Blake T. Ostler

BLAKE T. OSTLER received a B.S. degree in psychobiology and a B.A. degree in philosophy from Brigham Young University and a J.D. degree from the University of Utah. He has published numerous articles on Mormon theology including "Worshipworthiness and the Mormon Concept of God," recently published by Oxford University Press in Religious Studies. He is the husband of one and the father of five. He practices law in Salt Lake City, Utah, with the firm of Burbidge, Carnahan, Ostler & White. His e-mail is [email protected].

The Idea of Pre-Existence in the Development of Mormon Thought

Articles/Essays – Volume 15, No. 1

The Mormon belief that the individual spirit of man existed in the presence of God before the creation of the world is unique in modern Christianity. Mormons have rejected the Creator/creature dichotomy of Patristic theology…

Ideas as Entities | Sterling M. McMurrin, Religion, Reason, and Truth—Historical Essays in the Philosophy of Religion

Articles/Essays – Volume 16, No. 1

Probably few people derive their religious beliefs or lack of them from the philosophy of religion. However, when viewed historically, it becomes clear that the philosophy of religion has greatly influenced religion in general and…

Responsible Apologetics | Noel B. Reynolds, ed., Book of Mormon Authorship: New Light on Ancient Origins

Articles/Essays – Volume 16, No. 4

As the title indicates, Book of Mormon Authorship addresses the heart of LDS faith claims—the historicity of the Book of Mormon. Noel Reynolds has assembled studies ranging from computer wordprint analysis to source criticism of…

The Mormon Concept of God

Articles/Essays – Volume 17, No. 2

The conflict between the God of religious worship and the god of philosophical inquiry has plagued Judeo-Christian theology since the union of Greek philosophy with Hebrew religion in the first centuries of the Christian era.…

The Book of Mormon as a Modern Expansion of an Ancient Source

Articles/Essays – Volume 20, No. 1

Dialogue 20.1 (Spring 1987): 69–75
EVEN A CASUAL REFERENCE to studies treating the Book of Mormon reveals a range of divergent explanations of its origins. At one extreme are those who are skeptical of the book’s claims to antiquity who generally conclude that it is a pious fraud, written by Joseph Smith from information available in his immediate environment.

The Concept of Grace in Christian Thought

Articles/Essays – Volume 23, No. 4

The concept of grace and its relation to individual salvation is prob ably the most debated issue in the history of Christian thought. The list of combatants is virtually a Who’s Who in Christian thought:…

The Development of the Mormon Concept of Grace

Articles/Essays – Volume 24, No. 1

Latter-day Saints may be surprised to discover that Joseph Smith did not reject the importance of grace. Indeed, he developed a profound and novel view resolving many problems presented by the grace freedom dichotomy in…

Mormonism and Determinism

Articles/Essays – Volume 32, No. 4

Mormons have historically rejected any form of universal causal determinism because it appears to conflict with its basic commitment to free agency. However, Rex Sears has recently argued that (1) free agency and causal determinism…

An Interview with Sterling M. McMurrin

Articles/Essays – Volume 17, No. 1

Sterling M. McMurrin has been a leading philosopher and educator for many years. Among his publications pertaining to the philosophy of religion are Religion, Reason, and Truth (1982) and The Theological Foundations of the Mormon Religion (1965). He served as United States Commissioner of Education under President John F. Kennedy and is currently E. E. Ericksen Distinguished Professor at the University of Utah. The 7th East Press, then an independent student newspaper at Brigham Young University, published this interview on 11 January, 1983. The concluding comments on ritual and the temple were added by Ostler and McMurrin later. Some adjustment in the order of the questions and answers has been made in the interest of consolidating related comments. Paragraphing, punctuation and typographical errors have been corrected silently, when necessary.