Quotations of protestant clergy and publications in the Book of Mormon

[Benjamin Seeker]

In Roger Terry's article, "The Book of Mormon Translation Puzzle," published in BYU's Journal of Book of Mormon Studies, he makes a fun bullet point list of the many aspects of the Book of Mormon that need to be accounted for in translation theory. One of these is "specific terms and quotations from Protestant clergy and publications." I also remember hearing an interview where Richard Bushman mentioned that quotations of Protestant pamphlets can be found in the BOM. However, Roger Terry doesn't cite the research he is referring to, and I've had trouble finding the research myself. Does anyone know of an article or website that gives examples of these quotations? I'd like to learn more about this and see how extensive it is, etc.

 

[Bernard Gui]

Like "Jesus," "repent," "sin," "Holy Spirit," etc.

[Nevo]

45 minutes ago, Benjamin Seeker said:

In Roger Terry's article, "The Book of Mormon Translation Puzzle," published in BYU's Journal of Book of Mormon Studies, he makes a fun bullet point list of the many aspects of the Book of Mormon that need to be accounted for in translation theory. One of these is "specific terms and quotations from Protestant clergy and publications." I also remember hearing an interview where Richard Bushman mentioned that quotations of Protestant pamphlets can be found in the BOM. However, Roger Terry doesn't cite the research he is referring to, and I've had trouble finding the research myself. Does anyone know of an article or website that gives examples of these quotations? I'd like to learn more about this and see how extensive it is, etc.

I've mentioned a few examples in various posts over the years:

 

Quote

But revival sermons were also occasions for judgment, and the language Benjamin uses is straight out of nineteenth-century sermons: "Therefore, if that man repenteth not, and remaineth and dieth an enemy to God, the demands of divine justice do awaken his immortal soul to a lively sense of his own guilt, which doth cause him to shrink from the presence of the Lord, and doth fill his breast with guilt, and pain, and anguish, which is like an unquenchable fire, whose flame ascendeth up forever and ever. And now I saw unto you, that mercy hath no claim on that man; therefore his final doom is to endure never-ending torment" (Mosiah 2:38–39).

 

[Benjamin Seeker]

Thanks, Nevo. These sources are great and the ngram Google tool is a great illustration method.

[RevTestament]

"infinite atonement" is another later "protestant" phrase apparently used in the translation of the BoM.

It seems appropriate given the Bibles talk of people as the sand on the seashore or the stars in the sky, however, technically there is not an infinite number of souls in this world - many billions, but not infinite - it seems like the Bible's use of Hebrew idioms, the BoM is not past using Protestant idioms.

[churchistrue]

This has been an interesting pursuit for me.  It's a very interesting exercise to go to google advanced book with criteria before 1830 and search for unique sounding BOM phrases.  I've written about it in a few posts.  I would like to do a more detailed dive into this, but I haven't found the time or interest yet.  

 

http://www.churchistrue.com/blog/anachronistic-christian-doctrine-in-book-of-mormon/

http://www.churchistrue.com/book-of-mormon-content/

http://www.churchistrue.com/blog/tad-callister-byu-devotional-on-book-of-mormon-historicity/

[cdowis]

2 hours ago, RevTestament said:

"infinite atonement" is another later "protestant" phrase apparently used in the translation of the BoM.

....the BoM is not past using Protestant idioms.

One prominent example, in the BOM the phrase [Mary was the "mother of God"] was changed to "the Son of God" .  The change reflected a Catholic idiom being changed to a more correct Protestant one. 

Edited December 14, 2016 by cdowis