The Interpreter Foundation was launched about 501.5 weeks ago, over a soup and salad lunch at the Olive Garden restaurant in Provo. We had no organization, no money, no bank account, no institutional support. But, owing to unexpected recent developments, we felt that action needed to be taken very quickly in order to maintain a venue that could support faithful scholarship, defending and commending the claims of the Restoration, and that would serve as a platform for such work.
About nine days later, our first article went up online in a new online journal. And what is now called Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship hasn’t missed a single week of publication since that day.
When Professor Matthew Bowen’s essay “‘We Might Have Enjoyed Our Possessions and the Land of Our Inheritance’: Hebrew yrš and 1 Nephi 17:21” went public at noon, Utah time, on 18 February 2022, its appearance marked Interpreter’s five-hundredth (500th) consecutive week of publication. And some weeks have featured not just one article, but two or even three.
That’s a milestone that we think worthy of note, and I want to wish hearty congratulations to all of those—authors, editors, proofreaders, donors, and others—who have made this possible.
We’ve also invited Professor Bowen himself to share some thoughts on the occasion:
It has been almost a decade since the Interpreter Foundation began modestly and launched the journal with articles that have rolled out every single Friday for five hundred weeks without missing a beat. On a few of those Fridays, I have been fortunate to see some of my own scholarly work on Latter-day Saint scripture and temples published in its pages. However, every published article (including audio versions and other media forms), the books, the blogs, the study aids, the KnoWhys, and now the full-length cinematic movies, are never the work of just a single contributor, and I am ever reminded of that as an author. The Interpreter Foundation is a miracle—miracle upon miracle. The Lord has brought to pass these miracles as many women and men with a broad range of individual talents and capacities (to paraphrase Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf) have lifted (and continue to lift) where they stand, including some who are no longer with us in mortality. I wish to thank all of them. It is humbling to mark the 500th consecutive week of Interpreter journal publications with a contribution that—like every other Interpreter contribution—represents the love of Jesus Christ, devotion to his work, and sacrifice of so many fellow disciples. We all desire to build the faith, testimony, and knowledge of our Latter-day Saint brothers and sisters and increase faith in the world. It will always be an honor to be numbered among and to labor with such good people.
Mahalo nui loa!
Matt
I tried to donate..but online link would not let me except through PayPal, which I do not wish to join. I have fallen in love with the testimony building power in your articles. Thank you.
As a great great grandson of President John Taylor who was one of the first apologists I am so pleased with what you wonderful people do to represent the Savior and defend His Great Plan. May you continue with success and inspiration in the great work you are engaged in.
Lynn Taylor Dayton
It is a fantastic milestone! The Interpreter’s defense of truth is one of the most important defenses today against the evergrowing body of antagonistic propaganda that can destroy faith in mainstream members. May it continue and even expand!
May you have 500 more even better weeks.
Kudos to all the volunteers, scholars, filmmakers, contract workers, and donors. This symbiotic relationship has reached a real milestone after nearly ten years of hard work. I’m grateful to be able to observe the many people who give so much. Thank you!
Matt hits the 500 weeks milestone. It couldn’t have happened to a nicer, more deserving guy.
Hoʻomaikaʻi, Matt!
Congratulations! It’s been a great 500 weeks. I very much appreciate your contributions to faithfulness and scholarship. I have used your articles numerous times in talks and lessons. Keep them coming!
CONGRATULATIONS Interpreter on reaching such an impressive milestone in fulfilling the very explicit wishes of Elder Maxwell for apologetic studies! I am constantly reminded of that charter as the studies continue to appear and especially appreciate the Interpreter’s efforts to make its research available either free or at cost, to all. There are lessons to be learned from such an achievement.
Congratulations!!!