Backed into a corner: Dan turns to "fashionable nonsense" to save the church

[Kishkumen]

I am happy to see a Faulconer essay in Interpreter. I look forward to reading it. As a Comp Lit MA from BYU, the subject matter is close to my experience, and at the same time I regret that Professor Steven P. Sondrup did not also get to publish on similar matters in the Interpreter before he passed in late 2020. I still remember with warmth and affection his use of modern literary criticism to illuminate his understanding of Mormonism in intriguing and satisfying ways.

[Gadianton]

I am happy to see a Faulconer essay in Interpreter. I look forward to reading it. As a Comp Lit MA from BYU, the subject matter is close to my experience, and at the same time I regret that Professor Steven P. Sondrup did not also get to publish on similar matters in the Interpreter before he passed in late 2020. I still remember with warmth and affection his use of modern literary criticism to illuminate his understanding of Mormonism in intriguing and satisfying ways.

I can't wait to hear your thoughts on the piece, Reverend. Over at Sic et Non, it didn't get discussed. I suppose not everyone is interested in the world of ideas.

What did you mean about Professor Sondrup? How is it that he didn't "get to" publish in Interpreter? Did he try? Did he submit anything? Was he told not to bother submitting?

[Kishkumen]

I can't wait to hear your thoughts on the piece, Reverend. Over at Sic et Non, it didn't get discussed. I suppose not everyone is interested in the world of ideas.

Thanks for reminding me of this, Dean. I have been quite busy.

What did you mean about Professor Sondrup? How is it that he didn't "get to" publish in Interpreter? Did he try? Did he submit anything? Was he told not to bother submitting?

Professor Sondrup did not, to my knowledge, ever attempt to publish in Interpreter. Most of his contributions to the Mormon community, outside of his work at BYU, were made to the Association of Mormon Letters. I think he just had different kinds of interests. I recall that someone asked why I was not present at one of his gatherings, and he commented, by way of explanation, that I was "playing a different game." This may have been an allusion to my interest in Hugh Nibley and apologetics, which was something about me that was more well known than I had realized at the time, and given much more significance at the time than was warranted. This suggests to me that in the various BYU cliques there was a sense that people were operating in different lanes. These differences were not really marked by mutual hostility, usually, but I have no doubt that each thought his own lane was the thing to do.