Wherefore Ye Must Press Forward

""With our American Philosophy and Religion series, Applewood reissues many primary sources published throughout American history. Through these books, scholars, interpreters, students, and non-academics alike can see the thoughts and beliefs of Americans who came before us.""

The 2011 Sperry Symposium volume explores the rich symbolism of Lehi's dream and Nephi's vision, placing such symbols as the mists of darkness, the great and spacious building, and the church of the Lamb of God in the context of the last days.

What does it mean to be "truly converted" to Jesus Christ? To "endure to the end"? Mortal life is full of trials and temptations that can challenge our faith and impede our progress to return to our Heavenly Father's presence. It's easy to become discouraged, frustrated, or unmotivated when faced with what can feel like an impossible journey. But it's important to remember that the Lord does not demand or expect perfection in this life. All He asks is that we press forward in His name and find the strength to take the next step. Drawing from the teachings of the Savior, revelation from modern prophets, and personal anecdotes, authors Christopher R. Greenwood and Mark D. Mason guide you through gospel resources to strengthen your resolve and empower your understanding of Christ's Atonement. In Press Forward in Christ, you will • find the strength to continue the struggle toward God even when faced with adversity. • overcome mortal failings and continue forward with your faith intact. • become truly converted in the Lord and willingly accept His guidance. The way may be strait and narrow, but through trust in our Savior's glory and the determination to press forward, we can endure life's challenges faithfully and find lasting, eternal joy.

Book of Mormon Gems provides a careful selection of the vast majority of outstanding principles, prophets and events throughout the great journeys contained in The Book of Mormon. Above each entry is a bolded and enlarged heading in italics which, as a Gem, gives the clear essence of the entry. This format gives the reader the option of reading just the Gem, or also the full underlying text of each entry. Each entry is meticulously documented, and includes in parenthesis who is speaking. The selection of well over two thousand entries in Book of Mormon Gems, is a modest attempt to gather completely from The Book of Mormon, the plain and precious truths and events revealed centuries ago to chosen prophets who were led to a promised land by the Power of God. What makes Book of Mormon Gems so valuable is that it presents the most important and sacred scriptural truths found in The Book of Mormon, without having to read as well the volumes of extra writing throughout the book.

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 the first fully annotated, academic edition of the Book of Mormon in its 200-year history. Modelled after the Oxford line of annotated Bibles, it provides readers with the information they need to understand this classic text of American religious history. This edition reformats the complete scriptural text in the manner of modern Bible translations with paragraphs, quotation marks, poetic stanzas, and section headings, all of which clarify the book's complicated narrative structure. As a result, readers experience a more accessible and readable presentation than the standard version. Annotations explain the meaning and context of specific passages, delineate extended arguments, identify rhetorical patterns, explore theological implications, highlight ancient and modern parallels, and point out intertextual connections, particularly with the Bible. The Book of Mormon is subdivided into internal books; in this edition, each book is preceded by an introduction that discusses its key themes and literary features, at the same time offering a quick overview of major figures, events, and sermons. The three primary narrators--Nephi, Mormon, and Moroni--receive special attention. In addition to the annotations, which focus on the text itself, there are twelve general essays that introduce readers to various ongoing conversations about the text. There are also several maps and charts, as well as a comprehensive list of biblical quotations and allusions. The editorial material is informed by contemporary biblical and historical scholarship; while it deals forthrightly with both the strengths and weaknesses of the narrative, it nevertheless treats the Book of Mormon as a sacred text, worthy of careful study and respect.