SmileyMcGee Posted January 2, 2015 Posted January 2, 2015 Hi All, One of my goals for 2015 is to review some works that discuss evidence for the historicity of the BOM. I feel like I need a bit of guidance in selecting books or papers that would be most worth my while. If you have a moment please note your top suggestion. Thank you all!PS: if you don't feel that historicity is important feel free to refrain from commenting.
ERayR Posted January 2, 2015 Posted January 2, 2015 (edited) PS: if you don't feel that historicity is important feel free to refrain from commenting. Its importance depends on what your goals and motives are. Why do you feel it important to undertake such a study. My suggestion is Sorensons Mormon Codex. Edited January 2, 2015 by ERayR 1
Nevo Posted January 3, 2015 Posted January 3, 2015 Hi All,One of my goals for 2015 is to review some works that discuss evidence for the historicity of the BOM. I feel like I need a bit of guidance in selecting books or papers that would be most worth my while. If you have a moment please note your top suggestion. Thank you all! I assume you're looking for sources that support historicity. If so, Neal Rappleye and Stephen Smoot have compiled a long list of "essential reading" here. I don't agree with all of their choices (I wouldn't start with four volumes of Nibley for one thing), but it's a good list. 3
Uncle Dale Posted January 3, 2015 Posted January 3, 2015 Hi All,One of my goals for 2015 is to review some works that discuss evidence for the historicity of the BOM. I feel like I need a bit of guidance in selecting books or papers that would be most worth my while. If you have a moment please note your top suggestion. Thank you all!PS: if you don't feel that historicity is important feel free to refrain from commenting. Were such a task ever before me, I would begin by assembling intoone file cabinet drawer all of the "authoratative" instruction, counsel,"revelation" and remarks obtainable from documents promulgated bythe topmost General Authorities. At the front of the first folder, I would place in chronicle order, thecounsel of such Prophets, Apostles and lower authorities -- theirinstruction on HOW any such approach to Standard Works provenanceshould be conducted (and if it is even advisable). Next, I would assemble such secondary sources as those quotationsand paraphrases preserved by close associates of those same leaders,taking special care not to miss acquiring sources which seeminglypassed the approval of the topmost leaders while they were yet alive,(and could have obviously contradicted or invalidated the attributions). Into this secondary set of documents would go the published remarksconcerning such matters as "Zelph," the distribution of the Nephitesfrom the eastern seaboard to the Rocky Mountains, etc. All of this material I would generally classify as "doctrine." The next task would be to conduct research into additional sources,which in no way conflicted with (or disagreed with) such doctrine. I suppose you are already at that stage of investigation. I'll be curious to see what suggestions are made here, in goingbeyond the previously established teachings of General Authorities. UD 1
DragonLancer Posted January 3, 2015 Posted January 3, 2015 http://rsc.byu.edu/out-print/historicity-and-latter-day-saint-scriptures This book is awesome if I may say so. But, as it turns out, I agree with Elder Oaks, I think it was, that said that you will neither be able to prove or disprove historicity with evidence. They are at a draw, with the critics conveniently asserting that they have won, when that is not the case at all. So, the age-old advice to rely on the Spirit I think is the best advice. Heeding the Spirit on the question of historicity is not ignoring evidence. It is having patience for the pool of available evidence to catch up with what the Spirit says is true. This is the test of mortality, to accept historicity, like any other spiritual claim, on faith, and go with what the spirit says. Not to ignore evidence, but to not be swayed in your ultimate conclusions by incomplete information. Here is a blog post from a while back that I wrote on this. http://thoughtfulmormonism.blogspot.com/2014/09/my-lack-of-patience-with-lack-of-faith.html 1
erdoch Posted January 3, 2015 Posted January 3, 2015 Mormon's Codex should be at the top of your list. Also make sure to get Brant Gardner's "Traditions of the Fathers: the Book of Mormon as History" which should be coming out this upcoming summer and which Neal Rappleye - whose blog I also find helpful - recommends as "the most important volume on the Book of Mormon in Mesoamerica, and perhaps the most significant work on Book of Mormon historicity altogether, yet to be published." Gardner's "By the Gift and Power" is also important reading, as what type of translation the Book of Mormon represents (tight, loose, etc.) is central in situating and evaluating evidences of historicity (for example, it is clear that the Book of Mormon as we have it is heavily influenced by the King James Version of the Bible which suggests that the Book of Mormon is much more of a loose translation than a tight one). I also strongly recommend reading up on Blake Ostler's expansion theory of the Book of Mormon - basically, the theory that the Book of Mormon as we have it contains revelatory expansions not in the original plates - thus accounting for both evidence of ancientness and modernity. Terryl Givens' "By the Hand of Mormon", while mostly background reception history, includes a helpful overview of the historicity debates. This overview from Sunstone is also helpful reading. And if you want to read up on arguments against Book of Mormon historicity, Dan Vogel, Brent Metcalfe and Earl Wunderli are probably the most important authors to read up on. 1
Ham Clam Posted January 3, 2015 Posted January 3, 2015 Don't forget David Bokovoy's take on how the Documentary Hypothesis effects the BOM in his book that came out last year.
Robert F. Smith Posted January 3, 2015 Posted January 3, 2015 I provide some items I consider to be very good arguments for historicity in my “The Preposterous Book of Mormon: A Singular Advantage,” lecture, August 8, 2014, at the annual FAIRMORMON Conference, Provo, Utah, online at http://www.fairmormon.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/PREPOSTEROUS-BOOK-OF-MORMON.pdf .
nealr Posted January 3, 2015 Posted January 3, 2015 Mormon's Codex should be at the top of your list. Also make sure to get Brant Gardner's "Traditions of the Fathers: the Book of Mormon as History" which should be coming out this upcoming summer and which Neal Rappleye - whose blog I also find helpful - recommends as "the most important volume on the Book of Mormon in Mesoamerica, and perhaps the most significant work on Book of Mormon historicity altogether, yet to be published." I have read an earlier draft Brant's book, and if the published version is remotely like the draft I saw, this is going to be best single go-to source on the subject. If I could only recommend one book, that would be it. 3
Calm Posted January 3, 2015 Posted January 3, 2015 So will this cover the same sort of stuff that is in his 6 volume work?
nealr Posted January 3, 2015 Posted January 3, 2015 So will this cover the same sort of stuff that is in his 6 volume work? Yes, that is what most of the book is. But having it all between the covers of one book, and not scattered throughout a commentary, presented in a logically consistent argument for historicity is going to be an important contribution. Plus, he has a few knew ideas added in, including an explanation for why the Lamanites were set on getting rid of the Nephites at the specific time that they do (ca. AD 350). There are things going on in Mesoamerica right at that time that he thinks make sense of this.
Calm Posted January 3, 2015 Posted January 3, 2015 Good because I couldn't quite bring myself to purchase those and it almost drew my book buying to a complete halt because that was next on my list.
Freedom Posted January 3, 2015 Posted January 3, 2015 I would suggest you start by reading the book itself and drawing your own conclusions before you get clouded by the opinions of Sorenson and others. They have done great work, don't get me wrong, but I would not suggest an investigator to go to FARMS of FAIR to gain a testimony of the gospel for example. Create your own geography based on all the references of north, south, east and west. I would next suggest you read what the current scholarship is concerning the various locations that are presented. I am a huge fan of Christopher Pool and Richard Diel, two non-lds scholars who are experts in mezzo america and have written extensively on the Olmec culture. I have read a lot of scholarship concerning the great lakes and a variety of other locations that are presented and I have come away convinced that central america is the only plausible location. You may draw different conclusions. From reading what the secular scholarship has to say, you will also be better able to discern where the arguments from the LDS authors are on firm ground or not. As an example of how I went about it: AMNIHUAlma 2:15 came upon the hill Amnihu, east of the river Sidon, Which ran by the land of Zarahemla, ANTI-ANTIAlma 21:11 came over to a village which was called Ani-Anti, ANTIONUMAlma 31:3 Antionum (location of the Zoramites), east of the land of Zarahemla, nearly bordering the seashore, south of the land of Jershon, which also bordered upon the wilderness south, Alma 43:15 armies of the Lamanites in the land of Antionum, , the armies of the Nephites were prepared to meet them in the land of Jershon.Alma 43:22 leaving Anitonum, journeyed ‘roung about’ toward the the head of the river Sidon toward Manti AntumMormon 1:3 go to the land Antum, unto a hill which shall be called Shim; and there have I deposited
nealr Posted January 3, 2015 Posted January 3, 2015 Good because I couldn't quite bring myself to purchase those and it almost drew my book buying to a complete halt because that was next on my list. That is EXACTLY why I think this is going to be important. When most people tell me they want to learn more about the Book of Mormon's history and ask what I recommend, they usually don't want a $200 6 vol. set thrown at them. (Or even a $60 800-page tome, for that matter.)
readstoomuch Posted January 3, 2015 Posted January 3, 2015 http://rsc.byu.edu/out-print/historicity-and-latter-day-saint-scripturesThis book is awesome if I may say so.But, as it turns out, I agree with Elder Oaks, I think it was, that said that you will neither be able to prove or disprove historicity with evidence. They are at a draw, with the critics conveniently asserting that they have won, when that is not the case at all.So, the age-old advice to rely on the Spirit I think is the best advice. Heeding the Spirit on the question of historicity is not ignoring evidence. It is having patience for the pool of available evidence to catch up with what the Spirit says is true. This is the test of mortality, to accept historicity, like any other spiritual claim, on faith, and go with what the spirit says. Not to ignore evidence, but to not be swayed in your ultimate conclusions by incomplete information. Here is a blog post from a while back that I wrote on this.http://thoughtfulmormonism.blogspot.com/2014/09/my-lack-of-patience-with-lack-of-faith.html. This book listed at the top was too rigid for my own beliefs which is more along the Blake Ostler and David Bokovoy narratives. An in between sort of stance. I had this long discussion years ago on the Fair board. In between is okay if there was really a set of plates, which I favor.
Calm Posted January 3, 2015 Posted January 3, 2015 That is EXACTLY why I think this is going to be important. When most people tell me they want to learn more about the Book of Mormon's history and ask what I recommend, they usually don't want a $200 6 vol. set thrown at them. (Or even a $60 800-page tome, for that matter.)If it was for free, I would have let them throw it at me. 1
morgan.deane Posted January 3, 2015 Posted January 3, 2015 If you don't mind a little shameless self promotion, I think my book, Bleached Bones and Wicked Serpents: Ancient Warfare in the Book of Mormon, is an accessible study that supports the historicity of the text. Here are what people are saying about the book and my research: “…an absolute must for anyone studying the Book of Mormon... [ties] wide ranging examples from the ancient world in remarkable efficiency. Deane's personal experience also gives a strong eye to military aspects so often neglected... This is a book that will be talked about for years to come by any serious student of the Book of Mormon..” David West, award winning author of Heroes of the Fallen http://etherscave.blogspot.com/2014/07/giddianhi-gadianton-propagandist.html“Deane is an excellent scholar with fresh ideas and is always worth reading.” Matthew Roper, research associate at the Laura F. Willes Center for Book of Mormon Studies “A valuable contribution…” Brant Gardner, author of Second Witness: An Analytical and Textual Commentary on the Book of Mormon https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/942326800?book_show_action=true&page=1 “With a sigh of relief, one might say balance is restored to discourse on application of military lessons in the Book of Mormon to current conflicts. His work draws interesting, scholastically grounded parallels, placing [the war] narrative [and even] seldom plumbed verses on a…true to life description.” Kristopher Swenson “[Deane helps provide] a fitting springboard for robust and lively debates.” Robert Wood, Chester M. Nimitz Chair Emeritus, U.S. Naval War College. “Good insights…both engaging and provocative.” Harlow Clark, Association of Mormon Lettershttp://forums.mormonletters.org/yaf_postst1361_Mason-et-al-War-and-Peace-in-Our-Time-Mormon-Perspectives-reviewed-by-Harlow-Clark.aspx http://www.amazon.com/Bleached-Bones-Wicked-Serpents-Ancient/dp/1456622862/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1408987032&sr=8-1&keywords=bleached+bones+and+wicked+serpents
morgan.deane Posted January 3, 2015 Posted January 3, 2015 (edited) Good because I couldn't quite bring myself to purchase those and it almost drew my book buying to a complete halt because that was next on my list.I'm the same way. I found his commentary online for free a long time ago. But I don't have the money for a six volume set. So a one volume summary with alot of new arguments sounds great. Plus I'm hoping for some mentions of my book, he requested a copy of my manuscript a long time ago for a project on which he was working, and I've never been in somebody else's footnote before. Edited January 3, 2015 by morgan.deane 2
SmileyMcGee Posted January 4, 2015 Author Posted January 4, 2015 Thank you all for your excellent suggestions. I think you have saved me both time and money!
Kevin Christensen Posted January 5, 2015 Posted January 5, 2015 I'd also recommend Glimpses of Lehi's Jerusalem and Echoes and Evidences of the Book of Mormon, both published by the Maxwell Institute. Both summarize important research in support of historicity. FWIW Kevin Christensen Canonsburg, PA 1
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