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Brent Metcalfe's book on the Book of Abraham?
Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2017 4:05 pm
by _Philo Sofee
Kevin Graham's fascinating discussion with Maklellan a few years back on the KEP and papyri is fascinating to read again. Time has helped give me some perspective. At one point Kevin said
" must have missed that post, and it is extremely late on a work-night so I will go ahead and retire for the night. I'll just finish by clarifying my point about authority. My point was that this isn't as "obvious" as you like to believe, based upon the fact that plenty of people have studied these documents and that didn't jump out at them either. You want names? How about John Gee, Hugh Nibley, Edward Ashment (trained at the University of Chicago), Dean Jesse, Stephen Thompson (trained at Brown University along with Lanny Bell). And of course, Robert Ritner who is perhaps the world's most reputable Egyptologist. He is going to be contributing a chapter in Brent's upcoming volume on the KEP. Brent has more surprises for us too, but he isn't sharing yet. I found out about Ritner's contribution from Ritner himself. Anyway, I know there were others that the Church had analyze the documents when they were first discovered a while back, and I assume they chose men with some familiarity with text-critical methods. Would it shock you to know that they believed these represented the original dictation manuscripts? Only when it became clear that the Egyptian characters didn't translate to the Book of Abraham, did the apologetic movement hit overdrive, and the "obvious" conclusions about the meaning of these documents were abandoned."
Is Brent still going to publish that book? Or have things gone so far past any interest now that he has abandoned the project? I hope he hasn't because Gee apparently is publishing (has?) yet another book on the Book of Abraham.
Re: Brent Metcalfe's book on the Book of Abraham?
Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2017 4:07 pm
by _Kevin Graham
No idea. Haven't spoken to Brent about this in a few years now. He did publish something a few years ago with, I believe it was the John Whitmer Society. But as far as his book, I know it was a work in progress and then his interests drifted. He got married and moved to Arkansas and I think that kinda derailed him on the Book of Abraham stuff.
Re: Brent Metcalfe's book on the Book of Abraham?
Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2017 4:16 pm
by _Kevin Graham
Yes, this was the last thing Brent did that was published:
http://www.mormonstudiespodcast.org/pod ... l_14-2.pdf
Re: Brent Metcalfe's book on the Book of Abraham?
Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2017 5:47 pm
by _Philo Sofee
You mean a woman took him away from the Book of Abraham?! Oh just great, no wonder the opposite sex has been seen through the centuries as evil!
And, by the way Kevin, seriously, you have helped clarify things about the papyri and KEP that no one else ever has. Thanks for you all patience with the impatient apologists who want to be right and lambast you for asking them to justify their conclusions and evidence. I actually do now grasp (feebly) your ideas of a dictation manuscript! I never saw it before, perhaps because my mind was too boggled down with Nibleyana that I couldn't clear the fog.
Re: Brent Metcalfe's book on the Book of Abraham?
Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2017 3:51 am
by _Brent Metcalfe
Yes, there is more on the way... a lot more.
Re: Brent Metcalfe's book on the Book of Abraham?
Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2017 12:28 pm
by _Philo Sofee
Brent Metcalfe wrote:Yes, there is more on the way... a lot more.
Brent! Great to see you again! I hope so.... I have been re-reading a lot of materials recently and am seeing everything about the BofAbr in an entirely new light in working on my own book on this subject. If there is ANYTHING I can do to help, don't hesitate to holler my way.
Re: Brent Metcalfe's book on the Book of Abraham?
Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2017 1:37 pm
by _Shulem
Brent Metcalfe wrote:Yes, there is more on the way... a lot more.
Wonderful. Do let us know.
Re: Brent Metcalfe's book on the Book of Abraham?
Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2017 2:45 pm
by _Lemmie
You mean a woman took him away from the Book of Abraham?! Oh just great, no wonder the opposite sex has been seen through the centuries as evil!
I agree. The opposite sex has a reputation. Whether it's warranted or not is another matter.
(It occurs to me, however, that by "the opposite sex" you may have meant something other than
this reader's "opposite sex."
)
No offense, Philo! It's been great having you here, I think I've read every single post you've written--and I've loved every one. Keep posting!!
Re: Brent Metcalfe's book on the Book of Abraham?
Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2017 11:09 pm
by _Analytics
Slightly off topic, but didn't Philo, Kevin, and Shulem all give a shot at being Book of Abraham apologists earlier in their respective paths? Is there anything somebody could possibly do that is more dangerous to a testimony than try to defend the Book of Abraham on the Internet?
Re: Brent Metcalfe's book on the Book of Abraham?
Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2017 11:35 pm
by _Shulem
Analytics wrote:Slightly off topic, but didn't Philo, Kevin, and Shulem all give a shot at being Book of Abraham apologists earlier in their respective paths? Is there anything somebody could possibly do that is more dangerous to a testimony than try to defend the Book of Abraham on the Internet?
Playing with the Book of Abraham will get one burned. It's a deadly combination of all kinds of poison. In order for a faithful member to avoid Death by Papyrus they have to refrain from actually entering the fire and drinking the poisons. They can look but not touch. The moment the faithful member allows the fire and poison to penetrate their faith blinders they are opened up to being seriously wounded and eventually their testimony will die.
The Book of Abraham Papyrus is Mormon poison. I encourage faithful members of the church to partake of it as if it was the forbidden fruit. Curiosity will kill the cat.