"TEMPLE REFLECTIONS: Insights Into the House of the Lord,” by Alonzo Gaskill, Cedar Fort, $21.99, 264 pages (nf)
“Temple Reflections: Insights Into the House of the Lord,” by Brigham Young University associate professor Alonzo Gaskill is a collection of short essays based on the author’s temple experiences and extensive research on the subject.
In 13 short chapters with intriguing titles, such as “The Woman at the Veil,” "The Seal of Melchizedek,” “The ‘Ceremony of the Shoe’,” “Local Veneration” and “Through Female Eyes,” Gaskill explores various aspects of temple worship for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Gaskill shares that his purpose in writing this and other books about LDS symbols is to assist church members in gaining more from their temple experience.
“I have worried that the Saints do not care much for symbolism — or, at the very least, don’t 'get it' — and, thus, may not grasp much of what the Lord is seeking to convey to us within the walls of His most holy sanctuaries,” Gaskill writes in the introduction.
In his exploration of often sensitive topics, Gaskill maintains appropriate boundaries as he offers new ways of considering the meaning of Zion, the holy garment, the symbolism of shoes and the reality of Satan’s physicality.
The author’s research, evidenced by numerous pages of endnotes, delves into ancient temple worship as well as modern-day worship in LDS temples. The notes include references and insights from ancient prophets, prophets of the latter-day Restoration as well as scholars, including those who are LDS and of other faiths. A 23-page bibliography and a short index conclude the book.
Gaskill’s insights provide thought-provoking and often new ways of seeing and understanding temple symbols.
Gaskill is an associate professor of LDS Church history and doctrine at Brigham Young University, where his areas of expertise include scriptural and temple symbolism. Two of his recent publications include “Catholic and Mormon: A Theological Conversation” (Oxford University Press, 2015) and “Miracles of the Book of Mormon: A Guide to the Symbolic Message” (Cedar Fort, 2015).
Rosemarie Howard lives in a 100-year-old house on Main Street in Springville, Utah. She enjoys creating multimedia projects. Her website is at dramaticdimensions.com.