Studies of the Book of Mormon

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Studies of the Book of Mormon (English for "studies of the Book of Mormon ") is a collection of essays in the early 20th century by BH Roberts (1857-1933), a General Authority of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , (but not published until 1985). In these, Roberts takes a critical look at the Book of Mormon, in particular he questions the authorship and validity of the book as a translation of ancient American records.

Roberts frequented "the innermost circles of Mormonism " and for decades "stood up for the Book of Mormon with his oratorical, literary and scientific skills and his research skills in order to defend it and to give the book intellectual integrity". According to Professor Marvin S. Hill of Brigham Young University , the focus of controversy over the book “was not so much about the historical issues that Roberts raised, but more about whether he lost his belief in the Book [of Mormon] and the Church ".

Mormon critics claim that Roberts lost his faith in the Book of Mormon after the study was completed - even though it continued to affirm the divine origin of the book. According to author Richard N. Ostling, after the book was published, Mormon Apologetics faced "a very delicate situation" and worked "at full speed" on answers because "Roberts could not be disregarded like other outsiders or anti-Mormons ."

Intention and conclusion

In the early 1920s, Roberts was appointed by the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to apologetically deal with difficulties relating to the Book of Mormon; for example, that Native American languages ​​lack Hebrew or Egyptian influence, or that they contain anachronisms (horses, oxen, wheat and steel swords in ancient America).

Additionally, Roberts considers similarities between the Book of Mormon and View of the Hebrews by Ethan Smith, published in 1823, more than 5 years before the Book of Mormon. Smith, a Vermont minister, used popular theories of the time about the relationship between the Hebrews and the American Indians. Not only has Smith's work been revised several times, but Oliver Cowdery - Joseph Smith's scribe and one of the witnesses for the gold plates - grew up in the same Vermont township where Ethan Smith was pastor in a church and where Cowdery's mother and half-sisters were members. According to author Richard Ostling, "Joseph Smith is assumed to be familiar with [Ethan Smith's book]."

Roberts summarized his comparison of the parallels between the View of the Hebrews and the Book of Mormon as follows:

“Did Ethan Smith's View of the Hebrews provide the structural basis for Joseph Smith's Book of Mormon ? Much has been cited on these pages from the first book, suggesting a number of important elements from the latter. Not just a few items, one or two, or half a dozen, but many. And it is precisely these many similarities that, taken together, pose such a serious threat to Joseph Smith's story of the origins of the Book of Mormon . "

- BH Roberts : Studies of the Book of Mormon, p. 240

Roberts was "torn by an internal struggle between his faith and his desire to be honest with himself." Roberts believed that Mormonism was based on the veracity of Joseph Smith's claims - namely, that the Book of Mormon was an account of an ancient people, engraved on gold plates and revealed to Smith by an angel - "must stand or fall". In his studies, however, Roberts cites examples of "(in his opinion) inconsistencies, improbabilities, and contradictions in the Book of Mormon." According to Marvin S. Hill, Roberts argued that "the Book of Mormon claim that American Indians came from all three Hebrew peoples who immigrated to the New World over three thousand years is unacceptable." Roberts concluded that the "evidence [he] presented" suggested that Joseph Smith might be the author of the Book of Mormon.

Robert's manuscripts were intended for the leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ; however, they showed little interest in it. Roberts claims that his study "is of tremendous importance as it sets out the ways in which an opponent could criticize the Book of Mormon." He also warns that the problems cited will haunt the Church "both now and in the future." and that through them - if they remain unresolved - “the faith of the youth of the Church” could be weakened.

overview

Roberts named three conditions for inferring that a book came from another: the derivative work appeared after its original, the author of the derivative had access to the original, and the derivative work is similar to the original. Roberts concluded that View of the Hebrews was published before the Book of Mormon, that Joseph Smith had "almost certain" access to it, and that there were many similarities between the two works. Most of the manuscript deals with the similarities between View of the Hebrews and the Book of Mormon.

Origin of the peoples of the New World

Roberts states that both View of the Hebrews and the Book of Mormon claim that the Hebrews "inhabited all of the Americas" and that the idea was "common in New England." Today's apologetics limits the living space of the peoples in the Book of Mormon to a small area ("limited geography model") - an assumption that Roberts' view is incompatible with the Book of Mormon.

migration

Both View of the Hebrews and the Book of Mormon describe the migrations of peoples to America. Roberts notes several parallels between the wanderings of the Jaredites and the lost tribes of Israel in the Jewish apocalypse of Book 4 of Ezra (according to Ethan Smith's interpretation). Both hikes "have a religious background, both groups entered valleys at the beginning of their journey, both apparently traveled northwards between the rivers Euphrates and Tigris, both crossed water hazards, both journeys lasted several years and both groups entered uninhabited countries."

Destruction of Jerusalem

Roberts explains that the first chapter of View of the Hebrews describes the Roman conquest of Jerusalem in AD 70. He draws a comparison between this chapter and the first chapter of the Book of Mormon, in which Lehi before his departure about 600 BC. BC predicts the destruction of Jerusalem. Apologists believe that View of the Hebrews does not refer to the earlier destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians around 586 BC. Chr.

Lost books

In View of the Hebrews , "an ancient Indian" explains that his ancestors had "a book that has long been preserved" but that they "were no longer able to read it" and "buried it with an Indian chief." View of the Hebrews describes buried Jewish tefillin , with "four folded pages" of "dark yellow parchment" inside. Roberts draws a comparison between this story and the appearance of gold plates in a hill in New York by Joseph Smith; he asks, "Could all of this have provided the structural basis for the Book of Mormon?"

Breastplate and the Urim and Thummim

View of the Hebrews describes a breastplate, “similar to the Urim and Thummim”, made of a white conch shell with two holes to which white stag horn buttons are attached - “a kind of imitation of the precious stones of the Urim.” Roberts sees a connection with the Urim and Thummim that Joseph Smith testified to have received to translate the gold plates.

"Egyptian" hieroglyphics

View of the Hebrews tells of hieroglyphic paintings found in Southwest America. Roberts writes, "Is this enough to explain the extraordinary nature of the Book of Mormon writing ... in an altered Egyptian?" In the Book of Mormon, the author explains that the gold plates are written in "Reformed Egyptian."

Wild and civilized peoples in the New World

The View of the Hebrews explains how the Hebrews who arrived on the American continent were divided into two classes; that "most of them had a sluggish life of hiking and hunting," but "the more sensible part of this people banded together to deepen their understanding of their skills." The more civilized part of this society separated from the more primitive, the "self no longer remembered that he was descended from the same family ”. As a result of the "terrible wars" the civilized group died out.

In the Book of Mormon, the Nephites and Lamanites also split into two groups and often fought each other, ultimately leading to the destruction of the more civilized Nephites.

government

In both View of the Hebrews and the Book of Mormon, the government of a portion of America's residents is moving from monarchy to republic, uniting civil and ecclesiastical rights into a single office.

Prophecy about the Dispersion and Gathering of Israel

Roberts notes that both the View of the Hebrews and the Book of Mormon quote extensively from the book of Isaiah . Roberts asks, "Whether the Book of Mormon writer followed Ethan Smith's dealings with Isaiah too closely is a fair question." Mormon apologetics argues that View of the Hebrews contains other biblical prophecies about the gathering of Israel as the book goes Mormon cited only from Isaiah 11.

White-skinned God in the New World

Representation of the Quetzalcoatl according to the Aztec Codex Codex Magliabechiano .

In View of the Hebrews , legends about the “bearded, white-skinned god” Quetzalcoatl are taken up and claims that this “lawgiver” or “Mexican messiah” may have been Moses. Ethan Smith also said that this belief of the Mexicans in Montezuma's time made it easier for the Spaniards to conquer the country, since "the Mexicans believed the white-skinned, bearded invaders from the east to be descendants of their long-awaited cultural hero Quetzalcoatl." Roberts asks the rhetorical question whether "this person named in View of the Hebrews " provided the basis for Jesus Christ's appearance in the New World in the Book of Mormon.

Controversy over Roberts' parallels

Some apologists claim that Roberts' parallels are insignificant, since many of them have since been addressed by Mormon apologists, and that there are also many "unparalleles" between View of the Hebrews and the Book of Mormon. Critics, on the other hand, say that Joseph Smith did not necessarily take up the View of the Hebrews in full, but that it is quite possible that he adopted ideas worth mentioning and discarded others, and that the conceptual differences between the two works are small, but the similarities many are.

Controversy over Roberts' ultimate belief

Critics say that Roberts' faith in the Book of Mormon was shaken by his studies. For example, a reviewer of the book for The Christian Century magazine wrote that Roberts not only had "serious doubts" about the Book of Mormon, but that his investigations "challenged his own beliefs." Mormon apologists, in turn, believe that Roberts was the devil's advocate , testifying that the Book of Mormon was true until his death. Marvin S. Hill objects, however, that "this argument seems strained given his request at the end of each section that Church leaders offer inspired help." Apologetics has also argued that Sterling McMurrin and Brigham Madsen, the collection's editors, "misrepresented Roberts' ultimate view as to the historical authenticity of the Mormon scriptures." Critics counter that Roberts wrote this letter prior to completing his "Study of the Book of Mormon" and "Parallels" and that he was careful not to offend anyone who wrote it, since he intended to discuss it with church officials exclude him from the church or who could disfellowship him. The letter was never sent.

Controversy within the Church after publication in 1985

The publication of the study "caused indignation in some Utah circles." In fact, Sterling McMurrin, a philosophy professor at the University of Utah, said that "there was an unsuccessful effort to prevent the University of Illinois from publishing the study." Commented Robert Lindsay, "Church leaders have found it difficult to stem the deluge of research and regain control of the past." In the summer of 1985, then-Apostle of the Church, Gordon B. Hinckley , rebuked scholars who "looked into all In August of that year, Apostle Dallin H. Oaks declared at a Brigham Young University religion teacher meeting that “the fact that something is true is not always true justifies discussing it. Likewise, not all that is true is edifying or suitable to be discussed. "

In 1996, long after Roberts' study was made available by prominent critics Jerald and Sandra Tanner , and more than a decade after the study was published, BYU's View of the Hebrews was republished .

Remarks

  1. ^ Paul M. Edwards, "Review of Studies of the Book of Mormon, " Christian Century 103 (Aug. 6, 1986), p. 684. Studies of the Book of Mormon contains three essays, correspondence relating to the essays, and a short biography by Sterling McMurrin and an introduction by Brigham Madsen. The manuscripts are titled "Book of Mormon Difficulties: A Study," "A Book of Mormon Study," and "A Parallel."
  2. ^ Paul M. Edwards, "Review of Studies of the Book of Mormon, " Christian Century 103 (Aug. 6, 1986), p. 684.
  3. ^ A b Marvin S. Hill, "Review" Church History 55 (December 1986), p. 547.
  4. ^ Richard N. Ostling and Joan K. Ostling, Mormon America: The Power and the Promise (HarperSanFrancisco, 1999), pp. 275-276.
  5. ↑ a b Ostling, p. 275.
  6. ↑ a b c d e Robert Lindsey, A Gathering of Saints: A True Story of Money, Murder and Deceit (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1988), pp. 187-188.
  7. ^ BH Roberts, Brigham D. Madsen (Eds.): Studies of the Book of Mormon , University of Illinois Press, Urbana 1985. In a letter to Elizabeth Skolfield dated March 14, 1932, Roberts wrote: “I am adding the introductory chapter to this letter one works. It is titled 'Book of Mormon Study' and has 435 typewritten pages. It comes from a research project I was doing before I [May 1922] took over the leadership of the Eastern States Mission. I did not write it for publication to present to the Twelve and the Presidency , but I put it off until I returned home. I have not yet gotten around to presenting it, but a letter for submission was prepared by the Eastern States Mission [1927] before I left. I've made only a weak attempt to bring it to them since my return, but they don't seem particularly eager to learn. "
  8. ^ BH Roberts: Studies of the Book of Mormon , p. 58.
  9. ^ BH Roberts: Studies of the Book of Mormon , p. 47.
  10. ^ BH Roberts: Studies of the Book of Mormon , p. 235. Smith himself indicated that he knew about this book. In an article in the newspaper Times and Seasons 3 : 15 (June 1, 1842, pp 813-15) he mentioned Ethan Smith and quoted excerpts from View of the Hebrews .
  11. ^ BH Roberts: Studies of the Book of Mormon , p. 235.
  12. ^ BH Roberts: Studies of the Book of Mormon , pp. 241, 323.
  13. ↑ BH Roberts: Studies of the Book of Mormon , p. 93: “Could the Mulek and Lehi peoples, ... who at least temporarily occupied the area from Yucatan to Cumorah, ... reside and move around in America without being with other races or tribes contact who may have been in the New World during the Book of Mormon days? For that to happen, the Nephites and Lamanites would have had to have extremely limited living space - far more, I fear, than the Book of Mormon would have us believe. "
  14. ^ Dan Vogel, Joseph Smith: The Making of a Prophet (Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 2004), p. 344; BH Roberts: Studies of the Book of Mormon , pp. 183-187.
  15. ^ BH Roberts: Studies of the Book of Mormon , p. 334.
  16. ^ John W. Welch: View of the Hebrews: An Unparallel , 1992, In: Reexploring the Book of Mormon , Deseret Book, Salt Lake City 1992, pp. 83-87
  17. ↑ Ethan Smith: View of the Hebrews , Hayriver Press, Colfax, Wisconsin 2002, p. 167.
  18. ↑ Ethan Smith: View of the Hebrews , pp. 164-165.
  19. ^ BH Roberts: Studies of the Book of Mormon , p. 326.
  20. ^ Ethan Smith: View of the Hebrews , p. 108.
  21. ^ BH Roberts: Studies of the Book of Mormon , pp. 327-328.
  22. ↑ Ethan Smith: View of the Hebrews , pp. 135-136.
  23. ^ BH Roberts: Studies of the Book of Mormon , p. 330.
  24. ^ A b Ethan Smith: View of the Hebrews , p. 126.
  25. ^ BH Roberts: Studies of the Book of Mormon , pp. 330–334.
  26. ^ BH Roberts: Studies of the Book of Mormon , p. 242.
  27. ^ BH Roberts: Studies of the Book of Mormon , p. 335.
  28. ^ John W. Welch: View of the Hebrews: An Unparallel , 1992, In: Reexploring the Book of Mormon , Deseret Book, Salt Lake City 1992, pp. 83-87. View of the Hebrews contains quotations from Deuteronomy 30; Isaiah 11:18, 60, 65; Jeremiah 16, 23, 30-31, 35-37; Zefanja 3; Amos 9; Hosea and Joël.
  29. ↑ Ethan Smith: View of the Hebrews , p. 154: "Who else would it be but Moses, the ancient lawgiver in Israel?"
  30. ^ BH Roberts: Studies of the Book of Mormon , p. 234.
  31. ^ BH Roberts: Studies of the Book of Mormon , pp. 343-344.
  32. ↑ Answer from Walsh and Lindsay
  33. ^ David Persuitt, Joseph Smith and the Origins of the Book of Mormon (Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 1985), pp. 111-112.
  34. ↑ Paul M. Edwards, "Review of Studies of the Book of Mormon, " Christian Century 103 (Aug. 6, 1986), 684. See also James R. Spencer, "The Disappointment of BH Roberts: Five Questions That Forced a Mormon General Authority to Abandon the Book of Mormon "(1991), A Mormon General Authority's Doubts About the Authenticity of the Book of Mormon Mormons in Transition.
  35. ^ Marvin S. Hill, "Review," Church History 55 (Dec 1986), p. 548.
  36. ↑ Richard N. Ostling and Joan K. Ostling, Mormon America: The Power and the Promise (HarperSanFrancisco, 1999), 276. Mormon apologists often refer to a letter Roberts wrote to Church leaders (but never mailed) ): “This report, which I am writing to you on the occasion of these studies, was written from an impartial perspective in order to examine the realities of the origin and authorship of the Book of Mormon. Let me explain once and for all so as not to have to come back repeatedly to the fact that what is set out here is not meant to be a conclusion. The report submitted here is - as the name suggests - a 'study of the origins of the Book of Mormon' for those who want to find out about everything, pros and cons, including what goes against the book. I do not provide any information about my conclusions because they were not drawn. The study is important because it shows how an opponent might criticize the Book of Mormon. My position is that our faith in the Book of Mormon is not only unshaken but unshakable, and therefore we can look fearlessly at whatever is against it ”(BH Roberts, Brigham D. Madsen [ed.]: Studies of the Book of Mormon , pp. 57f.)
  37. ^ Marvin S. Hill, "Review," Church History 55 (Dec 1986), p. 547.
  38. ^ Ostling, p. 276.
  39. ^ Richard N. Ostling and Joan K. Ostling, Mormon America: The Power and the Promise (HarperSanFrancisco, 1999), p. 276.

literature

  • Andrew H. Hedges: Review of "View of the Hebrews" by Ethan Smith , Maxwell Institute, Provo, Utah 1997, http://farms.byu.edu/display.php?id=247&table=review (last accessed 27. February 2007).
  • Truman G. Madsen: BH Roberts after Fifty Years: Still Witnessing for the Book of Mormon . In: Ensign, December 1983, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, http://www.lds.org/ensign/1983/12/bh-roberts-after-fifty-years-still- witnessing-for-the-book-of-mormon
  • L. Ara Norwood: Joseph Smith and the Origins of the Book of Mormon . In: FARMS Review of Books , Volume 2, Issue 1, Maxwell Institute, Provo, Utah 1990, http://farms.byu.edu/display.php?table=review&id=44 (last accessed February 14, 2007).
  • Daniel C. Peterson: Yet More Abuse of BH Roberts In: FARMS Review of Books , Volume 9, Issue 1, Maxwell Institute, Provo, Utah 1997, pp. 69-87, http://farms.byu.edu/display. php? id = 248 & table = review (last accessed February 14, 2007).
  • BH Roberts: New Witnesses for God (3 vols) , Volume 3, Deseret News, Salt Lake City 1909.
  • BH Roberts, Brigham D. Masen (Eds.): Studies of the Book of Mormon , University of Illinois Press, Urbana 1985, ISBN 0252010434 .
  • Matthew Roper: Unanswered Mormon Scholars . In: FARMS Review of Books , Volume 9, Issue 1, Maxwell Institute, Provo, Utah 1997, pp. 87-145, http://farms.byu.edu/display.php?table=review&id=249 (last accessed on February 28, 2007).
  • Ethan Smith: View of the Hebrews (1825), Hayriver Press, Colfax, Wisconsin 2002, ISBN 1-930679-61-0 .
  • James R. Spencer: The Disappointment of BH Roberts: Five Questions That Forced a Mormon General Authority to Abandon the Book of Mormon , 1991.
  • John W. Welch: View of the Hebrews: An Unparallel . In: Reexploring the Book of Mormon , Deseret Book, Salt Lake City 1992, pp. 83-87.