Mormons in Transition - Book of Mormon

The Book of Mormon

Carefully documented articles and resources for investigating and evaluating Book of Mormon teaching, historical claims, and archaeology. Includes scanned images of the entire 1830 first edition Book of Mormon and key examples of the nearly 4,000 changes that have been made to it.

Book of Mormon

Archaeology

The Bible vs The Book of Mormon

The first sentence in the introduction to the Book of Mormon claims, “The Book of Mormon is a volume of holy scripture comparable to the Bible.” Is the Book of Mormon an authentic ancient scripture? Is the Book of Mormon supported by the evidence of archaeology, as the Bible is?

Quest for the Gold Plates: Thomas Stuart Ferguson's Archaeological Search for the Book of Mormon

by Stan Larson — A candid yet even-handed survey of Book of Mormon archaeology, told through the career of one of its most ardent 20th century champions.

Does Archaeology Support the Book of Mormon?

Like the Bible, the Book of Mormon presents itself as an historical record of God's revelation of Himself to the human race. These historical claims have sent scholars in search of archaeological evidence for the existence of the peoples and events described in the Book of Mormon, and they make the subject of Book of Mormon archaeology relevant.

National Geographic Society Statement on the Book of Mormon

Smithsonian Institution statement on the Book of Mormon

Hugh Nibley, the Book of Mormon, and the Lachish Letters

Old Testament scholar Thomas Finley examines LDS scholar Hugh Nibley's comparisons between the Book of Mormon and the Lachish Letters, written from the Jewish town of Lachish about the same time that the main Book of Mormon story line begins. Finley shows that Nibley's parallels do not support the historical authenticity of the Book of Mormon.

Doctrine

Joseph Smith’s Modalism: Sabellian Sequentialism or Swedenborgian Expansionism?

Most discussions of the modalistic views of the founder of Mormonism take for granted he had in mind a sequential, or Sabellian, modalism. However, another form of modalism that existed at the time of Joseph Smith merits further inquiry.

The God-or-Devil Dilemma Argument for the Book of Mormon

History

Facts On The Book Of Mormon Witnesses

This paper examines the culture, credibility and relevance of the testimony of the eleven men the LDS Church presents as witnesses to the Book of Mormon. It draws extensively from early sources, both Mormon and non-Mormon, in an attempt to provide an honest and balanced portrayal of the Witness phenomenon.

David Whitmer, An Address to All Believers in Christ

One of the original Book of Mormon Witnesses explains why he left the Mormon Church.

Ethan Smith, View of the Hebrews

Mormon General Authority B. H. Roberts concluded that this book, originally published in Poultney, Vermont in 1823 (7 years prior to the Book of Mormon) was available to Joseph Smith and contained enough parallel material to the Book of Mormon so as to furnish a virtual "ground-plan" for it.

Lamanite DNA

DNA vs. the Book of Mormon

This documentary accurately presents the consensus of the scientific community that northern Asia — not Israel — is the place of origin of the Native American Indians.

Lamanites No More: DNA and Lost Ties to Father Lehi

How do Mormons today resolve the tension created when modern science exposes the errors of modern-day prophets regarding Book of Mormon peoples?

Answers to FARMS' objections to DNA evidence against the Book of Mormon

The following are some of the most frequently advanced arguments from the Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies (FARMS) and the Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research (FAIR) related to DNA and the Book of Mormon—most notably (or at least most succinctly) in the latter’s brochure, Is an Historical Book of Mormon Compatible with DNA Science?

Introductory Resources on the Book of Mormon

The Book of Mormon Today

A concise summary of literary, historical, and theological evidence that challenges the authenticity of the Book of Mormon. A comparison of Book of Mormon doctrine wtih Conteporary LDS doctrine.

The Book of Mormon

Book of Mormon Text

America, Gathering Israel to Zion, and the Book of Mormon (ch. 42)

In this study, we will examine the LDS Church’s teaching about the “gathering” of Israel. It turns out that this doctrine is directly tied up with its founding document: the Book of Mormon.

Changes to Book of Mormon and other Latter-day Scripture

View scanned images of key altered passages from the original 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon, the 1833 Book of Commandments and the 1851 Pearl of Great Price.

New Approaches to the Book of Mormon: Explorations in Critical Methodology

Brent Metcalfe, ed.— Ten contemporary Mormon writers grapple with challenges to the authenticity of the Book of Mormon.

Literary Dependence in the Book of Mormon: Two Studies

Respected historian of Mormonism, H. Michael Marquardt, explores the Book of Mormon’s literary dependence on the Bible and 19th century events.

The Human Origins of the Book of Mormon

This essay is a survey and critique of the main lines of evidence for the human origin of the Book of Mormon proposed by Mormon Historian and General Authority Brigham H. Roberts in an unpublished paper done in the early 1920’s.

Studies of the Book of Mormon by B. H. Roberts

The long-suppressed work of Mormon General Authority B. H. Roberts, who in his later years came to question the historicity of the Book of Mormon, after a life-time as its greatest apologist.

1830 Edition of the Book of Mormon

View scanned images of the original 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon.

Book of Mormon: Ancient or Modern?

A scholarly paper that documents specific BOM phrases and ideas that Joseph Smith borrowed from other books.

LDS Testimony

“Did Not Our Heart Burn within Us?” Luke 24:32 and the Mormon Testimony

Is the experience of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus a model of knowing something is true on the basis of a “burning” feeling in your heart? Rob Bowman explains why this is not the case by examining Luke 24:32 in context.

Truth, Salvation and the Mormon Testimony: Does Having a Testimony Make it True?

In an adaptation of By His Own Hand Upon Papyrus, Chuck Larson makes and backs up the claim that although a Mormon has a testimony that is indeed sincere, one should carefully consider whether or not it is true, since sincerity does not guarantee being right.

Mormons and the "Burning in the Bosom" (D&C 9:8)

A look at how this LDS Scripture is used out of context to justify using feelings to know truth.

Scripture

Contradictions Between the Book of Mormon and the Bible

There are many serious objections to the claim of Joseph Smith and the LDS church that the Book of Mormon is divinely inspired latter-day scripture supplemental to the Bible. However, none are more significant than the numerous contradictions between Book of Mormon teaching and the Bible.

Translation

Translation or Divination?

The eyewitnesses to the dictation of the Book of Mormon describe a different method than the one depicted by the Mormon Church.

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