The "New Guard" vs. the "Old Guard" of Mormon Apologia

[_Yoda]

Chap and I started a side conversation on Scratch's thread about Tvedtnes. Since I didn't think it was fair to derail Scratch's thread any further, I thought any who would care to could continue the discussion here.

I mentioned on the other thread that DCP was disappointed in David Bokyvoy not being appointed to a Professor position at BYU in the Religion department.

There has been a lot of talk about Bradford's releasing of DCP from his MI editorial duties as part of a transition from the "Old Guard" to the "New Guard".

There has also been talk, on this board, in particular, about David Bokyvoy being a top contender as a "New Guard" LDS Apologist.

There has also been talk about contention between the two guards. That being the case, I find it a tad ironic that David Bokyvoy was the FIRST apologist asked by DCP to write an article for his new Internet magazine, "Mormon Interpreter", which, has been referred to, as a "sustaining of the Old Guard".

Comments?

[_Lilburn Boggs]

Apologists? hmmm. In my day, Mormons were more into guns, knives and the cover of the darkness of night. Apologetics uses the quill not the knife.

Mormons with last names like Tvedtnes and Bokyvoy? Times have been changing. Old and new guard among these apologists. hmmm.

[_Markk]

Chap and I started a side conversation on Scratch's thread about Tvedtnes. Since I didn't think it was fair to derail Scratch's thread any further, I thought any who would care to could continue the discussion here.

I mentioned on the other thread that DCP was disappointed in David Bokyvoy not being appointed to a Professor position at BYU in the Religion department.

There has been a lot of talk about Bradford's releasing of DCP from his MI editorial duties as part of a transition from the "Old Guard" to the "New Guard".

There has also been talk, on this board, in particular, about David Bokyvoy being a top contender as a "New Guard" LDS Apologist.

There has also been talk about contention between the two guards. That being the case, I find it a tad ironic that David Bokyvoy was the FIRST apologist asked by DCP to write an article for his new Internet magazine, "Mormon Interpreter", which, has been referred to, as a "sustaining of the Old Guard".

Comments?

My two cents...

What I have seen in my twenty years of Internet LDS/evangelical apologetics is that the "old Guard" that basically pioneered the defense of their faith to the critics, via the web, ran amuk during the Hinkley presidency. When it started out it was a good thing and seemed to serve a purpose in preserving testimonies of those searching the web. But FAIR like forums got out of hand and with the silence of the Hinckley era, the DCP's of the LDS world went from defending LDS thought to defining LDS thought...the common folks were forming their doctrines in the foyer from Internet apologist, who intern formed their ideology from the DCP's.

Monson era GA are reeling this in, they introduced the Gospel Principles series back into the teaching programs, cleared up Hinkley thought that indeed god was once a man. They also shut down MADB, I can't prove this but it is obvious it has happened, and now they are cleaning house with "old Guard apologists."

I know DCP denies his canning came from the top, see URL below...but it is obviously it did, maybe a phone call or a meeting over a cup of postum, but "the church" is getting control, or at least trying too. I believe "new guard" LDS apologist's will come in the way of desert books and alike, this way it can be controlled by the brethren.

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/danpeterso ... mment-3245

[_Lilburn Boggs]

Is apologetics seriously important to Mormons today or just something some of them dabble in on occasion?

[_Yoda]

Is apologetics seriously important to Mormons today or just something some of them dabble in on occasion?

Not to the majority of Mormons, no.

It is, obviously, important to the a small faction of Internet Mormons who reside here and on other boards.

[_Lilburn Boggs]

Are detractors still a burr under the saddle of the current Mormon leadership?

Does the Mormon leadership engage in apologetics themselves or sanction it?

[_Yoda]

Are detractors still a burr under the saddle of the current Mormon leadership?

Does the Mormon leadership engage in apologetics themselves or sanction it?

Mormon apologetics is rarely, if ever, directly enaged in by Mormon leadership.

Apologetics is mainly left to armchair scholars in the faith ;)

[_Doctor Scratch]

Liz, you would need to understand why people have a problem with the "Old Guard" in order to understand why Bokovoy isn't seen as being a part of it. And the reason you're never going to understand is because it's more important to you to be "friends" with Dan Peterson.

[_Yoda]

Liz, you would need to understand why people have a problem with the "Old Guard" in order to understand why Bokovoy isn't seen as being a part of it. And the reason you're never going to understand is because it's more important to you to be "friends" with Dan Peterson.

Explain this to me, Scratch. If David, by your own admission, is not part of the "Old Guard", then why is DCP, who is seen by you as a kingpin for the "Old Guard", welcoming him to his new "Mormon Interpreter" project with open arms, and why was he disappointed that David was not admitted onto BYU faculty?

[_Doctor Scratch]

Liz, you would need to understand why people have a problem with the "Old Guard" in order to understand why Bokovoy isn't seen as being a part of it. And the reason you're never going to understand is because it's more important to you to be "friends" with Dan Peterson.

Explain this to me, Scratch. If David, by your own admission, is not part of the "Old Guard", then why is DCP, who is seen by you as a kingpin for the "Old Guard", welcoming him to his new "Mormon Interpreter" project with open arms

Because the MI needs content; because David needed a venue for his work; because DCP has at times acted as a "mentor" to David; because DCP and David are on friendly terms.

, and why was he disappointed that David was not admitted onto BYU faculty?

Probably because he's friends with David, and because of internal/political conflicts with the Religious Education people.

None of this has anything whatsoever to do with what you want it to mean. At the end of the day, you are still going to be seen as the person who's "friends" with Dan Peterson, and trying to explain your way out of that is sort of like trying to justify to everyone why you're friends with, say, Joe Francis, or Charles Manson.