The Summer 2014 print issue of Dialogue arrived in my mailbox last week. Among other fine articles is a ten-year look back at Mormon blogging by Dialogue Web Editor Emily Jensen. The article consists of about 70 paragraph-length quotations from selected Bloggernacle posts over the years, in ten categories: theology, homosexuality, feminism, race, Mormon studies, public conversations, history, Dialogue, personal essays, and miscellaneous. The Dialogue website adds a few supplementary blog posts that did not make the print article, but to get the print article itself you will need to subscribe. Below are links to the T&S posts that appeared in the article.
Adam Miller’s 2011 post “Be Ye Perfect” is a deep meditation on the Sermon on the Mount’s admonition.
Wilfried Decoo’s 2014 post “Utah Same-Sex Marriage and the International Church” shows some of the effects of LDS positions on this issue on the Church outside the United States.
Rosalynde Welch’s 2013 post “Thinkable Priesthoods, Usable Pasts” looks creatively at viable alternatives for women short of “a uni-sex priesthood.”
Craig Harline’s 2008 post “When Being Right Is Wrong” on how not to win the righteous battle but lose the moral war (with students, kids, fellow bloggers, or anyone else).
Julie Smith’s 2012 review of John G. Turner’s book Brigham Young: Pioneer Prophet, expressing reservations about recommending this biography for the average LDS reader.
Craig Harline’s 2008 post “Carl and Mathilda” about a trip to Ellis Island and discoveries about his Swedish ancestors (later incorporated in modified form in his 2011 book Conversions).
And Post Zero for the Bloggernacle, Kaimi Wenger’s March 2004 post “The Nameless Mormon Blogosphere,” in which commenter Grasshopper proposed “Bloggernacle Choir” at comment #3. Nate Oman shortened it to “The Bloggernacle” at comment #5.
Alas, none of my posts made the list, but if anyone had asked, I would probably have nominated Lineage: A Troubling Concept, or Church Discipline in the Internet Age, or Cafeteria Correlation.
Finally, it seems a little unfair that authors get noticed while commenters — who have contributed tens of thousands of comments to our many discussions over the years — sort of fade into the background of lengthy comment threads. Commenters are kind of like the Bloggernacle’s Twelfth Man. LDS blogging would be a much duller affair without the many readers who share their thoughts here and at many other blogs. Thanks to EmJen for the retrospective article, to blog authors past and present, and to the many readers and commenters who continue to read and contribute comments.
Ah, the Bloggernacle from 2004-2014…a time never to be forgotten. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Dave. I knew as soon as I submitted it I’d be annoyed at what I missed. So I hope it will be a springboard for further discussions on awesome blog posts that should not be forgotten.
EmJen, I think that’s a better title than mine and I should have used it: “Blog posts that should not be forgotten.”