Category: Book of Mormon
The Curiously Unique Book of Mormon
Latter-day Saints often say that the Book of Mormon is obviously highly unusual since this complex text was generated in such a short period of time by a relatively uneducated…
Souls that Expand and Swell: An Intriguing But Not Unique Book of Mormon Concept
One of the Book of Mormon’s many concepts not found in the King James Bible is the notion of a soul that expands. This is found in some sermons of…
Wordplays on the Name Malachi in the Book of Mormon
Matthew Bowen’s latest contribution regarding the Book of Mormon’s frequent use of wordplays involving personal names is found in a new publication at The Interpreter. See Matthew L. Bowen, “Messengers…
A Subtle Book of Mormon Tribute to Single Mothers?
In Alma 53, the 2000 young “stripling warriors” from converted Lamanite families heroically assist the Nephites in a difficult time of war and turn the tide. Their great faith and…
Further Notes on One of the Earliest Hebrew Texts, the Silver Amulets of Ketef Hinnom
Last year I discussed an intriguing archaeological find near Jerusalem: two inscriptions on silver amulets which appear to be the oldest Hebrew inscriptions found so far. See “The Oldest Hebrew…
The Town of Palmyra vs. the City of Helam: A Subtle but Meaningful Contrast in Communities and Culture
A couple days before Christmas when it was Joseph Smith’s birthday, I reflected briefly upon his life in rather small towns in New York and elsewhere prior to publication of…
The Last Section of the Words of Mormon May Be Part of the Book of Mosiah
The Book of Mosiah begins in a puzzling way relative to the other books before it. For a book that is supposed to be connected to Mosiah, it starts with…
“Artifact or Artifice?” Orson Scott Card’s Brilliant 1993 Essay Still Rings True
Twenty-five years ago a famous name among fiction writers, Orson Scott Card, gave a speech at BYU that provided a novel way of evaluating Book of Mormon claims. The speech…
The Oldest Hebrew Inscription and the Psalms in the Book of Mormon
Tiny silver amulets engraved with Hebrew from the era of King Josiah, found at Ketef Hinnon, Israel. From the Biblical Archaeology Society. My recent publication on David and the Psalms…
Joseph the Amusing Teller of Tall Tales: Lucy Mack Smith’s Puzzling Statement in Perspective
One of the pillars of disbelief for critics of the Book of Mormon is the notion that Joseph Smith was well known as an imaginative story teller. He was allegedly…
