John Welch, professor of law at the J. Reuben Clark Law School, will present the 2010 Karl G. Maeser Distinguished Faculty Lecture at a Brigham Young University forum Tuesday, May 17, at 11:05 a.m. in the de Jong Concert Hall.
The title of his speech will be “Thy Mind, Oh Man, Must Stretch,” a quote by Joseph Smith.
The forum will be broadcast live on the BYU Broadcasting channels and online at byub.org. Rebroadcast and archive information will be available at byub.org and speeches.byu.edu.
Welch is the Robert K. Thomas Professor of Law and has been the editor-in-chief of BYU Studies, the premier Latter-day Saint scholarly journal, for almost 20 years. Last fall, he received the Karl G. Maeser Distinguished Faculty Lecturer Award, the university’s highest faculty honor.
While practicing law in Los Angeles with O’Melveny & Myers, Welch founded the Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies in 1979. He has also played an influential role in the development of the “Encyclopedia of Mormonism,” “Collected Works of Hugh Nibley” and “The Joseph Smith Papers.” He has served on the executive committee of the Biblical Law Section of the Society of Biblical Literature.
Welch is among the most prominent pupils of LDS scholar and former BYU professor Hugh Nibley, having made several important discoveries and advances regarding biblical studies, LDS scholarship, history, culture and thought. His publications cover a wide range of topics, including Roman and Jewish law in the trial of Jesus, the use of biblical laws in colonial America, chiasmus in antiquity and commentaries on the Sermon on the Mount and King Benjamin’s speech in the Book of Mormon.
Welch received his juris doctorate from Duke University in 1975. He received his bachelor’s degree in history and his master’s degree in classical languages from BYU, both in 1970, graduating with highest honors.
For more information contact John Welch at (801) 422-3168 or e-mail welchj@lawgate.byu.edu.
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Writer: Mel Gardner
