"Editors' Introduction, Spring 2011"

Editorial Board, SquareTwo Journal

SquareTwo, Vol. 4 No. 1 (Spring 2011)

 

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Politics is in the air in the Spring 2011 issue of SquareTwo! Our lead article, by Ryan Decker and Jansen Gunther, examines the legacy of Rex Lee, and compares the political philosophies of the esteemed father and his son Mike Lee, now U.S. Senator from the State of Utah. Like father, like son? Or not? Decker and Gunther say not! Next, William Swadley, Jr. looks at the "branding" of LDS politicians, from the early days when Utah became a state, focusing on Reed Smoot, to the present day, with emphasis on Mitt Romney. What types of branding are in play, and are there lessons to be learned from the past?

Our next major article is by Dr. Joseph Stanford of the University of Utah. Stanford has been a pioneer in the research of natural family planning methods. While Latter-day Saints, unlike Roman Catholics, have no doctrinal reason to avoid contraceptive methods, are there other good reasons, that may have to do with both health and spirit, that may tilt LDS couples towards the use of more natural family planning methods? This might be a link to send to some of your favorite young couples.

V.H. Cassler then reviews one of the most important articles that BYU Studies has ever published, and which just came out in its latest 2011 edition. That article is by David L. Paulsen and Martin Pulido, called "A Mother There," and is a comprehensive inventory of each and every mention of Heavenly Mother by our Church leaders. Paulsen and Pulido make a very persuasive case that as a faith community we have never been enjoined to avoid speaking of Heavenly Mother, despite cultural misconceptions to the contrary. Send this link to every woman in your life!

Kaylie Clark gives voice to the women surveyed by Susan Madsen and also by Stephen Cranney in our last issue, who struggled with the usual notion of higher education as Plan B for women in Mormon culture. Clark expresses her spiritual wrestlings to understand why the lives of her brethren are not cast in either/or terms, while the culture she lives in casts her own life in those terms. Her struggle and her determination to rise above either/or are both poignant and important, as are her policy recommendations.

Finally, we present our readers' comments on "The Sealing Dilemma," as posed in January. If one is married not only for time, but also for all eternity, what does it mean to re-marry after a spouse has died? Why do some view it as a form of spiritual adultery, and why do others believe it is anything but? How do we explain the meaning of second sealings to ourselves?

One final bit of news: Karen Hyer, recent candidate for Congress in the Third District of Utah, has joined our editorial board! Hyer holds a Ph.D. from Stanford and a J.D. and is a long-time teacher, researcher, and consultant involved in women’s education and leadership training. Hyer has worked on projects in China, Mongolia, and Mexico, taught at leading universities around the world, and been active in charitable organizations that help women and children improve their lives. Her publications focus on leadership, corporate identity, education, and women’s issues. We warmly welcome Karen to SquareTwo!

Enjoy the Spring issue, and share with your family and friends the articles that capture your interest! Each article is provided with a little green "ShareThis" widget so you can email, Facebook Twitter, and many other things to your heart's content. And feel free to submit any and all comments you'd like to see posted on site!

Full Citation for This Article: Editorial Board, SquareTwo Journal (2011) "Editors' Introduction, Spring 2011," SquareTwo, Vol. 4 No. 1 (Spring), http://squaretwo.org/Sq2ArticleEditorIntroSpring2011.html, accessed [give access date].

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