Boyd Peterson, Nibley's biographer and son-in-law, will examine the accusations of child sexual abuse Beck says she suffered at the hands of her father. As is common when comparing topical treatment between the two conferences, FAIR presentations are designed to be "faith-affirming," Gordon said.

Author and scholar Richard Bushman will discuss Joseph Smith at the FAIR conference. The Gouverneur Morris Professor of History Emeritus at Columbia University and author of a forthcoming biography of Smith, Bushman's effort is considered among the premiere endeavors to capture the breadth of detail that encompassed Smith's life and teachings.

As both conferences strive to focus on contemporary issues as well as historical ones, the conference will also include presentations on DNA and the Book of Mormon and problems with "Mormon fundamentalism." Secular anti-Mormonism is a featured topic, Gordon said, noting that he sees a shifting focus among some LDS critics who care less about whether Mormonism is Christian but generate social criticism of the church with regard to the church's pro-family stand, gay marriage and a history of plural marriage.

FAIR began with a handful of Latter-day Saint scholars and laymen who saw criticism of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints becoming rampant on several Internet discussion forums and decided to form a group to defend the church. FAIR conferences have grown from a handful of participants to hundreds of registrants in 2004.

Registration for both conferences is available online. See www.sunstoneonline.com or www.fairlds.org.

---

E-mail: carrie@desnews.com