Is There Anything Like The Old Peterson And Hamblin Farms?

[rick7475]

What is DCP doing now? I used to love the FARMS review because it had teeth. I understand the current Mormon Studies Review is a watered down far cry from what it was. Is there another group doing the same type of no holds bar scholarly work like FARMS? (I like FAIR, too, don't get me wrong)....

[poulsenll]

Yes, The Interpreter Foundation

http://www.mormoninterpreter.com/

A new journal founded by Dan Peterson.

Larry P

[rick7475]

Thanks. I have some reading to do!!

[Robert F. Smith]

What is DCP doing now? I used to love the FARMS review because it had teeth. I understand the current Mormon Studies Review is a watered down far cry from what it was. Is there another group doing the same type of no holds bar scholarly work like FARMS? (I like FAIR, too, don't get me wrong)....

Your  OP says "Is There Anything Like The Old Peterson And Hamblin Farms?"

That conjures up classic FARMS from a period which predates Dan Peterson joining in, at a time when FARMS Review did not yet exist, and when there was no concept like "no holds barred."

 

That was a time when FARMS was an independent organization, supported by contributions from lots of ordinary Mormons who liked what FARMS did:

1. publication of a peer-reviewed one-page monthly Update with the latest in cutting edge research.

2. basic research on the Book of Mormon using the best in scholarly methods.

3. distribution at-cost of Xerox copies of relevant articles from academic journals, as well as of preliminary reports on research by anyone capable of shedding light on the Book of Mormon (whether in or out of the LDS Church).

4. publication of massive studies of the Book of Mormon, such as the FARMS Book of Mormon Critical Text, as part of an ongoing project now in its 44th year -- even though FARMS no longer exists.

5. editing and publication of Hugh Nibley's complete works in 19 volumes, some of it never before published.

 

All of that (and more) with only one full-time paid secretary (office manager) and a couple of part-time student interns to handle mailing.

FARMS was governed by a board of directors and did nothing without board approval.  All served without remuneration, and any profits made from book sales by the primary board members were donated in full to FARMS.

 

The collegiality and good-hearted behavior of the scholars who worked with FARMS is the thing which stood out for most of us.  That and the sense of adventure which comes with the discovery of so much new and relevant information about the ancient Near East and about Mesoamerica.  Non-Mormon scholars from Italy and Israel came to visit and discuss mutual interests, and a couple of young evangelical scholars even came to evaluate Mormon apologetics -- finding far more than they had bargained for, and concluding that Mormon apologists had actually won the battle (and they said so publicly and in print).

 

FARMS Review did eventually become the most recognizable face of FARMS, and it did anger a good many polemicists who wanted their misrepresentations of Mormonism to go unexamined and unreviewed.  The facts were gathered and reported in that peer-reviewed journal, just as they still are in Interpreter, which continues to engender false claims of reprehensible apologetics.  However, what seems to get lost in the hue & cry is the fact that FARMS Review was always only a small part of the work of FARMS.

[3DOP]

hey rick...

 

Dr. Peterson regularly posts his articles for I think Deseret News. I think he and Dr. Hamblin do another article regularly together. Check out the "In The News" Forum to access those. He is also participating at this new internet site called The World Table. I am Catholic and a Dr. Peterson fan and find we share a lot of the same views about worship, politics, and ecclesiology. I am less interested in issues that pertain only to LDS like proofs for the Book of Mormon or archaeological questions so I don't really follow organizations the way I kind of keep tabs on "Dr. Pete".

[Daniel Peterson]

Your  OP says "Is There Anything Like The Old Peterson And Hamblin Farms?"

That conjures up classic FARMS from a period which predates Dan Peterson joining in, at a time when FARMS Review did not yet exist, and when there was no concept like "no holds barred."

 

That was a time when FARMS was an independent organization, supported by contributions from lots of ordinary Mormons who liked what FARMS did:

1. publication of a peer-reviewed one-page monthly Update with the latest in cutting edge research.

2. basic research on the Book of Mormon using the best in scholarly methods.

3. distribution at-cost of Xerox copies of relevant articles from academic journals, as well as of preliminary reports on research by anyone capable of shedding light on the Book of Mormon (whether in or out of the LDS Church).

4. publication of massive studies of the Book of Mormon, such as the FARMS Book of Mormon Critical Text, as part of an ongoing project now in its 44th year -- even though FARMS no longer exists.

5. editing and publication of Hugh Nibley's complete works in 19 volumes, some of it never before published.

 

All of that (and more) with only one full-time paid secretary (office manager) and a couple of part-time student interns to handle mailing.

FARMS was governed by a board of directors and did nothing without board approval.  All served without remuneration, and any profits made from book sales by the primary board members were donated in full to FARMS.

 

The collegiality and good-hearted behavior of the scholars who worked with FARMS is the thing which stood out for most of us.  That and the sense of adventure which comes with the discovery of so much new and relevant information about the ancient Near East and about Mesoamerica.  Non-Mormon scholars from Italy and Israel came to visit and discuss mutual interests, and a couple of young evangelical scholars even came to evaluate Mormon apologetics -- finding far more than they had bargained for, and concluding that Mormon apologists had actually won the battle (and they said so publicly and in print).

 

FARMS Review did eventually become the most recognizable face of FARMS, and it did anger a good many polemicists who wanted their misrepresentations of Mormonism to go unexamined and unreviewed.  The facts were gathered and reported in that peer-reviewed journal, just as they still are in Interpreter, which continues to engender false claims of reprehensible apologetics.  However, what seems to get lost in the hue & cry is the fact that FARMS Review was always only a small part of the work of FARMS.

 

All quite true.

 

The Interpreter Foundation is trying to put as much of this all back together as it can.  There's no question, though, that the 2012 Maxwell institute purge was a major setback for the work that FARMS was established to do, and that the exciting, energetic, collegial spirit of the Foundation has essentially been destroyed.

[Daniel Peterson]

hey rick...

 

Dr. Peterson regularly posts his articles for I think Deseret News. I think he and Dr. Hamblin do another article regularly together. Check out the "In The News" Forum to access those. He is also participating at this new internet site called The World Table. I am Catholic and a Dr. Peterson fan and find we share a lot of the same views about worship, politics, and ecclesiology. I am less interested in issues that pertain only to LDS like proofs for the Book of Mormon or archaeological questions so I don't really follow organizations the way I kind of keep tabs on "Dr. Pete".

 

Thanks for the kind words, Rory.  It's a mutual admiration society, I promise you.

[mfbukowski]

I really think the church needs something like the New Maxwell Institute- but no question that a vital force for good has been lost, with no replacement.  It's all really pretty sad.

[wenglund]

Gratefully, the spirit of FARMS lives on, not just with Interpreter, but various other Bill and Dan excellent adventures.

 

Thanks, -Wade Englund-

Edited November 12, 2013 by wenglund

[Bob Crockett]

I was a huge fan of the old FARMS, as well as the pre-Dr. Peterson FARMS.   The Interpreter is so wonderful as well.   I'd like to contribute and will, but keep getting hung up with the PayPal button.

 

Having said this, it is completely understandable to me why BYU would want this work to go off-campus.  Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong, but when FARMS was invited on campus wasn't it just the Welch version of it?  No review-type publications of anti-Mormon work?

[Bob Crockett]

I really think the church needs something like the New Maxwell Institute- but no question that a vital force for good has been lost, with no replacement.  It's all really pretty sad.

FAIR seems to fill the bill, in my opinion.  I wish it had a more robust web interface, but I'm just a non-techie.

[Kevin Christensen]

I was a huge fan of the old FARMS, as well as the pre-Dr. Peterson FARMS.   The Interpreter is so wonderful as well.   I'd like to contribute and will, but keep getting hung up with the PayPal button.

 

Having said this, it is completely understandable to me why BYU would want this work to go off-campus.  Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong, but when FARMS was invited on campus wasn't it just the Welch version of it?  No review-type publications of anti-Mormon work?

The Review had started in 1989, So by the time the invitation came, 1997 or so, the Review had already published many volumes, including the famous "Korihor is back, and this time he has a printing press" (volume 3), Volume 6/1 responding to New Approaches, and several responses to the Tanners, Walter Martin, Vogel, various counter-cult things, etc.

We have yet to see exactly what the new Mormon Studies Review is going to be. I hope it turns out well.

Kevin Christensen

Pittsburgh, PA

[Bob Crockett]

Thanks Kevin -- you are indeed correct. I remember now discussing Korihor is back with the pre-Peterson editors.  

 

I wonder what is up with the new Mormon Studies Review?  I'm now on the Claremont board and am interested in seeing what BYU is going to produce in terms of secular Mormon studies.

[Daniel Peterson]

Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong, but when FARMS was invited on campus wasn't it just the Welch version of it?  No review-type publications of anti-Mormon work?

 

No.  I was chairman of the FARMS board when BYU asked us to affiliate with the University as also during the affiliation process, and I had been editor of the Review (which I founded at Jack's invitation) for quite a few years by that point.

[Daniel Peterson]

I remember now discussing Korihor is back with the pre-Peterson editors.

 

I'm not sure that I understand you.  However, just to be clear:  There were no pre-Peterson editors of the Review.  I was its founding editor.

[Calm]

FAIR seems to fill the bill, in my opinion.  I wish it had a more robust web interface, but I'm just a non-techie.

We just upgraded...check it out and make suggestions if you want.

[Wiki Wonka]

FAIR seems to fill the bill, in my opinion.  I wish it had a more robust web interface, but I'm just a non-techie.

 

We just launched our new FairMormon website, which was designed for us by Bonneville Communications. We have also redesigned the FairMormon Blog and FairMormon Answers (Wiki).

 

http://www.fairmormon.org/ (Main site)

http://www.fairblog.org/ (blog)

http://en.fairmormon.org/Main_Page (Wiki)

 

Hopefully they are easier to navigate than they were before.

 

With regard to the Maxwell Institute website, we have found it very difficult to navigate and locate the FARMS Review and Journal of Book of Mormon Studies, so, the new FairMormon Website now has an index of links to all issues these periodicals on the new MI site. It is accessible under the Resources->Journals menu entry:

 

http://www.fairmormon.org/resources/journals

 

 

WW

Edited November 13, 2013 by Wiki Wonka

[Wiki Wonka]

Thanks Kevin -- you are indeed correct. I remember now discussing Korihor is back with the pre-Peterson editors.  

 

I wonder what is up with the new Mormon Studies Review?  I'm now on the Claremont board and am interested in seeing what BYU is going to produce in terms of secular Mormon studies.

 

Blair just announced that the new Mormon Studies Review has gone to print and will be out in December. He also said that it will not be available for free online for a period of one year.

[jkwilliams]

I'm not sure that I understand you.  However, just to be clear:  There were no pre-Peterson editors of the Review.  I was its founding editor.

 

Sure, that's just what you want us to think.

[Daniel Peterson]

Sure, that's just what you want us to think.

 

There were no editors of the FARMS Review before me.  There will (as it happens) be none after me.  I am the FARMS Review.

[Bob Crockett]

I'm not sure that I understand you.  However, just to be clear:  There were no pre-Peterson editors of the Review.  I was its founding editor.

Thanks.  I'm too old to remember anything.

[morgan.deane]

There were no editors of the FARMS Review before me.  There will (as it happens) be none after me.  I am the FARMS Review.

How was the conference last weekend? I forget if you mentioned this before, but are the conference proceedings going to be published? (I'm sure there are video versions but I would rather read them.)