Terry B. Ball

Bio

Dr. Ball is a Professor of Ancient Scripture and the Dean of Religious Education at BYU. He received his B.S. from BYU in Botany and Education. He received an M.A. from BYU in Ancient Near Eastern Studies, and a Ph.D. from BYU in Archaeobotany with an emphasis in the Ancient Near East. He has taught and traveled extensively in the Holy Land, including teaching at the BYU Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies.

Currently, Dr. Ball teaches classes in The Book of Mormon, New Testament, Old Testament, and Writings of Isaiah. His thorough mastering of Biblical Hebrew is vital to his understanding and teaching.

In addition to contributing to the Encyclopedia of Mormonism and writing numerous books and articles, Dr. Ball recently contributed to a collection of essays in honor of the eightieth birthday of Dr. Robert J. Matthews entitled "Isaiah and the Restoration of Israel" in A Witness for the Restoration: Essays in Honor of Robert J. Matthews edited by Kent P. Jackson and Andrew C. Skinner, (Provo, Utah: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2007), 13–31, in which he details the importance of the Restoration as it concerns Latter–day students.

Dr. Ball also recently addressed the student body of Brigham Young University at a campus devotional. During the March 11, 2008 devotional, Dr. Ball emphasized the significance and blessings of higher education showing how his Archaeobotany training helps him to understand difficult passages in Isaiah. Dr. Ball's recent Ancient Scripture research has focused primarily on the prophet Isaiah. For the past ten years he has researched, lectured, and written extensively about this prophet.

Online Publications:

Terry B. Ball, "Isaiah’s ‘Other’ Servant Songs," in The Gospel of Jesus Christ in the Old Testament, ed. D. Kelly Ogden, Jared W. Ludlow, and Kerry Muhlestein (Provo, UT and Salt Lake City: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, and Deseret Book, 2009), 207–18.

Ball, Terry B. and Nathan Winn. "Doctrines from Our Savior’s Final Words." In "Behold the Lamb of God": An Easter Celebration, edited by Richard Neitzel Holzapfel, Frank F. Judd Jr., and Thomas A. Wayment, 105–23. Provo, Utah: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2008.

———. "To Confirm and Inform: A Blessing of Higher Education" BYU Devotional, Provo, Utah, March 11, 2008.

——— "Isaiah and the Restoration of Israel." In A Witness for the Restoration: Essays in Honor of Robert J. Matthews, edited by Kent P. Jackson and Andrew C. Skinner, 13–31. Provo, Utah: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2007.

——— "Faithful Science," in Moral Foundations: Standing Firm in a World of Shifting Values, ed. Douglas E. Brinley, Perry W. Carter, and James K. Archibald (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University), 33–46.

——— "The Unique and Supreme Attributes of Jesus the Christ," in Celebrating Easter: The 2006 BYU Easter Conference, ed. Thomas A. Wayment and Keith J. Wilson (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University), 33–42.

——— "Isaiah and the Messiah," in Jesus Christ: Son of God, Savior, ed. Paul H. Peterson, Gary L. Hatch, and Laura D. Card (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2002), 79–98.

——— "Alma 39: A Model for Teaching Morality." The Religious Educator, Volume 2, Number 2, 18–26. Provo, Utah: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2001.

———, S. Kent Brown, Arnold H. Green, David J. Johnson, and W. Revell Phillips. "Planning Research on Oman: The End of Lehi's Trail." Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 7 no. 1 (1998): 12–21.

———. Review of The Allegory of the Olive Tree: The Olive, the Bible, and Jacob 5, by Stephen D. Ricks and John W. Welch. FARMS 8, no. 1 (1996): 61–68.

———, and Wilford M. Hess. "Agriculture in Lehi’s World: Some Textual, Historical, Archeological, and Botanical Insights." In Glimpses of Lehi's Jerusalem, edited by David R. Seely, JoAnn H. Seely, and John W. Welch. Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 2004.

———. "Second Book of Nephi." In Encyclopedia of Mormonism, edited by Daniel H. Ludlow. New York: Macmillan, 1992.

Highlighted Old Testament Publications:

Articles:

Ball, Terry B. "Understanding the Purpose of the Creations Accounts." Religious Studies Newsletter 21, no. 1 (2006): 5–6.

———, Review of The Allegory of the Olive Tree: The Olive, the Bible, and Jacob 5, by Stephen D. Ricks and John W. Welch. FARMS 8, no. 1 (1996): 61–68.

Chapters in Books:

Ball, Terry B. "Isaiah and the Great Arraignment." In Sperry Symposium Classics: The Old Testament, edited by Paul Y. Hoskisson, 196–208. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2005.

———, "Isaiah and the Messiah." In Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior, edited by P. H. Peterson, G. L. Hatch, 79–98. Provo, Utah: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2002.

———, "Isaiah and the Gentiles." In Covenants, Prophecies, and Hymns of the Old Testament: The 30th Annual Sidney B. Sperry Symposium. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2001, 180–94.

———, "Isaiah's Imagery of Plants and Planting." In Thy People Shall be My People: The 22nd annual Sperry Symposium. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1994, 17–34.

———, "Old Testament Prophets in the Book of Mormon." In The Old Testament: 1 Kings to Malachi. In Studies in Scripture. Vol. 4, edited by K.P. Jackson, 258–263. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1993.

Reference and Encyclopedia Articles:

Ball, Terry B. "Amen," "Anti–Christ," "Begotten," "Books, judged out of," "Earth, the," "Hands, laying on of," "Isaiah, life and ministry," "Isaiah chapter review: 2 Ne 15//Isaiah 5," "Isaiah chapter review: 2 Ne 17//Isaiah 7," "Isaiah chapter review: 2 Ne 22//Isaiah 12," "Isaiah chapter review: 2 Ne 23//Isaiah 13," "Isaiah chapter review: 2 Ne 24//Isaiah 14, " "Jot, tittle," "Judgement, the," "Kishkumen," "Manasseh," "Priestcraft," "Slippery," "Trees," "Whoredoms," "Word, the," and "Zenock." In Book of Mormon Reference Companion, edited by D.L. Largey. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2003.

———, "Second Book of Nephi." In Encyclopedia of Mormonism, edited by Daniel H. Ludlow. New York: Macmillan, 1992.

BYU Old Testament

Terry Ball