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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 128.187.112.21 (talk) at 19:57, 15 March 2018 (Updated to reflect the recent significant changes at the Maxwell Institute, announced in March of 2018.). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship
Formation2006
TypeResearch Institute (Religious texts, Mormon studies)
HeadquartersBrigham Young University
Location
Executive Director
J. Spencer Fluhman
Parent organization
Brigham Young University
AffiliationsThe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Websitemi.byu.edu

The Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship, or simply the Maxwell Institute, is a research institute at Brigham Young University (BYU) made up of faculty and visiting scholars who study and write about religion, primarily but not exclusively The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Its mission statement reads: “The Maxwell Institute both gathers and nurtures disciple-scholars. As a research community, the Institute supports scholars whose work inspires and fortifies Latter-day Saints in their testimonies of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and engages the world of religious ideas.”[1]

The Institute depicts its work as reflecting on the relationship between faith and intellect, discipleship and scholarship in the Mormon tradition and in interaction with other world religions including wider Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. Interested LDS readers are urged to rely on their publications for thoughtful analysis of LDS scripture, though they do not produce official literature on behalf of the LDS Church. Institute scholars have also emphasized the hope that their publications dealing with texts from other religious traditions will broaden understanding and promote goodwill through interactions with Mormons and people of other faiths. The Institute is named for former LDS apostle, Neal A. Maxwell, a man known by Latter-day Saints and others, not only for his poignant and learned writings and sermons, but also for his example as a disciple-scholar.

History

The Maxwell Institute was established in 2006 as an umbrella organization for several of the University's academic initiatives, including: the Middle Eastern Texts Initiative (METI), the Center for the Preservation of Ancient Religious Texts (CPART), the Laura F. Willes Center for Book of Mormon Studies, and the Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies (FARMS).[2] By 2013, FARMS had become fully absorbed into the Institute's Willes Center. In 2017 METI was transferred to the international publisher Brill and CPART completed its final project.

In 2012, debate was sparked when the Institute's then-director, Gerald Bradford, removed Daniel C. Peterson from a long-time editorship of the FARMS Review (now Mormon Studies Review).[3] Peterson retained his position as editor of the Middle Eastern Texts Initiative (METI) until resigning from that post in September 2013.[4]

Scholarship

According to its website, The Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship provides research positions for full-time faculty, visiting scholars, post-doctorate research, temporary research fellows who study religion. The Institute publishes some of what its scholars produce, but expects them to place most of their research in other venues.

The Institute also includes two initiatives:

  1. Laura F. Willes Center for Book of Mormon Studies,[5] which deals principally with the Book of Mormon in ancient and modern settings, in addition to other LDS scripture.
  2. William (Bill) Gay Research Chair,[6] which focuses on study directly related to the ancient world and LDS scripture, particularly the Book of Abraham (as of 2013, the chair is held by John Gee).

The Institute frequently sponsors guest lectures at Brigham Young University, as well as symposia, workshops, and conferences on religion.

The Institute also employs a small staff of office assistants, communications personnel, and a number of student interns.[7]

Publications

The Institute publishes books and journals for both general and academic readers. Its three periodicals are the Journal of the Book of Mormon Studies, the Mormon Studies Review (each published in partnership with the University of Illinois Press), and Studies in the Bible and Antiquity (currently on hiatus). One of the Institute's important past publications is Royal Skousen's Book of Mormon Critical Text Project.[8]

Although the Institute is not primarily a publisher, it maintains a publishing imprint and produces a handful of titles each year. These include the “Living Faith” series: “Living Faith books are for readers who cherish the life of the mind and the things of the Spirit. Each title is a unique example of faith in search of understanding, the voice of a scholar who has cultivated a believing heart while engaged in the disciplines of the Academy.”[9]

The Maxwell Institute Podcast features interviews with resident and visiting scholars and lecturers of the Maxwell Institute. In the past it has also featured religious and textual scholars from a variety of religious traditions beyond the Institute, including N. T. Wright, Marilynne Robinson, and Martin Marty.[10]

Support

The Maxwell Institute's work is made financially possible by support from BYU, independent donors, and periodical subscribers. In addition, scholars and colleagues around the world donate their time and effort in helping to “seek out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith.”[11]

Notes

  1. ^ "About", mi.byu.edu, Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship
  2. ^ "BYU renames ISPART to Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship".
  3. ^ Stack, Peggy Fletcher (June 26, 2012), "Shake-up hits BYU's Mormon studies institute", The Salt Lake Tribune, retrieved 2013-08-15
  4. ^ Peterson, Daniel C. (September 7, 2013), "The Middle Eastern Texts Initiative: A Retrospective and a Farewell", Sic et Non (Daniel C. Peterson blog), Patheos, archived from the original on October 23, 2013, retrieved 2014-03-15 {{citation}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ "Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship". Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship.
  6. ^ "Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship". Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship.
  7. ^ "Scholars & Staff", mi.byu.edu, Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship
  8. ^ Petersen, Sarah (March 19, 2013), "BYU professor Royal Skousen concludes his discussion on changes to the Book of Mormon original text", Deseret News
  9. ^ "Living Faith Books". Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship. Retrieved 2018-03-15.
  10. ^ "Maxwell Institute Podcast". Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship.
  11. ^ Doctrine and Covenants 88:118
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