Book of Mormon Bibliography
Alphabetical by Author

The title page of the Book of Mormon that declares that Joseph Smith was the author of the book stands in compliance with the copyright laws of the day.

Suggests that after thirty-two years no further evidence has come to light to prove the theory that the Spaulding manuscript was the basis for the Book of Mormon.

Discusses the instructions issued by the copyright division of the U.S. Patent Office for the title page of the Book of Mormon. The words “author and proprietor”

Deals specifically with the way in which the terms “eternal torment” and “endless punishment” are used in the Book of Mormon and in the Doctrine and Covenants.

One of the first major exposes of the Book of Mormon. The author considers the book “trash,” “vulgar,” and utterly devoid of merit. He provides a plethora of examples of what he considers bad English, modern phraseology and language, anachronistic statements, contradictions with the Bible, and absurdities. Provides a fairly good summary of common objections to the Book of Mormon.

A narrative of the first vision, the coming forth of the Book of Mormon, visits of Moroni and other heavenly messengers assigned to instruct Joseph during the period 1823-1827 are presented using Joseph Smith’s four written histories in conjunction with other accounts written by Lucy Smith, Orson Pratt, Oliver Cowdery, and others. Also provides observations and recollections concerning Joseph Smith during the period of the translation and publication of the Book of Mormon. This work is reviewed in P.301.

Provides the accounts of Joseph Smith’s first vision. Also, contains a description of the religious and economical environment of Palmyra as a background for the first vision. Uses the Book of Mormon as a witness of Joseph Smith’s divine calling. A separate chapter gives a brief account of the Three Witnesses and the Eight Witnesses.

Book review.

Book review.

Many people give a copy of the Book of Mormon and their testimony to non-members, of whom many are converted by reading these gifts of the Book of Mormon.

This article describes several crudely drawn petroglyphs chiseled on rocks and walls of the Hava Supoi Canyon (Indian Reservation on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon), then concludes that “man and prehistoric animals must have lived at the same time, for man could not make a picture of an elephant or a mastodon if he had not seen one.”

Contains an interview with Solomon Spaulding’s widow, Matilda Davidson, and daughter, Mrs. McKinistry, concerning the Spaulding manuscript’s connection with the Book of Mormon. The wife and daughter saw little resemblance between the two documents, thinking there may have been a similarity in some names.

A scientific, geological answer to the question, “Could the disastrous events described in 3 Nephi 8 have really taken place?” The author concludes that the entire scene could indeed be explained by “a gigantic earthquake with attendant storms and volcanic activity” that would accompany such a catastrophic event in nature.

A 16-page tract inviting readers to accept the Palmyra edition of the Book of Mormon. Current editions of the Book of Mormon contain, alleges the author, corruptions made “by carnal man to match the traditions of man”

A children’s picture book in which the reader looks for a fictitious Nephite character, Norman, in several different scenes that deal with the Book of Mormon or Latter-day Saints. A Mormon’s version of Where’s Waldo.

An imaginative children’s activity book designed for boys, suggesting possible Nephite culture from a modern American point of view.

An entertaining children’s activity book geared to LDS girls, showing what life may have been like for their Nephite counterparts. Contains mazes, word games, and various puzzles.

A Book of Mormon cartoon book for children based upon popular work entitled Where’s Waldo.

A story of a German girl who was converted to the Gospel by the Book of Mormon after praying to find out if it was true.

A brief, newsy-type piece, raising the question of the Spaulding manuscript and the authorship of the Book of Mormon.

In 1949 Thomas O’Dea wrote “A Study of Mormon Values” for Harvard University. In this document, the majority of his sources were written by members of the Church since he wished to portray the Mormons as they saw themselves. He was “new to the culture” and was “deferential to the perceptions of the people he studied.” He stated several times that it was not the role of a sociologist to decide if what someone believes is true or false, but that their values and beliefs should be respected because ”’they remain the orienting mechanisms which give meaning to human life and which are held with a considerable degree of emotional attachment’.” However, according to Bahr, by the time O’Dea wrote “The Mormons” eight years later he abandoned this view. In the second chapter of “The Mormons,” O’Dea concluded that the simplest explanation for the Book of Mormon is that it was written by Joseph Smith. Bahr attempts to trace any thoughts O’Dea had on the Book of Mormon before “The Mormons” was published by examining information from notes that O’Dea made while living in a Mormon community, his interviews of Mormon intellectuals, and his margin notes in a Book of Mormon. Bahr also dissects O’Dea’s argument that Joseph Smith authored The Book of Mormon.

A testimonial of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. Provides a very brief account of the contents of the Book of Mormon and shares the lessons learned and the spiritual strength received by the author from the Book of Mormon.

Index to General Authority comments on scriptural verses. A collection of scriptural references from more than 225 books, magazines, and commentaries that reviews how the General Authorities of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have used given scriptures. Includes references to scriptures in the Book of Mormon.

The Urim and Thummim were instruments used in translating the Book of Mormon, were utilized by the brother of Jared, and were prepared by God to bring to light all the works of darkness and secret organizations.

Provides a list of references from the Book of Mormon concerning the location of the Hill Cumorah.

Book review.

Book review.

Book review.

Abstract: This paper reviews the Book of Mormon prophet Jacob’s proscription against plural marriage, arguing that the verses in Jacob 24–30 should be interpreted in a Law of Moses context regarding levirate marriage, by which a man was responsible for marrying his dead brother’s wife if that brother died before having an heir. I also review how these verses have been used in arguments for and against plural marriage, and how levirate marriage practices worked in Mosaic tradition.

A sequential list of scriptures that deal with the Lamanites.

Provides day-by-day descriptions of a voyage conducted by the author and three others from San Pedro harbor, California, to Hawaii. The voyage comprised a 69-day trip on an 18 X 24 foot raft. The purpose for the excursion was to demonstrate that Lehi’s transoceanic crossing was possible.

Story of author’s conversion. He joined the Church after reading the Book of Mormon and praying about it according to Moroni’s challenge.

Describes the culture of the Zuni tribe located in the four corners region of the United States and concludes that because of their civilized lifestyle they must have been of Nephite descent.

The ancient Israelite temple in the Book of Mormon is veiled but it is not ambiguous. An in-depth study of the Book of Mormon within the spiritual/academic context of an ancient three dimensional temple will open the Book of Mormon temple to the full view of its reader, just as a spiritual/academic study of the three dimensional temple drama within the context of the Book of Mormon will give the activities within the Israelite three dimensional temple meanings that can open our mind to a new sense of eternity. The temple in the Book of Mormon invites us to a worldview that stretches our minds farther than the cosmic myth can reach and more profoundly than the coronation rites and the New Year’s drama can begin to unveil. But to those who do not know the legitimate three dimensional temple, that invitation is not extended. [From the text]

This is the story of how an angel taught a boy to be a prophet. In it, we follow Joseph’s life from the time of the First Vision until he completed the translation and returned the Gold Plates to Moroni. It is the story of a remarkable friendship. Moroni had two responsibilities: first, to give Joseph the Gold Plates and teach him how to translate them and second to teach Joseph how to be a prophet.

The Psalms were originally the text of the ancient Israelite temple services. Their poetry was woven into a magnificent eight day pageant-like temple drama that depicted the full eternal sweep of the Savior’s mission and his Atonement. The principles taught in that drama were accurately preserved on the brass plates and taught by Nephite prophets throughout the Book of Mormon. Soon after Lehi and his family left Jerusalem, the city and its temple were destroyed and the Jews were taken captive into Babylon. While there, they modified their religion in order to fit their new situation. But in doing so, they lost much that was most important. Even after their return from the Babylonian captivity, the Jews did not restore their original ancient temple worship. The order of the Psalms was rearranged so they no longer could be read from first to last to learn the story they once told. Consequently, in the Savior’s time the temple at Jerusalem was not used in the same way as the Temple of Solomon. However, neither the story told in the ancient drama nor its teachings were entirely lost. Some of the people recognized them in the teachings of John the Baptist and the Savior, and the authors of the New Testament frequently quoted the Psalms to remind their readers that the ancient fathers once understood the Savior’s mission and Atonement. Now, using the New Testament, with the Book of Mormon and modern revelation as keys, Baker and Ricks have sought to reconstruct the original order of the Psalms and uncover the story they once told in the ancient Israelite temple drama.

Features 86 brief chapters, each containing a number of verses from the Book of Mormon. Some chapters are introduced with a note from the author.

Abstract: The works of Tolkien and the Book of Mormon have been compared in a variety of ways by multiple authors and researchers, but none have looked specifically at the unusual names found within both. Wordprint studies are one tool used in author attribution research, but do authors use specific sounds more than others — consciously or subconsciously — when selecting or inventing names? Some research suggests they may and that their patterns could create a “sound print” or phonoprint. This constitutes a fresh and unusual path of research that deserves more attention. The purpose of this exploratory study was to see if phonoprints surfaced when examining Dwarf, Elf, Hobbit, Man, and other names created by Tolkien and Jaredite, Nephite, Mulekite, and Lamanite names found in the Book of Mormon. Results suggest that Tolkien had a phonoprint he was unable to entirely escape when creating character names, even when he claimed he based them on distinct languages. In contrast, in Book of Mormon names, a single author’s phonoprint did not emerge. Names varied by group in the way one would expect authentic names from different cultures to vary. Although much more research needs to be done to establish the validity and reliability of using phonoprints for author identification, this study opens a door for future research.

Abstract: In 2013 we published a study examining names from Solomon Spalding’s fictional manuscript, J. R. R. Tolkien’s fictional works, and nineteenth-century US census records. Results showed names created by authors of fiction followed phonemic patterns that differed from those of authentic names from a variety of cultural origins found in the US census. The current study used the same methodology to compare Book of Mormon names to the three name sources in the original study and found that Book of Mormon names seem to have more in common with the patterns found in authentic names than they do with those from fictional works. This is not to say that Book of Mormon names are similar to nineteenth- century names, but rather that they both showed similar patterns when phonotactic probabilities were the common measure. Of course, many more invented names and words from a variety of authors and time periods will need to be analyzed along with many more authentic names across multiple time periods before any reliable conclusions can be drawn. This study was exploratory in nature and conducted to determine if this new line of research merits further study. We concluded it does.

Believes that the story about the Book of Mormon was intended to be a practical joke and that Joseph Smith realized there was money in perpetrating this hoax.

Discusses 49 similarities between the Book of Mormon and the Spaulding manuscripts, and concludes that the manuscripts were the basis for the Book of Mormon.

This book is evangelical and polemical in nature. The author discounts various propositions set by the Church and the Book of Mormon, such as the corruption of the Bible, the testimonies of Book of Mormon witnesses, and the idea that Joseph Smith was an inspired translator. The author provides evidence in favor of the Spaulding origin of the Book of Mormon, including seventy-five parallels between both books. Discusses possible source material that may have been available to Joseph Smith before the publication of the Book of Mormon. Anachronisms are identified and criticized.

A pamphlet that holds that the claim of Moroni 10:4-5 regarding how to gain a testimony of the Book of Mormon is a denominationalistic approach and is not a conclusive method.

This series defends the reality of the natural catastrophes described in 3 Nephi 8-10. It quotes descriptions of more recent hurricanes and earthquakes to show how similar the details are and how accurate the Book of Mormon account is. The account in 3 Nephi 8-10 is so accurate that neither Joseph Smith nor Oliver Cowdery could have had sufficient knowledge of the facts of natural disasters to have invented this description. The first part covers hurricanes.

This series defends the reality of the natural catastrophes described in 3 Nephi 8-10. Quotes descriptions of more recent hurricanes and earthquakes to show how similar the details are and how accurate the Book of Mormon account is. The account in 3 Nephi 8-10 is so accurate that neither Joseph Smith nor Oliver Cowdery could have had sufficient knowledge of the facts of natural disasters to have invented this description. The second part covers earthquakes.

Aspects of the three days of darkness following the three-hour period of intense destruction described principally in 3 Nephi include: (1) the strange absence of rain among the destructive mechanisms described; (2) the source of the intense lightning, which seems to be unaccompanied by rain; (3) a mechanism to account for the inundation of the cities of Onihah, Mocum, and Jerusalem, which were not among the cities which “sunk in the depths of the sea”; and (4) the absence in the histories of contemporary European and Asiatic civilizations of corresponding events, which are repeatedly characterized in 3 Nephi as affecting “the face of the whole earth.”

Just as modern missionaries can learn much from the methods of the sons of Mosiah, we can learn much about strengthening wavering members from the example of Alma the Younger in his remarkable reform of the Nephites in Zarahemla. A careful study of Alma 4–16 shows that Alma the Younger models many important principles of activation that are helpful to us today. This study examines principles of activation derived from the account of Alma’s labors among the apostate Nephites, particularly in the city of Zarahemla in Alma 4 and 5.

Additional Authors: Paul R. Cheesman, Charles Randall Paul, Rex C. Reeve, Morgan W. Tanner, and S. Michael Wilcox.

Is the New Testament doctrinally complete? Does God condone anger as the book of Matthew seems to suggest? What does the book of Mormon teach us about the concept of hell as compared to the Bible and the teachings of other Christian faiths? What is the meaning of the word gospel? In this volume, fourteen Latter-day Saint scholars answer these and other questions with a collection of thought-provoking essays. These essays show that the Book of Mormon confirms the truth of the New Testament while offering a more complete understanding of the plan of salvation. ISBN 1-5734-5836-8

A critique of Warren Aston’s “Identifying Our Best Candidate for Nephi’s Bountiful,” published in volume 17/1–2 of the Journal of the Book of Mormon and Restoration Scripture.

In February 1998, five Brigham Young University professors spent more than a week together in southern Oman to collect data for future research projects in the area, which seems to correspond to the end of Lehi’s trail in the Old World. Future research must be performed in a professional manner and seek to reconstruct that part of the world in 600 BC. Botanical, archaeological, chronological, mineralogical, geological, and inscriptional studies in the area would depend on acquiring sponsors in Oman and on the availability of resources.

Provides a summary description of 2 Nephi in sections: Lehi’s admonitions and testament to his posterity before his death (1:1-4:11); Lehi pronounces blessings on all his children and Nephi writes a small historical segment (4:12-5:34); a sermon by Jacob (chapters 6-10), and a lengthy written discourse from Nephi (chapters 11-33) in which he quotes large portions of Isaiah.

Review of The Allegory of the Olive Tree: The Olive, the Bible, and Jacob 5 (1994), edited by Stephen D. Ricks and John W. Welch.

Every council … should be working together on ways to be more effective in preparing our members … to enjoy all the blessings of the Church and … the temple.

This piece is largely an account (accompanied by photographs) of a trip by the author to ancient ruins in the Andes Plateau. Monoliths and the ruins of temples in the sites of three ancient cities are described. The workmanship of the ruins is marvelous, states the author, and comparable to ancient Egyptian buildings.

Describes several external evidences of the Book of Mormon: an Egyptian Prince declared that he could understand a pure Egyptian dialect spoken in Mesoamerica; compares Egyptian and Mayan alphabet characters and says one borrowed from the other; discusses the theory of Atlantis as a possible land bridge; relates the discovery of the “earliest American date, 6 August 613 B.C”

The Book of Mormon came forth to bring redemption to the Lamanites, to benefit the world, to bring men to repentance, and to provide a sign of the nearness of the Second Coming. Exhorts members of the Church to be obedient to the teachings contained in the Book of Mormon.

Heber J. Grant writes about reading the Book of Mormon as a boy. Melvin J. Ballard speaks about the book’s purpose of being carried to “all nations, kindreds, tongues, and peoples.”

Recounts Christ’s visit to the Nephites in the Americas. Refers to external evidences, such as the Mexican calendar stone and Joseph Smith’s witnesses, that help support the truth and divinity of the Book of Mormon.

The sacred mission of the Church and the Book of Mormon is to bring all nations to Christ. The book gives an account of Jesus’ visit on the American continent and provides a new witness for him.

This article testifies that the sacred mission of the Church and the Book of Mormon is to bring all nations to Christ. The book gives an account of Jesus’ visit on the American continent and provides a new witness for him.

This article states that members of the Church are expected to obtain a spiritual testimony of the Book of Mormon and then help move it toward its divine destiny. The mission of the book is described on the title page. The book is to be taken to the descendants of Lehi and the time will come when substantial numbers of them will respond.

Abraham Lincoln became the sixteenth US president during a very dark time in America’s history. Author Timothy Ballard explores the crucial role that President Lincoln played to bring this nation closer to heaven. Readers will see Lincoln as a man inspired of God who invoked a covenant relationship between America and its maker--not unlike the national covenants invoked by righteous leaders in the Book of Mormon. In addition, The Lincoln Hypothesis reveals documented evidence that Abraham Lincoln did, in fact, check out the Book of Mormon as he struggled with making some of the most critical decisions of his presidency. Did he read it? Did it influence him? Was the Book of Mormon a key factor in Lincoln’s success and the healing of a nation? The author states, as you read, you will, like a prosecutor reviewing a case, or like a jury determining a verdict, identify valuable pieces of evidence that can be fully substantiated. You will also identify pieces of evidence that cannot. I ask you to consider all the evidence and weigh it all accordingly. Through this study, many questions regarding the interplay between the restored gospel and the Civil War will be answered. New questions may emerge that will not be so easily answered. Either way, in the end you will find yourself on a most exhilarating investigative journey.

In a chapter entitled, “On the Origins of the Americans” (5:96-102), the author reviews the LDS (Book of Mormon) view regarding the inhabiting of the ancient Americas by the Jaredites, Nephites, and Mulekites.

In this study I investigate words in the Book of Mormon text that have taken on different meanings, thus sometimes causing modern readers of the Book of Mormon to misread and misinterpret some passages of the text. I discuss words that potentially cause misreading of the Book of Mormon due to historical changes in the meanings and uses of these words. I located words in the Book of Mormon text that are commonly misread, then located every occurrence of those words in the Book of Mormon as well as other standard works. I analyzed definition of these words listed in dictionaries that provide earlier or dialectal definitions, and I researched texts that provide examples from Early Modern English and Modern English to determine whether the sense and example of the word paralleled the Book of Mormon examples. This study is a part of my work on the Book of Mormon Critical Text project. I obtained words that cause potential misreadings of Book of Mormon passages from Royal Skousen, editor of the Book of Mormon Critical text, and from my own reading of the text. We looked for words that seem inappropriate in the given context and lead to potential misreadings. After this thesis was written, I was made aware of a study that deals with semantic changes in the Book of Mormon text and discusses five words that are in my study: awful, clap, curious, goodly, and mar (Lundwall 1987).

Those who reject the Book of Mormon will be brought into captivity, spiritually and temporally. The early Latter-day Saints left the inhabited areas of America because of the rejection of the Book of Mormon and of Christ by the American people.

Reasons that if God is indeed no respecter of persons, then it is logical that Christ would make himself known to nations other than the Jews. The descendants of Joseph in America were in every way qualified to have Christ minister to them. The Bible and the Book of Mormon are both witnesses of the same God. [A.L. & P.H.]

Enlarged and revised edition of authors’ Teaching with the Book of Mormon. “Our main purpose in writing this book is to help the reader to begin to fill up his ‘bag’ with treasures of knowledge out of the Book of Mormon that he can bring out whenever he is called upon to teach or preach” The book is divided into sections based upon such topics as faith, repentance, and baptism.

A transcript of a series of talks, wherein the author teaches various messages of the Book of Mormon including the Atonement, sacrament, continuing revelation, Christian creeds, and Nephite destructions. His purpose is to encourage listeners to study the Book of Mormon as a means to becoming more effective teachers.

A study aid intended to demonstrate the many rich doctrinal topics contained in the Book of Mormon. One doctrinal topic discussed, for instance, is the divine birth of Jesus. Aids the reader with cross referencing and scripture marking.

A new method of studying the Book of Mormon is proposed that includes finding some of the more important passages of the Book of Mormon and starting a structured cross-reference system. In the book a series of doctrinal topics are addressed by brief explanations, thought provoking questions, cross references, and a marking system. The goal is to help the user to be more fluent with the scriptures. [C. W.]

Compiles approaches in using the Book of Mormon in connection with missionary work.

An early draft of the authors’ two books, A Doctrinal Approach to the Book of Mormon, and Teaching with the Book of Mormon. This version is shorter and lacks the study questions.

A revised edition of A Doctrinal Approach to the Book of Mormon, containing the authors’ Book of Mormon study system. [C. W.]

Instructional aid to assist LDS missionaries in using the Book of Mormon. The majority of the work contains sample dialogues between a missionary and investigator.

An instructional aid that provides effective missionary techniques and gives directions on how to approach different types of people and controversial issues. It also provides a series of hypothetical door approaches that result in the contact reading the Book of Mormon with the missionary.

Describes the surprising rise of Mormonism. Praises the Book of Mormon as having great literary value, but discounts its divine origin.

A response to Jerald and Sandra Tanner, who oppose the teachings of the Book of Mormon. Pages 4-11 discuss issues relating to the translation of the Book of Mormon and describe how it relates to the language of the text.

There is strong evidence in support of transpacific crossings 1000 years before Columbus. Diverse evidences come from the study of metallurgy, agriculture, and parasitology. The Mayan calendar shows connections between the Mayan and the Hebrew and Greek alphabets.

Fossil bones of an elephant, found near Payson, Utah, in 1870, were sold to the Deseret Museum. Elephants were present during Book of Mormon times.

Musicians Marvin and Nadina Bryan were converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ through the example of a young LDS member who read the Book of Mormon while his fellow workers played poker, and by reading the Book of Mormon themselves.

Sunday School lessons for youth. Gives an outline of the text covered each week. Integrates teachings of Book of Mormon prophets with examples from daily life.

This article states that English, the language of translation employed by Joseph Smith, retains the original thought, personal writing styles, distinctive patterns, and unique phraseology belonging to each of the ancient writers and prophets of the Book of Mormon. Barker also discusses the language of the gold plates, which has been described as being a combination of the “learning of the Jews and the language of the Egyptians” (1 Nephi 12), and as “reformed Egyptian” (Mormon 9:32). Too little is known about the characters of reformed Egyptian, which had been “altered” by the Nephites (Mormon 9:32).

Terryl Givens has set Joseph Smith in the religious and cultural context of his time and raised many important issues. I should like to take a few of these issues and set them in another context, that of preexilic Jerusalem. I am not a scholar of Mormon texts and traditions. I am a biblical scholar specializing in the Old Testament, and until some Mormon scholars made contact with me a few years ago, I would never have considered using Mormon texts and traditions as part of my work. Since that initial contact I have had many good and fruitful exchanges and have begun to look at these texts very closely. I am still, however, very much an amateur in this area. What I offer can only be the reactions of an Old Testament scholar: are the revelations to Joseph Smith consistent with the situation in Jerusalem in about 600 BCE? Do the revelations to Joseph Smith fit in that context, the reign of King Zedekiah, who is mentioned at the beginning of the First Book of Nephi, which begins in the “first year of the reign of Zedekiah” (1 Nephi 1:4)? Zedekiah was installed as king in Jerusalem in 597 BCE.

A defense that “Mormons are Bible-believing Christians” that explores Joseph Smith’s background, the influence of the Bible in his culture, and his production of additional scripture to reinforce the Bible. Through the use of Book of Mormon passages, it is shown that biblical language and passages are woven into new interpretations and expansions of traditional biblical thought unknown in Joseph’s day.

Old Testament and Book of Mormon prophecies provide answers to questions concerning the origins of the American Indians who are of the House of Israel. The record called the stick of Joseph came forth as the Book of Mormon.

Review of John W. Welch. The Legal Cases in the Book of Mormon.

A follow-up on a previous article on enallage provides further strength for a pattern of a speech to a prophet in which later verses seem to be addressed to both the prophet and his posterity by use of the plural ye.

Review of Grant Hardy, ed. The Book of Mormon: A Reader’s Edition.

Thomas W. Brookbank long ago suggested that enallage, meaning the substitution of the singular for the plural or vice versa for rhetorical effect, is present in the Book of Mormon. Enallage does appear to exist as a prominent, meaningful rhetorical figure in the Bible, but its presence in the Book of Mormon is more difficult to demonstrate given the pronominal variation found in the Book of Mormon, a factor that Brookbank did not account for in his study. Nevertheless, a careful reading of contextual and verbal clues reveals that enallage does indeed appear to exist in some passages in the Book of Mormon. An awareness of this usage is important for a full understanding of such passages.

In Alma 24 we read of the courage of the people of Anti- Nephi-Lehi, Lamanites who had converted to the Lord. Their king pleaded with them, “Let us stain our swords no more with the blood of our brethren” (Alma 24:12). So great was their faith that they covenanted never to take up arms again and buried their weapons of war. When the unconverted Lamanites came against them, the Anti-Nephi- Lehies, rather than resist their attackers, prostrated themselves on the ground to pray and allowed their brethren to slay them.

Review of “Does the Book of Mormon Reflect an Ancient Near Eastern Background?” (2002), by Thomas J. Finley, and “Rendering Fiction: Translation, Pseudotranslation, and the Book of Mormon” (2002), by David J. Shepherd.

Many easily recognizable Hebrew words and names can be found in the Book of Abraham. One name that hasn’t had a concrete meaning attached to it, however, is Elkenah. In this article, Barney addresses whether Elkenah is a person, place, or name; what its possible linguistic structures are; and what it might mean. Most importantly, Barney links Elkenah with the Canaanite god El and the attending cult—a cult that practiced human sacrifice. This has significant ramifications for the Book of Abraham, which has been criticized for its inclusion of human sacrifice. Assuming a northern location for the city Ur and taking Elkenah as the Canaanite El resolve the issue of child sacrifice in the Book of Abraham.

Hebrew poetry is based on various patterns of parallelism. Parallel lines are in turn created by the use of parallel words, that is, pairs of words bearing generally synonymous or antithetic meanings. Since the 1930s, scholars have come to realize that many of these “word pairs” were used repeatedly in a formulaic fashion as the basic building blocks of different parallel lines. The Book of Mormon reflects numerous parallel structures, including synonymous parallelism, antithetic parallelism, and chiasmus. As word pairs are a function of parallelism, the presence of such parallel structures in the Book of Mormon suggests the possible presence of word pairs within those structures. This article catalogs the use of forty word pairs that occur in parallel collocations both in the Book of Mormon and in Hebrew poetry.

Royal Skousen’s work on his Book of Mormon critical text project demonstrates that he is an able textual critic who employs sound judgment and proven methods to uncover the original text of the Book of Mormon. In many cases, these decisions seem counterintuitive to untrained readers, but Skousen correctly applies the principle that a more awkward reading is most likely original. He also shows his ability to make conjectural emendations for which no direct textual evidence is available. In every case, Skousen clearly lays out his reasoning so that readers who disagree with his inferences can examine the evidence for themselves to reach their own conclusions. This paper goes on to speculate that Skousen’s work may in time bring the LDS and RLDS editions of the Book of Mormon closer together textually. In the end, the critical text project is a superb work of scholarship on par with the standard works of biblical textual criticism.

Review of The Book of Mormon and Other Hidden Books: “Out of Darkness unto Light” (2000), by John A. Tvedtnes

Abstract: Name as Key-Word brings together a collection of essays, many of them previously published, whose consistent theme is exploring examples of onomastic wordplay or puns in Mormon scripture in general and the Book of Mormon in particular. Without a knowledge of the meaning of these names, the punning in the scriptural accounts would not be recognized by modern English readers. Exploring the (probable) meanings of these names helps to open our eyes to how the scriptural authors used punning and other forms of wordplay to convey their messages in a memorable way.
Review of Matthew L. Bowen, Name as Key-Word: Collected Essays on Onomastic Wordplay and the Temple in Mormon Scripture (Salt Lake City: The Interpreter Foundation and Eborn Books, 2018). 408 pp., $24.95.

Abstract: During Christ’s mortal ministry at Jerusalem, his teachings often drew upon the writings of Isaiah, Moses, and other prophets with whom his audience was familiar. On the other hand, Christ never seems to quote Nephi, Mosiah, or other Book of Mormon prophets to the Jews and their surrounding neighbors, despite being the ultimate source for their inspired writings. It is because of this apparent confinement to Old Testament sources that intertextual parallels between the words of Christ in Matthew 23–24 and the words of Samuel the Lamanite in Helaman 13–15 jump out as intriguing. This paper explores the intertextual relationship between these chapters in Helaman and Matthew and suggests that the parallels between these texts can be attributed to a common source available to both Samuel and Christ, the writings of the prophet Zenos.

Chapter 4, “Glad Tidings from Cumorah,” tells of Moroni’s visit and Joseph Smith’s first visit to the Hill Cumorah. Chapter 5, “Delivery and Translation of the Ancient Record” and Chapter 6, “Publication of the Book of Mormon,” deal specifically with the Book of Mormon. This work is reviewed in D.144.

Reviews the story of Captain Moroni (Alma 46) as an example of a righteous leader, student of the scriptures, man of faith, and a “champion of human liberty”

An illustrated story for children that tells of the Jaredites leaving Babel in order to find the promised land.

An illustrated story for children that tells of the Jaredites traveling to the promised land through the Lord’s guidance.

The author looks at the Book of Mormon as a form of fiction and deconstructs many literary forms that are prevalent in American Gothic culture.

A polemical work against Mormonism. The author, who favors the Spaulding theory for the origin of the Book of Mormon, asserts that the book anachronistically quotes Shakespeare, mentions steel and various domesticated animals.

Booklet that opposes Joseph Smith and his work. Discusses the Book of Mormon witnesses, the Anthon interview, and the Book of Mormon plates. Emphasizes archaeological arguments and internal evidence. Claims that the Book of Mormon plagiarizes the Bible and borrows extensively from the King James Version. Notes changes in the text of Book of Mormon editions. This work is reviewed in P.208.

Consists of moral lessons from the Book of Mormon written for children. Emphasizes that the ancient Book of Mormon peoples were taught that they must serve God or perish.

The four faces of pride are the wearing of costly apparel (which may have reference to conspicuous consumption in our day), class distinctions, contention, and anti-enemy attitudes. Those who possess an anti-enemy posture may have no time for the pro-kingdom of God. Pride can be overcome by humility.

Review of Book of Mormon: Wide-Margin Edition (1987), by Eldin Ricks.

Remember the great gifts of mortality: the physical body, additional light, and the eternal family. These gifts are sacred. May the Lord bless you during this wonderful phase of life that is yours to live so that you may receive all three of these great promises in their fulness.

A polemical work that discusses Mormonism on pages 341-58. The author considers the Book of Mormon “an unsuccessful imitation of the style of the King James Version” of the Bible. After a brief review of the Book of Mormon’s contents the author notes alleged anachronisms such as biblical plagiarism, quotations from Shakespeare, and others. Reference is also made to the incident of Anthon’s 1834 denial of the “sealed book”

The sixteen interviews in this volume tell the stories of remarkable men and women who have made careers out of researching, writing, and teaching about the past. Friends and colleagues conducted these conversations over a decade or so. All were subsequently published in the Mormon Historical Studies journal or Religious Educator periodical, and now are brought together as a single book of personal essays. As we review and reflect on the personal lives and remarkable careers featured in this volume, we sense that many of these historians feel that they were prepared or given a definite sense of mission. Both editors, who are becoming foremost Church historians in their own right, have been the beneficiaries of many mentors in the field and the recipients of a remarkable heritage of Mormon historians who have taken them under their wings and helped them become contributors to the telling of LDS history. ISBN 978-0-8425-2890-0

This volume celebrates the bicentennial of Joseph Smith’s 1820 First Vision of the Father and the Son, a founding event in the restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ. Contributors examine the various accounts of the vision, the religious excitement prevalent in the region, the question that prompted Joseph to enter the grove, the powers of darkness that assailed him, and the natural environment and ultimate preservation of the Sacred Grove. This volume brings together some of the finest presentations from a 2020 BYU Church History Symposium honoring the bicentennial of the First Vision. ISBN 978-1-9503-0408-0

When discussing Joseph Smith’s role as a translator, many only associate the Prophet with his role in the translation of the Book of Mormon. However, he successfully translated at least three additional ancient texts.

This article discusses possible explanations regarding the procedures Joseph Smith and his associates used in mounting the Joseph Smith Papyri fragments and their reasons for doing so. The backing materials, some of which contain drawings of a temple plan and plat sketches of northeastern Ohio townships, provide a valuable historical artifact that helps historians answer questions associated with the papyri. The dimensions, gluing techniques, and cutting patterns of the backing paper and papyri also help explain the mounting process, as does an examination of the handwriting on the backing paper. Careful analysis suggests that a portion of the backing material came from several sheets of paper glued together to make a large sheet on which plans for a temple were drawn. Historical evidence suggests that in late 1837 or early 1838, pieces of papyri were glued to this and other papers and cut into smaller pieces, some of which were put under glass to preserve the papyrus fragments from further deterioration.

This article is a testimonial from Old Mexico, wherein the author explains the role of the Book of Mormon in his conversion to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Walter Sidney Rigdon, grandson of Sidney Rigdon, reports that he had talked with the older Rigdon “hundreds of times” He was a “religious crank” who became “cracked” The whole family rejected his story. The whole thing about “the Golden Bible” is a fraud.

An exposé of Mormonism. Pages 21-35 discuss the Book of Mormon. Presents a somewhat garbled description of the Book of Mormon narrative; the testimony of the book of Mormon witnesses is discounted on the grounds that they were disreputable. The author accepts the Spaulding theory of Book of Mormon origins.

A romantic drama (written in four acts) based upon the trial of Korihor, the Anti-Christ.

Writes concerning the early history of Palmyra, the arrival and history of the Smith family, Joseph Smith’s interest in the religious revival, the details of the First Vision, and the coming forth of the Book of Mormon.

Book of Mormon accounts of the final battles of the Nephites are compared with historical reports of DeWitt Clinton and O. Turner who tell of formidable fortresses with deep trenches, double walls, mass graves, and rusted tools in the state of New York.

Describes the Hill Cumorah and country surrounding it. Also gives evidence of ancient American Indians.

Discusses the authors’ point of view concerning the identity of the Hill Cumorah as an ancient battlefield. Authors conclude that the scholars “need not search for (Cumorah) in Mexico or Yucatan”

Argues that the Hill Cumorah and Hill Ramah as geographical locations in the Book of Mormon were located in upstate New York. It therefore challenges the theory that the Hill Cumorah was located somewhere in Latin America. At least some Book of Mormon history took place in southeast Canada and the northeast United States.

Discusses different traditions and beliefs of the American Indians that correspond to those of the Nephites and the Lamanites. For example, he shows that the American Indians believe in a Great Spirit, an Indian Redeemer, and of once having a “white man’s book” among them that they had used.

A discussion of the Three Nephites (3 Nephi 28:1-9). Presents a collection of some sixty different Three Nephites stories.

A discussion of the Three Nephites (3 Nephi 28:1-9). Presents a collection of some sixty different Three Nephites stories.

A historical polemical work against Mormonism. Chapter 8 discusses various alleged anachronisms and absurdities in the Book of Mormon. The author rejects the Spaulding Theory in favor of the psychological environmentalist explanation proposed by Woodbridge Riley for the origin of the Book of Mormon.

Presenting a brief history of the Mormons in Illinois, the author offers a psychological interpretation of Joseph Smith, considering the Book of Mormon to be “the product of an adolescent mind, and a mind obviously suffering from the characteristic mental disease of adolescence-dementia praecox. The Mormon faith is the result of the reaction of an adolescent nation to that book”

Where does one go to learn more about Book of Mormon studies? For those who do not regularly engage with scholarship, it’s hard to know how to begin. Currently there’s no general guide to Book of Mormon scholarship available to the public. Even with all that’s happened in the last few decades, and especially all that’s happening right now in Book of Mormon studies, this situation needs to be remedied. There has been no general guide to Book of Mormon scholarship available to the public—until now. This introduction breaks down Book of Mormon studies, from its history to the obstacles that will need to be overcome as it moves forward. Additionally, this introduction provides readers with resources that they can turn to for further information on Book of Mormon studies. ISBN 978-1-9503-0426-4

“I propose three related ways of further developing this subfield of Book of Mormon studies: (1) catching up to biblical studies, (2) participating in broader conversations outside and within the Latter-day Saint tradition, and (3) articulating the Book of Mormon’s vision of human flourishing. I will also suggest that Book of Mormon scholarship on ethics may itself, to borrow a phrase, be a ’way of doing ethics,’ meaning that it should be responsible, relevant, and self-aware, and should ultimately contribute to more ethical theorizations of scripture and moral and religious life.” [Author]

This article is a first person narrative testimonial of a man in Germany who found a friend in the Book of Mormon on a cold, lonely, and hopeless night. Following World War I, the man first found himself in despair, then found that the Book of Mormon offered him hope and comfort.

The power of the Savior’s gospel to transform and bless us flows from discerning and applying the interrelatedness of its doctrine, principles, and practices.

Conversion story of Mary Elizabeth Rollins Lightner, taken from her autobiography and adapted for children. As a child she read the Book of Mormon and knew it was true.

A polemical attack on Mormonism. The Book of Mormon contains plagiarized passages from the Bible.

Review of Tennis Shoes among the Nephites: A Novel (1989), by Chris Heimerdinger.

Features the Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies (FARMS) and its founder, John W. Welch. One goal of FARMS is to better understand the ancient foundations and cultural background of the Book of Mormon, which will then strengthen an individual’s testimony of the book.

Bell reviews the following books about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon: Susan Easton Black and Charles D. Tate Jr.’s edited volume Joseph Smith: The Prophet, the Man; Scot Facer Proctor and Maurine Jensen Proctor’s edition of The Revised and Enhanced History of Joseph Smith by His Mother; John W. Welch and Stephen D. Ricks’s edited volume King Benjamin’s Speech: “That Ye May Learn Wisdom”; and Donald W. Parry and John W. Welch’s edited volume Isaiah in the Book of Mormon.

Letters responding to C. L. Sainsbury’s letter (July/August issue) seeking inclusion of Nephite history on an international timeline. Contributors contend that no archaeological evidence exists for the Book of Mormon, point out the book’s similarity to the Bible, and enclose the Smithsonian Institution’s statement concerning the Book of Mormon.

For the Nephites, the sixteenth year of the reign of the judges was tremendously difficult. The arrival of the people of Ammon, in itself an incredible disruption of Nephite society, precipitated a battle, which Mormon describes as a “tremendous battle; yea, even such an one as never had been known among all the people in the land from the time Lehi left Jerusalem’’ (Alma 28:2). The dead, we are told, were not counted due to their enormous number. These events compounded the pre-existing struggles that resulted from the sociopolitical fallout from the reforms of Mosiah. Though Alma 30:5 suggests that all is well in Zarahemla during the seventeenth year of the reign of the judges, the events of the next year and half, the eighteenth year, belie this peace. Within this span, the Nephites exploded in two separate, but related, political conflagrations: (1) the secession of the inhabitants of Antionum from the greater Nephite community, and (2) the civil war spearheaded by Amalickiah. But prior to both of these events came Korihor.

Winner of the Harvey B. Black and Susan Easton Black Outstanding Publication Award (Gospel Scholarship in Ancient Scripture). While negative meanings are often attached to the words rite and ritual, these terms simply mean “with correct religious procedure; in the manner required, properly, duly, correctly, rightly, fittingly.” Thus, the term perfectly describes an array of practices within our church, including baptism, the laying on of hands, and temple ordinances. This book explores the relationship between the performance of priesthood ordinances (or rituals) and the power of godliness that is mentioned in Doctrine and Covenants 84. Just as in biblical and Book of Mormon times, rites are an essential part of God’s plan for his children. The messages in this book help us understand ritual and its profound role within the Church so that we are able to recognize the transforming power of our rites of worship. ISBN 978-0-8425-2741-2

At the time Jacob gave his speech in 2 Nephi 6–10, the Nephites had already been driven from two lands of inheritance and felt an ongoing concern of being cut off from God’s promises. Belnap illustrates that Jacob’s speech answers these concerns through emphasizing and expounding on the covenantal relationship made possible by God acting as the Divine Warrior. Jacob quotes Isaiah passages in his discourse and in some instances makes his own additions to emphasize important aspects. He illustrates how the Divine Warrior provides the hardships, knowledge, and power for an individual to become a divine warrior, and he discusses the Divine Warrior’s defeat over the monster of Death. The promises made by the Divine Warrior can provide hope and assurance to all.

This is a new volume from the Book of Mormon Academy at Brigham Young University. This volume explores the relationship between the Nephite and the Jaredite records culturally, politically, literarily, and theologically. The first approach is a cultural-historical lens, in which elements of Jaredite culture are discussed, including the impact of a Jaredite subculture on Nephite politics during the reign of the judges, and a Mesopotamia perspective as seership and divination, and the brother of Jared’s experience as a spiritual transition. The second grouping looks at the book of Ether through a narratological lens, all three papers exploring different aspects of Moroni’s construction of the book of Ether. The third grouping explores the book of Ether’s depiction of women, as it contains one of the most descriptive, yet ambivalent females in the Book of Mormon, both historically and in our contemporary era. Finally, the book of Ether is reviewed via a teaching lens. In Alma 37, Alma the Younger explained the teaching value of the Jaredite records. These last two studies examine ways in which the book of Ether in particular can be taught to a modern audience. ISBN 978-1-9443-9497-4

The 39th Annual Brigham Young University Sidney B. Sperry Symposium Christians around the world look to the Sermon on the Mount for encouragement and guidance in developing the attitudes and behavior the Lord admonished us to have. The 2010 Sperry Symposium focuses on the teachings of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew, Luke, and 3 Nephi. It will discuss in depth specific passages and textual variations in the different accounts of the Sermon, as well as the social and cultural context of the Sermon. Chapters will review the contributions that the Joseph Smith Translation makes to our understanding, as well as the use of the Sermon in later biblical and Book of Mormon teachings. Contributors include Richard D. Draper, Matthew J. Grey, Daniel K Judd, Jennifer C. Lane, Eric-John K. Marlowe, Robert L. Millet, Thomas A. Wayment, and John W. Welch. ISBN 978-1-60641-823-9