Discusses earthenware manufacture in antiquity. Points out that some bottles and pottery vessels dug up on the American continent resemble elephants. Also mentions that the discovery of elephant bones in the United States tend to prove the truth of the Jaredite record.

Discusses earthenware manufacture in antiquity. Points out that some bottles and pottery vessels dug up on the American continent resemble elephants. Also mentions that the discovery of elephant bones in the United States tend to prove the truth of the Jaredite record.

Discusses earthenware manufacture in antiquity. Points out that some bottles and pottery vessels dug up on the American continent resemble elephants. Also mentions that the discovery of elephant bones in the United States tend to prove the truth of the Jaredite record.

Quoting a clipping from the Denver Post written by Doctor Baum who had conducted expeditions in the southwestern United States, the author wonders why the archaeologists do not read the Book of Mormon to find answers to their questions about ancient inhabitants of America.

A children’s story of Abinadi preaching to King Noah.

A children’s story of how Alma believed Abinadi and then organized the Church of Christ after preaching in secret to the people.

A children’s story of the angel that appeared to Alma the Younger and the four sons of Mosiah and how they were converted by this experience.

A children’s story of Ammon teaching among the Lamanites.

A children’s story of Amulek.

A children’s story of Nephi and Lehi and the miracles that took place inside the Lamanite prison.

A children’s story of Nephi and Lehi who were protected by a circle of fire in a Lamanite prison and converted all the Lamanites who were present.

A children’s story of how Nephi asked God to smite the earth with a famine instead of having the people destroyed by the sword so that the people might repent.

A story for children about Gideon who came up with a plan for King Limhi and his people to escape from the bondage of the Lamanites.

A children’s story of Helaman and the two thousand stripling warriors.

The author rewrites, on a child’s level, topics such as Lehi’s vision and journey into the wilderness, Nephi and the brass plates, Nephi building a ship, the faith of Jacob, Abinadi, Alma, Amulek, Ammon, the Anti-Nephi-Lehies, Helaman, Samuel the Lamanite, the brother of Jared, and Moroni hiding the brass plates.

A children’s story of Jacob from the time he was born in the wilderness to his meeting with Sherem, the anti-Christ.

A story for children of Lehi leaving Jerusalem for the promised land.

A children’s story of Mormon up to the time he received the plates.

A story for children about Moroni.

A children’s story of Nephi prophesying of the murder of the chief judge. Many people thought Nephi was guilty, but Nephi shows that the chief judge’s brother, Seantum, actually did it.

A children’s story of Nephi making a new bow to feed his family while they were in the wilderness.

A children’s story of Nephi building a ship to travel to the promised land.

A story for children. Nephi mourned for his people because of their wickedness and the Lord comforted him. Nephi saw the signs and wonders of Christ being born in Jerusalem.

A children’s story of a maid servant of Morianton who warned Moroni of Morianton’s plans, which in turn allowed Moroni to stop the people of Morianton.

A children’s story of Nephi getting the plates of brass from Laban.

A story for children about the Anti-Nephi-Lehies and the 1005 that were killed by the Lamanites after they had taken an oath not to take up weapons against their brethren.

A children’s story of Samuel the Lamanite.

A story for children about three Nephite generals—Moroni, Teancum, and Lehi—during a war with the Lamanites.

A story for children. One of Moroni’s soldiers, during a war with the Lamanites, smote and raised Zerahemnah’s scalp up with his sword, which led to a covenant of peace.

Chapter 12 discusses the tradition of “the wandering Jew among the Mormons,” wherein the author cites examples of Mormons seeing one of the Three Nephites or the wandering Jew.

A novel about an Indian’s search for his identity and his encounter with the Book of Mormon.

A novel set in Mexico, detailing the main character’s discovery of the Book of Mormon.

This article is a brief testimony of the truthfulness and value of the Book of Mormon, written by a man who is part Scottish and part Blackfoot Indian.

Book review.

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

Review of Royal Skousen, Robin Scott Jensen, eds., The Joseph Smith Papers: Revelations and Translations Volume 3, Part 1: Printer’s Manuscript of the Book of Mormon 1 Nephi–Alma 35 (Salt Lake City: The Church Historian’s Press, 2015). pp 575. $89.99.
Abstract: All of the volumes in the Joseph Smith Papers series are beautifully presented, with important photographic and excellent typographic versions of the texts. This volume continues by providing this treatment for the Printer’s Manuscript of the Book of Mormon.

Review of Earl M. Wunderli, An Imperfect Book: What the Book of Mormon Tells Us about Itself (Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 2013), 328pp + Appendices, Maps, and Index.
Earl M. Wunderli has written a book that works through the reasons he fell out of belief in the Book of Mormon. These are combined with issues that he has added to his original reasons. His presentation is clearly intended to suggest that what he found compelling will also be compelling to other readers. Should it? This review looks at how his arguments are constructed: his methodology, the logic of the analysis, and the way he uses his sources. Although he argues that it is the Book of Mormon that is the imperfect book, his construction of the arguments makes that designation ironic.

Review of Robert A. Pate. Mapping the Book of Mormon: A Comprehensive Geography of Nephite America.

Abstract: Nephite apostates turned away from true worship in consistent and predictable ways throughout the Book of Mormon. Their beliefs and practices may have been the result of influence from the larger socioreligious context in which the Nephites lived. A Mesoamerican setting provides a plausible cultural background that explains why Nephite apostasy took the particular form it did and may help us gain a deeper understanding of some specific references that Nephite prophets used when combating that apostasy. We propose that apostate Nephite religion resulted from the syncretization of certain beliefs and practices from normative Nephite religion with those attested in ancient Mesoamerica. We suggest that orthodox Nephite expectations of the “heavenly king” were supplanted by the more present and tangible “divine king.”.

Review of Samuel Morris Brown, Joseph Smith’s Translation: The Words and Worlds of Early Mormonism (New York: Oxford University Press, 2020). 314 pages. $34.95 (hardback).
Abstract: Samuel M. Brown opens up a new and expansive view of Joseph Smith as a religious thinker. Written for an academic audience, Brown is intentionally dealing with what can be seen and understood about Joseph Smith’s various translations, a term that Brown uses not only for texts, but for concepts of bringing the world of the divine into contact with the human domain. This is a history of the interaction of a person and the world of his thought, from the first text (the Book of Mormon) to the last, which Brown considers to be the temple rites.

Review of Earl M. Wunderli. “Critique of a Limited Geography for Book of Mormon Events.” Dialogue 35/3 (2002): 161–97.

Abstract: The 1985 publication of John L. Sorenson’s An Ancient American Setting for the Book of Mormon presented the best argument for a New World location for the Book of Mormon. For all of its strengths, however, one aspect of the model has remained perplexing. It appeared that in order to accept that correlation one must accept that the Nephites rotated north to what we typically understand as northwest. The internal connections between text and geography were tighter than any previous correlation, and the connections between that particular geography and the history of the peoples who lived in that place during Book of Mormon times was also impressive. There was just that little problem of north not being north. This paper reexamines the Book of Mormon directional terms and interprets them against the cultural system that was prevalent in the area defined by Sorenson’s geographical correlation. The result is a way to understand Book of Mormon directions without requiring any skewing of magnetic north.

Review of Daniel L. Belnap, ed., Illuminating the Jaredite Records (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University / Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2020). 320 pages. Hardback, $27.95.
Abstract: Illuminating the Jaredite Record collects ten papers by different Book of Mormon scholars. This is the second publication from the Book of Mormon Academy at Brigham Young University, a collection of scholars interested in the Book of Mormon. As with the first volume, the authors approach the text from different perspectives and thereby illuminate different aspects of the text.

Mormon’s Codex: An Ancient American Book is unquestionably a monument to an impressive career defending, defining, and explaining the Book of Mormon. John L. Sorenson has been for the New World setting of the Book of Mormon what Hugh Nibley was for the Old World setting. From his earliest 1952 publications using anthropology and geography to defend the Book of Mormon to the 2013 publication of Mormon’s Codex, Sorenson has been the dominant force in shaping scholarly discussions about the Book of Mormon in its New World setting. With an impressive 714 pages of text with footnotes, Mormon’s Codex is physically an appropriate capstone to his long publishing career.

[Editor’s Note: We are pleased to present the fifth installment from a book entitled Labor Diligently to Write: The Ancient Making of a Modern Scripture. It is being presented in serialized form as an aid to help readers prepare for the 2020 Come Follow Me course of study. This is a new approach for Interpreter, and we hope you find it helpful.]

[Editor’s Note: We are pleased to present the sixth installment from a book entitled Labor Diligently to Write: The Ancient Making of a Modern Scripture. It is being presented in serialized form as an aid to help readers prepare for the 2020 Come Follow Me course of study. This is a new approach for Interpreter, and we hope you find it helpful.]

[Editor’s Note: We are pleased to present the seventh installment from a book entitled Labor Diligently to Write: The Ancient Making of a Modern Scripture. It is being presented in serialized form as an aid to help readers prepare for the 2020 Come Follow Me course of study. This is a new approach for Interpreter, and we hope you find it helpful.]

[Editor’s Note: We are pleased to present the fourth installment from a book entitled Labor Diligently to Write: The Ancient Making of a Modern Scripture. It is being presented in serialized form as an aid to help readers prepare for the 2020 Come Follow Me course of study. This is a new approach for Interpreter, and we hope you find it helpful.]

Abstract: The Book of Mormon is a literate product of a literate culture. It references written texts. Nevertheless, behind the obvious literacy, there are clues to a primary orality in Nephite culture. The instances of text creation and most instances of reading texts suggest that documents were written by and for an elite class who were able to read and write. Even among the elite, reading and writing are best seen as a secondary method of communication to be called upon to archive information, to communicate with future readers (who would have been assumed to be elite and therefore able to read), and to communicate when direct oral communication was not possible (letters and the case of Korihor). As we approach the text, we may gain new insights into the art with which it was constructed by examining it as the literate result of a primarily oral culture.

Gardner examines the timeline and process that Mormon plausibly underwent when he compiled and added to the Book of Mormon. Mormon’s message is the cycle of history—the Messiah will come again.

Nephi was a younger son of a wealthy family. As one who might not inherit his father's business, it is possible that he was trained for another profession. One of the high-status professions open to him would have been a scribe. Beyond the fact that Nephi produced at least three written works (1 Nephi, 2 Nephi, and the nonextant large-plate book of Lehi), there are other evidences in his writing that betray the kind of traning scribes received. His early professional training may have been an important preparation for his later role in establishing his people as a true people of the book.

Review of David G. Calderwood. Voices from the Dust: New Insights into Ancient America.

Review of William L. Davis, Visions in a Seer Stone: Joseph Smith and the Making of the Book of Mormon (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2020). 250 pages with index. $90.00 (hardback), $29.95 (paperback).
Abstract: Visions in a Seer Stone: Joseph Smith and the Making of the Book of Mormon introduces a new perspective in the examination of the construction of the Book of Mormon. With an important introduction to the elements of early American extemporaneous speaking, Davis applies some of those concepts to the Book of Mormon and suggests that there are elements of the organizational principles of extemporaneous preaching that can be seen in the Book of Mormon. This, therefore, suggests that the Book of Mormon was the result of extensive background work that was presented to the scribe as an extended oral performance.

Review of Nephite culture and Society: Selected Papers (1997), by John L. Sorenson

Review of Gerald E. Smith, Schooling the Prophet: How the Book of Mormon Influenced Joseph Smith and the Early Restoration (Provo, UT: Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship, 2015). pp 305. $19.95.
Abstract: Schooling the Prophet provides a good survey of many early Latter-day Saint doctrines. It suggests that there is a causal link between the Book of Mormon and those doctrines. Sometimes it makes the case; many times it is close but doesn’t quite support the thesis of the book.

Abstract: The Maxwell Institute Study Edition of the Book of Mormon is an important tool for personal and class study of the Book of Mormon. Not only does it provide a better reading experience, it has important features that enhance study.
Review of Grant Hardy, ed. The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, Maxwell Institute Study Edition (Provo, UT: Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship, Religious Studies Center at Brigham Young University / Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2018). 648 pp. $35.00 (paperback).

Review of Terrence J. O’Leary, Book of Mormon: A History of Real People in Real Places (Pennsauken, NJ: BookBaby, 2020). 274 pages. Softcover, $20.
Abstract: Terrence O’Leary enters the field of books attempting to describe a geographical and cultural background to the Book of Mormon. Placing the action of the text in Mesoamerica, O’Leary explains the Book of Mormon against his understanding of the geography and therefore culture of the Book of Mormon peoples. He begins with the Jaredites, then moves to the Nephites and Mulekites. Along the way, he uses historical data to back up his ideas. While I agree with much of what he has written in principle, his lack of expertise in the cultures of Mesoamerica leads to times when he incorrectly uses some of his sources.

Review of Edwin G. Goble and Wayne N. May. This Land: Zarahemla and the Nephite Nation. and Review of Wayne N. May. This Land: Only One Cumorah! and Review of Wayne N. May. This Land: They Came from the East.

Nephi and Mormon, the two writers responsible for the largest amount of text in the Book of Mormon, both similarly used reference material and quotations in their work. Despite that basic similarity, the way each writer used those references and quotations is quite different.

Abstract: At the end of 2012, Jack M. Lyon and Kent R. Minson published “When Pages Collide: Dissecting the Words of Mormon.” They suggest that there is textual evidence that supports the idea that Words of Mormon 12-18 is the translation of the end of the previous chapter of Mosiah. The rest of the chapter was lost with the 116 pages, but this text remained because it was physically on the next page, which Joseph had kept with him.
In this paper, the textual information is examined to determine if it supports that hypothesis. The conclusion is that while the hypothesis is possible, the evidence is not conclusive. The question remains open and may ultimately depend upon one’s understanding of the translation process much more than the evidence from the manuscripts.

Review of Diane E. Wirth. Decoding Ancient America: A Guide to the Archaeology of the Book of Mormon.

Review of John L. Lunds. Mesoamerica and the Book of Mormon: Is This the Place?

Review of Robert A. Rees, A New Witness to the World (Salt Lake City: By Common Consent Press, 2020). 244 pages. $9.95 (paperback).
Abstract: Robert A. Rees has written about the Book of Mormon for over sixty years. In this book are collected sixteen essays that all focus on different aspects of the text of the Book of Mormon, and two that provide a personalized interaction. The topics range from the examination of the spiritual biographies of Nephi and Ammon to the issue of automatic writing as a possibility for the dictation of the Book of Mormon to an essay examining the Nephite 200-year peace.

Review of Heroes from the Book of Mormon (1995), by Deseret Book

Instructional aid: chart and explanation of the Book of Mormon’s compilation. Shows who wrote on which plates and how and by whom those plates were subsequently abridged. Gives approximate dates and span of years for each book, and how many chapters and pages they comprise in the current edition of the Book of Mormon.

Abstract: Active members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints covenant to obey the law of consecration, and although I have long felt we discuss it too little, more Saints seem to be taking notice. Various historical and doctrinal opinions have been expressed on the law and on the “united order,” including some insightful and some unusual opinions by Kent W. Huff in his book Joseph Smith’s United Order.
Using this book along with the contributions of several other scholars and Church leaders as a basis for discussion, I explore the history, meaning, and future of the “united order” as part of the larger law of consecration. Starting as an eleven-man organization in charge of Church business and operating under consecration principles, the united order — actually called the united firm — transformed into the Corporation of the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. According to historians, most Church members did not even know of its existence, let alone participate in it. Traditional understanding is that the firm’s consecration model provided the pattern for the Saints to follow. An alternative interpretation, described by Kent Huff, is that the Saints’ only real attempt at a formal consecration effort was for disaster relief. In fact, according to Huff, the Saints in general did not deed their property to the Church as we’ve learned in Church history classes. He further argues that even the former-day Saints in the City of Enoch, the early Christians in Jerusalem, and the Nephites right after Christ’s visit didn’t really have all things in common in the way most of us have imagined. I disagree with this interpretation and provide evidence against it, but I appreciate the historical information and several philosophical insights that Huff provides. Other scholars and historians challenge the widely-held notions that 1) tithing is a lower law, given because the Saints failed to live the full law of consecration, and that 2) a formal form of consecration (the united order) will eventually return. I advocate instead for the traditional understanding of the law of consecration and stewardship as taught by Church leaders, believing it is the path toward both freedom and equality the world is looking for, and I explain why I believe it — or a similar program — will eventually be reinstated.

How important it is for fathers and sons to work together on the basics in preparing for a mission.

When an Indian’s house burned down and only the Book of Mormon was spared, she bears testimony of the Book of Mormon. “This book has gone through fire for me…Now I am willing to go through fire for it”

The 2010 BYU Church History Symposium How did a church that started with just six official members blossom into a global organization of over fourteen million members? Authors such as Richard L. Bushman, John W. Welch, and Susan Easton Black show how Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, and other leaders established the foundation upon which the Church was built. According to Welch, the Book of Mormon provides the foundational administrative principles of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, “not only its doctrines and instructions for personal living but also its many administrative guidelines.” He went on to say, “The administrative character and personality of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has indeed grown directly from the genetic material found in the Book of Mormon.” This book teaches how the individuals throughout Church history were inspired to restore and establish Christ’s Church in the latter days. ISBN 978-0-8425-2785-9

Latter-day Saints may think Church history in Illinois began in 1839 with establishment of the city of Nauvoo. However, important events took place much earlier in the decade. For example, the missionaries to the Lamanites unexpectedly had to cross the state on their trip from Ohio to Missouri. This happened in 1830, ten years before more prominent events took place in the history of the Church in Illinois. This occurrence made Illinois one of only four states to receive missionaries in the year 1830. The Church grew rapidly there, and by 1835 it was likely the fourth largest religious body in the state. This account fills in the ten-year gap of Church history in Illinois using both LDS and non-LDS sources. The book tells the story of the conversion of future Apostle Charles C. Rich. It also talks about the Saints’ involvement in the so-called Mormon War. Other chapters discuss the events of Zion’s Camp, Kirtland Camp, and the Saints’ exodus from Missouri to Quincy, Illinois. ISBN 978-0-8425-2652-4

A glossary of archaic words

As a missionary in the Eastern States Mission, Crawford Gates participated in the Hill Cumorah Pageant in 1941. Although he loved the music and considered it appropriate to the Book of Mormon scenes of the pageant, he thought then that the pageant needed its own tailor-made musical score. Twelve years later he was given the opportunity to create that score. Gates details the challenge of creating a 72-minute musical score for a full symphony orchestra and chorus while working full time as a BYU music faculty member and juggling church and family responsibilities. When that score was retired 31 years later, Gates was again appointed to create a score for the new pageant. He relates further experiences arising from that assignment.

Jacob F. Gates relates the interview which his father, Jacob Gates, had with Oliver Cowdery in 1849. In response to Gates’ questions, Oliver Cowdery testified that the Book of Mormon “was translated by the gift and power of God” and that he had received the priesthood by an angel whose hand “I felt…as plainly as I could feel yours.”

A script for a dramatic presentation depicting the conversion of King Lamoni, written to encourage greater interest in the Book of Mormon among the young women of the Church.

A script for a dramatic presentation depicting the conversion of King Lamoni, written to encourage greater interest in the Book of Mormon among the young women of the Church.

A debate between a Mormon apologist and Mormon critic dealing primarily with the Bible and the Book of Mormon. A variety of Book of Mormon issues are discussed, including the Anthon episode, the testimonies of the Book of Mormon witnesses, Bible prophecies and the Book of Mormon, and the use of Egyptian by Book of Mormon writers.

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.

Several maps from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries support details of Lehi’s journey as recorded in the Book of Mormon. In 1751, the renowned cartographer Jean Baptiste Bourguignon D’Anville became the first to include Nahom (or Nehem), Ishmael’s burial place in the Book of Mormon, in his map of Asia. This map and a 1771 map of Yemen are the basis for most accurate maps of Arabia from 1751 to 1814. The spelling varies among the subsequent maps, with most using either D’Anville’s Nehem or Niebuhr’s Nehhm, but the location of Nahom does not differ between those maps that include Nahom. The mention of Nahom on the finest maps by the greatest cartographers of the times, in a location that corresponds to Lehi’s account, gives credence to Lehi’s travels.

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.

Review of Written by the Finger of God: A Testimony of Joseph Smith's Translations (1993), by Joe Sampson.

Review of Christ and the New Covenant: The Messianic Message of the Book of Mormon (1997), by Jeffrey R. Holland

In recent years, a large number of ancient writings have been found in and around Israel. While many of these include names found in the Bible and other ancient texts, others were previously unattested in written sources. Some of these previously unattested names, though unknown in the Bible, are found in the Book of Mormon. The discovery of these Hebrew names in ancient inscriptions provides remarkable evidence for the authenticity of the Book of Mormon and provides clear refutation of those critics who would place its origin in nineteenth-century America. This article explores several Book of Mormon proper names that are attested from Hebrew inscriptions. Names included are Sariah, Alma, Abish, Aha, Ammonihah, Chemish, Hagoth, Himni, Isabel, Jarom, Josh, Luram, Mathoni, Mathonihah, Muloki, and Sam—none of which appear in English Bibles.

The verb to seal occurs some 34 times in the Book of Mormon. In most of these instances the verb takes (is followed by) a direct object referring to such things as the law, a book, records, words, an account, an epistle, an interpretation, revelation, the truth, and the stone interpreters. Twice, however, the verb to seal takes a person as a direct object that is qualified by a possessive pronoun: Therefore, I would that ye should be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in good works, that Christ, the Lord God Omnipotent, may seal you his, that you may be brought to heaven, that ye may have everlasting salvation and eternal life, through the wisdom, and power, and justice, and mercy of him who created all things, in heaven and in earth, who is God above all. (Mosiah 5:15; emphasis added)

Using different methodological approaches and considerations, Thomas Wayment and John Gee each approach the question of whether Paul was speaking to his spouse in Philippians 4:3; their intent is to determine if the question can be answered with any degree of confidence. The related question of whether Paul was ever married is not addressed here, although that issue has been of interest since at least the second century AD and perhaps earlier. Instead, these authors consider only the question of whether a specific noun that is sometimes used to refer to a wife was intentionally used that way by Paul.

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.

A recent issue of a popular journal on ancient Egypt discusses a number of sheets of gold foil incised with Egyptian writing. These artifacts provide some interesting parallels to the Book of Mormon.

Having studied Janne Sjodahl’s work on the number of plates required for the original Book of Mormon text, John Gee examines the potential drawbacks of Sjodahl’s experiment. He concludes that the size of Miller’s script suffices for Sjodahl’s test.

The Greek term often translated as “grace” has a broad range of meaning. Neither Jesus nor the Gospels teach that man is saved by grace alone; Paul is the predominant New Testament writer to use the term. The Protestant concept of grace stems from the time of Augustine. Book of Mormon prophets specify what actions are required to lay hold of the grace of Christ, a boon to be desired.

Review of Quest for the Gold Plates: Thomas Stuart Ferguson's Archaeological Search for the Book of Mormon (1996), by Stan Larson

Abstract: In the Book of Mormon, Nephi draws upon his own knowledge of the Jewish people, their culture and language, and the surrounding area to add to his understanding of Isaiah’s words, and commends that approach to his reader. In his book The Vision of All, it is clear that Joseph Spencer lacks knowledge in these topics, and it negatively affects his interpretation of Isaiah. Specifically, this lack of knowledge causes him to misinterpret the role of the Messiah in Isaiah’s teachings, something that was clear to Isaiah’s ancient readers.
Review of Joseph M. Spencer, The Vision of All: Twenty-five Lectures on Isaiah in Nephi’s Record (Salt Lake City: Greg Kofford Books, 2016). 318 pages. $59.95 (hardback); $29.95 paperback.

Review of Raphael Lataster, Questioning the Historicity of Jesus: Why a Philosophical Analysis Elucidates the Historical Discourse (Leiden, Netherlands: E. J. Brill, 2019). 508 pages. Hardback, $210.
Abstract: In a recent book, Raphael Lataster correctly argues that the acceptance of the general premises of New Testament scholarship, exemplified in the writings of Bart Ehrman, brings into question whether Jesus ever existed. Latter-day Saints who are serious about their witness of Jesus Christ need to be aware that acceptance of these presuppositions undermines their witness of the reality of Jesus Christ and his atonement and makes their faith vain. Why Should We Bother?.

Review of New Approaches to the Book of Mormon: Explorations in Critical Methodology (1993), edited by Brent Lee Metcalfe.

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.

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.

The name Nephi is attested as a Syro-Palestinian Semitic form of an Egyptian man’s name dating from the Late Period in Egypt.

What we have of Jesus’s ministry to the Nephites is an abridged version because the Lord wished to “try the faith of [his] people” (3 Nephi 26:6–13). Dutiful to his charge, Mormon did not provide a full account of Jesus’s teachings, but his son Moroni provided three quotations of portions that his father did not.

Review of Translating the Anthon Transcript (1999), by Stan and Polly Johnson

This article explores what we know about the Joseph Smith Papyri, whether they are connected to the Book of Abraham, and the approaches that Latter-day Saints and non-LDS scholars take when trying to understand such a connection.

Possible scripts for the “reformed Egyptian” referred to in the Book of Mormon include abnormal hieratic and carved hieratic.

Abstract: The Book of Mormon, being an ancient book, was originally written without typographic punctuation and employs verbal punctuation instead. This article looks at the use of “and now” as verbal punctuation in the Book of Mormon. The phrase is used to mark major breaks in the text, not only for chapters but also within chapters of the text. The Book of Mormon usage is borrowed from Classical Biblical Hebrew (the Hebrew used before the exile) and follows the pattern set by pre-exilic Hebrew scribes. While this usage dropped in the Old World after the Babylonian exile as Aramaic replaced Hebrew as the major language spoken, the Book of Mormon preserved the usage until the end of Nephite civilization.

Abstract: One example of verbal punctuation that has a very clear pattern of usage in the Book of Mormon is the term nevertheless. It is used to draw a marked contrast between what the previous text would lead one to expect and what follows it. It is not clear what the ancient antecedent to the term might be and the English term and usage might be an artefact of the translation process. The frequency and usage of nevertheless in the Book of Mormon contrasts with the way that Joseph Smith’s writings use it.

The Book of Mormon was written in a language that was grounded in Hebrew and Egyptian; the people of the Book of Mormon most likely spoke this same language. It is interesting, then, that the Book of Mormon authors periodically included definitions for certain terms that they used in their writing, as if their audience did not understand them. This technique, known as a gloss, suggests that those terms may not have been a part of that ancient language. In an attempt to uncover the true origin of such words, this article dissects the Book of Mormon term Irreantum and delves into its linguistic characteristics to determine whether the term could have originated from Hebrew, Egyptian, ancient South Semitic, or another language.

Abstract: The proliferation of Mormon Studies is surprising, considering that many of the basic questions about the field have never been answered. This paper looks at a number of basic questions about Mormon Studies that are of either academic concern or concern for members of the Church of Jesus Christ. They include such questions as whether Mormon Studies is a discipline, whether those who do Mormon Studies necessarily know what is going on in the Church, or if they interpret their findings correctly, whether there is any core knowledge that those who do Mormon Studies can or should have, what sort of topics Mormon Studies covers or should cover and whether those topics really have anything to do with what Mormons actually do or think about, whether Mormon Studies has ulterior political or religious motives, and whether it helps or hurts the Kingdom. Is Mormon Studies a waste of students’ time and donors’ money? Though the paper does not come up with definitive answers to any of those questions, it sketches ways of looking at them from a perspective within the restored Gospel and suggests that these issues ought to be more carefully considered before Latter-day Saints dive headlong into Mormon Studies in general.

Review of A Book of Mormon Guide: A Simple Way to Teach a Friend (1988), by Wilford A. Fischer and Norma J. Fischer.

The crucifixion of Jesus Christ is an undisputed event from history, which makes the cross of Calvary a real artifact from antiquity. What pattern of evidence unites both secular and believing scholars who assert the reality of a wooden cross without any physical, archaeological evidence? Researchers depend upon early source manuscripts to unlock the historical truths for what befell Jesus of Nazareth. The same approach yields compelling results for another undiscovered relic besides the cross: the golden plates procured by Joseph Smith, Jr. Cross-examining source evidence for the golden plates under the same historical method—a minimal facts approach to infer the best explanation of the facts—determines that Joseph Smith, Jr. did, in fact, obtain an ancient record and have it in his possession. A real cross does not guarantee a resurrection and a historian might not conclude the golden plates were translated by the gift and power of God, but this investigative approach points sincere seekers to a core truth. The golden plates are a genuine artifact—as real as the cross of Calvary—even if never seen by another human in the 20th or 21st centuries. The plates shine forth under the pressures of a strict historical method. This illuminates a new pathway for further investigation into the historicity of the restoration utilizing established resurrection research techniques.

This massive dissertation, originally over 500 pages in length, is filled with impressive details about the settlement, troubles, and expulsion of the Latter-day Saints from northern Missouri, 1836–1839. Since its approval at BYU in 1965, this doctoral dissertation has remained a standard reference work for serious historians. Carefully written and copiously footnoted, this study draws heavily on timeless primary sources as it probes the leading causes for the Mormon War in Missouri. Rapid colonization and the unique religious teachings and practices of the Latter-day Saints are among the main factors emphasized by Dr. Leland H. Gentry. Shortly after the founding of Kirtland, speculation increased among Church members as to the future location of “Zion,” the “New Jerusalem” spoken of in the Book of Mormon. A little over a year later, in the course of a visit to the extreme western edge of the American frontier, Joseph Smith was informed by the Lord that he was standing upon the very land “appointed and consecrated for the gathering of his saints, . . . the land of promise, and the place for the city of Zion.” The urge to get to Zion was strong among the Saints. So intense was the desire of some to settle upon the Land of Promise that they consummated the move in haste and without adequate preparation. Migrating families often found themselves entirely dependent upon the charity of their neighbors. The rapid migrations of so many poor and ill-equipped persons threw the Saints into direct conflict with the older and more established settlers of Missouri. The latter tended to view the rapid influx of Saints as an act designed to secure control of the lands surrounding their homes without legal purchase, a thing far from the heart of any true Saint. Thus while Mormonism had many distinct and unusual features, it had certain elements of affinity with its age. For one thing, it shared the common hope of a perfect society and even inculcated a practical plan for the attainment of the same. It shared the dream of a “Manifest Destiny” for America and turned its attention to the great unsettled West early in its history. Finally it recognized the importance of land in frontier economics and set about to secure as much as was practicable.

From the time the church acquired the property comprising the Hill Cumorah, artist and sculptor Torleif S. Knaphus had often spoken to the Brethren about creating a monument on that hallowed hill. His testimony of the restoration of the gospel created a desire to honor in a tangible way the sacred event of the angel Moroni’s visit to Joseph Smith and Moroni’s eventual transfer of the gold plates to Joseph for translation. This article chronicles Knaphus’s upbringing, artistic development, and conversion to the church. The design and creation of the Hill Cumorah monument were his consuming passion for five years and a rare opportunity to add his testimony to the great latter-day work. He was commissioned to create many statues and bas-reliefs for the church, some of which are featured in a sidebar to this article.

Abstract: The Liahona’s faith-based functionality and miraculous appearance have often been viewed as incongruous with natural law. This paper attempts to reconcile the Liahona to scientific law by displaying similarities between its apparent mechanisms and ancient navigation instruments called astrolabes. It further suggests the Liahona may have been a wedding dowry Ishmael provided to Lehi’s family. The paper displays the integral connection Nephi had to the Liahona’s functionality and how this connection more clearly explains the lack of faith displayed by Nephi’s band during the journey than traditional conceptions of its faith-based functionality.
“Yet I will say with regard to miracles, there is no such thing save to the ignorant — that is, there never was a result wrought out by God or by any of His creatures without there being a cause for it. There may be results, the causes of which we do not see or understand, and what we call miracles are no more than this — they are the results or effects of causes hidden from our understandings … [I]t is hard to get the people to believe that God is a scientific character, that He lives by science or strict law, that by this He is, and by law He was made what He is; and will remain to all eternity because of His faithful adherence to law. It is a most difficult thing to make the people believe that every art and science and all wisdom comes from Him, and that He is their Author.”
— Brigham Young.

The complete Book of Mormon has been translated into Japanese no fewer than three times. The first translation was done by a young American missionary, Alma O. Taylor, the second by Sat Tatsui, the first native Japanese person to undertake the challenge, and the third after World War II by a committee appointed by the First Presidency. The challenges of translating concepts such as God, Spirit, or atonement into a language that shares no linguistic or cultural commonalities with the language of the inspired translation of the Book of Mormon are overwhelming. When attempting to communicate in a culture that does not acknowledge supreme deity or the kinship connection between God and man or life after death, a simple concept such as damnation can be challenging to convey. In addition, dramatic changes have occurred in the Japanese language over past century. The written Japanese language has changed with a rapidity that is unfathomable in English.

The first Latter-day Saint missionaries to Japan encountered formidable language, religious, and cultural barriers. After considerable efforts, Church officials closed the mission in 1924. Later, the gospel was reintroduced in mid-century, when it took root. Since that time, Mormon missionaries have baptized many believers, several missions have opened, auxiliary organizations such as the Relief Society have been instituted, and two temples have been constructed. This volume celebrates the Church’s first hundred years among the Japanese. The articles explore such issues as the Japanese presses’ portrayal of Mormonism and answer questions such as what the historical and cultural challenges are to successful missionary work in Japan; why the Book of Mormon needed to be translated three times in one century; and whether Latter-day Saint converts hail from specific areas based on the region’s religious traditions. The essays in the book let readers witness the expansion and growth of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints among the Japanese.

While attempting to determine the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon the author asked many questions, including, “Is the Bible incomplete?” “Was the book of Revelation to be the final word?” “Did the biblical prophets prophesy of the Book of Mormon?” “Are the testimonies of the Three Witnesses true?” Ghormley answers these and other questions.

Review of Norman the Nephite's and Larry the Lamanite's Book of Mormon Time Line (1995), by Pat Bagley

The author considers Mormon theology “stupid and retrogressive” and the Book of Mormon to be “dull and prolix in the extreme” After a brief review of the Book of Mormon narrative the author notes the allegedly anachronistic use of King James English and New Testament ideas. The Spaulding theory is evaluated based upon the recent discovery of the manuscript by James Harris Fairchild. The author notes the dissimilarities between the two documents and concludes that Spaulding played no part in the origin of 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 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 fictional story for a popular audience. The young Mulek learns about boat building from the prophet Jeremiah. He must learn this to someday build a fieet to sail to the American continent.

A fictional book based upon the exodus of Lehi’s family from Jerusalem and their journey to the promised land, written from the perspective of Lehi’s wife, Sariah.

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.

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.

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.

Sheet music written in commemoration of the centennial of the year Moroni entrusted the plates to Joseph Smith.

This article describes President George Albert Smith’s visit to Mexico City. Several prophecies concerning the Lamanites are quoted to show the importance of the Lamanites in the last days.

Pejorative psychological explanation of Joseph Smith. Claims that Joseph Smith “breathed an air saturated with the superstitions of debased forms of Christianity, pervaded with beliefs in signs, wonders and heavenly testimonials and peopled with spirits, angels and devils” Sees the Book of Mormon in this setting. Avers that while Joseph Smith worked on the Book of Mormon, he “appears to have assumed a multiplicity of personalities”

Lists two-and-a-half pages of citations of books on the Book of Mormon published before April 1984. Also includes reprints of published book reviews of many of the listed books.

Book of Mormon bibliography arranged alphabetically by author.

Bibliography of books and articles about the Book of Mormon arranged according to subjects.

This one hundred page bibliography of books and articles written about the Book of Mormon is listed according to their date of publication.

The preliminary work for this annotated bibliography.

Review of Eldin Ricks's Thorough Concordance of LDS Standard Works (1995), by Eldin Ricks.

Review of Alonzo L. Gaskill, Miracles of the Book of Mormon: A Guide to the Symbolic Messages, 2015, Springville, UT: Cedar Fort, 447 pp. + bibliography, appendix of Brief Biographical Sketches of Ancient and Modern Non-LDS Sources Cited, index, etc. Hardbound. $27.99.
Abstract: Author Alonzo L. Gaskill has used his considerable scholarly and spiritual skills to provide the reader with a book that describes and applies to our lives the miracles found in the Book of Mormon, some of which may have slipped the reader’s eyes, mind, and heart.

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.”

Book review.

Gives a list of Book of Mormon scriptures and their location as quoted and used in the writings of Hugh Nibley.

Review of A Sure Foundation: Answers to Difficult Gospel Questions.

Abstract: Latter-day Saints have always been encouraged to seek the truth wherever it can be found. With the Book of Mormon being written especially to the Lamanites, we can assume that the more we know about Lamanite and Native American culture, the more we can understand, appreciate and gain insights as we read that inspired scripture. In this article the writer has compared examples from Native American culture and history to what we read in the Book of Mormon and experience as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Most importantly, as we read through the eyes of a Native American, we can appreciate the divinity and authenticity of the Book of Mormon, since Joseph Smith could not have known Native American culture and history in the way it is described herein.
THE BOOK OF MORMON
AN ACCOUNT WRITTEN BY
THE HAND OF MORMON
UPON PLATES
TAKEN FROM THE PLATES OF NEPHI
Wherefore, it is an abridgment of the record of the people of Nephi, and also of the Lamanites—Written to the Lamanites, who are a remnant of the house of Israel; and also to Jew and Gentile—.

A cave found in Israel contains ancient inscriptions in Old Hebrew and drawings of human figures and sailing vessels. It contains the name Lei that is an equivalent of Lehi.

This article has been adapted from the author’s book By the Hand of Mormon: The American Scripture That Launched a New World Religion. The author discusses three common understandings of the term revelation: (1) revelation as doctrine, (2) revelation as history, and (3) revelation as inner experience. He suggests that the Book of Mormon introduces a fourth type: revelation as dialogue. This form of revelation allows individuals to have direct contact with God, rather than only through the scriptures, and can be applied to our lives just as it was to the lives of those living in Book of Mormon times.

In this paper, I want to make some tentative observations about the way in which the Book of Mormon has contributed to the fashioning of a particular religious vocabulary, or to be more specific, the disclosure of a particular religious epistemology. I am not arguing that this epistemology necessarily signaled a radical break from Protestantism, or that it conditions a religious vocabulary wholly lacking in Protestant equivalents. Rather, I hope to suggest that the role of the Book of Mormon in framing the concept of prayer and revelation in particular is connected to subtle shades of differences and distinctions which are worth examining. [From the text]

“Jan Shipps noted decades ago that the appearance of The Book of Mormon in 1830 was so shrouded in supernatural claims involving gold plates, “magic spectacles,” and ancient Christians that many non-​Mormons “wonder how any intelligent person could ever accept it as true.” One answer may be found in the ways in which the record appropriates and reshapes an extensive language and theology of covenant that would have been powerfully resonant to nineteenth-​century readers. The Book of Mormon emerges in the context of the period’s pervasive pseudo-​biblicism and, more particularly, within a long tradition of covenantal rhetoric. The book is replete with Midrash-​like texts built around Isaiah, aspects of Israelite religion, Jewish protagonists, and temple building. At the same time, the book is introduced by its final editor as an assurance to an American remnant of Israel of “the covenants of the Lord, that they are not cast off.” The term covenant further occurs almost 200 times—​ but undergoes particular permutations that endow the concept with recontextualized and therefore new shades of meaning. A consideration of the scripture’s engagement with and reconfigurations of covenant theology can go a long way, then, toward explaining its initial successful reception. The Book of Mormon’s new covenant theology also proves absolutely essential to Smith’s own restoration project—​which would consist of implementing his particular vision of the gospel as the “new and everlasting covenant.” Finally, The Book of Mormon serves the essential function of Puritan covenant theology by itself embodying an alternative means of salvational certitude, both in its alleged concrete facticity and in modeling the possibility of personal, dialogic revelation from God to each seeking individual.” [Author]

Royal Skousen’s endeavor to recover the original text of the Book of Mormon is more complicated than it seems because it involves more than simply reproducing the original manuscript. Rather, what Skousen means by “original text” is the very language that appeared on the Urim and Thummim. Every subsequent step, such as Joseph’s reading, his scribes’ understanding and transcribing of that utterance, and Oliver Cowdery’s copying of the manuscript for the printer, exposed the text to the possibility of human subjectivity and error. This paper explains the nature and scope of Skousen’s monumental undertaking and presents some of the methods and reasoning he employs to resolve disputed textual variants in search the Book of Mormon’s original text.

This essay challenges criticism of the alleged origins of the Book of Mormon and argues a common-sense approach to support the authenticity of the Book of Mormon.

Joseph Smith was an explorer, a discoverer, and a revealer of past worlds. He described an ancient America replete with elaborate detail and daring specificity, rooted and grounded in what he claimed were concrete, palpable artifacts. He recuperated texts of Adam, Abraham, Enoch, and Moses to resurrect and reconstitute a series of past patriarchal ages, not as mere shadows and types of things to come, but as dispensations of gospel fullness equaling, and in some cases surpassing, present plenitude. And he revealed an infinitely receding premortal past—not of the largely mythic Platonic variety and not a mere Wordsworthian, sentimental intimation—but a fully formed realm of human intelligences, divine parents, and heavenly councils.

The Book of Mormon treats many topics that most nineteenth-century Christians would have been thoroughly familiar with: the fall, atonement, and resurrection, just to name a few. However, the Book of Mormon treats these subjects in a way that would have required such readers to rethink their relationship with the divine, their place in Christian history, and God’s relationship to history. Christ’s visit to the New World, the continuance of the scriptural canon, and abundant personalized revelation all create a text that is both familiar and radical.

Givens first recounts the six visions that Nephi records in the Book of Mormon. He then suggests five themes from these visions: personal revelation, focus on Jesus Christ, wilderness and varieties of Zion, new configurations of scripture, and the centrality of family. Finally, he expands on each of these themes individually, explaining how they are illustrated throughout the Book of Mormon.

An important part of discipleship is knowing what questions to ask—and which ones have not yet been adequately answered. From the beginning to recent times, prophets have reminded the Saints that the Restoration is ongoing, not an event. Our purpose in assembling this collection of essays is simple: we wish to celebrate the miracle of continuing revelation, and the promise of more to come, that God will “yet reveal many great and important things.” This means that the essays selected for inclusion represent only a few of the hundreds of possible subjects. Ours is an effort to clarify some of the hazy borders of orthodoxy and to honor the dynamism, the richness, and the possibilities of a Restoration still very much in process of unfolding. Joseph Smith taught, “By proving contraries truth is manifest.” A fuller understanding of truth can come by keeping multiple perspectives in mind and letting them work themselves out in patience and God’s own time, like fruitful leaven. Topics include: What is the nature of God’s progress? Where did Book of Mormon events take place? What is women’s relationship to priesthood? Is God subject to or the creator of eternal law? Will things get better or worse before the Second Coming? Was Jesus married? Is the Song of Solomon scripture? How was the Book of Mormon translated? “We as Latter-day Saints have too often felt sure about things the prophets haven’t actually decided, and about things God seems to have left open for us to reflect on humbly. This breathtakingly honest collection of essays does excellent work to make clear just how much we in fact don’t know. That there’s so much to learn is wonderful news, however. We’ll have to bring all of our minds, and not just all of our hearts, to the task of being earnest disciples.” —Joseph Spencer, author of 1st Nephi: A Brief Theological Introduction “This much-needed engagement with . . . interesting theological questions is long overdue.” —Blake T. Ostler, Esq., author of the four-volume Exploring Mormon Thought book series on Latter-day Saint theology

Mormons “reject anti- Semitism as an intrinsically distasteful ideology” This is based on the Mormon interpretation of Ezekiel 37:16-17, which explains that the Book of Mormon is the stick of Joseph and the Bible is the stick of Judah. The Book of Mormon teaches that the “New Jerusalem” will be established on the American continent by Israelites. Descendants of Judah will reestablish Old Jerusalem. The LDS church, according to the Book of Mormon, will concern itself with building the “New Jerusalem” on the American continent.

Five-part series offers a brief sketch of the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. Claims that the Lord himself visited Joseph Smith on September 21, 1823, and told Joseph that the American Indians were a remnant of Israel and that the record on precious plates was made of brass. Martin Harris was never allowed to see the plates, even though his name appears as one of the Three Witnesses. Parts of the Book of Mormon story resemble the Koran, Paradise Lost, and Spaulding’s manuscript.

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).

Book review.

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.

Abstract: The story often referred to as Alma’s conversion narrative is too often interpreted as a simplistic plagiarism of Paul’s conversion-to-Christianity story in the book of Acts. Both the New and Old Testaments appropriate an ancient narrative genre called the prophetic commissioning story. Paul’s and Alma’s commissioning narratives hearken back to this literary genre, and to refer to either as pilfered is to misunderstand not just these individual narratives but the larger approach Hebraic writers used in composing biblical and Book of Mormon narrative. To the modern mind the similarity in stories triggers explanations involving plagiarism and theft from earlier stories and denies the historicity of the narratives; ancient writers — especially of Hebraic narrative — had a quite different view of such concerns. To deny the historical nature of the stories because they appeal to particular narrative conventions is to impose a mistaken modern conceptual framework on the texts involved. A better and more complex grasp of Hebraic narrative is a necessary first step to understanding these two (and many more) Book of Mormon and biblical stories.
The idea of conversion has both a history and a geography.1