Unaffiliated Posted July 19, 2018 Share Posted July 19, 2018 The key phrase here is "written by Apostles." So I don't want suggestions of books about the church or the Brethren written by other scholars. I want to know which books you enjoy that were actually written by members of the First Presidency and Q12 as authors. And explain why you like the book you mentioned. I hope to do some Deseret Book shopping soon. Link to comment
Duncan Posted July 19, 2018 Share Posted July 19, 2018 (edited) Anything by Elder Neal A. Maxwell. Elder and Sister Renlund came out with a book recently about the Priesthood and so hopefully it's good. I bought years and years ago now "Christ and the New Covenant" by Elder Holland but I haven't read it yet! Edited July 19, 2018 by Duncan 1 Link to comment
Unaffiliated Posted July 19, 2018 Author Share Posted July 19, 2018 I have Jeffrey R Hollands books about Psalms and one called "To My Friends" which is a summarization of past Elder Holland talks. Link to comment
rongo Posted July 19, 2018 Share Posted July 19, 2018 I'm a fossil (I'm only 43, but I was born old ). I like "Miracle of Forgiveness," "Jesus the Christ," and "A Marvelous Work and a Wonder." I think most modern apostle book stuff today is foofy pablum in comparison. 1 Link to comment
Unaffiliated Posted July 19, 2018 Author Share Posted July 19, 2018 3 minutes ago, rongo said: I'm a fossil (I'm only 43, but I was born old ). I like "Miracle of Forgiveness," "Jesus the Christ," and "A Marvelous Work and a Wonder." I think most modern apostle book stuff today is foofy pablum in comparison. How do you feel about Mormon Doctrine by Bruce R McConkie? Link to comment
rongo Posted July 19, 2018 Share Posted July 19, 2018 4 minutes ago, Unaffiliated said: How do you feel about Mormon Doctrine by Bruce R McConkie? Hit and miss. It is mostly good, in the main, with the obvious really not good parts. I don't think we have had a gospel scholar of McConkie's caliber among the apostles for quite some time. Even with the warts in Mormon Doctrine, it is quite a valuable work. Same with his other ones (Millennial Messiah, etc.). Though not an apostle, I love B.H. Roberts. I've read everything of his except for Seventies Course in Theology. Even obscure things like "Rash the Jew: An Address to All Jew" and "The Truth, the Way, the Life." Link to comment
clarkgoble Posted July 19, 2018 Share Posted July 19, 2018 While I think he does bad philosophy, I still really enjoy Orson Pratt's writings. Likewise B. H. Roberts ends up being much more nuanced than subtle than I realized. I'm not a fan of McConkie's Mormon Doctrine but there's a surprising amount of great analysis and doctrine in his Mortal Messiah series and Doctrinal New Testament commentary. The latter as a commentary is pretty bad. But sections are must read even if they are poor commentary. Most contemporary Apostles don't really write much interesting, surprisingly. Link to comment
Unaffiliated Posted July 19, 2018 Author Share Posted July 19, 2018 Do any of the current First Presidency and Q12 have any good books out? Link to comment
rongo Posted July 19, 2018 Share Posted July 19, 2018 2 minutes ago, clarkgoble said: While I think he does bad philosophy, I still really enjoy Orson Pratt's writings. I do, too! He has some masterful Journal of Discourses talks that are good to read and think about, even if you disagree with his conclusions. Likewise B. H. Roberts ends up being much more nuanced than subtle than I realized. He had a brilliant mind, and a good way of expressing it. I think he impacted our theology greatly, under the radar, in his histories and other items. I'm not a fan of McConkie's Mormon Doctrine but there's a surprising amount of great analysis and doctrine in his Mortal Messiah series and Doctrinal New Testament commentary. The latter as a commentary is pretty bad. But sections are must read even if they are poor commentary. That's where I'm at, too. And even for people who groan at "Marvelous Work and a Wonder" or think "Jesus the Christ" is outdated and "Miracle of Forgiveness" is bad (I happen to like all of them), they still are must read for anyone who pretends to know and understand Mormon Gedankengut over time. Link to comment
pogi Posted July 19, 2018 Share Posted July 19, 2018 My favorites are found in the New Testament 2 Link to comment
Unaffiliated Posted July 19, 2018 Author Share Posted July 19, 2018 Just now, pogi said: My favorites are found in the New Testament Oh but I already got all those in my possession. Haha Link to comment
Duncan Posted July 19, 2018 Share Posted July 19, 2018 Elder Bednar has several ones out, here's one https://deseretbook.com/p/one-by-one?variant_id=152769-hardcover&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=meme&utm_campaign=db_social&utm_content=5186855 The problem with some books of the leaders is that they are compilations of talks, which is fine but you want ones you can't get anywhere else. I don't want to spend money on a book and come to find out that it's all general conference talks, ensign articles or BYU/BUYH/BYUI talks, I can get all that for free 4 Link to comment
Calm Posted July 19, 2018 Share Posted July 19, 2018 51 minutes ago, clarkgoble said: While I think he does bad philosophy, I still really enjoy Orson Pratt's writings. Likewise B. H. Roberts ends up being much more nuanced than subtle than I realized. I'm not a fan of McConkie's Mormon Doctrine but there's a surprising amount of great analysis and doctrine in his Mortal Messiah series and Doctrinal New Testament commentary. The latter as a commentary is pretty bad. But sections are must read even if they are poor commentary. Most contemporary Apostles don't really write much interesting, surprisingly. Not an apostle, but a general authority.... What do you think of Tad Callister's Infinite Atonement? Link to comment
Duncan Posted July 19, 2018 Share Posted July 19, 2018 Just now, Calm said: Not an apostle, but a general authority.... What do you think of Tad Callister's Infinite Atonement? isn't it Jesus'? Tad Callister was in the mission presidency when I was out in the field, he's you know, but working out the atonement might be a bit of a stretch😂 3 Link to comment
Unaffiliated Posted July 19, 2018 Author Share Posted July 19, 2018 I have The Holy Temple by Boyd K Packer and the new book The Melchizedek Priesthood by Dale G Renlund. Link to comment
Calm Posted July 19, 2018 Share Posted July 19, 2018 22 minutes ago, Duncan said: isn't it Jesus'? Tad Callister was in the mission presidency when I was out in the field, he's you know, but working out the atonement might be a bit of a stretch😂 Rates a triple... 2 Link to comment
Josh Khinder Posted July 19, 2018 Share Posted July 19, 2018 What Mormons teach about the birth of a handicapped Child and minorities especially in third world countries, is one of favorite books to quote 😀 "This privilege of obtaining a mortal body on this earth is seemingly so priceless that those in the spirit world, even though unfaithful or not valient, were undoubtedly permitted to take mortal bodies although under penalty of racial or physical or nationalistic limitations...." (Decisions for Successful Living pp 164-165) TLDP: 497- Harold B. Lee “There is no truth more plainly taught in the Gospel than that our condition in the next world will depend upon the kind of lives we live here. …Is it not just as reasonable to suppose that the conditions in which we now live have been determined by the kind of lives we lived in the pre-existent world of spirits? That the apostles understood this principle is indicated by their question to the Master when the man who was blind from his birth was healed of his blindness, ‘Master, who did sin, this man or his parents that he was born blind?’ (John 9:2.) Now perhaps you will have a partial answer to some of your questions as to why, if God is a just Father, that some of his children are born of an enlightened race and in a time when the Gospel is upon the earth, while others are born of a heathen parentage in a benighted, backward country; and still others are born to parents who have the mark of a black skin with which the seed of Cain were cursed and whose descendants were to be denied the rights of the priesthood of God” (Harold B. Lee, Decisions for Successful Living, pp. 164-165). http://i.imgur.com/3arjdtr.jpg Link to comment
Duncan Posted July 19, 2018 Share Posted July 19, 2018 (edited) 8 minutes ago, Josh Khinder said: What Mormons teach about the birth of a handicapped Child and minorities especially in third world countries, is one of favorite books to quote 😀 "This privilege of obtaining a mortal body on this earth is seemingly so priceless that those in the spirit world, even though unfaithful or not valient, were undoubtedly permitted to take mortal bodies although under penalty of racial or physical or nationalistic limitations...." (Decisions for Successful Living pp 164-165) TLDP: 497- Harold B. Lee “There is no truth more plainly taught in the Gospel than that our condition in the next world will depend upon the kind of lives we live here. …Is it not just as reasonable to suppose that the conditions in which we now live have been determined by the kind of lives we lived in the pre-existent world of spirits? That the apostles understood this principle is indicated by their question to the Master when the man who was blind from his birth was healed of his blindness, ‘Master, who did sin, this man or his parents that he was born blind?’ (John 9:2.) Now perhaps you will have a partial answer to some of your questions as to why, if God is a just Father, that some of his children are born of an enlightened race and in a time when the Gospel is upon the earth, while others are born of a heathen parentage in a benighted, backward country; and still others are born to parents who have the mark of a black skin with which the seed of Cain were cursed and whose descendants were to be denied the rights of the priesthood of God” (Harold B. Lee, Decisions for Successful Living, pp. 164-165). http://i.imgur.com/3arjdtr.jpg He also said in the same talk, "Now don't be too hasty in your conclusions as to what conditions in mortality constitute the greater privileges....Who knows but that many of those with seeming inequalities in this life, if they do everything possible with their limited opportunities, may not receive greater blessings than some of those rewarded by having been born to a noble lineage and to superior social and spiritual opportunities who fail to live up to their great privileges! " p165-166 Edited July 19, 2018 by Duncan 2 Link to comment
Unaffiliated Posted July 19, 2018 Author Share Posted July 19, 2018 23 minutes ago, Josh Khinder said: What Mormons teach about the birth of a handicapped Child and minorities especially in third world countries, is one of favorite books to quote 😀 "This privilege of obtaining a mortal body on this earth is seemingly so priceless that those in the spirit world, even though unfaithful or not valient, were undoubtedly permitted to take mortal bodies although under penalty of racial or physical or nationalistic limitations...." (Decisions for Successful Living pp 164-165) TLDP: 497- Harold B. Lee “There is no truth more plainly taught in the Gospel than that our condition in the next world will depend upon the kind of lives we live here. …Is it not just as reasonable to suppose that the conditions in which we now live have been determined by the kind of lives we lived in the pre-existent world of spirits? That the apostles understood this principle is indicated by their question to the Master when the man who was blind from his birth was healed of his blindness, ‘Master, who did sin, this man or his parents that he was born blind?’ (John 9:2.) Now perhaps you will have a partial answer to some of your questions as to why, if God is a just Father, that some of his children are born of an enlightened race and in a time when the Gospel is upon the earth, while others are born of a heathen parentage in a benighted, backward country; and still others are born to parents who have the mark of a black skin with which the seed of Cain were cursed and whose descendants were to be denied the rights of the priesthood of God” (Harold B. Lee, Decisions for Successful Living, pp. 164-165). http://i.imgur.com/3arjdtr.jpg Are you trying to be a troll? 1 Link to comment
kllindley Posted July 20, 2018 Share Posted July 20, 2018 17 minutes ago, Unaffiliated said: Are you trying to be a troll? Yes. He's good at that. Link to comment
Hestia Posted July 20, 2018 Share Posted July 20, 2018 Josh has won an indefinite banning from the entire board because, despite many warnings and second chances, he can't seem to control his need to troll. Congrats Josh. Link to comment
clarkgoble Posted July 20, 2018 Share Posted July 20, 2018 2 hours ago, Calm said: What do you think of Tad Callister's Infinite Atonement? Never even heard of it. So I confess I'm completely ignorant. 3 hours ago, rongo said: And even for people who groan at "Marvelous Work and a Wonder" or think "Jesus the Christ" is outdated and "Miracle of Forgiveness" is bad (I happen to like all of them), they still are must read for anyone who pretends to know and understand Mormon Gedankengut over time. I confess I find all three pretty problematic, although it's been years since I last read Miracle of Forgiveness so I shouldn't say too much there. I like Talmage's writing in Jesus the Christ but yeah, the scholarship is extremely dated and problematic. I'm not saying it's not worth reading but just be aware there's tons of incorrect things in it. 2 Link to comment
Calm Posted July 20, 2018 Share Posted July 20, 2018 Brief highlights: http://www.ldsliving.com/5-Profound-Insights-from-The-Infinite-Atonement/s/81642 Link to comment
bluebell Posted July 20, 2018 Share Posted July 20, 2018 11 hours ago, clarkgoble said: Never even heard of it. So I confess I'm completely ignorant. I confess I find all three pretty problematic, although it's been years since I last read Miracle of Forgiveness so I shouldn't say too much there. I like Talmage's writing in Jesus the Christ but yeah, the scholarship is extremely dated and problematic. I'm not saying it's not worth reading but just be aware there's tons of incorrect things in it. I love JtC. I wish someone would write a book (from a charitable “I love this book too” angle) that corrected the outdated scholarship. Link to comment
rongo Posted July 20, 2018 Share Posted July 20, 2018 5 hours ago, bluebell said: I love JtC. I wish someone would write a book (from a charitable “I love this book too” angle) that corrected the outdated scholarship. The outdated scholarship doesn't bother me. When you read old classics, it can't bother you, or you'd go nuts. But his commentary, insight, and application of things is profound and timeless. That his citing of Edersheim, Clarke, et. al. is smirked at by modern higher critics doesn't faze me a bit. Link to comment
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