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Old Testament Topics > Adam and Eve [see also Fall]
Old Testament Topics > Women in the Old Testament
In an effort to discount the Book of Mormon, Philastus Hurlbut collected over eighty signatures of those who knew the bad character of Joseph Smith and his family (affidavits contained in the appendix). Author examines Hugh Nibley’s Myth Makers and finds misrepresentations and failure to consider vital sources. Considers Richard L. Anderson’s “Joseph Smith’s New York Reputation Reappraised,” finding it also to fall short. This author finds that the allegations against Joseph Smith are true since the testimonies of many New York citizens have not been discredited.
This first of two volumes of essays honoring Hugh Nibley includes scholarly papers based on what the contributors have learned from Dr. Nibley. Nearly every major subject that he has encompassed in his vast learning and scholarly production is represented here by at least one article. Topics include the influence of Nibley, Copts and the Bible, the Seventy in scripture, the great apostasy, the book of Daniel in early Mormon thought, an early Christian initiation ritual, John’s Apocalypse, ancient Jewish seafaring, Native American rites of passage, Sinai as sanctuary and mountain of God, the Qurʾan and creation ex nihilo, and the sacred handclasp and embrace.
A look at the historical significances of the Copts (an ancient Egyptian/Sudanese ethnic group) in regards to the Bible.
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Hugh Nibley > Scholarship, Footnotes, Collected Works of Hugh Nibley, CWHN, Editing > Egyptian Studies
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.
Review of Book of Mormon: Wide-Margin Edition (1987), by Eldin Ricks.
Review of Tennis Shoes among the Nephites: A Novel (1989), by Chris Heimerdinger.
The sacred stories of the Indians from North, Central, and South America have many affinities and parallels with the stories featured in the Bible and Book of Mormon.
Review of Converted to Christ through the Book of Mormon (1989), edited by Eugene England.
Old Testament Topics > New Testament and the Old Testament
Articles
The purpose of this paper is not only to review the FARMS Book of Mormon Critical Text, but also to discuss some of the general problems that arise when trying to establish a critical text of the Book of Mormon. In this review article I will discuss the need for a critical edition of the Book of Mormon, consider the issue of Joseph Smith’s“bad grammar,” review the FARMS Book of Mormon Critical Text, and propose an alternative critical edition for the Book of Mormon.
A study guide booklet with a devotionalist approach, containing lessons of Nephi’s psalm and farewell, the Atonement, choosing joy, and others.
This first of two volumes of essays honoring Hugh Nibley includes scholarly papers based on what the contributors have learned from Dr. Nibley. Nearly every major subject that he has encompassed in his vast learning and scholarly production is represented here by at least one article. Topics include the influence of Nibley, Copts and the Bible, the Seventy in scripture, the great apostasy, the book of Daniel in early Mormon thought, an early Christian initiation ritual, John’s Apocalypse, ancient Jewish seafaring, Native American rites of passage, Sinai as sanctuary and mountain of God, the Qurʾan and creation ex nihilo, and the sacred handclasp and embrace.
Asks the questions Why the number seventy and why to Gentiles? It then suggests that the key to both questions lies in the catalog of the descendants of Noah in Genesis 10.
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Hugh Nibley > Scholarship, Footnotes, Collected Works of Hugh Nibley, CWHN, Editing > Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints > Leadership, Prophets, Apostles, Seventy, Bishops
Lessons and activities geared to the needs of children for family home evening. There are twenty lessons on Book of Mormon subjects and people. This work is reviewed in R.243.
This first of two volumes of essays honoring Hugh Nibley includes scholarly papers based on what the contributors have learned from Dr. Nibley. Nearly every major subject that he has encompassed in his vast learning and scholarly production is represented here by at least one article. Topics include the influence of Nibley, Copts and the Bible, the Seventy in scripture, the great apostasy, the book of Daniel in early Mormon thought, an early Christian initiation ritual, John’s Apocalypse, ancient Jewish seafaring, Native American rites of passage, Sinai as sanctuary and mountain of God, the Qurʾan and creation ex nihilo, and the sacred handclasp and embrace.
The purpose of this little essay is to reveal that Jesus’ philopedia was so altered by some second-century Christian groups that it became misopedia. Jesus’ own teachings were sometimes changed or even abandoned by those who called him “Lord“.
Review of Origins and the Book of Mormon (1986), by Dan Vogel.
Symbolic meanings of the terms
Old Testament Topics > Types and Symbols
Articles
Old Testament Topics > Adam and Eve [see also Fall]
Old Testament Topics > Marriage
Old Testament Topics > Women in the Old Testament
Old Testament Topics > Ten Commandments
An extensive bibliography of writings related to the Old Testament
Old Testament Topics > Bibliography
Excerpted from a longer paper published in Epoché, the UCLA graduate journal of history of religions, in 1985.
A study of the religious significance of symbols, signs, and tokens.
RSC Topics > L — P > Priesthood
Seven letters (ca. 1839) containing testimony concerning Cowdery’s scribal work for Joseph Smith during the translation of the Book of Mormon and other items of historical interest. Joseph’s own narrative includes an account of the place and manner in which the records were deposited, the box that held the plates, his attempts to take the plates without authorization from the angel, and the angel’s warning.
Review of the Nephite Chronicles (1984-1989), by Robert H. Moss.
How the Book of Mormon fit in the early years of the Church and important doctrine that was introduced with the publication the Book.
Old Testament Topics > Adam and Eve [see also Fall]
Old Testament Topics > Adam and Eve [see also Fall]
RSC Topics > D — F > Faith
RSC Topics > Q — S > Sacrifice
Old Testament Topics > Abraham and Sarah [see also Covenant]
The Lectures on Faith are among the oldest of LDS writings. They formed the basis for doctrinal studies in the School for the Elders during the winter of 1834–35 and ever since have been highly valued in the Church. They constitute a substantial historical and doctrinal heritage from early Restoration years. Bringing together in one volume the background, the history, the text, and an informed and stimulating commentary, this book makes a major contribution to an understanding of the subject and therefore to the reader’s efforts to live the great principle of faith in Jesus Christ. ISBN 0-8849-4725-4
Articles
RSC Topics > G — K > God the Father
RSC Topics > G — K > Godhead
RSC Topics > G — K > Joseph Smith
RSC Topics > G — K > God the Father
RSC Topics > L — P > Mercy
RSC Topics > D — F > Doctrine and Covenants
RSC Topics > D — F > Doctrine
RSC Topics > D — F > Faith
RSC Topics > L — P > Priesthood
RSC Topics > Q — S > Salvation
RSC Topics > D — F > Faith
RSC Topics > Q — S > Salvation
RSC Topics > T — Z > Testimony
RSC Topics > D — F > Faith
RSC Topics > G — K > Happiness
RSC Topics > G — K > Hope
RSC Topics > T — Z > Virtue
In 1989 there were two Sperry Symposiums held. The first was in February on the Doctrine and Covenants, which was published later that year as Doctrines for Exaltation. The second was in October on the Old Testament, which was published in 1990 as A Witness of Jesus Christ.
Contents:
Preface
Isaiah: Disciple and Witness of Christ / L. LaMar Adams
The Law of Moses and the Law of Christ / Edward J. Brandt
The Waters of Destruction and the Vine of Redemption / Allen J. Christenson
The Abrahamic Test / Larry E. Dahl
A Major Change in Israel: Effects of the Babylonian Captivity / Dean Garrett
The \"Hidden Messiah\" / Richard Neitzel Holzapfel
Job\'s Relevancy in the Twenty-First Century / Clark V. Johnson
The Old Testament, a Witness for Jesus Christ / Daniel H. Ludlow
Beyond the Biblical Account: Adam, Enoch, Noah, Melchizedek, Abraham, and Moses in Latter-day Revelation / Robert J. Matthews
Isaiah 53: The Richest Prophecy on Christ\'s Atonement in the Old Testament / Keith H. Meservy
The House of Israel: From Everlasting to Everlasting / Robert L. Millet
The Twelve Prophets Testify of Christ / Monte S. Nyman
The Marriage of Hosea and Gomer: A Symbolic Testament of Messianic Love and Mercy / Brent L. Top
The Two Davids / Rodney Turner
Redeeming the Dead as Taught in the Old Testament / Bruce A. Van Orden
The Abrahamic Covenant / S. Michael Wilcox
The Waters Which Make Glad the City of God: The Water Motif of Ezekiel 47:1-12 / Fred E. Woods
Articles
How Israel accepted the law but missed the Lawgiver
The Book of Mormon and modern revelation reveal the true nature of messianic Old Testament passages
Old Testament Topics > Bible: LDS Interpretation
Old Testament Topics > Restoration and Joseph Smith
Old Testament Scriptures > Isaiah
Old Testament Topics > Jesus Christ, the God of the Old and the New Testament
Old Testament Topics > Women in the Old Testament
Making and keeping covenants
Old Testament Scriptures > 1 & 2 Kings/1 & 2 Chronicles
Elijah and Isaiah on redeeming the dead, viewed through modern revelation
Old Testament Topics > Covenant [see also Ephraim, Israel, Jews, Joseph]
Old Testament Topics > Types and Symbols
A review of two books and one chapter, all written by Hugh Nibley.
A review that expresses the author’s feeling that Hugh Nibley predicts the future accurately but no one believes him, much as Cassandra does in Greek mythology.
Review of The Folk of the Fringe (1989); Seventh Son (1987); The Red Prophet (1988); and Prentice Alvin (1989), by Orson Scott Card.
Articles
Review of A Book of Mormon Guide: A Simple Way to Teach a Friend (1988), by Wilford A. Fischer and Norma J. Fischer.
Review of By Grace Are We Saved (1989), by Robert L. Millet.
Review of A Sure Foundation: Answers to Difficult Gospel Questions.
Review of A Reading Guide to the Book of Mormon (1989), by David H. Mulholland.
Since 1989, the Review of Books on the Book of Mormon has published review essays to help serious readers make informed choices and judgments about books and other publications on topics related to the Latter-day Saint religious tradition. It has also published substantial freestanding essays that made further contributions to the field of Mormon studies. In 1996, the journal changed its name to the FARMS Review with Volume 8, No 1. In 2011, the journal was renamed Mormon Studies Review.
Review of An Approach to the Book of Mormon (1988), by Hugh Nibley.
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Hugh Nibley > Scholarship, Footnotes, Collected Works of Hugh Nibley, CWHN, Editing > Christian History, Apostasy, Early Christianity
Also available for free at BYU ScholarsArchive.
A review of Lehi in the Desert, The World of the Jaredites, There Were Jaredites, Collected Works of Hugh Nibley vol. 5.
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Hugh Nibley > Scholarship, Footnotes, Collected Works of Hugh Nibley, CWHN, Editing > Book of Mormon
Review of Christ's Answer to the Atheist, to the Jew: Who Wrote It? (1987), by Earl W. Carlsen.
Review of Little Known Evidences of the Book of Mormon (1989), by Brenton G. Yorgason.
Bibliography of publications on the Book of Mormon in 1989.
Review of “A Hemeneutic of Sacred Texts: Historicism, Revisionism, Postitiveism, and the Bible and Book of Mormon” (1989), by Alan Goff.
Review of Joseph Smith and the Origins of the Book of Mormon (1985), by David Persuitte.
Review of The Land of the Nephites (1988), by Delbert W. Curtis.
Review of “American Book of Mormon Map” (1988), by Paul D. Proctor.
Peterson discusses the growth of the Mormon religion and scholarly indifference toward that growth. He discusses the power of presuppositions and the variance of opinions, using the Qur’an as a case study. The originality, literary merit, and intrinsic merit of the Book of Mormon increase our appreciation for that book.
Review of Mormonism: The Prophet, The Book and the Cult (1989), by Peter Bartley. Bartley attacks Mormonism and its sacred book, the Book of Mormon, which is not surprising when one notes the anti-Mormon sources he cosulted. Rigorous and well-grounded arguments are lacking, and sweepingly dogmatic assertions dominate. He faults the Book of Mormon on various claims as well as on stylistic grounds--he asserts that it appears to be written entirely by one person. This publication represents just one more anti-Mormon book.
Since 1989, the Review of Books on the Book of Mormon has published review essays to help serious readers make informed choices and judgments about books and other publications on topics related to the Latter-day Saint religious tradition. It has also published substantial freestanding essays that made further contributions to the field of Mormon studies. In 1996, the journal changed its name to the FARMS Review with Volume 8, No 1. In 2011, the journal was renamed Mormon Studies Review.
A review of The Prophetic Book of Mormon, Collected Works of Hugh Nibley vol. 6.
Review of The Keystone of Mormonism: Early Visions of the Prophet Joseph Smith (1988), by Paul R. Cheesman.
Review of The Book of Mormon: Second Nephi, The Doctrinal Structure (1989), edited by Monte S. Nyman and Charles D. Tate Jr.
Review of Book of Mormon Companion: Dictionary & More.
Since 1989, the Review of Books on the Book of Mormon has published review essays to help serious readers make informed choices and judgments about books and other publications on topics related to the Latter-day Saint religious tradition. It has also published substantial freestanding essays that made further contributions to the field of Mormon studies. In 1996, the journal changed its name to the FARMS Review with Volume 8, No 1. In 2011, the journal was renamed Mormon Studies Review.
A review of Lehi in the Desert, The World of the Jaredites, There Were Jaredites, Collected Works of Hugh Nibley vol. 5.
Rust, in the third annual FARMS Book of Mormon lecture delivered on 27 February 1990, examin3ed literary aspects of the book that develop the primary purposes set out on the title page. He discussed the elements characteristic of an epic that will allow modern-day Lamanites to trust in the Lord's deliverance and detailed literary (especially poetic) presentations of the covenants in the Book of Mormon. Literary elements combine with the influence of the Spirit to testify of the purposes of the Book of Mormon.
Since 1989, the Review of Books on the Book of Mormon has published review essays to help serious readers make informed choices and judgments about books and other publications on topics related to the Latter-day Saint religious tradition. It has also published substantial freestanding essays that made further contributions to the field of Mormon studies. In 1996, the journal changed its name to the FARMS Review with Volume 8, No 1. In 2011, the journal was renamed Mormon Studies Review.
A review of Since Cumorah, Collected Works of Hugh Nibley vol. 7.
Review of Little Known Evidences of the Book of Mormon (1989), by Brenton G. Yorgason.
Review of Christianity in America before Columbus? (1988), by Donald W. Hemingway.
Review of Are the Mormon Scriptures Reliable? (1987), by Harry L. Ropp, with revisions from Wesley P. Walters.
An illustrated story for children about the Nephites and Lamanites after they arrived at the promised land.
This first of two volumes of essays honoring Hugh Nibley includes scholarly papers based on what the contributors have learned from Dr. Nibley. Nearly every major subject that he has encompassed in his vast learning and scholarly production is represented here by at least one article. Topics include the influence of Nibley, Copts and the Bible, the Seventy in scripture, the great apostasy, the book of Daniel in early Mormon thought, an early Christian initiation ritual, John’s Apocalypse, ancient Jewish seafaring, Native American rites of passage, Sinai as sanctuary and mountain of God, the Qurʾan and creation ex nihilo, and the sacred handclasp and embrace.
A discussion of the Bat Creek Inscription, a Hebrew inscription found in a burial site in Loudon County, Tennessee in 1889.
A guide for parents on how to teach their children about the doctrinal concepts in the Book of Mormon. Book of Mormon concepts are supported with scriptural references from the standard works of the LDS church. This work is reviewed in P.068.
This first of two volumes of essays honoring Hugh Nibley includes scholarly papers based on what the contributors have learned from Dr. Nibley. Nearly every major subject that he has encompassed in his vast learning and scholarly production is represented here by at least one article. Topics include the influence of Nibley, Copts and the Bible, the Seventy in scripture, the great apostasy, the book of Daniel in early Mormon thought, an early Christian initiation ritual, John’s Apocalypse, ancient Jewish seafaring, Native American rites of passage, Sinai as sanctuary and mountain of God, the Qurʾan and creation ex nihilo, and the sacred handclasp and embrace.
A study into the original Roman New Year and how some of those traditions carry on now in March instead.
This first of two volumes of essays honoring Hugh Nibley includes scholarly papers based on what the contributors have learned from Dr. Nibley. Nearly every major subject that he has encompassed in his vast learning and scholarly production is represented here by at least one article. Topics include the influence of Nibley, Copts and the Bible, the Seventy in scripture, the great apostasy, the book of Daniel in early Mormon thought, an early Christian initiation ritual, John’s Apocalypse, ancient Jewish seafaring, Native American rites of passage, Sinai as sanctuary and mountain of God, the Qurʾan and creation ex nihilo, and the sacred handclasp and embrace.
What accounts for the parallels between modern temple rituals and ancient Judeo-Christian ceremonies?
Investigates textual clues to determine what type of calendrical system was used by the Nephites and the Jaredites and when these systems commenced and fell into disuse.
RSC Topics > L — P > Law of Moses
This first of two volumes of essays honoring Hugh Nibley includes scholarly papers based on what the contributors have learned from Dr. Nibley. Nearly every major subject that he has encompassed in his vast learning and scholarly production is represented here by at least one article. Topics include the influence of Nibley, Copts and the Bible, the Seventy in scripture, the great apostasy, the book of Daniel in early Mormon thought, an early Christian initiation ritual, John’s Apocalypse, ancient Jewish seafaring, Native American rites of passage, Sinai as sanctuary and mountain of God, the Qurʾan and creation ex nihilo, and the sacred handclasp and embrace.
An essay written in celebration of Hugh Nibley and his contributions to questions about steppe nomadism.
Proposes that revelation is nonpropositional and does not reveal objective truths or doctrines.
This first of two volumes of essays honoring Hugh Nibley includes scholarly papers based on what the contributors have learned from Dr. Nibley. Nearly every major subject that he has encompassed in his vast learning and scholarly production is represented here by at least one article. Topics include the influence of Nibley, Copts and the Bible, the Seventy in scripture, the great apostasy, the book of Daniel in early Mormon thought, an early Christian initiation ritual, John’s Apocalypse, ancient Jewish seafaring, Native American rites of passage, Sinai as sanctuary and mountain of God, the Qurʾan and creation ex nihilo, and the sacred handclasp and embrace.
In this paper the apostasy will be discussed on two fronts. First, Jackson examines statements of Jesus and his apostles that foretell the passing of the early church. Then, he considers the evidence in the New Testament that shows apostasy taking place as the New Testament documents were being written
RSC Topics > A — C > Creation
The teachings of Augustine, Aquinas, Luther, and Calvin
Old Testament Topics > Adam and Eve [see also Fall]
This first of two volumes of essays honoring Hugh Nibley includes scholarly papers based on what the contributors have learned from Dr. Nibley. Nearly every major subject that he has encompassed in his vast learning and scholarly production is represented here by at least one article. Topics include the influence of Nibley, Copts and the Bible, the Seventy in scripture, the great apostasy, the book of Daniel in early Mormon thought, an early Christian initiation ritual, John’s Apocalypse, ancient Jewish seafaring, Native American rites of passage, Sinai as sanctuary and mountain of God, the Qurʾan and creation ex nihilo, and the sacred handclasp and embrace.
A treatment of two out of thirteen of the Egyptian Letters to the Dead: the Cairo Bowl and the Berlin Bowl.
Essay on literary aspects of the translation of the Book of Mormon.
Takes the methodology of Kenneth Burke to plead that Mormons read some passages of the Book of Mormon as rhetorical devices and accept Christ and live by his code. The rhetoric is couched within “scenes” from the Book of Mormon.
RSC Topics > L — P > Prayer
This first of two volumes of essays honoring Hugh Nibley includes scholarly papers based on what the contributors have learned from Dr. Nibley. Nearly every major subject that he has encompassed in his vast learning and scholarly production is represented here by at least one article. Topics include the influence of Nibley, Copts and the Bible, the Seventy in scripture, the great apostasy, the book of Daniel in early Mormon thought, an early Christian initiation ritual, John’s Apocalypse, ancient Jewish seafaring, Native American rites of passage, Sinai as sanctuary and mountain of God, the Qurʾan and creation ex nihilo, and the sacred handclasp and embrace.
An argument that the Real, or Reality, is where God dwells.
These two volumes contain essays written by various authors in honor of Hugh W. Nibley. Many of the articles are related to Book of Mormon topics, such as the sacramental covenants, the Lamanite view, external evidences of the Book of Mormon, Lehi’s family and others. This work is reviewed in D.128.
This first of two volumes of essays honoring Hugh Nibley includes scholarly papers based on what the contributors have learned from Dr. Nibley. Nearly every major subject that he has encompassed in his vast learning and scholarly production is represented here by at least one article. Topics include the influence of Nibley, Copts and the Bible, the Seventy in scripture, the great apostasy, the book of Daniel in early Mormon thought, an early Christian initiation ritual, John’s Apocalypse, ancient Jewish seafaring, Native American rites of passage, Sinai as sanctuary and mountain of God, the Qurʾan and creation ex nihilo, and the sacred handclasp and embrace.
A comparison of Native American rituals with rituals in The Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day Saints.
This first of two volumes of essays honoring Hugh Nibley includes scholarly papers based on what the contributors have learned from Dr. Nibley. Nearly every major subject that he has encompassed in his vast learning and scholarly production is represented here by at least one article. Topics include the influence of Nibley, Copts and the Bible, the Seventy in scripture, the great apostasy, the book of Daniel in early Mormon thought, an early Christian initiation ritual, John’s Apocalypse, ancient Jewish seafaring, Native American rites of passage, Sinai as sanctuary and mountain of God, the Qurʾan and creation ex nihilo, and the sacred handclasp and embrace.
A sketch of some medieval European Christian exegetical and homiletic traditions, which analyzes references from the second century to the Carolingian Renaissance.
Old Testament Topics > Abraham and Sarah [see also Covenant]
Old Testament Topics > Women in the Old Testament
This first of two volumes of essays honoring Hugh Nibley includes scholarly papers based on what the contributors have learned from Dr. Nibley. Nearly every major subject that he has encompassed in his vast learning and scholarly production is represented here by at least one article. Topics include the influence of Nibley, Copts and the Bible, the Seventy in scripture, the great apostasy, the book of Daniel in early Mormon thought, an early Christian initiation ritual, John’s Apocalypse, ancient Jewish seafaring, Native American rites of passage, Sinai as sanctuary and mountain of God, the Qurʾan and creation ex nihilo, and the sacred handclasp and embrace.
Addresses the argument that names are simply sounds made up to label something and suggests that this takes away from the religious belief that some names have a divine origin.
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Hugh Nibley > Scholarship, Footnotes, Collected Works of Hugh Nibley, CWHN, Editing > Temples, Cosmos
Joseph Smith taught that the Book of Mormon is a witness for the Bible. It testifies of Jesus Christ and His divinity, teaches a wide range of secular and religious topics, and identifies the enemies of Christ. The Book of Mormon is the most correct of any book on earth, the keystone of the LDS religion, and individuals will “get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts than by any other book”
Old Testament Topics > Adam and Eve [see also Fall]
Old Testament Topics > Fall
Old Testament Topics > Adam and Eve [see also Fall]
Old Testament Topics > Atonement
The Eden account is both literal and figurative
Old Testament Topics > Adam and Eve [see also Fall]
RSC Topics > T — Z > Testimony
Old Testament Topics > Adam and Eve [see also Fall]
Old Testament Topics > Symposia and Collections of Essays
Presents arguments dealing with the authenticity of the Book of Mormon, including discussions about Jesus, the Shepherd, the witnesses, revelation from God, the translation of the work, ancient discoveries, and testimonials.
Activities for young children designed to increase their fine and gross motor skills while teaching them about the Book of Mormon.
Reprinted in 2021.
This first of two volumes of essays honoring Hugh Nibley includes scholarly papers based on what the contributors have learned from Dr. Nibley. Nearly every major subject that he has encompassed in his vast learning and scholarly production is represented here by at least one article. Topics include the influence of Nibley, Copts and the Bible, the Seventy in scripture, the great apostasy, the book of Daniel in early Mormon thought, an early Christian initiation ritual, John’s Apocalypse, ancient Jewish seafaring, Native American rites of passage, Sinai as sanctuary and mountain of God, the Qurʾan and creation ex nihilo, and the sacred handclasp and embrace.
Studies the prohibition against eating meat in the Old Testament.
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Hugh Nibley > Scholarship, Footnotes, Collected Works of Hugh Nibley, CWHN, Editing > Bible > Old Testament
Old Testament Topics > Adam and Eve [see also Fall]
Old Testament Topics > Adam and Eve [see also Fall]
A seminar presentation. The Latter-day Saints are under condemnation for not paying sufficient attention to the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon was written for our day and shows the manner in which individuals can sanctify their souls and draw closer to God.
This first of two volumes of essays honoring Hugh Nibley includes scholarly papers based on what the contributors have learned from Dr. Nibley. Nearly every major subject that he has encompassed in his vast learning and scholarly production is represented here by at least one article. Topics include the influence of Nibley, Copts and the Bible, the Seventy in scripture, the great apostasy, the book of Daniel in early Mormon thought, an early Christian initiation ritual, John’s Apocalypse, ancient Jewish seafaring, Native American rites of passage, Sinai as sanctuary and mountain of God, the Qurʾan and creation ex nihilo, and the sacred handclasp and embrace.
Exactly how did the scriptures enter the framework of Judaism? In what way, when, and where, in the unfolding of the canon, were they absorbed and recast, and how did they find the distinctive role they played from late antiquity onward?
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Hugh Nibley > Scholarship, Footnotes, Collected Works of Hugh Nibley, CWHN, Editing > Bible > Old Testament
One important key to understanding modern civilization is a familiarity with its ancient background. Many modern principles and practices—social, political, and even economic—have clear parallels in antiquity. A careful study of these forerunners of our traditions, particularly as they contributed to the downfall of earlier civilizations, may help us avoid some of the mistakes of our predecessors. The Ancient State, by Hugh Nibley, is a thought-provoking examination of assorted aspects of ancient culture, from the use of marked arrows to the surprisingly universal conception of kinship, from arguments of various schools of philosophy to the rise of rhetoric. Author Hugh Nibley brings his usual meticulous research and scholarship to bear in this enlightening collection of essays and lectures. It has been said that only by learning the lessons of history can we hope to avoid repeating them. For scholar and novice alike, The Ancient State is a valuable source of such learning.
The Ancient State is a thought-provoking examination of aspects of ancient culture, from the use of marked arrows to the surprisingly universal conception of kinship, from arguments from various schools of philosophy to the rise of rhetoric. Hugh Nibley brings his usual meticulous research and scholarship to bear in this enlightening collection of essays and lectures.
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > The Collected Works of Hugh Nibley (CWHN)
Chapters
Originally printed as an article in Western Political Quarterly.
A study showing how prehistoric hunters used marked arrows to mark territory, then applied the same techniques to come to the creation of a centralized state in historic times.
One important key to understanding modern civilization is a familiarity with its ancient background. Many modern principles and practices—social, political, and even economic—have clear parallels in antiquity. A careful study of these forerunners of our traditions, particularly as they contributed to the downfall of earlier civilizations, may help us avoid some of the mistakes of our predecessors. The Ancient State, by Hugh Nibley, is a thought-provoking examination of assorted aspects of ancient culture, from the use of marked arrows to the surprisingly universal conception of kinship, from arguments of various schools of philosophy to the rise of rhetoric. Author Hugh Nibley brings his usual meticulous research and scholarship to bear in this enlightening collection of essays and lectures. It has been said that only by learning the lessons of history can we hope to avoid repeating them. For scholar and novice alike, The Ancient State is a valuable source of such learning.
It is the purpose of this paper to show how the state spent the most impressionable years of its childhood living as an orphan of the storm in tents of vagabonds where it acquired many of the habits and attitudes that still condition its activities.
Originally published in Western Political Quarterly (1951).
How most modern traditions come from ancient ones, and why and how.
One important key to understanding modern civilization is a familiarity with its ancient background. Many modern principles and practices—social, political, and even economic—have clear parallels in antiquity. A careful study of these forerunners of our traditions, particularly as they contributed to the downfall of earlier civilizations, may help us avoid some of the mistakes of our predecessors. The Ancient State, by Hugh Nibley, is a thought-provoking examination of assorted aspects of ancient culture, from the use of marked arrows to the surprisingly universal conception of kinship, from arguments of various schools of philosophy to the rise of rhetoric. Author Hugh Nibley brings his usual meticulous research and scholarship to bear in this enlightening collection of essays and lectures. It has been said that only by learning the lessons of history can we hope to avoid repeating them. For scholar and novice alike, The Ancient State is a valuable source of such learning.
Considers the nature and importance of the sparsiones by looking at three points: (1) what was distributed by sparsio, (2) by whom and on what occasions, and (3) by what particular methods.
This was originally printed in Western Political Quarterly 6, no. 4 (1953): 631–57.
Considers three significant aspects of the Roman loyalty program in the period designated.
One important key to understanding modern civilization is a familiarity with its ancient background. Many modern principles and practices—social, political, and even economic—have clear parallels in antiquity. A careful study of these forerunners of our traditions, particularly as they contributed to the downfall of earlier civilizations, may help us avoid some of the mistakes of our predecessors. The Ancient State, by Hugh Nibley, is a thought-provoking examination of assorted aspects of ancient culture, from the use of marked arrows to the surprisingly universal conception of kinship, from arguments of various schools of philosophy to the rise of rhetoric. Author Hugh Nibley brings his usual meticulous research and scholarship to bear in this enlightening collection of essays and lectures. It has been said that only by learning the lessons of history can we hope to avoid repeating them. For scholar and novice alike, The Ancient State is a valuable source of such learning.
A study of the rhetoric of the second Sophistic movement and its influence on politics and culture generally, with obvious significance for our own time because of remarkable parallel developments in the current world of business.
Originally published in BYU Studies (1969).
Nibley traces some interesting parallels in educational matters and especially in campus unrest in the decade after 1960 with the medieval world. — Midgley
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Education, Learning > Brigham Young University (BYU)
One important key to understanding modern civilization is a familiarity with its ancient background. Many modern principles and practices—social, political, and even economic—have clear parallels in antiquity. A careful study of these forerunners of our traditions, particularly as they contributed to the downfall of earlier civilizations, may help us avoid some of the mistakes of our predecessors. The Ancient State, by Hugh Nibley, is a thought-provoking examination of assorted aspects of ancient culture, from the use of marked arrows to the surprisingly universal conception of kinship, from arguments of various schools of philosophy to the rise of rhetoric. Author Hugh Nibley brings his usual meticulous research and scholarship to bear in this enlightening collection of essays and lectures. It has been said that only by learning the lessons of history can we hope to avoid repeating them. For scholar and novice alike, The Ancient State is a valuable source of such learning.
Adds some notes to Mr. Warren Blake’s study of the life and works of Joseph Justs Scaliger to correct some common misconceptions.
One important key to understanding modern civilization is a familiarity with its ancient background. Many modern principles and practices—social, political, and even economic—have clear parallels in antiquity. A careful study of these forerunners of our traditions, particularly as they contributed to the downfall of earlier civilizations, may help us avoid some of the mistakes of our predecessors. The Ancient State, by Hugh Nibley, is a thought-provoking examination of assorted aspects of ancient culture, from the use of marked arrows to the surprisingly universal conception of kinship, from arguments of various schools of philosophy to the rise of rhetoric. Author Hugh Nibley brings his usual meticulous research and scholarship to bear in this enlightening collection of essays and lectures. It has been said that only by learning the lessons of history can we hope to avoid repeating them. For scholar and novice alike, The Ancient State is a valuable source of such learning.
One important key to understanding modern civilization is a familiarity with its ancient background. Many modern principles and practices—social, political, and even economic—have clear parallels in antiquity. A careful study of these forerunners of our traditions, particularly as they contributed to the downfall of earlier civilizations, may help us avoid some of the mistakes of our predecessors. The Ancient State, by Hugh Nibley, is a thought-provoking examination of assorted aspects of ancient culture, from the use of marked arrows to the surprisingly universal conception of kinship, from arguments of various schools of philosophy to the rise of rhetoric. Author Hugh Nibley brings his usual meticulous research and scholarship to bear in this enlightening collection of essays and lectures. It has been said that only by learning the lessons of history can we hope to avoid repeating them. For scholar and novice alike, The Ancient State is a valuable source of such learning.
One important key to understanding modern civilization is a familiarity with its ancient background. Many modern principles and practices—social, political, and even economic—have clear parallels in antiquity. A careful study of these forerunners of our traditions, particularly as they contributed to the downfall of earlier civilizations, may help us avoid some of the mistakes of our predecessors. The Ancient State, by Hugh Nibley, is a thought-provoking examination of assorted aspects of ancient culture, from the use of marked arrows to the surprisingly universal conception of kinship, from arguments of various schools of philosophy to the rise of rhetoric. Author Hugh Nibley brings his usual meticulous research and scholarship to bear in this enlightening collection of essays and lectures. It has been said that only by learning the lessons of history can we hope to avoid repeating them. For scholar and novice alike, The Ancient State is a valuable source of such learning.
One important key to understanding modern civilization is a familiarity with its ancient background. Many modern principles and practices—social, political, and even economic—have clear parallels in antiquity. A careful study of these forerunners of our traditions, particularly as they contributed to the downfall of earlier civilizations, may help us avoid some of the mistakes of our predecessors. The Ancient State, by Hugh Nibley, is a thought-provoking examination of assorted aspects of ancient culture, from the use of marked arrows to the surprisingly universal conception of kinship, from arguments of various schools of philosophy to the rise of rhetoric. Author Hugh Nibley brings his usual meticulous research and scholarship to bear in this enlightening collection of essays and lectures. It has been said that only by learning the lessons of history can we hope to avoid repeating them. For scholar and novice alike, The Ancient State is a valuable source of such learning.
One important key to understanding modern civilization is a familiarity with its ancient background. Many modern principles and practices—social, political, and even economic—have clear parallels in antiquity. A careful study of these forerunners of our traditions, particularly as they contributed to the downfall of earlier civilizations, may help us avoid some of the mistakes of our predecessors. The Ancient State, by Hugh Nibley, is a thought-provoking examination of assorted aspects of ancient culture, from the use of marked arrows to the surprisingly universal conception of kinship, from arguments of various schools of philosophy to the rise of rhetoric. Author Hugh Nibley brings his usual meticulous research and scholarship to bear in this enlightening collection of essays and lectures. It has been said that only by learning the lessons of history can we hope to avoid repeating them. For scholar and novice alike, The Ancient State is a valuable source of such learning.
One important key to understanding modern civilization is a familiarity with its ancient background. Many modern principles and practices—social, political, and even economic—have clear parallels in antiquity. A careful study of these forerunners of our traditions, particularly as they contributed to the downfall of earlier civilizations, may help us avoid some of the mistakes of our predecessors. The Ancient State, by Hugh Nibley, is a thought-provoking examination of assorted aspects of ancient culture, from the use of marked arrows to the surprisingly universal conception of kinship, from arguments of various schools of philosophy to the rise of rhetoric. Author Hugh Nibley brings his usual meticulous research and scholarship to bear in this enlightening collection of essays and lectures. It has been said that only by learning the lessons of history can we hope to avoid repeating them. For scholar and novice alike, The Ancient State is a valuable source of such learning.
Originally presented at the FARMS Symposium on Warfare, 24 March 1989.
Compares the descriptions of warfare in the Book of Mormon with the writings and axioms of Karl von Clausewitz’s military treatise, Vom Kriege, that served the military as a bible for 150 years and was published in 1833. Descriptions of Book of Mormon warfare match von Clausewitz’s principles very well. Again the internal evidence of the Book of Mormon establishes its accuracy in describing technical subjects unknown to Joseph Smith.
The Fourth Annual Book of Mormon Symposium at BYU The remarks of this volume are centered on the small plates of Nephi—Jacob through the Words of Mormon. The greatness of Lehi’s son Jacob is brought out, with special reference to his remarkable grasp of the doctrine of the Atonement, his powerful preaching about Christ, and his affirmations as to the central role of Christ in all gospel dispensations. Enos, Amaleki, and the anti-Christ Sherem are other topics discussed. Clarification is given on the structure of the Book of Mormon in terms of the large and the small plates of Nephi, the plates of Mormon (the abridgment), and the Words of Mormon. Latter-day Saint scholars who have experience the spiritual power of the Book of Mormon share here their insights on specific themes. ISBN 0-8849-4734-3
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Enos
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Words of Mormon
Articles
RSC Topics > D — F > Fall of Adam and Eve
RSC Topics > G — K > Gold Plates
RSC Topics > L — P > Marriage
RSC Topics > Q — S > Sin
This popular text, used throughout the Church for the study of world religions, has been revised and expanded. Two additional authors, several new chapters, a number of new illustrations, and much updated material add fresh perspectives to the former edition’s tried-and-true approach. The result portrays the vivid spectrum of truth as it extends across cultures and religious systems. The book presents a…
This first of two volumes of essays honoring Hugh Nibley includes scholarly papers based on what the contributors have learned from Dr. Nibley. Nearly every major subject that he has encompassed in his vast learning and scholarly production is represented here by at least one article. Topics include the influence of Nibley, Copts and the Bible, the Seventy in scripture, the great apostasy, the book of Daniel in early Mormon thought, an early Christian initiation ritual, John’s Apocalypse, ancient Jewish seafaring, Native American rites of passage, Sinai as sanctuary and mountain of God, the Qurʾan and creation ex nihilo, and the sacred handclasp and embrace.
Looks at temple worship in the Israelite religion, specifically with the idea that “the temple is the architectural embodiment of the cosmic mountain.”
Old Testament Topics > Temple and Tabernacle
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Hugh Nibley > Scholarship, Footnotes, Collected Works of Hugh Nibley, CWHN, Editing > Bible > Old Testament
This first of two volumes of essays honoring Hugh Nibley includes scholarly papers based on what the contributors have learned from Dr. Nibley. Nearly every major subject that he has encompassed in his vast learning and scholarly production is represented here by at least one article. Topics include the influence of Nibley, Copts and the Bible, the Seventy in scripture, the great apostasy, the book of Daniel in early Mormon thought, an early Christian initiation ritual, John’s Apocalypse, ancient Jewish seafaring, Native American rites of passage, Sinai as sanctuary and mountain of God, the Qurʾan and creation ex nihilo, and the sacred handclasp and embrace.
This paper presents data, culled primarily from talmudic and midrashic sources, pertaining to the commercial and religious laws that governed Jewish seafaring up to ca. AD 500.
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Hugh Nibley > Scholarship, Footnotes, Collected Works of Hugh Nibley, CWHN, Editing > Book of Mormon
Complete apostasy in the early Church created the need for a restoration. The events that led to the Restoration were orchestrated by the Lord. Joseph Smith’s own words tell of his calling to translate and publish the Book of Mormon. Books that have been written to discredit Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon are listed by title and author. The Book of Mormon and modern revelation identify false teachings concerning revelation, the Godhead, the eternal nature of man, priesthood authority, original sin, infant baptism, authority, mode of baptism, paid clergy, eternal marriage, heaven and hell, and Church politics.
All the peoples of the Americas shared a common belief in the visitation of a white God who taught them and ministered to them. The names differed—Quetzalcoatl, Votan, Gucumatz, Verachoeha, Sume, Kon-tiki, Kukulcan—but he was the same God, Jesus Christ, whose appearance is recorded in the Book of Mormon.
The last words of Moroni are important for those living in America. Both Mormon and Moroni indicate that Americans must abandon pride, money, substance, and fine apparel (Mormon 8:35-36) in order to not be swept off the land as the ancient Nephites were.
This first of two volumes of essays honoring Hugh Nibley includes scholarly papers based on what the contributors have learned from Dr. Nibley. Nearly every major subject that he has encompassed in his vast learning and scholarly production is represented here by at least one article. Topics include the influence of Nibley, Copts and the Bible, the Seventy in scripture, the great apostasy, the book of Daniel in early Mormon thought, an early Christian initiation ritual, John’s Apocalypse, ancient Jewish seafaring, Native American rites of passage, Sinai as sanctuary and mountain of God, the Qurʾan and creation ex nihilo, and the sacred handclasp and embrace.
A comparison between Judeo-Christian and Islamic creation traditions.
This chapter compares the war tactics of the Gadianton robbers in the Book of Mormon to Guerrilla warfare utilized by various groups throughout military history.
This chapter examines the claims of authors such as Fawn Brodie and David Persuitte that Joseph Smith wrote the Book of Mormon as a piece of anti-Masonry literature. It concludes that, while there are similarities between the Gadianton robbers and Freemasons, it cannot be determined that the similarities were intentional. Additionally, the early Saints did not take an anti-Masonry stance or use the Book of Mormon to promote anti-Masonry sentiment.
Angel Brea explains how much the Church in South America is growing and attributes this growth to the Book of Mormon. He tells about children in South America reading the Book of Mormon and the importance of doing so.
This first of two volumes of essays honoring Hugh Nibley includes scholarly papers based on what the contributors have learned from Dr. Nibley. Nearly every major subject that he has encompassed in his vast learning and scholarly production is represented here by at least one article. Topics include the influence of Nibley, Copts and the Bible, the Seventy in scripture, the great apostasy, the book of Daniel in early Mormon thought, an early Christian initiation ritual, John’s Apocalypse, ancient Jewish seafaring, Native American rites of passage, Sinai as sanctuary and mountain of God, the Qurʾan and creation ex nihilo, and the sacred handclasp and embrace.
An essay showing Achilles as a victim of delusion.
Book of Mormon wars fulfill Lehi’s prophecies about the terms and conditions for people to remain in the promised land.
This first of two volumes of essays honoring Hugh Nibley includes scholarly papers based on what the contributors have learned from Dr. Nibley. Nearly every major subject that he has encompassed in his vast learning and scholarly production is represented here by at least one article. Topics include the influence of Nibley, Copts and the Bible, the Seventy in scripture, the great apostasy, the book of Daniel in early Mormon thought, an early Christian initiation ritual, John’s Apocalypse, ancient Jewish seafaring, Native American rites of passage, Sinai as sanctuary and mountain of God, the Qurʾan and creation ex nihilo, and the sacred handclasp and embrace.
Explores the connection between a name and the existence of the thing it refers to.
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Hugh Nibley > Scholarship, Footnotes, Collected Works of Hugh Nibley, CWHN, Editing > Temples, Cosmos
Essays in Honor of Hugh W. Nibley on the Occasion of His Eightieth Birthday, 27 March 1990.
Essays based on what people have learned from Hugh Nibley.
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Hugh Nibley > Scholarship, Footnotes, Collected Works of Hugh Nibley, CWHN, Editing
Articles
A tribute to Dr. Hugh H. Nibley.
An expansion of a paper presented at the Third International Congress of Coptic Studies (Warsaw, Poland, 1984), which dealt with a Coptic melody that is performed at Easter time to two completely different texts. It is hoped that the following discussion will provide a clue as to the antiquity of the music in question.
Reprinted in the Journal of Book of Mormon Studies (1997) and Hugh Nibley Observed (2021).
An analysis of Hugh Nibley’s contributions and influence on historians and scriptural scholars.
“The Influence of Hugh Nibley: His Presence in the University” (1997)
“The Influence of Hugh Nibley: His Presence in the University” (2021)
This first of two volumes of essays honoring Hugh Nibley includes scholarly papers based on what the contributors have learned from Dr. Nibley. Nearly every major subject that he has encompassed in his vast learning and scholarly production is represented here by at least one article. Topics include the influence of Nibley, Copts and the Bible, the Seventy in scripture, the great apostasy, the book of Daniel in early Mormon thought, an early Christian initiation ritual, John’s Apocalypse, ancient Jewish seafaring, Native American rites of passage, Sinai as sanctuary and mountain of God, the Qurʾan and creation ex nihilo, and the sacred handclasp and embrace.
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Hugh Nibley > Scholarship, Footnotes, Collected Works of Hugh Nibley, CWHN, Editing > Comparative Analysis
This essay was originally prepared for Nibley’s seventy-fifth birthday and was previously published in By Study and Also by Faith vol. 1.
Praise and thoughts regarding Hugh Nibley around his seventy-fifth birthday.
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Hugh Nibley > Biographies, Reviews of Biographies, Biographical Essays, Biographical Remarks
Versions of this essay were presented at the American Academy of Religion Annual Meeting, Boston, Massachusetts, December 1987, and at the Mormon History Association Annual Meeting, Logan, Utah, May 1988.
An examination of the role of the book of Daniel in early Latter-day Saint culture, both religious and political.
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Hugh Nibley > Scholarship, Footnotes, Collected Works of Hugh Nibley, CWHN, Editing > Bible > Old Testament
“People may well ask: Why study warfare in the Book of Mormon? There are so many answers, among which are these: to understand better the events in the Book of Mormon, to develop a perspective against which to understand its teachings and messages, to enjoy the interesting lives of a remarkable people, and to aid in assaying the historicity of the book, ” writes John W. Welch at the beginning of Warfare in the Book of Mormon.
Articles
This chapter considers the inconsistent amount of detail given to wars in the Book of Mormon, with some important conflicts receiving a mere sentence while several pages are dedicated to less important battles. The author concludes that the wars in the Book of Mormon are intended to prepare us for the spiritual conflict we face in our day.
“An important element in any military endeavor is the loyalty of the soldiers. Obviously, even the most brilliant military tactics will fail if the troops are unfaithful in fulfilling their duty. Often, to instill this loyalty, an oath of allegiance is administered to recruits. The well-known title-of-liberty episode in Alma 46 of the Book of Mormon includes an interesting example of just such an oath. This paper will examine that oath, drawing upon parallels from the ancient Near East for comparison.” [Author]
This chapter examines missionary work in the Book of Mormon as a means to stop warfare with unbelieving groups. The author cites examples from the missions of the sons of Mosiah, as well as the mission to the Zoramites and the preaching of Nephi and Lehi. In each case, war ceased and prosperity was regained after the gospel was preached to the instigators of war.
This chapter examines similarities between the warfare and war-related rituals of ancient Mesoamericans and of the Jaredites in the Book of Mormon. It draws comparisons between secret combinations and treatment of captive kings in both societies.
“The present study explores internally and comparatively several points of interaction between law and war in the Book of Mormon. Within the Book of Mormon, one can observe the effects of war on the normal affairs of Nephite government, the nature of their laws and norms pertaining to the conduct of war itself, and the use of armed forces in maintaining domestic order. One may also compare and contrast the Nephite experience with that of their Israelite relatives.” [Author]
Explains the motives and psychological structure of anti-Mormon communications. Offers advice to those who are troubled by faith-destroying rhetoric.
Old Testament Topics > Adam and Eve [see also Fall]
Old Testament Topics > Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha [including intertestamental books and the Dead Sea Scrolls]
Book of Moses Topics > Selection of Ancient Sources > Adam and Eve — Secondary Sources
Discusses the establishment of Zion on the American Continent. The descendants of Joseph, through the lineage of Lehi, will be the builders of Zion with the assistance of the Gentiles. Several Book of Mormon scriptures show the role of the Lamanites in building Zion.
Shows that the Book of Mormon teaches faith, courage, and how to receive a forgiveness of sins.
A study guide with scriptural paraphrases, questions, and activities designed to aid the reader in understanding the book of Helaman.
Reprinted from Joseph Smith the Prophet and His Progenitors. Historical narrative concerning Joseph Smith’s meetings with E. B. Grandin, Oliver Cowdery’s manuscript transcriptions, securing the copyright, and other details associated with the printing of the Book of Mormon.
By John L. Sorenson, Published on 01/01/90
John Sorenson analyzes the extent and significance of the discrepancy between two reports of the same event in the Book of Mormon and explores how the two versions may have arisen. He looks at the scope of the problem and the fallibility of the historical record before analyzing the problem and offering a resolution. He also provides a reconciled chronology of the years in question and discusses some lessons we can learn from the discrepancy.
More than 5,600 literature items in many languages are listed covering pro- and anti- positions, theory, and methodology. Detailed bibliographical data and annotations, some very detailed, are provided for most items, reporting how they relate to the topic. This work is reviewed in H.036.
Making an analysis of the Book of Abraham and the Book of Mormon, this dissertation concludes that Joseph Smith was a poet, who produced his scriptures not through plagiarism nor the gift of God, but through a “poetic phenomenon” as defined by Julia Kristeva and Jacques Derrida.
The authors provide “devastating” evidence that the Book of Mormon is a product of the 19th century. Upon losing the 116 pages of the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith generalized information because he could not remember all the details of his original 116 pages. In order to further fill in this gap Smith plagiarized from the Bible in order to save his work. The presence of chiasmus in the Book of Mormon is unimpressive because similar structures can be found in Joseph Smith’s writings. This work is reviewed in N.145, T.335, and in R.468.
Analysis of the use of the Book of Mormon in modern scholarship and how it is viewed from a historical stand point.
A 49-chapter commentary on Zenos’s parable of the olive tree in Jacob 5.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Enos
Available for free at BYU ScholarsArchive.
A review of Since Cumorah, Collected Works of Hugh Nibley vol. 7.
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Hugh Nibley > Scholarship, Footnotes, Collected Works of Hugh Nibley, CWHN, Editing > Book of Mormon
A collection of essays, many of which were published previously in Dialogue, Sunstone, John Whitmer Historical Association Journal, Courage, under other titles.
Chiasmus in Exodus 21–23 and Leviticus 24
Old Testament Scriptures > Leviticus
Old Testament Topics > Literary Aspects
A thorough LDS interpretation of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7 and analysis of the words of Jesus at the temple in Bountiful in 3 Nephi 11-18. The Book of Mormon provides keys to unlock the mystery of the Sermon on the Mount. 3 Nephi is a covenantal temple text, giving instructions and commandments relevant to covenant making. A table compares the texts of Matthew 5-7, 3 Nephi 12-14, and the Joseph Smith Translation of Matthew 5-7.
Discusses the sophistication of Mayan astronomy to show that the ancient inhabitants of the Americas would have noticed the appearance of a new star at Christ’s birth.
Chapter 8 of this polemical- evangelical work against Mormonism is concerned with proving the absurdity and falsity of the Book of Mormon. White notes historical inaccuracies, asserts that the book contains false doctrines about grace and the nature of the Trinity, points out alleged textual problems, and rejects the use of Old Testament prophecies by Mormons to support claims for the Book of Mormon.
This second of two volumes of essays honoring Hugh Nibley includes scholarly papers based on what the authors have learned from Nibley. Nearly every major subject that Dr. Nibley has encompassed in his vast learning and scholarly production is represented here by at least one article. Topics include the sacrament covenant in Third Nephi, the Lamanite view of Book of Mormon history, external evidences of the Book of Mormon, proper names in the Book of Mormon, the brass plates version of Genesis, the composition of Lehi’s family, ancient burials of metal documents in stone boxes, repentance as rethinking, Mormon history’s encounter with secular modernity, and Judaism in the 20th century.
A study of how history is typically written and the similarities with how the Book of Mormon is written.
Articles
This second of two volumes of essays honoring Hugh Nibley includes scholarly papers based on what the authors have learned from Nibley. Nearly every major subject that Dr. Nibley has encompassed in his vast learning and scholarly production is represented here by at least one article. Topics include the sacrament covenant in Third Nephi, the Lamanite view of Book of Mormon history, external evidences of the Book of Mormon, proper names in the Book of Mormon, the brass plates version of Genesis, the composition of Lehi’s family, ancient burials of metal documents in stone boxes, repentance as rethinking, Mormon history’s encounter with secular modernity, and Judaism in the 20th century.
There are enough clues scattered through the Nephite record to offer a few conjectures about a Lamanite history of Lehi’s descendants.
This second of two volumes of essays honoring Hugh Nibley includes scholarly papers based on what the authors have learned from Nibley. Nearly every major subject that Dr. Nibley has encompassed in his vast learning and scholarly production is represented here by at least one article. Topics include the sacrament covenant in Third Nephi, the Lamanite view of Book of Mormon history, external evidences of the Book of Mormon, proper names in the Book of Mormon, the brass plates version of Genesis, the composition of Lehi’s family, ancient burials of metal documents in stone boxes, repentance as rethinking, Mormon history’s encounter with secular modernity, and Judaism in the 20th century.
An exploration into Quetzalcoatl—the white, bearded, blue-eyed king of gods for many ancient cultures—and what that might represent in regards to the Book of Mormon and its message.
This second of two volumes of essays honoring Hugh Nibley includes scholarly papers based on what the authors have learned from Nibley. Nearly every major subject that Dr. Nibley has encompassed in his vast learning and scholarly production is represented here by at least one article. Topics include the sacrament covenant in Third Nephi, the Lamanite view of Book of Mormon history, external evidences of the Book of Mormon, proper names in the Book of Mormon, the brass plates version of Genesis, the composition of Lehi’s family, ancient burials of metal documents in stone boxes, repentance as rethinking, Mormon history’s encounter with secular modernity, and Judaism in the 20th century.
An essay written with the purpose to shd some light on problems related to ethnic and racial relations, via a few different channels.
This second of two volumes of essays honoring Hugh Nibley includes scholarly papers based on what the authors have learned from Nibley. Nearly every major subject that Dr. Nibley has encompassed in his vast learning and scholarly production is represented here by at least one article. Topics include the sacrament covenant in Third Nephi, the Lamanite view of Book of Mormon history, external evidences of the Book of Mormon, proper names in the Book of Mormon, the brass plates version of Genesis, the composition of Lehi’s family, ancient burials of metal documents in stone boxes, repentance as rethinking, Mormon history’s encounter with secular modernity, and Judaism in the 20th century.
Until recently, attempts to vindicate the central claim of the Book of Mormon about itself—that it is a divinely inspired book based on the history of an ancient culture—have focused mainly on external evidences. Such attempts examine parallels in the geographies, cultures, and literatures of the Middle East and ancient America (especially parallels to knowledge that have become available only since Joseph Smith’s time). These parallels are used to prove that the Book of Mormon is consistent with ancient knowledge and forms which Joseph Smith could have known only through an ancient manuscript and revelation. This essay takes a different approach, based essentially on internal evidence provided by the book itself. My reflections, stimulated by the work of Mormon scholars such as John Welch, Noel Reynolds, and Bruce Jorgensen, examine techniques developed by non-Mormon literary critics Northrop Frye and Rene Girard in their work on the Bible.
This second of two volumes of essays honoring Hugh Nibley includes scholarly papers based on what the authors have learned from Nibley. Nearly every major subject that Dr. Nibley has encompassed in his vast learning and scholarly production is represented here by at least one article. Topics include the sacrament covenant in Third Nephi, the Lamanite view of Book of Mormon history, external evidences of the Book of Mormon, proper names in the Book of Mormon, the brass plates version of Genesis, the composition of Lehi’s family, ancient burials of metal documents in stone boxes, repentance as rethinking, Mormon history’s encounter with secular modernity, and Judaism in the 20th century.
This essay serves as a testimony to modern Israel—the Latter-day Saints—that we are beginning to resemble God’s ancient covenant people in ways that conflict with our high ideals.
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Hugh Nibley > Scholarship, Footnotes, Collected Works of Hugh Nibley, CWHN, Editing > Discipleship
This second of two volumes of essays honoring Hugh Nibley includes scholarly papers based on what the authors have learned from Nibley. Nearly every major subject that Dr. Nibley has encompassed in his vast learning and scholarly production is represented here by at least one article. Topics include the sacrament covenant in Third Nephi, the Lamanite view of Book of Mormon history, external evidences of the Book of Mormon, proper names in the Book of Mormon, the brass plates version of Genesis, the composition of Lehi’s family, ancient burials of metal documents in stone boxes, repentance as rethinking, Mormon history’s encounter with secular modernity, and Judaism in the 20th century.
Although Latter-day Saints have a knowledge of the process of repentance, they lack a complete understanding of how the scriptures use the term repentance: repentance consists not only of remorse, confession, restitution, and forgiveness, but a literal changing of one’s entire perspective on life, so that eventually a Latter-day Saint may “repent of having to repent.”
This essay originally appeared in a slightly different form in the unpublished “Tinkling Cymbals: Essays in Honor of Hugh Nibley,“ John W. Welch, ed., 1978.
Why science shouldn’t be the absolutely authoritative source of knowledge.
This second of two volumes of essays honoring Hugh Nibley includes scholarly papers based on what the authors have learned from Nibley. Nearly every major subject that Dr. Nibley has encompassed in his vast learning and scholarly production is represented here by at least one article. Topics include the sacrament covenant in Third Nephi, the Lamanite view of Book of Mormon history, external evidences of the Book of Mormon, proper names in the Book of Mormon, the brass plates version of Genesis, the composition of Lehi’s family, ancient burials of metal documents in stone boxes, repentance as rethinking, Mormon history’s encounter with secular modernity, and Judaism in the 20th century.
A discussion about proper names for the Book of Mormon and the relevance of name studies to studying the Book of Mormon.
This second of two volumes of essays honoring Hugh Nibley includes scholarly papers based on what the authors have learned from Nibley. Nearly every major subject that Dr. Nibley has encompassed in his vast learning and scholarly production is represented here by at least one article. Topics include the sacrament covenant in Third Nephi, the Lamanite view of Book of Mormon history, external evidences of the Book of Mormon, proper names in the Book of Mormon, the brass plates version of Genesis, the composition of Lehi’s family, ancient burials of metal documents in stone boxes, repentance as rethinking, Mormon history’s encounter with secular modernity, and Judaism in the 20th century.
This essay goes into the meanings of character, humour, and persona and how Shakespeare uses them in his plays to create different stories.
This second of two volumes of essays honoring Hugh Nibley includes scholarly papers based on what the authors have learned from Nibley. Nearly every major subject that Dr. Nibley has encompassed in his vast learning and scholarly production is represented here by at least one article. Topics include the sacrament covenant in Third Nephi, the Lamanite view of Book of Mormon history, external evidences of the Book of Mormon, proper names in the Book of Mormon, the brass plates version of Genesis, the composition of Lehi’s family, ancient burials of metal documents in stone boxes, repentance as rethinking, Mormon history’s encounter with secular modernity, and Judaism in the 20th century.
Expresses a modification of T. S. Eliot’s these that expands the usual connotations of the terms “talent” and “tradition,” which suggests that there is a strong sense in which talents are fully employed by individuals only when they do not regard them as their own, and that there is an equally strong sense in which tradition exists only in the form of individuals in whom it is reincarnated.
This second of two volumes of essays honoring Hugh Nibley includes scholarly papers based on what the authors have learned from Nibley. Nearly every major subject that Dr. Nibley has encompassed in his vast learning and scholarly production is represented here by at least one article. Topics include the sacrament covenant in Third Nephi, the Lamanite view of Book of Mormon history, external evidences of the Book of Mormon, proper names in the Book of Mormon, the brass plates version of Genesis, the composition of Lehi’s family, ancient burials of metal documents in stone boxes, repentance as rethinking, Mormon history’s encounter with secular modernity, and Judaism in the 20th century.
A study showing that the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith’s prophecies are being discussed in an arena in which there is a struggle for control of the past of the Latter-day Saints.
A shorter version of this article appeared as “Can Judaism Survive the Twentieth Century?“ Tikkun 4, no. 4 (July–August 1989): 38–42.
An explanation of what conditions favor the formation of religious systems, with particular attention to the condition of Judaism in the twentieth century.
This second of two volumes of essays honoring Hugh Nibley includes scholarly papers based on what the authors have learned from Nibley. Nearly every major subject that Dr. Nibley has encompassed in his vast learning and scholarly production is represented here by at least one article. Topics include the sacrament covenant in Third Nephi, the Lamanite view of Book of Mormon history, external evidences of the Book of Mormon, proper names in the Book of Mormon, the brass plates version of Genesis, the composition of Lehi’s family, ancient burials of metal documents in stone boxes, repentance as rethinking, Mormon history’s encounter with secular modernity, and Judaism in the 20th century.
Are there indirect evidences of distinctive contents of the brass plates? Can we learn anything about the plates and their contents through an examination of indirect textual evidence in the Book of Mormon?
Old Testament Scriptures > Genesis
Old Testament Topics > Book of Mormon and the Old Testament
Book of Moses Topics > Chapters of the Book of Moses > Moses 4–6:12 — Grand Council in Heaven, Adam and Eve
Book of Moses Topics > Source Criticism and the Documentary Hypothesis
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Bible > Old Testament > Books > Genesis
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Book of Mormon > Ancient Near East
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Pearl of Great Price > Book of Moses
Essays in Honor of Hugh W. Nibley on the Occasion of His Eightieth Birthday, 27 March 1990.
Essays based on what people have learned from Hugh Nibley.
Articles
This second of two volumes of essays honoring Hugh Nibley includes scholarly papers based on what the authors have learned from Nibley. Nearly every major subject that Dr. Nibley has encompassed in his vast learning and scholarly production is represented here by at least one article. Topics include the sacrament covenant in Third Nephi, the Lamanite view of Book of Mormon history, external evidences of the Book of Mormon, proper names in the Book of Mormon, the brass plates version of Genesis, the composition of Lehi’s family, ancient burials of metal documents in stone boxes, repentance as rethinking, Mormon history’s encounter with secular modernity, and Judaism in the 20th century.
This paper first lists a number of personal experiences which are mentioned but not unduly emphasized in Donna Hill’s biography and which, taken together, appear to have been more than coincidental influences on the formulation of Latter-day Saint doctrine and Church practices.
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Hugh Nibley > Scholarship, Footnotes, Collected Works of Hugh Nibley, CWHN, Editing > Joseph Smith
This second of two volumes of essays honoring Hugh Nibley includes scholarly papers based on what the authors have learned from Nibley. Nearly every major subject that Dr. Nibley has encompassed in his vast learning and scholarly production is represented here by at least one article. Topics include the sacrament covenant in Third Nephi, the Lamanite view of Book of Mormon history, external evidences of the Book of Mormon, proper names in the Book of Mormon, the brass plates version of Genesis, the composition of Lehi’s family, ancient burials of metal documents in stone boxes, repentance as rethinking, Mormon history’s encounter with secular modernity, and Judaism in the 20th century.
A microanthropological examination of what the text reveals regarding the composition and demography of Lehi’s party from the beginning of their sojourn in the Arabian wilderness to their arrival in the promised land.
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Hugh Nibley > Scholarship, Footnotes, Collected Works of Hugh Nibley, CWHN, Editing > Book of Mormon
This second of two volumes of essays honoring Hugh Nibley includes scholarly papers based on what the authors have learned from Nibley. Nearly every major subject that Dr. Nibley has encompassed in his vast learning and scholarly production is represented here by at least one article. Topics include the sacrament covenant in Third Nephi, the Lamanite view of Book of Mormon history, external evidences of the Book of Mormon, proper names in the Book of Mormon, the brass plates version of Genesis, the composition of Lehi’s family, ancient burials of metal documents in stone boxes, repentance as rethinking, Mormon history’s encounter with secular modernity, and Judaism in the 20th century.
This second of two volumes of essays honoring Hugh Nibley includes scholarly papers based on what the authors have learned from Nibley. Nearly every major subject that Dr. Nibley has encompassed in his vast learning and scholarly production is represented here by at least one article. Topics include the sacrament covenant in Third Nephi, the Lamanite view of Book of Mormon history, external evidences of the Book of Mormon, proper names in the Book of Mormon, the brass plates version of Genesis, the composition of Lehi’s family, ancient burials of metal documents in stone boxes, repentance as rethinking, Mormon history’s encounter with secular modernity, and Judaism in the 20th century.
Similarities between King Mosiah’s coronation and ancient Middle Eastern coronation rites.
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Hugh Nibley > Scholarship, Footnotes, Collected Works of Hugh Nibley, CWHN, Editing > Book of Mormon
This second of two volumes of essays honoring Hugh Nibley includes scholarly papers based on what the authors have learned from Nibley. Nearly every major subject that Dr. Nibley has encompassed in his vast learning and scholarly production is represented here by at least one article. Topics include the sacrament covenant in Third Nephi, the Lamanite view of Book of Mormon history, external evidences of the Book of Mormon, proper names in the Book of Mormon, the brass plates version of Genesis, the composition of Lehi’s family, ancient burials of metal documents in stone boxes, repentance as rethinking, Mormon history’s encounter with secular modernity, and Judaism in the 20th century.
Discusses Alma’s use of the material about Melchizedek.
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Hugh Nibley > Scholarship, Footnotes, Collected Works of Hugh Nibley, CWHN, Editing > Bible > Old Testament
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Hugh Nibley > Scholarship, Footnotes, Collected Works of Hugh Nibley, CWHN, Editing > Book of Mormon
This paper is an expanded version of a paper presented earlier at the Library History Seminar VI in March 1980.
This paper deals with the persistence of a strange documentary custom of the Mesopotamian kings, which led to numerous burials of metallic documents (often encased in stone boxes or other special containers) and were concealed in the foundations or other inaccessible recesses of temples and palaces.
Old Testament Topics > Book of Mormon and the Old Testament
Old Testament Topics > Types and Symbols
The acceptance of ad hoc ideas on Book of Mormon geography has been a continuing problem in Church history, and for a very good reason. Specifics are generally lacking, and attempts to quantify missing geographic data are frequently met with considerable skepticism. Some Church members find it equally difficult to accept the suggestion that naturally occurring events played a role in anything that is more easily explained by supernatural activity. Fully cognizant that addressing either subject is analogous to welcoming the African killer bees across the southern borders of our country, I offer a new idea on Lehi’s transoceanic voyage, an idea that is firmly rooted in recent atmospheric and oceanographic observations.
Poetry. No abstract available.
Poetry. No abstract available
Poetry. No abstract available
The frequency with which the subject of resurrection is discussed, the wide range of details, and the high level of agreement among the many testimonies all show that the doctrine of the resurrection is a major teaching of the Book of Mormon. The extent of these teachings is in keeping with the prophecy of Enoch in Moses 7:62, which says that the record will come out of the earth, “to bear testimony of the Only Begotten, his resurrection from the dead, and also the resurrection of all men.” The Book of Mormon shows that the prophets regarded the resurrection of the physical body as a reality that would unconditionally occur to every person regardless of individual worthiness. It is declared to have coverage as broad as death. The major effort of the prophets was to get people prepared spiritually. Redemption from the spiritual death that results from one’s own sins received serious attention. The Book of Mormon declares that redemption from the effects of Adam’s fall (both the physical and spiritual death) is absolute, unconditional, and automatically assured to all mankind by Jesus Christ without man’s effort. Man’s redemption from sins is available because of the atonement of Jesus Christ but requires individual repentance and obedience. Perhaps because of this individual responsibility the Book of Mormon does not teach how to perform a resurrection, but does teach how to repent.
Gary Novak explains the problems caused by looking at religious history through naturalistic assumptions. He uses the naturalistic writings of Dale Morgan and Fawn Brodie to show that such assumptions exclude God from the writing of history, transforming the meaning of faith and eroding collective religious memory.He looks at biases created when Marvin Hill and Leonard Arrington adopt naturalistic assumptions into their writing.
Poetry. No abstract available.
Articles
The idea of writing down experiences on the gold plates may have been borrowed from the brass plates, which preserved the Nephites’ religion, language, and civilization. Without them the Nephites would have “suffered in ignorance”
Indeed this is a time for reflection on activities of the past, and for resolution pertaining to the future. This evening is a real milestone—the first Sabbath day of new semester, of a new year, and of a new decade.
When copies of the Book of Mormon were not available at a county fair in Albert Lea, MN, 100 copies were sent and helped interest inactive members and investigators.
I used to think that faith in God came in the form of feeling certain that life would be as I wanted it to be. I have grown to understand that to have ultimate faith in God is to know he is with us and will give us unfailing strength to help us through life’s challenges.
Old Testament Topics > Types and Symbols
Articles
Old Testament Topics > Covenant [see also Ephraim, Israel, Jews, Joseph]
Examines the difference between the Joseph Smith Translation and the Book of Mormon version of the Lord’s Prayer (3 Nephi 5:10-15). The author explains that Hebrew idiomatic usage resolves the differences.
An illustrated story for children about Jacob and Sherem.
Article advertising the author’s book Covering Up The Black Hole in the Book of Mormon. Suggests that there is too much emphasis on Christ in the “Old Testament portion” of the Book of Mormon, gives examples of how Joseph Smith plagiarized from the Bible, and claims that a lack of Jewish festivals in the Book of Mormon proves its Protestant origin.
Comments on recent negative publicity given the Book of Mormon when Jefferey Lundgren convinced his followers that chiasmus was the only way God speaks in scripture.
This article presents the results of a word-by-word comparison of Isaiah passages used in the Book of Mormon. Entire verses and phrases are lost from the book of Isaiah in the Bible, and the biblical Isaiah had lost the concept of the restoration of the entire House of Israel.
“We must, like the prodigal son, arise and go to our father and be prepared for that resplendent reunion.”
Parts of the Book of Mormon were translated into Chamorro, the language of Guam, and presented to leaders of government in Guam.
“I pray God to help us remember true leaders always lead with mild voices, love, and persuasion.”
Personalized copies of the Book of Mormon were given to members of the Virginia State Legislature in a gesture to thank public servants.
Articles
Old Testament Topics > Ten Commandments
Old Testament Topics > Law of Moses
Old Testament Topics > Sacrifice
Old Testament Topics > Types and Symbols
An illustrated story for children about Enos.
“There are valleys as well as peaks, broken bones as well as victory feasts, exhaustion as well as jubilation.”
Elder Ashton gave encouragement to read the Book of Mormon in President Benson’s behalf.
“Never be satisfied with where you are. Always be reaching out to make the world a better place, to make your sacrifice for the benefit of your fellowmen.”
Fourteen brief recommendations on how to interest children in reading the Book of Mormon.
Many people have preserved one of the original 5,000 copies of the Book of Mormon. These have been collected by Church members or the Church History Museum.
An illustrated story for children that tells of the Jaredites leaving Babel in order to find the promised land.
Articles
Talks
Details of the history of Book of Mormon manuscripts and RLDS editions are summarized in a chart. Concludes with the suggestion that a corrected text is needed.
An assertion that the traditional Mormon interpretation of the prophecy in Ezekiel 37 regarding the Book of Mormon is both naive and unsupportable in light of Near Eastern scholarship.
Both Lehi and Jeremiah denominate Joseph of Egypt (2 Nephi 3) as the “righteous branch,” an expression that generally refers to Christ. This fact suggests that Lehi possessed or had access to a copy of Jeremiah’s writings or that Nephi and Jeremiah were acquaintances.
An examination of the life and work of Thomas Stuart Ferguson, a well known Book of Mormon apologist and founder of the New World Archaeological Foundation. The writer concludes that Ferguson lost faith in the Book of Mormon before he died.
Interview transcript.
An interview with Hugh Nibley covering everything from early life and academics to his patriarchal blessing (and his refusal to talk about it) to his work.
An illustrated story for children that tells of the Jaredites traveling to the promised land through the Lord’s guidance.
Articles
Many of us are trying to save ourselves, holding the Atonement of Jesus Christ at arm’s distance and saying, “When I’ve done it, when I’ve perfected myself, when I’ve made myself worthy, then I’ll be worthy of the Atonement.
Old Testament Scriptures > 1 & 2 Kings/1 & 2 Chronicles
Articles
Children’s illustrated story of Ether and the Jaredites.
The term friend is often used to express a covenantal agreement between two individuals. Such was the case between Zoram and Nephi (2 Nephi 1:55, RLDS versification). Other examples include Isaiah 41:8, 2 Chronicles 20:7, and Zechariah 13:6.
Yours is a future without limit because you have decided to be unwavering in obedience to the Lord.
“When we don’t use our arms, we lose the use of our muscles. So it is with our talents and testimonies in our lives.”
Articles
Old Testament Topics > Elijah
A four-part series that emphasizes that the Book of Mormon teaches the correct principles of the Atonement. The power of resurrection is provided only by the Savior. Only the Book of Mormon teaches the fulness of the truth of the Atonement, why life is as it is, and how one may approach God to be at one with him. Since all fall short, the blood sacrifice of the Savior was the indispensable step. Atonement is both individual and collective and so God’s people must be “of one heart and one mind.” “The Atonement is one of the grand constants in nature.”
Articles
Part one of a four-part series that emphasizes that the Book of Mormon teaches the correct principles of the Atonement.
The power of resurrection is provided only by the Savior. Only the Book of Mormon teaches the fulness of the truth of the Atonement, why life is as it is, and how one may approach God to be at one with Him. Since all fall short, the blood sacrifice of the Savior was the indispensable step. Atonement is both individual and collective and so God’s people must be “of one heart and one mind.” “The Atonement is one of the grand constants in nature.”
Part two of a four-part series that emphasizes that the Book of Mormon teaches the correct principles of the Atonement.
The power of resurrection is provided only by the Savior. Only the Book of Mormon teaches the fulness of the truth of the Atonement, why life is as it is, and how one may approach God to be at one with Him. Since all fall short, the blood sacrifice of the Savior was the indispensable step. Atonement is both individual and collective and so God’s people must be “of one heart and one mind.” “The Atonement is one of the grand constants in nature.”
Part three of a four-part series that emphasizes that the Book of Mormon teaches the correct principles of the Atonement.
The power of resurrection is provided only by the Savior. Only the Book of Mormon teaches the fulness of the truth of the Atonement, why life is as it is, and how one may approach God to be at one with Him. Since all fall short, the blood sacrifice of the Savior was the indispensable step. Atonement is both individual and collective and so God’s people must be “of one heart and one mind.” “The Atonement is one of the grand constants in nature.”
Part four of a four-part series that emphasizes that the Book of Mormon teaches the correct principles of the Atonement.
The power of resurrection is provided only by the Savior. Only the Book of Mormon teaches the fulness of the truth of the Atonement, why life is as it is, and how one may approach God to be at one with Him. Since all fall short, the blood sacrifice of the Savior was the indispensable step. Atonement is both individual and collective and so God’s people must be “of one heart and one mind.” “The Atonement is one of the grand constants in nature.”
Michael Coe has noted that the books of Mayan writing were reportedly very similar in appearance to Egyptian, thus vindicating the Book of Mormon.
After viewing carvings that depicted women as victims of war in Cop‡n, Honduras, the author better understood passages in Mormon and Moroni concerning the final destruction of the Nephites.
Personal story. Author tells of the Book of Mormon’s influence in her son’s life. He lay at life’s edge, pale as the pillowcase beneath him, and spoke in the faintest whisper: “What are you reading?”
Personal story. Author tells of the Book of Mormon’s influence in her son’s life.
Talks
Suggestions for member missionaries by nine contributors on ways to share the Book of Mormon with those who are not members of the Church.
Copies of the Book of Mormon are being made available free of charge to non-members through advertising in newspapers and television, distribution by missionaries.
Articles
Old Testament Topics > Restoration and Joseph Smith
Children’s illustrated story of King Benjamin’s tower.
Reports on the progress of publishing a new edition of the Book of Mormon and asks for financial assistance from the reader.
Shows the correlation between the Book of Mormon identification of Christ as the “Word of Truth” (Alma 18:12, RLDS versification) and the Hebrew term for truth (’emeth).
The Book of Mormon begins and ends with the concept of covenant. It is found in the opening and closing verses. This article encourages Book of Mormon readers to study the covenants found in the Book of Mormon in order to gain understanding and to be “used by God to assist” in his work.
“We don’t have to have personal experience with the effects of serious transgressions to know that they are destructive of our eternal welfare.”
“A knowledge of who we are, a self-image that is ennobling, a strict sense of moral responsibility, a disciplined spirit, and a keen sense of duty to God—these are the keys to spiritual power.”
A repair man asks about paintings of the prophets on the wall. He receives a Book of Mormon from the family and is thankful.
“The teacher’s work, especially here at Karl Maeser’s school, is a deeply satisfying labor, with students and books and papers that bless us all the days God lets us live. What a good way to spend our lives.”
“The only constant across the entire time period has been our commitment to our unique combination of things spiritual with things secular.”
Articles
Serve and grow, faithfully and quietly. Be on guard regarding the praise of men.
“I strongly believe that one of the best barometers by which you can measure whether you are taking advantage of what BYU uniquely offers is your activity in your ward or other congregation.”
Hazel Staley produced a slide show, using her Sunday School class, that depicted part of the Book of Mormon. This project eventually involved the whole congregation and took over 1 1/2 hours to show.
There will be a day for you and me when, whatever difficulties and limitations we have here, we will have that promise fulfilled for us. We will be lifted up as on eagles’ wings, and it will be those who have waited upon the Lord.
Tells of Wang Chun Chang’s conversion to the RLDS church and his efforts to translate the Book of Mormon into Chinese.
Articles
Talks
The name Mormon is an honorable name, borne by one who was a great prophet on the American continent. Joseph Smith said that the name meant “more good” (TJS, pp. 299-300). The book that Mormon prepared bears his name—the Book of Mormon. It has touched the lives of thousands for good, for it witnesses of the Savior and Redeemer of the world, Jesus Christ.
A reaffirmation by Larry S. Ferguson on behalf of his father Thomas Stuart Ferguson that he (Thomas Stuart Ferguson) believed the Book of Mormon to be the word of God until the day that he died.
Results of the author’s textual comparison research detailing differences between the printer’s manuscript and the 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon.
Cites the teachings and prophecies of Zenos included in the Book of Mormon to demonstrate his importance as a prophet.
Finds parallels between Maya hieroglyphs and themes in the Book of Mormon to demonstrate the validity of Mesoamerica as the setting for Book of Mormon events.
Children’s illustrated story of Zeniff and his people.
“We can offer our own witness of the truth, quietly, sincerely, honestly, but never in a manner that will give offense to others.”
The Applewood Ward completed a program to read the Book of Mormon in ninety days, helping those who were reading it for the first time.
While serving a mission in Nigeria, the Gunells received a referral to the chief of a local tribe. When they went to teach him the discussions they found that he had received a copy of the Book of Mormon from Alice Gunell’s sister, who had also wanted to go on a mission.
Articles
Advertisement for the authors’ work Ferguson’s Manuscript Unveiled, which deals with Thomas Ferguson’s loss of faith in the Book of Mormon as an ancient book.
“But the highest and most important use of the mind is to lead us to peace in this life and exaltation in the world to come.”
“If any of you are burdened with sin and sorrow, transgression and guilt, then unload your wagon and fill it with obedience, faith, and hope, and a regular renewal of your covenants with God.”
Articles
Old Testament Topics > Types and Symbols
In 1 Nephi 1:1-2,we find a most significant chiasm which directs us to the importance of understanding the “Learning of the |ews.”
Originally part of a Sunday School lesson. Reprinted in Eloquent Witness, CWHN 17:252–58.
By having the Book of Mormon fund included with the tithing and fast offering slip, the First Presidency hopes to increase donations for the Book of Mormon fund.
The original title page of the Book of Mormon was reset in type by Paul Miller. The new printing will go to the Museum of Church History.
A copy of a “Lecture on the authenticity and scriptural character of the Book of Mormon,” written by George J. Adams in 1844. Confirms that the Book of Mormon is not the only scripture accepted by the Church, the Mormons also believe the Bible “as far as it has been translated correctly”
Review of A Most Convincing Witness: Reasons Why the Book of Mormon Is the True Word of God (1990), by Randall K. Mehew.
RSC Topics > T — Z > Teaching the Gospel
RSC Topics > T — Z > Testimony
Review of Joseph Smith's New York Reputation Reexamined (1990), by Rodger I. Anderson.
A summary of the scriptural and historical evidences concerning the Arabian Bountiful, with an evaluation of all possible coastal locations on the Arabian peninsula based upon exploratory fieldwork by the authors in the Sultanate of Oman and the Republic of Yemen from 1984 to 1990. The study concludes that an objective and precise identification of Bountiful with a present-day location is now feasible and introduces data on physical traces revealing very early human involvement at the site.
An early version of this paper was presented October 17, 1986, at the 35th Annual Symposium on the Archaeology of the Scriptures, sponsored by the Society of Early Historic Archaeology at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. Based upon field research by the authors in the Republic of Yemen 1984 - 1990, it was revised January 1991.
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.
Articles
In many places in the Book of Mormon, the authors refer to writings known to them but not included in the book. One of these is the record of Lehi. Nephi reported that he made “an abridgment of the record of my father” (1 Nephi 1:17), which he included on his own original (large) plates. An English translation of that abridgment was included in the 116 pages of manuscript translation lost by Martin Harris in 1828. Someday we will have that record restored; meanwhile, we can discover some of what it contained because both Nephi and Jacob included parts from it in their records.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Jacob
Sixty-one brief chapters discuss various sections of the Book of Mormon. Gospel application is the goal of the author. The author states, “When we immerse ourselves in the scriptures with the desire to apply what we learn, we receive a much deeper understanding and witness of the eternal truths found there than when we merely read to learn facts” (preface). This work is reviewed in S.432.
Regarded by many as a modern miracle, the United States Constitution is one of the most impressive and important documents in human history. Yet clearly the continued vitality of the Constitution and its principles is not a given. Modern trends undermine the survival of the Constitution and its institutions. This book serves to remind us that it is not enough to merely enshrine the Constitution as an interesting historical relic; rather, the prophets urge us to keep it alive by studying and understanding its principles, being responsible in our civic duties, and being righteous citizens of our communities. ISBN 0-8849-4783-1
Articles
RSC Topics > A — C > Church History 1845–1877
RSC Topics > T — Z > Worship
RSC Topics > L — P > Obedience
RSC Topics > L — P > Obedience
RSC Topics > L — P > Obedience
RSC Topics > L — P > Obedience
No abstract available.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Alma
In the mood of whimsy the author discusses various aspects of story telling in and about the Book of Mormon. Refers to a current school in textual criticism that claims that the main subject of a book is what it does not say. For the Book of Mormon the subject of sex is the missing ingredient.
The goals of the authors are to show “(1) the origins of the American Indians, (2) cultural parallels between the Old and the New World, and (3) temples, mounds, and ruins in prehistoric North America” Includes photographs and illustrations. This work is reviewed in R.007.
Christenson, in the annual FARMS lecture delivered on 27 February 1991, examined the Maya New Year’s harvest festival, perhaps the most important public festival of the year. The festival coincided with the main corn harvest in mid-November and served as the New Year’s Day of the solar calendar, when kingship was renewed. Christenson gave particular attention to the symbolic treatments of the evil god Mam; the ritual descent of the king, as representative of the god of life and resurrection, into the underworld; the king’s ritual conflict with and defeat of the lords of the underworld (and of death); and the king’s triumphant return or resurrection. The Maya used the image of the tree of life in connection with the atonement and resurrection.
A teacher’s manual intended as a resource for Sunday School teachers of adult classes. Each lesson has two parts—”scriptural highlights which summarize the reading assignment, and a discussion and applications section”
Articles
Natural means might have been used to transport Lehi’s group to the promised land. Under ordinary circumstances it would be dificult to traverse eastward from Indonesia to America as the ocean currents flow westerly. But a natural occurrence that happens every two to ten years changes the flow of currents to an easterly direction—it is called El Niño. Had Lehi traveled from the Arabian Peninsula in August at the height of the monsoonal cycle and reached the Paciic in time to catch the El Niño he would have landed on the west coast of Central America.
Describes the relationships between fathers and sons in the Book of Mormon. For instance, righteous fathers taught their sons and righteous sons followed the example of their fathers. The greatest father and son are represented to be God and Jesus Christ. The book reinforces and describes the most important role of a man— fatherhood. This work is reviewed in J.114 and M.240.
Review of The Sermon at the Temple and the Sermon on the Mount (1990), by John W. Welch.
Presents a short biography and a collection of David Whitmer interviews and letters that date from March 1858 to January 1888. Many of the materials deal with his testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. This work is reviewed in P.206.
Deals with the coming forth of the Book of Mormon, including angel Moroni’s visit to Joseph Smith, the obtaining of the gold plates, the book’s translation and publication, and the witnesses to the book and their testimonies.
Many Christians and their churches have seen the fall of Adam as a great mistake that ruined God’s plan and offended him. They have assumed that God was unhappy with humanity for what Adam did in Eden. This led to the idea that we must win back his love and favor. If we could not do that by our own actions, then it had to be by Christ’s suffering, as a kind of gift that would please God. But the scriptures are clear that God did not reject us; rather, mankind rejected him. We do not need to win back God’s love; he is always ready. Instead, we need to be reconciled to God.
Review of Lehi's Isle of Promise: A Scriptural Account with Word Definitions and a Commentary.
Articles
Review of Warfare in the Book of Mormon (1990), edited by Stephen D. Ricks and William J. Hamblin.
Review of The Geography of the Book of Mormon Events: A Source Book (1990), by John L. Sorenson.
Review of Keys to Successful Scripture Study (1989), by George A. Horton, Jr.
Review of Isaiah and the Book of Mormon: A Study Guide for Understanding the Writings of Isaiah in the Book of Mormon (1990), by Philip J. Schlesinger.
Review of The Word of God: Essays on Mormon Scripture (1990), edited by Dan Vogel.
Review of Covering Up the Black Hole in the Book of Mormon (1990), by Jerald and Sandra Tanner.
Review of How to Hiss Forth with the Book of Mormon (1989), by Robert E. and Sandra L. Hales.
Introduction to the current issue.
Review of The Best Kept Secrets in the Book of Mormon (1988), by Loftes Tryk.
Review of Parallel Histories: The Nephites and the Americans (1989), by Anthony E. Larson.
Review of Exploring the Lands of the Book of Mormon (1989), by Joseph L. Allen.
Review of Fun for Family Night: Book of Mormon Edition (1990), by Allan K. Burgess and Max H. Molgard.
Review of The Word of God: Essays on Mormon Scripture (1990), edited by Dan Vogel.
Review of Covering Up the Black Hole in the Book of Mormon (1990), by Jerald and Sandra Tanner.
Bibliography of publications on the Book of Mormon in 1990.
Review of Covering Up the Black Hole in the Book of Mormon (1990), by Jerald and Sandra Tanner.
Review of Warfare in the Book of Mormon (1990), edited by Stephen D. Ricks and William J. Hamblin.
Review of The Book of Mormon: Jacob through Words of Mormon, To Learn with Joy (1990), edited by Monte S. Nyman and Charles D. Tate Jr.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Words of Mormon
Review of Heroes from the Book of Mormon (1995), by Deseret Book
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Enos
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Alma
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Moroni
Old Testament Topics > Prophets and Prophecy
The Book of Mormon offers four keys essential for understanding Isaiah: (1) the spirit of prophecy or the Holy Ghost; (2) the letter of prophecy or the manner of the Jews; (3) diligent searching of Isaiah’s words; and (4) types, or the idea that events in Israel’s past foreshadow events in the latter days. When we apply these four keys to Isaiah’s writings, a message unfolds there that is immediately applicable and recognizable to Latter-day Saints. The developing spiritual and political shape of the world in which we live parallels precisely the prophetic scenario Isaiah drew up millennia ago.
A minor story in the Book of Mormon provides an example of how complex the task of reading the book can be. It also illustrates how much richer our understanding can be when we remember that the Book of Mormon is an ancient record with connections to other ancient records, particularly the Old Testament. In the book of Mosiah, a band of wicked priests hid in the wilderness and kidnapped some young women to be their wives (see 20:1-5). This story can be read as an adventure tale. If looked at carefully, however, it shows the kind of connections between the Book of Mormon and the Old Testament that demonstrate that the Book of Mormon is an ancient book.
The death and burial of Ishmael at Nahom (see 1 Nephi 16:34-39) can puzzle readers who are uncertain about how the story fits into Nephi’s overall account or uncertain about why the incident is included at all. This section, however, is one of those parts of the Book of Mormon that contain hints of a deeper meaning than what appears on the surface. At least one important meaning of the Nahom episode is connected with the word Nahom itself.
A Temple Square guide responds to a letter written by visitors. Reaffirms that “the Book of Mormon, along with the Bible contain the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ” The author uses stories from both the Book of Mormon and the Bible to rehearse the Plan of Salvation in order to assist understanding of the Book of Mormon.
(Comment on Alexander Campbell’s analysis of the Book of Mormon.)
The wars and battles described in the Book of Mormon include some of the most detailed narratives of the book. Those accounts provide us with an excellent chance to examine how consistent and complex the text is. Joseph Smith lived in an age of warfare with guns, yet the Book of Mormon displays patterns of warfare that made sense only before gunpowder was used. This can be seen in both the general patterns and in the tiny details of the text. Descriptions of weapons and tactics in the Book of Mormon are definitely ancient. Furthermore, the warfare in the Book of Mormon differs from what we read about in the Bible. It differs in the same way that war in ancient Mesoamerica differed from biblical warfare.
Mormon’s choices are most revealing when the message of his editing seems to contradict the facts that he recorded. Mormon’s honesty as a historian sometimes forced him to include facts that did not exactly support the message he was trying to convey. This tension is frequent in the Book of Mormon as Mormon tried to make spiritual sense of historical events. For me at least, this tension is evidence that Mormon was an actual person, since we all face similar difficulties in making sense of our own lives.
Links inscriptions on rocks in the American Southwest with Book of Mormon themes. This work is reviewed in T.176.
Sequel to Tennis Shoes among the Nephites. Fiction.
An alphabetical listing of translations of the Book of Mormon, including editions from both the LDS and RLDS churches. Also includes an example of the script of the language and photocopies of the cover and/or title page.
Roger Keller explores what it means to keep the commandments of God. He looks to the Book of Mormon and analyzes passages related to laws and commandments and concludes that there are significant differences in the ways words like law and command are used by various authors of the Book of Mormon. Keller suggests that all laws and commandments given by God to his people lead to one commandment: “Come unto Christ.”
The title page of the Book of Mormon states that the first purpose of the book is “to show unto the remnant of the House of Israel what great things the Lord hath done for their fathers; and that they may know the covenants of the Lord, that they are not cast off forever.” This means that the Book of Mormon is intended, in part, to teach Lehi’s descendants about the covenants that the Lord has made with them. The key covenant they will learn about is that they would be a blessing for all nations—a consecrated people of God. Beyond teaching about the covenants, the Book of Mormon also prophesies key signs and events that will demonstrate when the promised covenant is being fulfilled in the latter days.
RSC Topics > G — K > Gratitude
RSC Topics > Q — S > Salvation
RSC Topics > Q — S > Stewardship
RSC Topics > D — F > Death
RSC Topics > L — P > Law of Moses
RSC Topics > L — P > Prophets
RSC Topics > Q — S > Resurrection
Authors make topical comments on each verse (or cluster of verses) of Alma and Helaman. Alma chapters 43-62, which deal with war, do not contain a detailed discussion of verses, but a six- page exposition on various subthemes. The work is doctrinally oriented. This work is reviewed in A.029.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Helaman
The link between Joseph Smith and the Masons is equivocal. At the time of Joseph Smith’s death, it was thought that Masonry was a threat to free government and the Book of Mormon revealed Masonic secrets. The accounts of the brother of Jared, Lehi, and others contain Masonic elements.
Questions 20, 34, and 35 deal with the Book of Mormon: the traditional Mormon interpretation of Ezekiel 37:16-17 is erroneous and the proper interpretation refers to the nations of Israel and Judah; praying about the Book of Mormon is not necessary since the Bible warns against those who preach any other gospel than what has been preached in the Bible; the Book of Mormon is not inspired of God as John 1:18 says that “no man hath seen God at any time” and since Joseph Smith claims to have seen God, he is a false prophet.
Careful attention to one particular word used in the Book of Mormon yields some surprising dividends. For example, Lehi pled with his sons to remember his words: “My sons, I would that ye would remember; yea, I would that ye would hearken unto my words.” Such language may go unnoticed, or it may seem to be merely a request to recall some teachings. The word remember seems rather plain and straightforward. But when looked at more closely, the language about remembrance in the Book of Mormon turns out to be rich and complex, conveying important, hidden meaning.
The Book of Mormon is holy scripture. It is a key witness of the divine Sonship of Jesus Christ and a convincing testimony that salvation is to be found only through him. The Book of Mormon’s primary message, that Jesus Christ came to earth to redeem mankind, is closely tied to the history of the house of Israel. One of the primary purposes of the Nephite record, according to its title page, is “to show unto the remnant of the House of Israel what great things the Lord hath done for their fathers; and that they may know the covenants of the Lord, that they are not cast off forever.”
RSC Topics > D — F > Devil
RSC Topics > D — F > Doctrine
RSC Topics > D — F > Fall of Adam and Eve
RSC Topics > Q — S > Sin
The apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal” (1 Corinthians 13:1). Since then, the terms tinkling cymbals and sounding brass have often been used to signify words of emptiness and confusion—describing perfectly most writings critical of the Latter-day Saints.
Trained in history and interested in classical rhetoric, Hugh Nibley brings a broad perspective to his study of anti-Mormon writings. Included in this volume are:“No Ma’am, that’s Not History,” “Censoring the Joseph Smith Story,” “The Myth Makers,” and “Sounding Brass”
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Brigham Young > Criticsms and Apologetics > Ann Eliza Young
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > The Collected Works of Hugh Nibley (CWHN)
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Joseph Smith > Criticisms, Apologetics
Chapters
Reprinted from an earlier edition by the same title.
This is a short, witty reply to Fawn M. Brodie’s No Man Knows My History: The Life of Joseph Smith, the Mormon Prophet, 2nd ed., rev. and enlarged (New York: Knopf, 1945; 1971). Nibley’s response to Brodie signaled to the Saints that there was still room for a nonnaturalistic account of Joseph Smith’s prophetic claims and revelations. Cultural Mormons who celebrated a new enlightenment with the appearance of Brodie’s treatment of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon were often troubled by what they considered Nibley’s flippant response to Brodie. Opposition to his views has also been a common feature of the secular, revisionist element in the so-called New Mormon History, which has tended to see in Brodie’s account of Joseph Smith the beginning or basic outline of an acceptable naturalistic account of Mormon things.
“Nibley’s remarks might be compared to the more extensive, though still limited, review of reviews of Brodie’s book on Jefferson by Louis Midgley, “The Brodie Connection: Thomas Jefferson and Joseph Smith,” BYU Studies 20, no. 1 (1979): 59–67, and also by Jerry Knudson, “Jefferson the Father of Slave Children? One View of the Book Reviewers,” Journalism History 3, no. 2 (1976): 56–58, who examined a somewhat larger sample of the reviews of Brodie’s book than did Midgley, though with similar results. Knudson concluded that professional historians had been highly critical of her scholarship.
Brodie responded (Journalism History 3, no. 2 [Summer 1977]: 59–60) to Knudson by citing, as examples of historians who had written favorable comments on her book, the advertising blurbs that were provided by her historian friends for W. W. Norton, her publisher. The conclusions found in the Midgley and Knudson essays can be checked against and updated from the more than seventy separate reviews of her Jefferson book, most of which have been assembled in the Brodie Papers in Special Collections at the Marriott Library, University of Utah.“
Brief comments by Nibley on two reviews of Fawn Brodie’s Thomas Jefferson: An Intimate History (New York: Norton, 1974). He calls attention to similarities between features of his 1946 review of Brodie’s No Man Knows My History and criticisms of her Jefferson by David H. Donald in Commentary 58, no. 1 (July 1974): 96–98, and Gary Wills in the New York Review of Books 21 (18 April 1974): 26–27.
Originally a four-part series in the Improvement Era, running from July to November 1961.
Explains how Joseph Smith’s critics in the 1840s and Fawn Brodie rewrote Joseph’s story to suit their perceptions of the Book of Mormon and the First Vision.
The apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal” (I Corinthians 13:1). Since then, the terms “tinkling cymbals” and “sounding brass” have often been used to signify words of emptiness and confusion describing perfectly most writings critical of the Latter-day Saints. Trained in history and interested in classical rhetoric, Hugh Nibley brings a broad perspective to his study of anti-Mormon writings.
The apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal” (I Corinthians 13:1). Since then, the terms “tinkling cymbals” and “sounding brass” have often been used to signify words of emptiness and confusion describing perfectly most writings critical of the Latter-day Saints. Trained in history and interested in classical rhetoric, Hugh Nibley brings a broad perspective to his study of anti-Mormon writings.
The apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal” (I Corinthians 13:1). Since then, the terms “tinkling cymbals” and “sounding brass” have often been used to signify words of emptiness and confusion describing perfectly most writings critical of the Latter-day Saints. Trained in history and interested in classical rhetoric, Hugh Nibley brings a broad perspective to his study of anti-Mormon writings.
The apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal” (I Corinthians 13:1). Since then, the terms “tinkling cymbals” and “sounding brass” have often been used to signify words of emptiness and confusion describing perfectly most writings critical of the Latter-day Saints. Trained in history and interested in classical rhetoric, Hugh Nibley brings a broad perspective to his study of anti-Mormon writings.
The apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal” (I Corinthians 13:1). Since then, the terms “tinkling cymbals” and “sounding brass” have often been used to signify words of emptiness and confusion describing perfectly most writings critical of the Latter-day Saints. Trained in history and interested in classical rhetoric, Hugh Nibley brings a broad perspective to his study of anti-Mormon writings.
The apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal” (I Corinthians 13:1). Since then, the terms “tinkling cymbals” and “sounding brass” have often been used to signify words of emptiness and confusion describing perfectly most writings critical of the Latter-day Saints. Trained in history and interested in classical rhetoric, Hugh Nibley brings a broad perspective to his study of anti-Mormon writings.
A three-pronged discussion of Joseph Smith’s statement that the Book of Mormon (1) is the most correct book, (2) is the keystone of the LDS religion, and (3) enables a person to get close to God by abiding by its precepts. Subthemes deal with the translation of the book, a warning to the inhabitants of the promised land, how the book contains a fulness of the Gospel, how the book is scripture, what it has to say about the ministering of angels, how the book testifies of the Bible, and how the world is to be judged by the book.
The Fifth Annual Book of Mormon Symposium at BYU King Benjamin’s monumental address on service and the Savior; the powerful testimony and the martyrdom of the prophet Abinadi; the moving conversion stories of both Alma the Elder and Alma the Younger; the deliverance of Nephites from Lamanite bondage—this is the historically and doctrinally rich material of which this volume’s papers draw their themes. Other questions and issues are explored: What specific, vital lessons about following living prophets, making and keeping covenants, and developing Christlike qualities can parents draw from the book of Mosiah to teach to their children, and how can they effectively teach them those lessons? What political and social insights, as well as warnings, are implied by the similarities between the Nephite system of judges and the constitutional system of the United States? Other topics include an in-depth look at the priesthood calling and practices, the process of spiritual rebirth, and lessons on bondage. ISBN 0-8849-4816-1
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Alma
Articles
Old Testament Topics > Book of Mormon and the Old Testament
RSC Topics > L — P > Priesthood
RSC Topics > D — F > Forgiveness
RSC Topics > G — K > Judgment
RSC Topics > Q — S > Repentance
RSC Topics > D — F > Forgiveness
RSC Topics > Q — S > Repentance
RSC Topics > Q — S > Sin
A group of speeches given at an annual Book of Mormon symposium at Brigham Young University. Subjects include King Benjamin, Noah, the Atonement, government, the natural man, Abinadi, priesthood, church discipline in Mosiah, and more.
The Book of Mormon prophets were intentionally plain in their language even when using figurative language; they generally avoided using obscure figures with hidden meanings. In this paper, Kelly Ogden lists metaphors used in the Book of Mormon along with the plain definitions the prophets gave to explain the figurative language they used. Ogden notes that when teaching doctrine the prophets would often repeat concepts using different words so the people could not misunderstand.
The Book of Mormon displays examples of ceremony or ritual that accurately reflect the ritual tradition followed by the ancient Israelites. Many similarities are found, in addition to some differences. It is highly unlikely that any person could accurately write about Israel’s rituals and covenants without having been directly and intimately familiar with them.
Old Testament Topics > Temple and Tabernacle
Daniel Peterson examines the book of Mosiah as an initial step in determining the overall doctrine of priesthood in the Book of Mormon. He attempts to account for every verse in the book of Mosiah that deals, either directly or indirectly, with questions of priesthood and authority. He discusses the priesthood in the small plates, the roles of priests, whether early Nephite priests were ordained, and the church in the days of Mosiah2.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Ether
An overview of the Book of Mormon that outlines and deals with the peoples, lands, and books contained in the Book of Mormon.
The great political question among Book of Mormon peoples was “Who has the right to rule?” Did Nephi’s descendants and those who followed them have a legitimate right to rule? Or should the right have belonged to Lehi’s oldest son Laman and his descendants? This quarrel is the cause of centuries of political and military struggle. But this was not the only problem. Even within Nephite society, an endless number of dissenters challenged the government. They often split away to join the Lamanites when they could not win control inside the Nephite system. These dissenters typically argued for the Lamanite view, in part because they thought they could line their own nests that way. By paying close attention to how this struggle was waged, we can see one of the reasons the Book of Mormon was written. Of course it is a witness for Christ and his teachings. But in addition, it provides reasons why we should believe that the tradition of the Nephites was just and correct. The two messages of the book are tied together in such a way that whoever accepts the teachings of Christ accepts that Nephi was a legitimate ruler, and vice versa.
The first six chapters of Mosiah are remarkable in several ways. They contain King Benjamin’s farewell address, one of the most memorable sermons we have on record. They also give us a picture of how Mosiah succeeded his father, Benjamin, to the Nephite throne. Many features of the ceremony that was involved reflect the traditions of ancient Israelite culture. First is the significance of the office of king. Second is the coronation ceremony for the new king. The details of this ceremony have parallels in Israel and other ancient Near Eastern societies and even in other parts of the world. Finally, the order of events reported in these chapters reflects the “treaty-covenant” pattern well known in ancient Israel and the ancient Near East. My discussion of these three sets of features will show how faithfully the Book of Mormon reflects these Old World practices and beliefs.
Old Testament Topics > Scripture Study
Old Testament Topics > Teaching the Old Testament
How the statements cursing Eve in the garden were symbolic
Old Testament Topics > Adam and Eve [see also Fall]
Old Testament Topics > Women in the Old Testament
Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy. Arranging this memorable thought from the Book of Mormon into two lines reveals its poetic character. Arranged in four lines, its neat structure is even more apparent. In this case, understanding the structure enhances our understanding of the meaning: the fall of Adam allows mankind to exist, and the potential destiny of mankind can bring ultimate joy. Rather than being an isolated example, this brief piece is just one of numerous poetic passages throughout the Book of Mormon, which are usually unrecognized as poetry because they are printed as prose. When arranged as verse, however, the poetic parts of the Book of Mormon are unveiled as having great beauty and power.
Many Book of Mormon passages are given life by the pictures or images they awake in our minds. In Ether the power comes from referring directly to “mountain waves.” The memorable picture of King Noah is not so direct, being formed from a figure of speech: the ruler is like a “dry stalk” crushed under foot. Without their imagery, these verses would lose their beauty and vitality.
Old Testament Topics > Book of Mormon and the Old Testament
Old Testament Topics > Ten Commandments
The image of the hand of God in both the Old Testament and the Book of Mormon stands for the Lord’s power to intervene in the affairs of men and the events of history. Comparison between the ways this image is used in the two scriptures supports what the Book of Mormon claims about its own origin.
When we look carefully at what the Book of Mormon says about war, we find that the many military activities reported did not take place just anytime during the calendar year. Rather, they occurred according to a definite pattern. Certain months were war months while others were not. The complete consistency of this pattern reminds us of how many details the writers of this scripture kept straight.
This book shares the exciting results of scholarly research on the Book of Mormon undertaken during the 1980s. As an ancient religious text and cultural artifact, the Book of Mormon rewards close analysis along many lines of inquiry. Twenty-three essays by prominent LDS scholars cover such topics as warfare, repentance, Exodus motifs, Hebraisms, kingship, politics, Isaiah, Mormon as editor, chiasmus, covenant renewal, and poetry.
These studies aim to demonstrate that the Book of Mormon contains complex patterns not previously recognized—that is, subtle patterns of style, ideas, history, and actions that, once made visible, shed much light on the power and beauty of the book and stimulate greater appreciation and respect for it.
Articles
One of the best-known sections of the Book of Mormon tells the story of the journey of Lehi and his family from Jerusalem to the new promised land in the American continent. Yet, since the small plates were intended to contain the “things of God” (1 Nephi 6:4), why was this account included on the small plates while other things that seem to be more the “things of God” (such as the “many things which [Lehi] saw in visions and in dreams”—1 Nephi 1:16) were left out? Quite probably, Nephi, the author of this section, consciously wrote his account of the wilderness journey in a way that would remind the reader of the Exodus of the children of Israel from Egypt. He did this to prove that God loved and cared for the Nephites, just as the Exodus from Egypt was proof of God’s favor for the children of Israel. Therefore, this story of the journey truly is about the things of God and does belong on the small plates.
The writings of Jacob and his descendants form part of the small plates, a section of the Book of Mormon that Mormon included intact, presumably without editing. Only on the small plates may Joseph Smith have found someone’s “handwriting” other than that of Mormon or Moroni. Speaking in the first person, Jacob and his descendants seem more individual, even in translation, than other writers whose words were more obviously edited by Mormon and Moroni. From Jacob through Omni, the record displays the complex variety one expects of a text written by many hands. The stylistic diversity of Jacob and his descendants is a powerful witness that we are dealing with material written by several ancient authors rather than by one person in early nineteenth-century New York.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Enos
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Jarom
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Omni
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Words of Mormon
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Moroni
An author may promise in the course of writing to return to a subject later to supply further details. Actually keeping such a promise can prove difficult. Even with modern writing aids, memory can betray a person into failing to tuck in the corners of plot or information. Mormon, the editor of much of the Book of Mormon as we have it, made these types of promises at least seven times. In each case, he or his son Moroni followed through perfectly.
In the heading before chapter 1 of 1 Nephi, we find Nephi’s outline of his record. It begins, “An account of Lehi and his wife Sariah, and his four sons,” and ends, “This is according to the account of Nephi; or in other words, I, Nephi, wrote this record.” Sometimes these signposts appear before a section to tell us what is to come. Other times, they appear at the end to explain, recap, or mark the end of what has been said. For lack of a better word, I call them colophons, though technically colophons are notes or guidelines after a text.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Words of Mormon
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Mosiah
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Alma
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Helaman
Book of Mormon Scriptures > 3 Nephi
Book of Mormon Scriptures > 4 Nephi
The English translation of the Book of Mormon shows many characteristics of the Hebrew language. In many places the words that have been used and the ways in which the words have been put together are more typical of Hebrew than of English. These Hebraisms, as I will call them, are evidence of the authenticity of the Book of Mormon—evidence that Joseph Smith did not write a book in English but translated an ancient text and that his translation reflects the Hebrew words and word order of the original.
Chiasmus is a style of writing known in antiquity and mused by many ancient and some modern writers. It consists of arranging a series of words or ideas in one order, and then repeating it in reverse order. In the hands of a skillful writer, this literary form can serve several purposes. The repeating of key words in the two halves underlines the importance of the concepts they present. Furthermore, the main idea of the passage is placed at the turning point where the second half begins, which emphasizes it. The repeating form also enhances clarity and speeds memorizing. Readers (or listeners) gain a pleasing sense of completeness as the passage returns at the end to the idea that began it. Identifying the presence of chiasmus in a composition can reveal many complex and subtle features of the text.
New discoveries about the Book of Mormon made by LDS scholars. The essays show meaningful and complex patterns in the Book of Mormon—patterns of style, ideas, history, and actions. They also provide considerable evidence for the authenticity of the Book of Mormon. This work is reviewed in C.331 and in S.137.
Old Testament Topics > Book of Mormon and the Old Testament
In a rebuttal to charges that they are “demonized agents of the Mormon Church,” the authors give a critical review of Loftes Tryk’s book The Best Kept Secrets of the Book of Mormon
A long story book incorporating information that has recently been disclosed from Book of Mormon studies.
Contents:
A Surety of a Better Testament / James E. Faust
A Message of Judgment from the Olivet Sermon / Arthur A. Bailey
Miracles: Meridian and Modern / Donald Q. Cannon
He Has Risen: The Resurrection Narratives as a Witness of a Corporeal Regeneration / Richard D. Draper
The Surprise Factors in the Teachings of Jesus / Kenneth W. Godfrey
The Passion of Jesus Christ / Richard Neitzel Holzapfel
Mark and Luke: Two Facets of a Diamond / Roger R. Keller
Truly All Things Testify of Him / Robert England Lee
“Wilt Thou Be Made Whole?”: Medicine and Healing in the Time of Jesus / Ann N. Madsen
“Behold, the Lamb of God”: The Savior’s Use of Animals as Symbols / Byron R. Merrill
The Lord’s Teachings on the Use of This World’s Goods / J. Philip Schaelling
“I Am He”: Jesus’ Public Declarations of His Own Identity / Jonathan H. Stephenson
John’s Testimony of the Bread of Life / Thomas R. Valletta
The Water Imagery in John’s Gospel: Power, Purification, and Pedagogy / Fred E. Woods
Articles
Contents:
The Liahona Triad / Robert E. Wells
Four Faces of Pride in the Book of Mormon / K. Douglas Bassett
The First Families of the Book of Mormon / Douglas E. Brinley
The Concept of Hell / Larry E. Dahl
Enduring to the End / Dennis L. Largey
The Book of Mormon: The Pattern in Preparing a People to Meet the Savior / E. Dale LeBaron
“Knowest Thou the Condescension of God?” / Gerald N. Lund
What the Book of Mormon Tells Us About the Bible / Robert J. Matthews
To Become as a Little Child: The Quest for Humility / Byron R. Merrill
The Love of God and of All Men: The Doctrine of Charity in the Book of Mormon / Robert L. Millet
By the Book of Mormon We Know / Monte S. Nyman
“As Plain as Word Can Be” / D. Kelly Ogden
The Ten Commandments in the Book of Mormon / David Rolph Seely
Types and Shadows of Deliverance in the Book of Mormon / M. Catherine Thomas
Faith Unto Repentance / Brent L. Top
Sanctification By the Holy Spirit / Bruce A. Van Orden
Ten Testimonies of Jesus Christ from the Book of Mormon / John W. Welch
The Book of Mormon and Overcoming Satan / Clyde J. Williams
Articles
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.
The Book of Mormon provides excellent guidance regarding family relationships. For instance, Lehi showed how to avoid family arguments, Sariah demonstrated qualities of motherhood, and a number of positive and negative familial attitudes appeared in the brothers of Nephi, Laman, and Lemuel.
The concept of hell plays a prominent role in the Book of Mormon. The term “hell” is attested sixty-two times in the Book of Mormon. Addresses the following questions regarding hell: Is hell temporary or permanent? What does it mean to die in our sins? Can one repent in hell? Can one receive the gospel and improve his/her condition between death and the resurrection?
The principle of enduring to the end is specifically taught 22 times throughout the Book of Mormon. Endurance might be considered the fifth of the first principles and ordinances. God’s children are to endure afflictions and temptations, to continue in the faith, and are entitled to divine help. Enemies of endurance include Satan’s inspiration, murmuring, hardness of heart, immorality, apostasy, and priestcraft.
Notes that the word “condescension” relative to God’s relationship to the world is used three times by Nephi, twice in his dream of the tree of life, and once in his psalm (2 Nephi 4:26). Proposes that there are three applications to this word in those passages: (1) the birth of Christ, (2) his mortal ministry, and (3) his mercies. Discusses the significance of the christological hymn in Philippians 2:5-8. [D.M.]
The Book of Mormon declares the Bible to be a sacred and true record, but it sustained serious losses in its early stages, which has caused considerable stumbling. Many biblical scholars today reject the authenticity of many of the teachings of Jesus. The Book of Mormon confirms the truthfulness of the Bible.
To be humble in the scriptural sense does not mean to be obsequious but to obey God cheerfully in all things, to possess the traits of a child, i.e., submissiveness, meekness, patience, being filled with love, and to discard the negative trappings of adulthood. Pride is the opposite of humility, as exemplified by the Rameumptom. Other examples, positive and negative, are given.
Considers various strands of charity or love. God loves us and we are to love one another. Comments on ingredients of charity mentioned in Moroni 7 and 1 Corinthians 13. Notes that there are obstacles to charity, such as immorality and crudeness. Charity is a fruit of the spirit and a key to enduring to the end.
Comments on the twenty doctrines enumerated in Doctrine and Covenants 20:17-36, and shows that the Book of Mormon enlightens every one. Examples include: existence of God, the commandment to love God, the creation of male and female in God’s image, the Fall and the Atonement; the crucifixion, death, and resurrection, justification and grace, and the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Points out that Book of Mormon prophets made rich use of figurative language, but inasmuch as they delighted in plainness, they often explained the meaning of the figurative language that they used. Examples include the chains of hell, lake of fire and brimstone, seed (in Alma 32), and kingdom of the devil.
Old Testament Topics > Book of Mormon and the Old Testament
Old Testament Topics > Ten Commandments
The Book of Mormon speaks of sanctification by the Holy Ghost and by the blood of Christ. Alma teaches no one can be saved except his garments are cleansed from sin by the blood of Christ. The author lists 14 steps of sanctification given by Nephi and 27 teachings in Alma 5 that lead to sanctification. Alma concludes when we can not look on sin save it is with abhorrence, the process of sanctification is working. We must practice faith, repentance, develop humility, and yield our hearts unto God. [N. K. Y.]
The Book of Mormon conveys the Lord’s messages concerning Satan’s role, characteristics, and purpose, and places emphasis on how to identify and overcome Satan’s tactics. Twelve tactics are noted and seven principles of overcoming these tactics are listed.
Cites a number of Book of Mormon scriptures dealing with selected topics including prayer, fasting, false prophets, baptism, and ancient America. Concludes that the Book of Mormon teaches humanity the way to heaven.
This is a compilation of biblical Greek words of interest to Latter-day Saints. John Welch suggests the various nuances of meaning they conveyed to the Saints in the meridian of time and, by extension, the richness of their potential meaning for us today. The translated words in English include evangelist, restoration, peculiar, testament, mansions, endow, perfect, strai[gh]t, seal, firstborn, unchangeable, and amen.
Analyzing the Sermon on the Mount, this author compares the account in 3 Nephi with three translations of the Bible. He defines of key words, gives scriptural and personal examples of the concept, explores the state of happiness that is promised in each of the beatitudes, and discusses the required acts and thoughts of achieving such a state.
The Old Testament concept of God’s glory
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Articles
Living in accord with these twelve standards will help us be worthy standard-bearers of the Lord. Then we can be his means of serving our fellowmen.
“I am satisfied that whatever else may eventually hang in the constitutional balance, this much is clear: The continuation of the blessings of liberty depends finally on our spiritual righteousness.”
Articles
“May we be fervent enough in our faith and love of the Lord and his work that we will be more than passive camp followers in our Church membership.”
“Each of us must accommodate the mixture of reason and revelation in our lives. The gospel not only permits but requires it. An individual who concentrates on either side solely and alone will lose both balance and perspective.”
Articles
“Each year there are new examples of coincidences—I call them miracles—that further our ties and our friendship with China and its people.”
Oh, how we adore Jesus for his atonement! For his free gift of immortality to all!
Argues with John Kunich over the article “Multiply Exceedingly: Book of Mormon Population Sizes” (Sunstone 14 [June 1990]: 27-44). Suggests that Kunich fails to deine the problem of population size, to control appropriately the statistics, and to understand Lamanite lifestyles.
Articles
Talks
Nephi set the racist attitude of the Book of Mormon, one similar to biblical record keepers. The mark placed on those who sinned was propagated by themselves by either marking their own bodies or by intermarriage with those who had been genetically marked with a dark skin. Latter-day Saint people need to put away racial attitudes and see that God recognizes all men as equal.
An in-depth examination of grace, comparing the Book of Mormon concept with that of Augustine and the major instigators of the Reformation. The doctrines related to grace were largely carried through into the Nauvoo period.
The references in the Book of Mormon to “dark and loathsome” or “white and delightsome” are to lifestyles rather than to the color of skin. Many in the Church do not understand and thus impose a sinful heritage upon people with Jewish, African American, and Lamanite backgrounds.
Discusses many aspects of the LDS religion including a section describing Joseph Smith’s experiences in bringing forth the Book of Mormon.
Reprinted in Brother Brigham Challenges the Saints, Collected Works of Hugh Nibley vol. 13.
Articles
Old Testament Topics > Ten Commandments
But what constitutes righteous judgment, and who qualifies to make it? Simon, or the elder son? Martha, or the Pharisees, or me, or you? While there are many things we must make judgments about, the sins of another or the state of our own souls in comparison to others seems not to be among them.
Articles
The book of Ruth helped strengthen one young convert
Old Testament Topics > Women in the Old Testament
Provides tables and references of word changes, omissions, and additions in the RLDS 1908 authorized edition of the Book of Mormon as compared to the 1837 printer’s manuscript and discusses the significance of these textual alterations.
I’m concerned that so often the Saints inadvertently label others in our ward families as “them,” somehow not like “us.”
“We should learn to tolerate those we disagree with, and to honor them, as God demonstrated in his councils. We must learn not to honor sin, but to honor people attempting to understand and apply truth.”
Articles
Old Testament Scriptures > Genesis
Book review.
Articles
“God is the embodiment of the attribute of happiness. To be like him is to experience a fulness of joy. If we go contrary to that sacred nature, we go contrary to the nature of happiness.”
“The standard we must demand is that all we do, in the classroom and out, must reflect our respect and appreciation for our differences.”
“May we lay down our lives for those sheep, a day at a time, in a service that partakes of the most honorable cause that ever graced the pages of human existence.”
“I will also at this time express my conviction that we are engaged here at BYU in something very worthwhile, something that has both intellectual and also spiritual dimensions of great significance for us and our students.”
“If you can feel what it is like to be a student and feel their pains and afflictions, you can make a great difference, a moral difference, in how they feel about who they really are and what they can become.”
Truly, if we love God, we will serve him now, and give thanks now.
Articles
Book review.
“Most important, never forget to get on your knees and ask your Heavenly Father to point you in the right direction.”
“I can think of no better lesson that all of us could learn from our experience at BYU than the importance of genuinely caring for our neighbor.”
Reprinted in Brother Brigham Challenges the Saints, The Collected Works of Hugh Nibley 13. 380–404.
Articles
Old Testament Topics > Priesthood
Talks
Old Testament Topics > Women in the Old Testament
Takes issue with John Kunich’s theory that a 2 percent per year population growth in the Book of Mormon is “unheard of” According to newly issued population reports of May 1991, the Mideast is expanding at 2.8 percent, South Asia at 2.3 and Africa and 3 percent. It is possible that this type of population growth can occur.
Discusses the historicity of the Book of Mormon and the mistranslation of “steel bow” for the biblical “brass bow”
Reports that Angela Crowell’s identification of midrash in the Book of Mormon brings new understanding of the book’s Hebraic structure.
Discusses the nature of satire.
Articles
Old Testament Topics > Women in the Old Testament
“Now, since we know the Lord loves all of his children, we need to inquire whether our being here at this time with these blessings is by chance or whether there might be a purpose to it.”
“A choice to be good—even with the trials that come, or perhaps because of the trials that come—will allow the Atonement to change your heart.”
Articles
A response to Mark Thomas’s book review of Warfare in the Book of Mormon. It is impossible to prove whether the Book of Mormon is an ancient document or not. The book Warfare was written with the premise that the Book of Mormon is an ancient record, and comparisons of Book of Mormon warfare and Near Eastern military practices are sound. No comparison with warfare in Napoleon’s day or Spaulding’s manuscript is necessary.
Questions the Book of Mormon concept concerning the curse of the black skin for those who had erred in ignorance. The Book of Mormon is the history of a white culture, taken to people with a dark skin with a promise of white skin. “The cultural hegemony of white America permeates Mormonism”
The writers of the Book of Mormon emphasized that Lehi was a descendant of Joseph because they knew that the tribe of Joseph would be the means of saving the rest of the house of Israel in the last days. Those of the lineage of Ephraim and Manasseh will work together as the tribe of Joseph in the last days.
Review of Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon, vol. 3, Alma through Helaman (1991), by Joseph Fielding McConkie and Robert L. Millet.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Helaman
Book of Mormon Scriptures > 3 Nephi
Enos, the son of Jacob, grandson of Lehi, recorded his own touching testimony and the promises that the Lord made to him concerning the Nephite records and his Nephite and Lamanite brothers. His mighty efforts to pray brought him a remission of his own sins.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Enos
The Book of Jarom was written by Jarom, son of Enos, who excuses his brevity by calling attention to limited space and lack of new doctrine.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Jarom
The Book of Omni records the brief writings of several authors, Omni, Amaron, Chemish, Abinadom, and Amaleki, who were not spiritual leaders, but were descendants of Jacob.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Omni
A Book of Mormon cartoon book for children based upon popular work entitled Where’s Waldo.
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.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Jacob
RSC Topics > L — P > Obedience
A discussion of the Three Nephites (3 Nephi 28:1-9). Presents a collection of some sixty different Three Nephites stories.
Review of A Standard unto My People (1990), by Robert E. Hales and Sandra L. Hales.
Berrett discusses point by point reasons why an ancient burial complex at Khirbet Beit Lei, sometimes called “Lehi’s cave,” is unlikely to have Book of Mormon connections. Brown describes a carved altar inscribed to the tribe Nihm discovered in the southwest Arabian peninsula (Yemen)—this location may be the place Nahom where Nephi’s father-in-law, Ishmael, was buried, according to the Book of Mormon record. The characters on the Anthon transcript reportedly taken by Martin Harris to New York to show to Professor Charles Anthon bear resemblance to characters on two Mexican seals made of baked clay. Szink identifies another possible Semitic source for the name Alma in the tablets of Ebla uncovered in Syria.
Brigham Henry Roberts, a Book of Mormon scholar in the early twentieth century, was a pioneer in his field. He conducted research regarding the culture and the geography of the Book of Mormon peoples in an attempt to determine the setting of the Book of Mormon. His extensive work in this area has significantly influenced the progress of Book of Mormon research. Roberts also enthusiastically defended the book when others criticized it. He was able to do so effectively because of his study of and familiarity with the Book of Mormon. Roberts did, however, have a few limitations, the most detrimental being his unfounded assumption that “the narrow neck of land” in the Book of Mormon is the Isthmus of Panama. Yet, Roberts’s pioneering efforts remain today a crucial catalyst to modern analytical studies of the Book of Mormon.
Presents a collection of conversion stories of early saints who relate in their own words how they received testimonies of Christ and his gospel through reading the Book of Mormon. Conversion stories are provided by Lucy Mack Smith, Wilford Woodruff, Orson Hyde, and others. This work is reviewed in P.209.
Old Testament Scriptures > Exodus
Articles
RSC Topics > L — P > Prophets
An overall view of the longest book in the Book of Mormon, the book of Alma, which covers thirty-nine years of Nephite history (91-52 B.C.). The theme of the entire book is that the pure testimony of Christ is mightier than politics or the sword in establishing peace and goodness.
The wide-ranging sermon of Samuel the Lamanite, spoken from the top of the city wall of Zarahemla, exhibits poetic features in a censuring passage—features that bear similarities to laments found in the Bible, most notably in the Psalms. Like the laments in the Bible, those in Samuel’s speech show contacts with worship. In distinction to the biblical laments, but like the Thanksgiving Hymns of the Dead Sea Scrolls, the poetic pieces in Samuel’s sermon reveal a set of prophecies that find fulfillment in later periods, including the days of Mormon, the compiler and editor of the Book of Mormon.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Alma
RSC Topics > A — C > Conversion
Additional Authors: Ronald W. Walker, James B. Allen, and Richard O. Cowan
A look at the relationship between Judaism and Mormonism in terms of supersession (Judaism was superseded by Christianity) and paradigm (the exemplary model of biblical Israel’s faith)
RSC Topics > G — K > Hope
RSC Topics > L — P > Living the Gospel
RSC Topics > Q — S > Repentance
RSC Topics > Q — S > Salvation
A scripture study program. Contains ifty-two post-on-the-wall scriptural thoughts (one for each week of the year) designed to inspire, teach, and motivate students of the Book of Mormon.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Helaman
The book of Helaman records the period preceding the birth of the Savior. It was written by Helaman and was abridged by Mormon who inserts his own commentary. The most prominent person in the book is Nephi2. Also included are prophecies and teachings of Samuel the Lamanite and the rise of the Gadianton robbers.
Articles
Asserts that history is often so obscure that God’s help is needed to understand it. The Book of Mormon is the providential means to understand the history and future of America. It contains prophecies about Columbus, the discovery and establishment of America, and future events connected with America, including the establishment of Zion.
RSC Topics > G — K > Judgment
RSC Topics > Q — S > Restoration of the Gospel
RSC Topics > Q — S > Resurrection
Review of Out of Darkness (1991), by Keith C. Terry (with Maurice R. Tanner).
Additional authors: Barbara R. Carter, Paul H. Peterson, Dan J. Workman, Walter D. Bowen, S. Michael Wilcox, Susan Howe, Paul C. Richards, George D. Durrant, Paul Grant, Leon R. Hartshorn, and Cardell Jacobson.
Review of By Study and Also by Faith, vol. 2 (1990), edited by John M. Lundquist and Stephen D. Ricks.
Summarizes the book of 1 Nephi and provides a map of the Arabian Peninsula that traces the possible route of Lehi.
In this essay William Eggington suggests that Lehi and his descendants functioned in a society that exhibited strong characteristics of an oral society, one that had access to print but retained many features of a nonprint culture. He concludes that readers of the Book of Momon today need more effective study strategies. Readers who understand the different discourse structures, cohesive devices, rhetorical patterns, and world views used by the authors better understand the authors’ intent.
Investigates aspects of the socio-cultural structure of the Nephite, Lamanite, and Mulekite people of the Book of Mormon from the point of view of those who study the nature of oral and literate societies.” Lehi and his descendants functioned in an “Oral residual culture,” a culture that writes to accomplish some very narrow functions, but acts, to a large extent, like an oral culture. “If we somehow can begin to understand the discourse and socio-cultural structures of the Book of Mormon authors, and the natures of their text production constraints and our text perception constraints, we may more clearly comprehend the text and its vital messages.
14. Scriptural passages in the Book of Mormon refer to “other records” that have been lost or withheld that will be given at a later time. It is pointed out that the Book of Mormon must be received, embraced, and cherished before the promised records will be given.
Several pages of this work are devoted to showing how the Book of Mormon teaches the principle of mercy in relationship to the Atonement and the condition of the Lamanites.
Early Mormon attitudes towards Jews differed from those of other Christians
Old Testament Topics > Judah and the Jews
Review of Mormons and the Bible: The Place of Latter-day Saints in American Religion (1991), by Philip L. Barlow.
Articles
Review of . . . By His Own Hand upon Papyrus: A New Look at the Joseph Smith Papyri (1992), by Charles M. Larson.
Review of Gadiantons and the Silver Sword: A Novel (1991), by Chris Heimerdinger.
Review of The Most Correct Book: Why the Book of Mormon Is the Keystone Scripture (1991), by Monte S. Nyman.
Review of Fathers and Sons in the Book of Mormon (1991), by E. Douglas Clark and Robert S. Clark.
Review of To Mothers & Fathers from the Book of Mormon (1991), by Blaine Yorgason and Brenton Yorgason.
Review of The Book of Mormon: Mosiah, Salvation Only through Christ (1991), edited by Monte S. Nyman and Charles D. Tate Jr.
Review of Fathers and Sons in the Book of Mormon (1991), by E. Douglas Clark and Robert S. Clark.
Review of On the Barricades: Religion and Free Inquiry in Conflict (1989), edited by Robert Basil, Mary Beth Gehrman, and Tim Madigan.
Review of Dominions of the Gadiantons (1991), by Robert Marcum.
Review of The Book of Isaiah: A New Translation with Interpretive Keys from the Book of Mormon (1998), by Avraham Gileadi
Review of Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon, vol. 3, Alma through Helaman (1991), by Joseph Fielding McConkie and Robert L. Millet.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Helaman
Peterson relates his understanding of a dispute between FARMS and Signature Books about matters of free inquiry and intellectual (dis)honesty.
Review of Stories from the Early Saints: Converted by the Book of Mormon (1992), edited by Susan Easton Black
Review of The Book of Isaiah: A New Translation with Interpretive Keys from the Book of Mormon (1998), by Avraham Gileadi
Review of Ancient American Indians: Their Origins, Civilizations, and Old World Connections (1991), by Paul R. Cheesman and Millie F. Cheesman.
Review of . . . By His Own Hand upon Papyrus: A New Look at the Joseph Smith Papyri (1992), by Charles M. Larson.
Review of The Use of the Old Testament in the Book of Mormon (1990), by Wesley P. Walters.
Review of The Truth about Mormonism: A Former Adherent Analyzes the LDS Faith (1991), by Weldon Langfield.
Review of Mormonism: Shadow or Reality? (1987), by Jerald Tanner and Sandra Tanner
Review of Rediscovering the Book of Mormon (1991), edited by John L. Sorenson and Melvin J. Thorne.
Review of Living the Book of Mormon: A Guide to Understanding and Applying Its Principles in Today's World (1991), by Allen K. Burgess.
Review of Fantastic Archaeology: The Wild Side of North American Prehistory (1991), by Stephen Williams.
Review of Isaiah Made Easier (1991), by David J. Ridges.
Bibliography of publications on the Book of Mormon in 1991.
Review of Southwestern American Indian Rock Art and the Book of Mormon (1991), by James R. Harris Sr.
Review of The Use of the Old Testament in the Book of Mormon (1990), by Wesley P. Walters.
Review of Fantastic Archaeology: The Wild Side of North American Prehistory (1991), by Stephen Williams.
The Journal of the Book of Mormon and Other Restoration Scripture is a peer-reviewed journal dedicated to promoting understanding of the history, meaning, and significance of the scriptures and other sacred texts revealed through the Prophet Joseph Smith.
Articles
Ancient texts are too often approached using modern assumptions. Among those assumptions obstructing an understanding of ancient texts is the modern emphasis on originality and on writing as intellectual property. Ancient writers relished repetition—stories that were repeated in succeeding generations—over originality. The Bible is full of repeated or allusive stories, and the Book of Mormon often reinscribes this biblical emphasis on repetition. One such biblical reverberation in the Book of Mormon is Nephi’s ocean voyage, which evokes biblical stories of origination: creation, deluge, and exodus. These three stories of beginnings are carefully alluded to in Nephi’s own foundational story, exactly as we would expect to find in an ancient Hebraic text.
Economic systems are distinguished by their emphasis on equity and efficiency. Market controls are justified because of the need for equity. Free markets are justified because of the need for private incentives and efficiency. Most countries of the world today have adopted a combination of controls and free-market incentives. The Book of Mormon teaches that only through caring can equity and efficiency be simultaneously achieved.
Analysis of comparative data and historical background indicates that the quotations in Mosiah 7–22 are historically accurate. Further examination of the quotations of Limhi shows that they depend heavily on other sources. This implies some things about the character of Limhi and provides as well attendant lessons for our own day.
The name Nephi is attested as a Syro-Palestinian Semitic form of an Egyptian man’s name dating from the Late Period in Egypt.
We construct a detailed geographical model of the Nephite homeland areas of Manti, Zarahemla, and the river Sidon using the Book of Mormon text of around 80 BC. This model assumes that these areas are located in Mesoamerica, that the names of their surrounding seas do not necessarily correspond to local compass directions, and that the directions stated in the text are to be understood in the nontechnical normal English sense. We then describe the southern end of the Grijalva river basin, located across the southern part of the Mexico–Guatemala border. We nominate this area as a possible candidate for the ancient Nephite homeland because it corresponds to the text’s topography from the most general to the most detailed parts of the description. Furthermore, significant geographical and climatic changes in this area over the last 2,000 years are unlikely. The number and detail of the topological matches encourage further careful study.
Nephite kings were expected to fulfill the same roles that kings played in other ancient civilizations— commander of the military forces, chief judicial official, and leader of the national religion. A king’s success depended not only on the extent to which he performed each role, but also on the motives behind his service. Selfless rule by Benjamin-type kings commanded the respect and praise of the people, while King Noah’s quest for personal gain roused Old World disdain for the monarch. The Nephite experiment with kingship confirms that between “kings and tyrants there’s this difference known; kings seek their subject’s good; tyrants their own” (Robert Herrick, 1591–1674).
The prophetic language in the writings of Samuel the Lamanite includes the messenger formula, proclamation formula, oath formula, woe oracle, announcement formula, and revelations formula.
The claim that the Gadianton robbers in the Book of Mormon are merely a reflection of nineteenth-century Masons, who were referred to in the late 1820s as “secret combinations,” is false since an 1826 use of the phrase establishes that those words were not used exclusively to describe Masons.
Introduction to the first issue of the Journal of Book of Mormon Studies.
A number of statements in the Book of Mormon text indicate the presence in Lehi’s promised land of peoples other than those descended from Lehi’s party. Reasons the topic is not addressed more explicitly in the record include a focus on the Nephites (and not on other people), a generic treatment of Lamanites, an a desire not to waste space on something obvious or insignificant. Clear evidence for the presence of others in substantial populations is present in the Book of Mormon. The demographic or cultural history of Lehi’s literal descendants must take into account these other groups.
This article marshals ancient legal evidence to show that Nephi’s slaying of Laban should be understood as a protected manslaughter rather than a criminal homicide. The biblical law of murder demanded a higher level of premeditation and hostility than Nephi exhibited or modern law requires. The terms of Exodus 21:13, it is argued, protected more than accidental slayings or unconscious acts, particularly where God was seen as having delivered the victim into the slayer’s hand. Various rationales for Nephi’s killing of Laban include ancient views on surrendering one person for the benefit of a whole community. Other factors within the Book of Mormon as well as in Moses’ killing of the Egyptian in Exodus 2 corroborate the conclusion that Nephi did not commit the equivalent of a first-degree murder under the laws of his day.
Excerpts from a letter written in 1962 reveal how Jakeman’s interpretation of Stela 5 quickly stimulated a body of folklore among some Latter-day Saints.
Parallels between sickle swords and two-bladed knives in ancient Mesoamerica and the Near East may strengthen the possibility of some historical link between the areas. Similarities in weapons terminology may also lead to fruitful research.
Responses to the following questions appear here: “Did the Nephites have authority to sacrifice?” and “Did the Nephites sacrifice first-born animals contrary to the law of Moses?”
This article examines several interesting discoveries pertaining to the Book of Mormon.
Anthony W. Ivins suggests that the Jaredites may not have been completely extinct, that Coriantumr, the alleged last Jaredite, may have had children with Mulekite women after he discovered the people of Zarahemla.
A wooden vessel that was found in Lake Michigan turns out to be a prototype of a proposed “sea-going tow barge” developed in World War II for the Navy.
Arrowheads discovered in Israel show that steel was in use by about 1000 BC; the name Aha was engraved with steel on one arrowhead, thus giving a Hebrew-language source for this name found in the Book of Mormon.
Researchers have found similarities between the Anthon Transcript and Old South Arabian (Arabic).
RSC Topics > A — C > Covenant
Presents a concise summary of the origins and migrations of the three Book of Mormon peoples (Jaredites, Nephites, Mulekites). Describes the religious and political divisions of the Nephites that gave rise to the Lamanites.
Volume 2 in the Occasional Papers Series While many books have been written about the life of Christopher Columbus and his New World discoveries, this one has a different thrust—that Columbus was not just a skilled, courageous sailor but was also a chosen instrument in the hands of God. This book profiles the man from Genoa who apparently yearned from childhood for the seafaring life and who early began to acquire the nautical knowledge and experience that would make him the most widely traveled seaman of his day and would help him rise to the top ranks in that career. ISBN 0-8849-4842-0
Chapters
RSC Topics > Q — S > Repentance
RSC Topics > Q — S > Sin
The Book of Mosiah records events from 200 B.C. to 91 B.C. and is chronologically complex. It is filled with rich religious symbolism and significant political events. The text includes King Benjamin’s address, the records of Zeniff, Alma the Elder, and Mosiah, and the first reference to the Jaredites. Its underlying theme emphasizes deliverance from physical and/or spiritual bondage.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Alma
RSC Topics > A — C > Conversion
RSC Topics > L — P > Missionary Work
RSC Topics > T — Z > Teaching the Gospel
The Standard Works, the Masoretic text, and the JST arranged in columns with commentary to teach about Adam, Enoch, and Noah
Old Testament Topics > Adam and Eve [see also Fall]
After Joseph Smith received the gold plates from the angel Moroni, he had to take great measures to protect them from people who wanted to steal them for their monetary value. Although Joseph did not leave much documentation of such experiences, the people who were closely associated with him at the time did. Using what records still exist, Hedges pieces together some of the stories of Joseph’s challenges in obtaining and protecting the gold plates.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Moroni
Polemical work from a fundamentalist Protestant point of view. Contains a study guide to help Chilean Protestants learn how to “witness” to the Mormons. Includes photostat copy of the article “Book of Mormon Problems” written by the author and published by Saints Alive Journal.
Explains Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon on the basis of the contemporary environment. Deals with the purpose of the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith as its translator or author. Includes chapters on the “lost book” of the Indians, the “sticks” in Ezekiel 37, the prophecies in Isaiah, and the role of masonry.
After the Latter-day Saints were driven from Missouri they were instructed by the Prophet Joseph Smith to prepare affidavits describing the property losses they had sustained and the abuses and atrocities they had suffered at the hands of lawless men there. Nearly seven hundred men and women accepted the Prophet’s charge and wrote almost eight hundred documents. This book is a complete collection of all known petitions, as contained in both the Historical Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City and the National Archives in Washington DC. ISBN 0-8849-4850-1
Articles
RSC Topics > L — P > Peace
RSC Topics > T — Z > Women
RSC Topics > L — P > Peace
RSC Topics > T — Z > Women
RSC Topics > G — K > Joseph Smith
RSC Topics > L — P > Peace
RSC Topics > T — Z > Testimony
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Moroni
The term friend is often used to express a covenantal agreement between two individuals. Such was the case between Zoram and Nephi (2 Nephi 1:55, RLDS versification). Other examples include Isaiah 41:8, 2 Chronicles 20:7, and Zechariah 13:6.
Points out several doublets in the Bible and Book of Mormon: parents and teachers, priest and scribe (teacher), Lord and master (teacher), ruler and teacher, and teacher and king. It is characteristically Hebraic to think of a vocation or calling in connection with being a teacher, thus the emphasis on teacher is an evidence for the authenticity of the Book of Mormon.
RSC Topics > T — Z > Zion
According to a standard definition, an encyclopedia is to \"treat comprehensively all the various branches of knowledge\" pertaining to a particular subject. The subject of this Encyclopedia is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, widely known as the Mormon church. This is the first major encyclopedia published about the Mormons. It presents the work of hundreds of Latter-day Saint (LDS) lay scholars and others from throughout the world and provides a comprehensive reporting of Mormon history, scripture, doctrines, life, and knowledge, intended for both the non-Mormon and the LDS reader. Readers will find an article on almost any topic conceivably related to the general topic of Mormonism, but no article is exhaustive because of space limitations. Most articles include bibliographic references; cross-references to other articles in the Encyclopedia are indicated by small capital letters. When Macmillan Publishing Company asked authorities at Brigham Young University whether they would be interested in developing an encyclopedia about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, President Jeffrey R. Holland took the query to his Board of Trustees. They instructed him to proceed. Working closely with Church authorities and Macmillan, President Holland chose an editor in chief and a board of editors. Discussion of possible titles concluded that the work should be called the Encyclopedia of Mormonism since that is the term by which the Church is most widely known, though unofficially. The contract called for a work of one million words in about 1,500 articles in four volumes including pictures, maps, charts, appendices, indices, and a glossary. It soon became apparent that references to what the Church calls the standard works-the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price-would be so frequent that readers who did not have ready access to those works would be at a serious disadvantage in using the Encyclopedia. A fifth volume was decided upon to include all the LDS standard works except the Bible, which is readily available everywhere. The Church does not have a paid clergy or a battery of theologians to write the articles. It functions with a lay ministry, and all members are encouraged to become scholars of the gospel. Over 730 men and women were asked to write articles on topics assigned because of previous interest and study. Six major articles unfold the History of the Church: (1) the background and founding period in New York; (2) the Ohio, Missouri, and Illinois periods ending with the martyrdom of Joseph Smith; (3) the exodus west and the early pioneer period under Brigham Young; (4) the late pioneer Utah period ending at the turn of the century and statehood; (5) a transitional period during the early twentieth century; and (6) the post-World War II period of international growth. The History of the Church has been dramatic and moving, considering its brief span of just over 160 years. Compared to Catholicism, Judaism, ancient Far East religions, and many Protestant churches, the Church has a very short history. Nearly 250 articles explain the doctrines of the Church, with special emphasis on basic principles and ordinances of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Twenty-four articles are clustered under the title \"Jesus Christ,\" and another sixteen include his name in the title or relate directly to his divine mission and Atonement. Over 150 articles relate the details on such topics as the First Vision, Zion\'s Camp, Handcart Companies, Plural Marriage, the Salt Lake Temple, Temple Square, and the Church throughout the world. Biographies cover men and women contemporary in the life of Joseph Smith, Presidents of the Church, and auxiliary founders and past presidents. The only biography of a person living at the time of publication is on the present prophet and President of the Church, Ezra Taft Benson. And finally, there are over a hundred articles primarily concerned with how Latter-day Saints relate to their families, the Church, and to society in general. It is said there is a \"Mormon culture,\" and several articles explore Mormon lifestyle, folklore, folk art, artists, literature, and other facets that distinguish Latter-day Saints. It may be that the growth of the Church in the last decades has mandated the encyclopedic account that is presented here. Yet, even as the most recent programs were set down and the latest figures listed, there is an acute awareness that the basic tenet of the Church is that its canon is open-ended. The contemporary President of the Church is sustained as a \"prophet, seer, and revelator.\" While this makes some theological discussion moot, the basic beliefs of the Latter-day Saints, summarized in the Articles of Faith (see Glossary) do not change. In several areas, the Church shares beliefs held by other Christians, and a number of scholars from other faiths were asked to present articles. However, the most distinctive tenets of the Church-those regarding the premortal and postmortal life, living prophets who receive continuous and current revelation from God, sacred ordinances for deceased ancestors, moral and health codes that provide increasingly well-documented benefits, and the potential within man for progression into an infinite future-are all treated primarily by writers selected from among Latter-day Saints. Lest the role of the Encyclopedia be given more weight than it deserves, the editors make it clear that those who have written and edited have only tried to explain their understanding of Church history, doctrines, and procedures; their statements and opinions remain their own. The Encyclopedia of Mormonism is a joint product of Brigham Young University and Macmillan Publishing Company, and its contents do not necessarily represent the official position of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In no sense does the Encyclopedia have the force and authority of scripture.
Articles
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Mosiah
Additional Authors: Paul R. Cheesman, Charles Randall Paul, Rex C. Reeve, Morgan W. Tanner, and S. Michael Wilcox.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > 2 Nephi
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Jacob
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Enos
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Jarom
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Omni
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Words of Mormon
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Mosiah
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Alma
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Helaman
Book of Mormon Scriptures > 3 Nephi
Book of Mormon Scriptures > 4 Nephi
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Ether
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Moroni
Articles
Additional authors: Tad R. Callister, John Gee, Joel A. Flake, and Gerald N. Lund.
Articles
Articles
An encyclopedia of church terminology.
Explains various parts of the temples from temple worship, to the history of temples, to how members worship in the temples.
Volume 5 contains the complete texts of The Book of Mormon, The Doctrine and Covenants, and The Pearl of Great Price.
Articles
A synopsis of the book of 3 Nephi in the Book of Mormon. This book is the climax in Nephite history. It focuses on three advents of Jesus: his birth, his resurrection and appearance to the Nephites, and his Second Coming.
4 Nephi narrates four generations of peace, a time when there could not have been a happier people (4 Nephi 1:16). It also foreshadows the later destruction of the Nephites following their gradual rejection of the gospel.
Gives a synopsis of the book of Mormon, written by the prophet Mormon, who describes the fall of the Nephites and includes his final plea to future generations.
Summarizes the book of 1 Nephi and provides a map of the Arabian Peninsula that traces the possible route of Lehi.
Describes the date and purpose of the book entitled the Words of Mormon.
The book of Ether is an edited version of the twenty-four gold plates found by Limhi and translated by Mosiah. Its themes include secret combinations, the importance of following prophets, and wickedness brings destruction. It teaches of Christ’s premortal spirit body, that Three Witnesses would testify of the Book of Mormon, and that a New Jerusalem will be built in the western hemisphere.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Ether
Explains the contents and organization of the book of Moroni. Discusses the loosely related but important items that Moroni brought together including ordinances, Mormon’s sermons and letters, Moroni’s exhortation and farewell including his final testimony of Jesus Christ.
A description of the book of Jacob, its organization and content. It seems to have three parts: a discourse by Jacob at the temple calling his people to repentance; prophecies of the Atonement of Christ, his rejection by the Jews, and the scattering and gathering of Israel; and the confrontation with the anti-christ, Sherem.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > 3 Nephi
RSC Topics > D — F > Devil
Book of Moses Topics > Selection of Ancient Sources > General Collections and Key Texts
Since historians cannot prove or disprove the truth of the Book of Mormon or whether Joseph Smith was a prophet, they should adopt a middle ground and only discuss secondary issues. Thus, they simply seek to understand how the Book of Mormon influences those who believe in it without discussing whether or not it is true.
RSC Topics > G — K > Judgment
RSC Topics > Q — S > Resurrection
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Helaman
A collection of letters written to the author’s grandchildren with Book of Mormon scriptures interspersed throughout. Early members of the Church had received a firm testimony in spite of limited amounts of leisure time to study its contents. The author bears his own witness of the timeliness in which the Book of Mormon came forth.
The final volume of the series, consisting of commentary on verses from 3 Nephi through Moroni. A reflective essay culminates the work.
Warns that accepting Mormonism due to the Book of Mormon’s influence is dangerous because it contradicts the essentials of Mormonism and is out of harmony with historical and archaeological facts.
Uses Biblical quotations and the Amarna tablets to refute the LDS claim that Bethlehem was included in “the land of Jerusalem” as referred to in Alma 7:10.
The M?ori people read and understood the Book of Mormon from their own cultural perspective. Rather than examining particular verses for doctrinal content, the M?ori viewed the Book of Mormon as a moral story of a people with failings and strengths. They likened the stories to themselves, feeling they lacked the spiritual strength to stay on a righteous path for long. They saw a tragic story of families in conflict and subtribes and tribes quarreling with each other and bent on revenge for personal insults and factional quarrels. The kinship ties seemed particularly relevant to them. The Book of Mormon can be read in multiple ways and will be interpreted according to the cultural background of those reading it.
RSC Topics > Q — S > Repentance
RSC Topics > Q — S > Sin
Published as “The Circle and the Square” in Temple and Cosmos: Beyond THis Ignorant Present, Collected Works of Hugh Nibley vol. 12.
In Temple and Cosmos, Brother Nibley explains the relationship of the House of the Lord to the cosmos. In “Temple,” the first part of the volume, he focuses on the nature, meaning, and history of the temple, discussing such topics as sacred vestments, the circle and the square, and the symbolism of the temple and its ordinances. In the second part, “Cosmos,” he discusses the cosmic context of the temple-the expanding gospel, apocryphal writings, religion and history, the genesis of the written word, cultural diversity in the universal church, and the terrible questions: Where did we come from? Why are we here? and Where are we going?
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > The Collected Works of Hugh Nibley (CWHN)
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Science > Cosmology, Creation, Treasures in the Heavens
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Temples
Chapters
In Temple and Cosmos, Brother Nibley explains the relationship of the House of the Lord to the cosmos. In Temple, the first part of the volume, he focuses on the nature, meaning, and history of the temple, discussing such topics as sacred vestments, the circle and the square, and the symbolism of the temple and its ordinances. In the second part, Cosmos, he discusses the cosmic context of the temple-the expanding gospel, apocryphal writings, religion and history, the genesis of the written word, cultural diversity in the universal church, and the terrible questions: Where did we come from? Why are we here? and Where are we going?
Uses science to find more of the meaning of the temple.
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Temples
In Temple and Cosmos, Brother Nibley explains the relationship of the House of the Lord to the cosmos. In Temple, the first part of the volume, he focuses on the nature, meaning, and history of the temple, discussing such topics as sacred vestments, the circle and the square, and the symbolism of the temple and its ordinances. In the second part, Cosmos, he discusses the cosmic context of the temple-the expanding gospel, apocryphal writings, religion and history, the genesis of the written word, cultural diversity in the universal church, and the terrible questions: Where did we come from? Why are we here? and Where are we going?
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Temples
In Temple and Cosmos, Brother Nibley explains the relationship of the House of the Lord to the cosmos. In Temple, the first part of the volume, he focuses on the nature, meaning, and history of the temple, discussing such topics as sacred vestments, the circle and the square, and the symbolism of the temple and its ordinances. In the second part, Cosmos, he discusses the cosmic context of the temple-the expanding gospel, apocryphal writings, religion and history, the genesis of the written word, cultural diversity in the universal church, and the terrible questions: Where did we come from? Why are we here? and Where are we going?
This lecture was originally accompanied by slides. It was circulated in two different editions in 1986 and 1987 and was available in a much expanded version, including illustrations, in 1988.
Old Testament Topics > Temple and Tabernacle
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Temples > Ancient Temples > Sacred Vestments
Originally an unpublished manuscript.
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Temples > Ancient Temples > Symbolism
Originally printed in BYU Studies (1965) and Nibley on the Timely and the Timeless, 2nd ed.
When dealing with apocryphal texts, scholars can discount doctrines and themes that appear once or twice. However, themes that run consistently through many or most of the texts should be seriously considered. One such theme is that of a council in heaven in which a plan was presented and the opposition toward that plan. This article details the presence of these themes in ancient texts among various cultures.
“The Expanding Gospel” (1965)
“The Expanding Gospel” (2004)
In Temple and Cosmos, Brother Nibley explains the relationship of the House of the Lord to the cosmos. In Temple, the first part of the volume, he focuses on the nature, meaning, and history of the temple, discussing such topics as sacred vestments, the circle and the square, and the symbolism of the temple and its ordinances. In the second part, Cosmos, he discusses the cosmic context of the temple-the expanding gospel, apocryphal writings, religion and history, the genesis of the written word, cultural diversity in the universal church, and the terrible questions: Where did we come from? Why are we here? and Where are we going?
Hugh Nibley draws parallels between language and traditions found in the Apocrypha to the culture of the people in the Book of Mormon. In the second half of his lecture, Hugh Nibley compares the linguistics and culture of the Book of Mormon to that found in the Apocrypha. The imagery and practices found in the Book of Mormon are compared with certain phrases and material concerns found in Jewish and Christian apocryphal writings.
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Book of Mormon > Ancient Near East
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Temples
In Temple and Cosmos, Brother Nibley explains the relationship of the House of the Lord to the cosmos. In Temple, the first part of the volume, he focuses on the nature, meaning, and history of the temple, discussing such topics as sacred vestments, the circle and the square, and the symbolism of the temple and its ordinances. In the second part, Cosmos, he discusses the cosmic context of the temple-the expanding gospel, apocryphal writings, religion and history, the genesis of the written word, cultural diversity in the universal church, and the terrible questions: Where did we come from? Why are we here? and Where are we going?
Old Testament Topics > Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha [including intertestamental books and the Dead Sea Scrolls]
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Dead Sea Scrolls
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Temples > Ancient Temples
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Temples > Ancient Temples > Ordinances
In Temple and Cosmos, Brother Nibley explains the relationship of the House of the Lord to the cosmos. In Temple, the first part of the volume, he focuses on the nature, meaning, and history of the temple, discussing such topics as sacred vestments, the circle and the square, and the symbolism of the temple and its ordinances. In the second part, Cosmos, he discusses the cosmic context of the temple-the expanding gospel, apocryphal writings, religion and history, the genesis of the written word, cultural diversity in the universal church, and the terrible questions: Where did we come from? Why are we here? and Where are we going?
In Temple and Cosmos, Brother Nibley explains the relationship of the House of the Lord to the cosmos. In Temple, the first part of the volume, he focuses on the nature, meaning, and history of the temple, discussing such topics as sacred vestments, the circle and the square, and the symbolism of the temple and its ordinances. In the second part, Cosmos, he discusses the cosmic context of the temple-the expanding gospel, apocryphal writings, religion and history, the genesis of the written word, cultural diversity in the universal church, and the terrible questions: Where did we come from? Why are we here? and Where are we going?
Originally published in a pamphlet from the Great Issues Forum in 1955.
This is the published version of the first of several exchanges between Nibley and Sterling M. McMurrin. The exchange was held on 23 March 1955 under the sponsorship of the Department of Philosophy at the University of Utah. McMurrin’s address, “Religion and the Denial of History,” is published on pp. 5–21, although Nibley spoke first.
Reprinted from the Commissioner’s Lecture Series, 1972.
An examination of writing as a gift from God and as a vehicle for the preservation and communication of knowledge of divine things.
Genesis of the Written Word (1973)
“The Genesis of the Written Word” (1973)
“Genesis of the Written Word” (2004)
In Temple and Cosmos, Brother Nibley explains the relationship of the House of the Lord to the cosmos. In Temple, the first part of the volume, he focuses on the nature, meaning, and history of the temple, discussing such topics as sacred vestments, the circle and the square, and the symbolism of the temple and its ordinances. In the second part, Cosmos, he discusses the cosmic context of the temple-the expanding gospel, apocryphal writings, religion and history, the genesis of the written word, cultural diversity in the universal church, and the terrible questions: Where did we come from? Why are we here? and Where are we going?
Ties science fiction and gospel ideas.
“Science Fiction and the Gospel” (1985)
“Science Fiction and the Gospel” (1969)
Originally printed in Dialogue.
An essay expounding on one Brother Bush’s study about the explanations behind people of color receiving the priesthood.
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Doctrine and Covenants > Sections > Official Declaration 2
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Language > Sophic , Mantic, Revelation, Reason
In Temple and Cosmos, Brother Nibley explains the relationship of the House of the Lord to the cosmos. In Temple, the first part of the volume, he focuses on the nature, meaning, and history of the temple, discussing such topics as sacred vestments, the circle and the square, and the symbolism of the temple and its ordinances. In the second part, Cosmos, he discusses the cosmic context of the temple-the expanding gospel, apocryphal writings, religion and history, the genesis of the written word, cultural diversity in the universal church, and the terrible questions: Where did we come from? Why are we here? and Where are we going?
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Temples > Ancient Temples > Ritual Patterns, Great Year-Rites, Universal Gospel Culture
Originally printed as an exhibition catalog.
In Temple and Cosmos, Brother Nibley explains the relationship of the House of the Lord to the cosmos. In Temple, the first part of the volume, he focuses on the nature, meaning, and history of the temple, discussing such topics as sacred vestments, the circle and the square, and the symbolism of the temple and its ordinances. In the second part, Cosmos, he discusses the cosmic context of the temple-the expanding gospel, apocryphal writings, religion and history, the genesis of the written word, cultural diversity in the universal church, and the terrible questions: Where did we come from? Why are we here? and Where are we going?
In Temple and Cosmos, Brother Nibley explains the relationship of the House of the Lord to the cosmos. In Temple, the first part of the volume, he focuses on the nature, meaning, and history of the temple, discussing such topics as sacred vestments, the circle and the square, and the symbolism of the temple and its ordinances. In the second part, Cosmos, he discusses the cosmic context of the temple-the expanding gospel, apocryphal writings, religion and history, the genesis of the written word, cultural diversity in the universal church, and the terrible questions: Where did we come from? Why are we here? and Where are we going?
The Seventh Annual Book of Mormon Symposium at BYU “All things shall be done unto thee according to thy word, for thou shalt not ask that which is contrary to my will.” This was the Lord’s glorious promise to Nephi, son of Helaman. The general wickedness that prevailed in much of Nephite society during Nephi’s day was in stark contrast to his exemplary faithfulness. Why was this so? How did the people’s decline come about so rapidly? What specific messages do the book of Helaman and the early chapters of 3 Nephi contain for our day? Seventeen symposium papers collected in this volume address these and other issues related to events and conditions among the Nephites and the Lamanites during the eighty or so years prior to the Savior’s appearance on the American continent. Contributors not only discuss great doctrinal teachings of stalwarts like Nephi, Samuel the Lamanite, and Mormon but also provide detailed analyses of how and why the Nephites moved from a condition of righteousness to one of wickedness during this critical period in their history. ISBN 0-8849-4864-1
Book of Mormon Scriptures > 3 Nephi
Articles
RSC Topics > L — P > Prophets
RSC Topics > Q — S > Restoration of the Gospel
RSC Topics > Q — S > Scriptures
RSC Topics > L — P > Obedience
RSC Topics > Q — S > Sin
RSC Topics > L — P > Prophets
RSC Topics > G — K > Hell
RSC Topics > L — P > Plan of Salvation
RSC Topics > Q — S > Resurrection
RSC Topics > Q — S > Spirit World
Presenters included Dean L. Larsen, Rex C. Reeve Jr., Robert J. Matthews, Robert L. Millet, and others. The topics include the “New Meaning of ‘Restoration,’ ” anti-Christs, faith and freedom, and others, all based on the book of Alma.
Presenters included Russell M. Nelson, Robert Millet, Robert J. Matthews, Thomas W. Mackay, Monte S. Nyman, and others. The topics include sanctification, secret covenant teachings of men, the dangers of a class society, and many others found in the books of Helaman and 3 Nephi.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > 3 Nephi
The Sixth Annual Book of Mormon Symposium at BYU Nineteen papers on a variety of topics related to the largest book in the Book of Mormon, Alma, make up this volume. These topics include the relevance of the book of Alma to our modern situation, classic discourses of Alma the Younger, the doctrinal and spiritual understanding afforded by Alma’s counsel to his son Corianton, and an enlightening look at the anti-Christ Korihor. The missionary experiences of the sons of Mosiah and Captain Moroni are also discussed. The conclusions drawn in these papers reflect the authors’ testimony of what Alma himself knew to be true: that God’s word has—and always will have—“a great tendency to lead the people to do that which [is] just.” ISBN 0-8849-4841-2
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Alma
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Moroni
Articles
RSC Topics > Q — S > Scriptures
RSC Topics > T — Z > Teaching the Gospel
RSC Topics > G — K > Justice
RSC Topics > L — P > Mercy
RSC Topics > Q — S > Repentance
RSC Topics > Q — S > Sin
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Alma
RSC Topics > D — F > Faith
RSC Topics > G — K > Hope
RSC Topics > G — K > Humility
RSC Topics > L — P > Old Testament
RSC Topics > Q — S > Service
RSC Topics > T — Z > Testimony
Old Testament Scriptures > Exodus
Old Testament Scriptures > Numbers
Old Testament Scriptures > Esther
Book of Moses Topics > Selection of Ancient Sources > General Collections and Key Texts
The entire text of the Book of Mormon formatted into (1) historical narrative and (2) parallelistic forms (consisting of a number of parallel and repetitious types). The narrative portions are formatted into regular blocked style. The introduction includes explanations of the forms of poetic parallelisms found in scripture.
Cites Book of Mormon, scientific, and other sources to argue against the theories dealing with organic evolution. Believes that the Book of Mormon is opposed to organic evolution.
The author serendipitously discovered a stream east of the Gulf of Aqaba that seems to share the physical features of Lehi’s “river of water” that “emptied into the Red Sea” and was “continually running.” The river Laman ran through the valley of Lemuel, described as “firm, steadfast, and immovable.” The stream and the canyon seem to fulfill the conditions of the river of Laman and the valley of Lemuel.
This author requests help in compiling a list of useful reference books that readers can use when studying the Book of Mormon. Such a list would include dictionaries, encyclopedias, and atlases.
This polemical book recounts the history of the Book of Mormon and examines selected verses from the book in an attempt to discredit it.
Recognizing that individual languages use certain conventions or codes to communicate messages, Chauncey Riddle looks at language used in the Book of Mormon to illuminate what might be hidden meanings. The code language of the Book of Mormon points toward Jesus Christ. His calling and his attributes can be found in the names used in scripture, in words used in ordinances, and in words of worship and blessing. All of this was done so that the trace of the true Savior would not become lost among the children of Israel, try as they might to avoid it.
Roper examines the use of the terms sword and cimeter in a Mesoamerican setting as well as in the Book of Mormon text. The macuahuitl was a fearsome weapon consisting of a long, flat piece of hardwood with grooves along the side into which sharp fragments of flint or obsidian were set and glued. Our knowledge of this weapon comes more from written accounts than actual artifacts because few specimens have survived. The Book of Mormon sword of Laban was used as a model for making swords, but they were not necessarily made of the same material. The discussion in Alma 24:12 having to do with stained swords would make particular sense with wooden swords. Cimeters, or scimitars, differ from swords in having curved blades. Several kinds of swords and cimeters that were in use in ancient Mesoamerica are plausible candidates for Book of Mormon weapons.
Contains essays on the Book of Mormon including José Sánchez, “Las Traducciones y Ediciones del Libro de Mormón al Espa–ol”; José Sánchez, “MuŽstrenme a un ‘Lamanita’ “; José Sánchez, “Bibliograf’a Selecta del Libro de Mormón”; José Sánchez, “El Libro de Mormón y Yo”; Mark L. Grover, “Bibliograf’a de la Iglesia Mormona en LatinoamŽrica”; and a small “Encuesta S—bre el art’culo MuŽstrenme a un ‘Lamanita,’ ” compiled by Sánchez.
Old Testament prophet Jeremiah and Book of Mormon prophet Lehi were contemporaries, and both preached repentance to the people of Jerusalem. Despite their common love for the truth, these men led very different lives because the first was commanded to remain in Jerusalem and the latter was commanded to leave. This article examines the lives and teachings of Jeremiah and Lehi and compares them to each other, suggesting that Jeremiah’s life symbolizes God’s justice and that Lehi’s life symbolizes God’s mercy.
Old Testament Scriptures > Ezekiel
Old Testament Topics > Book of Mormon and the Old Testament
It is highly unlikely that an object found in Lake Michigan could be a Jaredite barge. Lee Siegel reports about an archaeological dig at Piedras Negras, Guatemala, conceived and run by Brigham Young University’s Dr. Stephen Houston. A bronze sword discovered in Texas may be an Old World artifact. A linguist documents convincingly that the Ket language in western Siberia shares cognates with the Na-Dene language family of North America, thus showing possible transcontinental linguistic links.
“Serious discussion of benefits for the individual reader of the scripture that could come from a solution to the geography conundrum has been suprisingly rare. Among obvious points that could be made are : (1) a heightened sense of concreteness or believability conferred on readers by their having specific, detailed knowledge of the setting of reported events; and (2) likelihood that giving the scriptural account definite spatial, historical and cultural dimensions will make its lessons-for-living clearer. Third, the matter of geography may have also been seen as a challenge : if Latter-day Saints have so far failed to examine ’the keystone of our [LDS] religion’ with sufficient care to set it into a definite place and concrete scene, does that not mean that we are treating a sacred matter superficially? That there are many hundreds of geographical statements and facts included in the record can be taken to indicate that we ought to pay attention to them. So while I do not consider this topic crucial, I believe it is significant. And for me personally it is interesting.” [Author]
This annotated bibliography compiled by John Sorenson makes accessible a range of information about animals in the Book of Mormon. It also includes an appendix of animal references in the Book of Mormon.
The text of the Book of Mormon refers many times to metals, ores, and metal processing. John Sorenson provides an annotated bibliography of sources on archaeological finds of Old World and Mesoamerican metallurgy and metal specimens. He includes a summary of statements in the Book of Mormon text about metals, ores, and metal processing, with notes on Hebrew usage of metal-related terms.
A comprehensive analysis of Book of Mormon geography. Sorenson gives a history and summary of all Latter-day Saints who have written on geography. He indicates what the text says, verse by verse, on geography and presents a trial map based on the text. Also presents problems of establishing distances and deciphering directional statements in the Book of Mormon. This work is reviewed in J.057.
Introduction to the current issue.
Introduction to the current issue.
Ancient Mesoamericans used some systems of weights and measures; items in the market, though, were usually sold by volume. The Mesoamerican weights and measures may coincide with the weights and measures described in Alma 11 of the Book of Mormon, but more research is necessary in order to make conclusive claims.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Alma
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Helaman
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Mormon
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Ether
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Moroni
Book review.
Types in the scriptures are important for us to understand in order to get all we can from the scriptures. The Lehite’s journey in the wilderness is a type of our spiritual journey, Nephite warfare descriptions are types, and the 158 years between Mosiah2 and the coming of Christ is a type of the period of restoration and the second coming.
According to a scientific report, barley has been excavated from an ancient Indian site in Arizona. Such a discovery appears to be significant evidence of the authenticity of the Book of Mormon.
According to the “purpose principle,” everything in the Book of Mormon is there for a purpose. In Jacob 1:4 Jacob writes that he should engraven the heads of preaching, revelation, or prophesying on the plates. As used here, “heads” is a Hebraism meaning the most important or best of such teachings.
Types are a pattern for the future and reveal an understanding that God is in control. Every future event between the present and the millennium has been foretold through types in the scriptures. Types contained in the Book of Mormon include Lehi’s journey in the wilderness, Nephites/Lamanites, warfare, and the 158 years between Mosiah as king and the coming of Christ.
The Book of Mormon invites exploration and reexploration. After more than 150 years of careful reading, we are still learning to appreciate its fullness, understand its origins, and comprehend its messages. Reexploring the Book of Mormon yields a wealth of new insights. More than ever before, patient and skillful research during the past decade has led from one discovery to another. Since 1981, the Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies (F.A.R.M.S.) has issued articles and updates—brief, readable reports on current discoveries about the origins and contents of the Book of Mormon. Eighty-five of these findings published through 1991 have been collected in this volume. This type of research does more than gather circumstantial evidence for the Book of Mormon. It explores many avenues of the record’s internal complexity. It helps define the rich literary, anthropological, historical, and spiritual settings in which this scripture was written and translated.
Articles
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Helaman
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Helaman
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Jacob
Marian Robertson Wilson recounts her memories of her father, Leroy Robertson, and of the creation of his masterpiece, the Oratorio from the Book of Mormon. The idea to compose an oratorio based on the Book of Mormon first came to Robertson when Elder Melvin J. Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles casually suggested it to him one day in 1919. After his conversation with Elder Ballard, Robertson dedicated much of his time to studying the Book of Mormon and choosing sections of scripture to use in his compilation. The piece eventually received attention from LDS church leadership and from the renowned Maurice Abravanel. It significantly impacted missionary work, as well as the work of other LDS composers.
Ammon, a Nephite missionary who chose to serve a Lamanite king as his servant, gained fame by cutting off the arms of the king’s enemies. The practice of smiting off arms of enemies as trophies fits a cultural pattern known among the later Aztecs and Maya in pre-Spanish Mesoamerica.
Articles
Articles
Old Testament Topics > Jesus Christ, the God of the Old and the New Testament
Old Testament Topics > Temple and Tabernacle
It is worthy to make resolutions regarding our behavior, goals, or pursuits. Such resolutions become mileposts to guide our lives, now and later. They will lead us past the kind of transitory fads that evaporate like the morning dew in the heat of the sun.
But if I could turn back the clock, would I also have to trade in what I have learned? I wouldn’t want to give that part back. Always having our first choice might mean giving up unknown benefits.
Our ability to maintain ourselves in the face of changing circumstances and a changing world will depend principally on our ability to build our house on those things that do not change.
Articles
Alma and Amulek preached to the Zoramites and taught them how to pray. Stresses the importance of prayer and gives the basic steps of how to offer a prayer.
Sinless and flawless as Jesus was in mortality, we should remember that he viewed his own state of physical perfection as being yet in the future (see Luke 13:32). Even he had to endure to the end. Can you and I be expected to do any less?
Learn to appreciate the power and potential in your heads. Get out of your comfort zone! Expand your vision! Experience the satisfaction that comes from real, earned accomplishment.
Articles
It was their beliefs and the motivation that came therefrom that pulled them through. Everyone of us is largely the product of his or her beliefs. Our behavior is governed by these. They become our standards of conduct.
Suggests following the directive of Jesus to take the writings of Isaiah seriously. To accomplish this assignment one must learn the manner of the Jews.
Points out “absurdities and anachronisms” in the Book of Mormon that contradict LDS teachings and disagree with the Bible, therefore invalidating Mormonism.
A children’s story of how Nephi built a ship because he was commanded to by the Lord. It is important to obey the commandments.
Questions the validity of visits by Moroni to Joseph Smith, the existence of the plates, and the veracity of the First Vision. Casts doubts on the characters of the Three Witnesses.
Refers to a study by J. M. Cascione showing that the Bible contains lists of items in combinations of twos, threes, fours, fives, sixes, sevens, tens, and twelves, each of which is associated with a particular category, as in Hebrew poetry. Gives examples from the Bible and Book of Mormon.
Brothers and sisters, I salute you for the many small charitable acts you do that mean so much to others. I hope this Relief Society sesquicentennial year will be the time when you decide your life will be something extraordinary.
Reprinted from Butterworth’s Pilgrims of the Pacific. Independence, MO: Herald House, 1974. Two photographs and a diagram offer explanations of a possible design for Jaredite barges.
Articles
Talks
Part of this address was filmed in Nauvoo, Illinois, and presented as part of the Relief Society Sesquicentennial Satellite Broadcast.
Brief summary of LDS beliefs, history, and the Book of Mormon story line. Points out lack of corroborating archaeological evidence for the Book of Mormon. Concludes that Joseph Smith authored the book, that it does not agree with current LDS doctrines, and that therefore it cannot be recognized as “another testament of Jesus Christ”
Reports upon a Book of Mormon Conference that was held at Graceland College for young men and women of the RLDS church. The Book of Mormon is a valuable treasure to be shared.
Based on a lack of agreement among LDS scholars as to the location of Book of Mormon events, McKeever argues that an upcoming FARMS tour cannot claim to visit Book of Mormon lands.
A story of a boy who enjoyed reading the Book of Mormon with his family and how it made him a better person.
Discusses Ezra Taft Benson’s claim that the Book of Mormon is the most correct book on earth to show that Mormonism is not a Christian denomination.
“The Tablet of 96 Glyphs from Palenque provides a strong witness that the Maya knew about and utilized the same literary practices as Hebrew writers” The writers point out literary practices that appear in the Book of Mormon: the phrase “it came to pass,” chiasmus, and paired opposites.
A story of a young girl who shared the message of the Book of Mormon with her friends through her charitable actions.
Articles
Skousen reports on his work on a critical text of the Book of Mormon, notably his work with the Wilford Wood original manuscript fragments, which in 1937 Wood purchased from Lewis Bidamon’s son, Charles. The project has illuminated Hebrew-like expressions in the original text, some errors of transmission between the original and the printer’s manuscripts, and more information concerning the translation process.
Proposes that the primary purpose of the Book of Mormon is to inform the Lamanites concerning the covenants made to their fathers. The secondary purpose is to convince the Jews and Gentiles of Jesus’ Christological mission. Suggests that we be more diligent in bringing the Book of Mormon to the attention of the Lamanites.
Writes that salvation through Christ does not concern only the after-life reward but salvation from worldly evils during mortality.
We are of infinite value and worth to Christ. As we love him, have faith in him, and desire to be like him, he is the one who will change us, perfect us, and bring us home. Then he will give us all that he hath. How could we want for anything else?
Articles
Old Testament Topics > Bible: LDS edition
A conversion story of a young man who became interested in the Church through his friends’ examples and received his testimony after reading the Book of Mormon.
A conversion story of a young man who became interested in the Church through his friends’ examples and received his testimony after reading the Book of Mormon.
A person who engages in self-congratulation over a supposed strength has lost the protection of humility and is vulnerable to Satan’s using that strength to produce his or her downfall.
Because our tribulations unfold in real time, the only way out, alas, is through. This means we must endure not only our hardships but the ordeal of anxiety within the ordeal; it means we must live on promises and walk by faith.
Articles
Witnesses of the Book of Mormon > The Other Witnesses
Scriptural passages in the Book of Mormon, Bible, and Doctrine and Covenants suggest that forgiven sins may not always remain so. In order to bring safety to the soul one must forgive others and “endure to the end” (1 Nephi 7:69).
Many believe Guatemala to be the Land of Nephi. This author felt the spirit of this holy ground. His testimony of Jesus Christ was strengthened as his testimony of the Book of Mormon increased when seeing the ruins of Mesoamerica and the idolatrous worship of the people. The Book of Mormon will bring them to Christ.
Notes that the phrase “state of awful woundedness” (1 Nephi 13:32) in the original and printer’s manuscripts was replaced in the 1837 edition of the Book of Mormon with the phrase “state of awful blindness” Then Heater references Alma 32 and writes concerning the power of the word.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Alma
Gustav Koehn seriously questioned the Book of Mormon. He had a dream in which an angel showed him the plates of gold, leafed through them, and declared the book to be true. He was baptized into the RLDS church and continued to testify of the Book of Mormon.
Responds to criticisms of author’s earlier article “Visiting the Book of Mormon Lands?” Quotes various sources to support his viewpoint that the FARMS tour will not necessarily visit actual Book of Mormon sites.
Summarizes the tactics and pitfalls of the three great anti-Christs, Sherem, Nehor, and Korihor. The blandishments resorted to by these three are recognizable today, both in and out of the church.
Portions of Tvedtnes’s article from Rediscovering the Book of Mormon are reprinted here. The 1966 revision of the Book of Mormon corrected expressions that were considered awkward in English. This destroyed much of the evidence of the book’s ancient characteristics and Hebrew language patterns. The Hebraic expressions found in the 1930 edition assist in proving the authenticity of the book.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Alma
Articles
Book review.
We, too, must choose whether we will serve our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, or follow the gods of indulgence and sin that clamor for our attention on every side.
Latter-day Saints should have all the genuine excitement others have in the traditional adventure of learning, including learning secular truths—and we, of all people, should have a little more!
We need scholars, teachers, and administrators who are balanced. We need intellectuals who are intelligent. We need probers who aggressively pursue the truth. We need researchers who are willing to pray. We need teachers who teach with Christlike parables.
BYU is unique among American universities because it incorporates the restored gospel as an integral part of its academic program. It is also true that both our uniqueness and also our effectiveness are enhanced to the extent that we use the Restoration to inform what we do academically.
While five or six years of graduate school may have started us on the path toward becoming pretty good scientists or literary scholars, they did not necessarily qualify us to redesign the campus, or to replace Norm Chow in calling the football plays, or to run the Church.
They fulfill their dreams by coming to this oasis of learning in a spiritually parched world, yearning to ask the young ruler’s question: What shall I do? And they come believing that the faculty and staff here will tell them what to do.
Articles
A story of a young man who took Moroni’s challenge (Moroni 10:3-5). After he prayed, the Spirit manifested the truth of the Book of Mormon to him.
A story of a young man who took Moroni’s challenge (Moroni 10:3-5). After he prayed, the Spirit manifested the truth of the Book of Mormon to him.
A brief biographical sketch of Christopher Columbus, showing how he fulfills the prophecies in the Book of Mormon (1 Nephi 3:147, RLDS versification). The article also discusses the timing of Columbus’s voyage and why the Americas had been kept hidden (2 Nephi 1:16-21, RLDS versification).
Book of Mormon Scriptures > 2 Nephi
Explains two modes of approach toward scriptural historicity—traditionalist and historical critical. Traditionalists look at composition, date, accuracy of events, and chronological order. The historical critical mode does not look at internal or external claims as necessarily true, but looks at the possibility that historical matters are not what are traditionally claimed. The Book of Mormon contains anachronisms in its Isaiah text and other chapters that rely on the New Testament. Suggests that the Book of Mormon is not an ancient text and that Joseph Smith was the author not the translator.
If you will remain unwaveringly anchored to the Lord Jesus Christ and devote your heart and soul to him . . . you will be blessed and all of the promises of the eternities will be given unto you.
If only we could realize that the momentary pleasure we might feel by an act of disobedience can never be equal to the feelings of peace and happiness that result from obedience.
Remember the Brazilian butterflies. What you as an individual can do may not be much, but it is something; and when aggregated with what others are doing, the increment can be significant.
Looks at Book of Mormon anti-Christs within a model set up by Joseph Campbell showing some degree of reversal of the mythic hero type. They are depicted as counterfeits, and experience a tragic “ironic twist of the sacriicial archetype epitomized by Christ”
Articles
Talks
A review of the book The Dead Sea Scrolls Deception by Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh who claim that the law as taught in the Dead Sea Scrolls, Jesus’ sayings (Matthew 5:17-19), and Paul’s teachings (Romans 3:21-23; Galatians 2:16-17) do not harmonize. Stevens says the Book of Mormon (Mosiah 8:3-11, 28- 29, 89-91; Mosiah 1:113, 116; 3 Nephi 7:4-12 [RLDS versification]) shows that Paul’s teachings and Christ’s are harmonious.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > 3 Nephi
Reports statistics of Book of Mormon translations and maintains that the Book of Mormon is not scripture no matter which language it is read in.
Finds fault with LDS pageant “The Man Who Knew” by discussing Lucy Harris’s negative attitude toward Joseph Smith and his work.
Points out that even if the Book of Mormon was inspired, it was written by a man or men. Because it contains false doctrine and anachronisms the Book of Mormon is clearly not an inspired work.
Quotes from Ether and Orson Pratt to discuss the impracticalities of Jaredite barges.
Reports that Book of Mormon distribution has increased in the last year. Warns that the Book of Mormon lacks the archaeological proof that supports the Bible and that it disagrees with doctrines of the Mormon church.
Examines archaeological and religious history of the city of Teotihuac‡n between 100 b.c. and a.d. 400 to discover correlations with Book of Mormon cultural history.
The supernatural claims of the Book of Mormon cannot be tested, nor can the remains of the culture claimed by the book to have existed be found. Many of the agricultural and metallurgical claims of the book cannot be supported by archaeology.
A discussion of Hugh Nibley’s experience visiting the Hopi and the truths he noticed they maintained as he watched their way of life.
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Stewardship, Creation, Earth, Environment
Trust and accountability are two great words by which we must guide our lives if we are to live beyond ourselves and rise to higher planes of service.
Discusses current tensions among the RLDS regarding the proper place of the Book of Mormon within its confessional sphere: some accept the traditional Latter-day Saint view that the book is actual history, while others consider it inspired but ictional religious literature. The difference in outlook has caused dissension. The RLDS hierarchy deals with the situation by resorting to “strategic caution” and “discreet silence”
Articles
This article explores themes in Columbus’s writings. Columbus saw himself to be, in part, a fulfillment of Isaiah 11:10-12. He also expected to find the “other sheep” spoken of in John 10:16. The article also shows the accuracy of Nephi’s vision regarding Columbus.
Since the Book of Mormon contradicts itself, the Bible, and the LDS church, the statement in 1 Nephi 13:12 traditionally interpreted as a prophecy of Columbus’s arrival in America was obviously not written before 1492, making the Book of Mormon “at best a pious fraud”
As you examine the memorabilia you have put into your book of life, will you find the ones prescribed by the Lord in being obedient to his laws?
Points out that the Book of Mormon prophets before Christ believed in and testified of Christ. Suggests that those who live at the current time follow their example.
I have total confidence and faith in the wisdom and omniscience of a loving, merciful Heavenly Father—to be dependent upon him and yet to communicate with him, I must make faithful personal effort on a never-ending basis.
These comments by Nibley are excerpted from a FARMS videocassette entitled “The Dead Sea Scrolls: A New Era Dawns.”
It contains material recorded in connection with a National Interfaith Conference on the Dead Sea Scrolls, 20 November 1992 in the Kresge Auditorium of Stanford University.
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Pearl of Great Price > Book of Moses > Characters > Enoch
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Pearl of Great Price > Book of Moses > Characters > Mahaway, Mahujah, Mahijah
Articles
A list of scriptures organized by topic to help in applying the Book of Mormon to everyday life.
Linda Hunter Adams expressed gratitude for Nibley’s article.
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Hugh Nibley > Scholarship, Footnotes, Collected Works of Hugh Nibley, CWHN, Editing > Discipleship
A three-foot sword excavated at Vered Jericho, likely dating to 620 BC, lends credence to the description of the sword of Laban in the Book of Mormon.
RSC Topics > T — Z > Unity
“Given its unique claims, the following become relevant questions for investigation: Is the Book of Mormon a translation of ancient records written in Egyptian and “reformed” Egyptian language or characters? Are there “wordprints” of the various orators and authors which the book introduces? Can traces of the original language(s) be found in the “literal” English translation: “Hebraisms” and “Egyptianisms”? Answers to such questions are crucial in the face of increasingly numerous [p.331] apologetic claims about how the Book of Mormon was produced and the historicity of its contents. This essay examines evidence of ancient Egyptian or Hebrew in the Book of Mormon, discussing first the claims made in the book itself, then those made by Joseph Smith and his associates, and finally those made by modern apologists.” [ From Auhtor]
RSC Topics > Q — S > Sacrifice
RSC Topics > T — Z > Testimony
RSC Topics > L — P > Priesthood
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.”
Old Testament Topics > Book of Mormon and the Old Testament
Old Testament Topics > Prophets and Prophecy
Review of The Grand Design: America from Columbus to Zion (1992), by E. Douglas Clark.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > 3 Nephi
This book, which contains proceedings of the 1991 dedication of the Joseph Smith Memorial building at Brigham Young University as well as twenty-three papers from the 1992 Joseph Smith Symposium, is a fitting tribute to the mighty prophet and seer who stands as the head of the dispensation of the fulness of times. The variety and scope of the material presented here are indicative of the powerful example of Christian living and sacrifice and the wealth of gospel understanding that the Prophet left to the world. ISBN 0-8849-4876-5
Articles
RSC Topics > T — Z > Testimony
RSC Topics > T — Z > Temples
RSC Topics > T — Z > Women
RSC Topics > L — P > Prophets
RSC Topics > Q — S > Sin
Articles
Book of Mormon Scriptures > 3 Nephi
Hosea’s description of his marriage to a harlot as a key to understanding his words concerning the Lord’s anger and the eventual triumph of divine love
Old Testament Topics > Women in the Old Testament
RSC Topics > L — P > Old Testament
The Book of Mormon name Sariah does not appear as a female name in the Bible but has now been identified in a reconstructed form in an Aramaic papyrus. A Jewish woman living at Elephantine in Upper Egypt during the fifth century BC was identified as Sariah daughter of Hoshea.
Job as an example of turning to God in times of suffering
“Members of this Sunday school class, like many other Mormons, presumed that the beliefs, religious practices, mindset, and cultural understanding of Book of Mormon personalities were very similar to their own. This presumption is understandable. Mormonism claims to be a restoration of the church Jesus established in the New Testament, [p.82] and it claims that this New Testament church taught the same Christian gospel that Adam and Noah knew and taught (Moses 5: 6-15; 8: 19-24). Some Mormons teach that righteous people at all times are inspired by God with correct religious knowledge: therefore Abinadi’s religious knowledge must match our own regardless of what his words say.” [From Author]
This article suggests that contemporary near-death research casts light on several episodes in the Book of Mormon. Alma’s conversion while “nigh unto death” fits a common pattern of experience. Modern researchers have noticed distinctive aftereffects among those who have experienced a near-death experience (NDE). In the Book of Mormon, both Alma and the resurrected Christ demonstrate these aftereffects. Lehi’s dream invites comparison with the otherworld journey literature of many nations. Nephi’s interpretation of Lehi’s dream casts light on the tension between the literal and the symbolic elements of visionary experience. Finally, just as accurate out-of-body observations made by NDErs argued for the reality of their experiences, so the testable aspects of the Book of Mormon give Joseph Smith a significance apart from others who may have experienced similar visions.
Articles
Old Testament Topics > Restoration and Joseph Smith
Korihor makes use of language to cast doubt in the minds of his listeners and to tear down the power of God. Language is used for both good and ill.
A certain combination of temperament and upbringing can lead to a sense of alienation from the scriptures’ meaning. This paper considers the role that types might play in overcoming that alienation as they mediate between scriptural understanding and human experience, permitting deeper insight into both. The difficulties and possibilities inherent in such an approach shed light on a typological analysis of the figures of Abinadi and the brother of Jared.
RSC Topics > L — P > Missionary Work
In the Book of Mormon, despised outcasts, such as the Lamanites or the poor, often have a special aptitude for spirituality, and the richer, civilized, and more overtly religious Nephites are often declining in righteousness. This phenomenon, with some characteristic specific themes, such as being excluded from a religious edifice, is found in ancient and contemporary cultures and religions. This theme points up the complexity of the Book of Mormon, which is not simple cowboys-and-Indians melodrama.
RSC Topics > G — K > Gospel of Jesus Christ
A Bible study guide of the period from the division of the kingdoms to the end of the Old Testament
Suggests that Book of Mormon lands are in the United States of America, particularly in the area of New York State. The narrow neck of land mentioned in the book lies between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. The Spirit bears witness to the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and a knowledge of the geography is not necessary.
Malachi’s rebuke of Israel for their lack of faith and his prophecies
Messianic prophecies
The mortal Savior was not man, not human (Alma 34:10). Infinite and eternal, he received his physical life not from a son of Adam but from the Father of Adam, God. He took upon himself the image of man, but in truth he was the model, not the copy. Though mortal, he was still God, able to suffer and to redeem as only a god could. He was Son, because he received physical life from his Father, and Father, because he used his divine powers to give eternal life to others. Though not man, he experienced mortality, which allowed him to understand and love mortals.
Theme of God’s sovereignty over all nations as shown by Daniel’s experiences and visions
Messianic prophecies
Malachi’s rebuke of Israel for their lack of faith and his prophecies
The Book of Mormon was written for our day. The doctrines in the Book of Mormon are relevant to the twentieth century. It corrects a world in religious decline, gives counsel on war and politics, and guides against demonic influences, teaches of God and his dealings with the nations, clarifies the Atonement, true conversion, the Christian way of life, the resurrection, judgment, and the afterlife.
Judgment and redemption
Judgment and redemption
Articles
Review of The Encyclopedia of Mormonism (1992), edited by Daniel H. Ludlow
Review of The American Religion: The Emergence of the Post-Christian Nation (1992), by Harold Bloom.
Review of Archaeology and the Book of Mormon (1972), by Jerald Tanner and Sandra Tanner
Introduction to the current volume.
Review of The Book of Mormon: Alma, The Testimony of the Word (1992), edited by Monte S. Numan and Charles D. Tate Jr.
Review of About the Three Nephites (1992), by C. Douglas Beardall and Jewel N. Beardall.
Review of Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon, vol. 4, Third Nephi through Moroni (1992), by Joseph Fielding McConkie, Robert L. Millet, and Brent L. Top
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Moroni
Review of “Meeting the Book of Mormon Challenge in Chile” (1990), by Dean Maurice Helland.
Review of Covering Up the Black Hole in the Book of Mormon (1990), by Jerald and Sandra Tanner
Review of Letters to a Mormon Elder (1990), by James R. White
Review of Faithful History: Essays on Writing Mormon History (1992), edited by George D. Smith
Review of Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about the Book of Mormon (1992), by John Ankerberg and John Weldon.
Review of David Whitmer Interviews: A Restoration Witness (1991), edited by Lyndon W. Cook.
Available for free at BYU ScholarsArchive.
A review of Teachings of the Book of Mormon: Sememster 3 (1992), by Hugh W. Nibley.
Review of Reexploring the Book of Mormon: The F.A.R.M.S. Updates (1992), edited by John W. Welch
Review of The Book of Mormon Text Reformatted according to Parallelistic Patterns (1992), by Donald W. Parry
Review of Doctrines of the Book of Mormon: The 1991 Sperry Symposium (1992), edited by Bruce A. Van Orden and Brent L. Top
Review of El Libro de Mormon ante la critica (1992), by Josué Sánchez
Bibliography of publications on the Book of Mormon in 1992.
Review of Using the Book of Mormon to Combat Falsehoods in Organic Evolution (1992), by Clark A. Peterson
The Journal of the Book of Mormon and Other Restoration Scripture is a peer-reviewed journal dedicated to promoting understanding of the history, meaning, and significance of the scriptures and other sacred texts revealed through the Prophet Joseph Smith.
Articles
Anti-Mormon criticisms of the Book of Mormon are frequently based on a questionable set of assumptions concerning the nature of historical and archaeological evidence, the role of governing presuppositions, and the nature of historical proof. Using arguments found in a recent anti-Mormon critique by Luke Wilson as a foundation, this article analyzes difficulties of reconstructing ancient geographies, problems with the discontinuity of Mesoamerican toponyms, the historical development of the idea of a limited geography model, and challenges of textual and artifactual interpretation when trying to relate the Book of Mormon to archaeological remains.
Swords often symbolize divine authority and kingship. Numerous examples from the mythology, literature, and history of the world attest to distinct patterns. The sword of Laban from the Book of Mormon fits these patterns and can be compared to the sword of Goliath. The sword of Laban can also be traced as part of the royal regalia that provides authority throughout Nephite history and later as it appears in the restoration. The sword of Laban as associated with Joseph Smith came to be an additional witness of his authority and of the divine sanction for his work.
Throughout history in many cultures, man has looked to the tree of life as a symbol of eternal life. The form of the tree of life varies according to a culture’s perception of the universe. Many early Christians saw the tree of life as a personification of Jesus Christ. It may be that the tree of life vision in the Book of Mormon was presented to introduce the Savior and his ministry. We may learn much about the Lord’s calling and personality by combining a study of various cultural ideas of the tree of life with the testimonies of the prophets contained in the scriptures.
The simile curse is a type of curse that appears in ancient Near Eastern, Old Testament, and Book of Mormon texts. It consists of two parts: (1) an event (e.g., “Just as this wax is burned by fire”) and (2) an application of that event to the subject of the curse (e.g., “so shall Arpad be burned”). In ancient Near Eastern texts, simile curses appear in written treaties and were often part of a ritual acted out during a treaty ceremony. In the Old Testament, simile curses appear primarily in prophetic writings as literary devices. In the Book of Mormon, simile curses appear in the context of treaties, religious covenants, and prophecies, and in several instances were acted out. These curses were probably part of the oral tradition of ancient Near Eastern, Old Testament, and Book of Mormon peoples.
Summary of current issue.
The sword of Laban plays a prominent role in the Book of Mormon narrative as a Nephite national treasure. Scholarly analysis of this regal heirloom has primarily concentrated upon its physical construction in relation to ancient Near Eastern metallurgical technology. However, when examined within the cultural milieu of the ancient world, along with data from church history, the scriptures, and Jewish tradition, the sword of Laban takes on new significance. Though the Book of Mormon reveals that the sword of Laban served as an ancestral and hereditary sword of the ancient Nephite prophets, evidence suggests that the weapon may have been the birthright sword of biblical tradition, a sacred heirloom that may have been wielded by the patriarchs up until the time of Joseph of Egypt. Laban, being a descendant of Joseph, inherited the birthright sword and the plates of brass, both treasures eventually coming into the possession of Nephi, who was both a prophet and a descendant of Joseph, as was Joseph Smith Jr.
This article discusses the significance of major scriptural personalities, contrasting the lessons we can learn from the positive and negative experiences of such individuals with the role models set for us in Christ and little children. Internal textual sources relate to the composition of the book of Mosiah within the context of a particular literary tradition and style. According to one argument, the text employs a “dialectical” style or stylistic device based on the “law of opposition in all things,” which juxtaposes individuals, such as righteous and wicked kings, to illuminate gospel principles. Several Old World and Book of Mormon perspectives give insight on royal treasures, symbolism, and iconography (including objects such as the Liahona and the sword of Laban). The article also contrasts views of religious freedom, taxation, and agency and responsibility, and compares duties of parents and kings.
The Journal of the Book of Mormon and Other Restoration Scripture is a peer-reviewed journal dedicated to promoting understanding of the history, meaning, and significance of the scriptures and other sacred texts revealed through the Prophet Joseph Smith.
Articles
This paper shows that the account of Moses’ brazen serpent as taught by the Nephite leaders parallels the symbol and name of the Mesoamerican god Quetzalcoatl. It further shows that the term flying, used in the Nephite but not in the biblical account of the fiery serpent, has parallels in the Old and New Worlds.
In the text of the Old Testament Yahweh is described as the Redeemer of Israel. A redeemer in Israelite society was a close family member who was responsible to help his enslaved kinsmen by buying them out of bondage. A comparable family relationship is created between the Lord and individuals by the making of covenants and the giving of a new name. The adoptive covenant becomes the basis for the Lord’s acts of redemption. This pattern of adoptive redemption can be seen in both the Old Testament and the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon identifies Yahweh, the God and Redeemer of the Old Testament, with Jesus Christ. It further explains that redemption from spiritual bondage comes through the ransom price of his blood and is available to those who enter into adoptive covenants, which create a familial relationship and allow the Lord to act as their redeemer.
Old Testament Topics > Jesus Christ, the God of the Old and the New Testament
Old Testament Topics > Types and Symbols
The Book of Mormon contains various colophons and source indicators that signal documents or authors that Mormon and the writers of the small plates used, quoted, paraphrased, or summarized in composing the final text. Some of these headers have been italicized and separated out by the printer; others form an integral part of the text but could as well have been separated and italicized. Mormon’s extensive notation of sources is another set of evidence for the intricate and complex nature of the text and, simultaneously, of the magnitude of Mormon’s work as an ancient editor and historian.
From 1830 to the present those who find it difficult to accept “angelic visitations in the age of railroads” have searched Joseph Smith’s nineteenth-century environment for sources of the subject matter of the Book of Mormon. For example, in 1990 Susan Curtis explains the economic subthemes of the book as Joseph Smith’s commentary on “market capitalism.” But the economic conditions of Joseph Smith’s time and place are not reflected in the Book of Mormon. Its economic descriptions are consistent with our vast knowledge of the economic conditions of the ancient Middle East and not inconsistent with the little known of the economics of Mesoamerica of the relevant time period. Those more comfortable with Joseph Smith as universal commentator on the issues of his day would be well advised to ignore economics or limit that topic to the Doctrine and Covenants. Those who accept him as translator of ancient scriptural documents can gain additional reassurance from the economics of the Book of Mormon.
Beginning in the 1960s, the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS) has modified its understanding of the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith’s prophetic charisms. Where the RLDS were earlier permitted to do this, they are now encouraged by their leaders to read the Book of Mormon as nineteenth-century fiction, though they are still permitted to find in it, if they wish, some inspiring passages. These changes have been resisted by a conservative minority that has lost the battle for control of the Reorganization and now tends to worship outside RLDS congregations. A few Latter-day Saints have also begun to read the Book of Mormon as fiction. Their efforts to turn the Book of Mormon into nineteenth-century fiction have been opposed by competent Latter-day Saint scholarship, though not without resistance from those who control “independent” and “liberal” publishing ventures.
The historicity of the Book of Mormon record is crucial. We cannot exercise faith in that which is untrue, nor can “doctrinal fiction” have normative value in our lives. Too often the undergirding assumption of those who cast doubt on the historicity of the Book of Mormon, in whole or in part, is a denial of the supernatural and a refusal to admit of revelation and predictive prophecy. Great literature, even religious literature, cannot engage the human soul and transform the human personality like scripture. Only scripture—writings and events and descriptions from real people at a real point in time, people who were moved upon and directed by divine powers—can serve as a revelatory channel, enabling us to hear and feel the word of God.
Joseph Smith received the golden plates on the Israelite Day of Remembrance (or Rosh ha-Shanah). Biblical references and interpretation by Jewish sages through the centuries set this day as the day God would remember his covenants with Israel to bring them back from exile. Also called the Feast of Trumpets, this day features ritual trumpet blasts to signify the issuance of revelation and a call for Israel to gather for God’s word of redemption. The day, which is set at the time of Israel’s final agricultural harvest, also symbolizes the Lord’s final harvest of souls. Furthermore, it initiates the completion of the Lord’s time periods, the Days of Awe, and signifies the last time to prepare for final judgment and the Messianic Age. The coming forth of the Book of Mormon is literally fulfilling such prophecies of the day.
Summary of current issue.
The process used by Joseph Smith to translate the Book of Mormon from the plates involved both human effort and divine assistance through the seerstone and interpreters.
Critics of the Book of Mormon frequently claim that some of the Book of Mormon witnesses later doubted or denied their testimony of the Book of Mormon. They also claim that the activities of the Three Witnesses while out of the church cast doubt upon the reliability of their earlier written testimony. I review evidence for these claims and also discuss the issue of what may constitute a witness of the Book of Mormon and whether the witnesses ever doubted or denied their testimony of the Book of Mormon. Evidence for later disbelief in the Book of Mormon by the witnesses is unpersuasive. I detail several miscellaneous issues relating to Jerald and Sandra Tanner’s criticisms of the Book of Mormon.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Ether
Revisions of Nephite chronology in the Book of Mormon occur as scholarship on various issues improves.
Lehi’s dream of the tree of life is well known in Latter- day Saint circles. Its relationship to the vision of Nephi (1 Nephi 11–14), however, may not be so well known. This paper examines the proposition that Nephi’s vision was an expansive, prophetic interpretation of Lehi’s dream of the tree of life; gives an alternate interpretation of Lehi’s dream as a guide to the afterlife; and links Lehi’s dream, the Garden of Eden, and the temple.
Scenes from Ammon’s encounter with King Lamoni’s father illustrated in color for children.
A list of scriptures organized by topic to help in applying the Book of Mormon to everyday life.
RSC Topics > L — P > Ordinances
RSC Topics > Q — S > Service
The Sperry Symposium is sponsored annually by Brigham Young University and the Church Educational System. Named in honor of the late Dr. Sidney B. Sperry, who, in the course of his forty-year career, earned a reputation for outstanding teaching and scholarship.
Contents:
Our Heritage from Joseph of Israel / Robert J. Matthews
Isaiah’s Imagery of Plants and Planting / Terry Ball
Melchizedek: Seeking After the Zion of Enoch / Frank F. Judd
The Lord Will Redeem His People: “Adoptive” Covenant and Redemption in the Old Testament / Jennifer Clark Lane
Elijah’s Mission: His Keys, Powers, and Blessings from the Old Testament to the Latter Days / E. Dale LeBaron
“The Spirit of Prophecy is the Testimony of Jesus” / D. Kelly Ogden
Symbolic Action as Prophecy in the Old Testament / Donald W. Parry
Seals and Sealing Among Ancient and Latter-day Israelites / Dana M. Pike
Aaron’s Consecration: Its Nature, Purpose, and Meaning / J. Lyman Redd
Jacob in the Presence of God / Andrew C. Skinner
The Wife/Sister Experience: Pharaoh’s Introduction to Jehovah / Gaye Strathearn
The Provocation in the Wilderness and the Rejection of Grace / M. Catherine Thomas
The Exodus: Prophetic Type and the Plan of Redemption / Thomas R. Valletta
Articles
Plant imagery used to teach man’s relationship to God, the need to repent, and Israel’s future in God’s plan
Old Testament Topics > Flora and Fauna
LDS sources illuminate Melchizedek and Enoch as types of Christ
Old Testament Topics > Melchizedek
Old Testament Topics > Priesthood
Old Testament Topics > Zion
Old Testament Topics > Types and Symbols
Old Testament Topics > Elijah
Old Testament Topics > Joseph and Asenath
Old Testament Topics > Types and Symbols
Old Testament Scriptures > Exodus
Old Testament Topics > Jesus Christ, the God of the Old and the New Testament
Old Testament Topics > Priesthood
Covenant making and personal revelation
Old Testament Topics > Covenant [see also Ephraim, Israel, Jews, Joseph]
Old Testament Topics > Abraham and Sarah [see also Covenant]
Old Testament Topics > Women in the Old Testament
Old Testament Scriptures > Leviticus
Old Testament Topics > Types and Symbols
“My thesis is simple. I will state it as directly as possible for the sake of understanding and discussion. Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints should confess in faith that the Book of Mormon is the word of God but also abandon claims that it is a historical record of the ancient peoples of the Americas. We should accept that it is a work of scripture inspired by God in the same way that the Bible is inspired, but one that has as its human author Joseph Smith, Jr.” [From Author]
Articles
The Lord’s warning of judgment, reminder to trust in him, and promise of reconciliation
The Old Testament as a witness of Christ
Old Testament Topics > Old Testament: Overviews and Manuals
Arguments supporting the theory of a single author of the book of Isaiah
Old Testament Topics > Biblical Criticism
Faithfulness under persecution and the involvement of God in his children’s lives
Old Testament Topics > Women in the Old Testament
Discusses Habbakkuk’s dialogue with the Lord concerning the seeming prosperity of the wicked and the suffering of the righteous
The evils of pride and the justice of God
Isaiah’s role as a witness of God’s foreknowledge and omnipotence
Old Testament Scriptures > Isaiah
The nature of wisdom literature
Old Testament Scriptures > 1 & 2 Kings/1 & 2 Chronicles
Old Testament Scriptures > Twelve Minor Prophets
The impact of Manasseh and Josiah on the kingdom of Judah and its eventual fall
“In this essay I examine one possible problem in current LDS interpretations of the Book of Mormon. In the context of today’s much-publicized population explosion and from the perspective of an era accustomed to miracles in medicine, technology, nutrition, and transportation, I believe we have overlooked a fundamental difficulty in Book of Mormon population sizes. Assuming that Book of Mormon people were like us, we have accepted that the multitudes of Nephites and Lamanites reported in Mormon scripture sprang from two small bands of Palestinian emigrants, since they had hundreds of years in which to “multiply exceedingly.” However, an understanding of historical demography may challenge this traditional interpretation.” [From Author]
RSC Topics > T — Z > Unity
Kinship redemption
Old Testament Topics > Types and Symbols
Similarities between Finnish folk poetry in the Kalevala and the Hebrew Old Testament poetry
“Travel companies boldly offer tours of “Book of Mormon Lands,” and books abound purporting evidence for Book of Mormon peoples or for the appearance of the resurrected Jesus in the New World. Such are only the latest manifestations of the legitimate interest in, and speculation about, the location of the Book of Mormon civilizations. Like their predecessors, most of the recent volumes represent sincere but flawed attempts to weave together unrelated bits and pieces of information from the New World and the Old, usually unconnected to each other in space or time.” [ From Author]
The author relates her philosophical journey from transcendentalism to existentialism to Mormonism and explains how her studies of Emerson and modern poets prepared her for her conversion.
RSC Topics > D — F > Doctrine
RSC Topics > Q — S > Sacrament
RSC Topics > Q — S > Salvation
The Doctrine and Covenants is unique scripture. It records the words of God given through living prophets to a living Church. Such is the process of revelation that continues today. This is the basic promise of The Heavens Are Open. A compilation of talks from the twenty-first annual Sydney B. Sperry Symposium, this book includes topics ranging from historical insights on Zions Camp and the early mission of the Twelve Apostles to prophecies of the last days. The book shares many thoughts on specific revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants and the continual revelation we receive today.
Contents:
The Authentic Theology / Bruce C. Hafen
The Revelations of the Restoration: Window to the Past, Open Door to the Future / Robert L. Millett
Being Valiant By Following the Lord\'s Anointed / A. Gary Anderson
The Importance of the Individual in the Lord\'s Revelations / Susan Easton Black
Zion\'s Camp: A Study in Obedience, Then and Now / David F. Boone
Strengthening Marriage and Family Relationships - Lord\'s Way / Douglas E. Brinley
\"I Will Go Before Your Face\": Evidence of Divine Guidance During the Twentieth Century / Richard O. Cowan
\"Exalt Not Yourselves\": The Revelations and Thomas Marsh, an Object Lesson for Our Day / Ronald K. Esplin
Missionary Work: A View from the Doctrine & Covenants / H. Dean Garrett
\"Eternity Sketch\'d in a Vision\": The Poetic Version of Doctrine & Covenants 76 / Richard Neitzel Holzapfel
Prophecies of the Last Days in the Doctrine & Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price / Kent P. Jackson
\"My Disciples Shall Stand in Holy Places\": Jesus Christ in the Twenty-First Century / Clark V. Johnson
Official Declaration 2: Revelation on the Priesthood / E. Dale LeBaron
The \"Elect lady\" Revelation: The Historical and Doctrinal Context of Doctrine & Covenants 25 / Carol Cornwall Madsen
The Restoration of All Things: What the Doctrine & Covenants Says / Robert J. Matthews
Protection Against Deception / Leaun G. Otten
God Tailors Revelation to the Individual / Jerry Perkins
Trials and Tribulations in Our Spiritual Growth: Insights from Doctrine & Covenants 121 and 122 / Keith W. Perkins
From Kirtland to Computers: The Growth of Family History Record Keeping / Kip Sperry
The Weak Things of the World / Brett P. Thomas
Articles
Contains articles by several authors: Anthony A. Hutchinson, Dan Vogel, Mark D. Thomas, Melodie Moench Charles, Stan Larson, David P. Wright, Deanne G. Matheny, Edward H. Ashment, and Brent Lee Metcalf. This is a scholarly attempt to “expand appreciation of Mormon scripture through critical analysis” This work is reviewed in G.058, T.338, W.154, B.230, and in S.215.
Articles
“‘”Oh, my God!’ said Joseph, clinching his hands. ‘All is lost! all is lost! What shall I do? I have sinned—it is I who tempted the wrath of God’” (L. Smith 1853, 121). Such was Joseph Smith’s anguish when he learned that the text of his recently dictated Book of Lehi, totaling some 116 pages,1 had been stolen. Book of Mormon students have only recently begun to appreciate the effect this event had on the subsequent development of the Book of Mormon.” [From Author]
“Much contemporary research on the Book of Mormon focuses on historical claims at the expense of understanding the book’s message. A few researchers have suggested setting aside historical claims in order to focus on interpretation. Justification for this is based on the fact that the Book of Mormon presents a universal, providential history that transcends any particular history and points to a universal path of personal and social salvation. Yet the book’s message finds expression in an idiom that cannot be fully interpreted outside of history. All literature to a greater or lesser degree is attached to history. Therefore there needs to be some mediation between textual interpretation and historical setting.” [From Author]
“That the Book of Mormon claims to be a divinely inspired translation of an ancient American record presents an unusual situation for modern researchers in evaluating and interpreting its contents. But I believe there is a common ground on which Mormon and non-Mormon scholars can discuss the Book of Mormon in its nineteenth-century context without necessarily making conclusions about its historicity.” [From Author]
“The most notable literary products of Joseph Smith’s relatively short life were his ancient scriptures: the Book of Mormon, his revision of the Bible (JSR; portions of which are in the Pearl of Great Price), and the Book of Abraham.1 These were put forward as records of ancient peoples, restoring or revealing ideas, histories, covenants, and ordinances lost to humanity or “hidden up” to come forth in the last days. Mormon tradition at the beginning accepted these works as ancient, and today great reservation is shown in traditional circles to suggestions otherwise. Nevertheless, some studies in recent years have been making it clearer that these works are not ancient but recent compositions set pseudonymously or pseudepigraphically in the past.2 In [p.166] my view these studies are on the right track, and in what follows I would like to add to the evidence for this view. Specifically I will show that Alma chapters 12-13, traditionally dated to about 82 B.C., depend in part on the New Testament epistle to the Hebrews, dated by critical scholars to the last third of the first century C.E. The dependence of Alma 12-13 on Hebrews thus constitutes an anachronism and indicates that the chapters are a composition of Joseph Smith.” [From Author]
Conclusion that the opponent is either Esau or God
Old Testament Topics > Biblical Criticism
Reprinted from Of All Things! A Nibley Quote Book.
Hugh Nibley is one of the best-known and most highly revered of Latter-day Saint scholars. For over forty years this near-legendary teacher has enthralled his readers and listeners with his encyclopedic knowledge, his wit, and his untiring research in defense of Latter-day Saint beliefs. Now you can join Dr. Nibley in the first of four Honors Book of Mormon classes that he taught at BYU during 1988-90. Part one contains twenty-nine lectures focusing on 1 Nephi through Mosiah 5. It is vintage Nibley, with his insights, humor, and passionate convictions, discussing a book that he loves and knows so well.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Mosiah
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Book of Mormon
Articles
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Jacob
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Jacob
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Enos
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Enos
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Jarom
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Omni
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Words of Mormon
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Mosiah
Presenters at this symposium included Robert L. Millet, Robert J. Matthews, Monte S. Nyman, S. Kent Brown, Joseph Fielding McConkie, and numerous others. The subjects covered include prayer, the doctrine of translation, the gathering at the temple, service, and more. Papers are based on the book of 3 Nephi and Christ’s visit to America.
The Eighth Annual Book of Mormon Symposium at BYU Chapters 9 through 30 of 3 Nephi are perhaps the most choice part of the entire Book of Mormon because this section chronicles the transcendent visit of the Risen Lord to the Nephite Saints, His profound teachings, and His amazing, compassionate ministry. His recorded actions and utterance during this period offer remarkable scope for a reverent and knowledgeable review such as that done by sixteen scholars in this book. The 3 Nephi text, like that of the entire Book of Mormon, is shown to be “remarkably efficient” and to give “extraordinary unity and coherence to . . . its message.” ISBN 0-8849-4913-3
Articles
RSC Topics > L — P > Prayer
RSC Topics > Q — S > Repentance
Stephen Ricks briefly describes the major books found among the Dead Sea Scrolls, including biblical texts, commentaries, and lesser known documents. He addresses the question of scroll authorship and identifies two groups, the Sadducees and the Essenes, as the most likely candidates to have been the authors of these ancient documents.
Stephen Ricks briefly describes the major books found among the Dead Sea Scrolls, including biblical texts, commentaries, and lesser known documents. He addresses the question of scroll authorship and identifies two groups, the Sadducees and the Essenes, as the most likely candidates to have been the authors of these ancient documents.
A study to references relating to various subjects about the Book of Mormon (translation, literary developments, etc.) and where these publications are located in the Library of Congress.
The phrase “come unto Christ” (or similar phraseology) is found 43 times in the Book of Mormon. This phrase “describes a covenant relationship,” a spiritual covenant made before baptism (see Mosiah 18:10; 21:32-33). “To become as a little child” (3 Nephi 9:22) is synonymous with coming unto Christ.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > 3 Nephi
Book of Mormon warfare is a type for spiritual warfare. The 3 Nephi story of Lachoneus as an illustration of this principle.
Book of Moses Topics > Basic Resources > Study Resources for the Hebrew and Greek Texts of Genesis
Book of Mormon text reformatted with the actual text in the right-hand column, and a summarized explanation for younger readers in the left-hand column.
Articles
No abstract available.
473 pp. Transcripts of 27 lectures.
Hugh Nibley is one of the best-known and most highly revered of Latter-day Saint scholars. For over forty years this near-legendary teacher has enthralled his readers and listeners with his encyclopedic knowledge, his wit, and his untiring research in defense of Latter-day Saint beliefs. Now you can join Dr. Nibley in the second of four Honors Book of Mormon classes that he taught at BYU during 1988–90. Part two contains twenty-seven lectures focusing on Mosiah 6 through Alma 41. It is vintage Nibley, with his insights, humor, and passionate convictions, discussing a book that he loves and knows so well.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Alma
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Book of Mormon
Articles
“At times when I feel overwhelmed or alone, unsure or defeated, I remember that I have a Savior who understands and loves me. His atonement was personal; it was for me. He knows. He understands.”
360 pp. Transcripts of 29 lectures.
Hugh Nibley is one of the best-known and most highly revered of Latter-day Saint scholars. For over forty years, this near-legendary teacher has enthralled his readers and listeners with his encyclopedic knowledge, his wit, and his untiring research in defense of Latter-day Saint beliefs. Now you can join Dr. Nibley in the third of four Honors Book of Mormon classes that he taught at BYU during 1988–90. Part three contains twenty-nine lectures focusing on Alma 45 through 3 Nephi 20. It is vintage Nibley, with his insights, humor, and passionate convictions, discussing a book that he loves and knows so well.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > 3 Nephi
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Book of Mormon
Articles
Interwoven throughout the Book of Mormon are images of eating and drinking that serve as symbols and metaphors inspiring readers to flee degradation and partake of eternal life. In significant ways, the Book of Mormon employs images of eating and drinking or the absence of them to develop implications of survival, social relations, and covenants. Its metaphorical use of these images is especially rich. It calls to those who approach it, “Taste and feast.”
287 pp. Transcripts of 27 lectures with 5 lectures by John W. Welch.
Hugh Nibley is one of the best-known and most highly revered of Latter-day Saint scholars. For over forty years this near-legendary teacher has enthralled his readers and listeners with his encyclopedic knowledge, his wit, and his untiring research in defense of Latter-day Saint beliefs. Now you can join Dr. Nibley in the last of four Honors Book of Mormon classes that he taught at BYU during 1988–90. Part four covers 3 Nephi 6 through Moroni 10. It is vintage Nibley, with his insights, humor, and passionate convictions, discussing a book that he loves and knows so well.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Moroni
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Book of Mormon
This transcript is a brief commentary on Doctrine and Covenants 109, the dedicatory prayer of the Kirtland Temple. Hugh Nibley describes the temple as a meeting place that is set off from the world. It is a location where we are invited to have clear, receptive intellects and enjoy heightened spirituality. We experience an atmosphere of purity in contrast to the pollution of the world.
“Selective attitudes—particularly when combined with the truths of the restored gospel—affect the quality of life itself.”
Contradictions shown in two letters written by Professor Charles Anthon about his dealings with Martin Harris including whether or not he gave Harris a written opinion on the authenticity of the characters shown to him.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Ether
Articles
A summary for children of the history of the Book of Mormon from the first vision to translation and publication. Illustrated.
“A timid, fearing people cannot do their work well, and they cannot do God’s work at all.”
Announcement of the number of Books of Mormon sold during 1992 coupled with a statement that modern English translations of the book were not authorized by the Church authorities.
Verse-by-verse elucidation on D&C 109.
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Temples > Ancient Temples > Modern Temples
“Your precious identity deserves your precious integrity! Guard it as the priceless prize that it is.”
Discussion by the author of his motives and methods in preparing an “Easy to Read” version of the Book of Mormon. Includes examples of verses paraphrased in simple, modern English “meant to bridge the gap between children’s materials and the authorized version” for functionally illiterate adults and children.
Articles
After attending a conference on the Dead Sea Scrolls the author suggests that the Dead Sea Scrolls are some of the other books mentioned in 1 Nephi 13:38-41.
Scenes from Aaron’s conversion of King Lamoni’s father illustrated in color for children.
Description of a three-day conference where youth acted out the Book of Mormon in order to better understand and gain testimonies of it.
Description of a three-day conference where youth acted out the Book of Mormon in order to better understand and gain testimonies of it.
Moroni’s concern over scriptural faults or errors was due to the fact that the Book of Mormon plates were written in reformed Egyptian rather than modified Hebrew. Mistakes in the Book of Mormon were corrected using the corrective form of the appositive or followed by the corrective phrase. This appears 69 times in the Book of Mormon but only once in the Doctrine and Covenants and only once in the Bible.
The author sees the publication of the Dead Sea Scrolls to be a catalyst for bringing the Bible and Book of Mormon together (2 Nephi 3:12).
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Ether
Announcement of a new Spanish-language Book of Mormon that includes study helps, chapter headings, footnotes, and an index.
“This is your time to prepare, to develop character, to increase your faith. I have great confidence in you and your ability to figure out the future.”
Student Review once managed to interview Hugh Nibley; one of his students performed the interview for us in his office some Saturday. The guy came up with all sorts of questions, and Hugh answered them all. We all listened to the tape several times over; it was cool stuff. We ran it as “An (Almost) Uncensored Interview with Hugh Nibley,” from which my favorite line was a comment he made when asked about the BYU administration (as it existed circa 1994): “Lawyers! Lawyers everywhere! Nothing but lawyers!” Also, he called Supreme Court Justice Scalia “just plain stupid.” (from a comment at TimesandSeasons.org)
“Under the influence of his spirit our sympathies and love for our eternal companion will deepen, and we will come to know a happiness and contentment in marriage that the world will never know.”
Articles
Talks
Though her parents are divorcing, author finds peace and calm in reading the Book of Mormon.
Reports an expedition to Lake Peten Itza where manmade mounds lay at the bottom of the lake, in keeping with the Book of Mormon, which reports that cities sank at the crucifixion of Christ.
Archaeologists consider the La Mojarra Stela, discovered in 1986, to be the most important key to understanding the spread of Mesoamerican writing and calendrical practices. Some Book of Mormon believers wonder if this is the stone of Coriantumr (Omni 1:35-40). Included are photographs of the stone.
Story of author’s conversion. He joined the Church after reading the Book of Mormon and praying about it according to Moroni’s challenge.
Articles
A series of pictures for children illustrating the repentance of the people of Ammon.
“I sincerely believe that we can establish Zion, the city of the pure in heart, the city of those who have washed their sins in the blood of the Lamb, person by person, sin by sin.”
Articles
A story for children teaching that the Book of Mormon is a “prized possession” that should be shared with friends.
High school “Students Trying Out Moroni’s Promise” (S.T.O.M.P.) read the Book of Mormon during the summer to gain a testimony.
The subject I believe we have neglected is the Book of Mormon’s witness of the divinity and mission of Jesus Christ and our covenant relationship to him.
“The Holy Spirit shall come to you—this afternoon, tomorrow, or the day after. And when he comes, be grateful, honor his presence, heed his admonitions, and he shall abide with you.”
Articles
The author rearranges the order in which Joseph Smith “composed” the Book of Mormon in order to explain textual problems. 1 Nephi through Words of Mormon are placed last according to handwriting analysis and subjects covered.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Words of Mormon
An illustrated story for children of Korihor (Alma 30). There is a caption under each picture summarizing the related scriptures.
Articles
A story for children about gaining a real testimony of the Book of Mormon by reading it.
“It is for this reason you have come to this institution—to learn how to take this intelligence, knowledge, and experience to gain wisdom and learn understanding in your hearts in order to help you keep the commandments.”
A lack of copies of the Book of Mormon available for missionaries prompts a request for more donations to the Church’s General Book of Mormon Fund.
“On this campus you have engaged texts and teachers. In the temple you can engage and commune with the intimate and ultimate Creator.”
“While there is much of value to be learned, there is only one arena of study where we may learn absolute truth—and that is centered in the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
“The Lord speaks of a solemn assembly where the laborers for Zion may purify themselves so that he by his atoning power may make them clean.”
“Over the past year perhaps more than at any other time I have understood and appreciated that while we are many, we are also one.”
“Those of little faith frequently mistake local cloud cover for general darkness.”
“We need to comprehend that those who hold contrary opinions not only may be sincere but may actually be right. And even when we continue in the view that our perceptions are correct, we should be able to deal graciously with the views of others.”
“You will find that he knew the way and wanted to share it with you. And you will have confirmed to you that he was the perfect example in mentoring, as he is in all service that brings real value.”
“What we will take with us—to the degree we have developed them—will be the cardinal qualities that Jesus has perfected; these are eternal and portable.”
Articles
Suggestions for effective daily study of the Book of Mormon coupled with a testimony of its benefits.
You will not be able to travel through life on borrowed light. The light of life must be part of your very being. The voice you must learn to heed is the voice of the Spirit.
Five hundred copies of the Book of Mormon in fifteen languages were distributed from the LDS church’s booth at the 1993 Parliament of the World’s Religions.
“Usually the road to victory involves encountering a great many mistakes. The Lord wants us to learn from our mistakes because that is how we become strong. He does not expect us to be perfect, just to keep trying.”
“There will be adequate opportunities for unavoidable error and disappointment; we need not reach out affirmatively to create them.”
Articles
Talks
This address was given at the 1993 Parliament of the World’s Religions, Chicago, Illinois, 2 September 1993.
Uses B. H. Roberts’s “Studies of the Book of Mormon” and other of his writings as evidence that Roberts in his later years believed the Book of Mormon to be a product of Joseph Smith’s “fertile imagination” and Ethan Smith’s book View of the Hebrews.
An attack on the assumptions made by “apologetics” in asserting the historicity of the Book of Mormon. Special attention is paid to showing the inconsistencies in the apologetics methodology and hermeneutics, especially in the areas of chiasmus in the text and a Book of Mormon geography limited to Mesoamerica. The author also shows the contradictions inherent in any attempt to reconcile apologetic and critical methodologies.
“We must continually be thinking about our preparation for the time of the harvest. Our challenge is to protect the tender plants among the tares that choke out and leave us no credit or return for a life of toil.”
Elder Dallin H. Oaks addresses the arguments of those who term themselves believing Latter-day Saints yet advocate that Latter-day Saints should “abandon claims that [the Book of Mormon] is a historical record of the ancient peoples of the Americas.” The argument that it makes no difference whether the Book of Mormon is fact or fable is surely a sibling to the argument that it makes no difference whether Jesus Christ ever lived.
David’s “mighty men in 2 Samuel 23 compared to modern Church members
Articles
Color illustrations for children of scenes from Alma’s sermon on faith.
“That is what we missionaries around the world hope to do—share something of ourselves, of our faith and conviction, that part of us which is most needed by others to affirm heartening meaning in this often perplexing life.”
“Shortcuts only deflect us from the narrow trail. Travel light, be kind to everyone, hear with your heart when someone needs you.”
A list of verses from the Book of Mormon prophesying of the birth of Christ.
Articles
So many issues that revolve around the subject of self fade like the dew in the sun as one cultivates faith in the Savior.
The new Spanish edition of the Book of Mormon with its improved footnotes helps Spanish-speaking members study more effectively.
A description of the study aids in the new Spanish edition of the Book of Mormon. Its translation process included an effort to preserve Hebraic elements found in the English edition.
The discovery in Jerusalem of two inscribed silver strips, dating from the seventh century BC, support the Book of Mormon claim of writing on metal plates.
Richard Anderson gives an overview of the secular and divine functions of witnesses and refers to the anticipation surrounding the revelatory calling of witnesses to view the plates. He describes the circumstances of their calling, details aspects of their lives, comments on their character traits, and answers several typical questions of skeptics. Anderson emphasizes that these witnesses were true to their testimonies.
Review of “A Rhetorical Approach to the Book of Mormon: Rediscovering Nephite Sacramental Language” (1993), by Mark D. Thomas.
Old Testament Topics > Baptism
Plant imagery used to teach man’s relationship to God, the need to repent, and Israel’s future in God’s plan
Old Testament Topics > Flora and Fauna
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.
Review of New Approaches to the Book of Mormon: Explorations in Critical Methodology (1993), edited by Brent Lee Metcalfe.
Susan Easton Black discusses insights into the nature and mission of Jesus Christ that can be gained by examining the 101 names the Book of Mormon uses to describe him, such as Lord, Messiah, and Eternal Judge. She describes the book’s focus on the atonement and bears powerful testimony of its effects in her life and in the lives of others.
Old Testament Topics > Book of Mormon and the Old Testament
Lehi’s exodus to the promised land is only the first of a series of exoduses occurring throughout the Book of Mormon. Indeed, Lehi’s exodus becomes mere precedent for later flights into the wilderness by Nephi, Mosiah, Alma1, Limhi, and the Anti-Nephi-Lehies. For the Nephites, continuing exodus is not merely historical fact. Understanding the biblical exodus as a type and shadow, the Nephites come to see their wandering as a metaphor of their spiritual condition. Thus, even centuries after Lehi’s arrival in the promised land, Nephite prophets recognize their status as “wanderers in a strange land” (Alma 13:23). As did Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the Nephites also looked beyond their temporal land of promise “for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (Hebrews 11:10).
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Jacob
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Mosiah
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Alma
Old Testament Topics > Book of Mormon and the Old Testament
Articles
Old Testament Scriptures > Ezra/Nehemiah
Old Testament Scriptures > Esther
Old Testament Scriptures > Job
Old Testament Scriptures > Psalms/Proverbs/Ecclesiastes/Song of Solomon
Old Testament Scriptures > Isaiah
Old Testament Scriptures > Jeremiah/Lamentations
Old Testament Scriptures > Daniel
Old Testament Scriptures > Twelve Minor Prophets
The Liahona was given by the Lord as a communicationsdevice for Lehi to determine the appropriate direction of travel. This device contained two pointers, only one of which was necessary to provide directional information. But the Liahona was more than just a simple compass in function, for it additionally required faith for correct operation. Since a single pointer always "points" in some direction, the additional pointer was necessary to indicate whether or not the first pointer could be relied upon. This proposed purpose for the second pointer conforms to a well-established engineering principle used in modern fault-tolerant computer systems called "voting," in which two identical process states are compared and declared correct if they are the same, and incorrect if they are different. Hence the second pointer, when coincident with the first, would indicate proper operation, and when orthogonal, would indicate nonoperation.
Review of Inventing Mormonism: Tradition and the Historical Record (1994), by H. Michael Marquardt and Wesley P. Walters.
Review of The Lands of Zarahemla (1993), by E. L. Peay.
Review of Refuting the Critics: Evidences of the Book of Mormon's Authenticity (1993), by Michael T. Griffiths
In an article criticizing the historicity of the Book of Mormon, David Wright described critical scholarship and traditionalist modes as contrasting paradigms used to approach the scriptures. This article explores the nature of paradigm debate in general, in that context points out weaknesses in Wright’s critical approach, and discerns crucial flaws in his definition of believing paradigms.
Articles
Old Testament Topics > Adam and Eve [see also Fall]
Old Testament Topics > Translated Beings
Old Testament Topics > Prophets and Prophecy
Old Testament Topics > Types and Symbols
Old Testament Topics > Adam and Eve [see also Fall]
Old Testament Topics > Women in the Old Testament
Old Testament Topics > Geography
Old Testament Topics > Ten Commandments
Review of Christ in North America (1993), by Delbert W. Curtis. Clark examines the scholarship and logic involved in assuming a one-Cumorah theory for Book of Mormon geography.
Review of Daniel and Nephi (1993), by Chris Heimerdinger: and Samuel: Moroni's Young Warrior (1993), by Clair Poulson.
Larry Dahl explores some of the teachings of the Book of Mormon concerning faith, hope, and charity. He discusses the meanings of these words, their relationships to each other, how they are acquired, and what their fruits are. Faith, hope, and charity must be centered in Christ. The first principle of the gospel is not just faith, it is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We must obtain not just hope, but a hope in Christ. Likewise, charity is not just love, it is the pure love of Christ.
Este texto de la presentation en video fue preparado por la facultad del Instituto de Religion de Portland.
Civilizations fall due to complex pressures, but the Book of Mormon points to one sin which assisted if not drove the demise of both the Nephite and Jaredite peoples. This sin was pride. This essay ties pride to the Old World concepts of hubris and at? as a means of revealing the dynamic nature of this sin and exploring its deadly character. It shows that pride leads to hubris, the attempt by individuals and nations to become a law unto themselves, and that the consequence of hubris is at?, a spiritual blindness that impels the individual or society toward its doom. The paper warns the Latter-day Saint about this vice.
Review of Homecoming (5 vols., 1992-95); A Storyteller in Zion: Essays and Speeches (1993); and “An Open Letter to those who are concerned about 'plagiarism' in The Memory of Earth” (1993), by Orson Scott Card.
“In this study, it is argued that the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith’s first testament to the world and Mormonism’s keystone scripture, consistently contradicted the Northern Evangelical platform--plank by plank. It is argued that the Book of Mormon was a religious fiction. Religious or moralistic fiction was a genre many Evangelicals objected to on the grounds that it was basically dishonest and thus not a suitable medium for moral uplift. It is clear that early Mormons were influenced by such thinking, for they assumed that the Book of Mormon was an historical document. They had to do so, in effect, to read it in good conscience. Hence, Mormonism began as a result of a literary constructive misunderstanding of sorts. The definition of Evangelicalism used in this study is only applicable to the Evangelicalisms and Revivalisms of the northern United States around 1830. A number of scholars seem to agree that most northern Evangelicals were Whigs, that they abhorred slavery and were proponents of racial equality (in principle), that Revivalism advanced the cause of women’s rights and thus loathed universalism and other male-dominated societies (especially Freemasonry), and that most Evangelicals and Revivalists were postmillennialists. Whereas the Book of Mormon was critical of Jacksonian America, it was, in fact, a defense of the Jeffersonian and Jacksonian Republican (or Democratic) ideal. Most Evangelicals were Whigs and thus enemies of Jacksonianism. The Book of Mormon propounded a highly racist theory for the origin of non-whites, red and black, which militated against racial equality and justified slavery. A dark skin was not said to be the consequence of mere environmental factors, as Evangelical missionaries to the Indians and other philanthropists argued, but the result of a curse from God. It is argued that the Book of Mormon was a defense of the beleaguered patriarchal institution of Freemasonry, but a primitive or “apostolic” type. Indeed, the Book of Mormon defended the rights of males and all things male, castigating the evangelical woman and womanhood (not motherhood per se) in the process. Not unlike Universalist teaching, it defined Hell as a state of mind rather than a place of literal fire and brimstone, and spoke favourably of a universal resurrection, the salvation of all children who died without baptism and, most important, of purgatory. The Book of Mormon also propounded a proto-dispensationalist eschatology at odds with the Postmillennialism of the Edwardsians and the Revivalists and the Premillenialism of conservative divines. The Book of Mormon, it is argued, was a “comprehensive primitivist vision” that was “fully Northern” in the broad cultural sense. This neither wholly supports nor wholly rejects the argument that Mormons were outsiders and thus America’s insiders. As pugnacious and opportunistic it was idealistic, it was a remarkable product of popular consciousness because it had something important to say “in favor of” popular America and “against” the Evangelical “righteous empire.” (Abstract shortened by UMI.)
Articles
Review of New Approaches to the Book of Mormon: Explorations in Critical Methodology (1993), edited by Brent Lee Metcalfe.
Review of “Apologetic and Critical Assumptions about Book of Mormon Historicity” (1993), by Brent Lee Metcalfe.
Review of “The Word of God Is Enough: The Book of Mormon as Nineteenth-Century Scripture” (1993), by Anthony A. Hutchison.
Review of “Book of Mormon Chrstology” (1993), by Melodie Moench Charles
Bibliography of publications on the Book of Mormon in 1993.
Introduction to the items reviewed and main issues discussed in this issue.
Brent Lee Metcalfe's New Approaches to the Book of Mormon: Explorations in Critical Methodology was well received by those not favorable to the traditional truth claims of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. No articles indicating an ancient origin for the Book of Mormon were included. The book basically supports the assumption that the Book of Mormon isn't historical. Historians always bring their own perspective (including biases and agendas) into their histories.
Review of “The Priority of Mosiah: A Prelude to Book of Mormon Exegesis” (1993), by Brent Lee Metcalf.
Review of New Approaches to the Book of Mormon: Explorations in Critical Methodology (1993), edited by Brent Lee Metcalfe.
Review of “Multiply Exceedingly: Book of Mormon Populations Sizes” (1993), by John C. Kunich
Review of “Does the Shoe Fit? A Critique of the Limited Tehuantepec Geography” (1993), by Deanne G. Matheny.
Review of “Anti-Universalist Rhetoric in the Book of Mormon” (1993) by Dan Vogel.
Review of New Approaches to the Book of Mormon: Explorations in Critical Methodology (1993), edited by Brent Lee Metcalfe.
Review of New Approaches to the Book of Mormon: Explorations in Critical Methodology (1993), edited by Brent Lee Metcalfe.
Articles
Review of The Refiner's Fire: The Making of Mormon Cosmology (1994), by John L. Brooke.
Review of Strangers in Paradox: Explorations in Mormon Theology (1990), by Margaret and Paul Toscano.
Review of Written by the Finger of God (1993), by Joe Sampson.
Review of The Book of Mormon: 3 Nephi 9-30, This Is My Gospel (1993), edited by Monte S. Nyman and Charles D. Tate Jr.
Review of Mormon Neo-Orthodoxoy: A Crisis Theology (1987), by O. Kendal White Jr.
Review of Light from the Dust: A Photographic Exploration into the Ancient World of the Book of Mormon (1993), by Scot Facer Proctor and Maurine Jensen Proctor.
Peterson and others defend the Church and the Book of Mormon against critics although they would prefer to write affirmatively about “the endlessly fascinating, rich, profound, and glorious” gospel.
Review of Answering Mormon Scholars: A Response to Criticism of the Book “Coving Up the Black Hole in the Book of Mormon” (1994), by Jerald and Sandra Tanner.
Review of The Bible II (1991). This book is in actuality the Book of Mormon with some differences.
Review of Answering Mormon Scholars: A Response to Criticism of the Book “Coving Up the Black Hole in the Book of Mormon” (1994), by Jerald and Sandra Tanner.
The Journal of the Book of Mormon and Other Restoration Scripture is a peer-reviewed journal dedicated to promoting understanding of the history, meaning, and significance of the scriptures and other sacred texts revealed through the Prophet Joseph Smith.
Articles
The title page of the Book of Mormon acts as a historiographical introduction to the editorial guidelines followed by Mormon in his work of compilation and redaction. These guidelines defined what was important for Mormon to incorporate in his historical record and included the themes of genealogy, covenants, and the teaching and testifying of Christ.
Introduction to the current issue.
Repetition appears purposefully within Book of Mormon narratives as a principle of reinforcement and confirmation. It seems that every important action, event, or character is repeated in the Book of Mormon. These repetitions emphasize the law of witnesses at work within the book (e.g., “in the mouth of three witnesses shall these things be established”; Ether 5:4). Further, they underscore the relevance of one character or action to people living in a different time, and they link narratives together with what Robert Alter calls “type-scenes.” Analyzed in detail as particularly striking are threefold repetitions in Nephi’s task to retrieve the brass plates and repetition of the word “power” in the missionary endeavor of the sons of Mosiah. Larger repeated narratives treat escape and travel to a promised land; repentance; and the nature, rise, and effect of secret combinations.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Ether
The original text of the Book of Mormon contains complex, Hebrew-like constructions that have been subsequently removed from the text because of their non-English character.
Anthropological perspectives lend insight on names and on the social and literary function of names in principle and in the Book of Mormon. A discussion of the general function of names in kinship; secret names; and names, ritual, and rites of passage precedes a Latter-day Saint perspective. Names and metonymy are used symbolically. Examples include biblical and Book of Mormon metonymic naming, nomenclature, and taxonomy. Biblical laws of purity form the foundation for a pattern of metonymic associations with the name Lamanite, where the dichotomy of clean/unclean is used to give name to social alienation and pollution.
The application of some techniques of literary analysis to the Jaredite exodus narrative in Ether 1–3 and 6 reveals that it is more than just a historical account. The author or editor of the narrative uses imagery and dialogue to help the reader look beyond the historical facts and see elements of the creation, Christ, and temples, among other things.
To the nonbeliever, the wide variety of destructive forces unleashed in the New World at the time of Christ’s crucifixion seems preposterous or, at the very least, unscientific. The account in 3 Nephi 8–9 mentions the simultaneous occurrence of earthquake, fire, strong winds, extensive flooding, the complete burial of cities, and thick darkness. An examination of known great natural disasters in historical times reveals that the Book of Mormon in no way exaggerates. All of the destructive forces mentioned in 3 Nephi 8–9 can be readily explained in terms of the tectonic forces that result from the encounter of the plates on which the continents and the oceans lie. The complex variety of destructive forces that we normally consider to be separate phenomena of nature is, in reality, strong evidence for the historicity of the Book of Mormon account.
Lehi may have viewed Jacob (“my first-born in the wilderness”) and Joseph as replacement sons for the disobedient Laman and Lemuel. Scriptural parallels include Manasseh and Ephraim as replacements for Reuben and Simeon, and Seth for Abel.
According to the Book of Mormon, men must obey the commandments of God in order to gain eternal life. And yet men are incapable of yielding full obedience to God because of the carnal nature they inherit from the fallen Adam and Eve. To overcome this carnal nature, God has provided a way, through the atonement of his Son, whereby men may be redeemed from the carnal state to a spiritual state. If men are to be redeemed, they must call upon the Lord in the spirit of true humility, faith, and repentance. If they do so, God will redeem them by the power of the Holy Ghost. A covenant of obedience is frequently associated with the redemption process.
Most scriptural references to dissent are in the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon teaches that dissension is a cause of evil, suffering, and destruction; some dissenters undergo a hardening, while others may be reclaimed; preaching the gospel is the best way to reclaim dissenters; after patient endurance, compulsion may be necessary to stop dissenters from causing severe harm to the innocent, but compulsion should be avoided when possible; both spiritual and civic responses may be used to quell dissent; responding to dissent is not the task of leaders only; dissent is inevitable in our society and the church; and the Lord blesses the faithful who endure the trials and temptations of dissent.
The Journal of the Book of Mormon and Other Restoration Scripture is a peer-reviewed journal dedicated to promoting understanding of the history, meaning, and significance of the scriptures and other sacred texts revealed through the Prophet Joseph Smith.
Articles
The reading schedule of the Law and the Prophets in the Jewish synagogue at the time of the Feast of Dedication relates Old Testament prophesies in Ezekiel 37 to the coming forth of the Book of Mormon.
During his visit to the Nephites, the Savior instructed Nephi to add to their records a missing scripture concerning the resurrection of many of the dead immediately following his own resurrection, as well as their appearance to many people. Good evidence suggests that it was Samuel the Lamanite’s prophecy of this resurrection that was missing. Aspects of the manner of recording, abridgment, and translation of the text of the Book of Mormon are elucidated through this missing scripture as it appears in the English text.
Two additional parallels to the exodus pattern include death and burial in the desert and the transfiguration of Nephi and Moses.
Although chapters 8 and 9 of the book of Moroni (Mormon’s epistles to Moroni) were placed with Mormon and Moroni’s abridgment by Moroni sometime between the years ad 401 and 421, these chapters were not written at that time. The insertion into the text of these epistles was done for doctrinal reasons; however, mixed in with the doctrinal message are certain facts and phrases that deal with their historical-chronological setting. By analyzing the specific chronological clues contained within Mormon’s epistles and comparing them with his abridged record of the final years of the Nephite nation, we can create a set of chronological time frames which then can be compared to construct a reasonable historical setting of ad 375 to 376.
Some authors have claimed that Lehi’s teachings on the fall of Adam are so similar to teachings prevalent in nineteenth-century America that they must be the source for 2 Nephi 2. However, this paper demonstrates that the bulk of well-recognized scholarly authority attributes teachings very similar to those in 2 Nephi 2 to preexilic and exilic biblical writers such as Hosea and Ezekiel. Thus, Lehi’s teachings are more consistent with a preexilic/exilic Israelite context than with a nineteenth-century American context.
Lehi, though unable to convince his older sons to follow the Lord, was very successful with both Nephi and Jacob. The speeches and writings of Jacob clearly show that he remembered the admonitions given to him by his dying father and that he shared Lehi’s teachings—including some of his verbiage—with other members of the family. Jacob’s life and his teachings found in the Book of Mormon stand as a memorial to his father’s faith and parental love.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Enos
Alma’s definition of faith as “hope for things which are not seen, which are true” (Alma 32:21) serves as a pattern for the juxtaposition of faith and truth throughout the scriptures. Faith in the atoning power of Jesus is the truth that will save us.
Old Testament Topics > Book of Mormon and the Old Testament
Old Testament Topics > Flora and Fauna
Contents:
Paul’s Witness to the Early History of Jesus’ Ministry / Richard Lloyd Anderson
Paul’s Earnest Pursuit of Spiritual Gifts / Robert C. Freeman
“An Hebrew of the Hebrews”: Paul’s Language and Thought / C. Wilford Griggs
Paul Among the Rhetoricians: A Model for Proclaiming Christ / Gary Layne Hatch
Hebrew Concepts of Adoption and Redemption in the Writings of Paul / Jennifer Clark Lane
The Jerusalem Council / Robert J. Matthews
Paul Among the Prophets: Obtaining a Crown / Michael W. Middleton
Walking in Newness of Life: Doctrinal Themes of the Apostle Paul / Robert L. Millet
What is a Mortal Messiah? / Craig J. Ostler
The Holy Ghost Brings Testimony, Unity, and Spiritual Gifts / Rex C. Reeve, Jr.
A Triumph of Faith: Paul’s Teachings in Second Timothy / John G. Scott
The Jewish and Gentile Missions: Paul’s Role in the Transition / Gaye Strathearn
Articles
Bibliographical references and excerpts from Joseph Smith’s discourses on the Bible
Old Testament Topics > Restoration and Joseph Smith
Victor Ludlow shows that covenants are prominent in the scriptures. He distinguishes between horizontal covenants, which take place between individuals, and vertical covenants, which take place between God and mortals. He discusses what it means to “cut a covenant” and its various applications. He notes how covenants entail requirements that find expression in obedience or disobedience with the consequences of blessings or punishments. He comments on how in 3 Nephi the Savior devotes significant time to speaking about covenants directly or dealing with subjects that are rooted in covenants, such as the teachings found in the Sermon at the Temple, which corresponds to the Sermon on the Mount. Charts and graphs are included.
Old Testament Topics > Elijah
Old Testament Topics > Types and Symbols
Old Testament stories compared with modern ones show that miracles still happen
Robert Millet shows that Christ’s atonement is central to the Book of Mormon, particularly as it pertains to the fall. He illuminates the nature of the “good news” of the gospel—the hope of redemption through Christ. Without the atonement all other facets of our religion are bereft of ultimate power, and we remain in our sins. He explains that the atonement is infinite in several ways and that the Book of Mormon both extends an invitation to come unto Christ and teaches how to do so. Grace and works each play an important role in our salvation.
In this lecture, Robert Millet discusses spiritual rebirth and how the passage into new life is connected to baptism and the reception of the Holy Ghost, as well as to spiritual experience. In the process of conversion we become new creatures and lose our disposition to sin. Those who are born again are part of a new family relationship as they become children of Christ. The ultimate goal is to become joint heirs with Christ.
The anticipation of redemption is meaningless without an understanding of the seriousness of the fall. In this transcript, Robert Millet discusses what the Book of Mormon and the book of Moses teach about the doctrine of the fall, emphasizing its consequences for, and effects on, humanity. While refuting the notion of original sin, Millet notes the reality of our fallen nature and our vulnerability while living in a fallen environment. He takes due account of the tendencies of the natural man and witnesses that worldly impulses may be countered by a conscious yielding to God.
The Book of Mormon is a book about God. It provides one of the most powerful treatments of the nature of God of any other book in Latter-day Saint scripture. Robert Millet puts forth arguments to show that the Book of Mormon does not depict only one God. Jesus Christ is the central character, but the fact that there is a God separate from Christ comes through early on.
Reprinted in Eloquent Witness: Nibley on Himself, Others, and the Temple, Collected Works of Hugh Nibley vol. 17.
A discussion of temples, especially the dedicatory prayer of the Kirtland Temple.
This article first appeared in the Ensign (September 1972), 46–49. It was reprinted in The Prophetic Book of Mormon, Collected Works of Hugh Nibley vol. 8, 265–73.
These are comments about the roles of ancient temples in general, with an emphasis on Mesoamerican temples as centers of religion, culture, the arts, and world view.
“Ancient Temples: What Do They Signify?” (1972)
“Chapter 14: Ancient Temples: What Do They Signify?” (1989)
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Classical Studies, Egyptian Studies
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Temples > Ancient Temples
Originally titled “Endowment History,” 1992.
A discussion on how the endowment answers many of life’s most important questions.
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Temples > Ancient Temples
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Temples > Ancient Temples > Endowment
Brother Brigham Challenges the Saints presents Hugh Nibley’s reflections on the thoughts of Brigham Young on politics, education, leadership, and the environment. The timeliness of Brigham’s counsel on these topics will quickly become apparent to readers, as will the unique insights that Nibley adds. This volume will amuse, provoke, challenge, and, above all, educate.
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > The Collected Works of Hugh Nibley (CWHN)
Chapters
Brother Brigham Challenges the Saints presents Hugh Nibley’s reflections on the thoughts of Brigham Young on politics, education, leadership, and the environment. The timeliness of Brigham’s counsel on these topics will quickly become apparent to readers, as will the unique insights that Nibley adds. This volume will amuse, provoke, and challenge and, above all, educate.
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Stewardship, Creation, Earth, Environment
Originally presented as a talk given on April 21, 1971.
An exploration into how Brigham Young felt about the environment.
“Brigham Young on the Environment” (1971)
“Brigham Young on the Environment” (1972)
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Temples
Brother Brigham Challenges the Saints presents Hugh Nibley’s reflections on the thoughts of Brigham Young on politics, education, leadership, and the environment. The timeliness of Brigham’s counsel on these topics will quickly become apparent to readers, as will the unique insights that Nibley adds. This volume will amuse, provoke, and challenge and, above all, educate.
A brief discussion on Brigham Young’s warnings that mining would destroy the air in Deseret.
Brother Brigham Challenges the Saints presents Hugh Nibley’s reflections on the thoughts of Brigham Young on politics, education, leadership, and the environment. The timeliness of Brigham’s counsel on these topics will quickly become apparent to readers, as will the unique insights that Nibley adds. This volume will amuse, provoke, and challenge and, above all, educate.
A discussion of Hugh Nibley’s experience visiting the Hopi and the truths he noticed they maintained as he watched their way of life.
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Stewardship, Creation, Earth, Environment
Originally presented as a talk published in Brother Brigham Challenges the Saints, Collected Works of Hugh Nibley vol. 13 (1976).
An examination of how the Saints should understand involvement in politics, among other things, drawing upon the examples of Paul and Daniel.
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Government, Politics
Originally presented as an address delivered on June 7, 1967.
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Government, Politics
Originally printed as an article in The Young Democrat.
A dive into Brigham Young’s ongoing battle with the devil.
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > War, Peace
This essay was originally submitted in 1977 for a special issue of the Ensign as part of the bicentennial celebration of the Declaration of Independence. It was rejected by the editors.
What is the proper form in which to manifest out commitment to the “just and holy principles” the Lord suffered to be established? Hugh Nibley, the most distinguished scholar of the restored Church, has written an interesting essay dealing with that question.
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Government, Politics
Brother Brigham Challenges the Saints presents Hugh Nibley’s reflections on the thoughts of Brigham Young on politics, education, leadership, and the environment. The timeliness of Brigham’s counsel on these topics will quickly become apparent to readers, as will the unique insights that Nibley adds. This volume will amuse, provoke, and challenge and, above all, educate.
An exhortation to turn the hearts of the men toward peace rather than toward war.
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > War, Peace
Originally published as an Ensign article (July 1971).
What are the answers to war and peace for Latter-day Saints? Does the Lord suggest a position to be taken by members of the Church? Hugh Nibley answers.
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > War, Peace
Descriptions of Book of Mormon warfare match von Clausewitz’s principles very well. Again the internal evidence of the Book of Mormon establishes its accuracy in describing technical subjects unknown to Joseph Smith.
Compares the descriptions of warfare in the Book of Mormon with the writings and axioms of Karl von Clausewitz’s military treatise, Vom Kriege, that served the military as a bible for 150 years and was published in 1833.
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Brigham Young
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > War, Peace
Originally printed as an article in the New Era.
Why it’s a good thing that the leaders of the Church are amateur clergy, not paid professionals.
Originally printed as “Educating the Saints: A Brigham Young Mosaic“ in BYU Studies in 1970.
The compelling mystique of those franchise businesses that in our day have built up enormous institutional clout by selling nothing but the right to a name was anticipated in our great schools of Education, which monopolized the magic name of Education and sold the right to use it at a time when the idea of a “School of Education” made about as much sense as a class in Erudition or a year’s course in Total Perfection. The whole business of education can become an operation in managerial manipulation. In “Higher Education,” the traffic in titles and forms is already long established: The Office, with its hoarded files of score sheets, punched cards, and tapes, can declare exactly how educated any individual is, even to the third decimal. That is the highly structured busywork which we call education today. But it was not Brigham Young’s idea of education. He had thoughts which we have repeated from time to time with very mixed reception on the BYU campus. Still, we do not feel in the least inclined to apologize for propagating them on the premises of a university whose main distinction is that it bears his name.
Brother Brigham Challenges the Saints presents Hugh Nibley’s reflections on the thoughts of Brigham Young on politics, education, leadership, and the environment. The timeliness of Brigham’s counsel on these topics will quickly become apparent to readers, as will the unique insights that Nibley adds. This volume will amuse, provoke, and challenge and, above all, educate.
Statements on Brigham Young’s view of education.
“More Brigham Young on Education” (1976)
“More Brigham Young on Education” (1976)
Brother Brigham Challenges the Saints presents Hugh Nibley’s reflections on the thoughts of Brigham Young on politics, education, leadership, and the environment. The timeliness of Brigham’s counsel on these topics will quickly become apparent to readers, as will the unique insights that Nibley adds. This volume will amuse, provoke, and challenge and, above all, educate.
Originally presented as a talk given on 18 August 1989 at the CES conference held at Brigham Young University.
There has always been criticism of the leaders of the Church. This chapter is about why the criticism exists and particularly what Joseph Smith had to say about some of it.
Originally presented as a talk delivered on June 6, 1967.
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Zion, Babylon > Leaders and Managers
Originally published in Dialogue (1983).
The editors, while correcting an inaccurate citation, did not allow Nibley’s own translation—“Choke on a gnat and gulp down a camel”—to stand.
“Leaders to Managers: The Fatal Shift” (1987)
“Leaders to Managers: The Fatal Shift” (1983)
Originally presented as a keynote address given on 11 April 1991 at the Associated Students Awards Assembly at Brigham Young University.
A dictionary will tell you that history is a systematic written account of a man or a nation. Monte Nyman suggests that we are able to understand more of what the Book of Mormon has to say if we consider it to be a spiritual history. The book contains a light touch of history, but the majority of the pages contain sacred preaching, great revelation, or prophecy. Readers of the Book of Mormon should read it to see how its teachings can be applied in their lives.
Three essays by Hugh Nibley, plus papers presented at the 1993 FARMS symposium, other important papers on the temple, a keynote address by Elder Marion D. Hanks (former president of the Salt Lake Temple), striking illustrations by Michael Lyon (who illustrated Nibley’s Temple and Cosmos)—these features and more make Temples of the Ancient World: Ritual and Symbolism one of the most significant volumes ever published on the temple. Twenty-four essays in this 1994 publication focus on the temple in the Hebrew Bible and ancient Near East, the New Testament, Jewish writings, and the Book of Mormon and ancient America.
Old Testament Topics > Temple and Tabernacle
The Garden of Eden pericope (Genesis 2-3) contains a number of powerful symbols that are related to and represent archetypal depictions of subsequent Israelite temple systems. In a cogent manner, the Garden of Eden, as it is referred to throughout the Bible, Pseudepigrapha, and rabbinic writings, served as the prototype, pattern, and/ or originator of subsequent Israelite temples, “a type of archetypal sanctuary.” The garden was not a sanctuary built of cedar or marble, for it is not necessary for a temple to possess an edifice or structure; but rather it was an area of sacred space made holy because God’s presence was found there. Mircea Eliade has stated that the Garden of Eden was the heavenly prototype of the temple, and the Book of Jubilees 3:19 adds that “the garden of Eden is the Holy of Holies, and the dwelling of the Lord.” This essay will examine these claims.
Book of Moses Topics > Chapters of the Book of Moses > Moses 3 — Garden of Eden
Book of Moses Topics > Temple Themes in the Book of Moses and Related Scripture
Old Testament Topics > Temple and Tabernacle
Donald Parry notes that nearly one-third of Isaiah is quoted in the Book of Mormon, and he lists twelve reasons given in the Book of Mormon for studying Isaiah. The Isaiah texts in the Book of Mormon are valuable for purposes of textual criticism because they come from the plates of brass, our oldest manuscript. Parry makes a few textual comparisons of Isaiah in the Book of Mormon and the Bible, demonstrating the greater clarity of the Book of Mormon Isaiah. Nephi’s people had difficulty understanding Isaiah because they did not understand the manner of prophesying among the Jews. Parry discusses individual symbols from Isaiah and from Erwin Goodenough’s model of vertical and horizontal Judaism.
Old Testament Topics > Flora and Fauna
Referring to passages in the Book of Mormon (which is the great converter), Ed Pinegar, former president of the Missionary Training Center, emphasizes the commission that all members of the church have to bring souls to Christ. Missionaries are expected to exemplify the virtues that they teach to potential converts, such as repentance-induced purity, charity, obedience, fasting and prayer, faith, knowledge, and commitment.
Old Testament Topics > Temple and Tabernacle
Stephen Ricks discusses and gives sources for what Joseph Smith himself thought and said about the translation of the Book of Mormon. Further understanding comes from what was said by colleagues and co-workers who knew him at that period of time.
In the Book of Mormon, the allegory of the olive tree—written by a prophet named Zenos and later quoted by the prophet Jacob to his people—stands out as a unique literary creation worthy of close analysis and greater appreciation. Besides its exceptional length and exquisite detail, this text conveys important teachings, deep emotion, and wisdom related to God’s tender devotion and aspirations for the house of Israel on earth. In The Allegory of the Olive Tree, 20 scholars shed light on the meaning, themes, and rhetorical aspects of the allegory, as well as on its historical, cultural, and religious backgrounds. In so doing, they offer answers to questions about the significance of olive tree symbolism in the ancient Near East, who Zenos was, the meaning of the allegory, what it teaches about the relationship between God and his people, how it might relate to other ancient texts, the accuracy of the horticultural and botanical details in the text, and much more.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Enos
Articles
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Enos
Old Testament Scriptures > Jeremiah/Lamentations
Old Testament Scriptures > Ezekiel
Old Testament Topics > Book of Mormon and the Old Testament
Olive oil in anointing, washings and anointing, baptism, and the tree of life
Old Testament Topics > Types and Symbols
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Enos
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Enos
The chronology of the use of plant imagery
Old Testament Scriptures > Psalms/Proverbs/Ecclesiastes/Song of Solomon
Old Testament Scriptures > Isaiah
Old Testament Topics > Book of Mormon and the Old Testament
Old Testament Topics > Types and Symbols
In the Book of Mormon, God speaks to us in the most powerful, effective way possible by interconnecting truth, goodness, and beauty. A good deal of what the Book of Mormon says is in how it is said. Richard Rust offers examples of how the choice words and their structure help convey the testimony of the Book of Mormon.
Old Testament Topics > Bibliography
A critical edition of the Book of Mormon has two main objectives. The first is to determine the original text of the Book of Mormon to the extent that it can be determined. The second is to determine the history of the text, as it has changed over the many editions of that book that have been published. Royal Skousen describes the history of the early manuscripts and editions of the Book of Mormon in order to better understand this book of scripture.
James Smith lists the population numbers given in the text of the Book of Mormon, and discusses what the possible population growth might have been. Comments in the Book of Mormon about multiplying exceedingly and filling the land are indicative that Nephite fertility was indeed high. He discusses the possibility that other peoples were assimilated into the Nephite and Lamanite groups.
Coronation, priesthood, and covenant rites
Old Testament Scriptures > 1 & 2 Kings/1 & 2 Chronicles
Old Testament Topics > Temple and Tabernacle
Catherine Thomas emphasizes that a condition of peace is necessary in order for us to experience the companionship of the Spirit. We are prone to experience troubled relationships, but we can by our own volition elect to develop a satisfying sense of at-one-ment with our associates. The Book of Mormon describes dysfunctional families, including Lehi’s. Nephi explains in his psalm (2 Nephi 4) that how we are judged will not be based on what others do to us, but on how we react to them.
Discussion and illustrations of garments, temple clothing, wedding clothing, and heavenly clothing
Old Testament Topics > Priesthood
A Hebraism is an English representation of something that originally was Hebrew. John Tvedtnes argues that Joseph Smith did a good job of rendering, as closely as he could in English, an ancient text. He discusses instances where the English language used in the Book of Mormon reflects a Hebraic source.
Research into literary forms in ancient scriptures led John Welch to the original discovery in 1967 of chiasmus in the Book of Mormon. In this lecture, he discusses chiasmus, a poetic form in which the first stanzas descend to a crucial midpoint and the rest of the passage parallels the first part in a mirror-like fashion. This artistic convention, although found in Greek, Latin, and English writings, was more highly developed in Semitic or Hebrew literary works. It was largely undetected until about the middle of the nineteenth century. Welch explains that for the trained eye the Book of Mormon abounds in chiasms ranging from simple to quite complex.
John Welch proposes that the mission of Christ and the significance of temples intersect in the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon teaches the surpassing importance of the temple. There are twenty-seven explicit references to the temple in the Book of Mormon, as well as allusions to the temple found in words and phrases. Temple themes in the Book of Mormon can be better appreciated through an understanding of the law of Moses, including festivals and ritual observances.
One of the most important functions of the Book of Mormon is to convey to the modem world powerful testimonies of the divine mission and essential attributes of Jesus Christ. Many Book of Mormon prophets knew Jesus personally; therefore, their teachings and testimonies about him are based on firsthand knowledge and acquaintance. John Welch discusses ten of the prophets who testified of Christ.
Book of Moses Topics > Temple Themes in the Book of Moses and Related Scripture
Theory that rather than Ramses II, it was Nemtyemzaf, son of Pepys II of the sixth dynasty, a minor pharaoh
Old Testament Topics > History
Linguistic studies used to trace the scattering of Israel
Articles
Old Testament Topics > Ten Commandments
Old Testament Topics > Adam and Eve [see also Fall]
Old Testament Topics > Jesus Christ, the God of the Old and the New Testament
Old Testament Scriptures > Genesis
Old Testament Topics > Adam and Eve [see also Fall]
Old Testament Topics > Women in the Old Testament
Will we continually soften our hearts, change our lives, and partake of the knowledge and understanding our Father in Heaven wishes to give us? Or will we confine ourselves to the safe, secure methods of the educational establishment and accept a lesser portion?
You may well doubt that you can have much effect on the people around you. But you will have help.
Emanuel Tov focuses on biblical texts found in Qumran. He discusses which texts were found, the significance of such a find, what the scrolls look like and are made of, scribal errors, and how the ancient texts relate to the texts we have today. Also included is a question-and-answer section that addresses such topics as the Teacher of Righteousness, copper plates, and the Temple Scroll.
Articles
Old Testament Topics > Ten Commandments
God knows you perfectly. He loves you perfectly. His Only Begotten Son, Jesus, has asked you, “Come, follow me.” Thus, in a real and majestic sense, each of us here tonight has been “called to serve”!
Articles
Old Testament Topics > Sabbath
Old Testament Topics > Ten Commandments
Talks
Articles
Articles
Articles
Old Testament Topics > Ten Commandments
Articles
Elder Jeffrey Holland bears testimony of the Book of Mormon as the keystone of Mormonism. The Book of Mormon is either what it says it is, and Joseph Smith’s account of its origin is true, or it and the Prophet are simply discredited. Three great witnesses of Christ in the Book of Mormon are Nephi, Jacob, and Isaiah.
Articles
The truths of the gospel do not change.
“It is this we must always remember: No matter how alone or discouraged we may feel, our Father in Heaven is always there to help us.”
When you are on record and in the presence of others, and are trying to be truthful, and you consult the depths of your own soul, you yourself may learn how profoundly you know.
Articles
Talks
President Hunter, President Hinckley, President Monson, thank you for this opportunity to share my testimony and my feelings of joy, gratitude, and responsibility for being called to serve the Primary children of the Church. Learn more about Mormons: http://mormon.org/
Reprinted in Expressions of Faith: Testimonies of Latter-day Saint Scholars.
Lays out answers to criticisms about Joseph Smith.
“Not to Worry” (1996)
“Not to Worry” (2008)
Articles
Kirtland is truly a holy ground of this dispensation. The Church basks in the light of revelation today to a great extent because of the great Pentecostal outpouring that Joseph and the Saints received in Kirtland.
The Ensign recently interviewed Elder Monte J. Brough of the presidency of the Seventy, executive director of the Family History Department, and discussed temple and family history work.
Articles
Michael D. Coogan identifies the silver plates found in a Jerusalem burial site as one of the ten most significant finds for biblical archaeology because “they are our earliest witness to the text of the Bible.”
As the title of this work suggests, it consists of a discussion of the Book of Mormon and the United States Constitution. This involves a mixing of the subjects of religion and politics which to some may seem novel enough to require an explanation. Therefore, we are devoting this preface to a consideration of our reasons for doing so. [From the text]
Personal reminiscences about Sidney B. Sperry.
RSC Topics > D — F > Faith
RSC Topics > G — K > Holy Ghost
Personal reminiscences about Sidney B. Sperry.
Personal reminiscences about Sidney B. Sperry.
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.
Review of “Book of Mormon Christology” (1993), by Melodie Moench Charles.
In this statement, the First Presidency requests that the Book of Mormon not be rewritten into familiar or modern English because of “risks that this process may introduce doctrinal errors or obscure evidence of its ancient origin.”
Lehi’s dream of the tree of life, recorded in 1 Nephi 8, was a familial dream as father Lehi was primarily concerned for the eternal salvation of his posterity. Susan Easton Black discusses Lehi’s role as patriarch in his family—his counsel and leadership, his love for his family, and his heartache for Laman and Lemuel who chose not to partake of the fruit—and compares his life with that of Joseph Smith Sr.
Contents:
Preface / Paul H. Peterson, David F. Boone, David R. Seely
A Tribute to Sidney B. Sperry / Ellis T. Rasmussen
Rending the Veil of Unbelief / Jeffrey R. Holland
The Destiny of the House of Israel / Daniel H. Ludlow
The Power and the Purpose of the Written Record / Robert J. Matthews
The Regeneration of Fallen Man / Robert L. Millet
The Power of Evidence in the Nurturing of Faith / John W. Welch
Articles
RSC Topics > Q — S > Repentance
Review of New Approaches to the Book of Mormon: Explorations in Critical Methodology (1993), edited by Brent Lee Metcalfe.
Articles
The efforts begun by Warren and Michaela Aston to identify important sites along the Lehi trail eventually evolved into a FARMS project and exploration to Southern Oman’s Dhofar region in 1992. The remote area of Wadi Sayq on the western extremity of that region has been identified as a location that appears to meet all of the criteria one can infer from the text of the Book of Mormon for the coastal site named Bountiful by Lehi and his family, where they lived while building a ship for their ocean crossing. The text also states that while they lived at Bountiful, the Lord showed Nephi where to go to locate ore with which to make tools for their boatbuilding project. While it is known that greater Oman was a famous source of abundant and high-quality copper during Lehi’s time, commercial mining near Wadi Sayq is not documented. The ancient copper mines of Oman are hundreds of miles farther north and unlikely candidates for Nephi’s ore. Graciously responding to a FARMS request, Eugene Clark, former geologist for ESSO in Oman, has prepared a preliminary report of geological possibilities of mineral deposits in the Dhofar region, where Wadi Sayq is located. The report identifies a number of geological possibilities for copper or iron ore accessible to Wadi Sayq, based on published geological studies and surveys. An on-site survey is projected for later this year to explore the possibilities documented in this report. Most promising among the published studies are reports of specular hematite found in small, random deposits on the Mirbat plain east of Salalah. Specular hematite is the most readily available form of high-quality iron and would have been most attractive as a low-tech smelting source for Nephi’s tools. The report also notes that Dhofar irons would usually occur in mixtures with manganese and carbon, yielding higher-quality steel that would be superior for tools. This preliminary report documents the plausibility of the Nephite account of ore being smelted for shipbuilding tools. It also defines a range of possible ore sources in the Dhofar area that can be verified through on-site exploration.
Review of Recent Book of Mormon Developments: Articles from the Zarahemla Record, vol. 2 (1992), edited by Raymond C. Treat.
Review of The Legacy of the Brass Plates of Laban: A Comparison of Biblical and Book of Mormon Isaiah Texts (1994), by H. Clay Gorton.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Ether
RSC Topics > A — C > Covenant
Review of The Easy-to-Read Book of Mormon: A Learning Companion (1995), by Lynn Matthews Anderson.
Articles
Review of “The Use of Egyptian Magical Papyri to Authenticate the Book of Abraham: A Critical Review” (1993), by Edward H. Ashment.
Review of Written by the Finger of God: A Testimony of Joseph Smith's Translations (1993), by Joe Sampson.
Review of ?Apologetic and Critical Assumptions about Book of Mormon Historicity? (1993), by Brent Lee Metcalfe.
Review of Explorers of Pre-Columbian America? The Diffusionist-Inventionist Controversy (1994), by Eugene R. Fingerhut; and Legend and Lore of the Americas before 1492: An Encyclopedia of Visitors, Explorers, and Immigrants (1993), by Ronald H. Fritze.
Review of The Sanctity of Dissent (1994), by Paul Toscano.
Review of Questions to Ask Your Mormon Friend: Effective Ways to Challenge a Mormon's Arguments without Being Offensive (1994), by Bill McKeever and Eric Johnson.
Review of The Legacy of the Brass Plates of Laban: A Comparison of Biblical and Book of Mormon Isaiah Texts (1994), by H. Clay Gorton.
Review of Religion, Feminism, and Freedom of Conscience: A Mormon/Humanist Dialogue (1994), edited by George D. Smith.
Review of In the Footsteps of Lehi: New Evidence for Lehi’s Journey across Arabia to Bountiful (1994), by Warren P. Aston and Michaela Knoth Aston.
Review of Joseph Smith's Response to Skepticism (1992), by Robert N. Hullinger.
Introduction to the current issue, including editor’s picks. Peterson discusses brief items having to do with the appearance of the phrase and it came to pass in books of scripture and with the “newspaper” handed out at the dedication of the Bountiful Temple that discusses doctrines Mormons must believe if they are to be deemed Christian.
Review of The Book of Mormon: Helaman through 3 Nephi 8, According to Thy Word (1992), edited by Monte S. Nyman and Charles D. Tate Jr.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > 3 Nephi
Review of The Easy-to-Read Book of Mormon: A Learning Companion (1995), by Lynn Matthews Anderson; and Mormon\'s Story: An Adaptation Based on the Book of Mormon (1993), by Timothy B. Wilson.
Articles
Review of Mormons and Jews: Early Mormon Theologies of Israel (1992), by Steven Epperson.
Bibliography of publications on the Book of Mormon in 1994.
Review of Mormonism: The Story of a New Religious Tradition (1985), by Jan Shipps.
Introduction to the current issue, including editor's picks.
Review of Decker's Complete Handbook on Mormonism (1995), by Ed Decker.
Review of Interventing Mormonism: Tradition and the Historical Record (1994), by H. Michael Marquardt and Wesley P. Walters.
Review of Overview of the Book of Mormon (1991), by Zarahemla Research Foundation.
Review of First Nephi: Study Book of Mormon (1998), by Zarahemla Research Foundation.
Review of LDS Collectors Edition CD-ROM (1994, 1995), by Infobases.
Review of “Book of Mormon Christology” (1993), by Melodie Moench Charles.
The Journal of the Book of Mormon and Other Restoration Scripture is a peer-reviewed journal dedicated to promoting understanding of the history, meaning, and significance of the scriptures and other sacred texts revealed through the Prophet Joseph Smith.
Articles
Brief biography of Sidney B. Sperry.
Bibliography of Sidney B. Sperry’s writings.
Personal reminiscences about Sidney B. Sperry.
Introduction to this special issue of Sidney B. Sperry’s Book of Mormon writings.
The records of the Nephite, Jaredite, and Mulekite peoples comprise the Book of Mormon, of which Mormon is the principal editor. Four divisions are evident—namely, the small plates of Nephi, Mormon’s explanatory notes, the literary labors of Mormon, and the literary labors of Moroni. The first division, the small plates of Nephi, is analyzed in this chapter.
An analysis of the Words of Mormon to Helaman, including Mormon’s abridgment between the small and large plates of Nephi. The teachings of Benjamin, Mosiah, Abinadi, Alma, and his son, Alma the Younger. Helaman’s and Shiblon’s writings in the book of Alma are set forth. Alma the Younger is to the Book of Mormon as Paul is to the New Testament. The book of Helaman covers fifty years of Nephite history.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Mosiah
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Alma
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Helaman
An analysis of the text of 3 Nephi to Moroni. Third Nephi was written by Nephi, the son of Nephi, the son of Helaman. Fourth Nephi in turn was written by the son of Nephi3, also called Nephi, and Nephi’s son Amos and grandsons Amos and his brother Ammaron. The book of Mormon was principally inscribed by Mormon and Moroni. The book of Ether exposes the terrible end of a people persisting in wickedness. The book of Moroni shows his love for his enemies.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > 3 Nephi
Book of Mormon Scriptures > 4 Nephi
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Ether
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Moroni
What constitutes great literature? What is it about the literature of the Book of Mormon that has such a profound effect upon its readers? Although perhaps not beautifully written, the Book of Mormon’s message or theme justifies its classification as great literature and accounts for its profound effect on the lives of millions.
The American Gospel, found in 3 Nephi, differs from the Gospels of the New Testament in that Jesus is teaching as a resurrected, glorified, and exalted person. It includes details of the cataclysmic events at the time of the crucifixion and of the multiple appearances of the Savior to the Nephites. Jesus delivers sermons to the Nephites in general and also to the Nephite twelve. He heals the sick and institutes the sacrament. The depiction of prayer is perhaps the most powerful in all scripture. The Savior quotes the prophecies of Isaiah and Micah with regard to the New Jerusalem and the Gentiles. He emphasizes the importance of record keeping for the church, which should be called in his name.
The Book of Mormon contains nine epistles—two pastoral, one prophetic, and six dealing with war. The “Psalm of Nephi” is the only psalm in the Book of Mormon, called such because it is a song of praise, betraying deep religious feeling. A good example of lamentation literature occurs in Mormon 6.
Historical narrative in the Book of Mormon is written by laymen and is the truth as they see it. Of emphasis is the doctrine that blessings follow those who keep the commandments; they will prosper in the land. More than autobiography, the words of the writers could be described as memoirs. Benjamin delivered a wonderful oration that deserves detailed study and can be divided into three parts.
The patriarchal blessings that Lehi bestows upon his children and grandchildren are filled with important doctrinal and historical details and contain many prophetic elements. Lehi and Nephi share the vision of the tree of life, a fine example of symbolic prophecy. Perhaps the finest example of prophetic literature in the Book of Mormon deals with the coming of Christ. The prophetic dialogue in the Book of Mormon can be divided into five parts.
The most significant allegory in the Book of Mormon is the allegory of the tame and wild olive tree, which appears in Jacob 5. Six different types of prayers are found in the Book of Mormon. Perhaps the best example of a true song is “The Song of the Vineyard,” actually a quotation from Isaiah. There is only one example of an extended genealogy, that of Ether, the last Jaredite prophet.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Ether
Many critics deny that the first five books of the Old Testament were written by Moses and consider them to be childish myths. However, when Nephi and Lehi examined the brass plates, they found them to contain “the five books of Moses.” And in the Book of Mormon, the Savior himself confirms their authorship. The book of Ether also offers confirmation of the Tower of Babel story.
Doubts as to the literary unity of the book of Isaiah are fairly recent. The late nineteenth century saw a division of Isaiah into three parts by critics, who categorized only 262 of the 1292 verses as the genuine product of Isaiah. These critics deny the prediction element of prophecy and highlight different literary forms and theological ideas. The Book of Mormon attributes two of these three sections to Isaiah by quotation; ancient scriptures as well give no hint of a division. Christ and the apostles themselves attribute the book to Isaiah. Internal evidences of the unity of the book include imagery, repetition, expressions peculiar to Isaiah, and song. Changes in style can be attributed to mood. The differences between the Book of Mormon and the King James Version support the authenticity and literary unity of Isaiah.
The Sermon on the Mount in 3 Nephi parallels the accounts in Matthew and Luke, although it is closer to Matthew. The sermon was addressed partly to a general audience and partly to the twelve disciples exclusively, although the crowd heard it. In many cases the account in 3 Nephi clarifies the New Testament accounts; in particular, the Joseph Smith Translation and Book of Mormon explain the Lord’s Prayer.
The literary problem caused by the parallels between Moroni 7–10 and 1 Corinthians 12–13 can be explained if one realizes that Moroni had access to the same teachings of Christ as Paul, and that both received revelation, so that the Lord himself might be the author of both dissertations. Different prophets might have had similar inspiration in dealing with the same topics.
The text of the Book of Mormon contributes to the understanding of the Pentateuch and to a confirmation that Moses was indeed its author. The Book of Mormon also helps confirm that Isaiah was the author of the book of Isaiah. The Isaiah chapters quoted in the Book of Mormon are a better translation than the King James Version, as they are undoubtedly from an older version. The Book of Mormon quotes Micah and Malachi with clarification and augments selected New Testament scriptures.
Most contemporary Old Testament scholars question whether Moses wrote the Pentateuch, but the Book of Mormon affirms Moses’ authorship. Questions arise as to how Jeremiah’s prophecies appeared on the brass plates and what the nature of the Book of the Law was. According to the brass plates, Laban and Lehi were descendants of Manasseh. How then did they come to be living in Jerusalem? The brass plates, on which may be found lost scripture, may have been the official scripture of the ten tribes.
Nephi quotes from the book of Isaiah because of its relevance to his people and to all men. He highlights the message of Christ’s appearance and atonement. The latter-day prophecies, both those which have been fulfilled and those that are yet to be fulfilled, are cited and explained. Israel will be restored in the latter days, but warnings accompany this glorious prophecy. The enemies of Zion will be confounded.
Old Testament Scriptures > Isaiah
The Book of Mormon is a translation, containing details of the original language in which it is written. Very few of the writers would have had a working knowledge of Egyptian; the writing would more likely be a Hebraized Egyptian. The Book of Mormon contains many passages from Isaiah, more correctly translated than in the King James Version. Various examples of the Hebrew construct state are evident in Joseph Smith’s translation, together with direct translations of Hebrew idioms.
Literal translations of Hebrew idioms are prevalent in the Book of Mormon, as are literal renditions of compound Hebrew prepositions. Parallels can be found in the Old and New Testaments, especially in the Hebrew translation of the Old Testament.
A universal element is a succinct concept with comprehensive spiritual appeal to humanity; the Book of Mormon is itself a universal element. Among universals found in the Book of Mormon are concepts (1) that truth is given of God to all peoples; (2) of faith, in which good and evil are clearly defined in terms of opposition; (3) of the purpose of man’s existence in mortality; and (4) of the importance of service given to men and God.
Although the beginning of Nephi’s record only mentions sons, Joseph Smith says the record of Lehi in the 116 missing manuscript pages refers to at least two of Ishmael’s sons marrying Lehi’s daughters. Nephi himself mentions his sisters at the end of his record. As no mention is made of further births to Lehi and Sariah after Jacob and Joseph, the assumption can be made that these sisters are the daughters who married Ishmael’s sons.
The Book of Mormon exhibits the intimate relationship between God and his people. The brother of Jared’s experience is a fine example. The driving force of the prophets was moral and religious, rather than economic and political. Social injustice was condemned by Nephi, Jacob, Alma, and Captain Moroni. Although little is said about the status of the family, respect for women and family affection are standard. Workers were well treated and friendship was promoted between Nephites and Lamanites. The Book of Mormon displays a high caliber of personal religion and brotherhood.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Alma
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Moroni
The Lamanites in the Book of Mormon are descendants of the Nephite, Mulekite, and Lamanite peoples. They were a scourge to the Nephites to keep them faithful to the Lord. They survived because they observed the Lord’s commandments regarding marriage. When the elder Mosiah and his followers left, the remaining body of Nephites were probably either destroyed or became Lamanites. Once the Lamanites understood the Lord’s word, they were very faithful and renounced their previous living style. Out of this milieu came Samuel, the Lamanite prophet.
Moroni wandered alone for sixteen years before adding to the abridged record of his father. When he did make his additions, he also wrote the title page of the Book of Mormon, but in two stages, each stage necessitating a return to the Hill Cumorah. The second paragraph clearly follows his decision to abridge the book of Ether.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Moroni
No one doubts that the hill where Joseph Smith received the plates is known as Cumorah, but is the hill where the final battles between the Nephites and Lamanites took place another Cumorah? The book of Ether tells us that Omer traveled to this place of the last battles of the Nephites, and that the relatively short duration of this journey would not account for the three thousand miles from Middle America to New York. A similar journey was undertaken by Limhi’s men, of equally short duration. The description of the geographical features around the final battle site is also at odds with the topography of present-day Cumorah.
The prophecies given by Moroni to Joseph Smith come from Malachi, Isaiah, and Joel. The Malachi prophecies deal with the rise and restoration of the church, preparation for the millennium, and the significance of the sons of Levi. The Isaiah prophecies, explained in the Doctrine and Covenants, give a direct explanation of the millennium and Joseph’s own role in the preparation for it. The Joel prophecies have to do with the events just prior to the “great and terrible day of the Lord.”
The Journal of the Book of Mormon and Other Restoration Scripture is a peer-reviewed journal dedicated to promoting understanding of the history, meaning, and significance of the scriptures and other sacred texts revealed through the Prophet Joseph Smith.
Articles
The failure of those who reject the historicity of the Book of Mormon to respond cogently to the increasing body of evidence and argument supporting historicity is becoming painfully apparent. Stephen E. Thompson’s recent review of Review of Books on the Book of Mormon 6/1 (1994) is one of the most recent examples of this "straw man" approach.
The small detail of the “chief market” mentioned in the story of Nephi’s prayer on his tower (Helaman 7:10) corresponds well to what is known of marketplaces in ancient Mesoamerica.
Book of Mormon descriptions of defensive fortifications are not attributable to specific nineteenth-century sources but rather to the English vocabulary of the day.
This paper suggests the use of narrative criticism, a recent literary interpretive tool, as a favorable method of Book of Mormon interpretation. As an example of narrative interpretation, the narrative by Samuel the Lamanite in Helaman 13–16 is analyzed as a discrete narrative portion of the Book of Mormon for the exploration of the possibilities of a narrative critical approach to its text. Instead of focusing on the content of Samuel’s exhortations, lamentations, and prophecies in order to understand these passages, I interpret the surrounding narrative and find it serves as an impressive complement to the doctrinal content of Samuel’s discourse.
The book of Mosiah is a cultic history of the reign of Mosiah2, structured around three royal ceremonies in 124, 121, and 92–91 BC. On each of these occasions, newly discovered scriptures were read to the people, stressing the dangers of monarchical government and celebrating the deliverance of the people and the revelation of Jesus Christ. This book existed independently hundreds of years before Mormon engraved it onto the gold plates. The most likely occasion for the writing of such a book was in the aftermath of Mosiah’s death when Alma the Younger needed to undermine the Amlicite bid to reestablish the monarchy.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Alma
The practice of naming lands by a chief city of the land correlates well with authentic Old World practices.
This article defines fifteen criteria one can use to measure the strength or weakness of a proposed chiastic pattern in a given text. The need for rigor in such studies depends primarily on how the results of the proposed structural analyses will be used. Ultimately, analysts may not know with certainty whether an author created inverted parallel structures intentionally or not; but by examining a text from various angles, one may assess the likelihood that an author consciously employed chiasmus to achieve specific literary purposes.
The events of 3 Nephi and 4 Nephi may foreshadow the events of the final days as witnesses of Christ are killed, are raised from the dead, and continue to instill fear in the hearts of the wicked.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > 4 Nephi
RSC Topics > D — F > Faith
RSC Topics > G — K > Hope
RSC Topics > L — P > Love
In this article William Hamblin responds to critics of the Book of Mormon who claim that there is no language known as reformed Egyptian, a term found in Mormon 9:32. Hamblin reminds readers that reformed Egyptian is a modern term for an ancient language and lists examples of other ancient records written in languages that could also be considered reformed Egyptian.
William Hamblin considers concepts related to the temple that are found in Jesus’ prayer recorded in John 17. For example, the word for glorify recalls the glory of the Lord that filled the tabernacle and temple. The word for given in John 17:2 can have the implication of endow, in the sense of giving a gift. To know God implies being familiar with his glory. The name of the Father is known by a few but is not revealed to the many.
RSC Topics > G — K > Judgment
RSC Topics > L — P > Prophets
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Moroni
RSC Topics > G — K > Grace
RSC Topics > G — K > Hope
Book of Moses Topics > Selection of Ancient Sources > Noah
Volume 3 in the Occasional Papers Series In 1907, when photography was still considered magical, George Edward Anderson set forth on a momentous journey across the United States. En route to a proselytizing mission in England, Anderson—arguably the most important photographer of Latter-day Saint historical sites to date—spent a year capturing vivid images of the sites of such transcendent events as the First Vision, the restoration of the priesthood, the publication of the Book of Mormon, and the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith. This volume assembles these photographs with Anderson’s 1907 diary, which allows reader to appreciate the photographs in their historical, cultural, and religious setting. ISBN 0-8849-4998-2
Clark Johnson examines sermons given by Jacob, Benjamin, and the Savior to Nephites gathered at their respective temples. He analyzes some of the high points to see how they taught “the doctrine of the temple,” giving particular attention to the teachings of the atonement and the contingent covenants covered in the ordinances taught by King Benjamin. Johnson also discusses Christ’s beatitudes in succession.
RSC Topics > G — K > Holy Ghost
RSC Topics > T — Z > Zion
Dale LeBaron counsels us to draw on the power of the Book of Mormon and the words of Christ’s representatives to discover the Lord’s pattern for preparing for the second coming. This preparation entails knowing the signs of the second coming, knowing the patterns of destruction, believing that despite persecution righteousness will prevail, heeding the counsels of the prophets, and studying the ministry of Christ and the teachings about his return.
When the angel Moroni first appeared to the young Prophet Joseph Smith, he told young Joseph that God had a work for him to do, and further, that the work would begin the preparatory work for the second coming of the Messiah. He was further told that the gospel would be preached unto all nations, that a people might be prepared for the millennial reign. The book that Moroni delivered to Joseph, and the other revelations of the Restoration, make it very clear, that one of the greatest responsibilities incumbent upon this dispensation is to prepare a people for the Savior’s second coming.
RSC Topics > L — P > Prophets
RSC Topics > D — F > Fall of Adam and Eve
RSC Topics > D — F > Devil
RSC Topics > G — K > Hope
Old Testament Topics > Problems in the Old Testament
Robert Millet discusses the evils of pride and the power of humility. The experiences related in the Book of Mormon depict the consequences of pride. Those scriptures also teach that if we trust in and rely upon the Lord, and if we are willing to acknowledge that he can make more of us than we could ever make of ourselves, we will be able us to avoid the perils of pride.
Robert Millet defines the terms Israel, Jew, and gentile and recommends avoiding a narrow definition of these terms when reading about Israel and the gentiles in the Book of Mormon. He explains that the Jews are the descendants of those who lived in the kingdom of Judah, and that the remnant of Jacob spoken of in the Book of Mormon is not limited to the Lamanites. Millet further relates that the Book of Mormon plays a role in the gathering of Israel, and that the scattering and gathering of Israel typify the fall and the atonement.
RSC Topics > A — C > Baptism
RSC Topics > D — F > Doctrine
RSC Topics > D — F > Fall of Adam and Eve
RSC Topics > Q — S > Resurrection
RSC Topics > Q — S > Salvation
RSC Topics > Q — S > Sin
Papers presented at the BYU Symposium ‘As Translated Correctly’: Joseph Smith’s Translations of the Bible, January 13–14, 1995
Old Testament Topics > Symposia and Collections of Essays
In this informal lecture, Hugh Nibley proposes that exploring the explanations of the facsimiles was not timely in Joseph Smith’s day, but the 1960s opened avenues for serious investigation. He reviews some of the mythical details in the Egyptian account of the premortal council. He also cites examples of Egyptian truisms that relate to Hebrew wisdom literature.
RSC Topics > G — K > Judgment
RSC Topics > T — Z > Testimony
RSC Topics > D — F > Dispensations
RSC Topics > G — K > Heaven
RSC Topics > T — Z > Temples
RSC Topics > T — Z > Zion
Daniel Peterson discusses recent research that supports a spiritual witness for the Book of Mormon, including the following: Joseph Smith’s lack of schooling, his supposed misnaming of Jesus’ birthplace, the translation process, studies of chiasmus, possible locations for Book of Mormon events, and ancient manuscripts that are consistent with Book of Mormon accounts about document practices and beliefs of past civilizations.
Daniel Peterson discusses recent research that supports a spiritual witness for the Book of Mormon, including the following: Joseph Smith’s lack of schooling, his supposed misnaming of Jesus’ birthplace, the translation process, studies of chiasmus, possible locations for Book of Mormon events, and ancient manuscripts that are consistent with Book of Mormon accounts about document practices and beliefs of past civilizations.
Daniel Peterson discusses recent research that supports a spiritual witness for the Book of Mormon, including the following: Joseph Smith’s lack of schooling, his supposed misnaming of Jesus’ birthplace, the translation process, studies of chiasmus, possible locations for Book of Mormon events, and ancient manuscripts that are consistent with Book of Mormon accounts about document practices and beliefs of past civilizations.
Daniel Peterson discusses the sermon on faith given by Alma the Younger in Alma 32. Faith is not merely intellectual assent but trust or confidence, and it is expressed actively rather than passively. Peterson argues that the dichotomy between faith and works is artificial, since the root word for faith implies behavior. Alma invites us to experiment on the quality of faith, and Peterson suggests that scientific approaches to experimentation are applicable. He recommends testing or trying faith with the aid of prayer. He proposes that faith can have a spiral effect and that confidence can increase with continued experience.
This paper is part of a series of F.A.R.M.S. papers intended to give clear, concise answers to criticisms that have been raised against the Book of Mormon. As can be seen in the footnotes, much is owed to previous researchers who have addressed these criticisms. The foundation wishes to thank Matthew Roper for his help in gathering and summarizing large portions of the raw material for this series of papers. The authors wish to thank Robert Durocher for his help with this paper.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Moroni
RSC Topics > G — K > Grace
RSC Topics > G — K > Humility
The Book of Mormon teaches faith in Christ, a message relevant for our time or any time. Believers progress from knowing the Savior, to loving and being obedient to him, and ultimately desiring to share the message about him. Our commitment to the gospel is reflected in our ability to be obedient.
RSC Topics > L — P > Love
RSC Topics > Q — S > Repentance
RSC Topics > T — Z > Unity
The history of any people has a political dimension. If there is any structure of authority in a society, people will want to control that authority to promote their own interests. Politics is that realm in which this struggle takes place. Nephite and Lamanite politics and wars revolved around the issue of which of Lehi’s sons was the legitimate heir to the paternal right to rule.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Moroni
RSC Topics > D — F > Eternal Life
RSC Topics > G — K > Grace
RSC Topics > G — K > Holy Ghost
RSC Topics > L — P > Mercy
RSC Topics > Q — S > Spiritual Gifts
RSC Topics > T — Z > Zion
Old Testament Topics > Bible: Joseph Smith Translation (JST)
RSC Topics > D — F > Devil
RSC Topics > T — Z > Unity
RSC Topics > T — Z > Zion
Anti-Mormons frequently refer to a long-standing form letter sent by the Smithsonian Institution in response to inquiries about the Book of Mormon. In this paper, John Sorenson makes note of serious flaws in this Smithsonian statement, pointing out that parts of the form letter are based on unsubstantiated assumptions by the Smithsonian staff who are unqualified to make such generalizations. Also included in this paper is a more responsible letter recently issued by the Smithsonian Institution on this matter.
The Ninth Annual Book of Mormon Symposium at BYU As the final installment in the book of Mormon Symposium series, this volume examines the last four books of the Nephite record: 4 Nephi, Mormon, Ether, and Moroni. Perhaps more than any other part in the Book of Mormon, this section powerfully portrays the cycle through which the ancient inhabitants of America passed many times—the cycle that took them from righteousness to wickedness, from Zion to destruction. Twenty-five contributors here explore the details of this tragic cycle—as it occurred in both the Nephite and the Jaredite civilizations—and also discuss many related doctrinal and historical issues. Realizing the Book of Mormon’s relevance to our day, the writers further take the opportunity to point out the many modern applications. ISBN 0-8849-4974-5
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Ether
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Moroni
Articles
RSC Topics > G — K > Gospel of Jesus Christ
RSC Topics > G — K > Humility
RSC Topics > T — Z > Zion
“This report describes the results of a qualitative study on a reading remediation program used to teach missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS) who struggled with reading. The purpose of this study was to research the interactions among the missionaries, their tutors and the instructional strategies and materials used including the Book of Mormon; thus providing a body of information allowing others to replicate the programs’ successful reading components. Three researchers actually tutored six missionaries, observed 17 missionaries over a four-month period, and gathered posttest reading scores on 17 missionaries. Results from this study show that (a) missionaries have had previous negative reading experiences; (b) missionaries enter the MTC with poor reading habits that deter good reading; (c) tutors adapt procedures, materials and methods to address what they feel are the needs of the student without knowing if those adaptations produced better outcomes; (d) the current reading program has changed significantly from the 1993 program; (e) missionaries in the current reading program experience far less reading skill development than missionaries in the 1993 program; and (f) the Book of Mormon works well as a remediation text.” [Author’s abstract]
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Old Testament Topics > Types and Symbols
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Like the mortal life of which they are a part, adversities are temporary. What is permanent is what we become by the way we react to them.
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There, tucked away as a tiny comment, was the answer—simple, clear, and enormously effective: “but we heeded them not.” Difficult to do? Yes. Clear to understand? Yes!
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You are the clay—and as such you are of utmost importance to the Lord. He loves you and desires to shape you into a magnificent vessel of honor—designed and glazed for all eternity.
Full transcript.
Has the time come to know the meanings of figures 12–20 in Facsimile 2? Hugh Nibley responds.
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Old Testament Topics > Covenant [see also Ephraim, Israel, Jews, Joseph]
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Old Testament Topics > Covenant [see also Ephraim, Israel, Jews, Joseph]
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Doctrines, Principles > Plan of Salvation, Terrible Questions > Death
“The thing is, we never know what blessings await us when we are asked to endure or when they will come, only that they will assuredly come.”
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Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Bible > Old Testament > Characters > Abraham, Sarah, Abram, Sarai
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Pearl of Great Price > Book of Abraham > Characters > Abraham, Sarah, Abram, Sarai
Both the Savior and the Prophet Joseph gave their lives in a divine cause.
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As the Church continues to expand, especially in foreign lands, the percentage of members who are literal descendants of the pioneers decreases, but I believe that those who bind themselves to this great work that the pioneers began are somehow spiritually adopted and become descendants of those noble forbears.
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May you be blessed in all that you do, that the Spirit of the Lord will be in your hearts, and that you will have the inspiration combined with knowledge to make you equal to the challenge of teaching the snow-white birds who come to you to learn how to fly.
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An article written about Brother Nibley’s acceptance of the 1995 Frankie and John Kenneth Orton Award for LDS Literature.
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Talks
Like Elisha’s servant, we typically do not have access to a complete view of reality. We know, though, that the Lord can open our eyes to a greater reality.
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I’m suggesting that we seek to experience contentment while we work toward godliness—that we remember and appreciate all that God and Christ have done for us.
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Alma’s distinctive use of the word state in the Book of Mormon is present in his unique concentration of state, his tendency to reword with state, and his treatment of a shared topic involving state.
Review of My First Scripture Stories (1994), by Sherrie Johnson, illustrated by Tyler Lybbert
Review of Book of Mormon Reference Library (1995), by Deseret Book; Book of Mormon Studybase (1995), by Bookcraft; and LDS Collectors Library 1995 Edition (1995), by Infobases
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.
The news media often characterizes some detractors of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as “Mormon intellectuals” and presents them to the public as the thinking Mormons who know the inside story of the church. In this rush to produce controversial news, an obvious truth has been overlooked—that the LDS intellectual and academic communities are composed of strong believers in the Prophet Joseph Smith’s revelations and solid supporters of LDS Church leadership. Only at the fringes is there noticeable dissent.
Readers of Expressions of Faith will discover a marvelous, uncoached unity in these testimonies of LDS scholars. Although most of the 24 contributors are persons of substantial learning, none base their beliefs in scholarly insights. Rather, all point to an inner conviction that has come through life experience and God’s gift. As they explain, these testimonies enlighten their entire lives, including their scholarly endeavors. None feel conflict between the canons of scholarship and religious belief, but rather find the two mutually reinforcing and even necessary.
This unique book aims to strengthen people’s faith by precept and example as they pursue their own efforts to know the Lord and to understand his love and dealings with humankind.
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Review of The Land of Lehi (1995), by Paul Hedengren
Volume 4 in the Occasional Papers Series From aiding in the early development of San Francisco, San Diego, and Sacramento to the ministry of Howard W. Hunter as the first President of the Church from California, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have had a rich history in the Golden State. In this volume the experiences of the Latter-day Saints from their first arrival to the year 1996 are outlined. This book celebrates the labors of good people who planted and cultivated in the Golden State—sometimes in hard and unfertile soil. The harvest that the Church enjoys today leads to a greater abundance to come. ISBN 1-5700-8200-6
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RSC Topics > T — Z > Trials
RSC Topics > T — Z > War
RSC Topics > L — P > Obedience
RSC Topics > Q — S > Service
RSC Topics > T — Z > War
RSC Topics > T — Z > Youth
Review of Tennis Shoes and the Feathered Serpent (1995), by Chris Heimerdinger
Alma’s sermon at Ammonihah includes a remarkable passage (Alma 13:1–9) that contains a main chiasm as well as four shorter chiasms and four alternates. It also uses synonymia, cycloides, repetition, and an important Nephite idiom (rest). In addition, this passage explains the doctrine of the priesthood and the eternal nature of Christ in conjunction with the priesthood, and introduces the doctrines of a preparatory redemption and the rest of God.
Review of How to Get the Most from the Book of Mormon (audio cassettes, 1987), by Daniel H. Ludlow.
Old Testament Topics > Science and Religion
Samuel, Moroni's Young Warrier (1993), by Clair Poulson.
An interpretation of how the Book of Mormon and early Mormonism fit into American society at the time of the translation
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Review of Eldin Ricks's Thorough Concordance of LDS Standard Works (1995), by Eldin Ricks.
Review of Ashamed of Joseph: Mormon Foundations Crumble (1993), by Charles Crane and Steven Crane.
Review of New Approaches to the Book of Mormon: Explorations in Critical Methodology (1993), edited by Brent Lee Metcalfe. The claims of Metcalfe's New Approaches to the Book of Mormon appear to have been adequately responded to in the Review.
Review of Angular Chronology: The Precolumbian Dating of Ancient America (1994), by Michael M. Hobby, June M. Hobby, and Troy J. Smith.
Review of Dale Morgan On Early Mormonism: Correspondence and a New History (1986), edited by John Philip Walker.
Introduction to the current issue, including editor’s picks. Peterson discusses the status of Christian churches in 1820, an offer to debate Ed Decker, the quest for the historical Jesus through the Jesus Seminar and the implications of that type of scholarship on Mormonism: “Agnostic or radically revisionist critics of the restored Gospel, and fundamentalist Protestant anti-Mormons, tend to converge, united despite their other differences by their disbelief in the founding narratives and sacred scriptures of the Restoration.”
Review of Mormonism (1995) by Kurt Van Gorden.
Review of Christopher Columbus: A Latter-day Saint Perspective (1992), by Arnold K. Garr.
Review of The Literary Message of Isaiah (1994), by Avraham Gileadi.
Review of The Book of Mormon: Fourth Nephi through Moroni, From Zion to Destruction (1995), edited by Monte S. Nyman and Charles D. Tate Jr.
Review of Book of Mormon Dictionary (1988), by George Reynolds.
Review of Angular Chronology: The Precolumbian Dating of Ancient America (1994), by Michael M. Hobby, June M. Hobby, and Troy J. Smith.
Review of Mormons Answered Verse by Verse (1992), by David A. Reed and John R. Farkas.
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Review of The Facsimiles of the Book of Abraham: A Study of the Joseph Smith Egyptian Papyri (1990), by James R. Harris; For His Ka: Essays Offered in Memory of Klaus Baer (1994), edited by David P. Silverman; and The Story of the Book of Abraham: Mummies, Manuscripts, and Mormonism (1995), by H. Donl Peterson.
Review of Norman the Nephite's and Larry the Lamanite's Book of Mormon Time Line (1995), by Pat Bagley
Review of ?Joseph Smith and Kabbalah: The Occult Connection? (1994), by Lance S. Owens
Review of The Power of the Word: Saving Doctrines from the Book of Mormon (1994), by Robert L. Millet
Review of Moroni's Promise: The Converting Power of the Book of Mormon (1995), by Glenn L. Pearson
Review of No Man Knows My History: The Life of Joseph Smith, the Mormon Prophet (1995), by Fawn McKay Brodie
Review of The Mormon Concept of God: A Philosophical Analysis (1991), by Francis J. Beckwith and Stephen E. Parrish
Introduction to the current issue, as well as editor's picks. Peterson discusses the theory of evolution, the historicity of Christ's resurrection, and the techniques used by Jerald and Sandra Tanner in their research.
Review of Behind the Mask of Mormonism (1992), by John Ankerberg and John Weldon
Review of Questions to Ask Your Mormon Friend: Challenging the Claims of Latter-day Saints in a Constructive Manner (1994), by Bill McKeever and Eric Johnson
Review of I Know Thee by Name: Hebrew Roots of Lehi-ite Non-Biblical Names in the Book of Mormon (1995), by Joseph R. and Norrene V. Salonimer
Review of ?Joseph Smith's Use of the Apocrypha? (1995), by Jerald and Sandra Tanner
Review of “Corinthian Religion and Baptism for the Dead (1 Corinthians 15:29): Insights from Archaeology and Anthropology” (1995), by Richard E. DeMaris
The Journal of the Book of Mormon and Other Restoration Scripture is a peer-reviewed journal dedicated to promoting understanding of the history, meaning, and significance of the scriptures and other sacred texts revealed through the Prophet Joseph Smith.
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Possible scripts for the “reformed Egyptian” referred to in the Book of Mormon include abnormal hieratic and carved hieratic.
Positivist historiography has always maintained an impermeable boundary between history and literature. But positivism is itself a historical sediment whose time is now past. Recent literary theory and historiography emphasize the continuities between history and literature. Under the domination of historiography by a positivist epistemology (from about 1880 to 1960), history attempted to free itself from its literary heritage. More recently theorists from a number of disciplines have recognized that history, both ancient and modern, has been informed by literary motifs, themes, and strategies. The repetition of the exodus literary pattern, for example, through the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and Christian history does nothing to bring into question the historical status of the events. The exodus patterns evident in Mosiah do not force the Book of Mormon to surrender historical claims just because they also happen to be literary.
Spanish chroniclers describe the use of various swords, including the macuahuitl, in Mesoamerican culture. The macuahuitl may fit the criteria for a Book of Mormon “sword.”
The time-depth of the Romance language family (ca. 2,000 years) yields an abundance of similarities among languages descended from Latin: Spanish, French, Italian, and so forth. The time-depth of Lehi is not much greater (2,600 years), yet no similar abundance of accepted linguistic evidence for Lehi’s presence in the Americas has emerged. Is this because of a lack of evidence or a lack of looking? We cannot know until we look. The relative absence of effort in Native American languages relevant to Book of Mormon research is a huge void in Latter-day Saint scholarly endeavor. This paper discusses the value of and need to void this existing void, and presents from one Native American language family an example of the possibilities.
The Iliad features some battle clothing, battle tactics, reasons for fighting, and smiting off arms of enemies similar to those in the Book of Mormon, thus strengthening the links to an Old World culture.
Prophetic references to Christ appear not only in the Book of Mormon but also in other ancient Christian works.
This paper explores several relationships between the texts in Moroni 2–6 and the words and deeds of Jesus in 3 Nephi 18. The opening chapters of Moroni contain the words that Jesus Christ spoke to the twelve when he ordained them to the high priesthood, the words used by the Nephites in administering the sacrament, and also a few words by Moroni about baptism, church membership, congregational worship, and ecclesiastical discipline. This study demonstrates that these instructions and procedures were rooted in the words and deeds of the resurrected Jesus in 3 Nephi 18 as he administered the sacrament, gave instructions to his disciples, and conferred upon the twelve the power to bestow the gift of the Holy Ghost. Thus, one can appreciate the extent to which Nephite ecclesiastical procedures were based directly on the Savior’s instructions and ministry. Those practices, essential to the restored gospel, came from that divine source.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Moroni
The Journal of the Book of Mormon and Other Restoration Scripture is a peer-reviewed journal dedicated to promoting understanding of the history, meaning, and significance of the scriptures and other sacred texts revealed through the Prophet Joseph Smith.
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Nephi’s older brother Sam was a holy and just man who experienced and witnessed many events in early Nephite history.
The Protestant Bible wars were fought between fundamentalists, who initially claimed for the Bible the same "truth" that Enlightenment claimed for science, and liberals, who denied that historical "truth" could be achieved at all. In the present Book of Mormon wars the opposite seems to be true: the liberal camp appears deeply rooted in the Enlightenment paradigm, while the orthodox (but not fundamentalist) position often uses postmodernist arguments, claiming that absolute objectivity is a "noble dream" never achieved nor obtainable in historical studies. The article reviews the present Mormon controversies by comparing them to the discussions on biblical interpretation in the Roman Catholic Church, as summarized in the semiofficial 1993 document "The Interpretation of the Bible in the Church" by the Pontifical Biblical Commission.
In a 1991 BYU Studies article, I identified and analyzed three core Book of Mormon passages in which the gospel or doctrine of Jesus Christ is defined. Each of these passages presents the gospel as a six-point formula or message about what men must do if they will be saved. In the present article I go on to examine all other Book of Mormon references to the six elements in this formula. Faith is choosing to trust in Jesus Christ in all that one does. Repentance is turning away from the life of sin by making a covenant to obey the Lord and remember him always. Baptism in water is the public witnessing to the Father of that covenant. The baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost is a gift sent from the Father in fulfillment of his promise to all his children that if they will repent and be baptized, they will be filled with the Holy Ghost. It brings the remission of sins with its cleansing fires. The recipient of these great blessings must yet endure to the end in faith, hope, and charity in order to obtain salvation, or eternal life.
An Egyptian script was possibly used to write Hebrew text on the Nephite record. Documents from the correct location and time period have texts and languages in varying scripts that lend credence to this scribal phenomenon.
Prophesying of the coming forth of the Book of Mormon, Nephi foretold that an unlearned man would be asked by God to read the words of a book after a learned man had failed to do so. The unlearned man was initially unwilling, claiming, “I am not learned” (2 Nephi 27:19). One interpretation of Nephi’s account is that Joseph Smith could not translate the Book of Mormon before the meeting of Martin Harris and Charles Anthon. Early historical accounts are consistent with this interpretation. However, according to Joseph Smith—History 1:64, Harris did take a translation to Anthon. Although this translation has not been found, evidence exists of similarities between this document and documents produced during the preliminary stages of the translation of the Book of Abraham. These similarities suggest that the document taken to Anthon was a preliminary and unsuccessful attempt to translate the Book of Mormon, during which Joseph Smith studied the translation problem out in his own mind as he qualified himself to receive the revealed translation from God.
Witnesses of the Book of Mormon > Martin Harris
The Book of Mormon annals open in an ancient Near Eastern context. The archaeological-historical context is carefully outlined here within a systematic chronology that is tied to fixed, absolute dates of recorded astronomical events—particularly those from cuneiform eponym calendars. The resultant matrix allows those early Book of Mormon events to be understood in a rational, familiar, and meaningful way—that is, in a biblical context. In addition, an excursus is devoted to understanding the Arabia of the Book of Mormon as the Lehite exiles must have known it. Throughout it is clear that the world depicted by the Book of Mormon dovetails remarkably well with what we know of the ancient Near East.
Book of Mormon language frequently contains lengthy structures of rather awkward English. Some may consider these to be instances of poor grammar, weakness in writing (Ether 12:23–26), or the literary ineptness of a fraudulent author; however, I see them as potentially significant support for a translation from a Near Eastern language in an ancient American setting. Many of these examples of awkward, lengthy structures in English parallel Semitic (and Egyptian) patterns, particularly the circumstantial or hal-clause. In response to critics of my previous proposal to that effect, this article is a lengthier treatment of these lengthy structures found in the Book of Mormon.
The rod or staff, as well as the sword, symbolize power and the word of God.
The Lord preserves his prophets until they have delivered their messages; examples include Abinadi from the Book of Mormon, Jeremiah in 4 Baruch, and Jesus in the New Testament.
What did the Prophet Joseph Smith look like? Questions about Joseph Smith’s appearance have circulated ever since his martyrdom. This book is a comprehensive study into what the Prophet looked like based on many years of research. Work was started in 1975 when the author obtained a Joseph Smith portrait and after further inquiry learned that there was substantial disagreement regarding the Prophet’s appearance. The author’s desire for an accurate understanding of Joseph Smith’s image has resulted in this book, which includes the knowledge and resources of many individuals. Nearly 150 images are found in this volume, with fascinating commentary on the Prophet and the significance of each illustration. This book is an attempt to sort those that are accurate representations from those that are not. ISBN 1-5700-8394-0
(Battle among Mormons over nature of BofM.)
The Old Testament prophecies that Moroni quoted to Joseph Smith
Old Testament Topics > Restoration and Joseph Smith
RSC Topics > T — Z > War
We do not know a lot about Samuel’s background. We do know that he was courageous and fearless. He told the Nephites what the signs of the Savior’s coming and mission would be and they rejected him and his prophecies. The signs of the coming of Jesus and the signs of his death bear record of Christ. Johnson discusses the Lord’s respective attitudes toward the Nephites and Lamanites, and suggests ways to have the Spirit in our lives.
Many Latter-day Saints can distinguish between the writings of prophets such as Ezra Taft Benson, David O. McKay, and Brigham Young, because each of these men had characteristics and themes unique to himself. The author reasons that if the writings of latter-day prophets reflect their authors’ personal characteristics, then records left by ancient prophets should also contain features that distinguish their authors as individuals. In this book, the traits that set each Book of Mormon author apart from the others are analyzed. The suggestion made by critics of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that the Book of Mormon was written by a single nineteenth-century author is refuted. ISBN 1-5700-8276-6
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RSC Topics > T — Z > Ten Commandments
The Book of Mormon is a religious text which, like the Bible, may be subjected to various methods of analysis. This thesis discusses whether literary methods of analysis are applicable to a sacred text, and suggests rules which should govern such a method of analysis. Following these rules, the thesis provides an analysis of specific themes particular to the Book of Mormon and suggests how they are integral to the structure of the text. Then it relates the linguistic problems which the authors encountered in their transcription and translation labours, and considers the writers’ self-conscious compositional efforts in relation to the moral message which the book proclaims. Two anomalies--large sections from the Book of Isaiah and progressively intrusive editorializing--are then examined in terms of their incorporation into the thematic and structural integrity of the text. Finally, consideration is given to the hermeneutical problem the contemporary reader encounters in reading and comprehending an ancient text. The thesis demonstrates that there is a closely integrated relationship between the form and the content of the text, and argues that the authors’ achievement of their purpose--to preach a message to a distant, future audience--can be considered a sophisticated linguistic and literary accomplishment.
Joseph McConkie offers a profile of the Book of Mormon prophet Jacob and discusses two themes taught by Jacob—the scattering and gathering of Israel and his testimony of the mission of Christ. The current gathering in Israel is temporal, not spiritual. From the Book of Mormon perspective, the gentiles are those who come from the gentile nations, even if they are of Ephraim, and are not Jewish nationals.
Byron Merrill discusses Moroni’s mission, both during his mortal life and in his role as the angel who brought the Book of Mormon to the last dispensation. The scriptures tell of the strength of his educational preparation and his relationship with his father. Moroni deals with signs of the latter days such as pollutions, fashions, pride, and miracles. Merrill describes the latter-day functions of Moroni and the reason why his statue is atop so many temples.
Robert Millet begins by reviewing what we know of King Benjamin’s life prior to his great sermon and covers some of the highlights of what he taught. Millet explains what the name Jesus Christ means according to the Hebrew background, and delineates the importance of that name. He explains some of the benefits of the atonement, including that it covers those who have sinned in ignorance.
Robert Millet notes the differences between the teachings of Jesus in 3 Nephi and in the four Gospels. The Book of Mormon is more crucial now than ever before in witnessing to the truth of the Bible. Observing the intensified moral demands given by Jesus enables us to keep the Old Testament commandments more easily. Millet considers a more precise definition of what the “gospel” means than the broader definition often associated with that word.
Robert Millet explains what Jerusalem was like in Lehi’s time according to information in the book of Jeremiah and the Book of Mormon. He reviews the teachings of Lehi concerning the coming of a Messiah to counter the effects of the fall, the important place of the house of Israel in the Lord’s scheme for this earth, the role of grace through Christ’s redemption, and the future calling of Joseph Smith as a “choice seer.”
In the spirit of President Ezra Taft Benson’s plea to take the Book of Mormon more seriously, this discussion contains a sweeping review of Book of Mormon doctrines and the crucial role the book plays in the restoration. Robert Millet summarizes the highlights of the teachings of Lehi, Nephi, Jacob, King Benjamin, Abinadi, Alma the Younger, Samuel the Lamanite, Jesus Christ, Mormon, and Moroni, and delineates prominent themes throughout the Book of Mormon.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Alma
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Moroni
The brass plates are an intergral part of the Nephite story and of the message of the Book of Mormon. Robert Millet reviews the contents of the plates and the teachings of the prophets that were written on them.
Reprinted in Eloquent Witness: Nibley on Himself, Others, and the Temple, Collected Works of Hugh Nibley vol. 17.
Reprinted in Eloquent Witness, The Collected Works of Hugh Nibley 17. 177–95.
Lays out answers to criticisms about Joseph Smith.
“Not to Worry” (1994)
“Not to Worry” (2008)
Todd Parker discusses the meaning of Abinadi’s name and compares his circumstances to those of John the Baptist and his message to that of King Benjamin. He points out legal pretexts for Abinadi’s trial from Old Testament passages, and demonstrates how the priests of King Noah misunderstood the function of prophecy. Abinadi provides several examples of types and shadows pointing to the mission of Christ.
By Donald W. Parry, Jeanette W. Miller, and Sandra A. Thorne, Published on 01/01/96
Daniel Peterson discusses recent research that supports a spiritual witness for the Book of Mormon, including the following: Joseph Smith’s lack of schooling, his supposed misnaming of Jesus’ birthplace, the translation process, studies of chiasmus, possible locations for Book of Mormon events, and ancient manuscripts that are consistent with Book of Mormon accounts about document practices and beliefs of past civilizations.
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B. H. Roberts’s study of the Creation, the pre-earth existence, and the life and fall of Adam
Old Testament Topics > Science and Religion
Since the Book of Mormon was first published in 1830, its critics have endeavored to find explanations for it other than the one given by Joseph Smith. Some have suggested that the source for much of the history and theology in the Book of Mormon was an early nineteenth-century book entitled View of the Hebrews, by Ethan Smith. This book is a faithful and accurate reproduction of the 1825 second edition of View of the Hebrews. The intent in publishing it has been to make it available to all interested readers—whether critics, believers in the Book of Mormon, or scholars of early American religious history. This printing reproduces not only the original spelling and punctuation but also, as much as possible, the original layout, typefaces, and type sizes. Readers may find topics of some interest for Latter-day Saint history, but it is clear that they will need to look elsewhere to find the origin of the Book of Mormon. ISBN 1-5700-8247-2
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RSC Topics > G — K > Heaven
RSC Topics > L — P > Peace
RSC Topics > Q — S > Sacrifice
RSC Topics > T — Z > Temples
RSC Topics > T — Z > War
RSC Topics > T — Z > Women
RSC Topics > T — Z > Worship
Robert Smith works out a detailed chronology of events in Palestine and the surrounding area from 793-445 B.c. to show what was happening in the years prior to Lehi’s departure from Jerusalem and journey to and settlement of the New World. He also describes the topographical and climatic conditions of the land through which Lehi and his colony may well have traveled on their way to the Americas.
This was the first-ever facsimile edition of Manuscript Found, which preserves the original unedited words, spelling, and punctuation of Spaulding’s handwritten text published. While Manuscript Found will undoubtedly never become a literary classic, modern readers will enjoy the charm, spontaneity, and subtle humor of its author. Spaulding’s novel provides an engaging view into one man’s fanciful reconstruction of Native American life. But it will not take long for readers to see that it bears no resemblance to the Book of Mormon. Nevertheless, this unique edition will be a useful reference for students of Latter-day Saint history and nineteenth-century American culture. ISBN 9781570082979
“The “Manuscript Found”: A Verbatim Copy of the Original” (1885)“The “Manuscript Found”: Manuscript Story” (1886)
Catherine Thomas places Alma and his teachings within the context of the premortal existence to show his concern for the plan of redemption. She notes that some spirits were notably more responsive in their faith than others and that Israel was there organized. Alma’s discourses are set against his dramatic conversion, from a condition of abject wickedness to that of a highly motivated saint. His transformation serves as a model of encouragement for the lost soul seeking a higher state.
Based on the foundation of a long-standing precedent of the spirit of inquiry in secular and religious education, this dissertation explored the spirit of inquiry in the Book of Mormon. The discovery was made that the spirit of inquiry consists of numerous attributes or characteristics. The list of characteristics that were discovered to be a part of the spirit of inquiry include such attributes as desire, pondering, a soft heart, asking in faith, belief, diligence, fasting, remembering, questioning, searching, understanding, and sharing. The ultimate discovery was that one cannot come to know Christ unless one walks the path of the spirit of inquiry. The Book of Mormon both models and teaches the importance of coming unto Christ through the spirit of inquiry. This study clearly describes the path of the spirit of inquiry in the hopes that all may follow it to its wonderful conclusion--knowing and understanding Christ.
Clyde Williams examines the identity of the prophet Mormon and highlights his varied roles and valiant qualities. He lived in a society filled with symptoms of departure from a Christ-centered culture. Mormon testifies that the Book of Mormon witnesses to the truth of the Bible. He knew the power of faith, hope, and charity. Mormon felt the responsibility to teach the consequences of unrighteousness and plead for repentance.
Clyde Williams examines the identity of the prophet Mormon and highlights his varied roles and valiant qualities. He lived in a society filled with symptoms of departure from a Christ-centered culture. Mormon testifies that the Book of Mormon witnesses to the truth of the Bible. He knew the power of faith, hope, and charity. Mormon felt the responsibility to teach the consequences of unrighteousness and plead for repentance.
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Most Latter-day Saints take for granted the existence of portraits of the Three Witnesses, but in fact no likeness of Oliver Cowdery was available to the Church until 1883, and then it was touch-and-go whether one would be obtained. Had it not been for the faith and tenacity of James H. Hart, who pursued the portrait when others had failed, we might never have known just what Oliver Cowdery looked like. In the course of following the trail of the portrait, Hart was also able to conduct important interviews with David Whitmer.
Witnesses of the Book of Mormon > Oliver Cowdery
Witnesses of the Book of Mormon > David Whitmer
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Ether
Hearkening to the call of Christ from His Spirit, or through another’s countenance, or both, we become genuinely honest, simple, solid, true—often together with someone we may not have trusted before.
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Old Testament Scriptures > Isaiah
Whenever we’re thoughtful and kind and honest, the light inside us increases. Whenever we observe the Sabbath, the light increases and the darkness decreases.
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Do what is right and others will follow your example. Every time you make the right choice in the face of potential criticism, you build strength that makes it easier the next time.
Toward the end of the Savior’s ministry, His disciples came to Him with several questions all centered around one key prophetic event: “Tell us, when shall these things be?”
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Talks
We all have the need to know the processes by which we recoup what we could be and could have, had we chosen more wisely. So these are the three basics: Atonement, Agency, and Accountability.
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WHEN JOSEPH SMITH BEGAN TO DICTATE the Book of Mormon, he did not understand the structure the book would ultimately take. He did not know that the first part of the manuscript would be lost, resulting in a major structural change in the first quarter of the book.
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Yet the true value of reading, studying, and meditating upon any scripture is to be realized only to the extent we bring both open mind and heart to the experience.
I pray that the Lord’s blessings will be with us as we are proven, as we are tried, as we go into that crucible of adversity, that we will know there is always going to be the brighter day, and the brightest day will be the day when, if we stay true and faithful and we understand, we can enter into the presence of God the Father and Jesus Christ.
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May He give you entrance to the hearts of those you teach and then make you know that as you enter there, you stand in holy places.
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I believe that by His example the Savior was teaching us of the individual and tender care we should give to each one of our little children—indeed to each of our Heavenly Father’s children. It may be the lovable toddler or the wayward teen, the grieving widow or the grateful woman for whom all is well. It may even be your own son or daughter or your own husband or wife. Each is an individual. Each has divine potential. And each must be spiritually nourished and temporally cared for with love, tenderness, and individual attention.
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Over the last twenty years, various objective author-attribution techniques have been applied to the English Book of Mormon in order to shed light on the question of multiple authorship of Book of Mormon texts. Two methods, one based on rates of use of noncontextual words and one based on word-pattern ratios, measure patterns consistent with multiple authorship in the Book of Mormon. Another method, based on vocabulary-richness measures, suggests that only one author is involved. These apparently contradictory results are reconciled by showing that for texts of known authorship, the method based on vocabulary-richness measures is not as powerful in discerning differences among authors as are the other methods, especially for works translated into English by a single translator.
Review of Discovering Lehi: New Evidence of Lehi and Nephi in Arabia (1996), by Lynn M. and Hope A. Hilton
Isaiah’s indictment of Israel
Old Testament Topics > Bible: LDS Interpretation
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.
This FARMS preliminary paper was presented at the symposium “Pioneers of the Restoration” on 8 March 1997.
Review of The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power (1997), by D. Michael Quinn.
By Miles Gerald Bradford, Published on 01/01/97
Old Testament Topics > Ten Commandments
Articles
The publication of the Book of Mormon brought forward the first of many comparisons between the restorational work of the Prophet Joseph Smith and his surrounding environment, including Freemasonry. One point of comparison has been the lambskin apparel mentioned in 3 Nephi 4:7. A possible connection exists between this item of apparel and ritual clothing that was worn in ancient Israel, Egypt, and Mesoamerica. I suggest a possible reason for the use of this item of clothing among the secret combinations in the Book of Mormon and discuss the lambskin apron used in Freemasonic ritual.
Old Testament Topics > Temple and Tabernacle
The lengthy sojourn of Lehi’s family in the Arabian desert invites the almost inevitable question whether circumstances forced family members to live in the service of tribesmen either for protection or for food. In my view, enough clues exist in the Book of Mormon—they have to be assembled—to bring one to conclude that the family lived for a time in a servile condition, a situation that apparently entailed suffering and conflict.
Review of Book of Mormon Stories (CD-ROM, 1995), by Michael R. todd, Ted E. Van Horn, and Mark Van Horn
Old Testament Topics > Ten Commandments
Old Testament Topics > Ten Commandments
Participle adjuncts in the Book of Mormon are compared with those in the other writings of Joseph Smith and with English in general. Participle adjuncts include present participle phrases, e.g., “having gained the victory over death” (Mosiah 15:8); present participle clauses, e.g., “he having four sons” (Ether 6:20), and a double-subject adjunct construction, known as the coreferential subject construction, where both subjects refer to the same thing, as in “Alma, being the chief judge . . . of the people of Nephi, therefore he went up with the people” (Alma 2:16). The Book of Mormon is unique in the occurrences of extremely long compound adjunct phrases and coreferential subject constructions, indicating that Joseph Smith used a very literal translation style for the Book of Mormon.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Alma
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Ether
Sacred trees, representing the power of life to grow from the underworld realm of the dead, are a common motif in the art and literature of the ancient Maya of Mesoamerica. Such trees are similar in concept to the tree of life described in the Book of Mormon, as well as to the mythic traditions of many other contemporary world cultures. Hieroglyphic inscriptions and sixteenth-century highland Maya texts describe a great world tree that was erected at the dawn of the present age to stand as the axis point of the cosmos. In its fruit-laden form, it personified the god of creation who fathered the progenitors of the Maya royal dynasty.
Articles
Review of The Viper on the Hearth: Mormons, Myths, and the Construction of Heresy (1997), by Terryl L. Givens.
The scope of this volume is the books produced by Latter-day Saints in support of the Church during the period 1830–47. The term book means any printed piece with one or more pages having text bearing on some Church issue; it excludes individual newspaper or magazine articles, maps, prints, banknotes, and ephemeral pieces such as printed forms or elders’ licenses. The contents of this book are arranged chronologically. ISBN 1-5700-8395-9
Articles
RSC Topics > D — F > Death
RSC Topics > D — F > Doctrine
RSC Topics > D — F > Doctrine and Covenants
RSC Topics > D — F > Fall of Adam and Eve
RSC Topics > Q — S > Quorum
RSC Topics > Q — S > Quorums of the Seventy
RSC Topics > Q — S > Revelation
RSC Topics > A — C > Book of Abraham
RSC Topics > A — C > Book of Mormon
RSC Topics > D — F > Dispensations
RSC Topics > D — F > Doctrine
RSC Topics > D — F > Faith
RSC Topics > D — F > Fall of Adam and Eve
RSC Topics > G — K > Gift of the Holy Ghost
RSC Topics > Q — S > Repentance
RSC Topics > D — F > Doctrine
RSC Topics > D — F > Faith
RSC Topics > L — P > Peace
A Jewish custom of blessing God after eating one’s fill at a meal is reflected in passing in Amulek’s household and when the resurrected Christ blesses the sacrament for the Nephites and thereafter instructs them to pray. They “gave glory to Jesus” on this occasion.
Old Testament Topics > Customs, Culture, and Ritual
For Minerva Teichert there were only two reasons to paint--“either a thing must be very beautiful or it must be an important story.” She loved and lived the truths of the Book of the Mormon; it was the important story she felt determined to tell through her masterful art. The Book of Mormon Paintings of Minerva Teichert is her complete series of Book of Mormon murals--each one a story by itself. From the sons of Lehi, presenting their wealth to Laban in exchange for the brass plates, to Christ appearing at the temple in Bountiful, Minerva Teichert captured the teachings and drama of the Book of Mormon. From the beginning her dream was to teach the Book of Mormon through her painting. She adopted a statement from the dean of American mural painters, Edwin H. Blashfield, as her own: “The decoration in a building which belongs to the public must speak to the people--to the man on the street. It must embody thought and significance, and that so plainly that he who runs may read.” This was her goal for her Book of Mormon murals. She also dreamed of publishing the series in a book but never realized that goal. This publication is, in some measure, a fulfillment of that dream. One hundred color plates, assembled here for the first time, tell the story Teichert felt inspired to share through her painting. An overview of Teichert’s mural techniques and personal motivations complements the paintings and sketches. Scriptures, captions, and excerpts from her letters enrich the presentation of these works throughout the book. The Book of Mormon Paintings of Minerva Teichert is certain to inspire any reader--expert or novice. More important, this collection displays the truths that Teichert so strongly believed: that Jesus is the Christ and the Book of Mormon is the word of God.
Review of Sweet is the Word: Reflections on the Book of Mormon? Its Narrative, Teachings, and People (1996), by Marilyn Arnold
July 1996 marked the sesquicentennial of Prophwyd y Jubili, or Prophet of the Jubilee, the official publication of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Wales from 1846 to 1848. Published in Welsh under the direction of Captain Dan Jones while he was a missionary in his native land, Prophet of the Jubilee printed defenses against persecution, items from other Latter-day Saint publications, letters, missionary and conference reports, and Elder Jones’s own bits of wisdom. In this book, Prophet of the Jubilee has been translated and edited. This was the first translation into English done of the publication. ISBN 1-5700-8296-0
Articles
RSC Topics > G — K > Judgment
RSC Topics > T — Z > Testimony
RSC Topics > G — K > Gold Plates
RSC Topics > L — P > Prayer
RSC Topics > L — P > Prophets
RSC Topics > T — Z > Unity
RSC Topics > D — F > Faith
RSC Topics > L — P > Miracles
RSC Topics > T — Z > Testimony
RSC Topics > A — C > Book of Mormon
RSC Topics > D — F > Forgiveness
RSC Topics > G — K > Holy Ghost
RSC Topics > L — P > Miracles
RSC Topics > Q — S > Sin
RSC Topics > T — Z > Testimony
RSC Topics > L — P > Miracles
RSC Topics > L — P > Peace
RSC Topics > T — Z > Testimony
RSC Topics > G — K > Hope
RSC Topics > L — P > Miracles
RSC Topics > T — Z > Testimony
RSC Topics > A — C > Baptism
RSC Topics > D — F > Faith
RSC Topics > G — K > Hope
RSC Topics > L — P > Obedience
RSC Topics > L — P > Miracles
RSC Topics > L — P > Miracles
RSC Topics > G — K > Hope
RSC Topics > L — P > Miracles
RSC Topics > T — Z > Testimony
RSC Topics > L — P > Peace
RSC Topics > T — Z > Tithing
RSC Topics > L — P > Prayer
Old Testament Topics > Ten Commandments
Old Testament Topics > Ten Commandments
Old Testament Scriptures > Ezekiel
Old Testament Scriptures > Daniel
Old Testament Topics > Prophets and Prophecy
Old Testament Topics > Ten Commandments
Old Testament Topics > Ten Commandments
Review of Mormonism: Changes, Contradictions, and Errors (1995), by John R. Farkas and David A. Reed
Articles
Review of Who Was the Pharaoh of the Exodus? (1994), by Jeff Williams
Review of View of the Hebrews (2nd ed., 1996), by Ethan Smith
Review of Timely Truths from the Book of Mormon (1995), by Allan K. Burgess
Review of Step by Step through the Book of Mormon: The Story in Scriptures? A Geographical, Cultural, and Historical System of Understanding (1996), and Step by Step through the Book of Mormon: A Cultural Commentary, Part 1?Through the Wilderness to the Promised Land (1996), by Alan C. Miner
Introduction to the current issue, as well as editor’s picks. Peterson discusses two incorrect “traditions of men”—that Latter-day Saints believe the atonement of Jesus Christ covers only the transgression of Adam but not our sins and that Latter-day Saints are forbidden to think for themselves. Early statements from eyewitnesses confirm the Book of Mormon.
Review of ?The Disappointment of B. H. Roberts: Five Questions that Forced a Mormon General Authority to Abandon the Book of Mormon? (1991), by James R. Spencer
Review of The Lehi Tree: A Novel (1996), by Katherine Myers
Review of Answering Mormon Scholars: A Response to Criticism Raised by Mormon Defenders (1996), by Jerald and Sandra Tanner
Review of ?Of Cities and Swords: The Impossible Task of Mormon Apologetics? (1996), by James White
Mormon websites include those with links to other sites and those with something substantive to offer. Numerous links to substantive websites are given.
Review of One Lord, One Faith: Writings of the Early Christian Fathers as Evidences of the Restoration (1996), by Michael T. Griffith
Review of Nurturing Faith through the Book of Mormon (1995), by Deseret Book
Review of Building Faith with the Book of Mormon (1994), by Glenn L. Pearson and Reid E. Bankhead
Articles
Review of The Book of Mormon and the Constitution (1995), by H. Verlan Andersen; and If Men Were Angels: The Book of Mormon, Christ and the Constitution (1995), by Brad E. Hainsworth.
Review of Every Person in the Book of Mormon: A Chronological Reference and Synopsis (1995), by Lynn F. Price
Review of The Viper on the Hearth: Mormons, Myths, and the Construction of Heresy (1997), by Terryl L. Givens.
Review of Working toward Zion: Principles of the United Order for the Modern World (1996), by James W. Lucas and Warner P. Woodworth.
Review of Working toward Zion: Principles of the United Order for the Modern World (1996), by James W. Lucas and Warner P. Woodworth.
Review of Mormonism (1995), by Kurt Van Gorden.
Review of Die Mormonen: Sekte oder neue Kirche Jesu Christi? (1995), by Rudiger Hauth.
Introduction to the current issue, including editor’s picks. So-called biblical scholarship is supposed to be able to differentiate between authors of various texts. A test devised by students for their professor showed some of the flaws of those methods. Though critics complain about the lack of archaeological evidence supporting the Book of Mormon, even the Bible has few archaeological supports.
Review of Dead Sea Scrolls and the Mormon Connection (1996), by Keith Terry and Stephen Biddulph.
Review of Expressions of Faith: Testimonies of Latter-day Saint Scholars (1996), edited by Susan Easton Black.
Review of Feasting on the Word: The Literary Testimony of the Book of Mormon (1997), by Richard Dilworth Rust.
Review of Isaiah Plain and Simple: The Message of Isaiah in the Book of Mormon (1995), by Hoyt W. Brewster Jr.
Review of Book of Mormon Authors: Their Words and Messages (1996), by Roger R. Keller.
Review of Truths from the Earth, vol. 2: The Story of the Creations to the Floods (1996), by David T. Harris.
The Journal of the Book of Mormon and Other Restoration Scripture is a peer-reviewed journal dedicated to promoting understanding of the history, meaning, and significance of the scriptures and other sacred texts revealed through the Prophet Joseph Smith.
Articles
Five-year citation index.
Five-year subject index.
Two Egyptian shawabti-figurines, reputedly discovered in Acajutla, El Salvador, in 1914, are likely forgeries. Had they been authentic, they might have helped to establish cultural contact between Egypt and Mesoameria.
Introduction to current issue.
In previous articles I have discussed the nature and prominence of certain linguistic structures in the Book of Mormon that are typical of hal-clauses translated from Hebrew or Egyptian. This article compares the frequencies of those structures in three works produced through the instrumentality of Joseph Smith: the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, only the first of which is a translation from an ancient Near Eastern language. The results of this preliminary investigation into styles and these linguistic structures as found in these three works are worth noting.
The story of the Jaredites being plagued by “poisonous serpents” at a time of “great dearth” makes sense when one realizes that drought causes rodents and then serpents to migrate.
The War Scroll of the Dead Sea Scrolls describes magnificent swords, whose workmanship may parallel that of the sword of Laban. Israelite leaders may well have carried precious swords.
The idea that King Noah’s life was to be valued “as a garment in a hot furnace” is a type of simile curse. He would suffer death by fire, which was a just punishment for the wicked.
The Journal of the Book of Mormon and Other Restoration Scripture is a peer-reviewed journal dedicated to promoting understanding of the history, meaning, and significance of the scriptures and other sacred texts revealed through the Prophet Joseph Smith.
Articles
The fragmentary text on a stele erected at Karnak seems to be connected with the volcanic eruption on Thera. The phraseology in many instances bears uncanny resemblance to the Book of Mormon account of the destruction in the Americas at the time of the crucifixion.
Study of the varied metaphorical levels of the Book of Mormon continues to yield new insights into the message and meaning of that book. Several prominent typological readings of aspects of the Book of Mormon have been published, but despite calls for such an effort, little inquiry into its possible archetypal levels, or what has been called “the mythic dimension” of the book, has yet been undertaken. As an initial attempt at such an endeavor, I compare certain events described in 1 Nephi with the elements of one prominent mythic archetype, the hero’s journey, as elucidated by Joseph Campbell in his famous The Hero with a Thousand Faces. A strong correlation between the hero’s journey archetype and the events from 1 Nephi is intriguing and seems to demonstrate at least the presence of mythic patterns in the Book of Mormon. This leads to some preliminary conclusions about what the apparent presence of such patterns might signify.
Since the late 1960s RLDS “liberals” have argued that the Book of Mormon should not be read as an authentic ancient history. This novel reading of the Book of Mormon has been part of a sustained effort by the RLDS hierarchy to make the Reorganization conform more closely with Protestant liberal approaches to the Bible. I demonstrate that the RLDS hierarchy has encouraged changes in the way the Book of Mormon is read by RLDS intellectuals. I then examine the arguments of Roger Launius, currently the foremost RLDS historian, who has recently insisted that the Book of Mormon ought to be read as “inspiring” frontier fiction. I also describe and criticize his claim that any concern with the historical authenticity of the Book of Mormon is not serious historical scholarship, which he wants focused on issues currently fashionable among secularized historians.
Identifying the poetic forms in the Book of Mormon enables readers to appreciate its beautiful literary style and gain a better understanding of its message. The form-critical analysis of psalms, first outlined by Hermann Gunkel in 1926, demonstrates sharp similarities between Nephi’s psalm and similar psalms in the Old Testament. Nephi’s psalm plainly follows the format and substance of the individual lament as described by Gunkel and elaborated by numerous subsequent scholars. As in other instances of Hebrew poetic forms in the Book of Mormon, understanding and appreciating the psalm, more particularly the personal lament, can offer new insights into 2 Nephi 4:16–35 and make its message of hope and trust more powerful and personal.
Hugh Nibley’s correspondence reveals a lifelong fascination with the Book of Mormon. This is significant for two reasons: First, Nibley has taken the book seriously longer than we have as a church, and second, the private Hugh Nibley is as devoted to the Book of Mormon as is the public man.
Nibley’s interest in the book is threefold: he recognizes the striking similarities it shares with other ancient Near Eastern texts; acknowledges its witness to Joseph Smith’s divine calling; and, most importantly, perceives the relevance and accuracy of the book’s prophetic warnings. In his letters, Nibley also addresses criticism raised against his methodology. “The potential power” of the Book of Mormon, writes Nibley, “is something to move mountains; it will only take effect when everything is pretty far gone, but then it will be dynamite. That leaves room for optimism.” Hugh Nibley’s words make that optimism contagious.
“Something to Move Mountains: Hugh Nibley’s Devotion to the Book of Mormon” (2001)
“Something to Move Mountains: Hugh Nibley and the Book of Mormon” (2002)
Introduction to the current issue.
The place-names Cumorah, Jershon, and Zarahemla have possible Hebrew origins.
One of the principal themes of Nephi’s writings on the small plates is his desire to convince others of Christ. A second, related theme is his desire to write plain and precious things on those plates. Some of the most plain and precious writings of Nephi are those instances in which he used the name Christ in chiasmus or other forms of poetry. Perhaps more than any other portion of his words, Nephi intended these plain and precious writings to convince both Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the one true Messiah.
Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon consistently use such phrases as “Book of Lehi,” “plates of Lehi,” and “account of Nephi” in distinct ways.
The Book of Mormon describes a great division in mankind between the few who walk in the way of life and the many who walk in the way of death. This division results from the response of each individual to Christ or to the voice of God during probation. Men either hearken to the voice of Christ and progressively acquire spiritual life or they hearken to the voice of the devil and progressively descend into spiritual death. Nine Book of Mormon texts reveal detailed teachings on life and death. A diagram illustrates the ideas of each text. The conception and portrayal of spiritual reality in terms of two mutually exclusive, progressively diverging, and correspondingly opposite ways of life and death are clearly demonstrated. This dualistic conception of reality underlies the entire Book of Mormon. An understanding of this paradigm is critical, in order both to assimilate the essential message of the Book of Mormon on life and death and to understand its theological relationship to the Doctrine and Covenants.
One of the great miracles of the Book of Mormon occurred when the brother of Jared asked the Lord to touch some clear stones so they would provide light inside the barges that would take his people across the ocean to the New World. To some modern readers, the story seems implausible. This article surveys a number of ancient and medieval accounts of glowing stones, including some said to have been used in Noah’s ark and the “fish” the Lord prepared to swallow Jonah. The parallels to the Jaredite story are remarkable and suggest an ancient milieu for the book of Ether.
Expressions similar to “that which is to come” (Mosiah 3:1) refer specifically to Christ. Numerous prophets prophesy of Christ and the good news of his atoning influence in our lives.
Lehi’s visionary powers are manifest when he “dreamed a dream” or has “seen a vision.” This cognate accusative construction in which the verb is followed by a noun from the same root lends authenticity to the antiquity of the Book of Mormon.
Word groupings, which tend to fall in certain categories, are an authentic means of expression in Hebrew poetry. Such groupings may reveal ties between the Book of Mormon and the biblical world.
Old Testament Topics > Temple and Tabernacle
Old Testament Topics > Types and Symbols
As a Latter-day Saint woman during the early days of the Church, Helen Mar Kimball Whitney (1828–96) lived in an extraordinary time. She experienced firsthand the difficult period of persecution in Missouri, the introduction of plural marriage, the aftereffects of the Prophet Joseph Smith’s martyrdom, the exodus from Nauvoo and trek across the plains, and the Saints’ arrival in Utah. This volume presents in their entirety Helen Mar Whitney’s reminiscences as they appeared in the Woman’s Exponent between 1880 and 1887. The author’s eyewitness insights into Latter-day Saint life during the formative years of the Church, as well as her expressions of faith in the gospel, will provide a nontraditional source of study and appreciation as they present a woman’s view of early Church history. ISBN 1-5700-8357-6
Chapters
RSC Topics > T — Z > Women
RSC Topics > L — P > Mercy
RSC Topics > T — Z > Trials
RSC Topics > T — Z > Women
RSC Topics > T — Z > Temples
RSC Topics > T — Z > Women
RSC Topics > T — Z > Women
RSC Topics > A — C > Church History 1845–1877
RSC Topics > T — Z > Women
Old Testament Topics > Temple and Tabernacle
Book of Moses Topics > Selection of Ancient Sources > Enoch — Primary Sources
Old Testament Topics > Ten Commandments
The scriptural purpose of angels and references to angels in the standard works
Old Testament Topics > Elijah
Old Testament Topics > Ten Commandments
“The study of comparative religion does not typically involve itself with theological inquiry. However, when investigating any religious movement, and particularly one that lies outside of what is considered ’mainstream’, the beliefs of its adherents serve as a window onto the ideological universe of the believer, an indicator of the motivations behind worship, church participation, and social involvement. A basic understanding of the primary tenets of Mormonism will help to provide intellectual access to the LDS way of life and the Mormon perception of reality that determines the multi-faceted nature of the movement. This thesis is not, however, an attempt to catalog the doctrines of Mormonism, as many have done previously, but to examine those doctrines from the perspective of the insider. What are the epistemological bases of Latter-day Saint doctrine? Can current formulations of the LDS understanding of God, embodiment, and salvation maintain an internal consistency with Mormon perceptions of morality and human nature? If not, is there room within the accepted parameters of LDS discourse to suggest alternative interpretations of core doctrines? In this these we will investigate such questions with the hope of providing sufficient justification for an internal and ongoing re-examination of Mormon belief and practice. We will also propose a revised approach for interpreting and presenting both the meaning of Christ’s work and the significance of the Latter-day Saint ’Plan of Salvation’ based on Mormon scripture and the teachings of Mormonism’s founding prophet, Joseph Smith, Jr.” [Author’s introduction]
Old Testament Topics > Israel, Scattering and Gathering
“In recent decades, Mormon scholars have narrowed down the search for the land of promise. Some of the most popular hypotheses propose that Book of Mormon events occurred in MesoAmerica. Internal evidence in the Book of Mormon, based mostly upon times required to travel from site to site, clearly supports the concept of a restricted area… possibly a few hundred miles in length and less than that in width. In recent years, a significant amount of ’digging around’ has accordingly been undertaken by well qualified experts in archaeology and anthropology. Clearly a driving force in the efforts has been the desire to prove that the Book of Mormon is a genuine scripture and that Joseph Smith was an authentic Prophet of God… My hope is that, as an uninvited intruder in a sacred domain, I will be permitted to present the Malay Hypothesis as a tentative guess… The presentation is divided into sections. In each section an attempt is made to show how well the accounts in the Book of Mormon and the archaeological evidence ’fit’ the Old World Hypothesis [and more specifically, the Malay Hypothesis]. Each section is reasonably independent of other sections; accordingly, there is some repetition. Comparisons are made, where appropriate, to traditional New World Hypotheses [and, more specifically, the currently popular MesoAmerican Hypotheses].” [Author’s introduction]
Old Testament Topics > Women in the Old Testament
Old Testament Topics > Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha [including intertestamental books and the Dead Sea Scrolls]
Personal letters written by Hugh Nibley during his youth show the fundamental consistency of his personality, style, beliefs, concerns, and penetrating perceptions throughout his lifetime.
An analysis of personal letters written by Hugh Nibley during his youth.
Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints view the Book of Mormon as scripture written by ancient prophets, while critics believe that it is a 19th-century fraud. The 15 essays in Book of Mormon Authorship Revisited present the latest research by LDS scholars on the question in an effort to demonstrate that the weight of scholarly evidence is on the side of authenticity. Part 1 contains essays dealing with accounts of how the book was produced in 1829 and 1830, with emphasis on the translation process and the witnesses who saw the plates. Part 2 takes a look at the logical structure of the authorship debate and reviews the history of alternative theories and criticisms of the Book of Mormon. Part 3 presents textual studies that demonstrate the plausibility of the Book of Mormon as an ancient book, and part 4 updates scholars’ attempts to understand the ancient cultural and geographic setting of the book in both the Old and New Worlds.
Articles
Old Testament Topics > Women in the Old Testament
Old Testament Scriptures > Numbers
Though the King James Version of the Bible has long been admired for the elegance and beauty of its language, its companion volume, the Book of Mormon, has only recently begun to be truly appreciated for its own literary merits.
In Feasting on the Word, Richard Rust shows the Book of Mormon to be not only a bounteous doctrinal storehouse but also a treasury of literary riches, bidding us to taste, touch, see, and hear in order to experience things of the Spirit. Rust explains that the text was planned purposefully and shaped artistically so that form and content are totally integrated, as they are in great works of literature.
Literary elements used by the book’s prophetic writers to invite the reader to come unto Christ include form and imagery, poetry and narrative, repetition and chiasm. Several such elements are of ancient Hebrew and Middle Eastern origin, and their presence in the Book of Mormon testifies of its conscious literary craftsmanship.
With its doctrinal content so plain and precious, the Book of Mormon fulfills both our spiritual and our artistic longings; it speaks to us intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually. This interconnection of truth and goodness is explored with sensitivity and intelligence and will enhance the reader’s awareness and appreciation of the truth and beauty of the Book of Mormon.
Old Testament Topics > Ten Commandments
Old Testament Topics > Symposia and Collections of Essays
Old Testament Topics > Ten Commandments
Old Testament Topics > Ten Commandments
Articles
Reprinted in Hugh Nibley: A Consecrated Life, 2002, 245–59. Presented in honor of Hugh Nibley’s sixty-fifth birthday in the Varsity Theater, Brigham Young University, in connection with the 1975 Annual Welch Lecture Series by Klaus Baer and others.
An analysis of Hugh Nibley’s contributions and influence on historians and scriptural scholars.
“The Influence of Hugh Nibley: His Presence in the University” (1990)
“The Influence of Hugh Nibley: His Presence in the University” (2021)
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Hugh Nibley > Scholarship, Footnotes, Collected Works of Hugh Nibley, CWHN, Editing
The relevance of the Old Testament to modern living
The Book of Mormon is an important tool in helping the church fulfill its mission of bringing souls to Christ. The earliest converts to the church were attracted not by stories of Joseph Smith’s first vision or by impressive new and restored doctrines but by the witness of the Spirit borne to them as they read the Book of Mormon. From the beginning, the Book of Mormon formed for many the basis of the practices and doctrines of the restored church.
Articles
The Prophet Joseph Smith described the Restoration as a bringing forth of treasures of “things new and old,”1 and indeed modern revelation has shed great light on ancient truths. From Oliver Cowdery’s commentary on Zephaniah published in The Evening and the Morning Star in 1833 to the present outpouring of publications in preparation for the Sunday School course of study on the Old Testament in 1998, Latter-day Saints have generated a wealth of writings on the Old Testament which examine anew this ancient book of scripture in light of the Restoration. Through the spectacles of the Restoration we are able to remember the patriarchs Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, and the great things the Lord has done for our fathers. We are able to understand the covenants the Lord has made in past dispensations and in the latter days. We are also able to better comprehend the writings of ancient prophets such as Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel and to discern from them the timeless message of repentance, the themes of scattering and gathering, and the prophecies concerning the coming of the Messiah—first in the flesh to atone for the sins of the world and again at the end of time. Just as the Old Testament provides a foundation for reading the rest of the scriptures, the light of the Restoration can reveal hidden treasures in the Old Testament. This bibliography is an attempt to guide readers to this treasury of “things new and old.” Criteria for Inclusion. This bibliography is meant to be a comprehensive listing of books and articles written by Latter-day Saints to Latter-day Saints about the Old Testament from 1830 through 1997. To be included, a book or an article must be primarily on an Old Testament topic. Consequently we have not included New Testament, Book of Mormon, or Pearl of Great Price topics unless they are specifically related to the Old Testament.2 Nor have we included writings on apocryphal or pseudepigraphical books unless they are relevant to the Old Testament. We have included general conference addresses published in the Ensign (1971–), but we have not included conference talks before this time. We have included a few articles by non-Latter-day Saints aimed at an LDS audience, but have not included biblical studies presented by LDS scholars in non-LDS settings. The Old Testament has been the course of study in Sunday School from September 1972 to August 1974 and September 1980 to August 1982, and from January to December in 1986, 1990, 1994, and 1998. Numerous Old Testament items have been published in those years. The articles that appear weekly in the Church News and coordinate with Sunday School lessons have not been included in this bibliography. The following periodical or recurring sources were surveyed for this bibliography: BYU Studies (1959–); Church Educational System symposia and manuals; The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints manuals; Contributor (1879–1896); Dialogue (1966–); Encyclopedia of Mormonism; Ensign (1971–); The Evening and the Morning Star (1832–34); Improvement Era (1897–1970); Millennial Star (1840–1970); New Era (1971–); Sperry Symposia; Sunstone (1981–); theses and dissertations at BYU; and Young Woman’s Journal (1889–1929). Three Lists. The entries are organized in three overlapping lists. First, all entries are listed by author’s names with complete bibliographic information and a very short abstract in cases where the contents of the publications are not adequately described by their titles. This is followed by a list of the entries organized by canonical books of the Old Testament. A third listing is divided into subject categories. All the entries are found in the author list and are found again listed either in the canonical or the subject categories. Many entries are found both in the canonical listing as well as in one or more subject listings. Gaining Access. Most, if not all, of the entries in this bibliography are available at the Harold B. Lee Library at BYU. Many of them are readily available on the shelves, but some are kept in Special Collections. The bibliography itself can be accessed electronically at http://humanities.byu.edu/BYU Studies/homepage.htm. Acknowledgments. This bibliography began with a work by Dane Robertson entitled Index of Mormon Literature on the Old Testament, compiled for the History and Religion Library at BYU, which included entries up through 1981. Originally we intended to simply update that index, but in the course of our work we adopted somewhat different criteria for collecting and organizing the entries, and we ended up surveying the corpus of LDS writings again. We remain indebted to this earlier work. Many have worked in various capacities on the bibliography over the last several years: Eryn Johnson Gibson, Brian Jones, Jennifer Hammond Merrill, Becky Schulthies, and Luke Todd have worked through Religious Education on compiling, typing, abstracting, and checking the entries. Daniel B. McKinlay helped with the compilation. Jennifer Hurlbut, David Allred, and the interns and staff at BYU Studies rechecked and formatted the entries. We invite corrections and additions. A master list is kept in electronic form and can readily be expanded and reorganized. Hopefully, a supplement can someday be issued including future publications and additions to this bibliography. This work is one of collection and description. We have not attempted to evaluate the entries in terms of scholarly accuracy or doctrinal correctness.
“Patience is a constant companion of self-discipline.”
“We can trust him. He earned our trust in the Garden and on the cross.”
Articles
Articles
However halting our steps are toward him—though they shouldn’t be halting at all—his steps are never halting toward us. May we have enough faith to accept the goodness of God and the mercy of his Only Begotten Son.
No matter how difficult the trail … we can take comfort in knowing that others before us have borne life’s most grievous trials and tragedies by looking to heaven.
Every member must come to know the sacred nature of his or her own service in the Church.
When we use these sacred words, “in the name of Jesus Christ,” … we are on holy ground.
[Can we] set aside our love of substance and hear the cry of the hungry, the needy, the naked, and the sick?
For members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, honesty is the only policy.
Articles
Talks
Maintaining our spiritual strength is … a daily challenge. The greatest source of that spiritual strength comes … from our temples.
Caring for others is the very essence of priesthood responsibility. It is the power to bless, to heal, and to administer the saving ordinances of the gospel.
Ordinary men, blessed with the privilege of holding the priesthood of God, may be called upon to do extraordinary tasks and accomplish mighty feats through faith in that sacred power!
Learn to be … obedient above all things—that you might be able to carry out the Lord’s work in the majestic way in which it must be done.
The Lord is watching over His kingdom. He is inspiring its leadership to care for its ever-growing membership.
Every convert is precious. Every convert is a son or daughter of God. Every convert is a great and serious responsibility.
Video Presentation
With so great an inheritance, we can do no less than our very best. Those who have gone before expect this of us. We have a mandate from the Lord.
God is at the helm. We will seek His direction. We will listen to the still, small voice of revelation. And we will go forward as He directs.
If you try your best to be the best parent you can be, you will have done all that a human being can do and all that God expects you to do.
The redeeming presence of our loving Father-God in the universe is the … supernal truth which, along with His plan of happiness, reigns preeminent and imperial over all other realities.
Let us, with faith unwavering and with love unstinting, be bridge builders to the hearts of those with whom we labor.
Jesus Christ, Savior of the world … was and is the ultimate pioneer, for He has gone before, showing all others the way to follow.
[The] responsibility to endure is uniquely yours. But you are never alone. I testify that the lifting power of the Lord can be yours.
The burden [of a bishop] is a heavy one that cannot be fulfilled without the supportive efforts of ward officers and members.
Imagine the consoling, liberating, exalting feeling that will come to you when you see the reality of the Atonement and the practical, everyday value of it to you individually.
The Holy Ghost will be our constant companion if we submit ourselves to the will of our Father in Heaven.
The Redeemer loves you and will help you do the essential things that bring happiness now and forever.
Just as Jesus’ anxious Apostles were given peace by “another Comforter,” so today can all men and women receive the same marvelous blessing each day of their lives.
I express gratitude and love for Jesus Christ and His Atonement, for His willingness to leave the realms of the heavens as a God and come to earth as a lowly babe.
[Your] most important stewardship is the glorious responsibility your Father in Heaven has given you to watch over and care for your own soul.
Robert Matthews presents this survey of biblical textual criticism with the suggestion that omissions to the Bible text of today are more extensive and more intentional than most textual critics have realized. He sums up the history of biblical translations and discusses the church situation in June 1830, when Joseph Smith received the first revelation associated with an inspired translation of the Bible.
Old Testament Topics > Restoration and Joseph Smith
Articles
Receiving personal revelation is not a passive process. As we seek such revelations, we must prepare for these sacred experiences.
Noel Reynolds discusses scholarship in the Latter-day Saint community, particularly with respect to the question of the authorship of the Book of Mormon. In this overview of the book, Book of Mormon Authorship Revisited, Reynolds discusses the research of Richard L. Bushman, Richard L. Anderson, Royal Skousen, Hugh Nibley, and others.
Articles
Oliver Cowdery’s records border on scripture. His supplementary testimonies are of the same eyewitness quality as the Joseph Smith references that have entered the standard works. Much of Cowdery’s thinking and writing was modified and polished to a scriptural level by Joseph Smith.
Richard Bushman compares the limitation of Joseph Smith’s language with the striking linguistic features of the revelations he received that are now included in the Doctrine and Covenants. Of particular interest to Bushman are those sections in which the Lord is speaking directly to his people— revelations that mix sublime religious teachings with ordinary details of church business.
In 1830 the Prophet Joseph Smith received a revelation that became known as the Articles and Covenants, later included in the Doctrine and Covenants as section 20. In this paper Scott Faulring discusses the emergence and significance of that revelation that would become a constitutional and procedural guide to regulating church affairs.
John Gee provides an overview of how the Book of Abraham came to be in the possession of Joseph Smith, and how it was translated by the Prophet. Gee also discusses three aspects of the book that had doctrinal impact on the restoration, particularly in relation to doctrines of premortal existence.
Robert Millet discusses what, in addition to doctrine, we can learn from Joseph Smith’s translation of the Bible. These lessons include the knowledge that the Bible has not come to us in its pristine purity, the greatest commentary on scripture is scripture, revelation comes line upon line to prophets as it does to us, passages may be rendered in several ways, loyalty to a living oracle entails acceptance of what he brings forth, and the JST is part of the canon.
Articles
“You may have opportunities placed before you that require a great deal of courage and faith. My counsel is: It is worth whatever sacrifice is needed.”
It still takes faith—the same faith of our pioneer forebears—to keep our covenants: to love God with all our heart, might, mind, and strength.
Articles
Articles
All these actions will allow you the opportunity to more fully understand, envision, and internalize the lessons being taught by the Savior. You will indeed be “watching it rain.”
Ultimately it is this faith in what God has done for us and revealed to us through his Son that will strengthen our trust in him when things go wrong.
Patriarchal blessings are … similar to a road map that indicates the paths that may be traveled and destinations that may be reached if we stay within those paths.
Standing for truth and right is not solely a Sunday thing. Every day our neighborhoods and communities are in desperate need of our support and our commitment to safety and law and order.
Fundamentals of daily living—scripture reading, prayer, family home evening, the conversation at dinner—these provide the experiences that make faith a reality.
May [The Family: A Proclamation to the World] become the guideline and standard by which we live in our homes and raise our children.
Articles
Talks
Am I … the woman I want to be? More importantly, am I the woman the Savior needs me to be?
The Saints of God have always been under covenant to nourish each other spiritually, especially those tender in the gospel.
We belong to the greatest cause on earth. We are the pioneers of the future. Let us go forth like the armies of Helaman and build the kingdom of God.
We are to focus on the inward things of the heart, which we know and value intuitively but often neglect for that which is trivial, superficial, or prideful.
What a great and wonderful plan is the plan of salvation, which … teaches true principles to allow completion of our journey through life.
What a wonderful future we have for the Church. All of these things are dependent upon how we accept the truth, how we live the principles of the gospel.
Jesus is the great Mediator. Through omnipotent and omniscient, all-powerful and all-knowing, He is our friend.
Legion are the stories that could and need to be told of women valiant in their testimonies of Jesus Christ who are unsung heroines in our midst.
Regardless of life’s circumstances or the nature of one’s calling, all members of the Church have the opportunity to teach and to testify.
May you look upon the Church as your great and good friend, your refuge when the world appears to be closing around you, your hope when things are dark, your pillar of fire.
The key to the success of the work will be the faith of all who call themselves Latter-day Saints.
I love you. I love the people of this Church. I love all who are faithful. I love all who follow the ways of the Lord.
Everything in the gospel teaches us that we can change if we need to, that we can be helped if we truly want it, that we can be made whole, whatever the problems of the past.
A righteous woman’s strength and influence are great. Her opportunities to create safe havens for struggling souls are abundant.
The gospel of Jesus Christ has universal application. Since the beginning, it was designed to bless the lives of everyone, without exception.
Christ paid such an enormous, enabling price for us! Will we not apply His Atonement in order to pay the much smaller price required for personal progress?
If you want to become the person the Lord wants you to be, you had better work on it today, because it is a true principle that we become what we do.
Our vision of you and your work looks beyond the outward appearance of a boy and sees instead a bearer of the holy priesthood outfitted with its attendant powers, duties, and blessings.
Children learn through gentle direction and persuasive teaching. They search for models to imitate, knowledge to acquire, things to do, and teachers to please.
Can we … reach out to those for whom we are responsible and bring them to the table of the Lord to feast on His word and to enjoy the companionship of His Spirit?
May we gain knowledge through study. May we make home a heaven. May we find joy in service.
We need an example—someone to show us how spiritual capacity can be developed. I have selected as a model … President Gordon B. Hinckley.
It is not in the proper spirit for us to decide where we will serve or where we will not. We serve where we are called.
In building the kingdom of God, every positive act, every friendly greeting, every warm smile, every thoughtful, kind note contributes to the strength of the whole.
How seriously have you personally taken the Lord’s charge to share His gospel? It is a lifelong responsibility … to be addressed differently according to the various seasons of your life.
By strengthening each other spiritually, building faith and fellowship, we wear the shoes of pioneers.
Our time has come. We must possess the spiritual strength to overcome our challenges, laying our faults on the altar and giving our lives to the Lord.
In … Church meetings around the world, we come together seeking companionship—the good company of brothers and sisters in the gospel and the comfort of sweet communion with the Spirit of God.
There is a loving Father in Heaven, and His Son, Jesus Christ; there is an adversary, Satan; through agency, all of us choose our own course; the temptations of the devil can always be overcome.
Articles
Articles
One of the most important—if not the most important—challenges in learning how to come unto Christ and to be perfected in him is to learn to hear, to recognize, and then to follow the voice of the Lord.
RSC Topics > A — C > Conversion
RSC Topics > D — F > Education
RSC Topics > L — P > Prayer
Review of In Sacred Loneliness: The Plural Wives of Joseph Smith (1997), by Todd M. Compton
According to the Book of Mormon, a land named “Bountiful” was a fertile site on the Arabian Peninsula with timber, fresh water, and ore where Nephi built a ship to carry Lehi’s group to the New World. In the seemingly barren land of the southern Arabian peninsula, a site that appears to correspond to the description in Nephi’s record has been identified on the remote southern coast of the country of Oman. Kharfot may not be the exact location of Bountiful, but its discovery does show that a place matching the criteria for Bountiful does exist.
Review of In Sacred Loneliness: The Plural Wives of Joseph Smith (1997), by Todd M. Compton
Old Testament Topics > Adam and Eve [see also Fall]
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.
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).
This multidisciplinary volume of essays was written by colleagues and former students of John L. Sorenson as a tribute to his lifetime of contributions to our understanding of Book of Mormon and anthropological scholarship. The contributing authors present their original research findings on such diverse topics as nineteenth-century Mormon funeral sermons, the question of Nephite kingship, the Isaiah commentaries in the Book of Mormon, early Mormon publishing efforts in the Pacific Mission, and evidences of transoceanic diffusion in pre-Columbian times.
Articles
an analysis of the Book of Mormon and its literary contexts form a feminist perspective.
Review of The Mysteries of Godliness: A History of Mormon Tmeple Worship (1994), by David John Buerger
While recognizing the importance of that “marvelous work,” the Book of Mormon, are we content to read and reread it for its story line and its inherent spiritual power, without much more than a surface involvement? In this publication a reader can enjoy that scripture at higher levels of understanding as he brings into play Old Testament references, Book of Mormon parallels with that record, intriguing observations, and convincing inferences—all based on profound study. The result is not only a book of great interest but also a more sound and more expansive knowledge of the scripture itself. ISBN 1-5700-8650-9
Chapters
RSC Topics > Q — S > Sin
Old Testament Topics > Book of Mormon and the Old Testament
Old Testament Topics > Types and Symbols
RSC Topics > A — C > Conversion
RSC Topics > G — K > Hell
Review of LDS Perspectives on the Dead Sea Scrolls (1997), edited by Donald W. Parry and Dana M. Pike
Review of The Rise of Christianity: A Sociologist Reconsiders History (1996), by Rodney Stark
Review of “Could Feminism Have Saved the Nephites?” (1996), by Carol Lynn Pearson
Articles
Old Testament Topics > Ten Commandments
Old Testament Topics > Flood
Old Testament Topics > Covenant [see also Ephraim, Israel, Jews, Joseph]
Old Testament Topics > Creation
Old Testament Topics > Book of Mormon and the Old Testament
Old Testament Topics > Book of Mormon and the Old Testament
RSC Topics > L — P > Prayer
Cracroft reviews the following books that can deepen one’s understanding of the Book of Mormon: Richard Dilworth Rust’s Feasting on the Word: The Literary Testimony of the Book of Mormon; Marilyn Arnold’s Sweet Is the Word: Reflections on the Book of Mormon: Its Narrative, Teachings and People; and Elder Jeffrey R. Holland’s Christ and the New Covenant: The Messianic Message of the Book of Mormon.
In recent years, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its people have increasingly become the subject of rigorous scientific study in the field of sociology. Researchers both inside and outside the Church have examined various aspects of Latter-day Saint life—including physical and mental health, education, secularization, adolescent delinquency, and the conversion process. This book collects in one volume the best scholarship describing and analyzing the social conditions in which Latter-day Saints live and how the values, beliefs, and practices of the gospel affect their lives. This research portrays a growing church with devoted members who enjoy a healthy and commendable lifestyle. ISBN 1-5700-8396-7
Articles
RSC Topics > L — P > Marriage
RSC Topics > L — P > Prayer
RSC Topics > T — Z > Testimony
RSC Topics > T — Z > Women
RSC Topics > L — P > Prayer
RSC Topics > Q — S > Sacrament
RSC Topics > L — P > Marriage
RSC Topics > T — Z > Women
Concepts from the Book of Mormon contributed to how the church was built up and conducted. Oliver Cowdery was instructed to draw upon the Book of Mormon in formulating his vision of how the restored church should be organized and regulated. His 1829 Articles of the Church of Christ were a precursor to Joseph Smith’s 1830 Articles and Covenants of the Church of Christ (now known as Doctrine and Covenants 20). Three key aspects of church organization that originated in the Book of Mormon include baptism and priesthood authority, the ordination of priests and teachers, and the administration of the Lord’s supper.
Articles
Review of Same-Sex Dynamics among Nineteenth-Century Americans: A Mormon Example (1996), by D. Michael Quinn
Review of Into the Light: A Novel (1995), by Keith C. Terry; and The Remnant (1996), by Keith C. Terry and Wesley Jarvis
Review of The 1996 Directory of Cult Research Organizations: A Worldwide Listing of 752 Agencies and Individuals (1996), by Keith Edward Tolbert and Eric Pement
Review of Same-Sex Dynamics among Nineteenth-Century Americans: A Mormon Example (1996), by D. Michael Quinn
Introduction to the current issue, including editor’s pick. Peterson explores the world of anit-Mormon writing and fiction.
Review of The Mormon Puzzle: Understanding and Witnessing to Latter-day Saints (1997), by North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention
Review of A Detailed Chronology of the Book of Mormon (1995), by Thomas O. Moore
Review of Meeting the Mormon Challenge with Love (1997), by Leon Cornforth
Articles
Review of Christ and the New Covenant: The Messianic Message of the Book of Mormon (1997), by Jeffrey R. Holland
Review of Quest for the Gold Plates: Thomas Stuart Ferguson's Archaeological Search for the Book of Mormon (1996), by Stan Larson
Introduction to the current issue, including editor's picks. Peterson examines “terminological trickiness” and lexical games, particularly as A. A. Howsepian employs them in a recent article in the distinguished journal Religious Studies.
Review of Working toward Zion: Principles of the United Order for the Modern World (1996), by James W. Lucas and Warner P. Woodworth
Review of The Book of Mormon Paintings of Minerva Teichert (1997), by John W. Welch and Doris R. Dant
Websites for and against the Latter-day Saints proliferate. Some of them are, of course, better than others.
Review of Mormons on the Internet (1997), by Lauramaery Gold
Review of The Bible and the Book of Mormon: Connecting Links (1997), by John E. Enslen; and Book of Mormon Insights: Points to Ponder from Every Chapter (1996), by William N. Partridge.
Review of The Children of Noah: Jewish Seafaring in Ancient Times (1998), by Raphael Patai
Review of “Does the Bible Teach Salvation for the Dead? A survey of the Evidence Part I” (1995), and “Did Jesus Establish Baptism for the Dead?” (1997), by Luke P. Wilson
The Journal of the Book of Mormon and Other Restoration Scripture is a peer-reviewed journal dedicated to promoting understanding of the history, meaning, and significance of the scriptures and other sacred texts revealed through the Prophet Joseph Smith.
Articles
Third Nephi 22 (quoting Isaiah 54) addresses a desolate woman who will be redeemed in the latter days. The desolate woman represents Zion, which itself signifies the city of Enoch in ancient times, the hill where the temple was built in Jerusalem, the celestial city of God, the kingdom of God on earth, and a covenant community of temple-worthy Saints. The Lord promises to relieve the desolation of Zion felt through barrenness, lack of a permanent home, and being forsaken and persecuted. The destiny of Zion parallels the pattern of Noah—both remain faithful to their covenants and witness a cleansing of the earth. The Savior serves as Zion’s husband. The servants of the Lord are equated with Zion—the Lord will not allow oppressors to be successful against Zion. The Lord promises to redeem Zion as he sings a song of redeeming love.
Old Testament Scriptures > Isaiah
Old Testament Topics > Book of Mormon and the Old Testament
Old Testament Topics > Women in the Old Testament
The name Alma appears more frequently in the Book of Mormon than any other name besides Nephi. The name has a logical derivation from a Hebrew root that means “youth” or “lad.”
In 1 Nephi 13–14, Nephi describes major characteristics of the great and abominable church: it persecutes and slays the Saints of God; it seeks wealth and luxury; it is characterized by sexual immortality; it has excised plain and precious things from the scriptures; it has dominion over all the earth; and its fate is destruction by a world war. Nephi’s vision, known as an apocalyptic vision in biblical literature, corresponds well to features of Babylon as described in the apocalyptic Revelation of John (Revelation 17). Clearly, the earliest apostate church and the great and abominable church are the same. A suggested description for this phenomenon, avoiding a denominational name, is hellenized Christianity.
Details of the translation process Joseph Smith used for translating the Book of Mormon from the plates can be adduced from statements of witnesses and from evidence in the original and printer’s manuscripts. According to witnesses, Joseph Smith often translated without the plates being present and used the interpreters to receive the revealed text. Evidence from the manuscripts themselves shows that the original manuscript was written from dictation, that Joseph Smith was working with at least twenty words at a time, that Joseph Smith could see the spelling of names, that the scribe repeated the text to Joseph Smith, and that the word chapter and the corresponding chapter numbers were not part of the revealed text. The manuscripts and text show that Joseph Smith apparently received the translation word for word and letter for letter, in what is known as “tight control.”
Introduction to this issue.
This department gives news updates on various topics related to Book of Mormon studies: evidence of Chinese voyagers in Mexico, publicity on an ancient skull of a Caucasian male discovered in Washington, excavation of an ancient basilica in Jordan, Egyptian figurines from El Salvador shown to be fakes, and the establishment of a new journal, Pre-Columbiana: A Journal of Long-distance Contacts.
The Smithsonian statement about the Book of Mormon has been revised to indicate that the “Book of Mormon is a religious document and not a scientific guide.” James E. Talmage correctly identified various Michigan relics as fraudulent.
Observations from Jakeman’s students honor this LDS scholar, who could be called the father of Book of Mormon archaeology.
Nephite record keepers were very meticulous in monitoring the passage of time. Lehi’s departure from Jerusalem in the reign of Zedekiah marks the beginning of one formal reckoning of time. The prophesied 600-year window to the birth of Christ could well have been measured in lunar years. Lehi must have drawn on familiar Israelite calendrical practices to establish his calendar. Lehi’s descendants likely used twelve lunar months for their calendar without adding an occasional thirteenth month to adjust for the length of a solar year, which would solve the chronological problem of dating Lehi’s departure 600 years before the birth of Christ.
Responses to the following questions appear here: “Is the ‘fulness of the gospel’ in the Book of Mormon?” and “What is the meaning of ‘familiar spirit’ in Isaiah 29?”
Old Testament Topics > Book of Mormon and the Old Testament
The written word is powerful, especially sacred texts. The Book of Mormon, a sacred text indigenous to America, has influenced many readers to make radical life changes. Gutjahr presents a history of this book and the Bible. He points out that in 1830, readers were interested in the Bible and historical writing. The article argues that the Book of Mormon, with its narrative format and linguistic peculiarities, could only be understood within this particular print culture. Literary and cultural historians have paid little attention to this best-seller. Considers the Book of Mormon as one of the most important written texts to emerge in the United States.
A linguistic analysis of the symbol of a barren woman associated with Zion, the earth, and the Lord’s servants
Old Testament Scriptures > Isaiah
Old Testament Topics > Book of Mormon and the Old Testament
The use of the Bible and especially Isaiah by ministers at the time of Joseph Smith
Old Testament Topics > Restoration and Joseph Smith
Book of Moses Topics > Basic Resources > Study Resources for the Hebrew and Greek Texts of Genesis
Old Testament Topics > Book of Mormon and the Old Testament
Old Testament Topics > Book of Mormon and the Old Testament
Old Testament Topics > Book of Mormon and the Old Testament
An literary comparison of Orson Scott Card’ Series with religiosity of the Book of Mormon. Comparing and contrasting mormon theology and doctrine as it is found between the two.
With the rapid and visible growth of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it was inevitable that doctrinal differences would arise between the Latter-day Saints and people of other faiths. Members of the LDS Church profess to be Christians, yet others doubt or do not understand this claim.
The contributors to Latter-day Christianity hope that the 10 essays contained in this full-color, illustrated book will help Latter-day Saints who want to explain their beliefs and will be useful to people outside the LDS Church who want a simple and clear statement of those beliefs. The essays address such topics as whether Latter-day Saints are Christian and what they believe about God, the Bible, personal revelation, human deification, salvation, and proselytization.
Republished in King Benjamin’s Speech Made Simple and Eloquent Witness: Nibley on Himself, Others, and the Temple.
A look into what makes King Benjamin’s address to his people not only an assembly but also an atonement.
“Assembly and Atonement” (1999)
“Assembly and Atonement” (2008)
Old Testament Scriptures > Isaiah
Old Testament Topics > Book of Mormon and the Old Testament
A glossary of archaic words
Old Testament Topics > Book of Mormon and the Old Testament
The essays in this book, written by some of the finest LDS scholars, take a variety of approaches to help readers make the most of the Isaiah passages in the Book of Mormon. These scholars use the prophets of the Book of Mormon as knowledgeable guides, examining how and why those ancient writers used and interpreted Isaiah in order to clarify for modern readers what the Isaiah sections in the Book of Mormon are all about.
Old Testament Topics > Book of Mormon and the Old Testament
Old Testament Topics > Symposia and Collections of Essays
Articles
Old Testament Topics > Book of Mormon and the Old Testament
Old Testament Scriptures > Isaiah
Old Testament Topics > Book of Mormon and the Old Testament
Old Testament Scriptures > Isaiah
Old Testament Topics > Book of Mormon and the Old Testament
Old Testament Scriptures > Isaiah
Old Testament Topics > Book of Mormon and the Old Testament
Old Testament Topics > Book of Mormon and the Old Testament
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Jacob
Old Testament Scriptures > Isaiah
Old Testament Topics > Book of Mormon and the Old Testament
Old Testament Topics > Book of Mormon and the Old Testament
Old Testament Topics > Book of Mormon and the Old Testament
Old Testament Scriptures > Isaiah
Old Testament Topics > Book of Mormon and the Old Testament
Support for the single authorship theory of Isaiah
Old Testament Topics > Book of Mormon and the Old Testament
Talks
The study of ancient literature has been enriched in the second half of the 20th century by the growing awareness and understanding of chiasmus in ancient literature. This form of inverted parallelism has been found in the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and in many other ancient writings. The essays in Chiasmus in Antiquity, first published in Germany in 1981, examine the use and effect of chiasmus in the Old and New Testaments and the Book of Mormon, as well as in Sumero-Akkadian, Ugaritic, Talmudic, Greek, and Latin literatures. These essays have been reprinted in this first American edition because of their lasting value for the study of this intriguing literary form.
Articles
For readers of the Book of Mormon, King Benjamin’s speech is a treasure trove of inspiration, wisdom, eloquence, and spiritual insight. King Benjamin’s Speech: “That Ye May Learn Wisdom” is the most substantial collection of studies ever to focus exclusively on this landmark address.
The contributors examine this speech in the multifaceted contexts in which it was delivered: as a classic speech of a departing leader near the time of his death, as the focus of an annual festival season mandated anciently under the law of Moses, as part of a covenant renewal ceremony delivered within the sacred precinct of the Nephite temple in Zarahemla, and as preparation for the coronation of a new king.
Historical and linguistic tools and information are employed in these essays to help the reader to better grasp the speech’s historical setting, its doctrinal implications, its literary qualities, its influence then and now, and its overall brilliance. This book contains the complete text of the speech along with detailed notes, cross-references, textual commentary, and a select bibliography.
Articles
Articles
The daily discipleship of which I’m speaking is designed to develop these very attributes that are possessed to perfection by Jesus. These attributes emerge from a consciously chosen way of life; one in which we deny ourselves of all ungodliness and we take up the cross daily—not occasionally, not weekly, not monthly.
Articles
Old Testament Scriptures > Genesis
Old Testament Topics > Melchizedek
Old Testament Topics > Priesthood
Our conduct and our way of life cannot be separated from our doctrine, for what we believe empowers and directs what we do.
Old Testament Topics > Women in the Old Testament
Articles
We need to embrace, study, and appreciate the revealed truths that are ours. We need to declare the gospel generously and kindly to all of our Father’s children.
Articles
Old Testament Topics > Geography
Talks
When our converts “come alive”—and they need nourishment—in the gospel, they soon come alive as students, as parents, in their professions, and as citizens.
The real issue is not how others define us but how the Savior defines us.
The Savior of the world spoke of that unity and how we will have our natures changed to make it possible.
Ordinances and covenants … are the vehicles the Lord has provided to conduct us into eternal life.
We hope you are men who are “true at all times in whatsoever thing [you are] entrusted.” [Alma 53:20] … I plead for greater consistency between our beliefs and actions.
You will become great women if you are united in the angelic cause of doing good and if you hunger and thirst after righteousness.
Take advantage of this great opportunity in your life to live it well, to be good, to have good works, and to influence other people for good.
We cannot expect to learn endurance in our later years if we have developed the habit of quitting when things get difficult now.
Strong family relationships don’t just happen. It takes time. It takes commitment, it takes prayer, and it takes work.
Let us be true disciples of the Christ, observing the Golden Rule, doing unto others as we would have them do unto us.
Make yourself worthy of the loveliest girl in all the world. Keep yourself worthy through all the days of your life.
This thing which we call testimony is the great strength of the Church. It is the wellspring of faith and activity. It is difficult to explain. It is difficult to quantify … , yet it is as real and powerful as any force on the earth.
May the windows of heaven be opened and blessings be showered down upon us as a people as we walk with boldness and in faith before the Lord to accomplish His eternal work.
We must revitalize and reenthrone superior teaching in the Church—at home, from the pulpit, in our administrative meetings, and surely in the classroom.
You don’t have to be Captain Moroni to make a difference. Our Father in Heaven needs you to be who you are, in your family. He planned it that way.
Work is always a spiritual necessity even if, for some, work is not an economic necessity.
As we invest our time, talents, and means to build Zion, our hearts are purified, our wisdom increases, celestial habits begin to form.
There is a battle of significant consequence taking place in the lives of young men today. In simple terms, it is the struggle between doing right or doing wrong.
Whenever we are inclined to feel burdened down with the blows of life, let us remember that others have passed the same way, have endured, and then have overcome.
We want to come unto Christ because it is only in Him and through Him that we can return to the Father.
Heavenly Father has a plan for His children and … families are the central part of that plan.
A new era of family history work has arrived.
As Latter-day Saints use the words saved and salvation, there are at least six different meanings.
Sisters, you must graduate from thinking that you only attend Relief Society to feeling that you belong to it!
You can do so much good that it will astound you as you are changed and as you see others changed.
If you will use them as a guide to direct your studies of the Savior’s doctrine, you will find yourselves prepared to declare your witness of the restored, true church of the Lord.
You and I are now among those generations given the privilege to know and to live the law of the tithe. The blessings that flow from obedience to that law are both temporal and spiritual.
A cunning part of [Satan’s] strategy is to dissociate anger from agency, making us believe that we are victims of an emotion that we cannot control.
Appreciation for ethnic, cultural, or national heritage can be very wholesome and beneficial, but it can also perpetuate patterns of life that should be set aside by a devoted Latter-day Saint.
The Lord recognizes that many of us tend to stray from His counsel when all is going well with us, yet when trouble comes we seek after Him and His blessings.
Long ago you and I were born as daughters in our Heavenly Father’s family. … Each one of you was a valiant and noble woman in your premortal life.
The excitement and thrill of being a full-time missionary is one of the greatest blessings a young man of the Aaronic Priesthood can aspire to.
This marvelous Restoration has provided that which we need to recognize misguided philosophies and lifestyles … not pleasing to our Heavenly Father.
Through the guidance of loving parents and dedicated teachers, small children can become familiar with the scriptures and the spirit that accompanies them.
The days of our probation are numbered, but none of us knows the number of those days. Each day of preparation is precious.
His desire is for you to change, to have a change of heart, a change of nature, and to, over time, completely cast off the natural man.
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Articles
Old Testament Topics > Law of Moses
Old Testament Topics > Sacrifice
With balance comes happiness and inner peace. How unfortunate it is that some work a lifetime on a goal like making money or attaining social status, only to find that these things do not bring real happiness.
Articles
Reconciliation with God is at the core of the gospel. Reconciliation is, after all, the object of the Atonement wrought by the Son of God.
If your beliefs are based on gospel perspectives, your glasses or belief window will allow you to see eternity from a celestial kingdom perspective.
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Old Testament Topics > Book of Mormon and the Old Testament
Old Testament Topics > Prophets and Prophecy
Old Testament Topics > Adversity [see also Job, in canonical categories]
Old Testament Topics > Bible: Joseph Smith Translation (JST)
“A commitment to endure to the end means that we will not ask for a release from a call to serve.”
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Old Testament Topics > Book of Mormon and the Old Testament
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.
Old Testament Topics > Sacrifice
Let us join in this great balanced effort for conversion, retention, and activation … to turn those grains of sand into pearls in our Father’s kingdom.
It is a season to reach out to touch the life of someone, a season to commit to keeping the Sabbath day holy, and a season to help keep the lights of our temples burning brightly.
If we place a little more patience in the process and a greater amount of faith in the Lord, our challenges will find their way toward successful conclusions.
Resolve now to do all within your power to make of your priesthood quorum one worthy of the name and one faithful to its mission.
Articles
Talks
We have been promised the constant companionship of the third member of the Godhead and hence the privilege of receiving revelation for our own lives.
Our ability to touch others with our warning voice matters to all who are covenant disciples of Jesus Christ.
The priesthood of God has become the eminent power for good in the world. … This great power … has been entrusted to us; we must not weaken it by failing in our responsibilities.
Tithing is a principle that is fundamental to the personal happiness and well-being of the Church members worldwide, both rich and poor.
The gospel is true; it is the hope of the world; it will move onward to accomplish all that it must do.
If we seek the truth, develop faith in Him, and … sincerely repent, we will receive a spiritual change of heart which only comes from our Savior. Our hearts will become new again.
There are many on the earth who desire a witness of truth and earnestly seek the peace and joy promised by the Savior.
With prayer and faith and in humility, testimony is borne to you. May we all be inspired together. May our hearts be lifted in praise to our Redeemer.
I am suggesting that the time has come to get our houses in order.
I … wish to set forth, as simply as I know how, my response to what people are asking.
These are momentous times in which we are living as Saints of the Most High. … Let us go on rearing our children in righteousness and truth. Let us be good neighbors and good friends.
My message to you, my challenge to you, my prayer is that you will rededicate yourselves to the strengthening of your homes.
One who uses the God-given body of another without divine sanction abuses the very soul of that individual, abuses the central purpose and processes of life.
If we listen to the voice of the Lord through His living prophet and follow his counsel, we will never go astray.
It matters not where you come from, what your weaknesses are, what you look like—you belong here! The Lord loves you—each of you, collectively and individually.
Establishing His Church is a unique assignment. We must take the gospel of Jesus Christ to all people in their own language without defiling the purity of the message.
Do we give thanks to God “for his unspeakable gift” [2 Cor. 9:15] and His rich blessings so abundantly bestowed upon us?
Let each of us learn of Him, believe in Him, trust in Him, follow Him, obey Him. By so doing, we can become like Him.
Who are we? We are children of God. Our potential is unlimited. Our inheritance is sacred.
Those who hold the Aaronic Priesthood open the door for all Church members who worthily partake of the sacrament to enjoy the companionship of the Spirit of the Lord and the ministering of angels.
I do want to encourage leaders to carefully consider the home lest they issue calls or schedule activities which place an unnecessary burden on parents and families.
The only lasting joy and happiness you will ever find during your mortal experience will come by following the Savior.
There is not anything a young man can do that will be any more important than serving a full-time mission.
His arms are open to each of us. His truths are plain and clear, and His invitation is sure.
The simple presence of a temple should serve as a reminder of covenants we have made, the need for integrity, and the fact that God is never far away.
In a society of unstable values and confusing voices, testimony can be the means by which parents give children an anchor for their faith.
The depth and the willingness with which we serve is a direct reflection of our gratitude.
We will attain new levels of spirituality and place our lives in closer harmony with Jesus the Christ based on how fully faith, hope, and charity become integral components of our lives.
The powerful truths of the gospel stretch our minds and spirits, and after knowing and believing even some of them, our lives are changed forever.
Articles
The Atonement is intensely individual, reaching to every single soul, and it is universal, reaching to all creation. In both of these aspects, planetary and personal, the Atonement overcomes separation of every kind.
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This study of Isaiah in the [Book of Mormon] will first briefly examine the source of the [Book of Mormon] Isaiah text with a recommendation for a historical approach to the study of the text. Then, using this approach, it will explore two examples of the [Book of Mormon]’s interpretation of Isaiah, one where the interpretation follows the citation and one where the interpretation is interwoven with the Isaiah text.
Author argues that Joseph Smith, knowingly and unknowingly, injected his own personality, conflicts and solutions into the Book of Mormon.
Literary analysis provides useful tools in the study of sacred texts, including the Book of Mormon. For the author, three transforming events that enhanced her study of the Book of Mormon included reading the book in earnest as a complex and masterful literary text, the entrance of the Spirit into her study of the book, and a prayerful desire to experience the great change of heart described by King Benjamin and Alma. Nephi begins his record with sincerity and honesty and serves notice that he intends to prepare a true record. The opposition between Nephi and his brothers Laman and Lemuel illustrates well Lehi’s teachings on the necessity of opposition in all things. More subtly, the reader notes a contrast between the characters and personalities of Nephi and Jacob. Jacob is portrayed as an empathetic and compassionate person who was tutored by exile and isolation.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Alma
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.
“The arguments between fundamentalists on the one hand and liberals on the other have focused too long on the issue of historicity. Careful study of the content of the Book of Mormon has been ignored. As a result, the text in terms of its stories and their meaning and significance, has been sadly neglected…. I thus want to claim the Book of Mormon as a resource for a becoming peace church, a resource for a neo-restorationism that reclaims the vision of Zion-for the sake of others-be they Christians, Jews, or Muslims.” [AUTHOR]
Stela 5, a large stone monument discovered in 1941 in Izapa, Mexico, was identified a decade later by M. Wells Jakeman as a bas-relief of Lehi’s vision of the tree of life. Scholars and laymen alike have both accepted and scoffed at this theory. This article provides a historical sketch of reactions to this claim and discusses some of the implications of accepting or rejecting Jakeman’s theory. Jakeman was the first to publish an LDS interpretation of Stela 5; later V. Garth Norman proposed a different interpretation based on a series of high-quality photographs of the monument. Suzanne Miles, a non-Mormon, postulated that Izapa Stela 5 presented a “fantastic visual myth,” and Gareth W. Lowe proposed that Stela 5 presents an original creation myth. Further criticisms and responses ensued over the years.
Articles
“Brown describes a carved altar inscribed to the tribe Nihm discovered in the southwest Arabian peninsula (Yemen)-this location may be the place Nahom where Nephi’s father-in-law, Ishmael, was buried, according to the Book of Mormon record.” [abstract provided]
RSC Topics > L — P > Love
RSC Topics > Q — S > Sin
The author aims to compare and contrast the history of Native Americans from academic history to the history of the Book of Mormon.
Articles
Aided by creative techniques, Ajáx Moreno carefully prepared more accurate, detailed renderings of the Izapa monuments, including Stela 5, with its complex scenes of gods and other supernatural creatures, royalty, animals invested with mythic and value symbolism, and mortals. The author raises relevant questions about reconciling Jakeman’s view with the new drawing: Are there Old World connections? Can Izapa be viewed as a Book of Mormon city? Did the Nephites know of Lehi’s dream? Are there name glyphs on the stela? The scene, if it does not depict Lehi’s dream, fits clearly in Mesoamerican art in theme, style, technical execution, and meaning. The basic theme of Stela 5 may be the king as intercessor with the gods on behalf of his people.
Book of Moses Topics > Selection of Ancient Sources > Noah
Cook addresses the following issues raised by Owen and Mosser: Did Greek philosophy cause an apostasy in the early Christian church? How deeply Hellenized were the early Jewish converts of Christianity? Philosphy and the Hellenization of Christianity, and Early Judaic and Christian beliefs concerning God and theosis.
The book of Romans can be difficult to understand, and it is used more than any other biblical book to challenge LDS doctrine. “When we understand Romans, it is obvious that not only need we not fear having others discuss Paul’s teachings, but we can use those very teachings to teach the truthfulness of the gospel understood through latter-day revelation.”
In commenting on Romans 1 verse by verse, author James E. Faulconer touches on such topics as faith, holiness, obedience, service to Christ, personal conversion and repentance, and becoming true saints. Romans 1: Notes and Reflections can be a valuable tool for those who are studying the book of Romans or looking for new ways to study other scripture.
Cultivate your love for the scriptures and deepen your knowledge with the help of a scripture study process compiled by James E. Faulconer. Rich scripture study is facilitated by tools and techniques that help us focus on what the scriptures can teach us. This study aid offers pointers and suggestions that will familiarize beginning students of the scriptures with the many resources available to them, as well as help more experienced students improve the overall effectiveness of their scripture study.
In this fascinating book, Faulconer discusses a helpful method and the purpose of outlining, an in-depth method of cross-referencing, how to ask cogent and thought-provoking questions about the scriptures, the benefits of using dictionaries and concordances, the relation between words and ideas apparent through rhetorical studies, and using the valuable reference tools in the LDS edition of the scriptures. He then provides sample notes developed using the study tools he describes to show how research and pondering can make scripture study even more meaningful.
In this essay James Faulconer, a BYU professor of philosophy and dean of honors, outlines some general suggestions for scripture study. He presents his extensive notes on Mosiah 4 to show the treasures that can be found by careful and thorough scripture study. His study methods include considering context, examining word meaning, and looking for patterns.
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Review of The Power of God (1997), by Mark A. Smith
Review of King Benjamin\'s Speech: “That Ye May Learn Wisdom” (1998), edited by John W. Welch and Stephen D. Ricks
Review of Letters to a Mormon Elder: Eye-Opening Information for Mormons and the Christians Who Talk with Them (1993), by James R. White
Review of Symbols in Stone: Symbolism on the Early Temples of the Restoration (1997), by Matthew B. Brown and Paul T. Smith
Available for free at BYU ScholarsArchive.
A review of Ancient State: The Rulers and the Ruled, Collected Works of Hugh Nibley vol. 10.
Review of A Reader's Book of Mormon Digest: Condensed from the Book of Mormon: A New Witness for Christ. A Monthly Reading Program and Study Guide of the Doctrines of the Book of Mormon (1997), by Robert H. Moss
Introduction to the current issue, including editor’s picks. Our expectations and presuppositions lead us to see what we want to see.
Review of GospeLink (1998), by Deseret Book; and Collector's Library '98 (1998), by Infobases
Review of “Voice from the Dust”: A Literary Analysis of the Book of Mormon” (1996), by Walter Krajewski; and A New Witness for Christ: Chiastic Structure in the Book of Mormon (1997), by H. Clay Gorton
Review of Images of Ancient America: Visualizing Book of Mormon Life (1998), by John L. Sorenson
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The early church was unable to continue once the apostles had departed. Bishops were only local officials and could not speak for the entire church. Beginning with the later second century, philosophy plays an increasingly important role in the church—this appears to be an effect rather than a cause of the apostasy.
Review of How Wide the Divide: A mormon and an Evangelical in Conversation (1997), by Craig L. Blomberg and Stephen E. Robinson
Review of How Wide the Divide: A mormon and an Evangelical in Conversation (1997), by Craig L. Blomberg and Stephen E. Robinson
Review of How Wide the Divide: A mormon and an Evangelical in Conversation (1997), by Craig L. Blomberg and Stephen E. Robinson
In exploring the divide between Latter-day Saints and Evangelicals, Paulsen and Potter reply to Owen and Mosser on issues of open canon, continuing revelation, biblical inerrancy, divine finitude, divine embodiment, deification, the Trinity or Godhead, soteriology and anthropology, and postmortem salvation.
Introduction to the current issue. For the first time, the Review features an article critical of the truth-claims of the restored gospel and of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
In response to the articles in this issue, Peterson notes that Latter-day Saints do not extend themselves to expose and attack other faiths. He further discusses, among other things, an open canon and continuing revelation, salvation as outlined in the scriptures, the ordinances of the gospel, revelation following the incarnation and resurrection of Christ, the biblical canon, inerrancy, biblical texts, the Book of Abraham, and the nature of God.
The Journal of the Book of Mormon and Other Restoration Scripture is a peer-reviewed journal dedicated to promoting understanding of the history, meaning, and significance of the scriptures and other sacred texts revealed through the Prophet Joseph Smith.
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.
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In June 1834, members of Zion’s Camp discovered skeleton bones that Joseph Smith reportedly revealed as belonging to a “white Lamanite” named Zelph. Many Latter-day Saints have referenced this unearthing as evidence that the Book of Mormon took place in North America, rather than in Mesoamerica. This article explores the significance and reliability of the accounts concerning Zelph’s existence, and it claims that although such a discovery is exciting and insightful, many of the accounts are inconsistent and most of the details surrounding Zelph and his life remain unknown. The skeleton cannot, therefore, provide conclusive evidence for anything, and Latter-day Saints should remember that more important than identifying the location of Book of Mormon events is strengthening their belief in the book’s divinity.
Despite the emphasis that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints places on scriptures, particularly the Book of Mormon, some members find it difficult to truly love the scriptures. This article claims that by pondering the scriptures often, members can better understand and appreciate the prophetic words. In order to find a deeper love for the scriptures, readers should consider the following details while reading: the setting of a passage; the meaning of various words and phrases; the author’s attitude when he wrote the passage; the possible comparisons between passages; the possible implied messages of the authors; the possible reasons for the inclusion of a specific passage; the organization of the scriptures; the repetition of ideas, words, and sounds; and the emphasis of certain words. By pondering each of these aspects, readers can gain a greater love for and appreciation of the scriptures.
This table compares Nephite weights and measures with Egyptian values and gives possible equivalents in grams and ounces.
This article addresses the seemingly misplaced discussion of weights and measures in the middle of Alma 11 in the Book of Mormon. Although the interruption initially seems strange, John Welch offers new insights to explain its purpose in the Book of Mormon. For instance, knowledge of the Nephite monetary system supplements a reader’s comprehension of the bribery and corruption that occurred in that society. Evidence of this monetary system also shows a link between Near Eastern civilizations and Book of Mormon civilizations, thus providing further evidence for the divinity of Joseph Smith’s work.
RSC Topics > T — Z > Women
Excerpts from a letter written in 1962 reveal how Jakeman’s interpretation of Stela 5 quickly stimulated a body of folklore among some Latter-day Saints. [Author’s abstract]
This publication explores the relationship between religion and mental health—a highly debated issue among both social scientists and lay people. In this volume, research that has been conducted on members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was compiled. Fourteen studies are collected in this book, representative of the best of scholarship in the field. The studies suggest a clear, positive relationship between religion and mental well-being. ISBN 1-57008-631-1
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RSC Topics > T — Z > Youth
Michael Lyon examines the importance and significance of hypocephali as works of art and expressions of religious belief. Facsimile 2, associated with the Book of Abraham, belongs to this class of documents. Lyon illustrates that hypocephali symbolize the sacred center of the universe, expressed in Facsimile 2 as well as in the shield of Achilles and the mandala tradition.
A thorough review of Hugh Nibley’s book The Ancient State: The Rulers and the Ruled.
Reprinted in Eloquent Witness: Nibley on Himself, Others, and the Temple, The Collected Works of Hugh Nibley vol. 17, 445–82.
Here, Nibley identifies elements of the creation drama that appear in the book of Abraham and elsewhere in the ancient world.
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Pearl of Great Price > Book of Abraham > Characters > Abraham, Sarah, Abram, Sarai
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Temples > Ancient Temples > Ordinances
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Temples > Ancient Temples > Ritual Patterns, Great Year-Rites, Universal Gospel Culture
Hugh Nibley discusses how Abraham was an ordinary man who held no office and worked no miracles, and yet he was one of the greatest minds of the last forty centuries. Nibley discusses Abraham’s relationship with the temple and gives an overview of the ancient temple. He also shows how the Book of Abraham answers what Nibley calls the “terrible questions”: Where do I come from? Why am I here? How does the universe figure in the gospel? How did it all begin, and how will it all end? Nibley argues that the vision given to Abraham in the Book of Abraham contains stage directions indicating that the vision is dramatized, and the Book of Abraham includes the script.
In this short series of communications, Hugh Nibley expresses his philosophy that “the function of the poet is to hold one’s head while he pukes.”
Originally published in King Benjamin’s Speech: That Ye May Learn Wisdom.
A look into what makes King Benjamin’s address to his people not only an assembly but also an atonement.
“Assembly and Atonement” (1998)
“Assembly and Atonement” (2008)
The Temple in Time and Eternity, edited by Donald W. Parry and Stephen D. Ricks, is the second volume in the series Temples Through The Ages. The importance of the temple to a religious community of the Ancient Near East and Mediterranean world can scarcely be exaggerated. The eleven articles in this volume are divided topically into three sections: “Temple in Ritual,” “Temples in the Israelite Tradition,” and “Temples in the Non-Israelite Tradition.”
The “Temple in Ritual” section features Hugh Nibley’s discussion on “Abraham’s Temple Drama,” which identifies elements of the creation drama that appear in the book of Abraham and elsewhere in the ancient world. An article by Ricks discusses oaths and oath taking in the Old Testament. John A. Tvedtnes shows that baptizing for the dead was known in various parts of the Mediterranean world and in Egypt. In a second article, Tvedtnes enlightens our understanding of the form and purposes of the temple prayer in ancient times.
Richard R. Cowan, in the section “Temples in the Israelite Tradition,” traces the development of temples to modern times. Richard D. Draper and Parry make intriguing comparisons of temple symbolism between Genesis 2–3 and Revelation 2–3, focusing particularly on promises and blessings. Alan K. Parrish shares with us insights into modern temple worship throughout the eyes of John A. Widtsoe, and Thomas R. Valletta examines priesthood and temple issues by contrasting “the holy order of the Son of God and its spurious counterpart, the order of Nehor.”
The concluding chapters of the book, grouped into the section “Temples in the Non-Israelite Tradition,” include John Gee’s discussion of getting past the gatekeeper (gleaned from various Egyptian literary corpora), a fascinating study by Gaye Strathearn and Brian M. Hauglid of the Great Mosque and its Ka’ba in light of John Lundquist’s typology of ancient Near Eastern temples, and E. Jan Wilson’s enlightening treatment of the features of a Sumerian temple.
One important and fruitful area of Book of Mormon studies has focused on ancient Hebrew literary forms present in the text. After years of studying these fascinating forms, Hugh W. Pinnock offers his perspective on their beauty, function, and background. By design this book offers a basic working knowledge of only some of the ancient literary forms identified in the Book of Mormon. Together they represent a significant percentage of the types of ancient forms drawn upon by the Nephite prophets.
The author explains that knowledge of ancient Hebrew writing forms and Jewish poetry is incomplete even today, and much less so in the Prophet Joseph Smith’s day. The book aims to deepen faith in the authenticity of the Book of Mormon by calling attention to its ancient character and affirming that it was translated—not written, or even capable of being written—in early 19th-century America.
Despite being the founding scripture of a prominent religion, the Book of Mormon has escaped the attention of world scholars. Why is this? Thomas asks. To date, most research, conducted almost exclusively by Latter-day Saints, has been aimed at reconstructing the book’s historical origins rather than at interpreting its message. In a sense, this begs readers to take the book seriously.Thomas wants to see prejudice, on the one hand, and over-reverence, on the other, set aside, to see people approach the Book of Mormon on its own terms. He follows the current direction in biblical studies. In determining the intent of a passage, he considers narrative patterns and literary forms. He does so both sensitively and honestly. He says he writes for the non-believer as well as for believers -- for seekers of a lost world and for those who seek a new one -- those who may have misplaced their world somewhere along the way.
Over the years, Book of Mormon scholars have noticed extraordinary clues hidden in its subtle details. Many of these have proven the source of convincing evidence that the Book of Mormon is a genuine history. This outstanding work by a scholar of Middle Eastern antiquities presents some of that evidence. Included are insights about discoveries made since the time of Joseph Smith that suggest the ancient existence and nature of “reformed Egytptian;” newly discovered texts that show Jeremiah really did testify of the Savior, as taught in the Book of Mormon; Old World writings that support the brother of Jared’s idea of lighting Jaredite barges with stones touched by the Savior; evidence that Laban was involved in a conspiracy with the Elders in Jerusalem which was much like those of the Gadianton Robbers; the old-world profession of Lehi and his sons; some eye-opening similarities between the slaying of Laban by Nephi and the slaying of the Egyptian by Moses; the probable timing of the Savior’s visit to the Nephites; the similarity of untranslated words in the Book of Mormon (like “ziff”) to words in certain Middle Eastern languages; why oaths in the Book of Mormon were relied on in war, and ancient texts that uphold Nephi’s teachings about Satan. A powerful testimony of Joseph Smith’s prophetic calling, this book demonstrates the inspired nature of the work he described as “the most correct book on earth.”
Religiosity in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Book of Mormon as a tool of conversion.
Understanding the Sermon on the Mount (meaning both texts in their shared, collective meaning) as a temple text reveals that it has far more power and unity than a mere collection of miscellaneous sayings of Jesus. John W. Welch examines the teachings and commandments of the Sermon on the Mount in its Book of Mormon setting—at the Nephite temple, in connection with sacred ordinances of covenant making. This context opens new insights into the meaning and significance of the Sermon whereby readers never again see the Sermon the same.
Illuminating the Sermon at the Temple & Sermon on the Mount adapts and expands Welch’s earlier work to offer a thorough Latter-day Saint interpretation of the Savior’s greatest sermon, drawing on insights from Jesus’s Sermon at the Temple in 3 Nephi to shed light on his Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Matthew. This edition includes substantial additions based on insights gleaned throughout a decade of continuing research.
By John W. Welch and Daniel B. McKinlay, Published on 01/01/99
This book is a collection of more than 175 visual aids that promote deeper understanding and appreciation of the Book of Mormon. Designed for multiple use as study guides, handouts, and masters for creating projectable images, the charts convey a wealth of information that will enrich personal study and teaching.
Arranged in 15 sections, these charts consist of tables, diagrams, chronologies, flowcharts, bar graphs, pie charts, maps, and other effective schematics that represent Book of Mormon data in new and thought-provoking ways. General topics range from the history, doctrine, structure, and chronology of the Book of Mormon to its literary, cultural, and geographical features. Many charts highlight evidences for the authenticity of the record. Each chart is explained in a manner that will facilitate personal study and guide a teacher in what might be said when displaying the chart for group instruction or discussion.
This book presents the FARMS Research Updates of the 1990s, plus some similar short notes from the Journal of Book of Mormon Studies, in a new collection edited by John W. Welch and Melvin J. Thorne. Aimed at a general audience, these updates are brief, easy-to-read reports of new research on the Book of Mormon. Each contributor offers intriguing ideas and developments that have emerged from exploring the Book of Mormon from many perspectives. Pressing Forward will interest all people who want to know what’s new in Book of Mormon research.
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The speech of King Benjamin in the Book of Mormon is a masterpiece of Christian literature. These inspired words influenced later Book of Mormon prophets for generations, and they continue to reach across time to stir countless people today. King Benjamin’s Speech Made Simple is a popular abridgment of the expansive volume King Benjamin’s Speech: “That Ye May Learn Wisdom.” Prepared with the general reader in mind, this streamlined version presents the essential contents of the original book. Eleven studies examine the classic speech from many angles, viewing it as a manual for Christian discipleship, a coronation and covenant-renewal text, an ancient farewell address, a key part of a religious celebration, a prophetic lawsuit, a masterful oration of stunning structural complexity, and much more. It acquaints readers with a great religious leader whose wisdom, inspired teachings, and parting testimony invite studious attention and lasting admiration. This book is a rich resource, spotlighting and making simple the profound meanings and intriguing complexities of Benjamin’s carefully wrought words.
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In his landmark conference addresses in 1986, President Benson repeatedly cited the Doctrine and Covenants and reiterated his long-standing belief that the Church was under condemnation for taking the Book of Mormon too lightly. He also announced that “the Lord has revealed the need to reemphasize the Book of Mormon.” Latter-day Saints responded with an enormous and passionate effort to fully utilize the Nephite record. Such fervor did not always exist.
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No abstract available.
Just as you can have love in your heart always, your heart can be drawn out in prayer—always.
Articles
In the last five years, dramatic advances in deciphering ancient Maya writing have unveiled the Classic Maya as, above all, a people of faith. The Maya gloried in their closeness to the supernatural. They worshiped many gods, built temples to house images of supernatural beings, developed complex theologies of spirit and matter, and envisioned a world permeated by living essences. Now many of these beliefs and practices lie open to our gaze. Decipherment of Maya hieroglyphic writing allows us to begin to understand the Classic Maya concept of the nature of human existence, their system of morality, and their religious practice and how such practices melded with political or dynastic concerns.
It is my prayer, my young, valiant brothers and sisters, that we will seek to be one with our Savior, Jesus Christ, by applying the principles of the gospel in our lives and living obediently to his commandments…
May our testimonies motivate us to improve our lot in life, to withstand the temptations of the adversary, to enjoy good friends, and to face adversity with hope and courage, knowing that unspeakable joy awaits us in the eternities.
I love you. I have great hopes for your generation. Thank you for this chance to bear my witness to you today. This is the Lord’s work.
“The Church may face different challenges now than it did at the time of Peter and Paul, but it still has to deal with converts from different countries with different languages and cultures, all struggling to get closer to their Heavenly Father.”
Articles
The greatest joy is in the peace of knowing that we are following the path that leads us to eternal life, that our house is in order, and that we are preparing to meet our Savior.
“The weightier matters that move us toward our goals of eternal life are love of God, obedience to his commandments, and unity in accomplishing the work of his Church.”
Articles
Old Testament Topics > Joseph and Asenath
Old Testament Topics > Ephraim
Old Testament Topics > Genealogy and Lineage [see also Covenant, Israel]
Don’t lose your confidence. Don’t forget how you once felt. Don’t distrust the experience you had. That tenacity is what saved Moses when the adversary confronted him, and it is what will save you.
Transcript of a lecture presented on 3 March 1999 as part of the FARMS Book of Abraham Lecture Series. John Gee recounts the history of the Joseph Smith papyri, their discovery, travels, and eventual translation. Particular attention is devoted to the reconstruction of the papyri and their relationship to the Book of Abraham. The origin and contents of the Book of Abraham and the Kirtland Egyptian Papers are also discussed.
It is a wondrous opportunity and a sacred responsibility to build up the kingdom of God on earth, to be kingdom builders—right now.
Stories about Abraham circulated in ancient times and were continued into the medieval period. Many of these accounts were then lost and have come to light only recently. John Tvedtnes examines several such stories— ranging from creation accounts to the attempted sacrifice of Abraham— and shows how they support the Book of Abraham.
“I will tell you that right now there are many here who feel alone, frightened, and inadequate and who need the love and support that one or more of you can and should give.”
Although much attention has been paid to those who have possessed the Joseph Smith Papyri in modern times, relatively little attention has been paid to the ancient owners of the papyri. This lecture examines the ancient owners, the world in which they lived, and their contact with the Book of Abraham.
An interview with Harold C. Brown, managing director of Welfare Services.
One thing is certain: the commandments have not changed. … Right is still right. Wrong is still wrong, no matter how cleverly cloaked in respectability or political correctness.
I am confident that we will literally be called upon to make an accounting before God concerning how we have used [our resources] to bless lives and build the kingdom.
Articles
Talks
He knows how to succor all of us. But we activate the power of the Atonement in our lives … by seeking after Him.
We can teach even a child to understand the doctrine of Jesus Christ. It is therefore possible, with God’s help, to teach the saving doctrine simply.
The marvels of modern science and technology will not exalt us. Indeed, the great challenge we face as we prepare for the future is to be more spiritually enlightened.
Obedience leads to true freedom. The more we obey revealed truth, the more we become liberated.
Let me just remind all of you of the great need we have … for couple missionaries. … If you’re retired and wondering what to do with those extra years, there’s a world out there of excitement.
The key to strengthening our families is having the Spirit of the Lord come into our homes. The goal of our families is to be on the strait and narrow path.
The Church goes forward on its appointed mission in the direction of its appointed destiny.
I carry in my heart a deep appreciation for our bishops. I am profoundly grateful for the revelation of the Almighty under which this office was created and functions.
These simple words—“He is not here, but is risen”—have become the most profound in all literature. … They are the fulfillment of all He had spoken concerning rising again.
Great are our blessings. Tremendous is our responsibility. Let us … march forward without fear to enlarge among people everywhere the righteousness of the Lord.
From a satellite broadcast given at the Salt Lake Tabernacle 21 February 1999
Surely the greatest of those things [required of fathers] will be to have done all they could for the happiness and spiritual safety of the children they are to nurture.
If we truly want to be tools in the hands of our Heavenly Father in bringing to pass His eternal purposes, we need only to be a friend.
There are those among us who would recoil in horror at the thought of stealing another person’s money or property but who don’t give a second thought to stealing another person’s good name or reputation.
Keep your eyes riveted on your goal … and walk in the straight and narrow path of the Son—the Son of God.
Meekness is the real cure, for it does not merely mask selfishness but dissolves it!
Have faith in Christ, trust Him, come unto Him, follow Him. … Step by step the way will unfold before you until … you are back where you belong.
One of the greatest safeguards we have in the Church is a strong, firm, committed, dedicated, and testifying Melchizedek Priesthood base.
There will come those teaching times to each of you when you will witness the love of your mother, the strength of your father, and the inspiration of God.
The Lord invites us to come out of the cold danger of worldliness and into the warmth of His light.
Thank the Lord for these sisters who—like our Heavenly Father—love us not only for what we are but for what we may become.
Genealogies, family stories, historical accounts, and traditions … form a bridge between past and future and bind generations together in ways that no other keepsake can.
One of Martin Harris’s greatest contributions to the Church, for which he should be honored for all time, was his financing the publication of the Book of Mormon.
The Church is no bigger than a ward. … Everything needed for our redemption, save for the temple, is centered there—and temples now come ever closer to all of us.
Our teaching will be effective if we approach it humbly through prayer and study.
I know what it means to have a friend, a responsibility, and to be nurtured by the good word of God.
It is a place of peace, solitude, and inspiration. Regular attendance will enrich your life with greater purpose.
Our greatest challenge is to prepare our families for the temple. Parents have the primary responsibility, but grandparents, aunts and uncles, even brothers and sisters all may teach the family.
How can we apply the spiritual power of our baptism to the principle of modesty? We hope one of the things that makes you different from the world is the way you dress.
There is a way for each ward through councils to reach out to … families [who do not have a priesthood holder] and to open the roads to the temple for them.
May we take courage, faith, and comfort from the small, quiet, and gentle acts of caring, loving, humble, and dedicated followers of Christ.
As His true followers, the Savior wants us to love others as He loves them—more unconditionally, more purely, more perfectly.
The Savior, who set the pattern for us, is pleased with those who “remember in all things the poor and the needy, the sick and the afflicted” [Du0026C 52:40].
There should be nothing casual, nonchalant, or indifferent about holding priesthood. Once accepted, it should not be ignored, neglected, or cast aside. It is a mantle of honor and power.
Transcript of a lecture presented on 6 April 1999 as part of the FARMS Book of Abraham Lecture Series.
Hugh Nibley discusses how Abraham was an ordinary man who held no office and worked no miracles, and yet he was one of the greatest minds of the last forty centuries.
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Pearl of Great Price > Book of Abraham > Characters > Abraham, Sarah, Abram, Sarai
“I am amazed that even though Christ understands perfectly my imperfections, he also loves me perfectly. Divine charity is the most fundamental intimate restoration.”
Articles
“A brother, a sister, or a friend can literally be an oasis in the desert of mortality—the mere sight of them can refresh and renew. This type of friendship is an example of God’s tender mercy.”
“We understand that as we strive for excellence in our secular lives we can balance our efforts with our own spiritual quest to be more like the Master, even Jesus Christ.”
“The depth of the Savior’s atoning power in our hearts is governed by the degree to which we study and follow the words of his prophets, ancient and modern.”
Articles
“Sometimes struggles and opposition will come into our life. We can become stronger by dealing with these difficult challenges and by not allowing them to cripple us in our spiritual progression.”
Our prophets have reminded us that this mortal estate is a school to learn how to be gods and goddesses, having increase and creating worlds while giving all glory to the Father. I would like to suggest that crucibles are one way in which we move toward eternity—connecting our premortal, mortal, and postmortal identities.
The nature of deity in the composition of our spiritual organization opens the door to the vision of eternal life and divine destiny.
“I hope that we may continually improve our behavior toward others in the way our Savior would have us do, to be magnanimous in our thoughts and deeds.”
“And the Savior’s apparent failure at Calvary was in actuality the greatest conquest in all eternity, the conquest over sin and death.”
Articles
Old Testament Topics > Israel, Scattering and Gathering
Old Testament Topics > Joseph and Asenath
Old Testament Topics > Moses
“Great works, including great families, require commitment to something greater than ourselves.”
“The older I get the more I am convinced that all sin—all of it—has its roots in the dirty soil of self-gratification and self-absorption.”
Articles
“I believe that there is more going on here than our own merely human efforts can fully explain.”
Daniel Peterson discusses recent research that supports a spiritual witness for the Book of Mormon, including the following: Joseph Smith’s lack of schooling, his supposed misnaming of Jesus’ birthplace, the translation process, studies of chiasmus, possible locations for Book of Mormon events, and ancient manuscripts that are consistent with Book of Mormon accounts about document practices and beliefs of past civilizations.
“I thought how important BYU is as a window on the Church. The glass is not dark but clear and allows viewers to see the values and truths of the restored gospel.”
“Unless we align our eyes and our hearts with God’s glory, we will, to that extent, be filled with darkness.”
Articles
“We can only be perfected through the Father’s plan, with the core of that plan centered in Christ and His atonement”
“You have been gathered on this campus to strengthen your testimonies and acquire sacred and secular knowledge that will give you the power to be a righteous influence in this world.”
Do not play games with the Lord. When you trust Him fully, He is able to bless you richly.
The golden pathway to happiness is the selfless giving of love—the kind of love that has concern and interest and some measure of charity for every living soul.
Joseph had no training in theology, no doctor of divinity degree; his formal education was at best scanty. And yet through him comes light that dissolves the profoundest paradoxes and strengthens and edifies me through my own personal trials.
With your knowledge of who you are and what is important in life and by maximizing options, adding value each day, and avoiding these inhibitors of success, the changing world you face presents great opportunities, not threats, for you.
In modern Israel, serving the Lord means carefully following the Prophets.
Beware of those who speak and publish in opposition to God’s true prophets.
I believe that every active member of the Church knows a lost sheep who needs the attention and love of a caring shepherd.
No other feeling in the soul of man can bring the joy and happiness than that of knowing you are doing all you can to become righteous.
Articles
Talks
We cannot choose to serve God and the world at the same time.
Coming unto Christ means walking away from the world. It means placing Christ and Christ only at the center of our lives.
A true man is strong enough to withstand the wiles of Satan and humble enough to submit himself to the redemptive powers of the Savior.
However difficult our circumstances, we can repent.
We particularly want you young men to have a strong testimony, with solid roots, because only then will it be an unerring compass for you.
Our greatest hope comes from the knowledge that the Savior broke the bands of death. … He atoned for our sins if we repent.
The commitment and dedication of the sisters of this Church have been since the beginning a marvelous, strengthening ingredient.
As the world moves deeper and deeper into sin, this wonderful Church stands like a giant granite boulder.
The Church grows ever larger. It touches more and more lives for good. It is spreading over the earth in a wonderful way.
This … is not a cause of ease nor a work without effort, even sacrifice. We shall go on pursuing the path which the Lord has marked out before us.
May God bless us with a sense of our place in history and … our need to stand tall and walk with resolution in a manner becoming the Saints of the Most High.
The Spirit of the Lord has been in this [Tabernacle]. It is sacred unto us. We hope, we anticipate, we pray that the new [Conference Center] will likewise radiate the same spirit.
Some blessings come soon, some come late, and some don’t come until heaven; but for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come.
We are eager for each sister to strengthen herself spiritually and to acquire skills that will be crucial in meeting the challenges that are ahead.
Agency is the power to think, choose, and act for ourselves. It comes with endless opportunities, accompanied by responsibility and consequences.
Laman and Lemuel became rebels instead of leaders, resentful instead of righteous—all because of their failure to understand either the character or the purposes of God.
When we [trust in the Lord], we will come to realize that we have been on His holy errand, that His divine purposes have been fulfilled, and that we have shared in that fulfillment.
The symbol of Jesus and His place in our hearts must be a life given fully to His service, to loving and caring.
When you read the Book of Mormon, concentrate on the principal figure in the book—from its first chapter to the last—the Lord Jesus Christ.
In our sacred callings of gospel teaching, no effort is too good for the work of the Lord and the growth of His children.
What are we doing to ensure that [our] legacy is being passed to our beloved children and to our grandchildren?
Young Latter-day Saints, shape up! Face up! Take hold of your lives! Take control of your mind, your thoughts!
The center of the plan is the Lord Jesus Christ. Reject or ignore Him, and the great plan of happiness cannot function in your behalf.
He [Jesus Christ] has given His life that even in our weakness, we may overcome our mistakes through repentance and obedience to His gospel.
Women throughout the world will be drawn to the Church as we perfect our lives and live essential truths to light the way for others to follow.
Our watchmen on the tower are known to us as apostles and prophets. They are our spiritual eyes in the sky.
When He reveals to us, speaking through our living prophet today, that we need to do more, … then we need to step forward and say, “Here am I; send me”!
New members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints cannot make it alone. … They need us and we need them.
The Atonement of Jesus Christ has given the Savior the power to help you grow into the young man He knows you can be.
What we say and how we present ourselves not only betray our inner person but also mold that person, those around us, and finally our whole society.
Articles
“Will our faith be tested? I believe so. Might we see disappointment and heartache and calamity? Again, I believe so. But we live with the ringing reassurance from the Savior both in this sermon and elsewhere that He is in charge.”
“May we be discerning of the language used in the world today, and may our own language be ever in harmony with His will.”
You young men and you young women, most of you will marry and have children. Your children will have children, as will the children who come after them. Life is a great chain of generations that we in the Church believe must be linked together.
Articles
Reprinted in Eloquent Witness, The Collected Works of Hugh Nibley 17. 483–500.
Discusses the importance of the temple throughout history and in various civilizations to show its importance in modern day.
“Temples Everywhere” (2005)
“Temples Everywhere” (2008)