LDS scholar John A. Tvedtnes (1941–2018) passed away on June 3, 2018. Tvedtnes had a broad education, with advanced training in anthropology, archaeology, and history to go along with background in several languages, including French, Arabic, Hebrew, and Egyptian. He earned degrees in anthropology (BA), linguistics (MA), Middle East Studies (MA), and did further graduate work in Egyptian and...
In a landmark move from the almost 200 year-old church, leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced at the faith's semi-annual General Conference on April 1st that the translation department will begin working on a Book of Mormon in the Elvish language. Sam Gamgee, an employee from the Church Translation department, explained that this new translation sparks from an...
Synopsis Some early critics of the Book of Mormon ridiculed its literary qualities. Over time, however, it’s become clear that the Book of Mormon is actually a remarkably complex and sophisticated text. This can be demonstrated on dozens of different levels, and when looked at together, its impressive literary features offer excellent evidence that Joseph Smith truly translated it by the gift and...
The Church History Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has released a new video exploring Joseph Smith’s use of seer stones in the translation process of the Book of Mormon. In the video (“ Seer Stones and the Translation of the Book of Mormon ”), Mason Allred interviews Dr. Mark Ashurst-McGee of the Joseph Smith Papers Project concerning “the various historical accounts...
Former mission president and YSA bishop Lynn McMurray explains how the Book of Mormon has been the knot at the end of his faith rope when his testimony has waivered.
Attacks against the Book of Mormon have experienced a kind of “mission creep” since its publication in 1830. [1] Critics began by labeling the book “ bungling and stupid ,” [2] Joe Smith a “ perfect ignoramus ,” [3] and they claimed “ any blunderhead, with the Bible at his side, might have written [it] . . .” [4] As Church membership mushroomed, and it became clear the...
A new archaeological excavation at the south of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem has just barely uncovered an 8 th century seal impression that might have belonged to the biblical prophet Isaiah, revered by Nephi and other Book of Mormon prophets.
These statistical results provide striking support for the Book of Mormon’s own claims about its authorship. In order to fabricate the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith would have needed the ability to create distinct fictional voices, and a talent beyond some of the greatest novelists of his time (Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, Mark Twain, and James Fenimore Cooper).
Supporting evidences of the Book of Mormon are broadly identifiable. The volume has long invited scrutiny from all branches of science. Archaeology itself can be divided and subdivided into numerous disciplines. I couldn’t possibly cover every Book of Mormon correlation in one sitting. In this post I wanted to emphasize physical evidences—stuff you can touch, see, feel. Though there are many more than five, I've tried to present a few as a thoughtful cross-section.
Cutting-edge technology has uncovered huge archaeological finds in the heart of ancient Mesoamerica. These finds confirm scriptures found in the Book of Mormon describing the world of the ancient Nephites and Lamanites.
