The Book of
Mormon: An Overview
The Prophet Joseph Smith called the Book of Mormon "the most correct
of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion" and said that a person
"would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book"
(TPJS, p. 194), for it contains the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ (D&C
20:8-9).
Come Unto
Christ
"The major mission of the Book of Mormon, as recorded
on its title page, is "to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the
Christ, the eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations." President Ezra
Taft Benson
Jesus Christ in the Book of Mormon
"The main purpose of the Book of Mormon is to convince all people
"that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all
nations" (title page). Through the spiritual experiences of its writers, many of whom
were prophets and eyewitnesses of Christ's glory, the Book of Mormon communicates clear,
personal knowledge that Jesus Christ lives. It explains his mission from the Creation to
the Final Judgment, and expresses his pure and atoning love for all mankind." Encyclopedia of Mormonism
A
Testimony of the Book of Mormon
"Each individual who prayerfully studies the Book of Mormon can also
receive a testimony of its divinity. In addition, this book can help with personal
problems in a very real way. Do you want to get rid of a bad habit? Do you want to improve
relationships in your family? Do you want to increase your spiritual capacity? Read the
Book of Mormon!" Elder Russell M. Nelson
The
Fall as Taught in the Book of Mormon
Understanding the fall of man is essential to understanding the plan of
salvation. In this lecture, Dr. Robert L. Millet discusses what the Book of Mormon teaches
about the doctrine of the fall. He refutes the notion of original sin and discusses
instead concepts such as being born into a sinful world, spiritual death and the natural
man, and redemption from our fallen nature.
Nature of God in the Book of Mormon
Dr. Robert L. Millet discusses what the Book of Mormon
reveals about the nature of each member of the godhead and the relationships among them.
Dr. Millet focuses especially on the preeminent role of Jesus Christ in the Book of Mormon
as both Father and Son and as Eternal God.
The
Atonement in the Book of Mormon
Dr. Robert L. Millet discusses the centrality of Christ's atonement in
the Book of Mormon. Dr. Millet illuminates the nature of the "good news of the
gospel" the hope of redemption through Christ. He shows how the Book of Mormon both
gives an invitation to come unto Christ and also teaches how to come unto him.
A Standard Unto
My People
After briefly discussing his call to the holy apostleship, Elder Jeffrey
R. Holland explains how the Book of Mormon is a standard for us to follow.
Biblical Prophecies About The Book of Mormon
"Latter-day Saints believe that the coming forth
of the Book of Mormon as an instrument in God's hand for bringing his latter-day work to
fruition was revealed to biblical prophets such as Isaiah and Ezekiel " Encyclopedia of Mormonism
Government
and Legal History of The Book of Mormon
"Because the Book of Mormon focuses on religious themes, information
about political and legal institutions appears only as background for the religious
account. Even so, it is apparent that several different political institutions
characterized Nephite, Lamanite, and Jaredite society." Encyclopedia
of Mormonism
History of
Warfare in The Book of Mormon
"Much of the Book of Mormon deals with military conflict. In diverse,
informative, and morally instructive accounts, the Book of Mormon reports a wide variety
of military customs, technologies, and tactics similar to those found in many premodern
societies (before A.D. 1600-1700), especially some distinctive Israelite beliefs and
conventions as adapted to the region of Mesoamerica." Encyclopedia
of Mormonism
Book of
Mormon Authorship "Many studies have investigated Book of Mormon authorship because the
book presents itself as a composite work of many ancient authors." Encyclopedia of Mormonism
The
Book of Mormon in a Biblical Culture "One does not need to look beyond the prevailing revivalist sects in
America to discover why the earliest Mormon elders won an immediate hearing for their
sacred book." Encyclopedia of Mormonism
Book of Mormon Chronology
"The Book of Mormon contains a chronology that
is internally consistent over the thousand-year Nephite history, with precise Nephite
dates for several events, including the crucifixion of Jesus Christ." Encyclopedia of Mormonism
Book
of Mormon Commentaries
"Because the Book of Mormon is the best known
and most widely circulated LDS book, many commentaries on and reference books about it
have been written to assist readers." Encyclopedia of Mormonism
Book
of Mormon Economy And Technology
"The Book of Mormon reports information about three pre-Hispanic
American peoples. Although its writers do not offer a detailed picture of the economic and
material culture of their societies, numerous incidental details are preserved in the
account." Encyclopedia of Mormonism
Book
of Mormon Editions (1830-1981)
"Two major goals of each published edition of
the Book of Mormon have been (1) to faithfully reproduce the text; and (2) to make the
text accessible to the reader." Encyclopedia of Mormonism
Book
of Mormon Geography
"Although the Book of Mormon is primarily a
religious record of the Nephites, Lamanites, and Jaredites, enough geographic details are
embedded in the narrative to allow reconstruction of at least a rudimentary geography of
Book of Mormon lands." Encyclopedia of Mormonism
Book
of Mormon Language
"The language of the Book of Mormon exhibits features typical of a
translation from an ancient Near Eastern text as well as the stamp of nineteenth-century
English and the style of the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible." Encyclopedia of Mormonism
Book
of Mormon Literature
"Although understated as literature in its
clear and plain language, the Book of Mormon exhibits a wide variety of literary forms,
including intricate Hebraic poetry, memorable narratives, rhetorically effective sermons,
diverse letters, allegory, figurative language, imagery, symbolic types, and wisdom
literature." Encyclopedia of Mormonism
Book
of Mormon Manuscripts
"The printed versions of the Book of Mormon
derive from two manuscripts." Encyclopedia of Mormonism
Book of
Mormon Names
"The Book of Mormon contains 337 proper names
and 21 gentilics (or analogous forms) based on proper names." Encyclopedia of Mormonism
Book
of Mormon Near Eastern Background
"According to the Book of Mormon, the
Jaredites, the Nephites, and the "Mulekites" (see Mulek) migrated to the Western
Hemisphere from the Near East in antiquity, a claim that has been challenged." Encyclopedia of Mormonism
People
in the Book of Mormon Discusses both the distinct groups of people
mentioned in the Book of Mormon and individual personalities.
Book
of Mormon Plates and Records "The Book of Mormon is a complex text with a
complicated history. It is primarily an abridgment of several earlier records by its chief
editor and namesake, Mormon. All these records are referred to as "plates"
because they were engraved on thin sheets of metal." Encyclopedia
of Mormonism
Book
of Mormon Religious Teachings And Practices "Most of the Book of Mormon is about a group of
Israelites who were guided by prophets, had the doctrines and ordinances of the gospel of
Jesus Christ, but lived the Law of Moses until the coming of Christ." Encyclopedia of Mormonism
Book
of Mormon Studies
"Since the publication of the Book of Mormon in
1830, a substantial amount of material analyzing, defending, and attacking it has been
published." Encyclopedia of Mormonism
Book
of Mormon Translation By Joseph Smith "By its own terms, the Book of Mormon is a
translation of an ancient book; yet Joseph Smith knew no ancient languages at the time he
dictated this text to his scribes. He and several of his close associates testified that
the translation was accomplished "by the gift and power of God" Encyclopedia of Mormonism
Book
of Mormon Translations "Making the Book of Mormon and other standard
works available in many languages is foreshadowed by the divine injunction "that
every man shall hear the fulness of the gospel in his own tongue, and in his own
language" (D&C 90:11)." Encyclopedia of Mormonism
Book
of Mormon Witnesses
"Beginning with the first edition of 1830, the Book of Mormon has
generally contained two sets of testimonies—the "Testimony of Three
Witnesses" and the "Testimony of Eight Witnesses." Encyclopedia of Mormonism
The True Points of
My Doctrine Noel B. Reynolds explains what the Book of Mormon teaches
about the six-point formula or message of the gospel (about what men must do if they will
be saved.)
Allegory
of Zenos
"The Allegory of Zenos (Jacob 5) is a lengthy, prophetic declaration
made by Zenos, a Hebrew prophet, about the destiny of the house of Israel." Encyclopedia of Mormonism
The Lost 116 Pages "The loss of the 116 pages taught Joseph Smith and his associates
several lessons: that one should be satisfied with the first answers of the Lord, that
keeping one's covenants is a serious matter, that God forgives the repentant in spite of
human weakness, and that through his caring foresight and wisdom the Lord fulfills his
purposes." Encyclopedia of Mormonism
Archaeology "Archaeological data from the ancient Near East and the Americas have
been used both to support and to discredit the Book of Mormon." Encyclopedia of Mormonism
Deseret
"The word Deseret is found in the most ancient book in the Book of
Mormon, 'And they did also carry with them Deseret, which, by interpretation, is a honey
bee' (Ether 2:3)." Encyclopedia of Mormonism
