After talking with a few people, I have decided that the Temple Prep manual that the Church has published is probably not a good choice to serve as a springboard for our Google Hangout temple discussions, for a number of reasons. One of those reasons is that we do not want to appear to be supplanting the Temple Prep course, as it is taught under the guidance of a bishop. There is no replacement for that course, offered by the Church’s local units, and it should be taken with care by every individual preparing to go to the temple for the first time.
So I’ve turned to considering other texts as guides for discussion. Again, I don’t want the text to be the focus, but serve as a springboard for discussion. To achieve this end, I think the book should be relatively short, concise, but broadly consider many aspects of the temple, both modern and ancient. It should also come from a trusted author.
One book I read recently that seems to fit these qualifications well is Temple Worship: 20 Truths That Will Bless Your Life by Andrew C. Skinner. It is relatively short at only a couple hundred pages, it is divided between 20 different concise chapter-topics that cover a wide spectrum of temple studies, and it’s a relatively easy read because it was written for a wide audience, and in a clear and forthright manner. Dr. Andrew Skinner is a trusted religion scholar from BYU. I also enjoyed the book.
Have you read this book? What were your impressions? Is there another text that you think might be better as a guide for our discussions? Please share your thoughts with us in the comments below.
I haven’t read this book, but I’ve enjoyed Prof. Skinner’s discussions of the scriptures a number of times on Channel 11 and BYU TV. It sounds like his book might be a great framework for temple discussions.
Prof. Skinners book is excellent, but another one that I have found to be wonderful is ‘Look to the Temple; by Ed. J. Pinegar and Richard J. Allen which at the end of each chapter it gives things to ponder and meditate further on. Also ‘The Temple’ by Truman G. Madsen!
I’d recommend “Your Endowment” by Mark Shields. I give it as a gift to friends planning their first trip to the temple.
I Like S. Michael Wilcox’ book, House of Glory!
I was going to think of another book to recommend, just to make it that much harder to agree on a text. =) I vote for Dr. Skinner’s book. I haven’t read it, but being broken down into 20 concise chapters sounds ideal for an ongoing discussion.