An Experiment on the Word

Reading Alma 32 is based on a novel idea: that Mormons do theology. Doing theology is different from weighing history, deciding doctrine, or inspiring devotion. Theology speculates. It experiments with questions and advances hypotheses. It tests new angles and pulls loose threads. It reads old texts in careful and creative ways. The Mormon Theology Seminar aims to promote such work. The Seminar is scholarly in orientation and cooperative in practice. It focuses on organizing short-term, seminar-style collaborations that, over the span of a few months of intense discussion, consider specific questions about Mormon theology through close readings of basic Mormon texts. In 2008, six scholars focused on Alma 32. Their papers addressed questions like these: *What does Alma 32 teach us about exercising faith? *What does Alma mean by “the word,” and why is it so central to faith? *How can the textual, historical, and political contexts of Alma 32 shape our understanding of Alma’s teachings? Their answers will surprise and enlighten you.