Robert J. Matthews
Encyclopedia
Robert James Matthews was a Latter-day Saint religious educator and scholar, teaching in the Departments of Ancient Scripture and Religious Education at Brigham Young University
, Provo, Utah
.
Beginning with personal contacts early in his career, Matthews was instrumental in conciliating relations between religious scholars affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and the Community of Christ
, which had separated in a schism
in the 1840s. The two religious communities, and their scholars, had long been at odds over access to and interpretation of important early texts of the Latter Day Saint movement
. Matthews was particularly influential when, in 1969 and 1970, scholars affiliated with the Community of Christ were invited to meetings of the Mormon History Association
. The new scholars were welcomed and some were chosen as officers in the organization in later years. Matthews is also noted for his promotion of the concept that the currently available text of the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible is reliable and authentic.
., the youngest child of immigrant parents who independently joined the LDS Church in England and moved to the United States. He earned an BS degree in Political Science, an MS degree in Geography, and a PhD degree in Ancient Scriptures, all from Brigham Young University
. His doctoral dissertation was titled A Plainer Translation: Joseph Smith's Translation of the Bible — A History and Commentary.
Matthews and his wife Shirley Neves were the parents of four children.
Matthews died 30 August 2009 in Provo, Utah
, after an extended hospitalization for complications following open heart surgery
.
in 1955, beginning as a seminary teacher in Soda Springs, Idaho. He also taught institute
classes in Southern California under the direction of Paul H. Dunn and was a course writer and editor with the seminaries and institutes division of the Church Educational System.
In 1968 Matthews received his Ph.D.
in Ancient Scriptures from Brigham Young University. He began teaching in the Division of Religious Education at Brigham Young University in 1971. He served as dean of Religion Education at Brigham Young University for 8½ years, and subsequentally was a professor and department chair of the Ancient Scripture Department until his retirement in 1992.
Matthews has the distinction of being the first person from the LDS Church allowed by the Community of Christ to work with the original manuscript of the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible
, which was in their possession. He was a principal collaborator involved in compiling the Encyclopedia of Mormonism
, and authored articles on the Book of Moses
and the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible.
in California, a portion of the Western States Mission
of the LDS Church. His mission president
was Oscar W. McConkie
.
In the 1970s, Matthews served on the Church Adult Correlation Committee of LDS Church. Earlier he had served as a bishop and high councilor and stake president. In the mid-1990s, Matthews was the first president
of the Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple
. At the time of his death he was serving as a stake patriarch.
Matthews was the chief editor of the LDS Church's 1979 Bible Dictionary
, which is printed together with the church's English-language edition of the King James Bible
.
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
, Provo, Utah
Provo, Utah
Provo is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Utah, located about south of Salt Lake City along the Wasatch Front. Provo is the county seat of Utah County and lies between the cities of Orem to the north and Springville to the south...
.
Beginning with personal contacts early in his career, Matthews was instrumental in conciliating relations between religious scholars affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and the Community of Christ
Community of Christ
The Community of Christ, known from 1872 to 2001 as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints , is an American-based international Christian church established in April 1830 that claims as its mission "to proclaim Jesus Christ and promote communities of joy, hope, love, and peace"...
, which had separated in a schism
Schism (religion)
A schism , from Greek σχίσμα, skhísma , is a division between people, usually belonging to an organization or movement religious denomination. The word is most frequently applied to a break of communion between two sections of Christianity that were previously a single body, or to a division within...
in the 1840s. The two religious communities, and their scholars, had long been at odds over access to and interpretation of important early texts of the Latter Day Saint movement
Latter Day Saint movement
The Latter Day Saint movement is a group of independent churches tracing their origin to a Christian primitivist movement founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. in the late 1820s. Collectively, these churches have over 14 million members...
. Matthews was particularly influential when, in 1969 and 1970, scholars affiliated with the Community of Christ were invited to meetings of the Mormon History Association
Mormon History Association
The Mormon History Association is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to the study and understanding of all aspects of Mormon history to promote understanding, scholarly research, and publication in the field...
. The new scholars were welcomed and some were chosen as officers in the organization in later years. Matthews is also noted for his promotion of the concept that the currently available text of the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible is reliable and authentic.
Biography
Matthews was born in Evanston, WyomingEvanston, Wyoming
Evanston is a city in Uinta County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 12,359 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Uinta County.-Geography:Evanston is located at...
., the youngest child of immigrant parents who independently joined the LDS Church in England and moved to the United States. He earned an BS degree in Political Science, an MS degree in Geography, and a PhD degree in Ancient Scriptures, all from Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
. His doctoral dissertation was titled A Plainer Translation: Joseph Smith's Translation of the Bible — A History and Commentary.
Matthews and his wife Shirley Neves were the parents of four children.
Matthews died 30 August 2009 in Provo, Utah
Provo, Utah
Provo is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Utah, located about south of Salt Lake City along the Wasatch Front. Provo is the county seat of Utah County and lies between the cities of Orem to the north and Springville to the south...
, after an extended hospitalization for complications following open heart surgery
Open Heart Surgery
Open Heart Surgery was released on August 8, 2000 by rock band Virginwool. The band signed to Breaking/Atlantic Records after initially beginning signed to Universal Records. The album was produced and mixed by Brad Wood....
.
Teaching and scholarship
Matthews began teaching in the Church Educational SystemChurch Educational System
The Church Educational System of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints consists of several institutions that provide religious and secular education for both Latter-day Saint and non-Latter-day Saint elementary, secondary, and post-secondary students and adult learners...
in 1955, beginning as a seminary teacher in Soda Springs, Idaho. He also taught institute
Institute of Religion
Institutes of Religion provide religious educational classes for young single adult and university students who belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
classes in Southern California under the direction of Paul H. Dunn and was a course writer and editor with the seminaries and institutes division of the Church Educational System.
In 1968 Matthews received his Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in Ancient Scriptures from Brigham Young University. He began teaching in the Division of Religious Education at Brigham Young University in 1971. He served as dean of Religion Education at Brigham Young University for 8½ years, and subsequentally was a professor and department chair of the Ancient Scripture Department until his retirement in 1992.
Matthews has the distinction of being the first person from the LDS Church allowed by the Community of Christ to work with the original manuscript of the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible
Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible
The Joseph Smith Translation , also called the Inspired Version , was a revision of the Bible by Joseph Smith, the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Smith considered this work to be "a branch of his calling" as a prophet. Smith was murdered before he ever deemed it complete, though most of...
, which was in their possession. He was a principal collaborator involved in compiling the Encyclopedia of Mormonism
Encyclopedia of Mormonism
The Encyclopedia of Mormonism is a semi-official encyclopedia for topics relevant to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
, and authored articles on the Book of Moses
Book of Moses
The Book of Moses is part of the scriptural canon of Mormonism dictated by founder Joseph Smith, Jr. It is an amalgamation of the "Vision of Moses," which Smith dictated in June 1830, the "Book of Enoch," dictated December 1830, and material deriving from Smith's revision of the Book of Genesis in...
and the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible.
LDS Church service
From 1946 to 1948 Matthews was a Mormon missionaryMormon missionary
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the most active modern practitioners of missionary work, with over 52,000 full-time missionaries worldwide, as of the end of 2010...
in California, a portion of the Western States Mission
Mission (LDS Church)
A mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a geographical administrative area to which church missionaries are assigned. Almost all areas of the world are within the boundaries of an LDS Church mission, whether or not Mormon missionaries live or proselytize in the area...
of the LDS Church. His mission president
Mission president
Mission president is a priesthood leadership position in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . A mission president presides over a mission and the missionaries serving in the mission...
was Oscar W. McConkie
Oscar W. McConkie
Oscar Walter McConkie was a Utah State Senator and leader in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . He was the father of Bruce R. McConkie, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the LDS Church. A second son Oscar W. McConkie, Jr...
.
In the 1970s, Matthews served on the Church Adult Correlation Committee of LDS Church. Earlier he had served as a bishop and high councilor and stake president. In the mid-1990s, Matthews was the first president
Temple President
Temple president is a priesthood leadership position in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A temple president's primary responsibility is to supervise the affairs of an LDS temple in both an administrative and spiritual capacity....
of the Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple
Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple
The Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple is the 49th operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The temple is located in American Fork, Utah and is the second temple built in Utah County and the ninth in Utah.-Announcement:...
. At the time of his death he was serving as a stake patriarch.
Matthews was the chief editor of the LDS Church's 1979 Bible Dictionary
Bible Dictionary (LDS Church)
Bible Dictionary is an official publication of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . Since 1979, Bible Dictionary has been published as an appendix to most copies of the King James Version of the Bible printed by the LDS Church. The dictionary contains 1285 entries on 196 pages...
, which is printed together with the church's English-language edition of the King James Bible
LDS edition of the Bible
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints publishes editions of the Bible in English and Spanish that it encourages its members to use. The text of the LDS Church's English-language Bible is the Authorized King James Version and the church's Spanish-language Bible is a revised Reina-Valera...
.
Publications
- "A Plainer Translation": Joseph Smith's Translation of the Bible, a History and commentary (Brigham Young University PressBrigham Young University PressBrigham Young University Press is the university press of Brigham Young University .-History:Brigham Young University Press was formed in 1967 through the consolidation of BYU's various publishing activities into one central organization....
: Provo, Utah, 1975). ISBN 0842514112, OCLC 1230845 - A Burning Light: The Life and Ministry of John the Baptist (Brigham Young University PressBrigham Young University PressBrigham Young University Press is the university press of Brigham Young University .-History:Brigham Young University Press was formed in 1967 through the consolidation of BYU's various publishing activities into one central organization....
: Provo, Utah, 1972). ISBN 0842514708, OCLC 481178 - Selected Writings of Robert J. Matthews (Deseret BookDeseret BookDeseret Book is the largest Latter-day Saint book publisher and also owns a chain of LDS bookstores in the western United States. Over 150 people work in its Salt Lake City headquarters...
: Salt Lake City, 1999). ISBN 1573455520, OCLC 42290385 - "Historicity and the Children of God" in Paul Y. HoskissonPaul Y. HoskissonPaul Y. Hoskisson is an American professor of ancient scripture and former associate dean of Religious Education at Brigham Young University . In 2008, he was appointed director of the Laura F...
, ed., Historicity and the Latter-day Saints Scriptures (Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University: Provo, Utah, 2001). ISBN 1577349288, OCLC 48749213