Ellis T. Rasmussen
Encyclopedia
Ellis Theo Rasmussen was an American
professor and dean
of Religious Instruction at Brigham Young University
(BYU). He helped produce the edition of the Bible
published by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) in 1979.
As a young man in the 1930s, Rasmussen attended Snow College
in Ephraim, Utah
, where he was forensic
manager of the student body and received an associates degree in education.
In the 1940s, Rasmussen married Oda Fonnesbeck. They had five children and live in Orem, Utah.Rasmussen passed away peacefully at his home on June 6, 2011.
for the LDS Church in the West German
Mission
. When the German borders were closing during the onset of World War II
, Rasmussen led several missionaries in an escape to Denmark
, then back to the United States. He completed his missionary service in the Southern States
Mission, where he served as mission secretary.
Throughout his life Rasmussen served in the LDS Church, including as a bishop, high councilor, counselor in a stake presidency, temple
ordinance worker, and Stake Patriarch in Orem, Utah
.
to teach in high school
and LDS Church seminary. During the summer, he continued graduate work at BYU under his mentor, Sidney B. Sperry
, who urged him to study Old Testament languages
. Sperry helped Rasmussen become a part time teacher at BYU in 1949. This helped him complete his master's degree in 1951 and then begin teaching full time at BYU.
With Sperry's encouragement, a sabbatical leave grant
, and a private donation, Rasmussen pursued doctoral studies in the language and literature of the Old Testament at Dropsie College for Hebrew and Cognate Learning, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
from 1957–58. He completed his Ph.D. at BYU in 1967, with his dissertation entitled "Relationship of God and Man According to a Text and Targum of Deuteronomy".
, replacing Jeffrey R. Holland
who had left to become Commissioner of Church Education. In 1981 Rasmussen stepped down from these positions and was replaced by Robert J. Matthews
. He received the Division Faculty Teaching Award from the BYU Division of Continuing Education in 1980, and was retired from teaching by the mid-1980s.
At BYU Rasmussen had been an early member of the Society for Early Historic Archaeology
in 1949, where he served on its advisory committee and as symposium chairman in 1972. He also spent time in Israel for BYU as a leader of travel study tours and Special Representative.
Rasmussen assisted several significant LDS Church publishing efforts. In the 1970s he served on the church's Correlation Committee and on a committee to assist the church's Ensign magazine with scriptural articles. Being skilled in Hebrew, Rasmussen was given leave from his administrative duties at BYU during 1973–74 to work on the church's Scripture Publication Committee that produced the 1979 LDS edition of the Bible
. He later also assisted in developing the 1981 LDS editions of the Doctrine and Covenants
and Pearl of Great Price
. He contributed articles on the Old Testament to the 1992 Encyclopedia of Mormonism
and participated in the encyclopedia's final editing.
Rasmussen has been described as among the LDS scholars familiar with "biblical languages and modern critical methodology" seeking academic credibility, yet "dogmatic" and "apologetic" in their support of traditional LDS orthodoxy.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professor and dean
Dean (education)
In academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit, or over a specific area of concern, or both...
of Religious Instruction at Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
(BYU). He helped produce the edition of the Bible
LDS edition of the Bible
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints publishes editions of the Bible in English and Spanish that it encourages its members to use. The text of the LDS Church's English-language Bible is the Authorized King James Version and the church's Spanish-language Bible is a revised Reina-Valera...
published by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) in 1979.
Biography
Born to Wilford and Kate Nelson Rasmussen.As a young man in the 1930s, Rasmussen attended Snow College
Snow College
Snow College is a rural, two-year state college located in Ephraim, Utah, U.S. It offers certificates and associate degrees in a number of areas...
in Ephraim, Utah
Ephraim, Utah
Ephraim is a city in Sanpete County, Utah, United States. The population was 6,135 at the 2010 census, making it the largest city in Sanpete County. It is the location of Snow College and is located along U.S. Route 89.-History:Ephraim was founded in 1854...
, where he was forensic
Public speaking
Public speaking is the process of speaking to a group of people in a structured, deliberate manner intended to inform, influence, or entertain the listeners...
manager of the student body and received an associates degree in education.
In the 1940s, Rasmussen married Oda Fonnesbeck. They had five children and live in Orem, Utah.Rasmussen passed away peacefully at his home on June 6, 2011.
Church service
In 1939 Rasmussen served as a missionaryMissionary (LDS Church)
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the most active modern practitioners of missionary work, with over 52,000 full-time missionaries worldwide, as of the end of 2010...
for the LDS Church in the West German
Western Germany
The geographic term Western Germany is used to describe a region in the west of Germany. The exact area defined by the term is not constant, but it usually includes, but does not have the borders of, North Rhine-Westphalia and Hesse...
Mission
Mission (LDS Church)
A mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a geographical administrative area to which church missionaries are assigned. Almost all areas of the world are within the boundaries of an LDS Church mission, whether or not Mormon missionaries live or proselytize in the area...
. When the German borders were closing during the onset of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Rasmussen led several missionaries in an escape to Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, then back to the United States. He completed his missionary service in the Southern States
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
Mission, where he served as mission secretary.
Throughout his life Rasmussen served in the LDS Church, including as a bishop, high councilor, counselor in a stake presidency, temple
Temple (LDS Church)
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a temple is a building dedicated to be a House of the Lord, and they are considered by Church members to be the most sacred structures on earth. Upon completion, temples are usually open to the public for a short period of time...
ordinance worker, and Stake Patriarch in Orem, Utah
Orem, Utah
Orem is a city in Utah County, Utah, United States, in the north-central part of the state. It is adjacent to Provo, Lindon, and Vineyard and is about south of Salt Lake City. Orem is one of the principal cities of the Provo-Orem, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Utah and...
.
Education
After his mission, in 1942, Rasmussen received his bachelors degree from BYU. That fall, he went to Weston, IdahoWeston, Idaho
Weston is a city in Franklin County, Idaho, United States. The population was 425 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Logan, Utah-Idaho Metropolitan Statistical Area...
to teach in high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
and LDS Church seminary. During the summer, he continued graduate work at BYU under his mentor, Sidney B. Sperry
Sidney B. Sperry
Sidney Branton Sperry was one of three scholars who were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who began the scholarly and systematic study of the Book of Mormon in the mid-20th century — the other two being John L. Sorenson and Hugh W. Nibley...
, who urged him to study Old Testament languages
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
. Sperry helped Rasmussen become a part time teacher at BYU in 1949. This helped him complete his master's degree in 1951 and then begin teaching full time at BYU.
With Sperry's encouragement, a sabbatical leave grant
Grant (money)
Grants are funds disbursed by one party , often a Government Department, Corporation, Foundation or Trust, to a recipient, often a nonprofit entity, educational institution, business or an individual. In order to receive a grant, some form of "Grant Writing" often referred to as either a proposal...
, and a private donation, Rasmussen pursued doctoral studies in the language and literature of the Old Testament at Dropsie College for Hebrew and Cognate Learning, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
from 1957–58. He completed his Ph.D. at BYU in 1967, with his dissertation entitled "Relationship of God and Man According to a Text and Targum of Deuteronomy".
Career
Rasmussen taught at BYU for over thirty years. By the 1960s he was chair of the Biblical Languages Department, followed by chair of the Ancient Scripture Department, and Assistant Dean of Religious Instruction. In 1976 Rasmussen became dean of Religious Instruction and Director of BYU's Religious Studies CenterReligious Studies Center
The Religious Studies Center is the research and publishing arm of the Religious Education program at Brigham Young University , sponsoring scholarship on Latter-day Saint culture, history, scripture, and doctrine.-History:...
, replacing Jeffrey R. Holland
Jeffrey R. Holland
Jeffrey Roy Holland is an American educator and religious leader. He served as the ninth President of Brigham Young University and is a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . As a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, Holland is accepted by...
who had left to become Commissioner of Church Education. In 1981 Rasmussen stepped down from these positions and was replaced by Robert J. Matthews
Robert J. Matthews
Robert James Matthews was a Latter-day Saint religious educator and scholar, teaching in the Departments of Ancient Scripture and Religious Education at Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah....
. He received the Division Faculty Teaching Award from the BYU Division of Continuing Education in 1980, and was retired from teaching by the mid-1980s.
At BYU Rasmussen had been an early member of the Society for Early Historic Archaeology
Society for Early Historic Archaeology
The Society for Early Historic Archaeology was an organization based at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah which sought to disseminate information related to Hebrew-Christian and Latter-day Saint scriptures and archaeology throughout the world of the earliest historical time...
in 1949, where he served on its advisory committee and as symposium chairman in 1972. He also spent time in Israel for BYU as a leader of travel study tours and Special Representative.
Rasmussen assisted several significant LDS Church publishing efforts. In the 1970s he served on the church's Correlation Committee and on a committee to assist the church's Ensign magazine with scriptural articles. Being skilled in Hebrew, Rasmussen was given leave from his administrative duties at BYU during 1973–74 to work on the church's Scripture Publication Committee that produced the 1979 LDS edition of the Bible
LDS edition of the Bible
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints publishes editions of the Bible in English and Spanish that it encourages its members to use. The text of the LDS Church's English-language Bible is the Authorized King James Version and the church's Spanish-language Bible is a revised Reina-Valera...
. He later also assisted in developing the 1981 LDS editions of the Doctrine and Covenants
Doctrine and Covenants
The Doctrine and Covenants is a part of the open scriptural canon of several denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement...
and Pearl of Great Price
Pearl of Great Price (Mormonism)
The Pearl of Great Price is part of the standard works of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and some other Latter Day Saint denominations....
. He contributed articles on the Old Testament to the 1992 Encyclopedia of Mormonism
Encyclopedia of Mormonism
The Encyclopedia of Mormonism is a semi-official encyclopedia for topics relevant to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
and participated in the encyclopedia's final editing.
Rasmussen has been described as among the LDS scholars familiar with "biblical languages and modern critical methodology" seeking academic credibility, yet "dogmatic" and "apologetic" in their support of traditional LDS orthodoxy.