AMV continues its series on Mormon publishing with Part 4, Commercial LDS Publishing Begins. And BCC posts the not-to-be-missed Correlation: An Uncorrelated History, Part 2.

From the MA boxes:

Box 1 – Juvenile Instructor notes the Social Science Research Council’s report on religion and blogging. Their list of 100 of the most influential religion blogs includes my now-inactive Mormon Inquiry at Beliefnet project, which makes me wonder about the study. But a compliment is a compliment — thanks, SSRC.

Box 2 – BCC’s resident biologist posts Avoiding the Temptation of Literalism. Resist, o ye literalists! Do not succumb to the temptation to “think the scriptures are there to give us information about the factual nature of the universe or to offer reports of strictly a historical nature.”

Box 3 – Life on Gold Plates publishes its own set of notes on Richard Bushman’s talk “Joseph Smith and the Routinization of Charisma.” I found this set more readable than the set posted at JI last week, but maybe that’s just me. Bushman struggles to correct the widely-held view that Joseph Smith was an autocrat (I have run across that view twice this week in two separate books by respected historians!). A fine talk.

Box 4 – SteveP strikes twice (see Box 2), this time with The Flesh Flies of Climate Change. Bad news: the flies are moving north.

Box 5 – The Mother’s Daughter, a personal essay at The Exponent.

Box 6 – At Mormon Matters, Jacob’s Ladder. Is it a metaphor for the efficacy of works (we hoist ourself to heaven rung by rung) or grace (Christ is the ladder)? I liked the post. I liked the movie.

Box 7 – NDBF’s little jab at LDS evolutionists, who dutifully respond in the comments.

Honorable Mention – One post per box seems so unfair.

• Polygamy, Natural Law, and Imperialism at T&S.
• Signs, appearances, and blogging at BCC.
• Exit, Voice, and Change at BCC. Great week at BCC.

Outside the box – And now for something completely different: the Blogger Brawl at Mormon Times. Description: “Thirty-two Single Mormon bloggers from all over the globe are competing for a permanent columnist spot on MormonTimes.com.” It’s sort of a take-off on March Madness. I’m stumped why the Mormon Times calls these young singles “bloggers,” which in normal usage refers to someone who runs a blog or posts at a blog. Apparently MoTimes considers the bio-blurbs to be “blogs” (i.e., something posted online) and therefore those posting the bio-blurbs are “bloggers.” Please, if words still mean something, call them wannabe-journalists, not bloggers. I feel slimed.