In Part 5, we explore the history surrounding Joseph Smith and the Book of Abraham(one of the primary scriptural texts for the LDS Church). I have never heard of the description that its like talking to someone in the airport on their cell phone, with all the background noise. Do you know if the church took down the names of all the 7th East Press people? I need help with casting ZEE5 on my TV. Hi, was wondering if Brent is still available to respond to my train of thought above? She also noted that after JS none of the preceding Church leaders really got what he was trying to do/teach in this realm. I remember one time a BYU professor handed me a long quote to read out loud to the class when I walked in and I almost had the first major public panic attack of my life. It seems like in the aftermath of the bombings, combined with his zeal to argue the history of Mormonism, Brent Metcalfe was excommunicated from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I appreciate the details of Brents experience. Please let us know. Ive always felt like crises of faith didnt quite describe my journey but Brent gave me the phrase that perfectly describes my experience. but he threw out the baby with the bath water as if the success of Christianity rode on the success of Joseph Smith.. Great interview. Why didnt the Lord reveal to the the prophet that Hofmann was going to kill? She related all this to me and my companion. Metcalf served as the National Freestyle Developmental Coach prior to . Im curious who is singing Lead Kindly Light in this its beautiful. I have one teensy-tiny criticism about Johns sensitivity when someone questioned why Brent did not pursue an advanced degree. I served a mission with the missionary mentioned by Brent. Lance is a Gnostic priest and has written and spoken extensively on the Gnostic and esoteric flavor of Joseph Smiths writings. However, they still mention other things in their presentations (if you can stand to listen to them; I dont particularly like Jake Hiltons rhetoric, but Wayne May is pretty interesting to listen to)that are pretty fascinating and almost convincing. Your account of why you didnt pursue a doctorate was extremely touching to me as I absolutely admire those that can do the tedium of historical research. She spoke of her life and what has happened in the 30 years since one of Utah's most infamous crimes, Thursday October 8, 2015. In secret, behind closed doors, who were they really betting on? What are your views on how the Book of Mormon was created? brent metcalfe excommunicated. He had not let on that the 7th East Press was his brainchild. Were they hiding behind Christensen for some reason? Boy, what a chilling conclusion. So my question is, what if the effort for the book of Abraham was an attempt by JS and his close friends to deliver an esoteric masterpiece. Brent did a marvelous job of creating a context by which these events took place. After returning from Iraq after the 2nd deployment as a citizen soldier, I had the same epiphany as Brent; I learned that we are really on our own, there is no God. I remember being troubled by the lack of divine discernment that the brethren have/had. He was basically threatening his entire existence. (paraphrased and likely not the actual quote from Murder Among the Mormons, Netflix documentary). Thomas, I can assure you Im living on the same planet you are. So sorry for the delay!!!! I do remember after my baptismal interview having a strong feeling of love and admiration for him because someone so respected thought I was special too. Brent Metcalf (born July 14, 1986) is an American freestyle wrestler who formerly competed in the international circuit for the United States of America. Oh, that would be great! On the latest episode of Mormon Book Reviews Steven Pynakker interviews one of the most important scholars of Mormonism, Brent Metcalfe. Release Calendar Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Browse Movies by Genre Top Box Office Showtimes & Tickets Movie News India Movie Spotlight. Metcalfe subsequently resigned from the Seventh East Press and told Sunstone that he would no longer write for them. Pardon me for not commenting on LDS church history, but to be honest Ive read it or heard it all and have moved on. Thank you as well for your research, especially your work on New Approaches to the Book of Mormon. I especially connected with his comments on ADD. Phooey to that. John, you asked for information about any of the Christensens. Truth or legend? Hi Brent, Thank you for your insights and open heart. On the term translation, JS promoted his ancient texts as translations in the traditional sense. Best wishes, Brent! This was interesting all around. No one believed that any one person could do all of those forgeries and build those bombs, and kill those people . 515-294-6532. My life has been enriched by theinquiries those books catalyzed. Liked by Brent Metcalfe Experience Practice Lead - Mergers and Acquisitions/Investment Group and Consultant Backswath Management Sep 2022 - Present6 months Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Seeking New. It didnt have anything to do with church history or anything you would read in something like the CES letter, but was instead a realization and acceptance that its not me, its the church followed by a complete collapse of everything. The interview was superb and the insight into this extraordinary life was gifted. Hamblin Methodological discussions have become commonplace in Mormon studies. I thought your essay in New Approaches was excellent, and certainly complicates traditional understandings of the Book of Mormon; you obviously dont believe the BoM is historical in any way, but Id also guess you would acknowledge the impressive complexity of it. Brent provided a detailed account of the Mark Hoffman story with a perspective that we seldom hear. As someone told him, You didnt have a crisis of faith but a Failure of Faith. In these two episodes we discuss: The aftermath of the Mark Hofmann bombings, and Brent's excommunication for his research into the Book of Mormon, and Brent's review of challenges to traditional approaches to the Book of Mormon. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Brent, are you still working on a Book of Abraham book? Fixed: Release in which this issue/RFE has been fixed.The release containing this fix may be available for download as an Early Access Release or a General Availability Release. Vol. LDS was newly brought to her by a missionary before me. It is better thought of by non-Catholics (generally), but this has not translated into conversions or retention of cradle Catholics. During the first part of his interview, usually John will ask a question about gaining a testimony while in the Mormon church or have spiritual experiences and then pairing those experiences with the Mormon narrative. My examples are numerous and heart breaking. We may be on our own and need to create our own justice and future, but its possible that Providence does in fact sometimes intervene. Thanks again Brent! He also talks about his early forays into Mormon studies. That said, I have to wonder what planet hes living on when he says that Catholicism has been reinvigorated in the post Vatican II era. Did John take the tapes home to show his wife? In Part 6, we talk to Brent about his interactions and run-ins with prominent Mormon apologists like Daniel Peterson, Lou Midgley and others. It would have helped me a lot to know I was not alone. Ive heard there might. Do you attend church anyplace else? 100% CAUCASIAN Our ethnicity data indicates the majority is Caucasian. My application of Vatican II was specifically intended for the work of Catholic biblical scholars, not Catholicism in toto. brent metcalfe excommunicated. And Im speaking as a believer- in the very traditional sense- in the Christian interpretation of the world. Quote: More recent studies conducted by Professor of Anthropology Richard B. Stamps, of the Michigan Historical Museum, indicate that the artifacts were made with contemporary tools. My question to Brent is during or after authoring/editing New Approaches to the Book Mormon, did he have other or similar spiritual experiences that confirmed the historical facts (which may be viewed as counter experiences to those earlier in the church)? Brent most recently served with the Information Security/Communication Security with the Wyoming Army National Guard as an IT Specialist. In 1539 he was elected as an MP for the rst time and was appointed to serve in the King's Privy Chamber. hope my comment wasnt insensitive! If you were to interview Mark Hofmann, what would your top questions be? Elbert was the managing editor, and Ron the financial guy, so I had the impression that Elbert created the whole thing. Thanks for the interview both of you. But those were interesting times! Hoffman was Laffertys cell mate. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. OMAHA, Neb. "The Mormon murders: A true story of greed, forgery, deceit, and death." Unintended consequences here we come! Brent, Can you offer any insight to this? Excellent question. Ive known many of Brents views (his liking Raymond Brown, etc.) What about your book did the church find cause to excommunicate you? Brent Metcalfe. Thank you Brandt for sharing your experiences. Since unit growth of the church is now in decline and growing slower than U.S. and world population growth, how do you see the future of the church and its doctrines? The name sounds so familiar (I was a Wandsworth baptism as a teenager in 77). As a personal friend and research assistant for both Steve Christensen and Mark Hofmann, Brent Metcalfe watched the whole episode unfold right before his eyes. My good friend Matt Christensen digitized the 7th East Press and was kind enough to allow Signature Books to make it available on their incredible digital library. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. I was a newly returned missionary at BYU when all of this took place. Very informative. All this transpired in the 1980s, just around the time Mark Hofmann made his name in the community as a renowned book and document dealer. Allegedly, he expressed too much "support" for Denver Snuffer, although by his own account, he would refuse to follow Snuffer if Snuffer had said that the LDS Church had gone totally astray.The individual, who identifies himself as Brent D. Larsen of the Eagle Mountain Utah Stake, discusses the . This is what led me here! If youre familiar with image editing, straying from objectivity reminds me of having a color cast in a photo. Very cool, any personal stories youd like to share? Privacy Policy. 1. http://mormonstories.org/brent-metcalfe-hofmann-bombings-excommunication-book-of-mormon/, Scan this QR code to download the app now. Ack! John in wonderfully rare form in this oneI love it! Nicely done, John. What if we are all chasing literal meanings of words such as translation, ages and names while in effect they are meant to have symbolic meaning and by this to explain esoteric principles to insiders. brent metcalfe excommunicated. In Gnosticism Abraham is not even a real person, the story represents the triumph of spirit over matter and is loaded with hidden symbolic meaning. So, based on Krakauers shared experience, it sounds like the answer is no, Hofmann doesnt do interviews. Its very sunny in London today and Ive listened too all eleven hours of this interview. Seventh East Press. As a teenager and still TBM I read some books on the Hoffman Salamander Letter and events surrounding it. In fact, Brent was with Mark the night before he caused the first explosion. Again, Im not sure that you would disagree with any of this. Growing up I only had positive interactions with his beautiful wife and kids. On Wiwikipedia, it mentions that in a hit piece done by Dan Peterson, that he encodeds the message, Metcalfe is a butthead. What were your qurarrels like with FARMS? Is there going to be a part 3? The look of Jesus on me removed the burden of my sins, while he spoke these words, Be faithful until death and this shall be thy place of rest. I never had seen Jesus Christ before, nor heard his voice, nor ever had a sense of his intercession at the right hand of God for me till now (Billy Hibbard, _Memoirs of the Life and Travels of B. Hibbard, Minister of the Gospel_ [New York: J. C. Totten, 1825], 23). Im with you on the music Charles!! Its done. I was pronouncing words instead of just reading them. [7] The LDS Church fired Brigham Young University professor David Wright for his contribution to the volume, and excommunicated both Wright and Metcalfe shortly thereafter. Fantastic interviews. Reminds me of the Mormon interpretation of Amos 3:7 (Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets). This negative sentiment is perhaps made up for by Hofmann's victims. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. In these two episodes we discuss: The aftermath of the Mark Hofmann bombings, and Brent's excommunication for his research into the Book of Mormon, and. As coincidence would have it, a few months later I became her home teacher. ), systematically undermining Church teachings on the law of chastity and the . But being new to the church and so unacquainted with church matters and such things I was not much help. :). Oh. It was torturous turning out essays to suit a particular lecturers preferences in order to gain high marks. Tom, have you considered allowing John to interview you? Copyright 2005 - 2023 | Mormon Stories. It was awful so stressful. Thank you John and Brent. He has also served in the United States Air Force (Air National Guard) since 2004. It is those moments of intimacy that really help me connect to the humanity of the interviewee. But I feel that sometimes secular scholars, perhaps in an effort to be diplomatic, perhaps for other reasons, underestimate and understate the inevitability of open conflict with a religious tradition they study. At one point John asks you if you think JS was putting together a scam or if you believe that he believed it himself. If the Prophet cant see Hoffman as a fraud, why should anyone assume their Bishop/Stake president has any more ability in terms of divinely inspired discernment? Why didnt Mr. Metcalfe publish his long-anticipated book disproving the Book of Abraham? By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Its the same adhominem from his whole establishment that shows how much they think they own the intellectual world. Do you still attend LDS church? [4] Metcalfe had become an ardent supporter of the counterfeited Salamander letter, and hired by Christensen to research the letter. John and I recorded an additional four hours (till 1 AM). Visit with the Skabelund family, 9:30-10:30 am,. He was going to have him thrown out of the church. I have some insights into that. Ron Priddis was my friend, and had recruited me to be a writer. The 7th East Press is one of the great university newspapers; truly the stars aligned when this group got together. Is it paramount to understand all of these religious histories and come to terms with them or, Brant for people like you and me, would it be better to turn our talents toward uncovering and deciphering Gobekli Tepe, a stone temple complex built 12,000 years ago at the end of the last ice age in Turkey, built by the Watchers of the Book of Enoch and the Anunnaki gods of Sumerian tradition? what happens if i ignore a ccj; Awesome music, right? He told the story of writing at least a few letters to Hofmann in prison asking for an interview. This theory is now well accepted in academia. [8] Personal life [ edit] Metcalfe is a native of New Zealand. How have things changed over the decades? In Part 2, Brent describes working for and with Steve Christensen and Mark Hofmann, the Salamander Letter episode, and the bombings that took the lives of Steve and Kathy Sheets. Daniel Kahneman speaks in terms of efficient Thinking Fast biases that unconsciously deploy the WYSIATI (What-You-See-Is-All-There-Is) heuristic, which has proved itself sufficiently satisficing for selection. funeral directors southend; penalty charge notice costs; johns manville headquarters address; Hello world! After that day I moved to the back of the class and felt like the only straight A student retard at BYU. There are so many parallels between the happenings in my LDS life and Brents, (although nothing to such depth and notoriety) I was drawn to find more information about his life, while he was in the church and out. A question for Brent, What are your thoughts on your research of the book of Abraham? Brent did Jerald make an official overture to church leadership regarding Hofmann being a fraud? Brent Metcalfe borrows the titles of a few works on literary and narrative theory and then concludes that such theory under mines the historical claims of the Book of Mormon. Its likely that our paths could have crossed. 2005, page 147, 180, Sillitoe, L., & Roberts, A. D. (1988). Yes, thats the book, though the volume I perused was the first (1816) edition published in Portsmouth, NH. Until Vatican II, many scholars felt hamstrung by the churchs dogma on the Bible and related theological issues. I heard he had left the church soon after returning home. [8], Metcalfe is a native of New Zealand. From Spencer Kimballs battle with dementia to Monsons where the hell is that driver, to the insights with Mark E Peterson, Brents influential instructors at the University of Utah. Brent Metcalf is entering his fifth season as a full-time assistant coach on Iowa State's wrestling staff. I was with one of his relatives the day he was charged with the bombings, and she was totally shocked & absolutely certain he had nothing to do with it. Thats something each person must decide for themselves, but Ive made peace with my own interpretation.. It is his sixth season overall with the Cyclones after serving as the volunteer assistant for the 2017-18 season. Twitter. Ive always wondered why the most ardently orthodox and pious seem to have the least faith in the divinity and omnipotence of the Lords plan. SALT LAKE CITY Egyptologist Ed Ashment sympathizes with Washington anthropologist for now has escaped excommunication from the LDS Church. Great interview. Brent Metcalf was a bad dude in high school. When?? But this podcast is filled with way more than you will get in the book or documentary. Resolved: Release in which this issue/RFE has been resolved. Im glad the church and BYU tried and I dont blame them for making the attempt to shore up the Book of Mormon. I teared up with Brent during that part. Id like to hear Mr. Metcalfe address the character, integrity and morals of LDS apostles and prophets with regard to the books of A and M. Regarding the recent essay published by the LDS church regarding the Book of Abraham; what does he think they got right and what does he think is wrong? After all, he was the one who had introduced him to Steve Christensen, the first of Marks victims. location 502, 899, 5027 of 9578, Last edited on 26 December 2022, at 05:30, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, "The LDS intellectual community and church leadership: A contemporary chronology", BOOK OF MORMON SCHOLARS UNLEASH SALVO OF BARBS, "MAPPING BOOK OF MORMON HISTORICITY DEBATESPART I", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Brent_Lee_Metcalfe&oldid=1129585083, This page was last edited on 26 December 2022, at 05:30. I am so grateful I stumbled across them along with D. Michael Quinns books wow now 20 years ago. As a personal friend and research assistant for both Steve Christensen and Mark Hofmann, Brent Metcalfe watched the whole episode unfold right before his eyes. They have proven time and time again that that is all they care about. But such intellectual issues didnt play a role in my failure of faith. What an amazing life Brent! Now, in the wake of 200 years of such scholarship, the Bible doesnt hold up much better than the Book of Mormon. Given that, do you think that Joseph Smith deliberately plotted, prepared, researched, drafted, re-drafted the book over several years, or did it flow spontaneously from his subconscious mind in ways even he didnt understand? Brent, thank you so much for doing this interview! Yeah for Signature Books, Matt Christensen, and the internet!!!!! Thats what I expected from church leaders.I meanSalamander spirit !! She was very impressed with the level of esoteric teachings in the D&C and Pearl of Great price. I have question on the Book of Abraham. Good clarification, Doubting Thomas (if that is your real name), :) I have no reason to believe that Jerald Tanner attempted official contact, so Im not sure who Darrick is referring to or what the method of communication entailed. He also discusses the events leading up to, and including, his excommunication. Brent Metcalf of the USA defeats Franklin Maren of Cuba to win Gold in the Men's 65kg Freestyle Final during the Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games at the. Youre one of the few secular critics of the church that can offer a really long perspective on challenges to Mormonisms truth claims. This unleashed a veritable deluge of Catholic contributions to modern biblical scholarship. She was in the middle of her frustrations with the MTC (and some of you know the story). According to Krakauer, the letter said something to the effect of, Mark wont talk to you, but I will, and you definitely want to talk to me. That response introduced Krakauer to the Laffertys and gave him the story he needed to animate what he considered his analysis of radical faith. Awesome. In episode #276 of The Jimmy Rex Show, we sit down with a key role in Netflix Documentary Murder Among The Mormons, Brent Metcalfe.Visit and Listen to more. Thanks again for your contribution to Mormon Studies and particularly for your diplomatic engagement with your critics. We were both greenies at the same time. What academic qualifications does Mr. Metcalfe have to authoritatively speak on subjects like the historicity of the Book of Abraham? Yes! In fact, it may just be possible that I stood right next to Brent during our official kick off meeting, when Elbert invited his brother Lyle to give us all a magic show. Download . What has Brent done to mitigate his ADD? What academic publications does Mr. Metcalfe have to his name that qualifies him to be called one of the foremost scholars in understanding the Book of Abraham? Wouldnt it have been more humorous to wait until *after* the issue was mailed out before bringing the Metcalfe is Butthead acrostic to the attention of FARMS authorities? The message was discovered after his review had gone to press and had to be edited out. What scenario for the books origins have you constructed over your many years of study? When Brent Metcalfe compiled a book of essays last year suggesting that Mormonism's founding scripture wasn't the ancient history it purports to be, he expected some criticism. Brents work is groundbreaking and reliably fascinating. Little trace of Morison survives for much of the early 1540s, but it is clear that he built up his landed base and attached himself to . :-) I really R E A L L Y loved the podcast, and will listen to it all again today. [4] His supervisor removed the probation, but on April 8 Metcalfe's employment was terminated. I think that the group is called FIRM, lead by Rod Meldrum, Jake Hilton, and Wayne May. "Mark deceived everyone," Co-director Jared Hess told Deseret News. If I applied Vatican II to the full breadth of Catholicism, I clearly misspoke (Im not even sure why I would make such a sweeping claim, so I am a tad mystified). had the same reaction to the Sandra Tanners interview. Hinckley never responded, but was shortly thereafter offered the job by Christensen, which Metcalfe felt was orchestrated by Hinckley. I thought Brents response to this question very touching and informative and dont see that his research should be discredited. Brent H Metcalf, 71 Resides in Salt Lake City, UT Lived In Sandy UT Related To Kyle Metcalf, Molly Metcalf, Kristy Metcalf, Nicole Metcalf Includes Address (3) Phone (4) Email (3) See Results Brent Charles Metcalf, 55 Resides in Lowell, AR Lived In Modesto CA, Oroville CA, Bonney Lake WA Also known as Gary Brent, Metcalf Brent Every metric you can imagine points to the same conclusion: from Paul VI forward, Catholicism has gone into deep crisis. at firesides, etc about some new discovery somewhere that was about to put to rest the concerns about the BOMs historicity. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. The full title is: The life, conversion, preaching, travels, and sufferings of Elias Smith. I suppose the precedent was set by Joseph himself in burning down the Nauvoo Expositor because he didnt like the content, and labelled it anti Mormonit wasnt even, William Law was a believer, who could no longer take Josephs hypocrisy. I understand the church spent large sums of money on BYU professors and private research to bolster the Book of Mormon claims through archeological discoveries.unfortunately they have not found what they had hoped for. 1) In your opinion, which group is currently winning in their arguments regarding the truth claims of church, the critics or the apologetics? It also struck me that Brent in some ways represents the inverse of Sandra Tanner. Thank you so much for the story and the insights. 52K views 2 years ago Iowa's Brent Metcalf took down Ohio State's Lance Palmer in a thrilling title bout at 149 pounds in the 2010 NCAA wrestling championships. I thought you were very well spoken Brent. Signature Books. Metcalfe believed that his firing was because of a few people in church leadership who perceived him as a threat, even though he viewed his own work as apologetic and not scholarly. Im sure this applies to other beliefs as well. If you were to write a book, what aspects of the Hofmann story would you focus on?