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Book of Mormon (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints edition) The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of Mormonism first published in Palmyra, New York, USA, in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr. The book's self-declared main purpose is to testify of Jesus Christ, through the writings of ancient American prophets. It asserts that its principal author was the prophet Mormon, who compiled most of its contents in the 4th century A.D., and that Smith later translated the record by divine inspiration via a Urim and Thummim. Other authorship theories propose that the book was an original or derivative work of fiction by Joseph Smith or one of his associates. Along with the Bible, the Book of Mormon is esteemed as part of the scriptural canon of numerous churches that grew out of the religious movement begun by Joseph Smith, Jr., sometimes called the Latter Day Saint movement. It is one of the four books of scripture accepted by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - along with the King James version of the Holy Bible, the Pearl of Great Price, and the Doctrine and Covenants.
Contents of the Book of MormonThe book's organizationThe format of The Book of Mormon is similar to that of the Bible. The book is composed of the following books, which have been divided into chapters and verses similar to the Bible:
For the most part, the book is arranged chronologically, with earlier books depicting earlier events. Notable exceptions include "Words of Mormon", which is an editorial insertion by the purported author Mormon, and the "Book of Ether", which is a purported translation of an even earlier work. The books of "1 Nephi" through "Omni" are first-person narratives, as are "Mormon" and "Moroni". The remainder of The Book of Mormon is purportedly a third-person historical narrative and commentary compiled by Mormon and Moroni. In the version of The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ published by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the book also contains introductory text concerning the origins of the book, its contents and purpose. This material is divided as follows:
Summary of the book's narrative1 Nephi begins in ancient Jerusalem around 600 BC, at roughly the same time as the Book of Jeremiah in the Bible. It tells the story of Lehi, his family, and several others as they are led by God to travel from Jerusalem to the Americas. The books from 1 Nephi to Omni recount the group's dealings from around 600 BC to around 130 BC, in which they grow to a sizeable number, and eventually split into two groups, the Nephites and the Lamanites. The information from the latter two thirds of this time span is extremely sparse. The Words of Mormon written in AD 385 by Mormon, is a short introduction to the books of Mosiah, Alma, Helaman, 3 Nephi and 4 Nephi. Mormon compiled The Book of Mormon (thus the name). He included the books 1 Nephi to Omni, then abridged large quantity of collected records detailing the national history from the end of Omni until his own time. 3 Nephi contains an account of the visit of the glorified, resurrected Jesus to the Americas after his ministry in Jerusalem. Here Christ gives much of the same instruction given in the Gospels of the Bible, and establishes an enlightened, peaceful society which endures several generations. Mormon is an account of the events which occurred during Mormon's life, after the enlightened society of 3 and 4 Nephi had deteriorated yet again into warring groups. Ether is an abridgment by Moroni, written shortly after his father, Mormon's, death. It describes a much earlier civilization beginning at the time of the Tower of Babel. In this account, a man named Jared, his family and others were led by God to the Americas before the languages were confounded and formed a civilization long before Lehi's family arrived in 1 Nephi. Moroni then witnesses the final destruction of his people and the idolatrous state of the remaining society. He adds a few spiritual insights and mentions some important doctrinal teachings, as well as an invitation to pray to God for a confirmation of the truthfulness of the account. The book's major themesStated purposesThe purpose of The Book of Mormon as stated on its original title page "is to show the remnant of the House of Israel what great things the Lord has done for their fathers" and to convince "Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself to all nations." Testimony of ChristEvery prophet cited in the Book of Mormon teaches about Jesus Christ. The crowning event of the Book of Mormon is the visitation of Christ to the Nephites around the year 34 AD (3 Nephi 11-26). From the time that Lehi left Jerusalem, 600 years was the predicted date of Jesus' birth. (1 Nephi 10:4, 19:8; See 3 Nephi 1) The first prophets in the Book of Mormon, Lehi and Nephi, saw the birth, ministry, and death of Christ in a vision. (1 Nephi 11) The name "Jesus Christ" was revealed to King Benjamin by an angel around the year 124 BC (Mosiah 3:8). At that point in time, the Nephites were called "the children of Christ" (Mosiah 5:7) The faithful members of the church in the time of Captain Moroni (73 BC) were called "Christians" by their enemies, because of their belief in Christ. (Alma 46:13-15) For nearly 200 years after the visitation of Christ, the land was filled with peace and prosperity because of the people's obedience to Christ's commandments. (4 Nephi) The great prophet general Mormon worked to convince the faithless people of his time of Christ. (360 AD) Moroni buried the plates in Christ (See title page). Major doctrinal teachingsThe following teachings are especially notable in The Book of Mormon:
Dominant narrative themesThe following narrative themes are especially consistent in The Book of Mormon:
Origin of the Book of MormonJoseph Smith's official accountAccording to Joseph Smith and his associates, this is how the records comprising The Book of Mormon were found and translated:
See Golden Plates Alternative explanationsAlternative explanations for the authorship of the Book of Mormon have arisen. Most of these explanations attack the concept of Joseph Smith receiving divine revelations. An incomplete list of alternative origins of The Book of Mormon is given below. Smith as authorSmith wrote the Book of Mormon and just said he translated it. Although Hugh Nibley, a Mormon scholar, denies this as a possibility claiming that writing such a book in the given period of time is practically impossible and citing the claim that Joseph, an unlearned man, and his scribes never went back to rewrite or revisit a section previously written, others disagree. They feel that it could be possible to fabricate a story that is consistent and they say doing so with scribes could only make the task easier. This position tends to be the most common among Smith's critics. Smith colleague as authorSomeone else (Sidney Rigdon or some close friend of Smith) wrote the book and allowed Smith to take credit for it. Given that Smith was not particularly educated (he claims that he had nothing beyond a third grade education), this is more probable than Smith writing the book on his own. Both Sidney Rigdon and Oliver Cowdery were very educated and could have helped Smith fabricate the story. This would also help explain why different sections of the book appear to be written by different authors. Sidney Rigdon and Oliver Cowdery both denied this claim, however. Their account of the method of translation is consistent, even with Smith's wife's account. There is no evidence that Joseph Smith knew of or had contact with Sidney Rigdon until after the Book of Mormon had been published. Smith as plagiaristSmith plagiarised the book either: from the manuscript of another book relating to early American inhabitants which was stolen and altered, from the actual plates themselves, having inserted material not in the original, or from an unpublished novel about early American inhabitants which Smith read and from which he used ideas to compose the book. The unpublished novel was written by one Solomon Spaulding. However, Spaulding's romantic novel has almost nothing in common to the Book of Mormon, with the exception of the story revolving around a group of seafaring Romans who sail to the New World around 2 millenia ago. See Linguistics and the Book of Mormon for additional information and analysis on authorship. Latter Day Saint views concerning the book's historicityThe dominant and widely accepted view among Latter Day Saints is that the Book of Mormon is a true account of the people whose history it documents. But not all Latter Day Saints consider the Book of Mormon to be a work of history. Some see the book as a work of inspired or divine fiction, similar to the Book of Job or the parables of Jesus Christ. Since the time of its publication, it has been common among Latter Day Saints to view and explain the Book of Mormon as a comprehensive history of the American Indians. But in the light of careful research, which consistently shows the book and the archeological record speaking in much more limited terms, many Latter Day Saint scholars have suggested that the book is a history of only a small group of Native Americans in Central America. See Archaeology and the Book of Mormon. Role of the Book of Mormon in MormonismMany find the role of the Book of Mormon in Mormonism enigmatic. Apologetic Point of ViewThis phenomenon was decried in a revelation of Smith's that pronounced a condemnation on the "whole church" for treating the Book of Mormon "lightly" until they should "repent and remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon and the former commandments which I have given them, not only to say, but to do according to that which I have written, that they may bring forth fruit meet for their Father’s kingdom" (D&C 84:55-58 LDS) It was also decried repeatedly and unmistakedly by Ezra Taft Benson, 13th President of the LDS Church. Today, in the LDS Church, the Book of Mormon is a cornerstone of religion. Copies of the Book of Mormon are made freely available in multiple languages to anyone who desires one. People who are interested in the church are given a free copy and asked to read the book. In religious classes and sermons, the Book of Mormon is often referred to more often than the Bible or other scriptures, including the Pearl of Great Price and the Doctrine and Covenants. Members are encouraged by the leadership to study the Book of Mormon daily. Critical Point of ViewCritics of Mormonism have also noted that the Book of Mormon does not seem entirely consistent with Mormon (LDS) doctrine. The book's Introduction states that the Book of Mormon "contains, as does the Bible, the fullness of the everlasting gospel," though it does not dictate some specific doctrines important to most Mormons (LDS) including the origin of God, Baptism for the dead and other temple work, and pre-existence. It also does not dictate the doctrine of plural marriage, or polygamy, which some 'fundamentalist' Mormons maintain (LDS Church members currently practicing are excommunicated). Some LDS members, however, point to a statement made by Joseph Smith to the effect that the only real doctrines of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are Faith, Repentance, and Baptism, and that all other doctrines and practices are but appendages to those tenets. They comment that no official statement on the origin of God has been made since it is unrelated to those three things; that no sanction is given of plural marriage since it is not a doctrine but a practice, rarely entered into and then only by commandment of God; that Baptism for the Dead is included in the doctrine of Baptism; and that knowledge of the preexistence has been given by divine revelation in our day, and increases the knowledge and understanding of Our Heavenly Father, but may not be included in the Book of Mormon precisely because our salvation is not contingent upon that knowledge. Other Mormons (especially outside the LDS Church) might agree to some extent with critics. The following passages are some that appear to casual observers to conflict with Mormon (LDS) doctrines:
Book of Mormon EditionsThe Book of Mormon is published today in the following forms:
Some critics have suggested that some of the changes across editions significantly affect the meaning of the Book of Mormon and indicate an agenda inconsistent with the idea of a revealed or inspired book. Most of these changes have been discussed in publications including the Ensign, Improvement Era, Millennial Star and Times and Seasons, and usually are consistent with early pre- and post-publication edits made by Joseph Smith. See Linguistics and the Book of Mormon. For the first time since its original publication, a special edition of The Book of Mormon was printed by a trade publisher for commercial distribution. While it contains all the original text of the English edition of the Book of Mormon, it lacks the footnotes and cross-references of the church-published version. This hardcover edition of the book was made available on November 16 2004 from Doubleday. See also
External links
da:Mormons Bog de:Buch Mormon eo:La Libro de Mormono es:Libro de Mormón nl:Boek van Mormon ja:モルモン書 pl:Księga Mormona zh:摩門經 |
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