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Created page with ''''Kerry A. Shirts''' (born January 12, 1961) is a Latter-day Saint blogger and apologist, best known for his website ''The Backyard Professor''. He is a native of Idaho Falls, I…'
'''Kerry A. Shirts''' (born January 12, 1961) is a Latter-day Saint blogger and apologist, best known for his website ''The Backyard Professor''. He is a native of Idaho Falls, Idaho and served a mission for the [[Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] in St. Louis, Missouri. He attended Ricks College and Idaho State University where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in [[History]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.backyardprofessor.com/about.html |title=About Me |publisher=Backyardprofessor.com |date= |accessdate=2010-02-13}}</ref>
== LDS Apologetics ==
Like other notable LDS apologists such as Jeff Lindsay, Michael R. Ash, and Daniel C. Peterson, Shirts work is often featured through websites and other online resources. Since 2007, blogging particularly among Latter-day Saints arose in part in response to Elder M. Russell Ballard’s admonishment to use the internet as a tool to share the beliefs of the LDS Church.<ref>{{cite web|last=Russell |first=Elder M. |url=http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=72443645a2cba110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD |title=Ensign Article - Sharing the Gospel Using the Internet |publisher=LDS.org |date=2007-12-15 |accessdate=2010-02-13}}</ref>
In addition to publishing several articles through his blog, Shirts also maintains a [[YouTube]] Channel featuring over eight-hundred<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.youtube.com/user/TheBackyardProfessor |title=Kanaal van TheBackyardProfessor |publisher=YouTube |date= |accessdate=2010-02-13}}</ref> self-made videos on subjects relating to LDS apologetics, the [[Book of Mormon]], and various Near Eastern topics. Shirts is a strong critic of anti-Mormonism<ref>{{cite web|author=Russell C. McGregor, and Kerry A. Shirts |url=http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=11&num=1&id=310 |title=Letters to an Anti-Mormon - Russell C. McGregor, and Kerry A. Shirts - FARMS Review - Volume 11 - Issue 1 |publisher=Maxwellinstitute.byu.edu |date= |accessdate=2010-02-13}}</ref> and has been published author for the Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies (FARMS).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/authors/?authorID=276 |title=Viewing Author: Kerry A. Shirts |publisher=Maxwellinstitute.byu.edu |date= |accessdate=2010-02-13}}</ref> Shirts is also a researcher for the Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fairlds.org/Reviews/Rvw01011.html |title=Through the Maze of Anti-Mormonism: |publisher=Fairlds.org |date= |accessdate=2010-02-13}}</ref>
== The Book of Abraham ==
Shirts has written several articles on the Book of Abraham, and is probably best known for his research on the Joseph Smith Hypocephalus, or Hypocephalus of Sheshonq in identifying the Egyptian name Khnum Ra in connection with figures 1, 22, and 23, of Facsimile 2.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www2.ida.net/graphics/shirtail/amunre.htm |title=Amun-Re/Chnum - Fig 1 on Hypocephalus examined in light of Egyptological/Archaeological Information |publisher=.ida.net |date= |accessdate=2010-02-13}}</ref>
== Reformed Egyptian ==
Shirts is an advocate of Book of Mormon historicity<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www2.ida.net/graphics/shirtail/scimeter.htm |title=Scimeters in the Book of Mormon - a Nifty Touch! |publisher=.ida.net |date= |accessdate=2010-02-13}}</ref> and believes that Reformed Egyptian, as described in Mormon 9:32<ref>{{cite web|url=http://scriptures.lds.org/en/morm/9/32#32 |title=Mormon 9 |publisher=Scriptures.lds.org |date= |accessdate=2010-02-13}}</ref> is validated through the comparison of the “caractors” of the Anthon transcript with the evolution of Egyptian hieroglyphic scripts to a proto-Semitic alphabet, paleo-Semitic, and eventually to [[Latin]] letters.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.youtube.com/user/TheBackyardProfessor#p/a/u/0/DURy5RNjUFc |title=Kanaal van TheBackyardProfessor |publisher=YouTube |date= |accessdate=2010-02-13}}</ref>
== Criticism ==
Several critics of Shirts’ scholarship, particularly those from anti-Mormon backgrounds, regard Shirts as a “pseudo-scholar”<ref>{{cite web|author=Infymus |url=http://www.mormoncurtain.com/topic_kerryshirts.html |title=Kerry Shirts |publisher=The Mormon Curtain |date= |accessdate=2010-02-13}}</ref> and offers an “in-your face”variety<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.apologeticsindex.org/m04al.html |title=Mormon Church research resources |publisher=Apologeticsindex.org |date= |accessdate=2010-02-13}}</ref> of apologetics from a lay Mormon perspective.
== Publications ==
* -McGregor, Russell C. and Shirts, Kerry A., Letters to an Anti-Mormon ''FARMS REVIEW'' (Volume 11 Issue 1)
"A Review of ''Letters to a Mormon Elder: Eye Opening Information for Mormons and the Christians Who Talk With Them.'' Written by [[James R. White]]
* -Shirts, Kerry A., Terminating Some Terminology between Evangelical Christians and Mormon Christians ''FARMS REVIEW'' (Volume 12 Issue 1) "A Review of Terminology. In the Counterfeit Gospel of Mormonism.''
Written by [[Jerald and Sandra Tanner]]
==References==
{{reflist}}
== LDS Apologetics ==
Like other notable LDS apologists such as Jeff Lindsay, Michael R. Ash, and Daniel C. Peterson, Shirts work is often featured through websites and other online resources. Since 2007, blogging particularly among Latter-day Saints arose in part in response to Elder M. Russell Ballard’s admonishment to use the internet as a tool to share the beliefs of the LDS Church.<ref>{{cite web|last=Russell |first=Elder M. |url=http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=72443645a2cba110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD |title=Ensign Article - Sharing the Gospel Using the Internet |publisher=LDS.org |date=2007-12-15 |accessdate=2010-02-13}}</ref>
In addition to publishing several articles through his blog, Shirts also maintains a [[YouTube]] Channel featuring over eight-hundred<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.youtube.com/user/TheBackyardProfessor |title=Kanaal van TheBackyardProfessor |publisher=YouTube |date= |accessdate=2010-02-13}}</ref> self-made videos on subjects relating to LDS apologetics, the [[Book of Mormon]], and various Near Eastern topics. Shirts is a strong critic of anti-Mormonism<ref>{{cite web|author=Russell C. McGregor, and Kerry A. Shirts |url=http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=11&num=1&id=310 |title=Letters to an Anti-Mormon - Russell C. McGregor, and Kerry A. Shirts - FARMS Review - Volume 11 - Issue 1 |publisher=Maxwellinstitute.byu.edu |date= |accessdate=2010-02-13}}</ref> and has been published author for the Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies (FARMS).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/authors/?authorID=276 |title=Viewing Author: Kerry A. Shirts |publisher=Maxwellinstitute.byu.edu |date= |accessdate=2010-02-13}}</ref> Shirts is also a researcher for the Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fairlds.org/Reviews/Rvw01011.html |title=Through the Maze of Anti-Mormonism: |publisher=Fairlds.org |date= |accessdate=2010-02-13}}</ref>
== The Book of Abraham ==
Shirts has written several articles on the Book of Abraham, and is probably best known for his research on the Joseph Smith Hypocephalus, or Hypocephalus of Sheshonq in identifying the Egyptian name Khnum Ra in connection with figures 1, 22, and 23, of Facsimile 2.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www2.ida.net/graphics/shirtail/amunre.htm |title=Amun-Re/Chnum - Fig 1 on Hypocephalus examined in light of Egyptological/Archaeological Information |publisher=.ida.net |date= |accessdate=2010-02-13}}</ref>
== Reformed Egyptian ==
Shirts is an advocate of Book of Mormon historicity<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www2.ida.net/graphics/shirtail/scimeter.htm |title=Scimeters in the Book of Mormon - a Nifty Touch! |publisher=.ida.net |date= |accessdate=2010-02-13}}</ref> and believes that Reformed Egyptian, as described in Mormon 9:32<ref>{{cite web|url=http://scriptures.lds.org/en/morm/9/32#32 |title=Mormon 9 |publisher=Scriptures.lds.org |date= |accessdate=2010-02-13}}</ref> is validated through the comparison of the “caractors” of the Anthon transcript with the evolution of Egyptian hieroglyphic scripts to a proto-Semitic alphabet, paleo-Semitic, and eventually to [[Latin]] letters.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.youtube.com/user/TheBackyardProfessor#p/a/u/0/DURy5RNjUFc |title=Kanaal van TheBackyardProfessor |publisher=YouTube |date= |accessdate=2010-02-13}}</ref>
== Criticism ==
Several critics of Shirts’ scholarship, particularly those from anti-Mormon backgrounds, regard Shirts as a “pseudo-scholar”<ref>{{cite web|author=Infymus |url=http://www.mormoncurtain.com/topic_kerryshirts.html |title=Kerry Shirts |publisher=The Mormon Curtain |date= |accessdate=2010-02-13}}</ref> and offers an “in-your face”variety<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.apologeticsindex.org/m04al.html |title=Mormon Church research resources |publisher=Apologeticsindex.org |date= |accessdate=2010-02-13}}</ref> of apologetics from a lay Mormon perspective.
== Publications ==
* -McGregor, Russell C. and Shirts, Kerry A., Letters to an Anti-Mormon ''FARMS REVIEW'' (Volume 11 Issue 1)
"A Review of ''Letters to a Mormon Elder: Eye Opening Information for Mormons and the Christians Who Talk With Them.'' Written by [[James R. White]]
* -Shirts, Kerry A., Terminating Some Terminology between Evangelical Christians and Mormon Christians ''FARMS REVIEW'' (Volume 12 Issue 1) "A Review of Terminology. In the Counterfeit Gospel of Mormonism.''
Written by [[Jerald and Sandra Tanner]]
==References==
{{reflist}}