Todd B. Parker was a professor emeritus of ancient scripture at BYU when this was written. Brother Parker grew up in Utah, earning a Bachelor's degree in English from Weber College, an M.Ed., and an Ed.D. in Educational Psychology from BYU. He then taught Seminary in Utah and then Institute at the University of Arizona in Tucson. He and his wife Deborah Harbertson have nine children. In high school and college he participated in Cross Country running and Pole Vaulting.