PROVO, UTAH

Since attending the dedication of the Los Angeles California Temple in March of 1956, the house of the Lord has held a special place for Richard O. Cowan, professor of Church history and doctrine at BYU.

So much so that he frequently wears a tie with images of several LDS temples on it. Such was the case when he spoke at BYU's Campus Education Week on Aug. 17.

"When I teach a class on temples, I sometimes wear this tie for the days we have an exam," Brother Cowan said. "I tell students that all the answers are right here."

There was no test during his first lesson in a week-long series titled "The Holy Temple," which focused on similarities between ancient and modern temples, both in the purposes of temple worship and the ordinances performed therein.

"From the beginning of time," Brother Cowan said, "people have felt the need to find a place where they can get away from the pressures of the world, from the material rat race and so on, where they can just think about eternal things and ponder the things that are of a more lasting value. Temples have been such places."

Brother Cowan began by teaching how early cultures built temples on higher ground, particularly the Parthenon in Greece. For civilizations in low-lying areas such as Mesopotamia, their temples, known as ziggurats, were built much taller to duplicate the idea. The most well-known ziggurat is the tower of Babel, but temple ruins in Central and South America appear to give evidence that these cultures copied this architectural style as well.

"Temples were thought of as spiritual high points where you could have a better view of the heavens spiritually," Brother Cowan said.

The defining characteristic of the ziggurat was a long, steep staircase stretching from the ground to the temple entrance. In Brother Cowan's eyes, the lengthy journey worshippers took then can be likened to templegoers today.

"When you think of this prominent stairway on the ziggurat, you can be reminded that the temple is the place where we learn that path leading back to God's presence," he said.

Next came a detailed description of the tabernacle built in Moses' day. Brother Cowan noted how the camp of Israel was laid out as a means of protecting the tabernacle from strangers not worthy to enter. He applied this to today and the measures taken to ensure temple worthiness.

Finally, Brother Cowan described the temple of Herod, the prominent temple during Christ's lifetime. He shared examples from the New Testament and other writings from the time that describe elements of temple worship similar to today, particularly baptism for the dead. He cited 1 Corinthians 15:29 as evidence of the practice in New Testament times.

Brother Cowan emphasized the importance of the verse in the context of the chapter's message on the Atonement and Resurrection of Christ.

"It's interesting that Paul used a practice that the Corinthians knew and accepted as evidence for the resurrection," he said. "I think that makes it even more powerful."

dmortimer@desnews.com