Our first professor spotlight is Casey Griffiths! Professor Griffiths most loves working with students and leading discussions in classes. Students are what make BYU really special to him, and seeing them everyday gives him hope that he is making a difference. While he enjoys time off and opportunities to travel, when he's not teaching classes he feels a little off-center. Professor Griffiths can’t wait to get back in the classroom and feel the joy and excitement that his students bring to his life. It is such a pleasure and honor for him to get to work with so many great young people. While he loves the well-known stories of the Restoration, he is happy that his work has been able to shine a light on some of the lesser-known figures in Latter-day Saint history. He was able to publish a biography of Joseph F. Merrill, who is not well known among the Saints, but who played a vitally important role in setting the system of religious education today. There are other people and places that he hopes he has been able to bring more attention to in his work. A few years ago he visited a Church school in Kiribati and fell in love with the local Saints, their generosity, and their culture. Professor Griffiths hopes that someday that stories of the Saints in places like Kiribati are known alongside the stories of the Saints in Utah, Nauvoo, or Palmyra. Last but not least, his wife and two of his children hold an official Guinness World Record, but he's not telling what it is!

BYU Religious Education

Classes are now in full swing! What's been your favorite religion class so far this semester?

First known depictions of two biblical heroines were recently uncovered in ancient Jewish synagogue. BYU ancient scripture professor Matthew Grey and seven students joined with other universities to excavate mosaics telling the stories of Jael and Deborah in the Galilean village of Huqoq. Read the whole story here: https://news.byu.edu/intellect/first-known-depictions-of-two-biblical-heroines-uncovered-in-ancient-jewish-synagogue?fbclid=IwAR15u1A85zOmqw7LVJQgV_sZLmtklP4izaoSC9M3ECl7wsPc2sp9Ff9kQUg Photos by Jim Haberman

From the Legacy Roundtable Discussions on the Old Testament, former BYU professors Terry Ball, Victor Ludlow, Kelly Ogden, and Terry Szink discuss major themes found in the book of Isaiah in the Old Testament. Watch the entire video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/XaCiejyK_aM

We’re excited to hear from @dallinhoaks at today’s devotional! You can attend live at 11:05 AM at the BYU Marriott Center, watch it at byutv.org, or tune in on Classical 89 FM.

From the Legacy Roundtable Discussions on the Old Testament, BYU professors Paul Hoskisson, D. Kelly Ogden, Eric Huntsman, and Michael Rhodes discuss major themes found in the first portion of the book of Psalms. Watch the entire video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/-4ByL_Z1PTQ

From the Legacy Roundtable Discussions on the Old Testament, BYU professors Paul Hoskisson, D. Kelly Ogden, Eric Huntsman, and Michael Rhodes discuss major themes found in the first portion of the book of Psalms. Watch the entire video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/zRIOD-sjplg

BYU Religious Education

It’s time to dive into Isaiah again in Come, Follow Me this week! So much truth about Jesus Christ is found in the upcoming chapters, with some of our favorites in Isaiah 25. Tell us one of your favorite verses in Isaiah below!👇🏼

Welcome back, students! We’re looking forward to an exciting and spiritually enriching semester. Keep in mind that you can still sign up for religion classes through the Add/Drop deadline (Tuesday, September 6, 2022).

Recently, Rachel Cope, associate professor of Church history and doctrine, received the Harvey B. and Susan Easton Black Outstanding Scholarship Award. She has published several articles on American women’s spirituality and conversion in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, which have appeared in various edited volumes and journals. Learn more about Rachel Cope here: https://religion.byu.edu/directory/rachel-cope