Steve Evans (lawyer and blogger)
Encyclopedia
Stephen D. "Steve" Evans (born 1972) is an American
lawyer
and Mormon
blogger
, known best for his role in the founding and administration of By Common Consent
, one of the largest, longest-running, and most prominent, LDS-themed blogs
.
, and has citizenship
in both Canada and the United States. He was most recently an attorney for Banyan Branch, a new-media marketing consulting group. His interests include French literature
, science fiction
,and cycling. Evans graduated with honors in English and French from Brigham Young University
, and subsequently earned his JD
from Columbia Law School
and his maitrise en droit franco-americain from the University of Paris I - Pantheon-Sorbonne
.
, or "BCC" with the following text:
Although By Common Consent was originally created to provide a place for more politically liberal members of the LDS Church to discuss issues, a vast majority of the content found on BCC is not political in nature. Post topics frequently address practical application of tenets of the LDS Faith, Mormon History, analysis of ancient and modern scripture, poetry, music, humor, and current events. Evans has contributed nearly 400 posts as of April 2010, while BCC has grown from an initial core of eight bloggers to twenty five early in 2010. Evans has personally authored or created several of the blog's more popular and recognized features, such as the Police Beat Rountable and the Friday Firestorm. In addition to contributing content regularly, Evans is similarly well known in the Bloggernacle
for his style of blog administration and comment moderation at BCC.
Banner of Heaven until its demise in late 2005.
In August 2010, he contributed a piece for a large series of articles on "The Future of Mormonism" at Patheos, a website featuring regular content on a variety of religions and beliefs. Evans' piece focused on the changing face of social media, blogging, and technology as an outlet for Mormon expression. The series is also notable in that it includes a post from current LDS Apostle Quentin L. Cook
.
Since 2004, Evans has contributed content to several other LDS-oriented online communities, including Times & Seasons
and Bloggernacle Times. Additionally, Evans currently serves on the editorial board for Dialogue
, a peer-reviewed Mormon studies journal, where he consults on social media and technology.
In addition to his LDS-themed writings, Evans established Kulturblog, a forum for discussing pop culture and media, in 2004. Evans (who typically uses the pseudonym "Supergenius" at Kulturblog) and numerous other contributors provide reviews of films, television programming, board and video games, music, and other creative works. The content of Kulturblog is not Mormon, although many of the contributors are also participants in the Bloggernacle
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and Mormon
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
blogger
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
, known best for his role in the founding and administration of By Common Consent
By Common Consent
By Common Consent or “BCC” is a group weblog featuring commentary and discussion especially of contemporary Mormon culture, thought and current events. Since its foundation in 2004, BCC has been one of the leading group blogs in the Mormon Bloggernacle, and has been a mainstay on the Mormon...
, one of the largest, longest-running, and most prominent, LDS-themed blogs
Bloggernacle
The Mormon blogosphere is the Mormon portion of the blogosphere...
.
Personal life
Steve Evans grew up in CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and has citizenship
Citizenship
Citizenship is the state of being a citizen of a particular social, political, national, or human resource community. Citizenship status, under social contract theory, carries with it both rights and responsibilities...
in both Canada and the United States. He was most recently an attorney for Banyan Branch, a new-media marketing consulting group. His interests include French literature
French literature
French literature is, generally speaking, literature written in the French language, particularly by citizens of France; it may also refer to literature written by people living in France who speak traditional languages of France other than French. Literature written in French language, by citizens...
, science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
,and cycling. Evans graduated with honors in English and French from 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...
, and subsequently earned his JD
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School, founded in 1858, is one of the oldest and most prestigious law schools in the United States. A member of the Ivy League, Columbia Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Columbia University in New York City. It offers the J.D., LL.M., and J.S.D. degrees in...
and his maitrise en droit franco-americain from the University of Paris I - Pantheon-Sorbonne
University of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
.
By Common Consent
On March 12, 2004, Steve Evans announced the birth of By Common ConsentBy Common Consent
By Common Consent or “BCC” is a group weblog featuring commentary and discussion especially of contemporary Mormon culture, thought and current events. Since its foundation in 2004, BCC has been one of the leading group blogs in the Mormon Bloggernacle, and has been a mainstay on the Mormon...
, or "BCC" with the following text:
So this is an auspicious beginning: a liberal mormon blog that harshly rejects conservative viewpoints. Are we hypocrites for making such a blog? Probably. So be it.
Although By Common Consent was originally created to provide a place for more politically liberal members of the LDS Church to discuss issues, a vast majority of the content found on BCC is not political in nature. Post topics frequently address practical application of tenets of the LDS Faith, Mormon History, analysis of ancient and modern scripture, poetry, music, humor, and current events. Evans has contributed nearly 400 posts as of April 2010, while BCC has grown from an initial core of eight bloggers to twenty five early in 2010. Evans has personally authored or created several of the blog's more popular and recognized features, such as the Police Beat Rountable and the Friday Firestorm. In addition to contributing content regularly, Evans is similarly well known in the Bloggernacle
Bloggernacle
The Mormon blogosphere is the Mormon portion of the blogosphere...
for his style of blog administration and comment moderation at BCC.
Other writings
For several months, Evans and a number of other Bloggernacle participants contributed pseudonymous parody to the fake blogFake blog
A fake blog is an electronic communication form that appears to originate from a credible, non-biased source, but which in fact is created by a company or organization for the purpose of marketing a product, service, or political viewpoint...
Banner of Heaven until its demise in late 2005.
In August 2010, he contributed a piece for a large series of articles on "The Future of Mormonism" at Patheos, a website featuring regular content on a variety of religions and beliefs. Evans' piece focused on the changing face of social media, blogging, and technology as an outlet for Mormon expression. The series is also notable in that it includes a post from current LDS Apostle Quentin L. Cook
Quentin L. Cook
Quentin LaMar Cook is a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . Currently, he is the thirteenth most senior apostle in the ranks of the Church....
.
Since 2004, Evans has contributed content to several other LDS-oriented online communities, including Times & Seasons
Times & Seasons, An Onymous Mormon Blog
Times & Seasons, An Onymous Mormon Blog is a multi-author weblog featuring commentary and discussion especially of contemporary Mormon culture, thought and current events...
and Bloggernacle Times. Additionally, Evans currently serves on the editorial board for Dialogue
Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought
Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought is an independent quarterly journal of "Mormon thought" that addresses a wide range of issues on Mormonism and the Latter Day Saint Movement....
, a peer-reviewed Mormon studies journal, where he consults on social media and technology.
In addition to his LDS-themed writings, Evans established Kulturblog, a forum for discussing pop culture and media, in 2004. Evans (who typically uses the pseudonym "Supergenius" at Kulturblog) and numerous other contributors provide reviews of films, television programming, board and video games, music, and other creative works. The content of Kulturblog is not Mormon, although many of the contributors are also participants in the Bloggernacle
Bloggernacle
The Mormon blogosphere is the Mormon portion of the blogosphere...
.
External links
- "The Future of Mormons on the Internet", Steve Evans, PatheosPatheos- History :Patheos was founded in 2008 by Leo and Cathie Brunnick, both web technology professionals and residents of Denver, Colorado. Leo, a non-practicing Catholic, and Cathie, a Lutheran-turned-Evangelical, started the project the week they were married as they tried to blend their...
- By Common Consent
- Kulturblog
- The Mormon Archipelago - A portal for Mormon blogging.