The Religious Studies Center recently published a book entitled “Covenant of Compassion: Caring for the Marginalized and Disadvantaged in the Old Testament.” In preparation for the Sidney B. Sperry Symposium later this month, read to learn more about compassion in the Old Testament and how it relates to the challenges of our day.

Join us! We are excited to host this year’s Sidney B. Sperry Symposium, taking place on October 22–23, 2021! It’s a free event, so please come and invite your friends. Every fall, BYU Religious Education hosts the annual Sidney B. Sperry Symposium. Since 1973, the Sidney B. Sperry Symposium at BYU has become one of the premier venues for Latter-day Saint religious study. Today's Sperry Symposium influences thousands through seminars and publications. The symposium originated to encourage faith-based religious scholarship on Latter-day Saint topics. The published collection of papers from the Sperry Symposium represents the work of more than 275 authors producing more than 600 articles.

Enhance your study of this week’s Come Follow Me by watching “The Kirtland Temple and Endowment.” Access the full video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBMl4Qgj4YQ.

The Book of Mormon contains many unusual names. Today we spotlight “188 Unexplainable Names: Book of Mormon Names No Fiction Writer Would Choose,” by Sharon Black and Brad Wilcox. It’s found in the Religious Educator Vol. 12, no. 2. It’s also free to read online: https://rsc.byu.edu/vol-12-no-2-2011/188-unexplainable-names-book-mormon-names-no-fiction-writer-would-choose.

The newest episode of Y religion is out and focuses on the history of the Saints. Listen here: https://rsc.byu.edu/media/y-religion/40

Doctrine and Covenants 109, the focus of this week’s “Come, Follow Me,” includes the dedicatory prayer for the Kirtland Temple and outlines the blessings we receive in the temple today! Visit https://rsc.byu.edu/my-gospel-study/come-follow-me to see our supplemental readings for this important week in “Come, Follow Me.” Image: “Kirtland Temple,” by Jon McNaughton.

Ryan Sharp, an assistant teaching professor, teaches ancient scripture classes at BYU that focus on doctrines of the Book of Mormon and the New Testament. With other faculty, he recently contributed to the newest book published by the BYU Religious Studies Center entitled “Samuel the Lamanite: That Ye Might Believe.”

The first BYU Religious Education Review magazine was created in Winter 2008 and intended to provide new information about Religious Education. In each issue you will find short articles about the recent research of Religious Education personnel, current and upcoming publications from the Religious Studies Center, and information concerning conferences, symposia, and lectures sponsored by Religious Education. Subscribe to the Review magazine here: https://rsc.byu.edu/subscribe.

In the latest episode of the Y Religion podcast, “When the Saints Fled America,” Dr. Gerrit Dirkmaat shares his research on the history of the Saints fleeing the US in pursuit of religious rights. Listen to the episode at https://rsc.byu.edu/media/y-religion.

Today we spotlight a roundtable discussion entitled “The Doctrine of Scattering & Gathering in The Book of Mormon” from Religious Education scholars. This video provides greater understanding into how the Book of Mormon relates to the prophecy of the scattering and gathering of Israel. Watch the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBTids5JLd8&list=PLc5yYrpPFm2vyDwtqZKGP-X4728vHZYBf&index=12.

In conjunction with our study of Doctrine and Covenants sections 106–108 in this week’s “Come, Follow Me,” learn more about the early establishment of the Quorum of the Twelve apostles and the Seventy in 1835! Read “The Calling of the Twelve Apostles and the Seventy in 1835,” by Richard E. Turley Jr., found on our website! https://rsc.byu.edu/joseph-smith-doctrinal-restoration/calling-twelve-apostles-seventy-1835.

Want to learn more about the First Vision? An episode of the Y Religion podcast, “Remembering the First Vision,” with Steven Harper, is available on the Religious Studies Center website at https://rsc.byu.edu/media/y-religion/4. It discusses how the First Vision became the foundational story of the Church and why remembering this event is essential for Latter-day Saints. For additional resources on the First Vision, visit the Gospel Topics page on the RSC website under “First Vision.” Image: “The First Vision,” by Kenneth Riley