Dana M. Pike

Dana M. Pike (dana_pike@byu.edu) was a professor of ancient scripture at BYU when this was written.

Dana M. Pike is a professor of ancient scripture and ancient Near Eastern studies at Brigham Young University. He was born in Boston and raised in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. His family joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when he was twelve years old. He came to BYU as an undergraduate, where he earned a BS degree in anthropology/archaeology. He then earned a PhD in Hebrew Bible and ancient Near Eastern studies from the University of Pennsylvania. Since coming to BYU in 1992, Pike has taught two years at the BYU Jerusalem Center, has worked as one of the international editors of the Dead Sea Scrolls, and has served as coordinator of BYU’s Ancient Near Eastern Studies major, as publications director of the Religious Studies Center, and as an associate dean of Religious Education. He is currently serving as the chair of the Department of Ancient Scripture. Pike’s research interests focus on the Old Testament and the Dead Sea Scrolls. He has published articles for academic and Latter-day Saint audiences. Lately, he has taught courses on the Old Testament, the New Testament, and the history and culture of ancient Israel. He lives with his wife, Jane Allis-Pike, in Mapleton, Utah. They have three children and seven grandchildren.

Don L. Brugger

Don L. Brugger (don_brugger@byu.edu) was the managing editor at the BYU Religious Studies Center when this was published.

Don L. Brugger joined the Church during his college days at Utah State University, graduated with a bachelor of science degree in English, and then served a full-time mission in Córdoba, Argentina. He taught high school English for two years, married a schoolteacher, earned a master’s degree in English from BYU, and began his editing career. He worked at the Los Angeles Times, Deseret Book, the Ensign magazine, and FARMS/Maxwell Institute before landing at the RSC, where he prepares books for publication. He enjoys mentoring student interns and associating with respected coworkers and authors. He is a Gospel Doctrine teacher and stake history specialist. Don and his wife, Tonya, have five grown children and four grandchildren. For diversion, Don enjoys swimming, tackling home-improvement projects, rollerblading, and playing musical instruments.

Jordan T. Watkins

Jordan T. Watkins (jordan_watkins@byu.edu) was an assistant professor of Church history and doctrine at BYU when this was published.

Jordan T. Watkins is from Alpine, Utah. He received his PhD in American history from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He also has a BA in history from BYU and an MA in history from Claremont Graduate University. He is a historian of American intellectual, religious, and legal history. His book manuscript “Slavery and Sacred Texts: The Bible, the Constitution, and America’s Confrontation with History” examines the ways in which antebellum biblical and constitutional debates over slavery awoke Americans to the historical distance separating them from their hallowed biblical and revolutionary pasts. His interest in American history stems from a lifelong passion for Latter-day Saint history and thought. Before joining the faculty at BYU, he worked as a coeditor at the Joseph Smith Papers Project.

Joshua Sears

Joshua Sears (josh_sears@byu.edu) was an assistant professor of ancient scripture at BYU when this was published.

Joshua Sears grew up in Southern California and served in the Chile Osorno Mission. He received a BA in ancient Near Eastern studies from BYU, where he taught at the Missionary Training Center and volunteered as an EMT. He received an MA from The Ohio State University and a PhD in Hebrew Bible at The University of Texas at Austin. His research interests include Israelite prophecy, marriage, and families in the ancient world, and the publication history of Latter-day Saint scripture. He has presented at regional and national meetings of the Society of Biblical Literature, BYU Education Week, the Sidney B. Sperry Symposium, and the Leonardo Museum Conference on the Dead Sea Scrolls. His wife, Alice, is from Hong Kong and plays in the Bells on Temple Square. He and his wife live in Lindon, Utah, with their five children.