

Till We Meet Again,

Kevin Christensen

Canonsburg, PA

[Ahab]

I've heard of him and read some of his writings.  I wasn't aware that he was a SHIELDS agent.

http://www.shields-research.org/Authors/Tvedtnes.html

[juliann]

I was sad to hear this. 

[Robert F. Smith]

John was a good friend and colleague from his days teaching at the Univ of Utah, and later at FARMS.  He was a first-rate scholar.  He also earned considerable respect from the Israeli Jewish community (he spent many years in Jerusalem).  He had a series of strokes while in retirement, which curtailed some of his work.  He was a genuinely nice guy.  He was even nice to some of the more annoying and trenchant anti-Mormons.  He will be deeply missed by many of those who knew him.

[cdowis]

Many years ago he proposed and wrote a couple of articles on the mnemonic theory of the Book of Abraham translation.

It is the only theory which incorporates the EAG and the BOD with the translation process.
http://www.mormondialogue.org/topic/62181-tvedtnes-mnemonic-theory-and-book-of-abraham-translation/

 

 

Edited June 12, 2018 by cdowis

[Garden Girl]

I'm so sorry to hear this... I have several of his writings... my favorite being a paper from 1999 on "Early Christian and Jewish Rituals Related to Temple Practices."  I actually send copies to people preparing to go to the temple...  Even though it addresses ancient practices, it's relevance to current temple worship is unmistakable...  We've lost a wonderful scholar...

GG

[Guest]

13 hours ago, Anakin7 said:

    It has just come to my attention that LDS Scholar John Tvedtness passed away yesterday. I never met him personally but we spoke much on the phone regarding spiritual things, responding to critics, He often would send me via snail mail papers/responses to LDS critics, correspondences he had with a # of LDS critics who respected him as an individual and LDS Apologist. May True Grace be with him in the Eternal Mansions on High.

The Atonement it Is The Central Doctrine

Washing My Garment/Robe In His Blood

In His Eternal Debt/Grace

Anakin7

He was not very old was he? 

[Thinking]

3 hours ago, Bill "Papa" Lee said:

He was not very old was he? 

77

[Thinking]

My condolences go out to his wife and family.

Once upon a time my wife and I were in the same ward as John. He was a quiet man who not condescending. He would sometimes choose to sit on the back row during gospel doctrine class and slip his shoes off and sit in his chair with his stocking feet resting on the floor.

[RBoylan]

I never met him in person, but his scholarship was influential in my own studies, and even while investigating the Church, John graciously took the time to answer questions I had about the Book of Mormon and other issues.

 

I wrote a blog post in his honour:

 

http://scripturalmormonism.blogspot.com/2018/06/john-tvedtnes-1941-2018.html

[Stargazer]

On 6/13/2018 at 12:28 AM, Garden Girl said:

I'm so sorry to hear this... I have several of his writings... my favorite being a paper from 1999 on "Early Christian and Jewish Rituals Related to Temple Practices."  I actually send copies to people preparing to go to the temple...  Even though it addresses ancient practices, it's relevance to current temple worship is unmistakable...  We've lost a wonderful scholar...

GG

I was interested to see what he wrote on this topic, and found it on the net (where everything may be found these days, apparently): Early Christian and Jewish Rituals Related to Temple Practices

 

 

[Stargazer]

17 hours ago, RBoylan said:

I never met him in person, but his scholarship was influential in my own studies, and even while investigating the Church, John graciously took the time to answer questions I had about the Book of Mormon and other issues.

 

I wrote a blog post in his honour:

 

http://scripturalmormonism.blogspot.com/2018/06/john-tvedtnes-1941-2018.html

Nice!

Not to hijack the thread, but this "open theism" thing of yours might deserve a discussion.  Perhaps you can propose it in a topic in General Discussions and see where it goes?

[Atheist Mormon]

Quote

LDS Scholar John Tvedtness passing

RIP, Even though he was constantly wrong side of the claims of the Church. 

[Calm]

Stephen E. Robinson died today.  Apparently was in pretty good health:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/145944202102817/permalink/1951357538228132/

He wrote Believing Christ for those less familiar with him.  Most popular LDS book for years, includes the Parable of the Bicycle.

https://www.lds.org/ensign/1992/04/believing-christ?lang=eng