Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
- Keyword
-
- Book of Mormon (6)
- Christ (6)
- Joseph Smith (5)
- Gentiles (3)
- Alma (2)
-
- Atonement (2)
- Church (2)
- James Lucas (2)
- Lamb (2)
- Nephi (2)
- Temple (2)
- Urim and Thummim (2)
- Abinadi (1)
- Abraham (1)
- Alma (Book of Mormon name) (1)
- American west history (1)
- Ancient Hebrew evidence (1)
- Ancient textual parallels (1)
- Anthon Transcript (1)
- Anti-Babel polemic (1)
- Anti-Mormon (1)
- Anti-Nephi-Lehi (1)
- Arabia (1)
- Artificial Intelligence (1)
- Ascent (1)
- Atonement endurance (1)
- Atonement theology (1)
- BYU Studies (1)
- Bar-Ilan (1)
- Bible and Book of Mormon (1)
Articles 31 - 60 of 72
Full-Text Articles in Mormon Studies
A Plain Exposition Of Book Of Mormon English By Means Of Short Questions And Informed Answers, Standford Carmack
A Plain Exposition Of Book Of Mormon English By Means Of Short Questions And Informed Answers, Standford Carmack
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
Because many questions have arisen regarding the discovery of real early modern influence in the dictated language of the Book of Mormon, some of these are considered and answered in this essay. The answers reflect insights from an exploration of the data that drove the conclusions published in previous papers. Numerous considerations independently indicate that the Book of Mormon was dictated in language that cannot be explained as a mere imitation of King James linguistic style, nor as Joseph Smith’s Yankee dialect. While the reasons for this and the processes that may have led to such results are open for …
Ring In The Christ That Is To Be: Fulfilling The Pattern Of His Life, Don Bradley
Ring In The Christ That Is To Be: Fulfilling The Pattern Of His Life, Don Bradley
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
The story of Christ, and of Christmas, is the story of Christ “the Lord God Omnipotent” incarnating in “a tabernacle of clay” (Mosiah 3:5). Christ took upon himself flesh so that he might also take upon himself burdens that he did not naturally have to bear—our burdens—in order to relieve us of those burdens. Christ, according to the scriptures, voluntarily “takes upon him” our pains, our sicknesses, death, our infirmities, and our sins (Alma 7:7–13). Unlike Christ, ordinary human beings do not “take upon them death” and bodily infirmity, but are, like king Benjamin, “subject to” them (Mosiah 2:11). In …
What Happened To Nephi At The Camp Of The Broken Bow? A Book Of Mormon Mystery, Godfrey J. Ellis
What Happened To Nephi At The Camp Of The Broken Bow? A Book Of Mormon Mystery, Godfrey J. Ellis
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
No abstract provided.
The “Allegory” Of Ruth As A Prophecy Of Latter-Day Gathering, Jan Francisco
The “Allegory” Of Ruth As A Prophecy Of Latter-Day Gathering, Jan Francisco
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
n the historical context of the late fifth century BC, the book of Ruth was a powerful story of hope and redemption for the eventual gathering and restoration of Israel’s covenants. Connecting their golden period of unity under King David to this idyllic tale with a beautiful happy ending may be more than a family story. It could also be read allegorically to prophesy the promised gathering of Israel by the Gentiles in the Latter-days. The key to understanding the symbolic layer of this story lies in deciphering the Hebrew meanings of the characters’ names, with Naomi representing the Israelites, …
Finding Nephi’S Ore, Bradley R. Larsen
Finding Nephi’S Ore, Bradley R. Larsen
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
Khor Kharfot and Wadi Sayq are in the region that has become the premiere candidate for Nephi’s Old-World Bountiful. Out of the several matching criteria that has led to this opinion, the one that may be the weakest has been the identification of readily available ore in the area that Nephi could have used to manufacture the tools necessary to build his ship. This investigation, conducted in February 2023, found several distinct examples of iron ores suitable for ”smelting” in the form of float, all pointing to deposits yet to be located. Additionally, I review the investigation of Dr. Revell …
“Behold, I Went To Hunt Beasts In The Forest”: An Addendum On Enos, Esau, And The Symbolic Geography Of Seir, Matthew L. Bowen
“Behold, I Went To Hunt Beasts In The Forest”: An Addendum On Enos, Esau, And The Symbolic Geography Of Seir, Matthew L. Bowen
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
Enos’s use of the onomastic wordplay in the Jacob and Esau cycle enables him to meaningfully allude to the symbolic geography of those stories and incorporate it into his New World setting (e.g., allusions to the river Jabbok and Peniel/Penuel, the site of Jacob’s “wrestle” with the divine “man”). A third instance of this type of allusion occurs with Enos’s recollection that he “went to hunt beasts in the forest[s]” (Enos 1:3), which appears to subtly allude to Mount Seir, the forested hill country in the land of Edom inhabited by Esau and his descendants.
“Our Hands Have Handled”: Ensuring The Reassuring Doctrine Of The Resurrection In The Lucan And Johannine Writings, Matthew L. Bowen
“Our Hands Have Handled”: Ensuring The Reassuring Doctrine Of The Resurrection In The Lucan And Johannine Writings, Matthew L. Bowen
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
The Lucan and Johannine writings emphasize the literalness and physicality of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This emphasis does not represent an emerging Christology from an earlier, inchoate conception of Jesus and the meaning of his life. Rather, it reflects an effort to defend the doctrine of the resurrection—of Christ and humanity—against the increasing cultural and intellectual pressures of middle Platonism. Nephi’s vision of the tree of life, which included seeing a “great and abominable church” and its formation among “the nations of the Gentiles” (1 Nephi 13:4–9) matches well with late first- and second-century apostate movements that “made war” …
Verbal Punctuation In The Book Of Mormon Iii—Behold, John Gee
Verbal Punctuation In The Book Of Mormon Iii—Behold, John Gee
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
As an ancient book, the Book of Mormon employed verbal punctuation rather than typographical punctuation. An example of this verbal punctuation is the word behold, which is used in the Book of Mormon to point things out, to highlight unexpected effects of situations, and to modify a previously expressed proposition. This corresponds to ancient Hebrew usage. Joseph Smith’s usage from the time the Book of Mormon was produced, however, differs in both its frequency and how it was used, even when Joseph Smith was consciously trying to imitate the Book of Mormon.
Perspectives On The Soteriological Problem Of Evil: Nuancing The “Universalist” Theologies Of Henri De Lubac And Joseph Smith, Timothy Gervais
Perspectives On The Soteriological Problem Of Evil: Nuancing The “Universalist” Theologies Of Henri De Lubac And Joseph Smith, Timothy Gervais
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
Since the discovery of the new world by Christian European explorers during the age of discovery, the increasingly global community of the modern age has confronted Christian theologians with difficult soteriological questions. These questions have caused many Christian adherents to abandon conceptions of a uniquely Christian salvation in favor of theological positions of religious pluralism. Other Christian theologians have confronted these issues through creative inclusivist theological constructs that expand the offer of salvation to those who may not have professed Christianity in their mortal life. These inclusivist theologies are uniquely suited to address modern concerns about the salvation of non-believers …
A Closer Look At Transliterations In Divine Translations, Spencer Kraus
A Closer Look At Transliterations In Divine Translations, Spencer Kraus
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
The Book of Mormon contains many words left untranslated by Joseph Smith, such as cureloms, cumoms, senine, and ziff. While some might wonder why these words are left untranslated, a closer examination of the kinds of words that are simply transliterated as well as the frequency at which these phenomena occur provide evidence that Joseph Smith actually had an ancient record that he was translating into English. In this paper, I examine why some words have been transliterated in historical translations of the Bible or other ancient texts and compare these explanations to the Book of …
Looking Again At The Anthon Transcript(S), John S. Thompson
Looking Again At The Anthon Transcript(S), John S. Thompson
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
The official account of Martin Harris’s visit to Charles Anthon, canonized in the Pearl of Great Price, suggests that Anthon may have been shown more than one transcript by Harris. The differing responses of Anthon to each of these transcripts may shed light on the kinds of characters he was shown and provide additional perspectives that can help clarify a little more what is happening in the historical sources.
“Upon Thy Belly Shalt Thou Go”: The Garden Of Eden Serpent Symbology Based On The Concept Of Seraphim, Noel Hudson
“Upon Thy Belly Shalt Thou Go”: The Garden Of Eden Serpent Symbology Based On The Concept Of Seraphim, Noel Hudson
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
The concept of the serpentine seraphim from biblical iconography is discussed in the context of biblical serpent symbology. The association of the seraphim with Ancient Near Eastern kings, deities, and temples is noted. The concept of the seraphim as members of the Council of God is explored, and the possibility of the seraph as a symbol of Christ is discussed. These concepts are applied to the story of the snake in the Garden of Eden, and the additional explanatory power of the seraph symbol in connection with the snake is explored. Specific serpentine attributes are discussed in the context of …
Small Hinges, Great Doorways: How Some Descendants Of An Enslaved Youth Unexpectedly Became Prominent Utah Citizens, Jeffrey M. Bradshaw
Small Hinges, Great Doorways: How Some Descendants Of An Enslaved Youth Unexpectedly Became Prominent Utah Citizens, Jeffrey M. Bradshaw
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
A vivid illustration of how “the doorways of history turn on small hinges” is found in the Howell family tradition about Wilford Woodruff’s short stay at the home of slaveholders in the South, where it appears he may have taught a 14-year-old enslaved boy named Jackson Howell. Decades later, Jackson’s son Paul C. Howell would migrate to Utah and become a prominent citizen of Salt Lake City. Later, Paul’s son, Abner, would serve a unique mission and would continue to speak and serve in the Church. Several Church leaders played a key role in the story of the Howell family …
“When Ye Shall Rend That Veil Of Unbelief”: A Typological Reading Of Ether 3 And 4, Matthew Scott Stenson
“When Ye Shall Rend That Veil Of Unbelief”: A Typological Reading Of Ether 3 And 4, Matthew Scott Stenson
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
In the book of Ether, the prophet Moroni “Christianizes” the Jaredite story, inserting extensive Christian elements into an original text that predates the house of Israel, the Nephite nation, and the Christian era. In this paper, a typological and intertextual method is used to show how Moroni uses the words of Christ in Ether 3 and 4 to exhort his Gentile readers to embrace the Nephite record when it is manifest to them that they might receive even greater things (divine truths). Specifically, Moroni uses the brief account of the brother of Jared atop Mount Shelem to illustrate how Gentiles …
Full Issue
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
No abstract provided.
Responding To A Non-Responsive Response, Brant A. Gardner
Responding To A Non-Responsive Response, Brant A. Gardner
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
James Lucas had the opportunity to respond to the review of the book that he and Jonathan Neville wrote, By Means of the Urim & Thummim. He elected not to really respond to the issues I brought up but rather summarized his essential points. That doesn’t leave much to respond to. However, there is a continuing misunderstanding of how historians work that I feel must be underscored.
Joseph Smith Jr. As A Translator: The Book Of Abraham As A Case Study, Stephen O. Smoot
Joseph Smith Jr. As A Translator: The Book Of Abraham As A Case Study, Stephen O. Smoot
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
This paper examines Joseph Smith’s approach to translation, using the Book of Abraham as a case study to explore the interplay between divine revelation and human participation in scriptural production. While the Book of Abraham incorporates both ancient and modern elements, its unique synthesis resists simple categorization as either an unblemished Abrahamic autograph or a purely nineteenth-century pseudepigraphon. Drawing on historical evidence and textual analysis, this paper aims to illuminate Joseph Smith’s role as both translator and revelator, offering insights into how Latter-day Saints might understand the complex process of producing sacred texts.
Full Issue
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
No abstract provided.
The Bands Of Death, The Chains Of Hell, And The Seed Motif, Noel Hudson
The Bands Of Death, The Chains Of Hell, And The Seed Motif, Noel Hudson
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
This article continues a discussion of the imagery, words, and phrases that make up a specific leitmotif, called the seed motif. Two instances of the seed motif found in Alma are discussed as a seemingly intentional diptych in which one narrative reflects the other, but in the negative. Five specific examples from the motif are examined in greater detail, with a look at their origin and usage throughout the record. The narrative of Abinadi is presented as a unique iteration of the seed motif wherein the concept of the bands of death is introduced. The paper concludes by discussing the …
Front Matter
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
No abstract provided.
Chapter 3: Metals And Metallurgy, Matthew Roper
Chapter 3: Metals And Metallurgy, Matthew Roper
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
No abstract provided.
Jeremiah “The Prophet”, Loren Spendlove
Jeremiah “The Prophet”, Loren Spendlove
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
This article, which focuses on the role of Jeremiah as a prophet, is based on a study of the Hebrew Bible and the Greek Septuagint. It also analyzes references to Jeremiah in the Book of Mormon and connects those references to current scholarly research on the book of Jeremiah. Consistent with the general consensus among biblical scholars today, as well as Nephi1’s own references to Jeremiah in the Book of Mormon, the author proposes that even though Jeremiah embodied the office of a prophet, he was not recognized as being “among the prophets” during his lifetime. This is a subtle …
Seeing With A Hat: How Joseph Smith Used A Hat In Translating The Book Of Mormon, Stan Spencer
Seeing With A Hat: How Joseph Smith Used A Hat In Translating The Book Of Mormon, Stan Spencer
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
Joseph Smith’s use of a seer stone and hat in producing the Book of Mormon has been a point of confusion, dismay, and even embarrassment among some believers. These feelings may reflect a lack of understanding of the functions of these objects in enabling Joseph to receive divine revelation. As the term was used in the Bible and commonly used in Joseph Smith’s day, a seer was a “seer” of visions. Accordingly, a seer stone was a stone used for seeing visions. Joseph was reported to have used seer stones to receive the translation of the Book of Mormon in …
What Can Artificial Intelligence Tell Us About The Literary Skills Needed To Dictate A Text Like The Book Of Mormon?, Brian C. Hales
What Can Artificial Intelligence Tell Us About The Literary Skills Needed To Dictate A Text Like The Book Of Mormon?, Brian C. Hales
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
The first oral draft of the Book of Mormon dictated by Joseph Smith reflected remarkable literary refinement and complexity. Such observations demonstrate that he exhibited highly developed composition and oratory skills. To date, no scholar has attempted to describe the specific skills Joseph manifested while dictating. This essay addresses whether Artificial Intelligence (AI) could generate an accurate list of the skills necessary. It begins by identifying and informally testing eleven chatbots to see if they can accurately predict the skills needed to perform a task. Seeing success, they are next asked a long question about the skills needed to dictate …
It Helps To Have A Village, Daniel C. Peterson
It Helps To Have A Village, Daniel C. Peterson
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
In preparing the next generation, it really is helpful when parents don’t stand alone and they have the help of others outside the family. This is one of the reasons why the seemingly growing gulf between gospel values and the values of the societies around us is such a cause for concern: “The truths and values we embrace are mocked on ev’ry hand.”1 All of us have benefited from innumerable influences—from teachers in and out of the Church, from writers, from youth leaders, from coaches, from role models of all kinds. We may even have forgotten many of those influences, …
Uncanonized Revelations, Kent P. Jackson
Uncanonized Revelations, Kent P. Jackson
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
In an important new volume, we now have easy access to revelations received by the Prophet Joseph Smith that were not included in the Doctrine and Covenants.
“I Shall Gather In”: The Name Joseph, Iterative Divine Action, And The Latter-Day Harvest Ingathering Of Israel As Themes In 3 Nephi, Matthew L. Bowen
“I Shall Gather In”: The Name Joseph, Iterative Divine Action, And The Latter-Day Harvest Ingathering Of Israel As Themes In 3 Nephi, Matthew L. Bowen
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
The identity of “the people of Nephi who were spared, and also those who had been called Lamanites, who had been spared” (3 Nephi 10:18) as “a remnant of the seed of Joseph” (3 Nephi 5:23; 10:17; compare Alma 46:23–27; Ether 13:6–10) or “a remnant of the house of Joseph” (3 Nephi 15:12) is key to understanding Jesus’s Isaiah-based teaching at the temple in Bountiful in 3 Nephi. That teaching emphasizes iterative divine action (implied in the name Joseph [yôsēp], compare yôsîp) to restore and gather Israel and Judah. Like Mormon’s prophecies in 3 Nephi 5:23–26 and 26:8, Jesus’s sermon …
Nameless: Mormon’S Dramatic Use Of Omission In Helaman 2, Nathan J. Arp
Nameless: Mormon’S Dramatic Use Of Omission In Helaman 2, Nathan J. Arp
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
There are many reasons why a narrator may choose to provide or withhold the names of various characters. This article hypothesizes that Mormon intentionally omitted the name of a key character from the book of Helaman related to the origin of the Gaddianton robbers. While it is not possible to know exactly what information Mormon and other Nephite recordkeepers had or preserved, it is at least plausible that Mormon might have intentionally omitted the name of a clandestine operative in the first two chapters of Helaman as a specific strategy to emphasize this operative’s secrecy and allow the reader to …
Lds Perspectives On The Atonement?, Blake T. Ostler
Lds Perspectives On The Atonement?, Blake T. Ostler
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
Latter-day Saint Perspectives on Atonement promises to provide new perspectives on the atonement that reflect awareness of scriptural and theological scholarship. The essays on the scriptural background are solid. The essays providing theological perspectives are uneven, at best. Indeed, the theological essays show little awareness of the major works in philosophical theology in the last sixty years—with one notable exception. Moreover, a feminist perspective that argues against seeing Christ’s blood that he shed as an appropriate basis for atonement theory receives the greatest attention. This review elucidates, explores, assesses, and critiques these approaches.
Did Korihor Usurp The Words Of Zeniff?, Elliott Jolley
Did Korihor Usurp The Words Of Zeniff?, Elliott Jolley
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
The Book of Mormon contains several instances where a speaker or author in the Book of Mormon quotes a previous one. This article presents one such example: It appears that Korihor usurped the words of Zeniff, quoting some of them for his own purposes. The context of this reference to Zeniff’s words lies in Korihor’s claims that the Nephites were in bondage to the priests, just as the Lamanites wanted to bring Zeniff’s people into bondage. The connections between these two passages cross multiple generations and narrative events internally, and multiple pages of translated, dictated manuscript by Joseph Smith. It …