Teaser From The Maxwell Institute

[Curtis Weber]

I just posted the following at the MI Facebook page:

Let me be one of the first to say here that I remain deeply disappointed in the recent happenings at MI/FARMS, especially the way things appear to have been handled. I will be waiting to see what the new direction is before I consider supporting MI in anyway any time soon. For me it will take a lot of work for you to undue the damage to your reputation you have done.

[Curtis Weber]

Thought I'd duplicate it here as they may delete it, dirty laundry and all you know. I've expressed my disappointment privately several times, so now I'm doing ti publicly. Not that it matters.

[Mola Ram Suda Ram]

I can't remember the last time I witnessed a lion waiting to spring on what it assumed would be vulnerable prey.

You know, I happen to strangely agree. I might even catch some hell for it.

[Bill Hamblin]

[Mola Ram Suda Ram]

Oh my that is really funny.

[Bill Hamblin]

I just posted the following at the MI Facebook page:

Let me be one of the first to say here that I remain deeply disappointed in the recent happenings at MI/FARMS, especially the way things appear to have been handled. I will be waiting to see what the new direction is before I consider supporting MI in anyway any time soon. For me it will take a lot of work for you to undue the damage to your reputation you have done.

Actually, you didn't. There's nothing there.

Don't tell me they are going to censor their Facebook page?!?! Is that their big announcement?

[Mark Beesley]

I was thinking more . . .

[Bill Hamblin]

Just posted this on the MI facebook page.

Pictures of Nibley books: good.

Nibley apologetics: not so good.

We'll see how long it lasts, or if it even makes it up there.

"We have always been at war with Eastasia!"

[Mark Beesley]

I just posted the following at the MI Facebook page:

Let me be one of the first to say here that I remain deeply disappointed in the recent happenings at MI/FARMS, especially the way things appear to have been handled. I will be waiting to see what the new direction is before I consider supporting MI in anyway any time soon. For me it will take a lot of work for you to undue the damage to your reputation you have done.

Ya know how the Church refuses to comment on the proceedings of Disciplinary Councils so we only get one side from the disgruntled . . . ?

[LifeOnaPlate]

A blog, a twitter feed, now Facebook. How about books and reviews? Is MI reduced to, as B. H. Roberts used to say, a meal of condiments only (without the food)?

We aren't publishing any books or reviews today, of course. (Still, I suggest you check out Faulconer's new book, linked above.) Today we're launching our social media presence with an announcement about our developing projects.

We intend to establish an up-to-date line of communication between the Institute and the good people of the interwebz so that when the new books and reviews start flowing again we'll have a more excellent way to let people know.

[Bill Hamblin]

We aren't publishing any books or reviews today, of course. (Still, I suggest you check out Faulconer's new book, linked above.) Today we're launching our social media presence with an announcement about our developing projects.

We intend to establish an up-to-date line of communication between the Institute and the good people of the interwebz so that when the new books and reviews start flowing again we'll have a more excellent way to let people know.

Kind of like developing the marketing before you actually have a product to sell?

[Bill Hamblin]

We aren't publishing any books or reviews today, of course. (Still, I suggest you check out Faulconer's new book, linked above.) Today we're launching our social media presence with an announcement about our developing projects.

Though it came out of the pipeline in the new regime, Jim Faulconer's new book was envisaged and produced by the old regime. It is a great book, by the way.

It's kind of like claiming credit for the baby of your new wife's former divorced husband.

[LifeOnaPlate]

Check out the new blog, y'all

www.maxwellinstituteblog.org

[Bill Hamblin]

Just went back to the Facebook page to discover that I can't make a friend request or post anything.

Maybe I don't know what to do. Or maybe I'm just Emmanuel Goldstein.

[Bill Hamblin]

Check out the new blog, y'all

www.maxwellinstituteblog.org

That's it? A blog and a board of editors?

[Curtis Weber]

It appears that my comment at the MI Facebook page has been deleted. Understandable, but still makes me sad.

[David T]

That's it? A blog and a board of editors?

An announcement of the return of the Review as well.

And that board of editors is awesome. I'm excited!

Edited March 25, 2013 by David T

[rongo]

It appears that my comment at the MI Facebook page has been deleted. Understandable, but still makes me sad.

That might have something to do with their new Facebook editor, some guy named J. Dehlin.

[Curtis Weber]

That might have something to do with their new Facebook editor, some guy named J. Dehlin.

lol. On a (possibly) related note, I noticed that Dehlin was the first like that popped up when I checked to see whether in fact my comment had been deleted.

[Curtis Weber]

Oops, not a like, he's their first Friend. Oops again, he's their like, but he's my Friend!

Edited March 25, 2013 by Curtis Weber

[Bill Hamblin]

It is crystal clear that for the new Maxwell Institute, Mormon Studies means secular-style studies of nineteenth and twentieth century Mormonism. No one on the advisory or editorial board has any expertise or interest in in the ancient world, biblical studies, etc. With this new board of editors, the new Maxwell Institute is signaling its complete abandonment of the original mission of FARMS, that is, the study of the intersection of ancient research and Mormon studies, as well as its abandonment of apologetics. (A number of members of the advisory board are non-Mormons, which is fine in itself, but they will not be interested in LDS apologetics).

Whether this will be a good thing or a bad thing, we’ll have to wait and see. But we do know that John Dehlin is “excited for the dawn of a new age!!!!” (from the Facebook page).

[Bill Hamblin]

Blair, the blog says:

It is anticipated that the first print volume of the Review will be available this winter.

Does "this winter" mean in the next couple of days, or does "this winter" mean December 2013?

[Curtis Weber]

Blair, considering Bill's observation about the lack of anyone qualified to comment or advise on matters related to antiquity, will FARMS be dropping the "AR" or merely maintaining the name for continuity's sake? Or will the new journal still have an ancient aspect?

[rongo]

It is crystal clear that for the new Maxwell Institute, Mormon Studies means secular-style studies of nineteenth and twentieth century Mormonism.

That's what we've been told, but we actually don't have anything that concretely illustrates what their new approach will be, other than Bradford's turgid and lofty ode to New Mormon Studies. So far, we have no actual examples of what that will look like.

[sethpayne]

Blair, considering Bill's observation about the lack of anyone qualified to comment or advise on matters related to antiquity, will FARMS be dropping the "AR" or merely maintaining the name for continuity's sake? Or will the new journal still have an ancient aspect?

FARMS no longer exists IIRC.

It is the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

Edited March 25, 2013 by sethpayne