About

The Pierian Spring is written especially for a Latter-day Saint audience and focuses on discourse on Mormon thought, history, and culture.  It will provide further resources for the personal study and teaching of Mormon texts, historical and background analysis of key points, and will also inform readers of primary and secondary literature that can enhance understanding and appreciation.

The Pierian Spring grew out of my experience dialoguing with Evangelicals, Catholics and other Latter-day Saints through the interfaith blog “Summa Theologica – Interfaith Dialogue”.  Since the summer of 2007, I’ve had the fortunate opportunity to meaningfully converse with many outside the Latter-day Saint tradition on religious topics.  I have learned and benefited greatly from these discussions.  Through these experiences I have felt the need for a distinct venue where I can engage in dialogue with a Latter-day Saint readership and speak to issues of interest with the LDS faith community.  I intend to maintain both projects.

About the Name

In Greek mythology, the Pierian spring is a source of wisdom and knowledge.  The English poet, Alexander Pope (1688 – 1744), alluded to the Pierian spring in his famous “An Essay on Criticism.”

A little learning is a dang’rous thing;
Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring:
There shallow draughts intoxicate the brain,
And drinking largely sobers us again.

In his sermon given June 16, 1844, only shortly before his martyrdom, Joseph Smith quoted from Pope’s essay on criticism.  This blog is written in the spirit that a little learning is a dangerous thing and only by drinking deeply will we be able to gain a rich perspective and appreciate the full symphony of the gospel.

Comment Policy

Relevant and courteous comments are welcome. In order to provide a high-quality environment, I do not approve all comments submitted. If you have a comment in moderation for a long time, please consider that comments must be related to the substance of the post. Comments that disagree with my position are welcomed. Comments unrelated to what I have actually written will most likely not be approved.

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