Echoes And Evidences Of The Book Of Mormon

What about the Book of Mormon? That it is a controversial book cannot be denied. Many do not accept it as scripture. They believe that Joseph Smith, Jr., "wrote" it. They also believe that the Bible is the only scripture ever written, but nowhere does the Bible make that claim. This belief is not biblical. In fact, just the opposite is true. The Bible testifies to the existence of other written scriptures and specifically a second scripture written about the tribe of Joseph (Ezekiel 37:19). This Joseph is the same Joseph of the coat of many colors, the same Joseph sold into slavery in Egypt and the same Joseph that saved Egypt and all of the tribes of Israel from the seven-year famine that occurred. Due to his lack of knowledge and education, if Joseph Smith, Jr., had written The Book of Mormon, it would have been disproven years ago. Instead, as time passes, more and more of it is proven to be correct. Joseph Smith could not have written it for many reasons, not the least of which is the fact that he was a barely literate man. He knew very little of the scriptures and no Hebrew at all. Yet The Book of Mormon is clearly written by highly educated men with a strong background in Hebrew customs and writing techniques, none of which were known by any American in the 1800s. More information on this subject will be explored within this book. This book was begun by direction of the Holy Spirit and written to the entire body of Christ. Some might ask why they should read it. Some will read it to try to refute it; others will read it to learn, and still others will use it to further their own agendas. However, you should read it and pray over it, asking God through His Holy Spirit to give you a witness as to its validity. We need direction from the Holy Spirit because we are always vulnerable to error. Even prophets can be deceived (2 Chronicles, Chapter 18). Satan will do anything he can to prevent us from gaining unity in our fight against him. For years he has used the "divide and conquer" plan, and we have fallen prey to it. It is time we stop fighting over our petty differences and start working together for the salvation of all mankind. The harvest is plentiful; it is time to bring it in, and we can do it! With the help of God through His Son Jesus Christ and His Holy Spirit, we can accomplish what would otherwise be impossible on our own.

This is volume 27 of Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture published by The Interpreter Foundation. It contains articles on a variety of topics including: The Book of Mormon Witnesses and Their Challenge to Secularism, Their Imperfect Best: Isaianic Authorship from an LDS Perspective, “I Kneeled Down Before My Maker”: Allusions to Esau in the Book of Enos, Two New Studies of Biblical Repentance A Modern Translation of Genesis 1–11 in the Traditional Sense, “How long can rolling waters remain impure?”: Literary Aspects of the Doctrine and Covenants, Gazelem the Jaredite, Should We Apologize for Apologetics?, Marjorie Newton on “The Mormons in Australia” — A Retrospective Review, The Divine Council in the Hebrew Bible and the Book of Mormon Miracles in the Book of Mormon, Barlow on Book of Mormon Language: An Examination of Some Strained Grammar, “He Did Go About Secretly”: Additional Thoughts on the Literary Use of Alma’s Name, Janus Parallelism in the Book of Job: A Review of Scott B. Noegel’s Work, An Important Year in History, Heralding a New Age of Book of Mormon Scholarship Jacob’s Protector, Christmastime: When Our Souls Can Sing.

In the early 1800s, many people criticized the Prophet Joseph Smith for his prophecies and revelations; today, several evidences prove that Joseph was right. Michael Ash, a well-known LDS apologist, explains why it is useful, and perhaps even necessary, to combine reason with faith in our testimony of Joseph Smith. He reminds us that although secular evidences can't replace a spiritual witness, they can support a testimony and provide an atmosphere where a spiritual witness can flourish. Using scholarly journal articles and ancient Jewish and Christian writings, Ash provides evidences that show how the Book of Mormon is a true account of an ancient people, how LDS scriptures are consistent with the traditions and culture of ancient Israel, and how the doctrines of the Church accurately reflect the teachings of Christ. Ash writes clearly and simply, providing numerous resources to foster further study. With over 80 evidences, this book is an excellent resource for those seeking more information about Joseph Smith and his works.

Mark Twain once derided the Book of Mormon as "chloroform in print." Long and complicated, written in the language of the King James version of the Bible, it boggles the minds of many. Yet it is unquestionably one of the most influential books ever written. With over 140 million copies in print, it is a central text of one of the largest and fastest-growing faiths in the world. And, Grant Hardy shows, it's far from the coma-inducing doorstop caricatured by Twain. In Understanding the Book of Mormon, Hardy offers the first comprehensive analysis of the work's narrative structure in its 180 year history. Unlike virtually all other recent world scriptures, the Book of Mormon presents itself as an integrated narrative rather than a series of doctrinal expositions, moral injunctions, or devotional hymns. Hardy takes readers through its characters, events, and ideas, as he explores the story and its messages. He identifies the book's literary techniques, such as characterization, embedded documents, allusions, and parallel narratives. Whether Joseph Smith is regarded as author or translator, it's noteworthy that he never speaks in his own voice; rather, he mediates nearly everything through the narrators Nephi, Mormon, and Moroni. Hardy shows how each has a distinctive voice, and all are woven into an integral whole. As with any scripture, the contending views of the Book of Mormon can seem irreconcilable. For believers, it is an actual historical document, transmitted from ancient America. For nonbelievers, it is the work of a nineteenth-century farmer from upstate New York. Hardy transcends this intractable conflict by offering a literary approach, one appropriate to both history and fiction. Regardless of whether readers are interested in American history, literature, comparative religion, or even salvation, he writes, the book can best be read if we examine the text on its own terms.

Regarded as sacred scripture by millions, the Book of Mormon -- first published in 1830 -- is one of the most significant documents in American religious history. This new reader-friendly version reformats the complete, unchanged 1920 text in the manner of modern translations of the Bible, with paragraphs, quotations marks, poetic forms, topical headings, multichapter headings, indention of quoted documents, italicized reworkings of biblical prophecies, and minimized verse numbers. It also features a hypothetical map based on internal references, an essay on Book of Mormon poetry, a full glossary of names, genealogical charts, a basic bibliography of Mormon and non-Mormon scholarship, a chronology of the translation, eyewitness accounts of the gold plates, and information regarding the lost 116 pages and significant changes in the text. The Book of Mormon claims to be the product of three historical interactions: the writings of the original ancient American authors, the editing of the fourth-century prophet Mormon, and the translation of Joseph Smith. The editorial aids and footnotes in this edition integrate all three perspectives and provide readers with a clear guide through this complicated text. New readers will find the story accessible and intelligible; Mormons will gain fresh insights from familiar verses seen in a broader narrative context. This is the first time the Book of Mormon has been published with quotation marks, select variant readings, and the testimonies of women involved in the translation process. It is also the first return to a paragraphed format since versification was added in 1879.

Stop looking for the Book of Mormon in Mesoamerica and start looking for Mesoamerica in the Book of Mormon! Second Witness, a new six-volume series from Greg Kofford Books, takes a detailed, verse-by-verse look at the Book of Mormon. It marshals the best of modern scholarship and new insights into a consistent picture of the Book of Mormon as a historical document. Taking a faithful but scholarly approach to the text and reading it through the insights of linguistics, anthropology, and ethnohistory, the commentary approaches the text from a variety of perspectives: how it was created, how it relates to history and culture, and what religious insights it provides. The commentary accepts the best modern scholarship, which focuses on a particular region of Mesoamerica as the most plausible location for the Book of Mormon’s setting. For the first time, that location—its peoples, cultures, and historical trends—are used as the backdrop for reading the text. The historical background is not presented as proof, but rather as an explanatory context. The commentary does not forget Mormon’s purpose in writing. It discusses the doctrinal and theological aspects of the text and highlights the way in which Mormon created it to meet his goal of “convincing . . . the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God.”

This is volume 22 of Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture published by The Interpreter Foundation. It contains articles on a variety of topics including: "The Small Voice," "The Changing Forms of the Latter-day Saint Sacrament," "Assessing the Joseph Smith Papyri: An Introduction to the Historiography of their Acquisitions, Translations, and Interpretations," "'Creator of the First Day': The Glossing of Lord of Sabaoth in D&C 95:7," "Nephi’s Use of Inverted Parallels," "Reclaiming Jacob," "On the Dating of Moroni 8-9," "The Parable of the Benevolent Father and Son," "'Arise from the Dust': Insights from Dust-Related Themes in the Book of Mormon (Part 1: Tracks from the Book of Moses)," "'Arise from the Dust': Insights from Dust-Related Themes in the Book of Mormon (Part 2: Enthronement, Resurrection, and Other Ancient Motifs from the “Voice from the Dust”)," "Reading 1 Nephi With Wisdom," and "'Arise from the Dust': Insights from Dust-Related Themes in the Book of Mormon (Part 3: Dusting Off a Famous Chiasmus, Alma 36)."