Kevin Graham wrote:Will Schryver is an unknown across the board. He has never been published, and has only given one presentation at a conference mainly attended by the only people who already knew who he was. He is an uneducated middle-aged hack with nary a credential, and he has already alienated himself from some quality LDS scholars. So I don't expect the general LDS public to connect with him when they come across his petulant antics either. The more people know about Schryver, the more they want nothing to do with him. His only supporters are Wade Englund and his sock puppets.
Speaking of which, no one knows who the hell wade is either.
Obviously it is to the Church's advantage that neither Will nor Wade have "made it" in the world of apologetics to the point that people would actively seek out their "wisdom" and "learning."
And, the funny thing about imagining that there is some conspiracy against these guys is that most of us probably imagine that the most strategically wise thing to do in order to harm the LDS Church, if that indeed were anyone's goal (and clearly for some folks it is), would have been to make it seem like Will were respected in a way, like Dr. Peterson. Then, when he made the mistake of putting himself out there in earnest, we would have watched with glee as the whole house of cards collapsed.
But seriously, Darrick is known for his book. Lots of missionaries read that book. And, even though it is a problematic book, as is Palmer's Insider's View, it is the way it packages certain information that lends it popularity. Based on the purposely obfuscatory approach of Schryver, I would say that he is unlikely to be known for much of anything outside of the continuing effort to put up the appearance of defending the Book of Abraham by dashing into whatever unlit corner there is and planting the apologetic flag there. In this, however, he is working well within the current vogue of apologetics for the antiquity of LDS scripture.