CA Steve Posted October 12, 2014 Posted October 12, 2014 My wife attended Sister Dew's presentation last night at Claremont University in California. The talk was entitled "Women in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints". For those who do not know, Claremont is one of the three universities which has an endowed professorship of Mormon studies. The Howard W. Hunter Foundation and Chair are located there. Was anyone able to attend and if so could you provide a brief overview and impressions of her talk? From what my wife has said it was very interesting and I will try and post more later on about her recollections. As a side, does BYU offer any sort of graduate degree in Mormon Studies?
Robert F. Smith Posted October 12, 2014 Posted October 12, 2014 The only types of graduate degrees in religion offered by BYU are the following: M.A. Religious Education https://graduatestudies.byu.edu/content/religious-education-ma , available only to full-time teachers in the Church Educational System (Seminaries & Institutes), and then only to a maximum of 15 students admitted every other year M.A. Religious Studies, Military Chaplaincy https://graduatestudies.byu.edu/content/religous-studies-military-chaplaincy-ma ,open only to military chaplain candidates 1
Bob Crockett Posted October 12, 2014 Posted October 12, 2014 (edited) I was there. I am on the Mormon Studies board. She was great. Her topic was Women and the Priesthood but she played it very close to the vest. She declined to get into a discussion about Ordain Women or Kate Kelly, indicating that she needed to speak with Kate Kelly before forming any kind of opinion, but that permitting herself to be estranged from the church was something Sis. Dew hoped to be changed. She interestingly was unable to defined "ordain" in the Church. I think the definition is: The action which makes somebody a deacon, teacher, priest etc. And nothing more. Although an ancestor of mine claimed to be an ordained Danite, but his role was limited to one day in Gallatin, Missouri. The Mormon Studies Program is a secular program. It has two different aims -- one, to provide advanced degree historical and theological training for future academics and pastors, and two, to provide a place where those in the Seminaries and Institutes program can obtain an advanced degree in their field. There are two scholarships. The Millet Fellowship helps students in the Seminaries and Institutes program, and the Joe Bentley fellowship helps everybody else. The Mormon Studies Program is chaired by Stephen Bradford, the recently released Pasadena Stake President. It has a endowed professorship currently occupied by Patrick Mason. The Mormon Studies program is guided by the Howard W. Hunter Foundation, which is headed up by the current L.A. Temple President and has a number of Hunter family members on the board. I would like to say that the program is the finest program of Mormon Studies in the nation, as it involves a multidisciplinary studies program at the nationally-ranked Claremont Graduate Studies institution. BYU does not have a secular Mormon Studies program atlhough I see bottom-up academic pressure for something like it, as can be seen the recent shakeup at Maxwell. Edited October 12, 2014 by Bob Crockett 1
Ham Clam Posted October 12, 2014 Posted October 12, 2014 I know they record some sessions. Was this one?
Bob Crockett Posted October 12, 2014 Posted October 12, 2014 I don't know. Usually these kinds of speakers won't permit it. I'll find out and if it was I'll see about getting a link up.
saemo Posted October 12, 2014 Posted October 12, 2014 My wife attended Sister Dew's presentation last night at Claremont University in California. The talk was entitled "Women in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints". For those who do not know, Claremont is one of the three universities which has an endowed professorship of Mormon studies. The Howard W. Hunter Foundation and Chair are located there. Was anyone able to attend and if so could you provide a brief overview and impressions of her talk? From what my wife has said it was very interesting and I will try and post more later on about her recollections. As a side, does BYU offer any sort of graduate degree in Mormon Studies?The University of Utah created a new Mormon Studies department and is currently offering a fellowship.http://thc.utah.edu/lectures-programs/MormonStudies.php
juliann Posted October 12, 2014 Posted October 12, 2014 Steve, I have some notes which don't do her justice here http://www.mormonwomenconnect.com/index.php?/topic/149-sheri-dew-lecture-at-claremont/ 1
CA Steve Posted October 13, 2014 Author Posted October 13, 2014 Thanks Juliann, My wife found your notes very good and well in line with what she remembered.
Robert F. Smith Posted October 13, 2014 Posted October 13, 2014 ............................................................ BYU does not have a secular Mormon Studies program atlhough I see bottom-up academic pressure for something like it, as can be seen the recent shakeup at Maxwell. Not gonna happen, Bob. Not at BYU.As for the Maxwell Institute, it does provide a vehicle for serious modern Mormon Studies seminars and publications. It also provides some small scholarships. However, even though there is a highly qualified faculty available, and a new BYU President, I see no likelihood that such a graduate program will gel in the forseeable future. The same applies to graduate degrees in ancient Near Eastern studies. Even the University of Utah has abandoned that area, leaving Utah rather sterile ground for serious research along such lines. I think that is very sad, given that qualified faculty and library holdings are available, and that strong interest is there for it.
Calm Posted October 13, 2014 Posted October 13, 2014 Could graduates get jobs though in the field or would. The degree be discounted because of the school?
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