As we all know by now, the new flagship journal of the Maxwell Institute will be known as, The Mormon Studies Review. It will, reportedly, focus on serious scholarship that has wide-ranging applicability. Whereas the old Review--per its former Editor-in Chief--was devoted mainly to apologetics, and sought to have a wide, "popular" appeal, the new Review seems to be aimed at gaining wider credibility. Indeed, unless I'm mistaken, the new Mormon Studies Review will start over with a completely new numbering system. It will not be, "Vol. 23, No. 1," in other words; it will be "Vol. 1, Issue 1."
Of great interest to students of Mopologetics, though, is the fact that the Review, which was indeed called the Mormon Studies Review for Vol. 23, Issue 1, has now be re-named the FARMS Review. In other words, the entire, "classic-FARMS" corpus of publications, has bee "demoted" back to its original, rather unfortunate name. A disclaimer on the MI website explains things nicely:
Quote:
For twenty-three years the FARMS Review published review essays to help serious readers make informed choices and judgments about books and other publications on topics related to the Latter-day Saint religious tradition. It also published substantial freestanding essays that made further contributions to the field of Mormon studies. It will be superseded by the new Mormon Studies Review.
Well, I suppose that's one way of putting it. Of course, in doing this, the Maxwell Institute is ensuring that future generations of 4H students and various hog and soil researchers will stumble upon this site, only to find page upon page of polemical invective. Then again, you never know when an alfalfa scientist will find use in the fact that, according to "Text and Context," argument ad hominem is actually a legitimate form of civil analysis and argumentation. Maybe the trash-talk about some authors' "lack of credentials" will inspire new forms of crop rotation.
Regardless, in spite of everything, I'm sure the "classic-FARMS" crew is pleased that the MI leadership was kind enough to restore their old journal's original name.
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