Episode 112: Use Boldness but Not Overbearance (Jan J. Martin)

Episode 112: Use Boldness but Not Overbearance (Jan J. Martin)

Author: BYU Religious Education September 15, 2024 Duration: 43:56

As Alma mentored his sons in teaching the gospel, he counseled them not only to cultivate qualities such as diligence, temperance, humility, and self-reflection, but to also use "boldness, but not overbearance" (Alma 38:12) as part of their approach. The words boldness, bold, and boldly are used twenty-seven times throughout the Book Mormon, primarily to indicate that a person, or a group of people, have spoken or acted with "courage, daring, fearlessness; confidence, assurance, [and] security" (Oxford English Dictionary Online, OED). On the other hand, overbearance is used only once and seems to mean "to overcome, put down, or repress, as by power, authority, influence, or emotional pressure" (OED). In this episode, Dr. Jan J. Martin, associate professor of ancient scripture, discusses Alma's stylistic teaching advice given to his son Shiblon. She highlights two critical areas of Alma's methodology: the origin of his prophetic and fatherly counsel for teaching the gospel and his practice of leaning into the Holy Ghost for inspiration on what and how to teach. Alma's experiences in Ammonihah provide important instruction for anyone with leadership or teaching responsibilities who desire to be bold but not overbearing.

  

Publications:

·      "Use Boldness but Not Overbearance" (Book of Mormon Insights: Letting God Prevail in Your Life, Religious Studies Center, 2024)

·      "'Filthy This Day before God': Jacob's Use of Filthy and Filthiness in His Nephite Sermons" (Jacob: Faith and Great Anxiety, Religious Studies Center, 2024)

·      "The Prophet Nephi and the Covenantal Nature of 'Cut Off,' 'Cursed,' 'Skin of Blackness,' and 'Loathsome'" (They Shall Grow Together: The Bible in the Book of Mormon, Religious Studies Center, 2022)

·      The Power of Christ's Deliverance (Religious Studies Center, 2021)

·      "Samuel the Lamanite: Confronting the Wall of Nephite Prejudice" (Samuel the Lamanite: That Ye Might Believe, Religious Studies Center, 2021)

·      "The Theological Value of the King Hames Language in the Book of Mormon" (Journal of Book of Mormon Studies, 27, 2018)

 

Click here to learn more about Jan J. Martin


Behind the academic papers and detailed studies produced by the faculty at Brigham Young University, there are personal journeys of faith and intellectual curiosity. Y Religion, from BYU Religious Education, opens a window into that process. Each episode sits down with the professor behind the research, moving beyond the published conclusions to explore the human questions that sparked the inquiry. Conversations delve into why a particular historical detail, scriptural insight, or theological concept demanded a closer look, and what it means for both scholarly understanding and personal belief. This isn't about dry lectures; it's about the intersection of rigorous scholarship and lived discipleship within the context of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The podcast serves as a unique bridge, making specialized academic work accessible and relevant to anyone pondering deeper spiritual truths. You'll hear scholars articulate the challenges and rewards of their dual commitment to the mind and the heart, offering listeners a richer appreciation for the ongoing dialogue between faith and learning. Tune in for thoughtful discussions that illuminate how dedicated study can deepen, rather than distance, one's spiritual journey.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Y Religion
Podcast Episodes
Episode 87: Mental Health and Latter-day Saints (Justin Dyer) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:00
Do members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have better, the same, or worse mental health when compared to members of other religions, or those of no religion? Despite some popular narratives, what does…
Episode 86: Deutero-Isaiah in the Book of Mormon (Joshua Sears) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:15
About one third of the book of Isaiah is quoted in the Book of Mormon. A challenge can arise, however, with what is known as Deutero-Isaiah. This is a theory that there were additional authors who wrote portions of Isaia…
Episode 85: A Guide to Book of Mormon Studies (Joseph Spencer) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:17
Readers often approach the Book of Mormon spiritually, seeking for inspiration and application, or apologetically to know or defend its truthfulness. Those are excellent and needful ways to approach the text. But they ar…
Episode 84: Models of Motherhood (Avram and Thora Shannon) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:03
"Mother" is a role that takes on many forms as women guide and nurture the human family. While many of us have mother figures we admire in the present day, what about our motherly role models from the past? In this episo…
Episode 83: Names in the Book of Mormon (Brad Wilcox) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:46
Lehi, Nephi, Amalickiah, Korihor—These are just a few of the many names readers encounter in the Book of Mormon. Just where did these names come from? Research has shown that individuals have certain naming preferences.…
Episode 82: The Saints of Las Vegas (Fred Woods) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:05
The city of Las Vegas is known for its casinos, but there is also something to be said for its communities of Saints. In the mid-1800s this city was a hub for Latter-day Saints and others travelling from California to Ut…
Episode 81: Early Christian Worship Spaces (Matthew Grey) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:58
Throughout the history of the Christian church, people have found ways to create space for worship. But what did these worship spaces look like? And how do these ancient worship spaces connect to our Church buildings tod…
Episode 80: Living our Temple Covenants (Anthony Sweat) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:18
In the temple endowment ceremony, Latter-day Saints make sacred covenants with God. But what are the holy promises that are made therein? In this episode, professor Anthony Sweat discusses his recent book publication tha…
Episode 79: Becoming Like God (Daniel Becerra) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:02
The idea that people can become like God is not unique to Latter-day Saints, nor is it new. In this episode, Professor Daniel Becerra takes us back to early Christianity to learn more about ancient teachings of deificati…
Episode 78: The Most Correct Book (Nick Frederick) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:19
Joseph Smith famously said that the Book of Mormon is "the most correct book" on Earth. But what does this really mean? Was he referring to the perfection of the grammar and English in his translation? Or was something e…