Avraham gileadi, isaiahkey to the book of mormon, in rediscovering the book of mormon, ed. It is a book of scripture aimed at teaching people about christ and how to find happiness through the gospel. Mark twain once derided the book of mormon as chloroform in print. With this new book, no student of the bible or book of mormon has need to fear. The book of mormon is a musical comedy with music, lyrics and book by trey parker, robert lopez, and matt stone first staged in 2011, the play is a satirical examination of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints beliefs and practices that ultimately endorses the positive power of love and service. It is subtitled, another testament of jesus christ. The claims of the mormon church are simple and clear, but have often been confused by fartooprevalent misconceptions and misinformation perpetuated by those who do not fully understand the position, doctrines, and nuances of mormon beliefs. Our changing understanding of ancient america and its scripture, ensign, sept. Anderson gives special attention to how the book of mormon relates to christian beliefs about god, jesus, and the bible. Understanding the book of mormon zondervan academic.
This 93 page book focuses primarily on the book of mormon, explaining its contents, its theology, along with insights in approaching your lds neighbors with sensitivity and understanding. Although we have not called this a chiasmus, for a discussion of chiasmus in the book of mormon, see john w. A former mormon and an adult convert to christianity, author ross anderson provides a clear summary of the book of mormon including its history, teachings, and unique features. Understanding textual changes in the book of mormon. Forty years later, journal of book of mormon studies 16, no. The book of mormon contains the writings of ancient prophets. In addition to having written books and articles on early chinese history, he is also the editor of the book of mormon. Many latterday saints have not had access to sources which communicate how recent research has changed our understanding of the book of mormon as an ancient document. Come to understanding and learn doctrine religious. That need took me to a variety of places, including the hill cumorah pageant best research trip ever. An account written by the hand of mormon upon plates taken from the. To understand the events in late mosiah and beyond, we must understand the nature of mosiahs change to the legal system. But now this authority had been restored, thanks to his latterday revelations. Examples from the book of mormon illustrate how the lord adapted his means of revelation from earlier ancient near eastern patterns to patterns.
Grant hardy is professor of history and religious studies at the university of north carolina at asheville. A former mormon and an adult convert to christianity. I have the journal edition of the book of mormon so i am able to write down my feelings and impressions as well as some of the explanations and overviews given by brother harwood. Every day i read a chapter of the book of mormon and then i listen to the podcast for that chapter.
Understanding the book of mormon grant hardy oxford. With discussion questions to facilitate group use and a focus on providing an accurate portrayal of mormons beliefs, understanding the book of mormon is an indispensable guide for anyone wishing to become more familiar with the church of jesus christ of latterday saints and its most formative scripture. Long and complicated, written in the language of the king james version of the bible, it. It will perhaps come as no surprise that grant hardys understanding the book of mormon was an essential part of my earliest engagements with the text and is. Fenton understanding the book of mormon 39 book of mormon. Understanding the book of mormon by elizabeth fenton. Understanding the nature of the thousands of small changes in the book of mormon may be helpful and interesting. Understanding the book of mormon logos bible software. His excellent scholarship and insightful literary connections make understanding the book of mormon a comfortable read for believers, nonbelievers, and ambivalent truth seekers like me alike.
Mormons, or members of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints, form a growing population in both numbers and influence. Book of mormon central continues to support other projects that contribute to understanding and spreading the truth of the book of mormon. A readers guide 9780199731701 by hardy, grant and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at. Understanding the book of mormon audiobook by ross. The purpose of each new edition is to eliminate the human errors that have occurred. Understanding book of mormon geography by dave mack. This site is for those who wish to find genuine answers regarding what mormons believe. Yet few people have more than a passing knowledge of the document that defines and drives this important movementthe book of mormon. Parry, nephis keys to understanding isaiah 2 nephi 25.
Understanding the abrahamic covenant through the book of mormon author noel b. Finding doctrine and meaning in book of mormon isaiah. To get to the bottom of this, i want to jump right into book the of mormons reign of the judges. As often as we latterday saints have read the book of mormon, we may yet read it better, read it with more understanding, if we were to read it with the benefit of the perceptive perspective that hardy opens up for us with this volume. With discussion questions to facilitate group use and a focus on providing an accurate portrayal of mormons beliefs, understanding the book of mormon is an indispensable guide for anyone wishing to become more familiar with. Buy a cheap copy of understanding the book of mormon. Former mormon ross anderson addresses these and other questions.
A quick christian guide to the mormon holy book 9780310283218 by ross anderson. Understanding book of mormon kritarchy ldsphilosopher. Understanding the process of publishing the book of mormon. In understanding the book of mormon, hardy offers the first comprehensive analysis of the works narrative structure in its 180 year history. Nyman isaiah prophesied that through the coming forth of the book of mormon those that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine 29. A readers guide, grant hardy, who teaches history and religious studies at the university of north carolina at asheville, begs to differ. Now, during the years he was working on the book of mormon, smith had several visions that dictated to him the structure of this new church. Controversy, evidence, and two cumorahs the book of mormon is not intended to be a history book or a guide to geography, science, or any other secular topic.
Understanding the book of mormon byu scholarsarchive. The book of mormon is a sacred text of the latter day saint movement, which, according to adherents, contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the american continent from approximately 2200 bc to ad 421. One important framework for understanding the book is to examine its publishing history. Stories from the author and other exmormons illustrate the.
Here are some of the ways the book of mormon deepens our understanding of christs atonement. This means that it is another witness that christ really lived, and that he is gods son. Learn about the book of mormon with verse by verse commentaries from renowned book of mormon scholars like john w. 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. The book of mormon, another testament of jesus christ. Help me understand the book of mormon on apple podcasts. Understanding the abrahamic covenant through the book of.
He taught that the authority of the christian church was lost because of corruption from the 2 nd century to the 1820s. Reynolds the revival of scholarly interest in abraham in recent decades provides a timely opportunity to explore the contemporary findings of biblical scholars from a latterday saint perspective. Understanding the book of mormon a readers guide grant hardy the first detailed academic introduction to the contents of the book of mormon designed to be accessible to those interested in any aspect religious, historical, literary, or otherwise of the book of mormon. Understanding the book of mormon by ross anderson home. These projects include evidence central, pearl of great price central, supplementary material for the come, follow me curriculum, original commentaries, an annual art contest. These and other questions are the focus of former mormon ross andersons understanding the book of mormon, a fair and indispensable guide for anyone wishing to understand and engage with mormons on issues of faith.
The bible is certainly a magnificent witness of jesus christ and his divinity, but the crowning witness of the savior and his atonement is to be found in the book of mormon. This video discusses theories on word choices used in the book of mormon translation, and then answers criticisms used against the book of mormon related to the words in the text. He identifies the books literary techniques, such as characterization, embedded documents, allusions, and parallel narratives, and shows how the narratorsnephi, mormon, and moronieach has a. As often as we latterday saints have read the book of mormon, we may yet read it better, read it with more understanding, if we were to read it with the benefit of the perceptive perspective that hardy opens up. Over the last 178 years, seven major editions of the book of mormon have been published by the church of jesus christ of latterday saints. Read this weeks knowhy connected with the come follow me curriculum, and watch a video elucidating an insight in this weeks scripture reading. The book of mormon is one of four volumes of scripture used by the church of jesus christ of latterday saints the mormon church. First staged in 2011, the play is a satirical examination of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints beliefs and practices that ultimately endorses the positive power of love and service. Many of us assume that this was a shift from a monarchy to some form of a democracy.
Gain a brief yet clear understanding for mormon teaching from a former latter day saint. Understanding latterday saintswhere did the mormon. Welch, the discovery of chiasmus in the book of mormon. In reality, though, the kind of stylistic accuracy achieved by these changes has little to do with what joseph meant when he called the book of mormon the most correct of any book on earth. Grant hardy is a really good guide for looking at what the book of mormon really says, does, and signifies. In understanding isaiah, the authors break down the otherwise formidable words of isaiah into small bites that can be absorbed, pondered, and comprehended. In illustration 3, the chiastic pattern shown is not necessarily intended to portray a. Parker and stone were best known for creating the animated comedy.