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A wonderful essay. This insight is consonant with the revelation that God “raised up” the remarkable generation of people who created the USA and its constitution, to prepare the way for the Restoration of the gospel and the Book of Mormon. It invites me to speculate on how the United States has, through its direct efforts and its example, opened much of the world to the Restoration, freeing much of the world from the dominion of Imperial Japan and Nazi Germany, and then from the domination of communist Russia. The Church’s missionaries had a much easier time finding investigators after Japan’s humbling defeat.
It makes me wonder also about other historical events that led to the establishment of the USA. The crucial aid of France against the United Kingdom was a result of the intervention of Joan of Arc in keeping France independent of England. Her own visionary experiences seem more credible to me because of their long term significance.
A very enjoyable read! I always love to listen and read the interperter! Thanks Prof. Peterson!
As a non-Mormon I find that Daniel C. Petersen is almost always instructive. (I can usually skim the apologetic or faith-promoting passages). Gifted with an irenic temperament, enriched by a well-stocked mind and fortified by a sophisticated mastery of key languages and cultures, he is almost always well worth reading.
His extremely wide ranging current essay is one of the most historically sophisticated to come out of Zion on the place of Mormonism in Christian history. Professor Petersen is one orthodox Mormon intellectual that I still listen to. And I go way back 60 years to friendships with the young Leonard J. Arrington and Fawn McKay Brodie.
Though Professor Petersen’s conservative view of his church is not shared by all Latter-day Saints, I think that it is a necessary point of view in the present Mormon dialogue.
Moreover, despite Professor Petersen’s conservative conception of his own faith, his generosity toward non-Mormons has the effect of mollifying outsiders’ disdain for the claims of Joseph Smith. An invaluable Mormon voice.
Dear Professor De Pillis:
Thank you for your very kind words. You’ve done me a considerable honor.
-dcp
While a visiting scholar at BYU, Dr. De Pillis befriended a young intern and taught him about the importance of understanding other faiths and perspectives. I am grateful for that association and for the example of Christian charity and brotherhood that underscores the principle that Dr. Peterson is teaching.
Thank you, Daniel. I have admired your knowledge, fortitude, insight, and excellent writing and speaking for many years. You have provided great service to me and to my community in downtown Salt Lake many, many times and I thank you for your contribution, service, faithfulness and integrity. You are a wonderful mentor to me, a 79 year old man, a faithful and appreciative brother.
Brother Glen Winegar
I’ve never before commented on Mormon Interpreter, but felt I had to here – congratulations on a truly excellent piece. We recently concluded several years of living in Rome, so I can easily picture the scenes you describe, indeed, of powerful, compelling spirituality, art, and countless examples of faith, up and down the length of that beautiful country. As you rightly note, throughout the history of Catholicism, there were eye-raising accounts, but these are vastly outnumbered by incredible examples of faith and devotion.
The gesture of relocating the meetings away from one of Catholicism’s symbolic power centers is a charitable, gracious example that some still within our own faith tradition, who can sometimes too easily denigrate or dismiss our Catholic brethren, would do well to remember. When I next hear such a comment, I shall think back to this well-written essay. I hope it reaches a wide audience.
The wild branches, spoken of in Jacob 5, truly kept the tree alive. Had those branches not preserved the roots (the word of God in the form of the surviving bible?) of the tree, where would we be today? We all owe a lot to those tame and wild branches who came before us.
Borson, what? Forgive my ignorance, but I don’t know what you’re talking about. Do you have a link to your quote or any additional information/clarification? Thanks.
It is our Catholic friends who understand the connection between usury and homosexuality.
“Contraception, abortion and homosexuality are, in part, derived from the corruption of a society that has legalized the crime of usury.”
Catholics have a clear understanding of this biblical teaching that seems to be on the back shelf to many Latter-day Saints.
Beautiful articulation of Catholic succession and commendation of the good they’ve accomplished. Thank you.
I believe that the quote you attribute to Wycliffe was actually spoken by William Tyndale.
Correct. John Wycliffe had been dead some 138 years before William Tyndale/Tindale told the confused priest at Little Sodbury of his ambition to “cause the boy that driveth the plough to know more of the Scriptures than thou dost.”
Well said, Dr. Peterson. I heartily enjoy your writing and agree with your sentiments as always. I might point out that I believe the “plough boy” anecdote above concerning John Wycliffe ought more properly to be attributed to William Tyndale. Thanks for all you do to keep Interpreter up and running.