Review of “Is Mormonism Christian?” (2002), by Craig L. Blomberg

Review of Martha Beck. Leaving the Saints: How I Lost the Mormons and Found My Faith.

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 Ashamed of Joseph: Mormon Foundations Crumble (1993), by Charles Crane and Steven Crane.

Review of Same-Sex Dynamics among Nineteenth-Century Americans: A Mormon Example (1996), by D. Michael Quinn

Review of Early Mormonism and the Magic World View (1998), by D. Michael Quinn

Review of The Geography of the Book of Mormon Events: A Source Book (1990), by John L. Sorenson.

Review of Charting the Book of Mormon (1999), by John W. Welch and J. Gregory Welch

Dean Jessee presents and supplements Joseph Knight’s firsthand account of early church history events involving Joseph Smith and others.

Review of Sam Harris. The Ends of Faith: Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reason.

Review of Inside the Mind of Joseph Smith: Psychobiography and the Book of Mormon (1999), by Robert D. Anderson

Review of Fathers and Sons in the Book of Mormon (1991), by E. Douglas Clark and Robert S. Clark.

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.

While imprisoned in Liberty Jail in Missouri in 1839, the Prophet Joseph Smith directed the church members to gather statements and affidavits about the sufferings and abuses put on them by the people of Missouri. Of the surviving affidavits, five speak directly about the Book of Mormon as a test of faith. Several were offered their lives, property, and safety if they would deny the Book of Mormon and denounce the divine calling of the Prophet Joseph Smith. Those who refused to recant were robbed of their property, whipped, beaten, slandered, and jailed.

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.

Review of The Book of Mormon: Restored Covenant Edition (1999), by Zarahemla Research Foundation

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.

Review of Paul Copan and William Lane Craig. “Craftsman or Creator? An Examination of the Mormon Doctrine of Creation and a Defense of Creatio ex nihilo.” In The New Mormon Challenge: Responding to the Latest Defenses of a Fast-Growing Movement

The word resurrection is employed at varying frequencies in specific books and by individual writers in the Book of Mormon. Although Alma uses resurrection most often overall, Abinadi uses it more often per thousand words spoken. Some phrases in which resurrection is used in unique patterns by different speakers include power of the resurrection, first resurrection, and resurrection with the words time or with body. Some phrasal uses of resurrection in the Book of Mormon are not found in the Bible (such as resurrection and presence appearing together). This study of the usage of one individual word appears to show that individual voices are preserved in the Book of Mormon.

Leather-bound copies of the first edition of the 586-page Book of Mormon were published and sold beginning March 26, 1830. Before there was a prophet, there was a translator-legally the “author and proprietor” of the Book. The title page told of the plates written “by the spirit of Prophecy and Revelation’’ from which the Book originated. Before the publication was complete, Joseph Smith had encouraged Oliver Cowdery that “a great call for our books” had already commenced. The Book emerged before there was any church to join. The rest would come later; initially individuals decided how they would respond to this “Golden Bible.” Was it counterfeit or divine? Was it the “greatest piece of superstition’’ or a “revelation from God”? What would it be to them?

Review of To Mothers & Fathers from the Book of Mormon (1991), by Blaine Yorgason and Brenton Yorgason.

Two additional parallels to the exodus pattern include death and burial in the desert and the transfiguration of Nephi and Moses.

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 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 The Book of Mormon: Mosiah, Salvation Only through Christ (1991), edited by Monte S. Nyman and Charles D. Tate Jr.

Roy Johnson examines the rituals and formulas of oaths, types of oaths, and the use of oaths in both the Old Testament and the Book of Mormon. Johnson compares the use of oaths, curses, and covenants in the Old Testament and the Book of Mormon to show that the relationship among those three acts is the same in both books.

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.

The customary interpretation of 3 Nephi 11:1 has been that those around the temple in Bountiful were showing one another the “ great and marvelous change” that had taken place in the land. However, Jones argues that those people were discussing instead the change that had taken place in their hearts. By examining the context in which this scripture appears and by interpreting other scriptures, especially ones emphasizing the way in which most revelation is received, Jones shows that the atonement of Jesus Christ and the individuals’ subsequent change of heart would have been the main topic of their discussion and would therefore be an appropriate understanding of the scripture.

When the Book of Mormon was first published in 1830, there were 5,000 copies printed. It is unclear how many of those copies still exist today, but each was worth approximately $5,000 in the 1980s. One such copy, after being passed from one person to another for over a century, finally fell into the hands of Gerald E. Jones. Using a note left on the inside cover by a former owner, Jones was able to track the journey of the book and discover who many of its owners were.

Third Nephi 8 preserves a written account of a natural disaster at the time of Christ’s death that many assume to have been caused by volcanic activity. In a modern-day science quest, the author examines research done on glacial ice cores from Greenland and Antarctica. Ice-core records can reveal volcanic gases and ashes that are carried throughout the world—the gases are detected by measuring the acidity of the ice at various layers. Many factors influence the findings and the proposed datings of the volcanic events. The ice-core records offer some evidence, though not conclusive, of a volcanic eruption around the time of Christ’s death.

This statement addresses the implication that Smith Institute scholars agree with Grant Palmer’s opinions concerning Latter-day Saint origins

This article compares statements by the Jewish philosopher Maimonides and the Latter-day Saint prophet Joseph Smith concerning the corporeality of God.

Israeli scholar Raphael Jospe encourages greater understanding and dialogue between Jews and Latter-day Saints. He points out issues that divide the two groups and issues for which there may be common ground. He specifically addresses the often fruitful tension that exists between universalism and particularism in the two faiths, both historically and today.

Review of Ed J. Pinegar and Richard J. Allen. Teachings and Commentaries on the Book of Mormon.

Review of An Epistle from the New Testament Apostles (1999), by John W. Welch

Whenever a new movie depicts the events associated with the Gospel accounts of Jesus’s passion, it must decide how to portray the Roman governor Pontius Pilate. Was Pilate a pawn in the hands of the Jewish leaders? Was he acting independently according to his own imperium? What responsibility did the Roman governor bear in the trial and condemnation of Jesus? These questions are not new, for early Christians dealt with the same issues and came to a variety of conclusions.

Review of Mormons and Jews: Early Mormon Theologies of Israel (1992), by Steven Epperson.

This article discusses the evolvement of Book of Mormon apologetics. Although Book of Mormon scholarship was originally intended for an exclusively Latter-day Saint audience, it has since broadened to address a more scholarly and secular audience.