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37-653: The Review of Books on the Book of Mormon was established in 1989 by the Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies (FARMS), with Daniel C. Peterson as founding editor-in-chief . It was renamed to FARMS Review of Books in 1996, to FARMS Review in 2003, and finally to Mormon Studies Review in 2011, as the FARMS brand had been phased out after being absorbed into the Maxwell Institute in 2006. Under Peterson's editorship,

74-542: A limited geography model for the Book of Mormon . This suggests that the events chronicled in the Book of Mormon occurred in a much smaller region than the traditional understanding, which argues the same events occurred across the entire Western hemisphere . Sorenson writes that supporters of the limited geography idea, including some high-ranking church leaders, believe this model is consistent with anthropological, archaeological and genetic findings about indigenous peoples in

111-656: A debate was sparked when the Maxwell Institute's former director Gerald Bradford removed Daniel C. Peterson from a long-time editorship of the FARMS Review , shortly after it had been renamed the Mormon Studies Review . Peterson retained his position as editor of the Middle Eastern Texts Initiative (METI) until resigning in September 2013. Under new leadership following Bradford's retirement in 2015,

148-566: A new publication. After publishing six volumes, the Maxwell Institute transferred ownership of the Review to the University of Illinois Press. As of 2021, the University of Illinois continues to publish the Review . Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies The Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies ( FARMS ) was an informal collaboration of academics devoted to Latter-day Saint historical scholarship. The organization

185-512: Is a research institute at Brigham Young University (BYU). The institute consists of faculty and visiting scholars who study religion, primarily the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). The institute is named after a former LDS Church apostle , known for his writings and sermons. The LDS Church identifies the Maxwell Institute as one of several third-party church affiliates offering gospel study resources. The Maxwell Institute

222-599: Is impressive indeed. If the critics do not accept FARMS authors as scholars, those authors are at least so acknowledged by the world's scholarly community." Two evangelical Christian scholars, Carl Mosser and Paul Owen, examined the scholarship produced by FARMS. Their subsequent report at the April 25, 1997, Far West Annual Meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society, praised the high quality of FARMS' scholarship, concluding that their fellow evangelicals had lost

259-448: The Mormon Studies Review from 2013 through 2018, when complete ownership was transferred to the University of Illinois Press. In November 2018, BYU announced plans to move the Maxwell Institute into the south wing of BYU's West View Building, taking place in 2020. The Maxwell Institute provides research positions for full-time faculty, visiting scholars, post-doctorate researchers, and other temporary research participants who study

296-497: The FARMS Review for over twenty years, announced the journal would be renamed Mormon Studies Review to reflect "readjustments over the past several years in what is now known as the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship; the old title, FARMS, no longer reflects the way we're organized. ... We look forward to continuing under the new name." In mid-2012, the director of the Maxwell Institute removed Peterson from editorship of

333-462: The New Testament , early Christian history, ancient temples, and other related subjects. While allowing some degree of academic freedom to its scholars, FARMS was committed to the conclusion that LDS scriptures are authentic, historical texts written by prophets of God. FARMS has been criticized by scholars and critics who classify it as an apologetics organization that operated under the auspices of

370-660: The Review . Peterson retained his title of editor-in-chief of the Institute's Middle Eastern Texts Initiative until resigning from that post in September 2013. In March 2013, J. Spencer Fluhman was named as the new editor of the Mormon Studies Review , along with a new board featuring a variety of scholars interested in Mormon studies . Work produced under FARMS's auspices has been critiqued by Mormons, ex-Mormons, secular scholars, and evangelical Christians. FARMS has stated that

407-468: The apologetic battle against the Mormons largely due to excellent research and publication by FARMS. FARMS was an important center for producing work that analyzed the Book of Mormon as an ancient text. It also produced work which critiqued claims by both Mormon enthusiasts, disaffected Mormons, and opponents from evangelical Christianity. Such work has been published in the FARMS Review until 2010, when it

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444-565: The "Living Faith" series, among other books. One of the Maxwell Institute's notable past publications is Royal Skousen 's Book of Mormon Critical Text Project. Work from the Critical Text Project was incorporated into the Maxwell Institute Study Edition of the Book of Mormon, edited by Grant Hardy and published in partnership with BYU's Religious Studies Center and Deseret Book in 2018—the first study edition of

481-588: The Americas, as well as with the text of the Book of Mormon. FARMS has also been a focus of some controversy both inside and outside the Mormon community, often in response to negative critiques of the works of various scholars. For instance, after his work was reviewed in a FARMS publication, molecular biologist Simon Southerton , a former member of the LDS Church and author of Losing a Lost Tribe: Native Americans, DNA, and

518-542: The Book of Mormon are "carefully curated to include only official Church sources and scholarship that supports the [LDS] Church’s conclusions," adding that he believes that "the Church has produced and authorized a version of its signature scripture that is orders of magnitude more helpful, and more scholarly, than anything it has produced before. But being official comes at a cost. Official books must tell official stories, which means that honest discussions of controversies and pressure points—no matter how important they may be to

555-528: The Book of Mormon is an ancient document. Although the Maxwell Institute is not primarily a publisher, it maintains a publishing imprint and produces a handful of books and periodicals each year for both general and academic readers. Periodicals include the Journal of Book of Mormon Studies (published in partnership with the University of Illinois Press), Studies in the Bible and Antiquity (currently on hiatus ), and

592-585: The Church on a professional basis. I wish to express my strong congratulations and appreciation for those who started this effort and who have shepherded it to this point." In 2001, BYU consolidated FARMS with the Center for the Preservation of Ancient Religious Texts (CPART) and the Middle Eastern Texts Initiative (METI) to form the Institute for the Study and Preservation of Ancient Religious Texts (ISPART). In 2006, ISPART

629-489: The FARMS imprint , which was phased out as FARMS was absorbed into BYU's Neal A. Maxwell Institute . FARMS has republished much work by the LDS scholar Hugh Nibley in the 19-volume Collected Works of Hugh Nibley . It has also published other books, as well as audio and video recordings. Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship The Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship , or Maxwell Institute ,

666-644: The FARMS Review of Books"), John Hatch said, "After reading the (FARMS) reviews myself, it appears to me, and is my opinion, that FARMS is interested in making Mormonism's past appear as normal as possible to readers by attacking history books that discuss complex or difficult aspects of the church's past. As one who hopes to some day contribute to the body of the New Mormon History, I am deeply troubled by what I see as continued efforts to attack honest scholarly work." The following periodicals were published under

703-483: The LDS Church, as well as Christianity and other religions more broadly. Institute scholars occasionally publish in-house, but most of their work is placed in other venues. The Maxwell Institute also includes the Laura F. Willes Center for Book of Mormon Studies, which deals principally with studying the Book of Mormon in ancient and modern settings, in addition to other LDS scripture. The Maxwell Institute formerly hosted

740-593: The LDS Church. FARMS was organized by John W. Welch in California in 1979 as a private, not-for-profit educational organization, and Welch brought the foundation with him when he came to teach at BYU in 1980. In 1997, FARMS was invited to become part of BYU by Gordon B. Hinckley , LDS Church president and chairman of the BYU Board of Trustees. Hinckley noted: "FARMS represents the efforts of sincere and dedicated scholars. It has grown to provide strong support and defense of

777-574: The Laura F. Willes Center for Book of Mormon Studies, which "deals principally with the Book of Mormon in ancient and modern settings, as well as with the Doctrine and Covenants , the Pearl of Great Price , and related subjects." As of 2013, M. Gerald Bradford was the director of the Maxwell Institute, with Brian M. Hauglid as the director of the Willes Center. In late 2010, Daniel C. Peterson , editor of

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814-539: The Maxwell Institute underwent a series of internal and external reviews to determine its future direction. J. Spencer Fluhman was appointed director in 2016, and the Maxwell Institute began restructuring. Together with BYU administration and a new advisory board, Fluhman announced a new mission statement in March 2018. As part of this restructuring, METI was transferred to the international publisher Brill. CPART completed its final project in 2017. The institute also published

851-459: The Maxwell Institute's Laura F. Willes Center for Book of Mormon Studies. FARMS supported and sponsored what it considered to be "faithful scholarship", which includes academic study and research in support of Christianity and Mormonism , and in particular, the official position of the LDS Church. This research primarily concerned the Book of Mormon , the Book of Abraham , the Old Testament ,

888-645: The Mormon Church, claimed the organization existed merely to "prop up faith in the Book of Mormon" and that its work "stretched the bounds of credibility to breaking point on almost every critical issue." Some have accused FARMS of engaging in mean-spirited polemics . One example of this occurred with Signature Books ' publication of Grant H. Palmer 's book An Insider's View of Mormon Origins . The publication of this book immediately resulted in five negative book reviews by FARMS. Ron Priddis of Signature Books responded to these reviews by stating: "Is nothing beyond

925-552: The Restoration through highest quality scholarship.'" Some voices in Latter-day Saint apologetics have made opposite accusations. Speaking at the 2012 conference of FairMormon (now known as FAIR ), BYU professor Daniel C. Peterson accused the Maxwell Institute of "forego[ing] explicit defense and advocacy of Mormonism" by being too academic and insufficiently faithful. Former FARMS board member William J. Hamblin described

962-563: The William (Bill) Gay Research Chair, which focused on study directly related to the ancient world and LDS scripture, particularly the Book of Abraham . Egyptologist John Gee occupied the chair until 2018. The Maxwell Institute frequently sponsors guest lectures at BYU, as well as symposia, workshops, and conferences on religious topics. Wednesday Brown Bag discussions allow scholars to workshop current projects, prepare for conference presentations, discuss recently published works, and examine

999-402: The dimensions of "disciple-scholarship." The Maxwell Institute also employs a small staff of office assistants, communications personnel, and a large number of student interns. Commentator Michael Austin , reflecting on the institute's status as an officially sanctioned venue for Latter-day Saint theological studies , opined that resources cited within the institute's 2019 Study Edition of

1036-541: The journal specialized in Latter-day Saint apologetics . When FARMS joined with BYU in 1997, Peterson said to the Salt Lake Tribune , "FARMS has often had a polemical edge and we are curious to see how or whether that will be accommodated." In 2012, Peterson was removed as editor and the journal entered hiatus as it sought to become more mainstream to Mormon studies. In March 2013, the Maxwell Institute announced

1073-411: The journal would relaunch as a new religious studies review journal , without a primary focus on apologetics. J. Spencer Fluhman , from BYU's department of history, was appointed editor-in-chief with a new broad-based advisory board. The new Review changed from biannual to annual publication, and it restarted its numbering, beginning at volume 1 in 2014, signifying its change in editorial direction as

1110-497: The reach of sarcasm by FARMS polemicists?" Priddis refers to the book reviews by FARMS as "tabloid scholarship." Some authors associated with FARMS have been accused of making ad hominem attacks. FARMS has also been criticized for employing the label " anti-Mormon ", and then discounting such works as biased based largely on this pronouncement. In a speech offered before the Sunstone Symposium (titled "Why I No Longer Trust

1147-565: The study and interpretation of the text—cannot become part of the apparatus." Commentator John H. Brumbaugh opined, "In a sense, New Mormon historians challenge the foundational beliefs of Mormonism in a quest for professional rigor. [...] Faithful historians never challenged foundational beliefs; instead they are intended to build the devotion of Church members. BYU Studies and Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship are prime examples of Faithful history outlets. Renouncing objectivity, these organization functioned to 'Describe and defend

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1184-499: The transition from FARMS to the Maxwell Institute as a "hostile takeover" that "destroyed ancient Book of Mormon Studies," and he called the Maxwell Institute a "Sunstone South," comparing it to Sunstone magazine, a Mormon studies publication perceived by some Latter-day Saints as "faith-eroding." Hamblin's characterization of the Maxwell Institute has been disputed by Nathaniel Givens; he finds that most Maxwell Institute publications still aver, both explicitly and implicitly, that

1221-448: The work it supported "conforms to established canons of scholarship, is peer reviewed, and reflects solely the views of individual authors and editors." John A. Tvedtnes, formerly with FARMS and now retired, claims that "the academic credentials of people who publish with FARMS are questioned only by the critics, never by bona fide scholars," noting that "[t]he list of articles and books published in non-LDS scholarly presses by FARMS authors

1258-525: Was established in 1979 as a non-profit organization by John. W. Welch. In 1997, the group became a formal part of Brigham Young University (BYU), which is owned and operated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). In 2006, the group became a formal part of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship , formerly known as the Institute for the Study and Preservation of Ancient Religious Texts, BYU. FARMS has since been absorbed into

1295-433: Was established in 2006 as an umbrella organization for several of BYU's academic initiatives, including: the Middle Eastern Texts Initiative (METI), the Center for the Preservation of Ancient Religious Texts (CPART), the Laura F. Willes Center for Book of Mormon Studies, and the Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies (FARMS). By 2013, FARMS had become fully absorbed into the institute's Willes Center. In 2012,

1332-447: Was renamed as the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship . Welch was tasked with editing BYU Studies, which was originally slated to join the Maxwell Institute with FARMS. BYU Studies did not ultimately join the Maxwell Institute, however, and Welch's role with FARMS diminished. FARMS continued as a nominal sub-unit of the Maxwell Institute without a distinctive cluster of BYU faculty and staff. It has since been subsumed into

1369-456: Was replaced by Mormon Studies Review . Scholars, such as John L. Sorenson, say that the publications of FARMS represented a new trend within Mormonism: the emergence of progressive forms of Mormon orthodoxy . While its scholars are committed to literal interpretations of Mormon faith claims, they are willing to rethink traditional understandings of those claims. For example, FARMS has published

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