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Part 2: Joseph Smith And The Recovery Of Past Worlds, Byu Studies

BYU Studies

Almost beyond measure, Joseph Smith was spiritually and intellectually occupied with the past. He worked insatiably from 1828 to 1835 on his translations of the Book of Mormon, the Book of Moses, the Old and New Testaments, and the Book of Abraham. He drew great knowledge and strength from the revelations received by past prophets and patriarchs, and he sought to see as they had seen and to know as they had known. In considering Joseph Smith’s recovery of past worlds, the following chapters address several questions. What are modern scholars to make of Joseph Smith’s efforts to recover past …

Archeological Trends And Book Of Mormon Origins, John E. Clark

BYU Studies

Had circumstances permitted a marked grave for the slain prophet, a fitting headstone could have read, “By Joseph Smith, Junior, Author and Proprietor.” Such an epitaph, taken from the title page of the Book of Mormon, captures the enduring bond between the man and the book, and also the controversy which coalesced around both with the book’s publication and the organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1830. In the ensuing and continuing “war of words” (Joseph Smith–History 1:10) and prejudice, redemption may hang on the single preposition “by.” What hand did Joseph have in producing …

The Israelite Background Of Moses Typology In The Book Of Mormon, Noel B. Reynolds

BYU Studies

Nephi tells the story of the founding events of the Nephite people in such a way that his readers will see him as a second Moses. Although Nephi's use of the Moses typology has been previously noted, what has not been noticed before is that his father, Lehi, also employs this same typology in his farewell address in 2 Nephi 1-4 in order to persuade his descendants of his own divine calling and of their new covenant relationship to the same God who had given the promised land to ancient Israel. The fact that Nephi and Lehi both saw themselves …

Does Chiasmus Appear In The Book Of Mormon By Chance?, Boyd F. Edwards, W. Farrell Edwards

BYU Studies

Chiasmus in an inverted-parallel literary form that was employed by ancient Hebrew biblical writers, among others. An instance of this form, called a "chiasm," presents two or more literary elements, and then restates them in reverse order. For example, Matthew 10:39 is a two-element chiasm:

EXAMPLE 1

He that (a) findeth his life shall (b) lose it:

And he that (b) loseth his life for my sake shall (a) find it.

Lehi As Moses, Noel B. Reynolds

Faculty Publications

Our understanding of Lehi’s leadership comes through the writings of his son Nephi. While it has been previously noted that Nephi chose to tell the story of his reign and ministry (1 Nephi 10:1) in such a way that his readers would see Nephi himself as a second Moses, it has not been much observed that it may have been his father, Lehi, who first employed this device to persuade his descendants of his own divine calling. In this paper I will show that Lehi had used this device in an attempt to persuade his descendants to accept his difficult …

"And Well She Can Persuade": The Power And Presence Of Women In The Book Of Mormon, Wendy Hamilton Christian

Theses and Dissertations

This work is the first of its kind on women in the Book of Mormon. It (1) is an exhaustive treatment of the book's female characters, (2) analyzes how women function in the text, and (3) delineates the text's female-inclusive language. This thesis contains a complete list and discussion of the identifiable women in the Book of Mormon (Chapter 1); provides a compilation and treatment of the book's gender-inclusive language—comprising over 200 words and more than 5,000 references to them—and its bearing on the doctrines and depictions of women in the narrative (Chapter 2); and illustrates the significant influence individual …

Because Of Thy Exceeding Faith: A Choreographic Portrayal Of Women In The Book Of Mormon, Wendy L. Bone

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is a choreographic exploration that illuminates and defines moments in the lives of women who are mentioned in the Book of Mormon. These women are Sariah; the wife of King Lamoni and Abish, her servant; and the Ammonite mothers of Helaman's two thousand stripling warriors. It is through these stories that their faith was evident. By understanding the roles these women played in the history of the Book of Mormon, we can use their example to strengthen our own testimonies.
It was discovered through this process that, although one can read about the life of another, a deeper …

The Isaiah Passages In The Book Of Mormon: A Non-Aligned Text, Carol F. Ellertson

Theses and Dissertations

Since the advent of the Dead Sea Scrolls, four biblical textual scholars have emerged at the forefront of the dialogue concerning textual evolution. They are: Frank Moore Cross, Emanuel Tov, Shemaryahu Talmon and Eugene Ulrich. Though there is some overlap in their hypotheses, each scholar has put forth a framework of biblical textual development in light of these new discoveries.

If a new biblical text were discovered today, how would each scholar approach it? This thesis evaluates each scholars' views and concludes that Emanuel Tov's criteria for judging a newly discovered text is the most thorough and explanatory. Tov's views …

Was The Path Nephi Saw ‘Strait And Narrow’ Or ‘Straight And Narrow', Noel B. Reynolds, Royal Skousen

Faculty Publications

A complete analysis of the full range of usage patterns for all forms of strait and straight in the Book of Mormon provides sufficient contextual evidence for resolving the orthographical problems that were introduced through these homophones in the manuscripts and the 1830 edition. The article lists all 27 occurrences of some form of straight in the 1830 edition, indicating which ones were changed to strait and in which LDS editions they were revised. The evidence, we believe, indicates that most of these later changes were correct. But because the Book of Mormon usage introduced by Nephi was distinctive, and …

Recent Notes About Olives In Antiquity, Wilford M. Hess

BYU Studies

When a group of LDS scholars collaborated in 1994 under the auspices of the Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies to publish a book on the allegory of the olive tree in Jacob 5, few substantial works on olive production in the ancient world existed. Now, two new archaeological books add a wealth of information to our understanding of the importance of the olive in ancient life. Although expensive and technical, these new volumes offer further insights for anyone interested in olive culture as reflected in the scriptures, especially in the Book of Mormon.

Mormon's Map John L. Sorenson, Martin H. Raish

BYU Studies

John L. Sorenson. Mormon's Map. Provo: FARMS, 2000. ix; 154 pp. Maps, notes, index. $9.95.

"Many Great And Notable Cities Were Sunk": Liquefaction In The Book Of Mormon, Benjamin R. Jordan

BYU Studies

In a recent BYU Studies article, Bart Kowallis describes how the events of destruction in the Americas at the time of Christ's death can be attributed to a single explosive volcanic eruption. He lists the events that occurred during the destruction as recorded in 3 Nephi, and among those mentioned is the sinking of cities into the sea (3 Ne. 8:9, 14; 9:4, 7; 10:13). As a possible explanation for this phenomena, Kowallis offers accounts of tsunami (tidal waves) and seiche waves (waves generated in lakes), both of which can occur during an explosive volcanic eruption. In conjunction with these …

The Coming Forth Of The Book Of Mormon In The Twentieth Century, Noel B. Reynolds

BYU Studies

The Book of Mormon was underutilized by most Latter-day Saints until interest in it surged during the second half of the twentieth century.

Isaiah In The Book Of Mormon Donald W. Parry And John W. Welch, Roger R. Keller

BYU Studies

Donald W. Parry and John W. Welch, eds. Isaiah in the Book of Mormon. Provo, Utah: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1998. x; 548 pp. Scripture citation index, index. $24.95.

The Coming Forth Of The Book Of Mormon In The Twentieth Century, Noel B. Reynolds

Faculty Publications

I hope this study, however preliminary it might appear, will provide a sound first step toward developing our self-understanding as Latter-day Saints of the history of Book of Mormon use in the twentieth century and the phenomenal increase in understanding, appreciation, and study that has taken place over the last three to four decades. This study may also offer one useful perspective for the gradually emerging history of cultural Mormonism and its antipathy to the Book of Mormon. This study is grounded in the analysis of a number of possible indicators of intensity of interest in the Book of Mormon …

Since Joseph Smith's Time: Lexical Semantic Shifts In The Book Of Mormon, Renee Bangerter

Theses and Dissertations

In the years since Joseph Smith completed the translation of the Book of Mormon, the English language has changed; some common phraseologies and word meanings are dissimilar to today's. Often, in reading the Book of Mormon, we impose our current definitions onto terms that in 1830 had a different meaning. Our interpretation of these words, as well as the passages in which they are found, is skewed by our modern definitions. These words, when they occur in the Book of Mormon, demonstrate dialectal and obsolete senses. In the case of some words, the dialectal or obsolete sense is so far …

Images Of Ancient America: Visualizing Book Of Mormon Life John L. Sorenson, Allen J. Christenson

BYU Studies

John L. Sorenson. Images of Ancient America: Visualizing Book of Mormon Life. Provo, Utah: FARMS, 1998. viii; 241 pp. Illustrations, maps, bibliography, index. $39.95.

Feasting On The Word: The Literary Testimony Of The Book Of Mormon Richard Dilworth Rust, Steven Walker

BYU Studies

Richard Dilworth Rust. Feasting on the Word: The Literary Testimony of the Book of Mormon. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book; Provo, Utah: FARMS, 1997. viii; 293 pp. Index, notes, works cited. $16.95.

In The Thirty And Fourth Year: A Geologist's View Of The Great Destruction In 3 Nephi, Bart J. Kowallis

BYU Studies

Geological studies and eyewitness accounts of volcanic activity show the likelihood that the massive destruction reported in 3 Nephi was caused by an explosive volcanic eruption.

Book Of Mormon Authorship Revisited: The Evidence For Ancient Origins Noel B. Reynolds, Dow R. Wilson

BYU Studies

Noel B. Reynolds, ed. Book of Mormon Authorship Revisited: The Evidence for Ancient Origins. Provo, Utah: Foundation for Ancient Research ad Mormon studies, 1997. 574 pp. Index. $19.95.

Sweet Is The Word: Reflections On The Book Of Mormon—Its Narrative, Teachings, And People Marilyn Arnold, Daniel C. Peterson

BYU Studies

Marilyn Arnold. Sweet Is the Word: Reflections on the Book of Mormon—Its Narrative, Teachings, and People. American Fork, Utah: Covenant Communications, 1996. xv; 366 pp. Index. $15.95.

Taste And Feast: Images Of Eating And Drinking In The Book Of Mormon, Richard Dilworth Rust

BYU Studies

No abstract provided.

The Choreography And Production Of "Jacob Five: A Journey Into The Olive Vineyard", Laurie Behunin

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of choreographing "Jacob Five: A Journey into the Olive Vineyard" was to artistically express a religious allegory in order to praise God as well as to bring the audience, dancers, and choreographer to a new understanding of the passage from which it was derived. The 39-minute dance was presented April 10, 1993 as a dance fireside. Following the performance, an informal discussion was held to give the audience an opportunity to respond to the dance. These comments were considered and recorded as part of the evaluation of this thesis. Both the thesis and video of "Jacob Five: A …

The Gospel Of Jesus Christ As Taught By The Nephite Prophets, Noel B. Reynolds

Faculty Publications

Three definitional passages in the Book of Mormon define the gospel or doctrine of Christ precisely as the way or means by which an individual can come to Christ and be saved. Jesus Christ is quoted in all three passages teaching a six-part formula: All men and women who will (1) believe or trust in him, (2) repent of all their sins, and (3) witness to the Father that they have so repented and taken his name upon them, will (4) receive a remission of sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost, which will guide and sustain them as …

Exploring The Lands Of The Book Of Mormon Joseph L. Allen, David A. Palmer

BYU Studies

No abstract provided.

Symbolic Action And Persuasion In The Book Of Mormon, Keith H. Lane

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis contends that the Book of Mormon can be profitably read from a rhetorical perspective. It employs Kenneth Burke's ideas concerning language, texts, and his method of dramatistic analysis, to reveal certain persuasive aspects of the Book of Mormon, and to urge action in response to the persuasion of the Book of Mormon.

Chapter one discusses common ways of reading scripture, and explains some of the inadequacies of these approaches. It gives a rationale of a rhetorical approach that concerns itself with action, and recommends this approach for the Book of Mormon. Chapter two applies a rhetorical reading to …

First And Second Nephi And Jacob Through Mosiah, Volumes 1 And 2 Of Doctrinal Commentary On The Book Of Mormon Joseph Fielding Mcconkie And Robert L. Millett, J. Frederic Voros Jr.

BYU Studies

No abstract provided.

A Hermeneutic Of Sacred Texts: Historicism, Revisionism, Positivism, And The Bible And Book Of Mormon, Alan Goff

Theses and Dissertations

As methods by which texts are to be understood, positivism and historicism have a long tradition and continue to exert wide influence in all academic disciplines. Other approaches to textual concerns have recently emerged to challenge the dominance of these two approaches. Foremost among these new approaches are hermeneutics and deconstruction. Both of the latter approaches recognize that interpretation is inescapable. The latter challenges even the possibility of determinate meaning. A theoretical discussion of historicism and positivism uncovers questionable and troublesome difficulties. Hermeneutics in its conservative or radical variations overcomes the difficulties of interpretation that positivism and historicism can't explain. …

Pronouns Of Address In The Book Of Mormon, Lyle L. Fletcher

Theses and Dissertations

The first section of this thesis is a diachronic examination of second person pronouns in English with special focus on variations in usage such as pronominal shifting between thou (and related forms) and ye (and related forms), as well as an examination of the second person pronoun usage in the English Bible (especially the King James Version) with a similar focus. From the thirteenth century on variations in usage have been common.

The second section is a synchronic examination of second person pronouns as used by Joseph Smith and some of his contemporaries, followed by an analysis of these pronouns …

Lehi's Vision Of The Tree Of Life: An Anagogic Interpretation, Julie Adams Maddox

Theses and Dissertations

The significance of Lehi's life tree is that it gives life. Lehi's tree expresses the nonverbal, renews Lehi, effectually creates a culture, and keys the structure of a literary, viable, and contemporary scripture. My thesis chapters grow out of my reading of myth, tree mythology, and Lehi's dream. I see Lehi 1) traveling a polemic course toward the tree, 2) confronting the tree's death, and 3) by suffering, opening the symbol to his inner vision.
Lehi's first dream images, a dark and dreary wilderness vs. a man in white, suggest the birth of mythic creation. By traveling through and reconciling …