Day Star Books 1 and 2 combine for more than 800 pages of unequaled information.

Note: These are printed on-demand—Please allow 3-4 weeks for printing and delivery.

Learn to "read" Latter-day Saint temples and other sacred architecture—historic and modern—by understanding the rich language of visual symbolism used in and on them. The author takes his reader on a journey of the visual alphabet and archetypes of this ancient symbolic language established early on by the Prophet Joseph Smith and resurrected again by President Gordon B. Hinckley.

Where Book 1 introduces the reader to the language of visual symbolism employed on sacred architecture (mostly that of Latter-day Saint temples), Book 2 unlocks the rich doctrinal content lying behind the multiple layers of meaning they often possess. The author explores the concepts of sacred space, sacred time, light and color, and the 432 celestial spheres on the Nauvoo Temple, using visual symbolism as a primary teaching tool.

"Reading" this and other temples using skills acquired in book 1, you'll be able to identify five different star types, three of which center on the life and mission of Jesus Christ. These and other architectural forms appear to have strong doctrinal underpinnings connected to gathering, perfection, calling and election, Christ as the Second Comforter, and eternal life. The rich gospel symbolism of temples and scripture comes alive as readers develop "eyes to see."

More than 500 gorgeous full-color photographs of Latter-day Saint temples and other sacred architecture, both ancient and modern, from over 40 countries illustrate how decor, space, and archetypal form unfold hidden gospel treasures on our temples. Richly footnoted, those seeking more in their scripture study and temple worship will never look at those buildings or scripture in the same way.

About the author

Val Brinkerhoff is a former associate professor of photography in the Visual Arts Department of Brigham Young University. The 2-part Day Star series was produced as part of the larger "Sacred Places" documentary photography project.

The Day Star -Book 1

Reading Sacred Architecture

Book 1: Alphabet & Archetypes
By Val Brinkerhoff

Have You Ever Wondered What All Those Symbols on the Salt Lake Temple Really Mean?

Have you noticed the Big Dipper constellation high on the west tower of the Salt Lake Temple and wondered why it was placed there?

Or looked at the sun, moon, stars, and earthstones adorning its walls and towers and asked yourself whether these heavenly symbols have a deeper spiritual meaning?

What about the all-seeing eye, the beehive, the intricate stone pillars, and the many geometric patterns found in and around Latter-day Saint temples?

What if these beautiful architectural details are more than decoration? What if they are part of an ancient visual language intended to teach us about God, His covenants, and our eternal destiny?

In The Day Star: Reading Sacred Architecture, acclaimed photographer, author, and researcher Val Brinkerhoff takes readers on a remarkable journey into the symbolism of sacred architecture, revealing layers of potential meaning that most temple visitors have never considered.

Drawing upon years of research, extensive photography, scripture, ancient civilizations, and the teachings of the Restoration, Brinkerhoff explores how temple architecture can communicate profound spiritual truths—often without a single written word.

Discover a New Way to See the Temple

In this richly illustrated, full-color hardcover volume, you'll explore fascinating questions such as:

• Why was the Big Dipper placed high on the Salt Lake Temple, and what might its relationship to the North Star signify?

• Why do earthstones, moonstones, sunstones, and starstones appear in a particular ascending order?

• What might the sun, moon, and stars teach us about eternal progression, priesthood, and the eternal family?

• Why are pillars so prominent in ancient and modern temples, and how do they relate to sacred covenants?

• What spiritual meanings might be expressed through circles, squares, triangles, stars, and sacred numbers?

• How do the orientation, layout, and movement through sacred spaces teach principles of our journey back into God's presence?

• Why do many architectural symbols found in Latter-day Saint temples also appear in ancient temples, biblical accounts, and sacred structures throughout the world?

Hundreds of Pages of Discovery

Book 1, Alphabet & Archetypes, introduces the foundational vocabulary of sacred architecture. With special attention to the Nauvoo and Salt Lake Temples, Brinkerhoff examines the symbolic relationships between heaven and earth, light and darkness, sacred space and time, priesthood covenants, and eternal progression.

His extensive photographic studies take readers beyond Utah and Nauvoo to ancient sacred sites, cathedrals, and temples around the world, illustrating the remarkable recurrence of symbolic forms across cultures and centuries.

You'll never look at temple architecture quite the same way again.

Whether you've recently visited the Salt Lake Temple, have attended temples for decades, or simply want to better understand the symbolism of the Restoration, The Day Star offers a fresh perspective on sacred architecture and its relationship to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The symbols have been there all along. Now discover what they may be teaching us.

Book 1 of a two-volume series. Full-color hardcover featuring extensive original photography, scriptural discussion, historical research, and detailed interpretive analysis.

The interpretations presented are the author's research and perspectives, not official doctrinal explanations of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Details Book 1

• 8.75x11.25
• Full color case bound
• 417 pages

The Day Star — Book 2: Unlocking Content

Reading Sacred Architecture | Val Brinkerhoff

What if the stars, colors, and celestial symbols adorning our temples were telling a story we have never fully learned to read?

In The Day Star: Reading Sacred Architecture — Book 2: Unlocking Content, author, researcher, and photographer Val Brinkerhoff takes readers deeper into the remarkable language of sacred symbolism introduced in Book 1.

Moving beyond the foundational vocabulary of sacred architecture, Book 2 explores the profound connections between sacred time, celestial patterns, light, color, priesthood covenants, and eternal life.

With the Nauvoo Temple as a primary point of departure, Brinkerhoff examines the possible meanings behind its extraordinary array of sunstones, moonstones, starstones, and colorful Day Star windows—revealing how ancient symbolic traditions may illuminate the doctrines of the Restoration.

Discover the Deeper Language of Sacred Architecture

• Sacred Time: Transition to Eternity — Explore the significance of celestial cycles, moon phases, ancient Hebrew holy days, and the prophetic symbolism of sacred time.

• Kingdom of the Stars: Salvation and Exaltation — Discover the different stars adorning the Nauvoo Temple and their potential connections to Jesus Christ, salvation, and eternal progression.

• Light and Color: Christ as the Light and Life of the World — Examine the symbolism of light, the starstones, the Day Star windows, and the spiritual significance of color.

• The Day Star: Eternal Life — Uncover ten potential layers of meaning within one of the Nauvoo Temple's most remarkable architectural symbols, connecting the gathering of Israel, baptism, the Atonement, divine government, and the promise of eternal life.

• The History of the Pentagram — Trace the ancient history of this often-misunderstood symbol and its appearances across civilizations and sacred architecture.

A Language That Transcends Time and Culture

It is neither secret nor beyond understanding. Sacred symbolism is a rich visual language—one that transcends cultures, languages, and time, connecting humanity to God across the ages.

Through extensive photography, historical research, scriptural connections, and architectural comparisons, Brinkerhoff invites readers to look beyond the surface and discover the deeper meanings that may be embedded in sacred places.

Book 2 brings the journey begun in Book 1 toward its ultimate destination: understanding how sacred architecture points us toward Jesus Christ and the promise of eternal life.

Complete the Journey

Unlocking Content is the companion and concluding volume to The Day Star — Book 1: Alphabet & Archetypes.

For the complete experience, purchase the two-volume set and enjoy FREE shipping within the United States.

Details Book 2

• 8.75x11.25
• Full color case bound
• 427 pages

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Our authors challenge conventional wisdom and go beyond the surface to deliver inspiring, faith-affirming, and ultimately transformative content.

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