FAIR - User contributions [en]

Book of Mormon/Geography/Statements/Nineteenth century/After Joseph's death

2016-02-18T22:14:25Z

DeeAnnC: /* Feb. 19, 1871: Journal of Discourses */

Book of Mormon/Geography/Statements/Nineteenth century/Joseph Smith's lifetime 1829-1840

2016-02-18T22:10:18Z

DeeAnnC: /* July 19, 1840: Joseph teaches that the Land of Zion consists of North and South America */

Question: Were adultery and immorality crimes that were "worthy of death" among 19th century Mormons?

2016-02-18T21:46:07Z

DeeAnnC: /* It is clear that the point of Brigham's story is not to claim that adultery was "punishable by death" */

{{FME-Source
|title=Question: Were adultery and immorality crimes that were "worthy of death" among 19th century Mormons?
|category=Blood atonement
}}
<onlyinclude>
==Question: Were adultery and immorality crimes that were "worthy of death" among 19th century Mormons?==
===This assumption is based upon a well-known "javelin" quote from Brigham Young===

Among the various references used to "prove" that adultery is "punishable by death," the critics employ a well known quote from Brigham Young. Here is the quote as the Tanners present it:

<blockquote>
Let me suppose a case. Suppose you found your brother in bed with your wife, and put a javelin through both of them, you would be justified, and they would atone for their sins, and be received into the kingdom of God. I would at once do so in such a case; and under such circumstances, I have no wife whom I love so well that I would not put a javelin through her heart, and I would do it with clean hands....

There is not a man or woman, who violates the covenants made with their God, that will not be required to pay the debt. ''The blood of Christ will never wipe that out, your own blood must atone for it'' ... (Journal of Discourses, vol. 3, p.247).
</blockquote>

As is always the case with the Tanners' work, it is always a good idea to fill in the parts that they omit in order to find out what Brigham was actually talking about. Here is the same quote with the parts mined by the Tanners highlighted.

<blockquote>
A few of the men and women who go into the house of the Lord, and receive their endowments, and in the most sacred manner make covenants before the Almighty, go and violate those covenants. Do I have compassion on them? Yes, I do have mercy on them, for there is something in their organization which they do not understand; and there are but few in this congregation who do understand it.

You say, "That man ought to die for transgressing the law of God." '''Let me suppose a case. Suppose you found your brother in bed with your wife, and put a javelin through both of them, you would be justified, and they would atone for their sins, and be received into the kingdom of God. I would at once do so in such a case; and under such circumstances, I have no wife whom I love so well that I would not put a javelin through her heart, and I would do it with clean hands'''. But you who trifle with your covenants, be careful lest in judging you will be judged.

Every man and women has got to have clean hands and a pure heart, to execute judgment, else they had better let the matter alone.

Again, suppose the parties are, not caught in their iniquity, and it passes along unnoticed, shall I have compassion on them? Yes, I will have compassion on them, for transgressions of the nature already named, or for those of any other description. If the Lord so order it that they are not caught in the act of their iniquity, it is pretty good proof that He is willing for them to live; and I say let them live and suffer in the flesh for their sins, for they will have it to do.

'''There is not a man or woman, who violates the covenants made with their God, that will not be required to pay the debt. The blood of Christ will never wipe that out, your own blood must atone for it'''; and the judgments of the Almighty will come, sooner or later, and every man and woman will have to atone for breaking their covenants.
</blockquote>

===It is clear that the point of Brigham's story is ''not'' to claim that adultery was "punishable by death"===

There are a few things that are important to note.
#Brigham is talking about the breaking of covenants. The adultery example was used to illustrate a point.
#Brigham was talking about having compassion for those people.
#Brigham's reference to the use of a javelin was taken directly from Numbers 25:6-9.

<blockquote>
And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from among the congregation, and took a javelin in his hand; and he went after the man of Israel into the tent, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her belly. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel. And those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand. ({{b||Numbers|25|6-9}})
</blockquote>

It is clear that the point of Brigham's story is ''not'' to claim that adultery was "punishable by death." Brigham was relating a modern, literal interpretation of the Old Testament account of Phineas.<ref>Mike Parker, [http://www.fairmormon.org/perspectives/publications/did-brigham-young-say-he-would-kill-an-adulterous-wife-with-a-javelin Did Brigham Young Say that He Would Kill an Adulterous Wife with a Javelin?], FAIR Web Site</ref>
</onlyinclude>
{{endnotes sources}}
[[Category:The Changing World of Mormonism]]

Question: Was murder a crime that was "worthy of death" among 19th century Mormons?

2016-02-18T21:41:30Z

DeeAnnC:

{{FME-Source
|title=Question: Was murder a crime that was "worthy of death" among 19th century Mormons?
|category=Crime and violence
}}
<onlyinclude>
==Question: Was murder a crime that was "worthy of death" among 19th century Mormons?==
===The allegation that murder was a crime worthy of death is based upon a quote from Joseph Smith during a Nauvoo City Council meeting===

Joseph Smith said,
<blockquote>
In debate, George A. Smith said imprisonment was better than hanging. I replied, I was opposed to hanging, even if a man kill another, I will shoot him, or cut off his head, spill his blood on the ground, and let the smoke thereof ascend up to God; and if ever I have the privilege of making a law on that subject, I will have it so.<ref>{{HoC1 | vol=5|start=296}}</ref>
</blockquote>

===The quote above shows that Joseph preferred certain other modes of execution to hanging===

It is apparent that Joseph Smith had an opinion regarding what should be done with a man who kills another. The quote above shows that Joseph preferred certain other modes of execution to hanging. However, this statement says little regarding the crimes for which this punishment would be applied, other than the statement "even if a man kill another."

The idea that murderers ought to be executed for their crimes is certainly not new or unique to Joseph Smith's time. Even today there is an ongoing and vigorous debate regarding the merits of capital punishment. The question here is whether or not this issue relates to ''blood atonement''. Recall that the concept of "blood atonement" required that an ''apostate'' be ''willing to sacrifice his own life''. This does not seem to relate to Joseph Smith's expressed preference regarding forms of execution.

===It appears to have been Bruce R. McConkie who connected the form of execution with blood atonement===

In his ''first edition'' of ''Mormon Doctrine'', which was later recalled, Elder McConkie stated:

<blockquote>
As a mode of capital punishment, hanging or execution on a gallows does not comply with the law of blood atonement, for the blood is not shed.<ref>Bruce R. McConkie, ''Mormon Doctrine'', 1958, p.314.</ref>
</blockquote>

Joseph Fielding Smith wrote:

<blockquote>
...the founders of Utah incorporated in the laws of the Territory provisions for the capital punishment of those who wilfully shed the blood of their fellow men. This law, which is now the law of the State, granted unto the condemned murderer the privilege of choosing for himself whether he die by hanging, or whether he be shot and thus have his blood shed in harmony with the law of God; and thus atone, so far as it is in his power to atone, for the death of his victim. Almost without exception the condemned party chooses the latter death.<ref>{{Book:Smith:Doctrines of Salvation|vol=1|pages=136}}</ref>
</blockquote>

The Tanners conclude that "[a]s long as the Mormon church teaches the doctrine of blood atonement there is probably little chance of Utah using a gas chamber or electric chair for the condemned murderer." Utah, however, replaced hanging with lethal injection in 1980. This provided two choices to the condemned: firing squad or lethal injection. If the condemned failed to make a choice, lethal injection was to be employed.<ref>[http://www.uen.org/utah_history_encyclopedia/c/CAPITAL_PUNISHMENT.html CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IN UTAH], ''Utah History Encyclopedia'' </ref>
</onlyinclude>
{{endnotes sources}}
[[Category:The Changing World of Mormonism]]

Question: Was murder a crime that was "worthy of death" among 19th century Mormons?

2016-02-18T21:39:40Z

DeeAnnC: /* It appears to have been Bruce R. McConkie who connected the form of execution with blood atonement */

{{FME-Source
|title=Question: Was murder a crime that was "worthy of death" among 19th century Mormons?
|category=Crime and violence
}}
<onlyinclude>
==Question: Was murder a crime that was "worthy of death" among 19th century Mormons?==
===The allegation that murder was a crime worthy of death is based upon a quote from Joseph Smith during a Nauvoo City Council meeting===

Joseph Smith said,
<blockquote>
In debate, George A. Smith said imprisonment was better than hanging. I replied, I was opposed to hanging, even if a man kill another, I will shoot him, or cut off his head, spill his blood on the ground, and let the smoke thereof ascend up to God; and if ever I have the privilege of making a law on that subject, I will have it so.<ref>{{HoC1 | vol=5|start=296}}</ref>
</blockquote>

===The quote above shows that Joseph preferred certain other modes of execution to hanging===

It is apparent that Joseph Smith had an opinion regarding what should be done with a man who kills another. The quote above shows that Joseph preferred certain other modes of execution to hanging. However, this statement says little regarding the crimes for which this punishment would be applied, other than the statement "even if a man kill another."

The idea that murderers ought to be executed for their crimes is certainly not new or unique to Joseph Smith's time. Even today there is an ongoing and vigorous debate regarding the merits of capital punishment. The question here is whether or not this issue relates to ''blood atonement''. Recall that the concept of "blood atonement" required that an ''apostate'' be ''willing to sacrifice his own life''. This does not seem to relate to Joseph Smith's expressed preference regarding forms of execution.

===It appears to have been Bruce R. McConkie who connected the form of execution with blood atonement===

In his ''first edition'' of ''Mormon Doctrine'', which was later recalled, Elder McConkie stated:

<blockquote>
As a mode of capital punishment, hanging or execution on a gallows does not comply with the law of blood atonement, for the blood is not shed.<ref>Bruce R. McConkie, ''Mormon Doctrine'', 1958, p.314.</ref>
</blockquote>

Joseph Fielding Smith wrote:

<blockquote>
...the founders of Utah incorporated in the laws of the Territory provisions for the capital punishment of those who wilfully shed the blood of their fellow men. This law, which is now the law of the State, granted unto the condemned murderer the privilege of choosing for himself whether he die by hanging, or whether he be shot and thus have his blood shed in harmony with the law of God; and thus atone, so far as it is in his power to atone, for the death of his victim. Almost without exception the condemned party chooses the latter death.<ref>{{Book:Smith:Doctrines of Salvation|vol=1|pages=136}}</ref>
</blockquote>

The Tanners conclude that "[a]s long as the Mormon church teaches the doctrine of blood atonement there is probably little chance of Utah using a gas chamber or electric chair for the condemned murderer." Utah, however, replaced hanging with lethal injection in 1980. This provided two choices to the condemned: firing squad or lethal injection. If the condemned failed to make a choice, lethal injection was to be employed.<ref>[http://www.uen.org/utah_history_encyclopedia/c/CAPITAL_PUNISHMENT.html], ''Utah History Encyclopedia'' </ref>
</onlyinclude>
{{endnotes sources}}
[[Category:The Changing World of Mormonism]]

Mormonism and culture/Attitude toward non-members/Statements

2013-09-07T23:48:10Z

DeeAnnC: /* {{Endnotes label}} */

Mormonism and Christianity/Strength of the Mormon position quotation and source

2012-05-26T16:52:50Z

DeeAnnC: /* {{Conclusion label}} */

Jesus Christ/Accusations that Latter-day Saints aren't Christians

2012-05-26T16:46:49Z

DeeAnnC: /* {{Conclusion label}} */ soften language

{{Articles FAIR copyright}} {{Articles Header 1}} {{Articles Header 2}} {{Articles Header 3}} {{Articles Header 4}} {{Articles Header 5}} {{Articles Header 6}} {{Articles Header 7}} {{Articles Header 8}} {{Articles Header 9}} {{Articles Header 10}}
{{JesusChristPortal}}
=={{Criticism label}}==
Critics claim that members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are not "Christian."

A related claim is that the Church has only recently begun to portray itself as "Christian" in order to gain adherents.

{{CriticalSources}}

=={{Conclusion label}}==

Critics often use unnecessarily narrow and self-referential definitions of "Christian" to exclude the LDS. They ignore the fact that many other Christians over the millennia would have disagreed with them on the same points, yet this does not disqualify these other believers from the family of "Christians."

Claims that the Church has only recently been asserting its Christian status are false, as attested by LDS scripture, practice, doctrine, and public statements of its leadership and its early critics.

While Mormons realize that there can be honest disagreement regarding definitions, the church encourages its members, as followers of Christ, to exhibit civil dialogue:

:There has been no end to opposition. There are misinterpretations and misrepresentations of us and of our history, some of it mean-spirited and certainly contrary to the teachings of Jesus Christ and His gospel. Sometimes clergy, even ministerial organizations, oppose us. They do what we would never do. We do not attack or criticize or oppose others as they do us...Strangest of all, otherwise intelligent people claim we are not Christian. This shows that they know little or nothing about us. It is a true principle that you cannot lift yourself by putting others down.{{ref|packer1}}

=={{Subarticles label}}==
{{SummaryItem
|link=Jesus Christ/Accusations that Mormons aren't Christians/Does the Church use the sign or symbol of the cross
|subject=Does the Church use the sign or symbol of the cross?
|summary=Critics claim that Latter-day Saints are not Christians, and point to the fact that the Church does not usually use the symbol or sign of the cross in decoration, personal jewelry, or architecture.
}}

== ==
{{Response label}}

{{Epigraph|It is evident from what has been said, that the Mormons, as such, can have no part or lot in the religion of Jesus Christ—and we do not see how any one can be their friend, (as Mormons,) without being an ''enemy to God''. —{{CriticalWork:M'Chesney:Antidote to Mormonism|pages=49}} Some claim we are not Christians. They either do not know us at all or they misunderstand. In the Church every ordinance is done by the authority of and in the name of Jesus Christ. —President Boyd K. Packer, "[http://lds.org/general-conference/2011/04/guided-by-the-holy-spirit Guided by the Holy Spirit]," general conference, April 2011.}}

==={{Church response label}}===
From [http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/mormonism-101#C1 ''Mormonism 101: FAQ''], Newsroom, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints:
<blockquote>
Are Mormons Christian?

Yes. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a Christian church but is neither Catholic nor Protestant. Rather, it is a restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ as originally established by the Savior in the New Testament of the Bible. The Church does not embrace the creeds that developed in the third and fourth centuries that are now central to many other Christian churches.

Latter-day Saints believe God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to save all mankind from death and their individual sins. Jesus Christ is central to the lives of Church members. They seek to follow His example by being baptized (see Matthew 3:13-17), praying in His holy name (see Matthew 6:9-13), partaking of the sacrament (see Luke 22:19-20), doing good to others (see Acts 10:38) and bearing witness of Him through both word and deed (see James 2:26). The only way to salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ.

*[http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/christianity-following-jesus-in-word-and-deed Read more about Latter-day Saint Christianity]
</blockquote>

===Book of Mormon is Christ-centered===
Wrote one author:

:Years ago, Susan Easton Black tabulated all of the occurrences of the names and titles of Jesus in the Book of Mormon.{{ref|black.60-61}}...According to Black, 101 names or titles of Christ are presented in the Book of Mormon. These include the names/titles Lord God Omnipotent, Redeemer of Israel, Shepherd, and Son of the Living God, each of which is found once in the work. The names/titles Stone, True Messiah, Mighty One of Jacob, and Great Creator are each found twice; the names/titles Holy One of Israel, Lamb of God, Lord Jesus Christ, Redeemer, and Messiah each appear 10 or more times; and the names/titles Christ, God, Jesus, Lord, and Lord God are each found at least 100 times in the book. In all, the 101 names/titles of Christ are collectively presented 3,925 times in 6,607 Book of Mormon verses.{{ref|black.5}} Black’s tabulation of the names and titles shows that on average, one name or title of Christ appears once every 1.7 verses.{{ref|perry.216-217}}

With the Holy Bible, the Book of Mormon is the foundational scripture of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Christ is found on virtually every page.

===LDS Not Excluded by Belief or Practice===
{{main|Worship_different_Jesus|l1="Mormons" worship a "different Jesus"?}}

When critics make the claim that LDS are not Christian, they typically will present a laundry list of doctrines and practices that they believe put LDS outside the category of "Christian." At its base, this claim is an excellent example of the [[Logical_fallacies#No_true_Scotsman | No true Scotsman]] fallacy.

There are two problems with such lists. The first, and most important, is that the original and enduring meaning of "Christian" has been a person or group whose beliefs or practices are founded on the life and/or teachings of Christ. That is, all groups whose religion is founded on Jesus of Nazareth have been classified as Christian since the term was first coined in the first century, regardless of specific beliefs and practices. "Christian" has always included such wildly diverse groups as the Ebionites, the Marcionites, and the Christian Gnostics of ancient times, along with Unitarians and Coptic Christians in modern times. Critics may believe that LDS are "false Christians" or "heretical Christians" or "hell-bound Christians," seeing that such terms are subjective and without standard definitions, but neither belief nor practice can exclude any group from the family of Christian religions and denominations if that group claims to be founded on the life or teachings of the first-century Jesus of Nazareth.

The second problem with the critics' list is that their list of objectionable beliefs and practices used to exclude LDS from the Christian family are lists of beliefs and practices that are found in other groups that are clearly classified as Christian. The claimed bases for the charge that the LDS are not Christians include:
* LDS do not accept creedal [[Godhead_and_the_Trinity | Trinitarianism]] as set out by the [[Nature_of_God/Trinity/Nicene_creed|Nicene creed]]. This means that they conceive of Jesus and Satan as being spiritual '[[Jesus_Christ_is_the_brother_of_Satan | siblings]]' in terms of their ultimate origin, if not their nature or religious status.
* Because of different understandings about God, some Christian critics accuse the LDS of worshipping [[Jesus Christ/Worship different Jesus | a different Jesus]]
* LDS have doctrines which differ from many forms of "traditional" Christianity:
** [[Plan of salvation/Premortal existence |premortal existence]]
** [[Mormonism and temples/Baptism for the dead | vicarious work for the dead]]
** eternal marriage and families
** three degrees of glory
** [[Mormonism and the nature of God/Deification of man|Deification of man]] {''theosis''}
* LDS use [[Mormonism and the Bible/Open canon vs. closed canon| additional scripture]] with the [[Mormonism and the Bible/Completeness| Bible]]
* LDS do not accept ''[[Creation/Creatio ex nihilo | creatio ex nihilo]]''
* LDS do not accept the traditional view of ''[[Plan of salvation/Original sin | original sin]]''
* LDS heed the teachings of [[Joseph Smith/Status in LDS belief | Joseph Smith]] and other [[Mormonism and prophets|modern prophets]]
* LDS reject such doctrines as [[predestination]] to salvation or damnation

However, all of these doctrinal differences have been held not just by the LDS, but by other Christians as well, including the early Christians of the first and second centuries.{{ref|heretics1}} These Christians:

* were not Trinitarians, since the creeds were not yet formulated
* did not teach ''creatio ex nihilo''
* did not consider "the Bible" to be the sole authoritative scripture, since it was not compiled until centuries later
* considered some writings to be authoritative which many modern Christians now reject
* taught ''theosis'', or human deification through Christ
* followed living prophets (the apostles)

One might debate whether these Christians were ''correct'' or ''complete'' in their beliefs, but can the critics seriously exclude them from the family of Christians?{{ref|peterson1}}

The critics essentially create a definition of "Christian" that includes their brand of Christianity, and excludes others with whom they disagree.

===LDS Classified as Christian===
The assertion that Latter-day Saints are not Christian has at its base the idea that the Latter-day Saints don't meet the definition of the word "Christian." But the meanings of words are determined by usage and acceptance. If a definition is widespread (used by many people), persistent (used over a long period of time), and established (accepted by individuals and organizations that are respected and assumed to be knowledgeable) then we can confidently state that the definition is correct and accurate.

The attempt to define "Christian" in such a way as to exclude Latter-day Saints (and many other groups that are generally considered to be some kind of Christian denomination or religion) is really the recent work of a minority group within Protestantism. The nearly-universal and nearly-2000-year-old usage of the word "Christian" has clearly included unorthodox groups that disagree, sometimes sharply, with the teachings and practices of those who claim to be able to define Latter-day Saints out of the Christian fold.

The following are some organizations and resources that classify The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as Christian. The range of sources from encyclopedias to media outlets to government organizations supports the fact that the definition of "Christian" includes Latter-day Saints.

* Yahoo Directory: "Christian Denominations and Sects" {{link|url=http://dir.yahoo.com/Society_and_Culture/Religion_and_Spirituality/Faiths_and_Practices/Christianity/Denominations_and_Sects}}

* adherents.com: "Largest Branches of Christianity in the U.S." {{link|url=http://www.adherents.com/rel_USA.html#Pew_branches}}

* beliefnet: "Faiths and Practices" index {{link|url=http://www.beliefnet.com/index/index_10002.html}}

* MSN Encarta encyclopedia: "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" {{link|url=http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761563331/Church_of_Jesus_Christ_of_Latter-day_Saints.html}}

* RSN (Religion New Service): Religion Backgrounders {{link|url=http://www.religionnews.com/bkgd_mormon1.html}}

* PBS (Public Broadcasting Service): "The Church: A Brief History" {{link|url=http://www.pbs.org/americanprophet/lds.html}}

* LaborLawTalk dictionary {{link|url=http://dictionary.laborlawtalk.com/Church_of_Jesus_Christ_of_Latter-day_Saints}}

* Encyclopedia Britannia Online {{link|url=http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-232003?tocId=232003}}

* BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) {{link|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/subdivisions/index.shtml}}

* World Council of Churches (WCC): Churches {{link|url=http://www.oikoumene.org/?id=3652}}

* National Council of Churches (NCC): National Council of Churches’ 2005 "Yearbook of American & Canadian Churches." {{link|url=http://www.ncccusa.org/news/050330yearbook.html}}

* United States Department of State: International Religious Freedom Report 2004 (Tonga) {{link|url=http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2004/35430.htm}}

==Did Mormons claim to be Christian only recently?==

This claim is absurd. The critics depend on their audience not knowing much about LDS history for this claim. Enemies and members of the Church have long known that Church members consider themselves "Christian" (italics added in all cases):

===1830s===
;1830: “They call themselves the church of Christ, and the only church of Christ. All professing Christians who do not adhere to their system, they consider as formalists; ‘having the form of Godliness, but denying the power’”.{{ref|fn1}}
;1831: “Old Joe . . . and several others . . . admitted [that the new faith] was an improvement in Christianity”.{{ref|fn2}}
;1832: The Mormonites “say the Millennium is soon to commence and that Christ is to come personally and take up His residence with them. . . . In its general principles this sect entirely coincide with others which have from time to time sprung up in Christendom”. {{ref|fn3}}
;1833: There is “a civil war between the Mormonites and their brother Christians”. {{ref|fn4}}
;1834: "Brother Joseph . . . went on to show the brethren how wicked and unchristianlike such conduct [among them] appeared before the eyes of truth and justice”.{{ref|fn5}}
;April 1834:The only name given under heaven, whereby man can be saved, is Jesus Christ. Men in days of old heard the glad tidings, that the Son of Man would come in the fulness of his own time, to make intercession for the children of men, and suffer, the just, for the unjust, and rise from the dead, that the bands of the temporal death might be broken, that the resurrection might pass upon all men, that they might stand in the presence of God to be judged according to their works.—These glad tidings were communicated from heaven to earth, by the ministering of holy angels and by the voice of the living God. Thousands have looked forward with an eye of faith, and a confidence unshaken in the promises of God, to the time when the great and last sacrifice should be made for fallen man. Many have rejoiced to see the day of the Son of Man, have seen it, and were glad; and have fallen asleep after obtaining the promise, that they should see God in the flesh and should reign with him on the earth a thousand years....The news that the gospel brought in days of old, was, that Jesus Christ would come into the world; that he would suffer according to the flesh; that he would rise from the dead, and thereby redeem his people from the power of the grave.{{ref|ems.april.1833}}
;1835: “the doctrine promulgated by the ‘latter day Christians’ in the newly discovered Bible”.{{ref|fn6}}
;1836: “This morning a minister from Conne[c]ticut by the name of John W. Olived called at my house . . . . [He] asked me wherein we differ from other Christian denomination[s]”.{{ref|fn7}}
;1836: “they have the appearance of being devout Christians. . . . They call themselves ‘Latter-day Saints,’ and profess to be the only true church, to have the only gospel order, consisting of apostles, elders, bishops, etc., etc., which several orders of the Christian hierarchy have been distinctly brought to light in the Book of Mormon”.{{ref|fn8}}
;1837: “a large society of Christians who style themselves ‘Latter-day Saints’ or Mormons.” (''Painesville Republican'', vol. 1, no. 31, 15 June 1837).
;1838: "The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning ''Jesus Christ'', that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are ''only appendages to it''".{{ref|js2}}
;1839: "This sect took its rise, A. D. 1830, in the county of Ontario, and State of New York. In April of that year, the society was ''organized as a Christian Church''".{{ref|bishop1}}
;1839: The Mormons “were singing a hymn as other good Christians are wont to do . . . . [One of them offered] a very good Christian prayer . . . . [which petitioned that the Mormons might have] Christian fortitude.” (''Peoria Register and North-Western Gazetteer'', vol. 3, no. 17, 27 July 1839)
:1839: {{CriticalWork:Dobson:Mormons|pages=xxx}}

===1840s===
;1840: “We want no religion but pure Christianity”.{{ref|fn9}}
;1840: The heaven-born doctrines of christianity are so opposite to the vain, grovelling, and selfish sentiments of corrupt human nature, and the self-denying practices of genuine believers are so repugnant to the feelings of those whose nature is “earthly, sensual, and devilish,” that it is utterly unreasonable to suppose that anything like amity, concord or peace, can possibly exist between the church and the world. [{{Book:Taylor:Calumny Refuted|pages=1–12}}]
;1840: The citizens of Nauvoo are “a people, professing to be Christians.” (''Quincy Whig'', vol. 3, no. 13, 25 July 1840).
;1840: The Mormons retain “many truths which are held in common by different denominations of Christians.” (''The Alton Telegraph'', vol. 5, no. 46, 14 November 1840).
;1840: "We want no religion but pure Christianity." [{{Book:PP Pratt:Plain Facts|pages=5}}]
;1840: "If every friend to the cause of apostolic christianity, would subscribe and pay in advance for the above mentioned books [Book of Mormon, hymn books]...." [{{TS1|author=Anon.|article=Books!!!|vol=1|num=9|date=July 1840|start=139–40}} {{link|url=http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=/BOMP&CISOPTR=2425&REC=14}}
;1841: “I understood from [the Mormons] as follows, . . . that they did not discard the Bible as used by other Christian sects”.{{ref|fn10}}]
;1841: "why it is, that so many professing Christianity, and so many professing to reverence the sacred principles of our Constitution (which gives free religious toleration to all), have slandered, and persecuted ''this sect of Christians''."{{ref|fn10c}}
;1841: "The object of our visit to your city is not to subvert any moral or truly Christian principle, or to promulgate any doctrine other than that which was advocated by Patriarchs, Prophets, Christ and the Apostles; which doctrine or gospel, we believe is the same invariable plan of salvation that it ever was, and that it ought to be taught, administered and obeyed in the present age, precisely as it was in the primitive or golden period of Christianity." [{{Periodical:Snow Winchester:Address to the Citizens of Salem|pages=574-76}}]
;1841: "Many of them have given up home and friends in obedience to what they consider the call of Christ, their Master.... The Mormons not only claim to be Christians, but the only Christians." [{{CriticalWork:Auburn Journal and Advertiser:December 1841:Mormons|pages=xxx}}]
;1842: “the great Christian city of Nauvoo”.{{ref|fn11}}
;1842: [Mormons teach that] "no man can be a Christian, or be admitted into the kingdom of God, unless he is baptized by immersion by an authorized person." [{{CriticalWork:RTM:Mormons|pages=345–46}}]
;1842: Hyrum Smith is "one of the most pious and devout christians in the world." (''New York Herald'' (19 February 1842); cited in Veritas, "The Mormon Prophets," ''Millennial Star'' 3 (May 1842): 8.)
;1842: Mormons “are Christians in the fullest sense of the term, believing in the Old and New Testaments.” (''The New York Herald'', vol. 7, no. 419, 16 May 1842).
;1842: Mormons are described as – “A ''Christian'' sect in Illinois.” (''Alton Telegraph and Democratic Review'', vol. 7, no. 25, 18 June 1842; emphasis in original).
;1842: "All these letters and documents [about the Mormons] disclose a most extraordinary movement in human affairs. What they mean we can hardly tell, but is it not time for some great religious revolution, as radical as Luther's, to take place in the ''Christian'' world?...Unlike ''all other Christian sects'', they adopt at once all the modern improvements of society, in art and literature; and from their singular religious faith give the highest enthusiasm to the movement at large. There is nothing odd, or singular, or absurd about them.” ("Wonderful Progress of Joe Smith, the Modern Mahomet.—Spread of the Mormon Faith, and a New Religious Revolution at Hand," ''N.Y. Herald'' (17 June 1842); emphasis added).{{ref|fn10b}}
;1842: "Mr. Whitney then asked if we acknowledged any to be Christians except those who embraced our doctrines and joined our church." (Orson Hyde letter, ''Times and Seasons'', vol. 3, no. 18, 15 July 1842, 849).
;1842: A Baptist complained that a Church preacher "declined making an honest confession of those peculiarities which separate them as widely from the Baptists, as from every other denomination of the ''christian'' church." {{ref|baptist1}}
;1842: Wrote the ''Daily Sun'' of Cincinnati:
::Whatever this new doctrine may be, it is extremely pleasing to the world, and death to the constituted church creeds of every name but that of Mormon. It is destined to spread, for every man that takes it upon him to speak in its favor, is fully competent to make out his case. One is very much surprised to see with what facility they prove their doctrine from the holy scriptures. Mr. Adams remarked, that he did not care whether a man believed the Book of Mormon or not, so that he came forward with a broken heart, believing on the Lord Jesus Christ and in baptism for the remission of sins—let him come forth, and if God did not reveal to him the truths of the Book of Mormon, he need not believe it. [{{TS1|author=Anon.|article=Mormonism [Reprinted from the Daily Sun, Cincinnati]|vol=4|num=2|date=1 December 1842|start=28–29}} {{link|url=http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=/BOMP&CISOPTR=3386&REC=5}}
;1842: "The Mormons were Christians in belief, and looked for the second Advent of Christ—when he shall come, surrounded by the angels of Heaven to dwell in person upon the earth....We confess that Mr. Winchester has changed our opinion of the sect; for we held them in contempt if not in abhorrence, from the representations we had read of them, whereas, if what Mr. Winchester states be true (and we have no reason to doubt him,) we can recognize them as professing Christians, tinged with peculiarities on particular points." [{{TS1|author=Anon.|article=Mormons, or Latter Day Saints|vol=4|num=2|date=1 December 1842|start=27–28}} Reprinted from the ''Baltimore Clipper''. {{link|url=http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=/BOMP&CISOPTR=3382&REC=6}}]
;1843: "So far we are agreed with ''other Christian denominations''. They all preach faith and repentance. The gospel requires baptism by immersion for the remission of sins, which is the meaning of the word in the original language—namely, to bury or immerse".{{ref|js1}}
;1843: Joseph Smith, in a public discourse, compared the Mormons to other denominations of Christians. (''New York Spectator'', vol. 46, no. 46, 23 August 1843).
;1844: The Mormons are “calling themselves Christians . . . . Christians, as they claim to be.” (''The Warsaw Signal'', NS no. 4, no. 121, 6 March 1844).
;1844: “The ''[Saturday] Courier'' should for the sake of truth and consistency, strike its flag of neutrality in RELIGION, while it wages a war of extermination against the Mormons; the only sect in Christendom, who in this nineteenth century can exhibit the irresistible evidence of martyrdom, in support of its cause”.{{ref|fn12}}
;1844: "On Sunday I was invited to give, in a public discourse, the points of difference between faith of the Latter-day Saints and ''other professors of'' [p.417] ''the Christian religion''."{{ref|fn12b}}

===1850s===
;1853: Now, we ARE believers in the Bible, and in consequence of our unshaken faith in its precepts, doctrine, and prophecy, may be, attributed "the strangeness of our course," and the unwarrantable conduct of many towards this people. Come, my brother Presbyterian; come, my brother professors of every persuasion of long standing and popular distinction in the world, who are dubbed with the word "ORTHODOX;" come, ''we are all good Christians''; I find no fault with you—why should you find fault with me?{{ref|by1}}
;1854: “Mormonites . . . . call themselves Christians, it is true” (''The Daily Globe'', vol. 6, no. 261, 5 October 1854).
;1857: "Their religious teachers of Mormonism, preach to them, as they call it, "Christianity in its purity." (S[olomon] N. Carvalho, ''Incidents of Travel and Adventure in the Far West; with Col. Fremont's Last Expedition'', chapter 22. {{link|url=http://www.jewish-history.com/wildwest/carvalho/carval22.html}}
;1859: We, as Christians, are divided and subdivided into many systems varying in doctrinal points. This one says, "I am right;" and that one says, "I am right;" another rises up and varies, more or less, from the doctrines of the Church he has left, and says he is right.{{ref|fn15}}

===1860s===
;1861: "…who is there that was not startled when he heard that a sect, affecting to be Christian beyond all other sects, which had sprung up in broad day from amidst the civilization of the United States…"{{ref|fn15-b}}
;1863:Should you ask ''why we differ from other Christians''...Are all this people, in the Scriptural sense, Christians? They should be. Do they all serve God with an undivided heart? They should. Many of them do, seeking daily to do his will.{{ref|by2}}
;1864:The Latter-day Saints ''differ from their Christian brethren''.{{ref|by3}}
;1866: Now, ''we as Christians'' desire to be saved in the kingdom of God.{{ref|by4}}
;1866: President B. Young preached a very interesting and instructive discourse, in which he showed that professing Christians believe all that the Jews believe, which appertains to life and salvation, and have accepted principles in advance of the Jews, including faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; and that the Latter-day Saints receive all believed in by other professing Christians, appertaining to life and salvation, accepting, as a part of their religious faith, principles in advance of them which are taught in the Scriptures. He touched upon the history of the Jewish people, showing the penalties which they had incurred by disobedience to the commandments of God, and pointing to the promises made to the patriarchal fathers concerning them. And deduced that if the condition of professing Christians is to-day better than that of the Jews, for believing more of the revelations of God, so the condition of the Saints is preferable to that of the other inhabitants of Christendom, in accepting all the revelations which the Lord has been pleased to give. {{ref|fn16}}
;1866: "On one occasion one of the native brethren who had been persecuted, claimed his rights as a Swiss citizen, and the question was brought up in the Swiss Congress, Are the 'Mormons' Christians? After some discussion, the conclusion was arrived at that they were, and must accordingly be protected."{{ref|swiss1}}

===1870s===
;1870:Have you embraced truth, Latter-day Saints? Have you anything different from ''other Christians''?{{ref|by5}}
;1871: If you should have visits here from those professing to be Christians, and they intimate a desire to preach to you, by all means invite them to do so. Accord to every reputable person who may visit you, and who may wish to occupy the stands of your meeting houses to preach to you, the privilege of doing so, no matter whether he be a Catholic, Presbyterian, Congregationalist, Baptist, Free-will Baptist, Methodist, or whatever he may be; and if he wishes to speak to your children let him do so. Of course you have the power to correct whatever false teachings or impressions, if any, your children may hear or receive. I say to parents, place your children, as far as you [p.196] have an opportunity to do so, in a position or situation to learn everything in the world that is worth learning. You will probably have what is called a ''Christian Church here; they will not admit that we are Christians'', but they cannot think us further from the plan of salvation as revealed from heaven than we know them to be, so we are even on that ground, as far as it goes.{{ref|fn13}}
: We are preaching to the people far and near; our Elders are traveling through the earth; strangers are coming here, and we are declaring to them that the Gospel of the Son of God is true. Whether they believe or not, it is no matter. That book (the Bible)contains the words of the Almighty…. I know of the bright promises which he gave to his disciples anciently. I live in the possession of them, and glory in them and in the cross of Christ, and in the beauty and holiness that he has revealed for the salvation and exaltation of the children of men. I do wish we would live to them, and may the Lord help us. {{ref|fn14}}
;1872:''We, as Christians'', believe in God, in Christ and in his atonement, in repentance and obedience, and in receiving the Spirit.{{ref|by6}}
: "we take the liberty to believe the Bible, which our fellow Christians, generally throughout the world, profess to believe in…”{{ref|fn17}}
:: “We are looking for him [i.e. Second coming of Christ]. The Christians of all denominations expect that he will appear in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. The Latter-day Saints expect this in common with all other Christians.”{{ref|fn18}}
;1876:These are only a few reflections, when we take into consideration ''our Christian religion''.{{ref|by7}}
:Brother Cannon speaks of Christians. ''We are Christians'' professedly, according to our religion.{{ref|by8}}
:“How shall we, as Christians, reconcile these words of our Savior with the reception everywhere given by the world to Messrs. Moody and Sankey? They are, professedly, Christian ministers, yet they are largely entertained by the world, extolled by the world, and apparently loved by the world….”{{ref|car1}}
:“But Joseph Smith reiterates the Savior’s promises. He has no fear of being proved a false teacher. He professes to be a Christian minister called and sent of God….”{{ref|car2}}
:“Immediate revelation was the life of primitive Christianity, and when that ceased to be given to men, Christianity waxed feeble, waned and died. With the restored Gospel came immediate revelation, and Christianity was born again upon the earth.”{{ref|car3}}

===1880s===
;1881: ''We are a Christian community''; we believe in God and in Jesus Christ...{{ref|lyman1}}
===1890s===
;1892: "What a singular sort of ‘Christian community’ that must be that will not tolerate an unorthodox Christian society in its midst!”{{ref|fn19}}
:“The insinuation in this [written attack on the LDS by a Protestant minister in SLC] is to the effect that a ‘Mormon’ is not a Christian, and the ‘Mormon’ religion is not a Christian religion, and further that the Supreme Court of the United States has virtually so decided…. But if a ‘Mormon’ is not a Christian then there are no Christians in America…. A member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is at least as fairly entitled to the appellation of a Christian as a member of the Presbyterian Church”{{ref|fn20}}
:“[with reverence to Revelation 1. 12] We accept—as all Christians do—that God inspired the words ‘to see the voice.’”{{ref|fn21}}

===1900-1950===
;1907: If it be true Christianity to accept Jesus Christ in person and his mission as divine; to revere him as the Son of God, the crucified and risen Lord, through whom alone mankind can attain salvation; to accept his teachings as a guide, to adopt as a standard and observe as a law the ethical code he promulgated; to comply with the requirements prescribed by him as essential to membership in his Church, namely, faith, repentance, baptism by immersion for the remission of sins, and the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost,—if this be Christianity, ''then are we Christians'', and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a Christian church.{{ref|1stpres1}}
;1917: [W]e are a Christian people, we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and we feel that it is our duty to acknowledge him as our Savior and Redeemer.{{ref|JFS1917}}

===After 1950===
;1956: We are not Catholic, Protestant, nor Jewish, and yet this disclaimer should not be taken to mean we are not Christian. You who heard the powerful address of President Clark this morning will know that ''we are Christians'', for central to everything we believe and teach is our faith that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. We are grateful for our Judeo-Christian heritage, for the Holy Bible which we accept without reservation as the word of God, except as to some errors that have crept in through translations.{{ref|brown1}}
;1997: Jacob Neusner, one of the great Judaism scholars of the twentieth century: "Christianity encompasses a remarkably diverse set of religious systems that have some qualities in common—belief in Jesus Christ—but also differ deeply, especially about matters on which they seem at first glance to concur. For example, who, exactly was, and is, Jesus Christ? No one imagines that by describing a single common denominator Christianity tells us about one unitary religion. Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox, Methodist, Mormon, and Lutheran—each is comprised by clearly delineated groups of Christians, all of them with their respective systems of belief and behaviour...as the world knows Christianities, but no single Christianity, so the world has known, and today recognizes, diverse Judaisms, no single Judaism."{{ref|neusner1}}
;2006: Bart Ehrman, a leading expert on the text of the New Testament: "...just as ''Christianity today'' is incredibly diverse (compare the Roman Catholics with ''the Mormons'' with the Pentecostals with the Seventh Day Adventists with the Eastern Orthodox… and so on!), it was even more diverse in the early centuries..." ("A Few Questions for Bart Ehrman," ''Oxford University Press Blog (OUPblog)'' (9 October 2006). {{link|url=http://blog.oup.com/2006/10/a_few_questions_3/}}
Clearly, the Church has "claimed" to be Christian for a long time, and even hostile critics realized it. To insist that this is a new, public relations move is false. Neutral observers have also seen the Church as Christian. Only a recent, intolerant fringe of fundamentalist Christianity has tried to exclude the Church from Christianity by self-serving definitions.

=={{Endnotes label}}==
#{{note|black.60-61}} {{Book:Black:Finding Christ|pages=}} {{Periodical:Black:Names of Christ}}
#{{note|black.5}} Black, ''Finding Christ'', 5. Chapter 22
#{{note|perry.216-217}} {{Book:Black:Expressions of Faith|pages=216–217|author=Donald W. Parry|article=The Book of Mormon}}
#{{note|heretics1}} For a discussion by a non-LDS, conservative evangelical on points of doctrine upon which modern evangelical Christianity differs with the doctrines taught by the early Christian Fathers, see: {{Heretics1|start=1}}{{link|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=j7K4S5n8hVAC&printsec=frontcover&dq=Will+The+Real+Heretics+Please+Stand+Up:+A+New+Look+at+Today's+Evangelical+Church+in+the+Light+of+Early+Christianity&hl=en&ei=VIYkTorbDOnmsQKtoYmvAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCkQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false}}
#{{note|peterson1}} For a discussion of these issues, see {{Periodical:Peterson Ricks:Comparing LDS Beliefs to Early Christianity}}
#{{note|fn1}} {{CriticalWork:Sherer:To Absalom Peters|pages=xxx}}
#{{note|fn2}} {{CriticalWork:Morning Courier:1 September 1831:Mormon Religion|pages=xxx}}
#{{note|fn3}} {{CriticalWork:Farmer's Herald:6 June 1832|pages=xxx}}
#{{note|fn4}}{{CriticalWork:Liberal Advocate:30 December 1833|pages=xxx}}
#{{note|fn5}}{{HoC1|vol=2|start=83}}
#{{note|ems.april.1833}} {{EMSfairwiki|article=The Gospel|vol=1|num=11|date=April 1833|start=81|end=83}}
#{{note|fn6}} {{CriticalWork:Painsville Telegraph:4 September 1835|pages=xxx}}
#{{note|fn7}}{{PWJS1|start=144}}
#{{note|fn8}} {{CriticalWork:Eells:To Joshua Leavitt|pages=59}} (letter written on 1 April 1836 by James H. Eells who lived in Elyra, Ohio)
#{{note|js2}} {{TPJS1|start=121}}
#{{note|bishop1}}Francis G. Bishop, ''Brief History of the Church of Jesus Christ, of Latter Day Saints'' (Blum and Son, Salem, Massachusetts 1839), 2.
#{{note|fn9}} {{Book:Pratt:Plain Facts|pages=6}}
#{{note|fn10}} {{TSfairwiki|author=Upper Mississippian|article=Nauvoo Mormon Religion|num=8|start=324|date=15 February 1841|vol=2}}; reprint of an article from the ''Upper Mississippian''
#{{note|fn10c}} Extract from a Letter in the ''Juliet Courier'', dated from Monmouth, Illinois (June 1841); cited in {{HoC1|vol=4|start=381}}
#{{note|fn11}} ''Chicago Democrat'', May 1842; editorial by John Wentworth
#{{note|fn10b}} Cited by {{WE | author=Helen Mar Whitney | vol=10|num=13|date=1 December 1881|start=97|end=99 }} Available in {{WV1|start=149}}
#{{note|baptist1}} {{TSfairwiki|author="A Baptist," letter to the editor published in the ''North Staffordshire Mercury''|article=Difference Between the Baptists & Latter-day Saints|vol=3|num=23|date=1 October 1843|start=931|end=932}} {{ia}}
#{{note|js1}} {{TPJS1|start=314}}
#{{note|fn12}}{{TS1|author=Philadelphia Sun reprint|article=Magna est veritas, et praevalebit’ (Not sure of translationvol=5|num=15|date=15 August 1844|start=621}}
#{{note|fn12b}} D.S. Hollister to Joseph Smith, 9 May 1844; cited in {{HoC|vol=6|start=416|end=417}}
#{{note|by1}}{{JDfairwiki|author=Brigham Young|title=Effects and Privileges of the Gospel|date=24 July 1853|vol=1|disc=35|start=237|end=237}}
#{{note|fn15}} {{JDfairwiki|author=Brigham Young|date=22 May 1859|vol=7|disc=22|start=148|title=Government of God}}; {{DN1|vol=9|num=13|date=1 June 1859|start=104|article=Government of God|author=Brigham Young}}
#{{note|fn15-b}} Juley Remy, ''Journey to Great Salt Lake City'' (1861), 2:82–83; cited by {{WorksOfAbraham1|start=195}}.
#{{note|by2}}{{JDfairwiki|author=Brigham Young|title=Advice To California Emigrants. — The Principles Of The Gospel, etc.|date=8 July 1863|vol=10|disc=46|start=230|end=231}}
#{{note|by3}}{{JDfairwiki|author=Brigham Young|title=Difference Of Ideas Entertained Respecting God, etc.|date=31 July 1863|vol=10|disc=60|start=318|end=319}}
#{{note|by4}}{{JDfairwiki|author=Brigham Young|title=Remarks by President Brigham Young|date=19 August 1866|vol=11|disc=41|start=268|end=268}}
#{{note|fn16}} {{DNW1|author=Brigham Young|vol=15|num=109|date=4 March 1866 |start=page?}}; cited in {{BYA1|vol=5|start=32}}
#{{note|swiss1}} {{MS1|vol=28|num=12|date=24 March 1866|start=179|author=William W. Riter|article=Minutes of a General Council; Birmingham,England; January 5, 1866}}
#{{note|by5}}{{JDfairwiki|author=Brigham Young|title=The Saints Are A Strange People Because They Practise What They Profess|date=20 February 1870|vol=13|disc=26|start=237|end=238}}
#{{note|fn13}} {{JDfairwiki|date=3 June 1871|author=Brigham Young|vol=14|disc=26|start=195|end=196|title=Discourse by President Brigham Young}}; {{MS|vol=33|num=27|date=4 July 1871|article=Discourse by President Brigham Young|start=418|end=420|author=Brigham Young}}; DNW 20:235.
#{{note|fn14}} {{JDfairwiki|author=Brigham Young|date=27 August 1871|vol=14|disc=31|start=227|title=Remarks by President Brigham Young}}; {{DN|vol=20|num=31|date=6 September 1871|author=Brigham Young|author=Discourse by President Brigham Young|start=357|end=358}}
#{{note|by6}}{{JDfairwiki|author=Brigham Young|title=Riches — Hurry — Fashion — Helping The Poor — Mysteries|date=26 May 1872|vol=15|disc=7|start=42|end=42}}
#{{note|fn17}} {{JDfairwiki|author=John Taylor|date=3 March 1872|title=Discourse by Elder John Taylor|vol=14|disc=45|start=338}} {{DN1|num=36|vol=21|author=Discourse by Elder John Taylor|date= 13 March 1872|start=65, second column}}
#{{note|fn18}} {{JDfairwiki|author=Orson Pratt|title=Discourse by Elder Orson Pratt|date=10 March 10 1872|vol=14|disc=46|start=348}}; {{DN1|author=Orson Pratt|article=Discourse by Elder Orson Pratt|vol=21|date=20 March 1872|start=77, fourth column}}
#{{note|by7}}{{JDfairwiki|author=Brigham Young|title=Discourse By President Brigham Young|date=15 August 1876|vol=18|disc=26|start=217|end=217}}
#{{note|by8}}{{JDfairwiki|author=Brigham Young|title=Discourse By President Brigham Young|date=17 September 1876|vol=18|disc=29|start=231|end=231}}
#{{note|car1}}{{MS1|vol=38|date=6 March 1876|start=152|author=Editorial (Elder David McKenzie)|num=10|article=Christianity and Revivalism}}
#{{note|car2}}{{MS|vol=38|date=27 March 1876|start=200|end=201||author=Editorial (Elder David McKenzie)|num=13|article=Gifts of the Holy Ghost}}
#{{note|car3}}{{MS1|vol=38|date=3 April 1876|start=217|author=Editorial (Elder David McKenzie)|num=14|article=Evidences of the Truth}}
#{{note|lyman1}}{{MS1|vol=43|date=9 May 1881|start=292|author=Francis M. Lyman|num=19|article=General Conference (5 April 1881)}}
#{{note|fn19}} {{DNW1|author=Editorial on citizens of Beaver Dam, Virginia removing Mormon Elders by force to another part of the state|vol=45|num=13|article=A Singular Sort of ‘Christianity’|date=17 September 1892|start=396}}
#{{note|fn20}} {{DNW1|author="Intolerant Discrimination"|article=Intolerant Discrimination|vol=45|num=14|date=24 September 1892|start=441}}
#{{note|fn21}} {{DNW1|author="The Book of Mormon"|article=The Book of Mormon|vol=45|num=25|date=10 December 1892|start=780}}
#{{note|1stpres1}}{{IE|author=First Presidency|article=Address to the World|vol=10|date=May 1907|start=481|end=495}}
#{{note|JFS1917}} Joseph F. Smith, General Conference address (April 6, 1917)
#{{note|brown1}}{{IE|author=Hugh B. Brown|article=Discourse|vol=10|date=December 1956|start=949|end=949}}
#{{note|neusner1}} Jacob Neusner, ''The Way Of Torah'', 6th edition, (Belmont, California: Wadsworth Publishing Company, 1997), 15. ISBN 0534516033.
#{{note|packer1}} {{Ensign|author=Boyd K. Packer|article=A Defense and a Refuge|date=November 2006|start=85|end=88}} {{link|url=http://lds.org/ensign/2006/11/a-defense-and-a-refuge?lang=eng}}

{{FurtherReading}}

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[[fr:Jesus Christ/Latter-day Saints aren't Christians]]
<metadesc>Are Mormons Christians? Do they worship Jesus Christ? Critics use self-serving categories to deny that members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints worship and revere Jesus.</metadesc>

Jesus Christ/Accusations that Latter-day Saints aren't Christians

2012-05-26T16:32:41Z

DeeAnnC: /* {{Conclusion label}} */

{{Articles FAIR copyright}} {{Articles Header 1}} {{Articles Header 2}} {{Articles Header 3}} {{Articles Header 4}} {{Articles Header 5}} {{Articles Header 6}} {{Articles Header 7}} {{Articles Header 8}} {{Articles Header 9}} {{Articles Header 10}}
{{JesusChristPortal}}
=={{Criticism label}}==
Critics claim that members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are not "Christian."

A related claim is that the Church has only recently begun to portray itself as "Christian" in order to gain adherents.

{{CriticalSources}}

=={{Conclusion label}}==

Critics use a unnecessarily narrow and self-referential definition of "Christian" to exclude the LDS. They ignore the fact that many other Christians over the millennia would have disagreed with them on the same points, yet this does not disqualify these other believers from the family of "Christians."

Claims that the Church has only recently been asserting its Christian status are false, as attested by LDS scripture, practice, doctrine, and public statements of its leadership and its early critics.

Ironically, many of those who attack the Church and its members for not being Christians show a distinct lack of the Christian virtues themselves:

:There has been no end to opposition. There are misinterpretations and misrepresentations of us and of our history, some of it mean-spirited and certainly contrary to the teachings of Jesus Christ and His gospel. Sometimes clergy, even ministerial organizations, oppose us. They do what we would never do. We do not attack or criticize or oppose others as they do us...Strangest of all, otherwise intelligent people claim we are not Christian. This shows that they know little or nothing about us. It is a true principle that you cannot lift yourself by putting others down.{{ref|packer1}}

=={{Subarticles label}}==
{{SummaryItem
|link=Jesus Christ/Accusations that Mormons aren't Christians/Does the Church use the sign or symbol of the cross
|subject=Does the Church use the sign or symbol of the cross?
|summary=Critics claim that Latter-day Saints are not Christians, and point to the fact that the Church does not usually use the symbol or sign of the cross in decoration, personal jewelry, or architecture.
}}

== ==
{{Response label}}

{{Epigraph|It is evident from what has been said, that the Mormons, as such, can have no part or lot in the religion of Jesus Christ—and we do not see how any one can be their friend, (as Mormons,) without being an ''enemy to God''. —{{CriticalWork:M'Chesney:Antidote to Mormonism|pages=49}} Some claim we are not Christians. They either do not know us at all or they misunderstand. In the Church every ordinance is done by the authority of and in the name of Jesus Christ. —President Boyd K. Packer, "[http://lds.org/general-conference/2011/04/guided-by-the-holy-spirit Guided by the Holy Spirit]," general conference, April 2011.}}

==={{Church response label}}===
From [http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/mormonism-101#C1 ''Mormonism 101: FAQ''], Newsroom, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints:
<blockquote>
Are Mormons Christian?

Yes. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a Christian church but is neither Catholic nor Protestant. Rather, it is a restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ as originally established by the Savior in the New Testament of the Bible. The Church does not embrace the creeds that developed in the third and fourth centuries that are now central to many other Christian churches.

Latter-day Saints believe God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to save all mankind from death and their individual sins. Jesus Christ is central to the lives of Church members. They seek to follow His example by being baptized (see Matthew 3:13-17), praying in His holy name (see Matthew 6:9-13), partaking of the sacrament (see Luke 22:19-20), doing good to others (see Acts 10:38) and bearing witness of Him through both word and deed (see James 2:26). The only way to salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ.

*[http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/christianity-following-jesus-in-word-and-deed Read more about Latter-day Saint Christianity]
</blockquote>

===Book of Mormon is Christ-centered===
Wrote one author:

:Years ago, Susan Easton Black tabulated all of the occurrences of the names and titles of Jesus in the Book of Mormon.{{ref|black.60-61}}...According to Black, 101 names or titles of Christ are presented in the Book of Mormon. These include the names/titles Lord God Omnipotent, Redeemer of Israel, Shepherd, and Son of the Living God, each of which is found once in the work. The names/titles Stone, True Messiah, Mighty One of Jacob, and Great Creator are each found twice; the names/titles Holy One of Israel, Lamb of God, Lord Jesus Christ, Redeemer, and Messiah each appear 10 or more times; and the names/titles Christ, God, Jesus, Lord, and Lord God are each found at least 100 times in the book. In all, the 101 names/titles of Christ are collectively presented 3,925 times in 6,607 Book of Mormon verses.{{ref|black.5}} Black’s tabulation of the names and titles shows that on average, one name or title of Christ appears once every 1.7 verses.{{ref|perry.216-217}}

With the Holy Bible, the Book of Mormon is the foundational scripture of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Christ is found on virtually every page.

===LDS Not Excluded by Belief or Practice===
{{main|Worship_different_Jesus|l1="Mormons" worship a "different Jesus"?}}

When critics make the claim that LDS are not Christian, they typically will present a laundry list of doctrines and practices that they believe put LDS outside the category of "Christian." At its base, this claim is an excellent example of the [[Logical_fallacies#No_true_Scotsman | No true Scotsman]] fallacy.

There are two problems with such lists. The first, and most important, is that the original and enduring meaning of "Christian" has been a person or group whose beliefs or practices are founded on the life and/or teachings of Christ. That is, all groups whose religion is founded on Jesus of Nazareth have been classified as Christian since the term was first coined in the first century, regardless of specific beliefs and practices. "Christian" has always included such wildly diverse groups as the Ebionites, the Marcionites, and the Christian Gnostics of ancient times, along with Unitarians and Coptic Christians in modern times. Critics may believe that LDS are "false Christians" or "heretical Christians" or "hell-bound Christians," seeing that such terms are subjective and without standard definitions, but neither belief nor practice can exclude any group from the family of Christian religions and denominations if that group claims to be founded on the life or teachings of the first-century Jesus of Nazareth.

The second problem with the critics' list is that their list of objectionable beliefs and practices used to exclude LDS from the Christian family are lists of beliefs and practices that are found in other groups that are clearly classified as Christian. The claimed bases for the charge that the LDS are not Christians include:
* LDS do not accept creedal [[Godhead_and_the_Trinity | Trinitarianism]] as set out by the [[Nature_of_God/Trinity/Nicene_creed|Nicene creed]]. This means that they conceive of Jesus and Satan as being spiritual '[[Jesus_Christ_is_the_brother_of_Satan | siblings]]' in terms of their ultimate origin, if not their nature or religious status.
* Because of different understandings about God, some Christian critics accuse the LDS of worshipping [[Jesus Christ/Worship different Jesus | a different Jesus]]
* LDS have doctrines which differ from many forms of "traditional" Christianity:
** [[Plan of salvation/Premortal existence |premortal existence]]
** [[Mormonism and temples/Baptism for the dead | vicarious work for the dead]]
** eternal marriage and families
** three degrees of glory
** [[Mormonism and the nature of God/Deification of man|Deification of man]] {''theosis''}
* LDS use [[Mormonism and the Bible/Open canon vs. closed canon| additional scripture]] with the [[Mormonism and the Bible/Completeness| Bible]]
* LDS do not accept ''[[Creation/Creatio ex nihilo | creatio ex nihilo]]''
* LDS do not accept the traditional view of ''[[Plan of salvation/Original sin | original sin]]''
* LDS heed the teachings of [[Joseph Smith/Status in LDS belief | Joseph Smith]] and other [[Mormonism and prophets|modern prophets]]
* LDS reject such doctrines as [[predestination]] to salvation or damnation

However, all of these doctrinal differences have been held not just by the LDS, but by other Christians as well, including the early Christians of the first and second centuries.{{ref|heretics1}} These Christians:

* were not Trinitarians, since the creeds were not yet formulated
* did not teach ''creatio ex nihilo''
* did not consider "the Bible" to be the sole authoritative scripture, since it was not compiled until centuries later
* considered some writings to be authoritative which many modern Christians now reject
* taught ''theosis'', or human deification through Christ
* followed living prophets (the apostles)

One might debate whether these Christians were ''correct'' or ''complete'' in their beliefs, but can the critics seriously exclude them from the family of Christians?{{ref|peterson1}}

The critics essentially create a definition of "Christian" that includes their brand of Christianity, and excludes others with whom they disagree.

===LDS Classified as Christian===
The assertion that Latter-day Saints are not Christian has at its base the idea that the Latter-day Saints don't meet the definition of the word "Christian." But the meanings of words are determined by usage and acceptance. If a definition is widespread (used by many people), persistent (used over a long period of time), and established (accepted by individuals and organizations that are respected and assumed to be knowledgeable) then we can confidently state that the definition is correct and accurate.

The attempt to define "Christian" in such a way as to exclude Latter-day Saints (and many other groups that are generally considered to be some kind of Christian denomination or religion) is really the recent work of a minority group within Protestantism. The nearly-universal and nearly-2000-year-old usage of the word "Christian" has clearly included unorthodox groups that disagree, sometimes sharply, with the teachings and practices of those who claim to be able to define Latter-day Saints out of the Christian fold.

The following are some organizations and resources that classify The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as Christian. The range of sources from encyclopedias to media outlets to government organizations supports the fact that the definition of "Christian" includes Latter-day Saints.

* Yahoo Directory: "Christian Denominations and Sects" {{link|url=http://dir.yahoo.com/Society_and_Culture/Religion_and_Spirituality/Faiths_and_Practices/Christianity/Denominations_and_Sects}}

* adherents.com: "Largest Branches of Christianity in the U.S." {{link|url=http://www.adherents.com/rel_USA.html#Pew_branches}}

* beliefnet: "Faiths and Practices" index {{link|url=http://www.beliefnet.com/index/index_10002.html}}

* MSN Encarta encyclopedia: "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" {{link|url=http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761563331/Church_of_Jesus_Christ_of_Latter-day_Saints.html}}

* RSN (Religion New Service): Religion Backgrounders {{link|url=http://www.religionnews.com/bkgd_mormon1.html}}

* PBS (Public Broadcasting Service): "The Church: A Brief History" {{link|url=http://www.pbs.org/americanprophet/lds.html}}

* LaborLawTalk dictionary {{link|url=http://dictionary.laborlawtalk.com/Church_of_Jesus_Christ_of_Latter-day_Saints}}

* Encyclopedia Britannia Online {{link|url=http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-232003?tocId=232003}}

* BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) {{link|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/subdivisions/index.shtml}}

* World Council of Churches (WCC): Churches {{link|url=http://www.oikoumene.org/?id=3652}}

* National Council of Churches (NCC): National Council of Churches’ 2005 "Yearbook of American & Canadian Churches." {{link|url=http://www.ncccusa.org/news/050330yearbook.html}}

* United States Department of State: International Religious Freedom Report 2004 (Tonga) {{link|url=http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2004/35430.htm}}

==Did Mormons claim to be Christian only recently?==

This claim is absurd. The critics depend on their audience not knowing much about LDS history for this claim. Enemies and members of the Church have long known that Church members consider themselves "Christian" (italics added in all cases):

===1830s===
;1830: “They call themselves the church of Christ, and the only church of Christ. All professing Christians who do not adhere to their system, they consider as formalists; ‘having the form of Godliness, but denying the power’”.{{ref|fn1}}
;1831: “Old Joe . . . and several others . . . admitted [that the new faith] was an improvement in Christianity”.{{ref|fn2}}
;1832: The Mormonites “say the Millennium is soon to commence and that Christ is to come personally and take up His residence with them. . . . In its general principles this sect entirely coincide with others which have from time to time sprung up in Christendom”. {{ref|fn3}}
;1833: There is “a civil war between the Mormonites and their brother Christians”. {{ref|fn4}}
;1834: "Brother Joseph . . . went on to show the brethren how wicked and unchristianlike such conduct [among them] appeared before the eyes of truth and justice”.{{ref|fn5}}
;April 1834:The only name given under heaven, whereby man can be saved, is Jesus Christ. Men in days of old heard the glad tidings, that the Son of Man would come in the fulness of his own time, to make intercession for the children of men, and suffer, the just, for the unjust, and rise from the dead, that the bands of the temporal death might be broken, that the resurrection might pass upon all men, that they might stand in the presence of God to be judged according to their works.—These glad tidings were communicated from heaven to earth, by the ministering of holy angels and by the voice of the living God. Thousands have looked forward with an eye of faith, and a confidence unshaken in the promises of God, to the time when the great and last sacrifice should be made for fallen man. Many have rejoiced to see the day of the Son of Man, have seen it, and were glad; and have fallen asleep after obtaining the promise, that they should see God in the flesh and should reign with him on the earth a thousand years....The news that the gospel brought in days of old, was, that Jesus Christ would come into the world; that he would suffer according to the flesh; that he would rise from the dead, and thereby redeem his people from the power of the grave.{{ref|ems.april.1833}}
;1835: “the doctrine promulgated by the ‘latter day Christians’ in the newly discovered Bible”.{{ref|fn6}}
;1836: “This morning a minister from Conne[c]ticut by the name of John W. Olived called at my house . . . . [He] asked me wherein we differ from other Christian denomination[s]”.{{ref|fn7}}
;1836: “they have the appearance of being devout Christians. . . . They call themselves ‘Latter-day Saints,’ and profess to be the only true church, to have the only gospel order, consisting of apostles, elders, bishops, etc., etc., which several orders of the Christian hierarchy have been distinctly brought to light in the Book of Mormon”.{{ref|fn8}}
;1837: “a large society of Christians who style themselves ‘Latter-day Saints’ or Mormons.” (''Painesville Republican'', vol. 1, no. 31, 15 June 1837).
;1838: "The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning ''Jesus Christ'', that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are ''only appendages to it''".{{ref|js2}}
;1839: "This sect took its rise, A. D. 1830, in the county of Ontario, and State of New York. In April of that year, the society was ''organized as a Christian Church''".{{ref|bishop1}}
;1839: The Mormons “were singing a hymn as other good Christians are wont to do . . . . [One of them offered] a very good Christian prayer . . . . [which petitioned that the Mormons might have] Christian fortitude.” (''Peoria Register and North-Western Gazetteer'', vol. 3, no. 17, 27 July 1839)
:1839: {{CriticalWork:Dobson:Mormons|pages=xxx}}

===1840s===
;1840: “We want no religion but pure Christianity”.{{ref|fn9}}
;1840: The heaven-born doctrines of christianity are so opposite to the vain, grovelling, and selfish sentiments of corrupt human nature, and the self-denying practices of genuine believers are so repugnant to the feelings of those whose nature is “earthly, sensual, and devilish,” that it is utterly unreasonable to suppose that anything like amity, concord or peace, can possibly exist between the church and the world. [{{Book:Taylor:Calumny Refuted|pages=1–12}}]
;1840: The citizens of Nauvoo are “a people, professing to be Christians.” (''Quincy Whig'', vol. 3, no. 13, 25 July 1840).
;1840: The Mormons retain “many truths which are held in common by different denominations of Christians.” (''The Alton Telegraph'', vol. 5, no. 46, 14 November 1840).
;1840: "We want no religion but pure Christianity." [{{Book:PP Pratt:Plain Facts|pages=5}}]
;1840: "If every friend to the cause of apostolic christianity, would subscribe and pay in advance for the above mentioned books [Book of Mormon, hymn books]...." [{{TS1|author=Anon.|article=Books!!!|vol=1|num=9|date=July 1840|start=139–40}} {{link|url=http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=/BOMP&CISOPTR=2425&REC=14}}
;1841: “I understood from [the Mormons] as follows, . . . that they did not discard the Bible as used by other Christian sects”.{{ref|fn10}}]
;1841: "why it is, that so many professing Christianity, and so many professing to reverence the sacred principles of our Constitution (which gives free religious toleration to all), have slandered, and persecuted ''this sect of Christians''."{{ref|fn10c}}
;1841: "The object of our visit to your city is not to subvert any moral or truly Christian principle, or to promulgate any doctrine other than that which was advocated by Patriarchs, Prophets, Christ and the Apostles; which doctrine or gospel, we believe is the same invariable plan of salvation that it ever was, and that it ought to be taught, administered and obeyed in the present age, precisely as it was in the primitive or golden period of Christianity." [{{Periodical:Snow Winchester:Address to the Citizens of Salem|pages=574-76}}]
;1841: "Many of them have given up home and friends in obedience to what they consider the call of Christ, their Master.... The Mormons not only claim to be Christians, but the only Christians." [{{CriticalWork:Auburn Journal and Advertiser:December 1841:Mormons|pages=xxx}}]
;1842: “the great Christian city of Nauvoo”.{{ref|fn11}}
;1842: [Mormons teach that] "no man can be a Christian, or be admitted into the kingdom of God, unless he is baptized by immersion by an authorized person." [{{CriticalWork:RTM:Mormons|pages=345–46}}]
;1842: Hyrum Smith is "one of the most pious and devout christians in the world." (''New York Herald'' (19 February 1842); cited in Veritas, "The Mormon Prophets," ''Millennial Star'' 3 (May 1842): 8.)
;1842: Mormons “are Christians in the fullest sense of the term, believing in the Old and New Testaments.” (''The New York Herald'', vol. 7, no. 419, 16 May 1842).
;1842: Mormons are described as – “A ''Christian'' sect in Illinois.” (''Alton Telegraph and Democratic Review'', vol. 7, no. 25, 18 June 1842; emphasis in original).
;1842: "All these letters and documents [about the Mormons] disclose a most extraordinary movement in human affairs. What they mean we can hardly tell, but is it not time for some great religious revolution, as radical as Luther's, to take place in the ''Christian'' world?...Unlike ''all other Christian sects'', they adopt at once all the modern improvements of society, in art and literature; and from their singular religious faith give the highest enthusiasm to the movement at large. There is nothing odd, or singular, or absurd about them.” ("Wonderful Progress of Joe Smith, the Modern Mahomet.—Spread of the Mormon Faith, and a New Religious Revolution at Hand," ''N.Y. Herald'' (17 June 1842); emphasis added).{{ref|fn10b}}
;1842: "Mr. Whitney then asked if we acknowledged any to be Christians except those who embraced our doctrines and joined our church." (Orson Hyde letter, ''Times and Seasons'', vol. 3, no. 18, 15 July 1842, 849).
;1842: A Baptist complained that a Church preacher "declined making an honest confession of those peculiarities which separate them as widely from the Baptists, as from every other denomination of the ''christian'' church." {{ref|baptist1}}
;1842: Wrote the ''Daily Sun'' of Cincinnati:
::Whatever this new doctrine may be, it is extremely pleasing to the world, and death to the constituted church creeds of every name but that of Mormon. It is destined to spread, for every man that takes it upon him to speak in its favor, is fully competent to make out his case. One is very much surprised to see with what facility they prove their doctrine from the holy scriptures. Mr. Adams remarked, that he did not care whether a man believed the Book of Mormon or not, so that he came forward with a broken heart, believing on the Lord Jesus Christ and in baptism for the remission of sins—let him come forth, and if God did not reveal to him the truths of the Book of Mormon, he need not believe it. [{{TS1|author=Anon.|article=Mormonism [Reprinted from the Daily Sun, Cincinnati]|vol=4|num=2|date=1 December 1842|start=28–29}} {{link|url=http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=/BOMP&CISOPTR=3386&REC=5}}
;1842: "The Mormons were Christians in belief, and looked for the second Advent of Christ—when he shall come, surrounded by the angels of Heaven to dwell in person upon the earth....We confess that Mr. Winchester has changed our opinion of the sect; for we held them in contempt if not in abhorrence, from the representations we had read of them, whereas, if what Mr. Winchester states be true (and we have no reason to doubt him,) we can recognize them as professing Christians, tinged with peculiarities on particular points." [{{TS1|author=Anon.|article=Mormons, or Latter Day Saints|vol=4|num=2|date=1 December 1842|start=27–28}} Reprinted from the ''Baltimore Clipper''. {{link|url=http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=/BOMP&CISOPTR=3382&REC=6}}]
;1843: "So far we are agreed with ''other Christian denominations''. They all preach faith and repentance. The gospel requires baptism by immersion for the remission of sins, which is the meaning of the word in the original language—namely, to bury or immerse".{{ref|js1}}
;1843: Joseph Smith, in a public discourse, compared the Mormons to other denominations of Christians. (''New York Spectator'', vol. 46, no. 46, 23 August 1843).
;1844: The Mormons are “calling themselves Christians . . . . Christians, as they claim to be.” (''The Warsaw Signal'', NS no. 4, no. 121, 6 March 1844).
;1844: “The ''[Saturday] Courier'' should for the sake of truth and consistency, strike its flag of neutrality in RELIGION, while it wages a war of extermination against the Mormons; the only sect in Christendom, who in this nineteenth century can exhibit the irresistible evidence of martyrdom, in support of its cause”.{{ref|fn12}}
;1844: "On Sunday I was invited to give, in a public discourse, the points of difference between faith of the Latter-day Saints and ''other professors of'' [p.417] ''the Christian religion''."{{ref|fn12b}}

===1850s===
;1853: Now, we ARE believers in the Bible, and in consequence of our unshaken faith in its precepts, doctrine, and prophecy, may be, attributed "the strangeness of our course," and the unwarrantable conduct of many towards this people. Come, my brother Presbyterian; come, my brother professors of every persuasion of long standing and popular distinction in the world, who are dubbed with the word "ORTHODOX;" come, ''we are all good Christians''; I find no fault with you—why should you find fault with me?{{ref|by1}}
;1854: “Mormonites . . . . call themselves Christians, it is true” (''The Daily Globe'', vol. 6, no. 261, 5 October 1854).
;1857: "Their religious teachers of Mormonism, preach to them, as they call it, "Christianity in its purity." (S[olomon] N. Carvalho, ''Incidents of Travel and Adventure in the Far West; with Col. Fremont's Last Expedition'', chapter 22. {{link|url=http://www.jewish-history.com/wildwest/carvalho/carval22.html}}
;1859: We, as Christians, are divided and subdivided into many systems varying in doctrinal points. This one says, "I am right;" and that one says, "I am right;" another rises up and varies, more or less, from the doctrines of the Church he has left, and says he is right.{{ref|fn15}}

===1860s===
;1861: "…who is there that was not startled when he heard that a sect, affecting to be Christian beyond all other sects, which had sprung up in broad day from amidst the civilization of the United States…"{{ref|fn15-b}}
;1863:Should you ask ''why we differ from other Christians''...Are all this people, in the Scriptural sense, Christians? They should be. Do they all serve God with an undivided heart? They should. Many of them do, seeking daily to do his will.{{ref|by2}}
;1864:The Latter-day Saints ''differ from their Christian brethren''.{{ref|by3}}
;1866: Now, ''we as Christians'' desire to be saved in the kingdom of God.{{ref|by4}}
;1866: President B. Young preached a very interesting and instructive discourse, in which he showed that professing Christians believe all that the Jews believe, which appertains to life and salvation, and have accepted principles in advance of the Jews, including faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; and that the Latter-day Saints receive all believed in by other professing Christians, appertaining to life and salvation, accepting, as a part of their religious faith, principles in advance of them which are taught in the Scriptures. He touched upon the history of the Jewish people, showing the penalties which they had incurred by disobedience to the commandments of God, and pointing to the promises made to the patriarchal fathers concerning them. And deduced that if the condition of professing Christians is to-day better than that of the Jews, for believing more of the revelations of God, so the condition of the Saints is preferable to that of the other inhabitants of Christendom, in accepting all the revelations which the Lord has been pleased to give. {{ref|fn16}}
;1866: "On one occasion one of the native brethren who had been persecuted, claimed his rights as a Swiss citizen, and the question was brought up in the Swiss Congress, Are the 'Mormons' Christians? After some discussion, the conclusion was arrived at that they were, and must accordingly be protected."{{ref|swiss1}}

===1870s===
;1870:Have you embraced truth, Latter-day Saints? Have you anything different from ''other Christians''?{{ref|by5}}
;1871: If you should have visits here from those professing to be Christians, and they intimate a desire to preach to you, by all means invite them to do so. Accord to every reputable person who may visit you, and who may wish to occupy the stands of your meeting houses to preach to you, the privilege of doing so, no matter whether he be a Catholic, Presbyterian, Congregationalist, Baptist, Free-will Baptist, Methodist, or whatever he may be; and if he wishes to speak to your children let him do so. Of course you have the power to correct whatever false teachings or impressions, if any, your children may hear or receive. I say to parents, place your children, as far as you [p.196] have an opportunity to do so, in a position or situation to learn everything in the world that is worth learning. You will probably have what is called a ''Christian Church here; they will not admit that we are Christians'', but they cannot think us further from the plan of salvation as revealed from heaven than we know them to be, so we are even on that ground, as far as it goes.{{ref|fn13}}
: We are preaching to the people far and near; our Elders are traveling through the earth; strangers are coming here, and we are declaring to them that the Gospel of the Son of God is true. Whether they believe or not, it is no matter. That book (the Bible)contains the words of the Almighty…. I know of the bright promises which he gave to his disciples anciently. I live in the possession of them, and glory in them and in the cross of Christ, and in the beauty and holiness that he has revealed for the salvation and exaltation of the children of men. I do wish we would live to them, and may the Lord help us. {{ref|fn14}}
;1872:''We, as Christians'', believe in God, in Christ and in his atonement, in repentance and obedience, and in receiving the Spirit.{{ref|by6}}
: "we take the liberty to believe the Bible, which our fellow Christians, generally throughout the world, profess to believe in…”{{ref|fn17}}
:: “We are looking for him [i.e. Second coming of Christ]. The Christians of all denominations expect that he will appear in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. The Latter-day Saints expect this in common with all other Christians.”{{ref|fn18}}
;1876:These are only a few reflections, when we take into consideration ''our Christian religion''.{{ref|by7}}
:Brother Cannon speaks of Christians. ''We are Christians'' professedly, according to our religion.{{ref|by8}}
:“How shall we, as Christians, reconcile these words of our Savior with the reception everywhere given by the world to Messrs. Moody and Sankey? They are, professedly, Christian ministers, yet they are largely entertained by the world, extolled by the world, and apparently loved by the world….”{{ref|car1}}
:“But Joseph Smith reiterates the Savior’s promises. He has no fear of being proved a false teacher. He professes to be a Christian minister called and sent of God….”{{ref|car2}}
:“Immediate revelation was the life of primitive Christianity, and when that ceased to be given to men, Christianity waxed feeble, waned and died. With the restored Gospel came immediate revelation, and Christianity was born again upon the earth.”{{ref|car3}}

===1880s===
;1881: ''We are a Christian community''; we believe in God and in Jesus Christ...{{ref|lyman1}}
===1890s===
;1892: "What a singular sort of ‘Christian community’ that must be that will not tolerate an unorthodox Christian society in its midst!”{{ref|fn19}}
:“The insinuation in this [written attack on the LDS by a Protestant minister in SLC] is to the effect that a ‘Mormon’ is not a Christian, and the ‘Mormon’ religion is not a Christian religion, and further that the Supreme Court of the United States has virtually so decided…. But if a ‘Mormon’ is not a Christian then there are no Christians in America…. A member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is at least as fairly entitled to the appellation of a Christian as a member of the Presbyterian Church”{{ref|fn20}}
:“[with reverence to Revelation 1. 12] We accept—as all Christians do—that God inspired the words ‘to see the voice.’”{{ref|fn21}}

===1900-1950===
;1907: If it be true Christianity to accept Jesus Christ in person and his mission as divine; to revere him as the Son of God, the crucified and risen Lord, through whom alone mankind can attain salvation; to accept his teachings as a guide, to adopt as a standard and observe as a law the ethical code he promulgated; to comply with the requirements prescribed by him as essential to membership in his Church, namely, faith, repentance, baptism by immersion for the remission of sins, and the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost,—if this be Christianity, ''then are we Christians'', and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a Christian church.{{ref|1stpres1}}
;1917: [W]e are a Christian people, we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and we feel that it is our duty to acknowledge him as our Savior and Redeemer.{{ref|JFS1917}}

===After 1950===
;1956: We are not Catholic, Protestant, nor Jewish, and yet this disclaimer should not be taken to mean we are not Christian. You who heard the powerful address of President Clark this morning will know that ''we are Christians'', for central to everything we believe and teach is our faith that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. We are grateful for our Judeo-Christian heritage, for the Holy Bible which we accept without reservation as the word of God, except as to some errors that have crept in through translations.{{ref|brown1}}
;1997: Jacob Neusner, one of the great Judaism scholars of the twentieth century: "Christianity encompasses a remarkably diverse set of religious systems that have some qualities in common—belief in Jesus Christ—but also differ deeply, especially about matters on which they seem at first glance to concur. For example, who, exactly was, and is, Jesus Christ? No one imagines that by describing a single common denominator Christianity tells us about one unitary religion. Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox, Methodist, Mormon, and Lutheran—each is comprised by clearly delineated groups of Christians, all of them with their respective systems of belief and behaviour...as the world knows Christianities, but no single Christianity, so the world has known, and today recognizes, diverse Judaisms, no single Judaism."{{ref|neusner1}}
;2006: Bart Ehrman, a leading expert on the text of the New Testament: "...just as ''Christianity today'' is incredibly diverse (compare the Roman Catholics with ''the Mormons'' with the Pentecostals with the Seventh Day Adventists with the Eastern Orthodox… and so on!), it was even more diverse in the early centuries..." ("A Few Questions for Bart Ehrman," ''Oxford University Press Blog (OUPblog)'' (9 October 2006). {{link|url=http://blog.oup.com/2006/10/a_few_questions_3/}}
Clearly, the Church has "claimed" to be Christian for a long time, and even hostile critics realized it. To insist that this is a new, public relations move is false. Neutral observers have also seen the Church as Christian. Only a recent, intolerant fringe of fundamentalist Christianity has tried to exclude the Church from Christianity by self-serving definitions.

=={{Endnotes label}}==
#{{note|black.60-61}} {{Book:Black:Finding Christ|pages=}} {{Periodical:Black:Names of Christ}}
#{{note|black.5}} Black, ''Finding Christ'', 5. Chapter 22
#{{note|perry.216-217}} {{Book:Black:Expressions of Faith|pages=216–217|author=Donald W. Parry|article=The Book of Mormon}}
#{{note|heretics1}} For a discussion by a non-LDS, conservative evangelical on points of doctrine upon which modern evangelical Christianity differs with the doctrines taught by the early Christian Fathers, see: {{Heretics1|start=1}}{{link|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=j7K4S5n8hVAC&printsec=frontcover&dq=Will+The+Real+Heretics+Please+Stand+Up:+A+New+Look+at+Today's+Evangelical+Church+in+the+Light+of+Early+Christianity&hl=en&ei=VIYkTorbDOnmsQKtoYmvAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCkQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false}}
#{{note|peterson1}} For a discussion of these issues, see {{Periodical:Peterson Ricks:Comparing LDS Beliefs to Early Christianity}}
#{{note|fn1}} {{CriticalWork:Sherer:To Absalom Peters|pages=xxx}}
#{{note|fn2}} {{CriticalWork:Morning Courier:1 September 1831:Mormon Religion|pages=xxx}}
#{{note|fn3}} {{CriticalWork:Farmer's Herald:6 June 1832|pages=xxx}}
#{{note|fn4}}{{CriticalWork:Liberal Advocate:30 December 1833|pages=xxx}}
#{{note|fn5}}{{HoC1|vol=2|start=83}}
#{{note|ems.april.1833}} {{EMSfairwiki|article=The Gospel|vol=1|num=11|date=April 1833|start=81|end=83}}
#{{note|fn6}} {{CriticalWork:Painsville Telegraph:4 September 1835|pages=xxx}}
#{{note|fn7}}{{PWJS1|start=144}}
#{{note|fn8}} {{CriticalWork:Eells:To Joshua Leavitt|pages=59}} (letter written on 1 April 1836 by James H. Eells who lived in Elyra, Ohio)
#{{note|js2}} {{TPJS1|start=121}}
#{{note|bishop1}}Francis G. Bishop, ''Brief History of the Church of Jesus Christ, of Latter Day Saints'' (Blum and Son, Salem, Massachusetts 1839), 2.
#{{note|fn9}} {{Book:Pratt:Plain Facts|pages=6}}
#{{note|fn10}} {{TSfairwiki|author=Upper Mississippian|article=Nauvoo Mormon Religion|num=8|start=324|date=15 February 1841|vol=2}}; reprint of an article from the ''Upper Mississippian''
#{{note|fn10c}} Extract from a Letter in the ''Juliet Courier'', dated from Monmouth, Illinois (June 1841); cited in {{HoC1|vol=4|start=381}}
#{{note|fn11}} ''Chicago Democrat'', May 1842; editorial by John Wentworth
#{{note|fn10b}} Cited by {{WE | author=Helen Mar Whitney | vol=10|num=13|date=1 December 1881|start=97|end=99 }} Available in {{WV1|start=149}}
#{{note|baptist1}} {{TSfairwiki|author="A Baptist," letter to the editor published in the ''North Staffordshire Mercury''|article=Difference Between the Baptists & Latter-day Saints|vol=3|num=23|date=1 October 1843|start=931|end=932}} {{ia}}
#{{note|js1}} {{TPJS1|start=314}}
#{{note|fn12}}{{TS1|author=Philadelphia Sun reprint|article=Magna est veritas, et praevalebit’ (Not sure of translationvol=5|num=15|date=15 August 1844|start=621}}
#{{note|fn12b}} D.S. Hollister to Joseph Smith, 9 May 1844; cited in {{HoC|vol=6|start=416|end=417}}
#{{note|by1}}{{JDfairwiki|author=Brigham Young|title=Effects and Privileges of the Gospel|date=24 July 1853|vol=1|disc=35|start=237|end=237}}
#{{note|fn15}} {{JDfairwiki|author=Brigham Young|date=22 May 1859|vol=7|disc=22|start=148|title=Government of God}}; {{DN1|vol=9|num=13|date=1 June 1859|start=104|article=Government of God|author=Brigham Young}}
#{{note|fn15-b}} Juley Remy, ''Journey to Great Salt Lake City'' (1861), 2:82–83; cited by {{WorksOfAbraham1|start=195}}.
#{{note|by2}}{{JDfairwiki|author=Brigham Young|title=Advice To California Emigrants. — The Principles Of The Gospel, etc.|date=8 July 1863|vol=10|disc=46|start=230|end=231}}
#{{note|by3}}{{JDfairwiki|author=Brigham Young|title=Difference Of Ideas Entertained Respecting God, etc.|date=31 July 1863|vol=10|disc=60|start=318|end=319}}
#{{note|by4}}{{JDfairwiki|author=Brigham Young|title=Remarks by President Brigham Young|date=19 August 1866|vol=11|disc=41|start=268|end=268}}
#{{note|fn16}} {{DNW1|author=Brigham Young|vol=15|num=109|date=4 March 1866 |start=page?}}; cited in {{BYA1|vol=5|start=32}}
#{{note|swiss1}} {{MS1|vol=28|num=12|date=24 March 1866|start=179|author=William W. Riter|article=Minutes of a General Council; Birmingham,England; January 5, 1866}}
#{{note|by5}}{{JDfairwiki|author=Brigham Young|title=The Saints Are A Strange People Because They Practise What They Profess|date=20 February 1870|vol=13|disc=26|start=237|end=238}}
#{{note|fn13}} {{JDfairwiki|date=3 June 1871|author=Brigham Young|vol=14|disc=26|start=195|end=196|title=Discourse by President Brigham Young}}; {{MS|vol=33|num=27|date=4 July 1871|article=Discourse by President Brigham Young|start=418|end=420|author=Brigham Young}}; DNW 20:235.
#{{note|fn14}} {{JDfairwiki|author=Brigham Young|date=27 August 1871|vol=14|disc=31|start=227|title=Remarks by President Brigham Young}}; {{DN|vol=20|num=31|date=6 September 1871|author=Brigham Young|author=Discourse by President Brigham Young|start=357|end=358}}
#{{note|by6}}{{JDfairwiki|author=Brigham Young|title=Riches — Hurry — Fashion — Helping The Poor — Mysteries|date=26 May 1872|vol=15|disc=7|start=42|end=42}}
#{{note|fn17}} {{JDfairwiki|author=John Taylor|date=3 March 1872|title=Discourse by Elder John Taylor|vol=14|disc=45|start=338}} {{DN1|num=36|vol=21|author=Discourse by Elder John Taylor|date= 13 March 1872|start=65, second column}}
#{{note|fn18}} {{JDfairwiki|author=Orson Pratt|title=Discourse by Elder Orson Pratt|date=10 March 10 1872|vol=14|disc=46|start=348}}; {{DN1|author=Orson Pratt|article=Discourse by Elder Orson Pratt|vol=21|date=20 March 1872|start=77, fourth column}}
#{{note|by7}}{{JDfairwiki|author=Brigham Young|title=Discourse By President Brigham Young|date=15 August 1876|vol=18|disc=26|start=217|end=217}}
#{{note|by8}}{{JDfairwiki|author=Brigham Young|title=Discourse By President Brigham Young|date=17 September 1876|vol=18|disc=29|start=231|end=231}}
#{{note|car1}}{{MS1|vol=38|date=6 March 1876|start=152|author=Editorial (Elder David McKenzie)|num=10|article=Christianity and Revivalism}}
#{{note|car2}}{{MS|vol=38|date=27 March 1876|start=200|end=201||author=Editorial (Elder David McKenzie)|num=13|article=Gifts of the Holy Ghost}}
#{{note|car3}}{{MS1|vol=38|date=3 April 1876|start=217|author=Editorial (Elder David McKenzie)|num=14|article=Evidences of the Truth}}
#{{note|lyman1}}{{MS1|vol=43|date=9 May 1881|start=292|author=Francis M. Lyman|num=19|article=General Conference (5 April 1881)}}
#{{note|fn19}} {{DNW1|author=Editorial on citizens of Beaver Dam, Virginia removing Mormon Elders by force to another part of the state|vol=45|num=13|article=A Singular Sort of ‘Christianity’|date=17 September 1892|start=396}}
#{{note|fn20}} {{DNW1|author="Intolerant Discrimination"|article=Intolerant Discrimination|vol=45|num=14|date=24 September 1892|start=441}}
#{{note|fn21}} {{DNW1|author="The Book of Mormon"|article=The Book of Mormon|vol=45|num=25|date=10 December 1892|start=780}}
#{{note|1stpres1}}{{IE|author=First Presidency|article=Address to the World|vol=10|date=May 1907|start=481|end=495}}
#{{note|JFS1917}} Joseph F. Smith, General Conference address (April 6, 1917)
#{{note|brown1}}{{IE|author=Hugh B. Brown|article=Discourse|vol=10|date=December 1956|start=949|end=949}}
#{{note|neusner1}} Jacob Neusner, ''The Way Of Torah'', 6th edition, (Belmont, California: Wadsworth Publishing Company, 1997), 15. ISBN 0534516033.
#{{note|packer1}} {{Ensign|author=Boyd K. Packer|article=A Defense and a Refuge|date=November 2006|start=85|end=88}} {{link|url=http://lds.org/ensign/2006/11/a-defense-and-a-refuge?lang=eng}}

{{FurtherReading}}

{{Articles Footer 1}} {{Articles Footer 2}} {{Articles Footer 3}} {{Articles Footer 4}} {{Articles Footer 5}} {{Articles Footer 6}} {{Articles Footer 7}} {{Articles Footer 8}} {{Articles Footer 9}} {{Articles Footer 10}}

[[fr:Jesus Christ/Latter-day Saints aren't Christians]]
<metadesc>Are Mormons Christians? Do they worship Jesus Christ? Critics use self-serving categories to deny that members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints worship and revere Jesus.</metadesc>

Mormonism and Christianity

2012-05-26T16:31:53Z

DeeAnnC: /* {{Topics label}} */ softened language

FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Twelve

2012-05-08T15:36:44Z

DeeAnnC: /* Helpful Insights */

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__NOTOC__
{{FAIRAnalysisHeader
|title=Book of Mormon: Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual
|author=
|noauthor=
|section={{SUBPAGENAME}}
|previous=[[../Lesson Eleven|Lesson Eleven]]
|next=[[../Lesson Thirteen|Lesson Thirteen]]
|notes={{ChurchTeachingDisclaimer}}
}}
=Lesson 12: Seek Ye for the Kingdom of God=
'''Lesson #12- Sunday School Manual''': [http://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-12-seek-ye-for-the-kingdom-of-god?lang=eng “Seek Ye for the Kingdom of God”]

==1. Jacob magnifies his calling from the Lord. ({{s|Jacob|1||}})==
==='''''Helpful Insights'''''===
*'''Jacob as an Emotional, Sensitive Leader''': Jacob speaks of having "great anxiety" for his people (see Jacob 1:5). Thoughout the rest of the book Jacob makes frequent reference to having "axiety," or "grieving" for his people, and a number of other terms that indicate concern and compassion. All of this suggests that Jacob was an emotional and sensitive priesthood leader.
**John S. Tanner, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=72&chapid=860 "Jacob and His Descendants as Authors,"] in ''Rediscovering the Book of Mormon'', pg. 59
*'''The Meaning of "Nephite" and "Lamanite"''': Readers of the Book of Mormon tend to read "Nephite" and "Lamanite" as genetic or tribal terms, but Jacob 1:13-14 suggests these were broader labels that carried political meaning. Those who were "not Lamanite" were Nephites, and those who sought to destroy the Nephites were Lamanites - a simple us/them dichotomy, typical of ancient societies.
**John Sorenson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=1&num=1&id=3 "When Lehi's Party Arrived in the Land, Did They Find Others There?"] ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'' 1 (1992): 1-34
**Matthew Roper, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=15&num=2&id=505 "Nephi's Neighbors: Book of Mormon Peoples and Pre-Columbian Populations,"] ''FARMS Review'' 15/2 (2003): 91-128
**Brant A. Gardner, ''Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary'', vol. 2, pg. 477-480
*'''The Seven Lineages/Tribes''': Jacob 1:13 lists seven different tribal designations for the Lehites. This arrangement was still intact, in some sense, in Mormon's day (Mormon 1:8). This structure may have been arranged by Lehi himself, and may be (in some sense) analogous to the twelve tribes of Israel. There may also be some connection to Mesoamerican traditions which trace their origins back to seven lineages or tribes.
**John L. Sorenson, John A. Tvedtnes, John W. Weclch, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=790 "Seven Tribes: An Aspect of Lehi's Legacy,"] in ''Reexploring the Book of Mormon''
**Allen J. Christenson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/insights/?vol=20&num=7&id=145 "The Popol Vuh and Mormon Studies,"] ''Insights'' 20/7 (2000)
**John L. Sorenson, ''An Ancient American Setting for the Book of Mormon'', pg. 310-313
**Brant A. Gardner, ''Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary'', vol. 2, pg. 479-480
*'''Where are the "Samites"?''': When Jacob lists off the names of the different tribes, no mention is made of "Samites" or descendants of Sam. This could be because Sam was promised that "thy seed shall be numbered with his [Nephi's] seed" (2 Nephi 4:11), thus Jacob and later Nephite writers may have counted Sam's seed under the tribal term of "Nephites."

==='''''Potential Criticisms'''''===

==='''''Faith Affirmations'''''===
*'''The "Heads" of Prophecies, Sermons, Etc.''': Jacob tells the reader that Nephi instructed him to engrave the "heads" of the prophecies, revelations, and other sacred topics on the plates. These don't seem to be "headings" in the modern sense (since there are not any of these in the the book of Jacob), but the Hebrew word for head can be used for "chief" or "precious," giving it the meaning of "most important." This seems to be the sense in which Jacob uses the term "heads", which maybe evidence of the Hebrew background of the text.
**John A. Tvedtnes, "The Hebrew Background of the Book of Mormon," in ''Rediscovering the Book of Mormon'', pg. 90.

==2. Jacob warns against the love of riches, pride, and unchastity. ({{s|Jacob|2-3||}})==
===''Helpful Insights''===
*'''The Temple setting''': The temple setting of Jacob's sermon suggests several things about the nature of the event. Besides the obvious implications of religious context, and spiritual/moral condemnation (rather than legal), it also suggests that it was a scheduled event, probably the day of a religious festival.
**Brant A. Gardner, ''Second Witness'', vol. 2, pg. 485-486.
*'''Pending Destruction''': Jacob says that if the wicked do not repent then the righteous will be lead away, and the remaining wicked will be destroyed and see the Lamanites take possession of their lands (see Jacob 3:3-4). While modern readers might tend to see the final destruction as the fulfillment of these, this probably has reference to the flight of Mosiah (the first) and his group from Nephi to the land of Zarahemla.
**Brant Gardner, ''Second Witness'', vol. 2, pg. 502

==='''''Potential Criticisms'''''===
*'''Racism in the Book of Mormon''': Jacob 3:5-9 employs the rhetorical use of "skins" and being "dark skinned" and having ones skin made "whiter." This once again may elicit questions or charges of racism. As such, we provide resources on this topic yet again to assist instructors in their preparation.
**Brant A. Gardner, [http://www.fairlds.org/authors/gardner-brant/what-does-the-book-of-mormon-mean-by-skin-of-blackness "What Does the Book of Mormon Mean by “Skin of Blackness”?"]
**[http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Lamanites/Curse Book of Mormon/Lamanite/Curse]
**[http://mormonvoices.org/1013/book-of-mormon-on-race"Understanding the Book of Mormon’s teachings on race,"] MormonVoices
==='''''Faith Affirmations'''''===
*'''The Historical/Cultural Context''': The juxtaposition of topics (wealth/pride and plural wives) and some of the specific details in Jacob's sermon can seem out of place or confusing for many readers. Some details don't seem to add up. But when Jacob's sermon is understood in the cultural context of Mesoamerica at that time, it all makes perfect sense. Flourishing trade at the time would have led to greater stratification and all the specific conditions mentioned by Jacob. At the same time, increasing ones wives and children lead to economic advantages and wives/daughters would often be exchanged with trade partners to establish binding trade relationships. Thus trade in Mesoamerica at the time of Jacob's sermon would have produced the specific condidtions required to make sense of Jacob's choice of topics and some of the specific details mentioned in the text.
**Brant A. Gardner, [http://www.fairlds.org/fair-conferences/2001-fair-conference/2001-a-social-history-of-the-early-nephites "A Social History of the Early Nephites,"] 2001 FAIR Conference Presentation.
*'''Wars and Contentions''': Jacob states at the end of his sermon that there were "wars" and "contentions" (Jacob 3:13). Long believed to have been a peaceful time among the Maya, this time period is now known to have experienced continuous warfare.
**Brant Gardner, ''Second Witness'', vol. 2, pg. 507-508

== 3. Jacob testifies of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. ({{s|Jacob|4||}})==
===''Helpful Insights''===
'''“Looking Beyond the Mark”''': Jacob 4:14 accuses the unbelieving Jews of “looking beyond the mark”. In 19th century English, the English that Joseph Smith knew and into which the Book of Mormon was translated, the word “mark” meant something equivalent to today’s word “target”. Thus, the Jews were looking beyond the “target”. Some ancient Jewish and Christian religious documents use this same phrase (“beyond the mark”) in describing their religious rivals who they believe have gone astray, thus providing a parallel for Jacob’s use of this phrase in ancient times.
*Paul Y. Hoskisson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/insights/?vol=29&num=2&id=590 “Missing the Mark”], Insights 20/2, Provo, Utah: Maxwell
*Hugh Nibley, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=103&chapid=1152#_ednref65 “Rediscovery of the Apocrypha and the Book of Mormon”], in Temple and the Cosmos, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute

===''Faithful Affirmations''===
'''Jacob as a Pre-Reform Prophet:''' Some scholars believe that Jacob’s sermon in Jacob 4 reveals that Jacob was sympathetic to some pre-Deuteronomic Reform Israelite beliefs. When Jacob speaks of “Jews” in Jerusalem, he likely has in mind a certain group of Deuteronomic Jewish reformers, not all Jews. Some of the themes that Jacob discusses in his sermon, but which were despised by these Jewish reformers in Jerusalem, include God’s association with “wisdom”, the vision of God, the relationship of Yahweh to El as a son/father relationship, and of prophetic knowledge of past and future things. Jacob was not raised in Jerusalem, but he likely learned some of these themes and of the controversies in Jerusalem from Lehi and Nephi.
*Kevin Christensen, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/insights/?vol=23&num=4&id=355 “Jacob’s Connections to First Temple Traditions”], Insights 23/4, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute
* Kevin Christensen, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/insights/?vol=23&num=2&id=344 “Nephi, Wisdom, and the Deuteronomist Reform”], Insights 23/2, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute

FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Twelve

2012-05-08T15:35:00Z

DeeAnnC: /* Helpful Insights */

{{Articles FAIR copyright}} {{Articles Header 1}} {{Articles Header 2}} {{Articles Header 3}} {{Articles Header 4}} {{Articles Header 5}} {{Articles Header 6}} {{Articles Header 7}} {{Articles Header 8}} {{Articles Header 9}} {{Articles Header 10}}
__NOTOC__
{{FAIRAnalysisHeader
|title=Book of Mormon: Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual
|author=
|noauthor=
|section={{SUBPAGENAME}}
|previous=[[../Lesson Eleven|Lesson Eleven]]
|next=[[../Lesson Thirteen|Lesson Thirteen]]
|notes={{ChurchTeachingDisclaimer}}
}}
=Lesson 12: Seek Ye for the Kingdom of God=
'''Lesson #12- Sunday School Manual''': [http://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-12-seek-ye-for-the-kingdom-of-god?lang=eng “Seek Ye for the Kingdom of God”]

==1. Jacob magnifies his calling from the Lord. ({{s|Jacob|1||}})==
==='''''Helpful Insights'''''===
*'''Jacob as an Emotional, Sensitive Leader''': Jacob speaks of having "great anxiety" for his people (see Jacob 1:5). Thoughout the rest of the book Jacob makes frequent reference to having "axiety," or "grieving" for his people, and a number of other terms that indicate concern and compassion. All of this suggests that Jacob was an emotional and sensitive priesthood leader.
**John S. Tanner, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=72&chapid=860 "Jacob and His Descendants as Authors,"] in ''Rediscovering the Book of Mormon'', pg. 59
*'''The Meaning of "Nephite" and "Lamanite"''': Readers of the Book of Mormon tend to read "Nephite" and "Lamanite" as genetic or tribal terms, but Jacob 1:13-14 suggests these were broader labels that carried political meaning. Those who were "not Lamanite" were Nephites, and those who sought to destroy the Nephites were Lamanites - a simple us/them dichotomy, typical of ancient societies.
**John Sorenson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=1&num=1&id=3 "When Lehi's Party Arrived in the Land, Did They Find Others There?"] ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'' 1 (1992): 1-34
**Matthew Roper, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=15&num=2&id=505 "Nephi's Neighbors: Book of Mormon Peoples and Pre-Columbian Populations,"] ''FARMS Review'' 15/2 (2003): 91-128
**Brant A. Gardner, ''Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary'', vol. 2, pg. 477-480
*'''The Seven Lineages/Tribes''': Jacob 1:13 lists seven different tribal designations for the Lehites. This arrangement was still intact, in some sense, in Mormon's day (Mormon 1:8). This structure may have been arranged by Lehi himself, and may be (in some sense) analogous to the twelve tribes of Israel. There may also be some connection to Mesoamerican traditions which trace their origins back to seven lineages or tribes.
**John L. Sorenson, John A. Tvedtnes, John W. Weclch, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=790 "Seven Tribes: An Aspect of Lehi's Legacy,"] in ''Reexploring the Book of Mormon''
**Allen J. Christenson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/insights/?vol=20&num=7&id=145 "The Popol Vuh and Mormon Studies,"] ''Insights'' 20/7 (2000)
**John L. Sorenson, ''An Ancient American Setting for the Book of Mormon'', pg. 310-313
**Brant A. Gardner, ''Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary'', vol. 2, pg. 479-480
*'''Where are the "Samites"?''': When Jacob lists off the names of the different tribes, no mention is made of "Samites" or descendants of Sam. This could be because Sam was promised that "thy seed shall be numbered with his [Nephi's] seed" (2 Nephi 4:11), thus Jacob and later Nephite writers may have counted Sam's seed under the tribal term of "Nephites."

==='''''Potential Criticisms'''''===

==='''''Faith Affirmations'''''===
*'''The "Heads" of Prophecies, Sermons, Etc.''': Jacob tells the reader that Nephi instructed him to engrave the "heads" of the prophecies, revelations, and other sacred topics on the plates. These don't seem to be "headings" in the modern sense (since there are not any of these in the the book of Jacob), but the Hebrew word for head can be used for "chief" or "precious," giving it the meaning of "most important." This seems to be the sense in which Jacob uses the term "heads", which maybe evidence of the Hebrew background of the text.
**John A. Tvedtnes, "The Hebrew Background of the Book of Mormon," in ''Rediscovering the Book of Mormon'', pg. 90.

==2. Jacob warns against the love of riches, pride, and unchastity. ({{s|Jacob|2-3||}})==
===''Helpful Insights''===
*'''The Temple setting''': The temple setting of Jacob's sermon suggests several things about the nature of the event. Besides the obvious implications of religious context, and spiritual/moral condemnation (rather than legal), it also suggests that it was a scheduled event, probably the day of a religious festival.
**Brant A. Gardner, ''Second Witness'', vol. 2, pg. 485-486.
*'''Pending Destruction''': Jacob says that if the wicked do not repent then the righteous will be lead away, and the remaining wicked will be destroyed and see the Lamanites take possession of their lands (see Jacob 3:3-4). While modern readers might tend to see the final destruction as the fulfillment of these, this probably has reference the flight of Mosiah (the first) and his group from Nephi to the land of Zarahemla.
**Brant Gardner, ''Second Witness'', vol. 2, pg. 502
==='''''Potential Criticisms'''''===
*'''Racism in the Book of Mormon''': Jacob 3:5-9 employs the rhetorical use of "skins" and being "dark skinned" and having ones skin made "whiter." This once again may elicit questions or charges of racism. As such, we provide resources on this topic yet again to assist instructors in their preparation.
**Brant A. Gardner, [http://www.fairlds.org/authors/gardner-brant/what-does-the-book-of-mormon-mean-by-skin-of-blackness "What Does the Book of Mormon Mean by “Skin of Blackness”?"]
**[http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Lamanites/Curse Book of Mormon/Lamanite/Curse]
**[http://mormonvoices.org/1013/book-of-mormon-on-race"Understanding the Book of Mormon’s teachings on race,"] MormonVoices
==='''''Faith Affirmations'''''===
*'''The Historical/Cultural Context''': The juxtaposition of topics (wealth/pride and plural wives) and some of the specific details in Jacob's sermon can seem out of place or confusing for many readers. Some details don't seem to add up. But when Jacob's sermon is understood in the cultural context of Mesoamerica at that time, it all makes perfect sense. Flourishing trade at the time would have led to greater stratification and all the specific conditions mentioned by Jacob. At the same time, increasing ones wives and children lead to economic advantages and wives/daughters would often be exchanged with trade partners to establish binding trade relationships. Thus trade in Mesoamerica at the time of Jacob's sermon would have produced the specific condidtions required to make sense of Jacob's choice of topics and some of the specific details mentioned in the text.
**Brant A. Gardner, [http://www.fairlds.org/fair-conferences/2001-fair-conference/2001-a-social-history-of-the-early-nephites "A Social History of the Early Nephites,"] 2001 FAIR Conference Presentation.
*'''Wars and Contentions''': Jacob states at the end of his sermon that there were "wars" and "contentions" (Jacob 3:13). Long believed to have been a peaceful time among the Maya, this time period is now known to have experienced continuous warfare.
**Brant Gardner, ''Second Witness'', vol. 2, pg. 507-508

== 3. Jacob testifies of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. ({{s|Jacob|4||}})==
===''Helpful Insights''===
'''“Looking Beyond the Mark”''': Jacob 4:14 accuses the unbelieving Jews of “looking beyond the mark”. In 19th century English, the English that Joseph Smith knew and into which the Book of Mormon was translated, the word “mark” meant something equivalent to today’s word “target”. Thus, the Jews were looking beyond the “target”. Some ancient Jewish and Christian religious documents use this same phrase (“beyond the mark”) in describing their religious rivals who they believe have gone astray, thus providing a parallel for Jacob’s use of this phrase in ancient times.
*Paul Y. Hoskisson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/insights/?vol=29&num=2&id=590 “Missing the Mark”], Insights 20/2, Provo, Utah: Maxwell
*Hugh Nibley, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=103&chapid=1152#_ednref65 “Rediscovery of the Apocrypha and the Book of Mormon”], in Temple and the Cosmos, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute

===''Faithful Affirmations''===
'''Jacob as a Pre-Reform Prophet:''' Some scholars believe that Jacob’s sermon in Jacob 4 reveals that Jacob was sympathetic to some pre-Deuteronomic Reform Israelite beliefs. When Jacob speaks of “Jews” in Jerusalem, he likely has in mind a certain group of Deuteronomic Jewish reformers, not all Jews. Some of the themes that Jacob discusses in his sermon, but which were despised by these Jewish reformers in Jerusalem, include God’s association with “wisdom”, the vision of God, the relationship of Yahweh to El as a son/father relationship, and of prophetic knowledge of past and future things. Jacob was not raised in Jerusalem, but he likely learned some of these themes and of the controversies in Jerusalem from Lehi and Nephi.
*Kevin Christensen, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/insights/?vol=23&num=4&id=355 “Jacob’s Connections to First Temple Traditions”], Insights 23/4, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute
* Kevin Christensen, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/insights/?vol=23&num=2&id=344 “Nephi, Wisdom, and the Deuteronomist Reform”], Insights 23/2, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute

FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Thirteen

2012-05-08T15:33:07Z

DeeAnnC: /* Helpful Insights */

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}}
=Lesson 13: The Allegory of the Olive Trees=
'''Lesson #13- Sunday School Manual''': [http://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-13-the-allegory-of-the-olive-trees?lang=eng “The Allegory of the Olive Trees”]

==1. Jacob quotes Zenos’s allegory of the olive trees. ({{s|Jacob|5||}})==
==='''''Helpful Insights'''''===
*'''A Basic Outline of the Allegory''': While Zenos's allegory is applicable to all of us and can be applied to any period in history, Jacob clearly meant to use it as a sweeping history of the gathering and scattering of Israel. The following is a basic outline of the allegory based on that interpretation (Outline from Hoskisson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1469 "The Allegory of the Olive Tree in Jacob,"] 76-86):
**First Period: The Founding and Aging of the House of Israel, Jacob 5:3
**Second Period: The Scattering of the House of Israel, Jacob 5:4–14
**Third Period: The Day of the Former-day Saints, Jacob 5:15–28
**Fourth Period: The Great Apostasy, Jacob 5:29–49
**Fifth Period: The Gathering of Israel, Jacob 5:50–74
**Sixth Period: The Millennium, Jacob 5:75–76
**Seventh Period: The End of the World, Jacob 5:77
Remember that this is '''not''' the only possible interpretation, but just one way of breaking down the allegory which may yield useful insights.
*'''Jacob 5 and the Atonement''': Another way of interpreting the allegory is to see it as Jacob's answer to the questions "Why not speak of the atonement of Christ, and attain to a perfect knowledge of him?" (Jacob 4:12) and "My beloved, how is it possible that these [the Jews], after having rejected the sure foundation, can ever build upon it, that it may become the head of their corner?" (Jacob 4:17), which Jacob promises to "unfold this mystery" (Jacob 4:18). Interpreted in this light, "Jacob's two key questions alert the reader that the allegory will deal with grace, atonement, and their relationship to Israel. The allegory is thus focused on "the Lord's ongoing labors to bring his children back into oneness with him" through Christ. The tree, the fruit, and it's (olives) oil could then be seen as symbols of Christ and his attributes.
**M. Catherine Thomas, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1466 "Jacob's Allegory: The Mystery of Christ,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree: The Olive, the Bible, and Jacob 5'', Stephen D. Ricks and John W. Welch (Provo, UT: FARMS, 1994), 11-20
*'''Christ as the Servant''': While the most common interpretation of the symbols is to see Christ as the "Lord of the vineyard" and the servant as collectively representing the prophets, another possibility is to see the "Lord of the vineyard" as the Father and the servant as Christ.
**Paul Y. Hoskisson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1469 "The Allegory of the Olive Tree in Jacob,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree: The Olive, the Bible, and Jacob 5'', Stephen D. Ricks and John W. Welch (Provo, UT: FARMS, 1994), 71-72
*'''Additional Use of Zenos''': While Jacob's lengthy quotation of Zenos is by far the most concentrated reference to the teachings of Zenos, his father and brother (Lehi and Nephi) before him, and many prophets after him (all the way down to Mormon and Moroni) also drew on the teachings of Zenos. Reviewing how these other prophets used Zenos's teachings may shed some light on Jacob 5 and his use of Zenos's allegory.
**Noel B. Reynolds, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1467 "Nephite Uses and Interpretations of Zenos,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree: The Olive, the Bible, and Jacob 5'', Stephen D. Ricks and John W. Welch (Provo, UT: FARMS, 1994), 21-49
*'''Jacob 5 in Early Church Teachings''': The interpretations of early Church leaders from the nineteenth century, such as Orson Pratt, may also be insightful.
**Grant Underwood, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1468 "Jacob 5 in the Nineteenth Century,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree: The Olive, the Bible, and Jacob 5'', Stephen D. Ricks and John W. Welch (Provo, UT: FARMS, 1994), 50-69
*'''Keywords and Phrases''': Sometimes we can learn new insights by focusing on key words and phrases. In Jacob 5, Zenos uses repetition of such key words and phrases to highlight certain themes. John W. Welch provides a convenient resource identifying many of these.
**John W. Welch, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1472 "Words and Phrases in Jacob 5,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree'', 174-185

==='''''Potential Criticisms'''''===
*'''Jacob 5 and Romans 11:16-24''': Because there are many similarities between these two passages, some argue that Joseph Smith wrote Jacob 5 by expanding on Paul's teaching to the Roman's. While the two texts do bear strong similarities, this does not mean that Joseph simply copied from Romans. Since Paul himself was an urban Jew who would not have understood the intricacies of olive culture, he probably drew his knowledge from a source which is now lost to us. Zenos or another text based on Zenos could have been that source. The standard for determining order of transmission suggests that longer, more complex texts are earlier in the transmission process, and this case Jacob 5 is clearly the longer and more complex text. Further, careful comparisons reveal that while the two texts probably spring from the same sources, key differences suggest they are independent of each other.
**Brant A. Gardner, ''Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon'', vol. 2 pg. 521-524
**James E. Faulconer, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1479 "The Olive Tree and the Work of God: Jacob 5 and Romans 11,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree'', pg. 347-366
**John A. Tvedtnes, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1481 "Borrowings from the Parable of Zenos,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree'', 373-426

==='''''Faith Affirmations'''''===
*'''Zenos and Cenez/Zenez''': According to a text dating back to the time of Christ, a leader named either Cenez/Kenez or Zenec/Zenez succeeded Joshua as the first judge of Israel. The teachings of Cenez/Zenez in his farwell address and the teachings of Zenos in the allegory of the olive tree have some remarkable similarities. The similarity in teaching and name lead Hugh Nibley to equate Cenez/Zenez with the Zenos featured in the Book of Mormon, but others feel that such a connection is unlikely. Regardless, the similarities show that the teachings found in Jacob 5 fit the ancient Near-Eastern world.
**Hugh Nilbey, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=74&chapid=918 "Prophets in the Wilderness,"] in ''Since Cumorah'' (Salt Lake City, UT: Deseret Book/FARMS, 1988), 286-290
**John W. Welch, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1477 "The Last Words of Cenez and the Book of Mormon,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree: The Olive, the Bible, and Jacob 5'', Stephen D. Ricks and John W. Welch (Provo, UT: FARMS, 1994), 305-321
*'''Olive Tree Symbolism in Ancient Israel''': This allegory from an ancient Israelite prophet effectively captures the symbolism of the olive tree in ancient Israelite religion, as well as other ancient religious views from the Near-East and Mediterranean.
**David R. Seely, and John W. Welch, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1478 "Zenos and the Texts of the Old Testament,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree'', 322-346
**John Franklin Hall, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1474 "The Olive in Greco-Roman Religion,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree'', 248-261
*'''Olive Culture in the Ancient Near East''': In many ways, Jacob 5 accurately reflects Mediterranean practices in cultivating olives and olive trees in pre-modern times. It also accurately reflects the important role the olive tree played in the broader ancient Near Eastern context.
**Daniel Fairbanks, Wilford M. Hess, John W. Welch, and Jonathan K. Driggs, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1485 "Botanical Aspects of Olive Culture Relevant to Jacob 5,"]in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree'', 484-562
**Stephen D. Ricks, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1483 "Olive Culture in the Second Temple Era and Early Rabbinic Period,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree'', 460-476
**Daniel C. Peterson, and John Gee, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1473 "Graft and Corruption: On Olives and Olive Culture in the Pre-Modern Mediterranean,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree'', 186-247
*'''Olive Trees in Vineyards''': Olive trees seem out of place in a "vineyard," but the use of the word for "vineyard" in reference to an orchard is consistent with the ancient usage.
**John A. Tvedtnes, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1484 "Vineyard or Olive Orchard?"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree'', 477-483

==2. Jacob exhorts his listeners to repent and follow Christ. ({{s|Jacob|6||}})==
===''Helpful Insights''===
*'''Pleading Bar or Pleasing Bar?''': Textual scholar Royal Skousen has suggested that Jacob 6:13 should have been transcribed as the "pleading bar of God" rather than the "pleasing bar of God," while John S. Welch defends the reading of "pleasing" rather than "pleading." While no doctrine is substantially altered by either reading, each one offers different potential insights.
**Royal Skousen, ed., ''The Book of Mormon: The Earliest Text'' (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2009), 176
**Royal Skousen, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/insights/?vol=24&num=4&id=390 "The Pleading Bar of God,"] ''Insights'' 24/4 (2004)
**John S. Welch, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=18&num=1&id=603 "Keeping the Old Wine in Old Wineskins: The Pleasing (Not Pleading) Bar of God,"] ''FARMS Review'' 18/1 (2006): 139-147
**Royal Skousen, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=18&num=1&id=605 "Conjectural Emendation in the Book of Mormon,"] ''FARMS Review'' 18/1 (2006): 187-231

FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Thirteen

2012-05-08T15:31:39Z

DeeAnnC: /* Faith Affirmations */

{{Articles FAIR copyright}} {{Articles Header 1}} {{Articles Header 2}} {{Articles Header 3}} {{Articles Header 4}} {{Articles Header 5}} {{Articles Header 6}} {{Articles Header 7}} {{Articles Header 8}} {{Articles Header 9}} {{Articles Header 10}}
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{{FAIRAnalysisHeader
|title=Book of Mormon: Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual
|author=
|noauthor=
|section={{SUBPAGENAME}}
|previous=[[../Lesson Twelve|Lesson Twelve]]
|next=[[../Lesson Fourteen|Lesson Fourteen]]
|notes={{ChurchTeachingDisclaimer}}
}}
=Lesson 13: The Allegory of the Olive Trees=
'''Lesson #13- Sunday School Manual''': [http://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-13-the-allegory-of-the-olive-trees?lang=eng “The Allegory of the Olive Trees”]

==1. Jacob quotes Zenos’s allegory of the olive trees. ({{s|Jacob|5||}})==
==='''''Helpful Insights'''''===
*'''A Basic Outline of the Allegory''': While Zenos's allegory is applicable to all of us and can be applied to any period in history, Jacob clearly meant to use it as a sweeping history of the gathering and scattering of Israel. The following is a basic outline of the allegory based on that interpretation (Outline from Hoskisson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1469 "The Allegory of the Olive Tree in Jacob,"] 76-86):
**First Period: The Founding and Aging of the House of Israel, Jacob 5:3
**Second Period: The Scattering of the House of Israel, Jacob 5:4–14
**Third Period: The Day of the Former-day Saints, Jacob 5:15–28
**Fourth Period: The Great Apostasy, Jacob 5:29–49
**Fifth Period: The Gathering of Israel, Jacob 5:50–74
**Sixth Period: The Millennium, Jacob 5:75–76
**Seventh Period: The End of the World, Jacob 5:77
Remember that this is '''not''' the only possible interpretation, but just one way of breaking down the allegory which may yield useful insights.
*'''Jacob 5 and the Atonement''': Another way of interpreting the allegory is to see it as Jacob's answer to the questions "Why not speak of the atonement of Christ, and attain to a perfect knowledge of him?" (Jacob 4:12) and "My beloved, how is it possible that these [the Jews], after having rejected the sure foundation, can ever build upon it, that it may become the head of their corner?" (Jacob 4:17), which Jacob promises to "unfold this mystery" (Jacob 4:18). Interpreted in this light, "Jacob's two key questions alert the reader that the allegory will deal with grace, atonement, and their relationship to Israel. The allegory is thus focused on "the Lord's ongoing labors to bring his children back into oneness with him" through Christ. The tree, the fruit, and it's (olives) oil could then be seen as symbols of Christ and his attributes.
**M. Catherine Thomas, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1466 "Jacob's Allegory: The Mystery of Christ,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree: The Olive, the Bible, and Jacob 5'', Stephen D. Ricks and John W. Welch (Provo, UT: FARMS, 1994), 11-20
*'''Christ as the Servant''': While the most common interpretation of the symbols is to see Christ as the "Lord of the vineyard" and the servant as collectively representing the prophets, another possibility is to see the "Lord of the vineyard" as the Father and the servant as Christ.
**Paul Y. Hoskisson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1469 "The Allegory of the Olive Tree in Jacob,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree: The Olive, the Bible, and Jacob 5'', Stephen D. Ricks and John W. Welch (Provo, UT: FARMS, 1994), 71-72
*'''Additional Use of Zenos''': While Jacob's lengthy quotation of Zenos is by far the most concentrated reference to the teachings of Zenos, his father and brother (Lehi and Nephi) before him, and many prophets after him (all the way down to Mormon and Moroni) also drew on the teachings of Zenos. Reviewing how these other prophets used Zenos's teachings may shed some light on Jacob 5 and his use of Zenos's allegory.
**Noel B. Reynolds, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1467 "Nephite Uses and Interpretations of Zenos,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree: The Olive, the Bible, and Jacob 5'', Stephen D. Ricks and John W. Welch (Provo, UT: FARMS, 1994), 21-49
*'''Jacob 5 in Early Church Teachings''': The interpretations of early Church leaders from the nineteenth century, such as Orson Pratt, may also be insightful.
**Grant Underwood, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1468 "Jacob 5 in the Nineteenth Century,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree: The Olive, the Bible, and Jacob 5'', Stephen D. Ricks and John W. Welch (Provo, UT: FARMS, 1994), 50-69
*'''Keywords and Phrases''': Sometimes we can learn new insights by focusing on key words and phrases. In Jacob 5, Zenos uses repetition of such key words and phrases to highlight certain themes. John W. Welch provides a convenient resource identifying many of these.
**John W. Welch, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1472 "Words and Phrases in Jacob 5,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree'', 174-185

==='''''Potential Criticisms'''''===
*'''Jacob 5 and Romans 11:16-24''': Because there are many similarities between these two passages, some argue that Joseph Smith wrote Jacob 5 by expanding on Paul's teaching to the Roman's. While the two texts do bear strong similarities, this does not mean that Joseph simply copied from Romans. Since Paul himself was an urban Jew who would not have understood the intricacies of olive culture, he probably drew his knowledge from a source which is now lost to us. Zenos or another text based on Zenos could have been that source. The standard for determining order of transmission suggests that longer, more complex texts are earlier in the transmission process, and this case Jacob 5 is clearly the longer and more complex text. Further, careful comparisons reveal that while the two texts probably spring from the same sources, key differences suggest they are independent of each other.
**Brant A. Gardner, ''Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon'', vol. 2 pg. 521-524
**James E. Faulconer, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1479 "The Olive Tree and the Work of God: Jacob 5 and Romans 11,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree'', pg. 347-366
**John A. Tvedtnes, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1481 "Borrowings from the Parable of Zenos,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree'', 373-426

==='''''Faith Affirmations'''''===
*'''Zenos and Cenez/Zenez''': According to a text dating back to the time of Christ, a leader named either Cenez/Kenez or Zenec/Zenez succeeded Joshua as the first judge of Israel. The teachings of Cenez/Zenez in his farwell address and the teachings of Zenos in the allegory of the olive tree have some remarkable similarities. The similarity in teaching and name lead Hugh Nibley to equate Cenez/Zenez with the Zenos featured in the Book of Mormon, but others feel that such a connection is unlikely. Regardless, the similarities show that the teachings found in Jacob 5 fit the ancient Near-Eastern world.
**Hugh Nilbey, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=74&chapid=918 "Prophets in the Wilderness,"] in ''Since Cumorah'' (Salt Lake City, UT: Deseret Book/FARMS, 1988), 286-290
**John W. Welch, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1477 "The Last Words of Cenez and the Book of Mormon,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree: The Olive, the Bible, and Jacob 5'', Stephen D. Ricks and John W. Welch (Provo, UT: FARMS, 1994), 305-321
*'''Olive Tree Symbolism in Ancient Israel''': This allegory from an ancient Israelite prophet effectively captures the symbolism of the olive tree in ancient Israelite religion, as well as other ancient religious views from the Near-East and Mediterranean.
**David R. Seely, and John W. Welch, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1478 "Zenos and the Texts of the Old Testament,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree'', 322-346
**John Franklin Hall, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1474 "The Olive in Greco-Roman Religion,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree'', 248-261
*'''Olive Culture in the Ancient Near East''': In many ways, Jacob 5 accurately reflects Mediterranean practices in cultivating olives and olive trees in pre-modern times. It also accurately reflects the important role the olive tree played in the broader ancient Near Eastern context.
**Daniel Fairbanks, Wilford M. Hess, John W. Welch, and Jonathan K. Driggs, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1485 "Botanical Aspects of Olive Culture Relevant to Jacob 5,"]in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree'', 484-562
**Stephen D. Ricks, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1483 "Olive Culture in the Second Temple Era and Early Rabbinic Period,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree'', 460-476
**Daniel C. Peterson, and John Gee, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1473 "Graft and Corruption: On Olives and Olive Culture in the Pre-Modern Mediterranean,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree'', 186-247
*'''Olive Trees in Vineyards''': Olive trees seem out of place in a "vineyard," but the use of the word for "vineyard" in reference to an orchard is consistent with the ancient usage.
**John A. Tvedtnes, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1484 "Vineyard or Olive Orchard?"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree'', 477-483

==2. Jacob exhorts his listeners to repent and follow Christ. ({{s|Jacob|6||}})==
===''Helpful Insights''===
*'''Pleading Bar or Pleasing Bar?''': Textual scholar Royal Skousen has suggested that Jacob 6:13 should have been transcribed as the "pleading bar of God" rather than the "pleasing bar of God," while John S. Welch defends the reading of "pleasing" rather than "pleading." While no doctrine s substantially altered by either reading, each one offers different potential insights.
**Royal Skousen, ed., ''The Book of Mormon: The Earliest Text'' (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2009), 176
**Royal Skousen, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/insights/?vol=24&num=4&id=390 "The Pleading Bar of God,"] ''Insights'' 24/4 (2004)
**John S. Welch, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=18&num=1&id=603 "Keeping the Old Wine in Old Wineskins: The Pleasing (Not Pleading) Bar of God,"] ''FARMS Review'' 18/1 (2006): 139-147
**Royal Skousen, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=18&num=1&id=605 "Conjectural Emendation in the Book of Mormon,"] ''FARMS Review'' 18/1 (2006): 187-231

FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Thirteen

2012-05-08T15:30:31Z

DeeAnnC: /* Potential Criticisms */

{{Articles FAIR copyright}} {{Articles Header 1}} {{Articles Header 2}} {{Articles Header 3}} {{Articles Header 4}} {{Articles Header 5}} {{Articles Header 6}} {{Articles Header 7}} {{Articles Header 8}} {{Articles Header 9}} {{Articles Header 10}}
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|title=Book of Mormon: Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual
|author=
|noauthor=
|section={{SUBPAGENAME}}
|previous=[[../Lesson Twelve|Lesson Twelve]]
|next=[[../Lesson Fourteen|Lesson Fourteen]]
|notes={{ChurchTeachingDisclaimer}}
}}
=Lesson 13: The Allegory of the Olive Trees=
'''Lesson #13- Sunday School Manual''': [http://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-13-the-allegory-of-the-olive-trees?lang=eng “The Allegory of the Olive Trees”]

==1. Jacob quotes Zenos’s allegory of the olive trees. ({{s|Jacob|5||}})==
==='''''Helpful Insights'''''===
*'''A Basic Outline of the Allegory''': While Zenos's allegory is applicable to all of us and can be applied to any period in history, Jacob clearly meant to use it as a sweeping history of the gathering and scattering of Israel. The following is a basic outline of the allegory based on that interpretation (Outline from Hoskisson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1469 "The Allegory of the Olive Tree in Jacob,"] 76-86):
**First Period: The Founding and Aging of the House of Israel, Jacob 5:3
**Second Period: The Scattering of the House of Israel, Jacob 5:4–14
**Third Period: The Day of the Former-day Saints, Jacob 5:15–28
**Fourth Period: The Great Apostasy, Jacob 5:29–49
**Fifth Period: The Gathering of Israel, Jacob 5:50–74
**Sixth Period: The Millennium, Jacob 5:75–76
**Seventh Period: The End of the World, Jacob 5:77
Remember that this is '''not''' the only possible interpretation, but just one way of breaking down the allegory which may yield useful insights.
*'''Jacob 5 and the Atonement''': Another way of interpreting the allegory is to see it as Jacob's answer to the questions "Why not speak of the atonement of Christ, and attain to a perfect knowledge of him?" (Jacob 4:12) and "My beloved, how is it possible that these [the Jews], after having rejected the sure foundation, can ever build upon it, that it may become the head of their corner?" (Jacob 4:17), which Jacob promises to "unfold this mystery" (Jacob 4:18). Interpreted in this light, "Jacob's two key questions alert the reader that the allegory will deal with grace, atonement, and their relationship to Israel. The allegory is thus focused on "the Lord's ongoing labors to bring his children back into oneness with him" through Christ. The tree, the fruit, and it's (olives) oil could then be seen as symbols of Christ and his attributes.
**M. Catherine Thomas, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1466 "Jacob's Allegory: The Mystery of Christ,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree: The Olive, the Bible, and Jacob 5'', Stephen D. Ricks and John W. Welch (Provo, UT: FARMS, 1994), 11-20
*'''Christ as the Servant''': While the most common interpretation of the symbols is to see Christ as the "Lord of the vineyard" and the servant as collectively representing the prophets, another possibility is to see the "Lord of the vineyard" as the Father and the servant as Christ.
**Paul Y. Hoskisson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1469 "The Allegory of the Olive Tree in Jacob,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree: The Olive, the Bible, and Jacob 5'', Stephen D. Ricks and John W. Welch (Provo, UT: FARMS, 1994), 71-72
*'''Additional Use of Zenos''': While Jacob's lengthy quotation of Zenos is by far the most concentrated reference to the teachings of Zenos, his father and brother (Lehi and Nephi) before him, and many prophets after him (all the way down to Mormon and Moroni) also drew on the teachings of Zenos. Reviewing how these other prophets used Zenos's teachings may shed some light on Jacob 5 and his use of Zenos's allegory.
**Noel B. Reynolds, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1467 "Nephite Uses and Interpretations of Zenos,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree: The Olive, the Bible, and Jacob 5'', Stephen D. Ricks and John W. Welch (Provo, UT: FARMS, 1994), 21-49
*'''Jacob 5 in Early Church Teachings''': The interpretations of early Church leaders from the nineteenth century, such as Orson Pratt, may also be insightful.
**Grant Underwood, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1468 "Jacob 5 in the Nineteenth Century,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree: The Olive, the Bible, and Jacob 5'', Stephen D. Ricks and John W. Welch (Provo, UT: FARMS, 1994), 50-69
*'''Keywords and Phrases''': Sometimes we can learn new insights by focusing on key words and phrases. In Jacob 5, Zenos uses repetition of such key words and phrases to highlight certain themes. John W. Welch provides a convenient resource identifying many of these.
**John W. Welch, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1472 "Words and Phrases in Jacob 5,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree'', 174-185

==='''''Potential Criticisms'''''===
*'''Jacob 5 and Romans 11:16-24''': Because there are many similarities between these two passages, some argue that Joseph Smith wrote Jacob 5 by expanding on Paul's teaching to the Roman's. While the two texts do bear strong similarities, this does not mean that Joseph simply copied from Romans. Since Paul himself was an urban Jew who would not have understood the intricacies of olive culture, he probably drew his knowledge from a source which is now lost to us. Zenos or another text based on Zenos could have been that source. The standard for determining order of transmission suggests that longer, more complex texts are earlier in the transmission process, and this case Jacob 5 is clearly the longer and more complex text. Further, careful comparisons reveal that while the two texts probably spring from the same sources, key differences suggest they are independent of each other.
**Brant A. Gardner, ''Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon'', vol. 2 pg. 521-524
**James E. Faulconer, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1479 "The Olive Tree and the Work of God: Jacob 5 and Romans 11,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree'', pg. 347-366
**John A. Tvedtnes, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1481 "Borrowings from the Parable of Zenos,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree'', 373-426

==='''''Faith Affirmations'''''===
*'''Zenos and Cenez/Zenez''': According to a text dating back to the time of Christ, a leader named either Cenez/Kenez or Zenec/Zenez succeeded Joshua as the first judge of Israel. The teachings of Cenez/Zenez in his farwell address and the teachings of Zenos in the allegory of the olive tree have some remarkable similarities. The similarity in teaching and name makes lead Hugh Nibley to equate Cenez/Zenez with the Zenos featured in the Book of Mormon, but others feel that such a connection is unlikely. Regardless, the similarities show that the teachings found in Jacob 5 fit the ancient Near-Eastern world.
**Hugh Nilbey, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=74&chapid=918 "Prophets in the Wilderness,"] in ''Since Cumorah'' (Salt Lake City, UT: Deseret Book/FARMS, 1988), 286-290
**John W. Welch, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1477 "The Last Words of Cenez and the Book of Mormon,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree: The Olive, the Bible, and Jacob 5'', Stephen D. Ricks and John W. Welch (Provo, UT: FARMS, 1994), 305-321
*'''Olive Tree Symbolism in Ancient Israel''': This allegory from an ancient Israelite prophet effectively captures the symbolism of the olive tree in ancient Israelite religion, as well as other ancient religious views from the Near-East and Mediterranean.
**David R. Seely, and John W. Welch, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1478 "Zenos and the Texts of the Old Testament,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree'', 322-346
**John Franklin Hall, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1474 "The Olive in Greco-Roman Religion,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree'', 248-261
*'''Olive Culture in the Ancient Near East''': In many ways, Jacob 5 accurately reflects Mediterranean practices in cultivating olives and olive trees in pre-modern times. It also accurately reflects the important role the olive tree played in the broader ancient Near Eastern context.
**Daniel Fairbanks, Wilford M. Hess, John W. Welch, and Jonathan K. Driggs, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1485 "Botanical Aspects of Olive Culture Relevant to Jacob 5,"]in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree'', 484-562
**Stephen D. Ricks, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1483 "Olive Culture in the Second Temple Era and Early Rabbinic Period,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree'', 460-476
**Daniel C. Peterson, and John Gee, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1473 "Graft and Corruption: On Olives and Olive Culture in the Pre-Modern Mediterranean,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree'', 186-247
*'''Olive Trees in Vineyards''': Olive trees seem out of place in a "vineyard," but the use of the word for "vineyard" in reference to an orchard is consistent with the ancient usage.
**John A. Tvedtnes, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1484 "Vineyard or Olive Orchard?"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree'', 477-483

==2. Jacob exhorts his listeners to repent and follow Christ. ({{s|Jacob|6||}})==
===''Helpful Insights''===
*'''Pleading Bar or Pleasing Bar?''': Textual scholar Royal Skousen has suggested that Jacob 6:13 should have been transcribed as the "pleading bar of God" rather than the "pleasing bar of God," while John S. Welch defends the reading of "pleasing" rather than "pleading." While no doctrine s substantially altered by either reading, each one offers different potential insights.
**Royal Skousen, ed., ''The Book of Mormon: The Earliest Text'' (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2009), 176
**Royal Skousen, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/insights/?vol=24&num=4&id=390 "The Pleading Bar of God,"] ''Insights'' 24/4 (2004)
**John S. Welch, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=18&num=1&id=603 "Keeping the Old Wine in Old Wineskins: The Pleasing (Not Pleading) Bar of God,"] ''FARMS Review'' 18/1 (2006): 139-147
**Royal Skousen, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=18&num=1&id=605 "Conjectural Emendation in the Book of Mormon,"] ''FARMS Review'' 18/1 (2006): 187-231

FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Thirteen

2012-05-08T15:29:22Z

DeeAnnC: /* Potential Criticisms */

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}}
=Lesson 13: The Allegory of the Olive Trees=
'''Lesson #13- Sunday School Manual''': [http://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-13-the-allegory-of-the-olive-trees?lang=eng “The Allegory of the Olive Trees”]

==1. Jacob quotes Zenos’s allegory of the olive trees. ({{s|Jacob|5||}})==
==='''''Helpful Insights'''''===
*'''A Basic Outline of the Allegory''': While Zenos's allegory is applicable to all of us and can be applied to any period in history, Jacob clearly meant to use it as a sweeping history of the gathering and scattering of Israel. The following is a basic outline of the allegory based on that interpretation (Outline from Hoskisson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1469 "The Allegory of the Olive Tree in Jacob,"] 76-86):
**First Period: The Founding and Aging of the House of Israel, Jacob 5:3
**Second Period: The Scattering of the House of Israel, Jacob 5:4–14
**Third Period: The Day of the Former-day Saints, Jacob 5:15–28
**Fourth Period: The Great Apostasy, Jacob 5:29–49
**Fifth Period: The Gathering of Israel, Jacob 5:50–74
**Sixth Period: The Millennium, Jacob 5:75–76
**Seventh Period: The End of the World, Jacob 5:77
Remember that this is '''not''' the only possible interpretation, but just one way of breaking down the allegory which may yield useful insights.
*'''Jacob 5 and the Atonement''': Another way of interpreting the allegory is to see it as Jacob's answer to the questions "Why not speak of the atonement of Christ, and attain to a perfect knowledge of him?" (Jacob 4:12) and "My beloved, how is it possible that these [the Jews], after having rejected the sure foundation, can ever build upon it, that it may become the head of their corner?" (Jacob 4:17), which Jacob promises to "unfold this mystery" (Jacob 4:18). Interpreted in this light, "Jacob's two key questions alert the reader that the allegory will deal with grace, atonement, and their relationship to Israel. The allegory is thus focused on "the Lord's ongoing labors to bring his children back into oneness with him" through Christ. The tree, the fruit, and it's (olives) oil could then be seen as symbols of Christ and his attributes.
**M. Catherine Thomas, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1466 "Jacob's Allegory: The Mystery of Christ,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree: The Olive, the Bible, and Jacob 5'', Stephen D. Ricks and John W. Welch (Provo, UT: FARMS, 1994), 11-20
*'''Christ as the Servant''': While the most common interpretation of the symbols is to see Christ as the "Lord of the vineyard" and the servant as collectively representing the prophets, another possibility is to see the "Lord of the vineyard" as the Father and the servant as Christ.
**Paul Y. Hoskisson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1469 "The Allegory of the Olive Tree in Jacob,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree: The Olive, the Bible, and Jacob 5'', Stephen D. Ricks and John W. Welch (Provo, UT: FARMS, 1994), 71-72
*'''Additional Use of Zenos''': While Jacob's lengthy quotation of Zenos is by far the most concentrated reference to the teachings of Zenos, his father and brother (Lehi and Nephi) before him, and many prophets after him (all the way down to Mormon and Moroni) also drew on the teachings of Zenos. Reviewing how these other prophets used Zenos's teachings may shed some light on Jacob 5 and his use of Zenos's allegory.
**Noel B. Reynolds, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1467 "Nephite Uses and Interpretations of Zenos,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree: The Olive, the Bible, and Jacob 5'', Stephen D. Ricks and John W. Welch (Provo, UT: FARMS, 1994), 21-49
*'''Jacob 5 in Early Church Teachings''': The interpretations of early Church leaders from the nineteenth century, such as Orson Pratt, may also be insightful.
**Grant Underwood, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1468 "Jacob 5 in the Nineteenth Century,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree: The Olive, the Bible, and Jacob 5'', Stephen D. Ricks and John W. Welch (Provo, UT: FARMS, 1994), 50-69
*'''Keywords and Phrases''': Sometimes we can learn new insights by focusing on key words and phrases. In Jacob 5, Zenos uses repetition of such key words and phrases to highlight certain themes. John W. Welch provides a convenient resource identifying many of these.
**John W. Welch, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1472 "Words and Phrases in Jacob 5,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree'', 174-185

==='''''Potential Criticisms'''''===
*'''Jacob 5 and Romans 11:16-24''': Because there are many similarities between these two passages, some argue that Joseph Smith wrote Jacob 5 by expanding on Paul's teaching to the Roman's. While the two texts do bear strong similarities, this does not mean that Joseph simply copied from Romans. Since Paul himself was an urban Jew who would not have understood the intricacies of olive culture, he probably drew his knowledge from a source which is now lost to us. Zenos or another text based on Zenos could have been that source. The standard for determining order of transmission suggests that longer, more complex texts are earlier in the transmission process, and this case Jacob 5 is clearly the longer and more complex text. Further, careful comparisons reveal that while the two sources probably spring from the same sources, key differences suggest they are independent of each other.
**Brant A. Gardner, ''Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon'', vol. 2 pg. 521-524
**James E. Faulconer, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1479 "The Olive Tree and the Work of God: Jacob 5 and Romans 11,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree'', pg. 347-366
**John A. Tvedtnes, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1481 "Borrowings from the Parable of Zenos,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree'', 373-426

==='''''Faith Affirmations'''''===
*'''Zenos and Cenez/Zenez''': According to a text dating back to the time of Christ, a leader named either Cenez/Kenez or Zenec/Zenez succeeded Joshua as the first judge of Israel. The teachings of Cenez/Zenez in his farwell address and the teachings of Zenos in the allegory of the olive tree have some remarkable similarities. The similarity in teaching and name makes lead Hugh Nibley to equate Cenez/Zenez with the Zenos featured in the Book of Mormon, but others feel that such a connection is unlikely. Regardless, the similarities show that the teachings found in Jacob 5 fit the ancient Near-Eastern world.
**Hugh Nilbey, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=74&chapid=918 "Prophets in the Wilderness,"] in ''Since Cumorah'' (Salt Lake City, UT: Deseret Book/FARMS, 1988), 286-290
**John W. Welch, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1477 "The Last Words of Cenez and the Book of Mormon,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree: The Olive, the Bible, and Jacob 5'', Stephen D. Ricks and John W. Welch (Provo, UT: FARMS, 1994), 305-321
*'''Olive Tree Symbolism in Ancient Israel''': This allegory from an ancient Israelite prophet effectively captures the symbolism of the olive tree in ancient Israelite religion, as well as other ancient religious views from the Near-East and Mediterranean.
**David R. Seely, and John W. Welch, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1478 "Zenos and the Texts of the Old Testament,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree'', 322-346
**John Franklin Hall, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1474 "The Olive in Greco-Roman Religion,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree'', 248-261
*'''Olive Culture in the Ancient Near East''': In many ways, Jacob 5 accurately reflects Mediterranean practices in cultivating olives and olive trees in pre-modern times. It also accurately reflects the important role the olive tree played in the broader ancient Near Eastern context.
**Daniel Fairbanks, Wilford M. Hess, John W. Welch, and Jonathan K. Driggs, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1485 "Botanical Aspects of Olive Culture Relevant to Jacob 5,"]in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree'', 484-562
**Stephen D. Ricks, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1483 "Olive Culture in the Second Temple Era and Early Rabbinic Period,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree'', 460-476
**Daniel C. Peterson, and John Gee, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1473 "Graft and Corruption: On Olives and Olive Culture in the Pre-Modern Mediterranean,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree'', 186-247
*'''Olive Trees in Vineyards''': Olive trees seem out of place in a "vineyard," but the use of the word for "vineyard" in reference to an orchard is consistent with the ancient usage.
**John A. Tvedtnes, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1484 "Vineyard or Olive Orchard?"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree'', 477-483

==2. Jacob exhorts his listeners to repent and follow Christ. ({{s|Jacob|6||}})==
===''Helpful Insights''===
*'''Pleading Bar or Pleasing Bar?''': Textual scholar Royal Skousen has suggested that Jacob 6:13 should have been transcribed as the "pleading bar of God" rather than the "pleasing bar of God," while John S. Welch defends the reading of "pleasing" rather than "pleading." While no doctrine s substantially altered by either reading, each one offers different potential insights.
**Royal Skousen, ed., ''The Book of Mormon: The Earliest Text'' (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2009), 176
**Royal Skousen, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/insights/?vol=24&num=4&id=390 "The Pleading Bar of God,"] ''Insights'' 24/4 (2004)
**John S. Welch, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=18&num=1&id=603 "Keeping the Old Wine in Old Wineskins: The Pleasing (Not Pleading) Bar of God,"] ''FARMS Review'' 18/1 (2006): 139-147
**Royal Skousen, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=18&num=1&id=605 "Conjectural Emendation in the Book of Mormon,"] ''FARMS Review'' 18/1 (2006): 187-231

FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Thirteen

2012-05-08T15:28:30Z

DeeAnnC: /* Helpful Insights */

{{Articles FAIR copyright}} {{Articles Header 1}} {{Articles Header 2}} {{Articles Header 3}} {{Articles Header 4}} {{Articles Header 5}} {{Articles Header 6}} {{Articles Header 7}} {{Articles Header 8}} {{Articles Header 9}} {{Articles Header 10}}
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{{FAIRAnalysisHeader
|title=Book of Mormon: Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual
|author=
|noauthor=
|section={{SUBPAGENAME}}
|previous=[[../Lesson Twelve|Lesson Twelve]]
|next=[[../Lesson Fourteen|Lesson Fourteen]]
|notes={{ChurchTeachingDisclaimer}}
}}
=Lesson 13: The Allegory of the Olive Trees=
'''Lesson #13- Sunday School Manual''': [http://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-13-the-allegory-of-the-olive-trees?lang=eng “The Allegory of the Olive Trees”]

==1. Jacob quotes Zenos’s allegory of the olive trees. ({{s|Jacob|5||}})==
==='''''Helpful Insights'''''===
*'''A Basic Outline of the Allegory''': While Zenos's allegory is applicable to all of us and can be applied to any period in history, Jacob clearly meant to use it as a sweeping history of the gathering and scattering of Israel. The following is a basic outline of the allegory based on that interpretation (Outline from Hoskisson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1469 "The Allegory of the Olive Tree in Jacob,"] 76-86):
**First Period: The Founding and Aging of the House of Israel, Jacob 5:3
**Second Period: The Scattering of the House of Israel, Jacob 5:4–14
**Third Period: The Day of the Former-day Saints, Jacob 5:15–28
**Fourth Period: The Great Apostasy, Jacob 5:29–49
**Fifth Period: The Gathering of Israel, Jacob 5:50–74
**Sixth Period: The Millennium, Jacob 5:75–76
**Seventh Period: The End of the World, Jacob 5:77
Remember that this is '''not''' the only possible interpretation, but just one way of breaking down the allegory which may yield useful insights.
*'''Jacob 5 and the Atonement''': Another way of interpreting the allegory is to see it as Jacob's answer to the questions "Why not speak of the atonement of Christ, and attain to a perfect knowledge of him?" (Jacob 4:12) and "My beloved, how is it possible that these [the Jews], after having rejected the sure foundation, can ever build upon it, that it may become the head of their corner?" (Jacob 4:17), which Jacob promises to "unfold this mystery" (Jacob 4:18). Interpreted in this light, "Jacob's two key questions alert the reader that the allegory will deal with grace, atonement, and their relationship to Israel. The allegory is thus focused on "the Lord's ongoing labors to bring his children back into oneness with him" through Christ. The tree, the fruit, and it's (olives) oil could then be seen as symbols of Christ and his attributes.
**M. Catherine Thomas, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1466 "Jacob's Allegory: The Mystery of Christ,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree: The Olive, the Bible, and Jacob 5'', Stephen D. Ricks and John W. Welch (Provo, UT: FARMS, 1994), 11-20
*'''Christ as the Servant''': While the most common interpretation of the symbols is to see Christ as the "Lord of the vineyard" and the servant as collectively representing the prophets, another possibility is to see the "Lord of the vineyard" as the Father and the servant as Christ.
**Paul Y. Hoskisson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1469 "The Allegory of the Olive Tree in Jacob,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree: The Olive, the Bible, and Jacob 5'', Stephen D. Ricks and John W. Welch (Provo, UT: FARMS, 1994), 71-72
*'''Additional Use of Zenos''': While Jacob's lengthy quotation of Zenos is by far the most concentrated reference to the teachings of Zenos, his father and brother (Lehi and Nephi) before him, and many prophets after him (all the way down to Mormon and Moroni) also drew on the teachings of Zenos. Reviewing how these other prophets used Zenos's teachings may shed some light on Jacob 5 and his use of Zenos's allegory.
**Noel B. Reynolds, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1467 "Nephite Uses and Interpretations of Zenos,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree: The Olive, the Bible, and Jacob 5'', Stephen D. Ricks and John W. Welch (Provo, UT: FARMS, 1994), 21-49
*'''Jacob 5 in Early Church Teachings''': The interpretations of early Church leaders from the nineteenth century, such as Orson Pratt, may also be insightful.
**Grant Underwood, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1468 "Jacob 5 in the Nineteenth Century,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree: The Olive, the Bible, and Jacob 5'', Stephen D. Ricks and John W. Welch (Provo, UT: FARMS, 1994), 50-69
*'''Keywords and Phrases''': Sometimes we can learn new insights by focusing on key words and phrases. In Jacob 5, Zenos uses repetition of such key words and phrases to highlight certain themes. John W. Welch provides a convenient resource identifying many of these.
**John W. Welch, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1472 "Words and Phrases in Jacob 5,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree'', 174-185

==='''''Potential Criticisms'''''===
*'''Jacob 5 and Romans 11:16-24''': Because there are many similarities between these two passages, some argue the Joseph Smith wrote Jacob 5 by expanding on Paul's teaching to the Roman's. While the two texts do bear strong similarities, this does not mean that Joseph simply copied from Romans. Since Paul himself was an urban Jew who would not have understood the intricacies of olive culture, he probably drew his knowledge from a source which is now lost to us. Zenos or another text based on Zenos could have been that source. The standard for determining order of transmission suggests that longer, more complex texts are earlier in the transmission process, and this case Jacob 5 is clearly the longer and more complex text. Further, careful comparisons reveal that while the two sources probably spring from the same sources, key differences suggest they are independent of each other.
**Brant A. Gardner, ''Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon'', vol. 2 pg. 521-524
**James E. Faulconer, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1479 "The Olive Tree and the Work of God: Jacob 5 and Romans 11,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree'', pg. 347-366
**John A. Tvedtnes, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1481 "Borrowings from the Parable of Zenos,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree'', 373-426

==='''''Faith Affirmations'''''===
*'''Zenos and Cenez/Zenez''': According to a text dating back to the time of Christ, a leader named either Cenez/Kenez or Zenec/Zenez succeeded Joshua as the first judge of Israel. The teachings of Cenez/Zenez in his farwell address and the teachings of Zenos in the allegory of the olive tree have some remarkable similarities. The similarity in teaching and name makes lead Hugh Nibley to equate Cenez/Zenez with the Zenos featured in the Book of Mormon, but others feel that such a connection is unlikely. Regardless, the similarities show that the teachings found in Jacob 5 fit the ancient Near-Eastern world.
**Hugh Nilbey, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=74&chapid=918 "Prophets in the Wilderness,"] in ''Since Cumorah'' (Salt Lake City, UT: Deseret Book/FARMS, 1988), 286-290
**John W. Welch, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1477 "The Last Words of Cenez and the Book of Mormon,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree: The Olive, the Bible, and Jacob 5'', Stephen D. Ricks and John W. Welch (Provo, UT: FARMS, 1994), 305-321
*'''Olive Tree Symbolism in Ancient Israel''': This allegory from an ancient Israelite prophet effectively captures the symbolism of the olive tree in ancient Israelite religion, as well as other ancient religious views from the Near-East and Mediterranean.
**David R. Seely, and John W. Welch, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1478 "Zenos and the Texts of the Old Testament,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree'', 322-346
**John Franklin Hall, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1474 "The Olive in Greco-Roman Religion,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree'', 248-261
*'''Olive Culture in the Ancient Near East''': In many ways, Jacob 5 accurately reflects Mediterranean practices in cultivating olives and olive trees in pre-modern times. It also accurately reflects the important role the olive tree played in the broader ancient Near Eastern context.
**Daniel Fairbanks, Wilford M. Hess, John W. Welch, and Jonathan K. Driggs, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1485 "Botanical Aspects of Olive Culture Relevant to Jacob 5,"]in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree'', 484-562
**Stephen D. Ricks, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1483 "Olive Culture in the Second Temple Era and Early Rabbinic Period,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree'', 460-476
**Daniel C. Peterson, and John Gee, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1473 "Graft and Corruption: On Olives and Olive Culture in the Pre-Modern Mediterranean,"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree'', 186-247
*'''Olive Trees in Vineyards''': Olive trees seem out of place in a "vineyard," but the use of the word for "vineyard" in reference to an orchard is consistent with the ancient usage.
**John A. Tvedtnes, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=124&chapid=1484 "Vineyard or Olive Orchard?"] in ''The Allegory of the Olive Tree'', 477-483

==2. Jacob exhorts his listeners to repent and follow Christ. ({{s|Jacob|6||}})==
===''Helpful Insights''===
*'''Pleading Bar or Pleasing Bar?''': Textual scholar Royal Skousen has suggested that Jacob 6:13 should have been transcribed as the "pleading bar of God" rather than the "pleasing bar of God," while John S. Welch defends the reading of "pleasing" rather than "pleading." While no doctrine s substantially altered by either reading, each one offers different potential insights.
**Royal Skousen, ed., ''The Book of Mormon: The Earliest Text'' (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2009), 176
**Royal Skousen, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/insights/?vol=24&num=4&id=390 "The Pleading Bar of God,"] ''Insights'' 24/4 (2004)
**John S. Welch, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=18&num=1&id=603 "Keeping the Old Wine in Old Wineskins: The Pleasing (Not Pleading) Bar of God,"] ''FARMS Review'' 18/1 (2006): 139-147
**Royal Skousen, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=18&num=1&id=605 "Conjectural Emendation in the Book of Mormon,"] ''FARMS Review'' 18/1 (2006): 187-231

FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Fourteen

2012-05-08T15:26:18Z

DeeAnnC: /* Faithful Affirmations */

{{Articles FAIR copyright}} {{Articles Header 1}} {{Articles Header 2}} {{Articles Header 3}} {{Articles Header 4}} {{Articles Header 5}} {{Articles Header 6}} {{Articles Header 7}} {{Articles Header 8}} {{Articles Header 9}} {{Articles Header 10}}
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{{FAIRAnalysisHeader
|title=Book of Mormon: Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual
|author=
|noauthor=
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|previous=[[../Lesson Thirteen|Lesson Thirteen]]
|next=[[../Lesson Fifteen|Lesson Fifteen]]
|notes={{ChurchTeachingDisclaimer}}
}}
=Lesson 14: For a Wise Purpose=
'''Lesson #14- Sunday School Manual''': [http://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-14-for-a-wise-purpose?lang=eng “For a Wise Purpose”]

==1. Enos prays for himself, the Nephites, and the Lamanites.[http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/enos/1?lang=eng (Enos)]==
==='''''Helpful Insights'''''===
*'''Enos's "Wrestle..before God"''': When Enos tells about his "wrestle...before God" (Enos 1:2) he may be making allusion to the patriarch Jacob's "wrestle" with an angel. There are several parallel's in the two stories, suggesting that Enos patterned his narrative after that of Jacob's.
**John A. Tvedtnes and Matthew Roper, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/insights/?vol=21&num=5&id=194 "Jacob and Enos: Wrestling before God,"] ''Insights'' 21/5 (2001)
*'''Lamanite Threats to Destroy Records and Traditions''': Enos says that efforts to convert the Lamanites were unsuccessful and that the Lamanites were determined to destroy the Nephites records and traditions (Enos 1:14). The "traditions" that the Lamanites sought to destroy were probably the traditions that Nephi's leadership was legitmate and Laman's was not. In Mesoamerican society, there were records that documented the lineages right to land and leadership, so these traditions and records are probably both related to claims of leadership. Lamanites wanted to discredit the Nephite claims to legitimacy.
**Brant A. Gardner, ''Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon'', Vol. 3, pg. 13

==='''''Potential Criticisms'''''===
*'''Tents in Mesoamerica''': If Mesoamerica is the setting of the Book of Mormon, some critics claim that "tents" (Enos 1:20) are an anachronism. However there were various types of temporary living structures employed by the Natives that the Spanish termed "tents." Temporary dwelling places ("tents") of one form or another are known in every culture, so it is a wonder that critics would think that they didn't exist in Mesoamerica.
**John L. Sorenson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=98&chapid=1064 "Evidence for Tents in the Book of Mormon,"] in ''Pressing Forward with the Book of Mormon:The FARMS Updates of the 1990s'', John W. Welch and Melvin J. Thorne, eds. (Provo, UT: FARMS, 1999), 135-138
*'''Alleged Anachronisms''': A number of alleged anachronisms, most of which have been previously mentioned, come up again in Enos, such as horses, as well as cimeters and other weapons. Although these have been mentioned before, the recurrence of these items in the text may prompt questions from class members, so we again provide resources for review.
**Horses: http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Anachronisms/Animals/Horses
**Cimeters: Matthew Roper, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=8&num=1&id=182 "Swords and "Cimeters" in the Book of Mormon,"] ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'' 8/1 (1998): 34-43; Paul Y. Hoskisson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=66&chapid=735 "Scimitars, Cimeters! We Have Scimitars! Do We Need Another Cimeter?"] and William J. Hamblin and A. Brent Merrill, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=66&chapid=736 "Notes on the Cimeter (Scimitar) in the Book of Mormon,"] in ''Warfare in the the Book of Mormon'', William J. Hamblin and Stephen D. Ricks, eds. (Provo, UT: FARMS, 1990) 352-359, and 360-364
**Bow and Arrow: William J. Hamblin, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=66&chapid=737 "The Bow and Arrow in the Book of Mormon,"] in ''Warfare in the Book of Mormon'', 365-399
*'''Chronology Problems''': Enos is generally assumed to be the son of Jacob, though he never identifies his father by name. Jacob does say he gave the plates to his "son Enos" (Jacob 7:27). Enos, however, indicates that it had been 179 years since the time Lehi had left Jerusalem, which seems far too long for just one generation after original settlers (remember, Jacob was born in the Old World), so this presents a potential problem. John W. Welch has proposed a [http://www.collegiumaesculapium.org/Journal%20Archives/1985_Longevity%20Book%20of%20Mormon%20People.pdf chronology] that potentially reconciles this problem, while others have suggested that Enos may not be the direct son of Jacob. In the latter scenario, it is possible that the Enos of who wrote the book of Enos is the son of the first Enos, who was Jacob's son, or that the "son" is simply meant as "descendant", an interpretation consistent with Hebrew usage.

==='''''Faith Affirmations'''''===
*'''Enos's Name and Introduction''': The opening verses of Enos appear to be patterned after the colophon in 1 Nephi 1, but this isn't just Joseph Smith lacking creativity and thus repeating this pattern. The name "Enos" is a poetic Hebrew term for "man, mankind" which indicates that Enos is probably using a Hebrew style wordplay when he says "I, ''Enos'', knowing my father that he was a just ''man''" (Enos 1:1), much like the wordplay on the name "Nephi" and "goodly." It is doubtful that Joseph Smith could have embedded these wordplays intentionally, thus this serves as evidence of the books genuine antiquity.
**Matthew L. Bowen, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/insights/?vol=26&num=3&id=459 "Wordplay on the Name 'Enos',"] ''Insights'' 26/3 (2006).

==2. The Nephites prosper through continual repentance. [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/jarom/1?lang=eng (Jarom)]==
===''Helpful Insights''===
*'''Jarom's Role in Nephite Society''': Most readers probably assume that Jarom was one of the priests or prophets, like his father (Enos) and grandfather (Jacob). But John S. Tanner has observed that Jarom always speaks of priests, teachers, kings, and leaders "as if he were not one of them," "bystander outside the loop of government power and official church responsibility." But he uses inclusive terms when talking about going to war and working with metals. Tanner concludes, "Jarom sounds as if he was a solider and artisan." Jarom does speak of "revelations" and "prophesying" (Jarom 1:2), but these may have been personal, or perhaps only for his family.
**John S. Tanner, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=72&chapid=860 "Jacob and His Descendants as Authors,"] in ''Rediscovering the Book of Mormon'', pg. 56
*'''"Love of Murder" and Drinking Blood''': Jarom reports that the Lamanites loved murder and drinking the blood of beasts (Jarom 1:6). Jarom may have had the practices of killing captives and religious human sacrifice. In denouncing the drinking of blood of beasts he is probably alluding to a violation of the law of Moses.
**Brant A. Gardner, ''Second Witness'', Vol. 3, pg. 29-30.
===''Potential Criticisms''===
*'''Metallurgy''': Issues with metallurgy have been mentioned in previous lesson guides, but resources are again listed here as questions may arise in this regard while teaching this week.
**http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Anachronisms/Metals

===''Faithful Affirmations''===
*'''Population Expansion and Wars''': Jarom describes both an expansion of population, and an increase of military conflicts. Based on a Mesoamerican setting, increasing political alliances would result in both of these conditions. Jarom also describes the kings and leaders as personally engaging in battle, which is also consistent with Mesoamerican cultural practices. Gardner says "Jarom is accurately portraying both the social conditions and the military actions known to have prevailed among the Maya." (pg. 30)
**Brant A. Gardner, ''Second Witness'', Vol. 3, pg. 30-31.
*'''Fortifications''': Jarom says that they "began to fortify their cities." Until recently, Mesoamerica was believed to have been peaceful during this time, but now evidence shows there was considerable warfare. The number of known defensive structures begins to proliferate between 400 BC - 50 BC, a period which encompasses Jarom's lifetime.
**Brant A. Gardner, ''Second Witness'', Vol. 3, pg. 31-33
**John L. Sorenson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=66&chapid=739 "Fortifications in the Book of Mormon Account Compared with Mesoamerican Fortifications,"] in ''Warfare in the Book of Mormon'', 425-444
*'''Jarom''': The name Jarom may be the name "Jeremiah" in hypocoristic form (a sort of shot form, like Mike from Michael).
**John A. Tvedtnes, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=8&num=2&id=222 "What's in a Name? A Look at the Book of Mormon Onomasticon,"] ''FARMS Review of Books'' 8/2 (1996)

== 3. Omni, Amaron, Chemish, Abinadom, and Amaleki keep the records.[http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/omni/1?lang=eng (Omni)]==
===''Helpful Insights''===

===''Potential Criticisms''===
===''Faithful Affirmations''===
*'''Chemish''': The name Chemish may be the Hebrew name ''Kmš'', attested in several sources.
**John Gee, John A. Tvedtnes, and Matthew Roper, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=9&num=1&id=210 "Book of Mormon Names Attested in Ancient Hebrew Inscriptions,"] ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'' 9/1 (2000): 40-51
*'''Zarahemla''': The name Zarahemla is probably based on two Hebrew roots, ''zara'' ("seed" or "offspring") and ''hemlah'' ("pity", "grace" or "compassion"), giving "Zarahemla" the meaning of "seed of compassion." As with other names, Zarahemla appears to be involved with some Hebrew wordplays.
**Stephen D. Ricks, and John A. Tvedtnes, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=6&num=2&id=157 "The Hebrew Origin of Some Book of Mormon Place Names,"] ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'' 6/2 (1997): 255-259.
**David E. Bokovoy, and Pedro Olavarria, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/insights/?vol=30&num=5&id=917 "Zarahemla: Revisiting the "Seed of Compassion","] ''Insights'' 30/5 (2010)

== 4. Mormon adds the small plates of Nephi to his abridgment of the large plates. [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/w-of-m/1?lang=eng (Words of Mormon)]==

FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Fourteen

2012-05-08T15:25:52Z

DeeAnnC: /* Faithful Affirmations */

{{Articles FAIR copyright}} {{Articles Header 1}} {{Articles Header 2}} {{Articles Header 3}} {{Articles Header 4}} {{Articles Header 5}} {{Articles Header 6}} {{Articles Header 7}} {{Articles Header 8}} {{Articles Header 9}} {{Articles Header 10}}
__NOTOC__
{{FAIRAnalysisHeader
|title=Book of Mormon: Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual
|author=
|noauthor=
|section={{SUBPAGENAME}}
|previous=[[../Lesson Thirteen|Lesson Thirteen]]
|next=[[../Lesson Fifteen|Lesson Fifteen]]
|notes={{ChurchTeachingDisclaimer}}
}}
=Lesson 14: For a Wise Purpose=
'''Lesson #14- Sunday School Manual''': [http://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-14-for-a-wise-purpose?lang=eng “For a Wise Purpose”]

==1. Enos prays for himself, the Nephites, and the Lamanites.[http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/enos/1?lang=eng (Enos)]==
==='''''Helpful Insights'''''===
*'''Enos's "Wrestle..before God"''': When Enos tells about his "wrestle...before God" (Enos 1:2) he may be making allusion to the patriarch Jacob's "wrestle" with an angel. There are several parallel's in the two stories, suggesting that Enos patterned his narrative after that of Jacob's.
**John A. Tvedtnes and Matthew Roper, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/insights/?vol=21&num=5&id=194 "Jacob and Enos: Wrestling before God,"] ''Insights'' 21/5 (2001)
*'''Lamanite Threats to Destroy Records and Traditions''': Enos says that efforts to convert the Lamanites were unsuccessful and that the Lamanites were determined to destroy the Nephites records and traditions (Enos 1:14). The "traditions" that the Lamanites sought to destroy were probably the traditions that Nephi's leadership was legitmate and Laman's was not. In Mesoamerican society, there were records that documented the lineages right to land and leadership, so these traditions and records are probably both related to claims of leadership. Lamanites wanted to discredit the Nephite claims to legitimacy.
**Brant A. Gardner, ''Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon'', Vol. 3, pg. 13

==='''''Potential Criticisms'''''===
*'''Tents in Mesoamerica''': If Mesoamerica is the setting of the Book of Mormon, some critics claim that "tents" (Enos 1:20) are an anachronism. However there were various types of temporary living structures employed by the Natives that the Spanish termed "tents." Temporary dwelling places ("tents") of one form or another are known in every culture, so it is a wonder that critics would think that they didn't exist in Mesoamerica.
**John L. Sorenson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=98&chapid=1064 "Evidence for Tents in the Book of Mormon,"] in ''Pressing Forward with the Book of Mormon:The FARMS Updates of the 1990s'', John W. Welch and Melvin J. Thorne, eds. (Provo, UT: FARMS, 1999), 135-138
*'''Alleged Anachronisms''': A number of alleged anachronisms, most of which have been previously mentioned, come up again in Enos, such as horses, as well as cimeters and other weapons. Although these have been mentioned before, the recurrence of these items in the text may prompt questions from class members, so we again provide resources for review.
**Horses: http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Anachronisms/Animals/Horses
**Cimeters: Matthew Roper, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=8&num=1&id=182 "Swords and "Cimeters" in the Book of Mormon,"] ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'' 8/1 (1998): 34-43; Paul Y. Hoskisson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=66&chapid=735 "Scimitars, Cimeters! We Have Scimitars! Do We Need Another Cimeter?"] and William J. Hamblin and A. Brent Merrill, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=66&chapid=736 "Notes on the Cimeter (Scimitar) in the Book of Mormon,"] in ''Warfare in the the Book of Mormon'', William J. Hamblin and Stephen D. Ricks, eds. (Provo, UT: FARMS, 1990) 352-359, and 360-364
**Bow and Arrow: William J. Hamblin, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=66&chapid=737 "The Bow and Arrow in the Book of Mormon,"] in ''Warfare in the Book of Mormon'', 365-399
*'''Chronology Problems''': Enos is generally assumed to be the son of Jacob, though he never identifies his father by name. Jacob does say he gave the plates to his "son Enos" (Jacob 7:27). Enos, however, indicates that it had been 179 years since the time Lehi had left Jerusalem, which seems far too long for just one generation after original settlers (remember, Jacob was born in the Old World), so this presents a potential problem. John W. Welch has proposed a [http://www.collegiumaesculapium.org/Journal%20Archives/1985_Longevity%20Book%20of%20Mormon%20People.pdf chronology] that potentially reconciles this problem, while others have suggested that Enos may not be the direct son of Jacob. In the latter scenario, it is possible that the Enos of who wrote the book of Enos is the son of the first Enos, who was Jacob's son, or that the "son" is simply meant as "descendant", an interpretation consistent with Hebrew usage.

==='''''Faith Affirmations'''''===
*'''Enos's Name and Introduction''': The opening verses of Enos appear to be patterned after the colophon in 1 Nephi 1, but this isn't just Joseph Smith lacking creativity and thus repeating this pattern. The name "Enos" is a poetic Hebrew term for "man, mankind" which indicates that Enos is probably using a Hebrew style wordplay when he says "I, ''Enos'', knowing my father that he was a just ''man''" (Enos 1:1), much like the wordplay on the name "Nephi" and "goodly." It is doubtful that Joseph Smith could have embedded these wordplays intentionally, thus this serves as evidence of the books genuine antiquity.
**Matthew L. Bowen, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/insights/?vol=26&num=3&id=459 "Wordplay on the Name 'Enos',"] ''Insights'' 26/3 (2006).

==2. The Nephites prosper through continual repentance. [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/jarom/1?lang=eng (Jarom)]==
===''Helpful Insights''===
*'''Jarom's Role in Nephite Society''': Most readers probably assume that Jarom was one of the priests or prophets, like his father (Enos) and grandfather (Jacob). But John S. Tanner has observed that Jarom always speaks of priests, teachers, kings, and leaders "as if he were not one of them," "bystander outside the loop of government power and official church responsibility." But he uses inclusive terms when talking about going to war and working with metals. Tanner concludes, "Jarom sounds as if he was a solider and artisan." Jarom does speak of "revelations" and "prophesying" (Jarom 1:2), but these may have been personal, or perhaps only for his family.
**John S. Tanner, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=72&chapid=860 "Jacob and His Descendants as Authors,"] in ''Rediscovering the Book of Mormon'', pg. 56
*'''"Love of Murder" and Drinking Blood''': Jarom reports that the Lamanites loved murder and drinking the blood of beasts (Jarom 1:6). Jarom may have had the practices of killing captives and religious human sacrifice. In denouncing the drinking of blood of beasts he is probably alluding to a violation of the law of Moses.
**Brant A. Gardner, ''Second Witness'', Vol. 3, pg. 29-30.
===''Potential Criticisms''===
*'''Metallurgy''': Issues with metallurgy have been mentioned in previous lesson guides, but resources are again listed here as questions may arise in this regard while teaching this week.
**http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Anachronisms/Metals

===''Faithful Affirmations''===
*'''Population Expansion and Wars''': Jarom describes both an expansion of population, and an increase of military conflicts. Based on a Mesoamerican setting, increasing political alliances would result in both of these conditions. Jarom also describes the kings and leaders as personally engaging in battle, which is also consistent with Mesoamerican cultural practices. Gardner says "Jarom is accurately portraying both the social conditions and the military actions known to have prevailed among the Maya." (pg. 30)
**Brant A. Gardner, ''Second Witness'', Vol. 3, pg. 30-31.
*'''Fortifications''': Jarom says that they "began to fortify their cities." Until recently, Mesoamerica was believed to have been peaceful during this time, but now evidence shows there was considerable warfare. The number of known defensive structures begins to proliferate between 400 BC - 50 BC, a period which encompasses Jarom's lifetime.
**Brant A. Gardner, ''Second Witness'', Vol. 3, pg. 31-33
**John L. Sorenson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=66&chapid=739 "Fortifications in the Book of Mormon Account Compared with Mesoamerican Fortifications,"] in ''Warfare in the Book of Mormon'', 425-444
*'''Jarom''': The name Jarom may be the name "Jeremiah" in hypocoristic form (a sort of shot form, like Mike from Michael).
**John A. Tvedtnes, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=8&num=2&id=222 "What's in a Name? A Look at the Book of Mormon Onomasticon,"] ''FARMS Review of Books'' 8/2 (1996)

== 3. Omni, Amaron, Chemish, Abinadom, and Amaleki keep the records.[http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/omni/1?lang=eng (Omni)]==
===''Helpful Insights''===

===''Potential Criticisms''===
===''Faithful Affirmations''===
*'''Chemish''': The name Chemish may be the Hebrew name ''Kmš'', attested in several sources.
**John Gee, John A. Tvedtnes, and Matthew Roper, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=9&num=1&id=210 "Book of Mormon Names Attested in Ancient Hebrew Inscriptions,"] ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'' 9/1 (2000): 40-51
*'''Zarahemla''': The name Zarahemla is probably based on two Hebrew roots, ''zara'' ("seed" or "offspring") and ''hemlah'' ("pity", "grace" or "compassion"), giving "Zarahemla" the meaning of "seed of comprassion." As with other names, Zarahemla appears to be involved with some Hebrew wordplays.
**Stephen D. Ricks, and John A. Tvedtnes, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=6&num=2&id=157 "The Hebrew Origin of Some Book of Mormon Place Names,"] ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'' 6/2 (1997): 255-259.
**David E. Bokovoy, and Pedro Olavarria, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/insights/?vol=30&num=5&id=917 "Zarahemla: Revisiting the "Seed of Compassion","] ''Insights'' 30/5 (2010)

== 4. Mormon adds the small plates of Nephi to his abridgment of the large plates. [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/w-of-m/1?lang=eng (Words of Mormon)]==

FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Fourteen

2012-05-08T15:25:34Z

DeeAnnC: /* Faithful Affirmations */

{{Articles FAIR copyright}} {{Articles Header 1}} {{Articles Header 2}} {{Articles Header 3}} {{Articles Header 4}} {{Articles Header 5}} {{Articles Header 6}} {{Articles Header 7}} {{Articles Header 8}} {{Articles Header 9}} {{Articles Header 10}}
__NOTOC__
{{FAIRAnalysisHeader
|title=Book of Mormon: Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual
|author=
|noauthor=
|section={{SUBPAGENAME}}
|previous=[[../Lesson Thirteen|Lesson Thirteen]]
|next=[[../Lesson Fifteen|Lesson Fifteen]]
|notes={{ChurchTeachingDisclaimer}}
}}
=Lesson 14: For a Wise Purpose=
'''Lesson #14- Sunday School Manual''': [http://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-14-for-a-wise-purpose?lang=eng “For a Wise Purpose”]

==1. Enos prays for himself, the Nephites, and the Lamanites.[http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/enos/1?lang=eng (Enos)]==
==='''''Helpful Insights'''''===
*'''Enos's "Wrestle..before God"''': When Enos tells about his "wrestle...before God" (Enos 1:2) he may be making allusion to the patriarch Jacob's "wrestle" with an angel. There are several parallel's in the two stories, suggesting that Enos patterned his narrative after that of Jacob's.
**John A. Tvedtnes and Matthew Roper, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/insights/?vol=21&num=5&id=194 "Jacob and Enos: Wrestling before God,"] ''Insights'' 21/5 (2001)
*'''Lamanite Threats to Destroy Records and Traditions''': Enos says that efforts to convert the Lamanites were unsuccessful and that the Lamanites were determined to destroy the Nephites records and traditions (Enos 1:14). The "traditions" that the Lamanites sought to destroy were probably the traditions that Nephi's leadership was legitmate and Laman's was not. In Mesoamerican society, there were records that documented the lineages right to land and leadership, so these traditions and records are probably both related to claims of leadership. Lamanites wanted to discredit the Nephite claims to legitimacy.
**Brant A. Gardner, ''Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon'', Vol. 3, pg. 13

==='''''Potential Criticisms'''''===
*'''Tents in Mesoamerica''': If Mesoamerica is the setting of the Book of Mormon, some critics claim that "tents" (Enos 1:20) are an anachronism. However there were various types of temporary living structures employed by the Natives that the Spanish termed "tents." Temporary dwelling places ("tents") of one form or another are known in every culture, so it is a wonder that critics would think that they didn't exist in Mesoamerica.
**John L. Sorenson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=98&chapid=1064 "Evidence for Tents in the Book of Mormon,"] in ''Pressing Forward with the Book of Mormon:The FARMS Updates of the 1990s'', John W. Welch and Melvin J. Thorne, eds. (Provo, UT: FARMS, 1999), 135-138
*'''Alleged Anachronisms''': A number of alleged anachronisms, most of which have been previously mentioned, come up again in Enos, such as horses, as well as cimeters and other weapons. Although these have been mentioned before, the recurrence of these items in the text may prompt questions from class members, so we again provide resources for review.
**Horses: http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Anachronisms/Animals/Horses
**Cimeters: Matthew Roper, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=8&num=1&id=182 "Swords and "Cimeters" in the Book of Mormon,"] ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'' 8/1 (1998): 34-43; Paul Y. Hoskisson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=66&chapid=735 "Scimitars, Cimeters! We Have Scimitars! Do We Need Another Cimeter?"] and William J. Hamblin and A. Brent Merrill, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=66&chapid=736 "Notes on the Cimeter (Scimitar) in the Book of Mormon,"] in ''Warfare in the the Book of Mormon'', William J. Hamblin and Stephen D. Ricks, eds. (Provo, UT: FARMS, 1990) 352-359, and 360-364
**Bow and Arrow: William J. Hamblin, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=66&chapid=737 "The Bow and Arrow in the Book of Mormon,"] in ''Warfare in the Book of Mormon'', 365-399
*'''Chronology Problems''': Enos is generally assumed to be the son of Jacob, though he never identifies his father by name. Jacob does say he gave the plates to his "son Enos" (Jacob 7:27). Enos, however, indicates that it had been 179 years since the time Lehi had left Jerusalem, which seems far too long for just one generation after original settlers (remember, Jacob was born in the Old World), so this presents a potential problem. John W. Welch has proposed a [http://www.collegiumaesculapium.org/Journal%20Archives/1985_Longevity%20Book%20of%20Mormon%20People.pdf chronology] that potentially reconciles this problem, while others have suggested that Enos may not be the direct son of Jacob. In the latter scenario, it is possible that the Enos of who wrote the book of Enos is the son of the first Enos, who was Jacob's son, or that the "son" is simply meant as "descendant", an interpretation consistent with Hebrew usage.

==='''''Faith Affirmations'''''===
*'''Enos's Name and Introduction''': The opening verses of Enos appear to be patterned after the colophon in 1 Nephi 1, but this isn't just Joseph Smith lacking creativity and thus repeating this pattern. The name "Enos" is a poetic Hebrew term for "man, mankind" which indicates that Enos is probably using a Hebrew style wordplay when he says "I, ''Enos'', knowing my father that he was a just ''man''" (Enos 1:1), much like the wordplay on the name "Nephi" and "goodly." It is doubtful that Joseph Smith could have embedded these wordplays intentionally, thus this serves as evidence of the books genuine antiquity.
**Matthew L. Bowen, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/insights/?vol=26&num=3&id=459 "Wordplay on the Name 'Enos',"] ''Insights'' 26/3 (2006).

==2. The Nephites prosper through continual repentance. [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/jarom/1?lang=eng (Jarom)]==
===''Helpful Insights''===
*'''Jarom's Role in Nephite Society''': Most readers probably assume that Jarom was one of the priests or prophets, like his father (Enos) and grandfather (Jacob). But John S. Tanner has observed that Jarom always speaks of priests, teachers, kings, and leaders "as if he were not one of them," "bystander outside the loop of government power and official church responsibility." But he uses inclusive terms when talking about going to war and working with metals. Tanner concludes, "Jarom sounds as if he was a solider and artisan." Jarom does speak of "revelations" and "prophesying" (Jarom 1:2), but these may have been personal, or perhaps only for his family.
**John S. Tanner, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=72&chapid=860 "Jacob and His Descendants as Authors,"] in ''Rediscovering the Book of Mormon'', pg. 56
*'''"Love of Murder" and Drinking Blood''': Jarom reports that the Lamanites loved murder and drinking the blood of beasts (Jarom 1:6). Jarom may have had the practices of killing captives and religious human sacrifice. In denouncing the drinking of blood of beasts he is probably alluding to a violation of the law of Moses.
**Brant A. Gardner, ''Second Witness'', Vol. 3, pg. 29-30.
===''Potential Criticisms''===
*'''Metallurgy''': Issues with metallurgy have been mentioned in previous lesson guides, but resources are again listed here as questions may arise in this regard while teaching this week.
**http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Anachronisms/Metals

===''Faithful Affirmations''===
*'''Population Expansion and Wars''': Jarom describes both an expansion of population, and an increase of military conflicts. Based on a Mesoamerican setting, increasing political alliances would result in both of these conditions. Jarom also describes the kings and leaders as personally engaging in battle, which is also consistent with Mesoamerican cultural practices. Gardner says "Jarom is accurately portraying both the social conditions and the military actions known to have prevailed among the Maya." (pg. 30)
**Brant A. Gardner, ''Second Witness'', Vol. 3, pg. 30-31.
*'''Fortifications''': Jarom says that they "began to fortify their cities." Until recently, Mesoamerica was believed to have been peaceful during this time, but now evidence shows there was considerable warfare. The number of known defensive structures begins to proliferate between 400 BC - 50 BC, a period which encompasses Jarom's lifetime.
**Brant A. Gardner, ''Second Witness'', Vol. 3, pg. 31-33
**John L. Sorenson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=66&chapid=739 "Fortifications in the Book of Mormon Account Compared with Mesoamerican Fortifications,"] in ''Warfare in the Book of Mormon'', 425-444
*'''Jarom''': The name Jarom may be the name "Jeremiah" in hypocoristic form (a sort of shot form, like Mike from Michael).
**John A. Tvedtnes, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=8&num=2&id=222 "What's in a Name? A Look at the Book of Mormon Onomasticon,"] ''FARMS Review of Books'' 8/2 (1996)

== 3. Omni, Amaron, Chemish, Abinadom, and Amaleki keep the records.[http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/omni/1?lang=eng (Omni)]==
===''Helpful Insights''===

===''Potential Criticisms''===
===''Faithful Affirmations''===
*'''Chemish''': The name Chemish maybe the Hebrew name ''Kmš'', attested in several sources.
**John Gee, John A. Tvedtnes, and Matthew Roper, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=9&num=1&id=210 "Book of Mormon Names Attested in Ancient Hebrew Inscriptions,"] ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'' 9/1 (2000): 40-51
*'''Zarahemla''': The name Zarahemla is probably based on two Hebrew roots, ''zara'' ("seed" or "offspring") and ''hemlah'' ("pity", "grace" or "compassion"), giving "Zarahemla" the meaning of "seed of comprassion." As with other names, Zarahemla appears to be involved with some Hebrew wordplays.
**Stephen D. Ricks, and John A. Tvedtnes, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=6&num=2&id=157 "The Hebrew Origin of Some Book of Mormon Place Names,"] ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'' 6/2 (1997): 255-259.
**David E. Bokovoy, and Pedro Olavarria, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/insights/?vol=30&num=5&id=917 "Zarahemla: Revisiting the "Seed of Compassion","] ''Insights'' 30/5 (2010)

== 4. Mormon adds the small plates of Nephi to his abridgment of the large plates. [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/w-of-m/1?lang=eng (Words of Mormon)]==

FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Fourteen

2012-05-08T15:22:37Z

DeeAnnC: /* Potential Criticisms */

{{Articles FAIR copyright}} {{Articles Header 1}} {{Articles Header 2}} {{Articles Header 3}} {{Articles Header 4}} {{Articles Header 5}} {{Articles Header 6}} {{Articles Header 7}} {{Articles Header 8}} {{Articles Header 9}} {{Articles Header 10}}
__NOTOC__
{{FAIRAnalysisHeader
|title=Book of Mormon: Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual
|author=
|noauthor=
|section={{SUBPAGENAME}}
|previous=[[../Lesson Thirteen|Lesson Thirteen]]
|next=[[../Lesson Fifteen|Lesson Fifteen]]
|notes={{ChurchTeachingDisclaimer}}
}}
=Lesson 14: For a Wise Purpose=
'''Lesson #14- Sunday School Manual''': [http://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-14-for-a-wise-purpose?lang=eng “For a Wise Purpose”]

==1. Enos prays for himself, the Nephites, and the Lamanites.[http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/enos/1?lang=eng (Enos)]==
==='''''Helpful Insights'''''===
*'''Enos's "Wrestle..before God"''': When Enos tells about his "wrestle...before God" (Enos 1:2) he may be making allusion to the patriarch Jacob's "wrestle" with an angel. There are several parallel's in the two stories, suggesting that Enos patterned his narrative after that of Jacob's.
**John A. Tvedtnes and Matthew Roper, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/insights/?vol=21&num=5&id=194 "Jacob and Enos: Wrestling before God,"] ''Insights'' 21/5 (2001)
*'''Lamanite Threats to Destroy Records and Traditions''': Enos says that efforts to convert the Lamanites were unsuccessful and that the Lamanites were determined to destroy the Nephites records and traditions (Enos 1:14). The "traditions" that the Lamanites sought to destroy were probably the traditions that Nephi's leadership was legitmate and Laman's was not. In Mesoamerican society, there were records that documented the lineages right to land and leadership, so these traditions and records are probably both related to claims of leadership. Lamanites wanted to discredit the Nephite claims to legitimacy.
**Brant A. Gardner, ''Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon'', Vol. 3, pg. 13

==='''''Potential Criticisms'''''===
*'''Tents in Mesoamerica''': If Mesoamerica is the setting of the Book of Mormon, some critics claim that "tents" (Enos 1:20) are an anachronism. However there were various types of temporary living structures employed by the Natives that the Spanish termed "tents." Temporary dwelling places ("tents") of one form or another are known in every culture, so it is a wonder that critics would think that they didn't exist in Mesoamerica.
**John L. Sorenson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=98&chapid=1064 "Evidence for Tents in the Book of Mormon,"] in ''Pressing Forward with the Book of Mormon:The FARMS Updates of the 1990s'', John W. Welch and Melvin J. Thorne, eds. (Provo, UT: FARMS, 1999), 135-138
*'''Alleged Anachronisms''': A number of alleged anachronisms, most of which have been previously mentioned, come up again in Enos, such as horses, as well as cimeters and other weapons. Although these have been mentioned before, the recurrence of these items in the text may prompt questions from class members, so we again provide resources for review.
**Horses: http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Anachronisms/Animals/Horses
**Cimeters: Matthew Roper, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=8&num=1&id=182 "Swords and "Cimeters" in the Book of Mormon,"] ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'' 8/1 (1998): 34-43; Paul Y. Hoskisson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=66&chapid=735 "Scimitars, Cimeters! We Have Scimitars! Do We Need Another Cimeter?"] and William J. Hamblin and A. Brent Merrill, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=66&chapid=736 "Notes on the Cimeter (Scimitar) in the Book of Mormon,"] in ''Warfare in the the Book of Mormon'', William J. Hamblin and Stephen D. Ricks, eds. (Provo, UT: FARMS, 1990) 352-359, and 360-364
**Bow and Arrow: William J. Hamblin, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=66&chapid=737 "The Bow and Arrow in the Book of Mormon,"] in ''Warfare in the Book of Mormon'', 365-399
*'''Chronology Problems''': Enos is generally assumed to be the son of Jacob, though he never identifies his father by name. Jacob does say he gave the plates to his "son Enos" (Jacob 7:27). Enos, however, indicates that it had been 179 years since the time Lehi had left Jerusalem, which seems far too long for just one generation after original settlers (remember, Jacob was born in the Old World), so this presents a potential problem. John W. Welch has proposed a [http://www.collegiumaesculapium.org/Journal%20Archives/1985_Longevity%20Book%20of%20Mormon%20People.pdf chronology] that potentially reconciles this problem, while others have suggested that Enos may not be the direct son of Jacob. In the latter scenario, it is possible that the Enos of who wrote the book of Enos is the son of the first Enos, who was Jacob's son, or that the "son" is simply meant as "descendant", an interpretation consistent with Hebrew usage.

==='''''Faith Affirmations'''''===
*'''Enos's Name and Introduction''': The opening verses of Enos appear to be patterned after the colophon in 1 Nephi 1, but this isn't just Joseph Smith lacking creativity and thus repeating this pattern. The name "Enos" is a poetic Hebrew term for "man, mankind" which indicates that Enos is probably using a Hebrew style wordplay when he says "I, ''Enos'', knowing my father that he was a just ''man''" (Enos 1:1), much like the wordplay on the name "Nephi" and "goodly." It is doubtful that Joseph Smith could have embedded these wordplays intentionally, thus this serves as evidence of the books genuine antiquity.
**Matthew L. Bowen, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/insights/?vol=26&num=3&id=459 "Wordplay on the Name 'Enos',"] ''Insights'' 26/3 (2006).

==2. The Nephites prosper through continual repentance. [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/jarom/1?lang=eng (Jarom)]==
===''Helpful Insights''===
*'''Jarom's Role in Nephite Society''': Most readers probably assume that Jarom was one of the priests or prophets, like his father (Enos) and grandfather (Jacob). But John S. Tanner has observed that Jarom always speaks of priests, teachers, kings, and leaders "as if he were not one of them," "bystander outside the loop of government power and official church responsibility." But he uses inclusive terms when talking about going to war and working with metals. Tanner concludes, "Jarom sounds as if he was a solider and artisan." Jarom does speak of "revelations" and "prophesying" (Jarom 1:2), but these may have been personal, or perhaps only for his family.
**John S. Tanner, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=72&chapid=860 "Jacob and His Descendants as Authors,"] in ''Rediscovering the Book of Mormon'', pg. 56
*'''"Love of Murder" and Drinking Blood''': Jarom reports that the Lamanites loved murder and drinking the blood of beasts (Jarom 1:6). Jarom may have had the practices of killing captives and religious human sacrifice. In denouncing the drinking of blood of beasts he is probably alluding to a violation of the law of Moses.
**Brant A. Gardner, ''Second Witness'', Vol. 3, pg. 29-30.
===''Potential Criticisms''===
*'''Metallurgy''': Issues with metallurgy have been mentioned in previous lesson guides, but resources are again listed here as questions may arise in this regard while teaching this week.
**http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Anachronisms/Metals

===''Faithful Affirmations''===
*'''Population Expansion and Wars''': Jarom describes both an expansion of population, and an increase of military conflicts. Based on a Mesoamerican setting, increasing political alliances would result in both of these conditions. Jarom also describes the kings and leaders as personally engaging in battle, which is also consistent with Mesoamerican cultural practices. Gardner says "Jarom is accurately portraying both the social conditions and the military actions known to have prevailed among the Maya." (pg. 30)
**Brant A. Gardner, ''Second Witness'', Vol. 3, pg. 30-31.
*'''Fortifications''': Jarom says that they "began to fortify their cities." Until recently, Mesoamerica was believed to have been peaceful during this time, but now evidence shows there was considerable warfare. The number of known defensive structures begins to proliferate between 400 BC - 50 BC, a period which encompasses Jarom's lifetime.
**Brant A. Gardner, ''Second Witness'', Vol. 3, pg. 31-33
**John L. Sorenson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=66&chapid=739 "Fortifications in the Book of Mormon Account Compared with Mesoamerican Fortifications,"] in ''Warfare in the Book of Mormon'', 425-444
*'''Jarom''': The name Jarom maybe the name "Jeremiah" in hypocoristic form (a sort of shot form, like Mike from Michael).
**John A. Tvedtnes, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=8&num=2&id=222 "What's in a Name? A Look at the Book of Mormon Onomasticon,"] ''FARMS Review of Books'' 8/2 (1996)

== 3. Omni, Amaron, Chemish, Abinadom, and Amaleki keep the records.[http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/omni/1?lang=eng (Omni)]==
===''Helpful Insights''===

===''Potential Criticisms''===
===''Faithful Affirmations''===
*'''Chemish''': The name Chemish maybe the Hebrew name ''Kmš'', attested in several sources.
**John Gee, John A. Tvedtnes, and Matthew Roper, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=9&num=1&id=210 "Book of Mormon Names Attested in Ancient Hebrew Inscriptions,"] ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'' 9/1 (2000): 40-51
*'''Zarahemla''': The name Zarahemla is probably based on two Hebrew roots, ''zara'' ("seed" or "offspring") and ''hemlah'' ("pity", "grace" or "compassion"), giving "Zarahemla" the meaning of "seed of comprassion." As with other names, Zarahemla appears to be involved with some Hebrew wordplays.
**Stephen D. Ricks, and John A. Tvedtnes, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=6&num=2&id=157 "The Hebrew Origin of Some Book of Mormon Place Names,"] ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'' 6/2 (1997): 255-259.
**David E. Bokovoy, and Pedro Olavarria, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/insights/?vol=30&num=5&id=917 "Zarahemla: Revisiting the "Seed of Compassion","] ''Insights'' 30/5 (2010)

== 4. Mormon adds the small plates of Nephi to his abridgment of the large plates. [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/w-of-m/1?lang=eng (Words of Mormon)]==

FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Fourteen

2012-05-08T15:21:34Z

DeeAnnC: /* Helpful Insights */

{{Articles FAIR copyright}} {{Articles Header 1}} {{Articles Header 2}} {{Articles Header 3}} {{Articles Header 4}} {{Articles Header 5}} {{Articles Header 6}} {{Articles Header 7}} {{Articles Header 8}} {{Articles Header 9}} {{Articles Header 10}}
__NOTOC__
{{FAIRAnalysisHeader
|title=Book of Mormon: Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual
|author=
|noauthor=
|section={{SUBPAGENAME}}
|previous=[[../Lesson Thirteen|Lesson Thirteen]]
|next=[[../Lesson Fifteen|Lesson Fifteen]]
|notes={{ChurchTeachingDisclaimer}}
}}
=Lesson 14: For a Wise Purpose=
'''Lesson #14- Sunday School Manual''': [http://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-14-for-a-wise-purpose?lang=eng “For a Wise Purpose”]

==1. Enos prays for himself, the Nephites, and the Lamanites.[http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/enos/1?lang=eng (Enos)]==
==='''''Helpful Insights'''''===
*'''Enos's "Wrestle..before God"''': When Enos tells about his "wrestle...before God" (Enos 1:2) he may be making allusion to the patriarch Jacob's "wrestle" with an angel. There are several parallel's in the two stories, suggesting that Enos patterned his narrative after that of Jacob's.
**John A. Tvedtnes and Matthew Roper, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/insights/?vol=21&num=5&id=194 "Jacob and Enos: Wrestling before God,"] ''Insights'' 21/5 (2001)
*'''Lamanite Threats to Destroy Records and Traditions''': Enos says that efforts to convert the Lamanites were unsuccessful and that the Lamanites were determined to destroy the Nephites records and traditions (Enos 1:14). The "traditions" that the Lamanites sought to destroy were probably the traditions that Nephi's leadership was legitmate and Laman's was not. In Mesoamerican society, there were records that documented the lineages right to land and leadership, so these traditions and records are probably both related to claims of leadership. Lamanites wanted to discredit the Nephite claims to legitimacy.
**Brant A. Gardner, ''Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon'', Vol. 3, pg. 13

==='''''Potential Criticisms'''''===
*'''Tents in Mesoamerica''': If Mesoamerica is the setting of the Book of Mormon, some critics claim that "tents" (Enos 1:20) are an anachronism. However there were various types of temporary living structures employed by the Natives that the Spanish termed "tents." Temporary dwelling places ("tents") of one form or another are known in every culture, so it is a wonder that critics would think that they didn't exist in Mesoamerica.
**John L. Sorenson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=98&chapid=1064 "Evidence for Tents in the Book of Mormon,"] in ''Pressing Forward with the Book of Mormon:The FARMS Updates of the 1990s'', John W. Welch and Melvin J. Thorne, eds. (Provo, UT: FARMS, 1999), 135-138
*'''Alleged Anachronisms''': A number of alleged anachronisms, most of which have been previously mentioned, come up again in Enos, such as horses, as well as cimeters and other weapons. Although these have been mentioned before, the recurrence of these items in the text may prompt questions from class members, so we again provide resources for review.
**Horses: http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Anachronisms/Animals/Horses
**Cimetes: Matthew Roper, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=8&num=1&id=182 "Swords and "Cimeters" in the Book of Mormon,"] ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'' 8/1 (1998): 34-43; Paul Y. Hoskisson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=66&chapid=735 "Scimitars, Cimeters! We Have Scimitars! Do We Need Another Cimeter?"] and William J. Hamblin and A. Brent Merrill, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=66&chapid=736 "Notes on the Cimeter (Scimitar) in the Book of Mormon,"] in ''Warfare in the the Book of Mormon'', William J. Hamblin and Stephen D. Ricks, eds. (Provo, UT: FARMS, 1990) 352-359, and 360-364
**Bow and Arrow: William J. Hamblin, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=66&chapid=737 "The Bow and Arrow in the Book of Mormon,"] in ''Warfare in the Book of Mormon'', 365-399
*'''Chronology Problems''': Enos is generally assumed to be the son of Jacob, though he never identifies his father by name. Jacob does say he gave the plates to his "son Enos" (Jacob 7:27). Enos, however, indicates that it had been 179 years since the time Lehi had left Jerusalem, which seems far too long for just one generation after original settlers (remember, Jacob was born in the Old World), so this presents a potential problem. John W. Welch has proposed a [http://www.collegiumaesculapium.org/Journal%20Archives/1985_Longevity%20Book%20of%20Mormon%20People.pdf chronology] that potentially reconciles this problem, while others have suggested that Enos may not be the direct son of Jacob. In the latter scenario, it is possible that the Enos of who wrote the book of Enos is the son of the first Enos, who was Jacob's son, or that the "son" is simply meant as "descendant", an interpretation consistent with Hebrew usage.
==='''''Faith Affirmations'''''===
*'''Enos's Name and Introduction''': The opening verses of Enos appear to be patterned after the colophon in 1 Nephi 1, but this isn't just Joseph Smith lacking creativity and thus repeating this pattern. The name "Enos" is a poetic Hebrew term for "man, mankind" which indicates that Enos is probably using a Hebrew style wordplay when he says "I, ''Enos'', knowing my father that he was a just ''man''" (Enos 1:1), much like the wordplay on the name "Nephi" and "goodly." It is doubtful that Joseph Smith could have embedded these wordplays intentionally, thus this serves as evidence of the books genuine antiquity.
**Matthew L. Bowen, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/insights/?vol=26&num=3&id=459 "Wordplay on the Name 'Enos',"] ''Insights'' 26/3 (2006).

==2. The Nephites prosper through continual repentance. [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/jarom/1?lang=eng (Jarom)]==
===''Helpful Insights''===
*'''Jarom's Role in Nephite Society''': Most readers probably assume that Jarom was one of the priests or prophets, like his father (Enos) and grandfather (Jacob). But John S. Tanner has observed that Jarom always speaks of priests, teachers, kings, and leaders "as if he were not one of them," "bystander outside the loop of government power and official church responsibility." But he uses inclusive terms when talking about going to war and working with metals. Tanner concludes, "Jarom sounds as if he was a solider and artisan." Jarom does speak of "revelations" and "prophesying" (Jarom 1:2), but these may have been personal, or perhaps only for his family.
**John S. Tanner, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=72&chapid=860 "Jacob and His Descendants as Authors,"] in ''Rediscovering the Book of Mormon'', pg. 56
*'''"Love of Murder" and Drinking Blood''': Jarom reports that the Lamanites loved murder and drinking the blood of beasts (Jarom 1:6). Jarom may have had the practices of killing captives and religious human sacrifice. In denouncing the drinking of blood of beasts he is probably alluding to a violation of the law of Moses.
**Brant A. Gardner, ''Second Witness'', Vol. 3, pg. 29-30.
===''Potential Criticisms''===
*'''Metallurgy''': Issues with metallurgy have been mentioned in previous lesson guides, but resources are again listed here as questions may arise in this regard while teaching this week.
**http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Anachronisms/Metals

===''Faithful Affirmations''===
*'''Population Expansion and Wars''': Jarom describes both an expansion of population, and an increase of military conflicts. Based on a Mesoamerican setting, increasing political alliances would result in both of these conditions. Jarom also describes the kings and leaders as personally engaging in battle, which is also consistent with Mesoamerican cultural practices. Gardner says "Jarom is accurately portraying both the social conditions and the military actions known to have prevailed among the Maya." (pg. 30)
**Brant A. Gardner, ''Second Witness'', Vol. 3, pg. 30-31.
*'''Fortifications''': Jarom says that they "began to fortify their cities." Until recently, Mesoamerica was believed to have been peaceful during this time, but now evidence shows there was considerable warfare. The number of known defensive structures begins to proliferate between 400 BC - 50 BC, a period which encompasses Jarom's lifetime.
**Brant A. Gardner, ''Second Witness'', Vol. 3, pg. 31-33
**John L. Sorenson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=66&chapid=739 "Fortifications in the Book of Mormon Account Compared with Mesoamerican Fortifications,"] in ''Warfare in the Book of Mormon'', 425-444
*'''Jarom''': The name Jarom maybe the name "Jeremiah" in hypocoristic form (a sort of shot form, like Mike from Michael).
**John A. Tvedtnes, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=8&num=2&id=222 "What's in a Name? A Look at the Book of Mormon Onomasticon,"] ''FARMS Review of Books'' 8/2 (1996)

== 3. Omni, Amaron, Chemish, Abinadom, and Amaleki keep the records.[http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/omni/1?lang=eng (Omni)]==
===''Helpful Insights''===

===''Potential Criticisms''===
===''Faithful Affirmations''===
*'''Chemish''': The name Chemish maybe the Hebrew name ''Kmš'', attested in several sources.
**John Gee, John A. Tvedtnes, and Matthew Roper, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=9&num=1&id=210 "Book of Mormon Names Attested in Ancient Hebrew Inscriptions,"] ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'' 9/1 (2000): 40-51
*'''Zarahemla''': The name Zarahemla is probably based on two Hebrew roots, ''zara'' ("seed" or "offspring") and ''hemlah'' ("pity", "grace" or "compassion"), giving "Zarahemla" the meaning of "seed of comprassion." As with other names, Zarahemla appears to be involved with some Hebrew wordplays.
**Stephen D. Ricks, and John A. Tvedtnes, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=6&num=2&id=157 "The Hebrew Origin of Some Book of Mormon Place Names,"] ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'' 6/2 (1997): 255-259.
**David E. Bokovoy, and Pedro Olavarria, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/insights/?vol=30&num=5&id=917 "Zarahemla: Revisiting the "Seed of Compassion","] ''Insights'' 30/5 (2010)

== 4. Mormon adds the small plates of Nephi to his abridgment of the large plates. [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/w-of-m/1?lang=eng (Words of Mormon)]==

FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson fifteen

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=Lesson 15: Eternally Indebted to Your Heavenly Father=
'''Lesson #15- Sunday School Manual''': [http://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-15-eternally-indebted-to-your-heavenly-father?lang=eng “Eternally Indebted to Your Heavenly Father”]

==1. King Benjamin teaches his sons and has Mosiah call the people together.[http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/1?lang=eng (Mosiah 1)]==
==='''''Helpful Insights'''''===
*'''Missing Chapters from the Book of Mosiah''': LDS scholars have observed that it is likely that part of the Book of Mosiah was lost with the 116 pages that Joseph Smith gave to Martin Harris. Based on textual and manuscript evidence scholars have suggested that the first chapter of the Book of Mosiah as we have it today was probably meant to be the third chapter of the Book of Mosiah; the first two chapters were lost with the 116 pages. This implies that Joseph had translated the Book of Lehi, and then a couple chapters of the Book of Mosiah, before giving the manuscript to Martin Harris. The reasons for this observation include (1) the fact that the Book of Mosiah doesn't begin with Mosiah, but with his son Benjamin, (2) there is no introductory summary as with all the other books that Mormon edited, and (3) the printer's manuscript of the Book of Mormon identified the first page of Mosiah as 'Chapter III' before it was changed to Chapter I.
**http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705384845/Scholars-Corner-The-stolen-chapters-of-Mosiah.html

*'''The Education of King Benjamin's Sons''': The Book of Mosiah begins by telling us that King Benjamin caused his sons to be "taught in all the language of his fathers" so that they could read and understand the scriptures. This implies that the language on the plates was not the language which was commonly spoken among the Nephites. In ancient cultures the wealthy were more likely to receive an education in reading and writing, and even fewer had the opportunity to learn to read a second language.

==='''''Potential Criticisms'''''===

==='''''Faith Affirmations'''''===
*'''Mormon's careful planning of the text''': In Mosiah 1:11-12 King Benjamin says that in his coming speech to his people he will "give unto them a name that never shall be blotted out." It isn't until five chapters later, in Mosiah 5:7-12 that he actually does this. This indicates careful planning on the part of the writer. This sort of careful planning is incompatible with the image of Joseph as a con man who was just winging it, making it up as he went along.

==2. King Benjamin teaches the people of their eternal indebtedness to God. [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/2?lang=eng (Mosiah 2)]==
===''Helpful Insights''===

===''Potential Criticisms''===

===''Faithful Affirmations''===

== 3. King Benjamin repeats an angel’s prophecies about Jesus Christ and His Atonement.[http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/3?lang=eng (Mosiah 3)]==
===''Helpful Insights''===

===''Potential Criticisms''===
===''Faithful Affirmations''===

FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Five

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FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Five

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FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Four

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FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Three

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FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Two

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FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Two

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FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Two

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FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Two

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FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Two

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FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Two

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Book of Mormon/Translation

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FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson One

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FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson One

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Moroni's promise of the Book of Mormon

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Jesus Christ/Accusations that Latter-day Saints aren't Christians

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DeeAnnC: /* {{Endnotes label}} */ added link to google books

<metadesc>Are Mormons Christians? Do they worship Jesus Christ? Critics use self-serving categories to deny that members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints worship and revere Jesus.</metadesc>
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{{JesusChristPortal}}
=={{Criticism label}}==
Critics claim that members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are not "Christian."

A related claim is that the Church has only recently begun to portray itself as "Christian" in order to gain adherents.

{{CriticalSources}}

=={{Subarticles label}}==
{{SummaryItem
|link=Jesus Christ/Accusations that Mormons aren't Christians/Does the Church use the sign or symbol of the cross
|subject=Does the Church use the sign or symbol of the cross?
|summary=Critics claim that Latter-day Saints are not Christians, and point to the fact that the Church does not usually use the symbol or sign of the cross in decoration, personal jewelry, or architecture.
}}

=={{Response label}}==

{{Epigraph|It is evident from what has been said, that the Mormons, as such, can have no part or lot in the religion of Jesus Christ—and we do not see how any one can be their friend, (as Mormons,) without being an ''enemy to God''. —{{CriticalWork:M'Chesney:Antidote to Mormonism|pages=49}} Some claim we are not Christians. They either do not know us at all or they misunderstand. In the Church every ordinance is done by the authority of and in the name of Jesus Christ. —President Boyd K. Packer, "[http://lds.org/general-conference/2011/04/guided-by-the-holy-spirit Guided by the Holy Spirit]," general conference, April 2011.}}

===Book of Mormon is Christ-centered===

Wrote one author:

:Years ago, Susan Easton Black tabulated all of the occurrences of the names and titles of Jesus in the Book of Mormon.{{ref|black.60-61}}...According to Black, 101 names or titles of Christ are presented in the Book of Mormon. These include the names/titles Lord God Omnipotent, Redeemer of Israel, Shepherd, and Son of the Living God, each of which is found once in the work. The names/titles Stone, True Messiah, Mighty One of Jacob, and Great Creator are each found twice; the names/titles Holy One of Israel, Lamb of God, Lord Jesus Christ, Redeemer, and Messiah each appear 10 or more times; and the names/titles Christ, God, Jesus, Lord, and Lord God are each found at least 100 times in the book. In all, the 101 names/titles of Christ are collectively presented 3,925 times in 6,607 Book of Mormon verses.{{ref|black.5}} Black’s tabulation of the names and titles shows that on average, one name or title of Christ appears once every 1.7 verses.{{ref|perry.216-217}}

With the Holy Bible, the Book of Mormon is the foundational scripture of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Christ is found on virtually every page.

===LDS Not Excluded by Belief or Practice===
{{main|Worship_different_Jesus|l1="Mormons" worship a "different Jesus"?}}

When critics make the claim that LDS are not Christian, they typically will present a laundry list of doctrines and practices that they believe put LDS outside the category of "Christian." At its base, this claim is an excellent example of the [[Logical_fallacies#No_true_Scotsman | No true Scotsman]] fallacy.

There are two problems with such lists. The first, and most important, is that the original and enduring meaning of "Christian" has been a person or group whose beliefs or practices are founded on the life and/or teachings of Christ. That is, all groups whose religion is founded on Jesus of Nazareth have been classified as Christian since the term was first coined in the first century, regardless of specific beliefs and practices. "Christian" has always included such wildly diverse groups as the Ebionites, the Marcionites, and the Christian Gnostics of ancient times, along with Unitarians and Coptic Christians in modern times. Critics may believe that LDS are "false Christians" or "heretical Christians" or "hell-bound Christians," seeing that such terms are subjective and without standard definitions, but neither belief nor practice can exclude any group from the family of Christian religions and denominations if that group claims to be founded on the life or teachings of the first-century Jesus of Nazareth.

The second problem with the critics' list is that their list of objectionable beliefs and practices used to exclude LDS from the Christian family are lists of beliefs and practices that are found in other groups that are clearly classified as Christian. The claimed bases for the charge that the LDS are not Christians include:
* LDS do not accept creedal [[Godhead_and_the_Trinity | Trinitarianism]] as set out by the [[Nature_of_God/Trinity/Nicene_creed|Nicene creed]]. This means that they conceive of Jesus and Satan as being spiritual '[[Jesus_Christ_is_the_brother_of_Satan | siblings]]' in terms of their ultimate origin, if not their nature or religious status.
* Because of different understandings about God, some Christian critics accuse the LDS of worshipping [[Jesus Christ/Worship different Jesus | a different Jesus]]
* LDS have doctrines which differ from many forms of "traditional" Christianity:
** [[Plan of salvation/Premortal existence |premortal existence]]
** [[Mormonism and temples/Baptism for the dead | vicarious work for the dead]]
** eternal marriage and families
** three degrees of glory
** [[Mormonism and the nature of God/Deification of man|Deification of man]] {''theosis''}
* LDS use [[Mormonism and the Bible/Open canon vs. closed canon| additional scripture]] with the [[Mormonism and the Bible/Completeness| Bible]]
* LDS do not accept ''[[Creation/Creatio ex nihilo | creatio ex nihilo]]''
* LDS do not accept the traditional view of ''[[Plan of salvation/Original sin | original sin]]''
* LDS heed the teachings of [[Joseph Smith/Status in LDS belief | Joseph Smith]] and other [[Mormonism and prophets|modern prophets]]
* LDS reject such doctrines as [[predestination]] to salvation or damnation

However, all of these doctrinal differences have been held not just by the LDS, but by other Christians as well, including the early Christians of the first and second centuries.{{ref|heretics1}} These Christians:

* were not Trinitarians, since the creeds were not yet formulated
* did not teach ''creatio ex nihilo''
* did not consider "the Bible" to be the sole authoritative scripture, since it was not compiled until centuries later
* considered some writings to be authoritative which many modern Christians now reject
* taught ''theosis'', or human deification through Christ
* followed living prophets (the apostles)

One might debate whether these Christians were ''correct'' or ''complete'' in their beliefs, but can the critics seriously exclude them from the family of Christians?{{ref|peterson1}}

The critics essentially create a definition of "Christian" that includes their brand of Christianity, and excludes others with whom they disagree.

===LDS Classified as Christian===
The assertion that Latter-day Saints are not Christian has at its base the idea that the Latter-day Saints don't meet the definition of the word "Christian." But the meanings of words are determined by usage and acceptance. If a definition is widespread (used by many people), persistent (used over a long period of time), and established (accepted by individuals and organizations that are respected and assumed to be knowledgeable) then we can confidently state that the definition is correct and accurate.

The attempt to define "Christian" in such a way as to exclude Latter-day Saints (and many other groups that are generally considered to be some kind of Christian denomination or religion) is really the recent work of a minority group within Protestantism. The nearly-universal and nearly-2000-year-old usage of the word "Christian" has clearly included unorthodox groups that disagree, sometimes sharply, with the teachings and practices of those who claim to be able to define Latter-day Saints out of the Christian fold.

The following are some organizations and resources that classify The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as Christian. The range of sources from encyclopedias to media outlets to government organizations supports the fact that the definition of "Christian" includes Latter-day Saints.

* Yahoo Directory: "Christian Denominations and Sects" {{link|url=http://dir.yahoo.com/Society_and_Culture/Religion_and_Spirituality/Faiths_and_Practices/Christianity/Denominations_and_Sects}}

* adherents.com: "Largest Branches of Christianity in the U.S." {{link|url=http://www.adherents.com/rel_USA.html#Pew_branches}}

* beliefnet: "Faiths and Practices" index {{link|url=http://www.beliefnet.com/index/index_10002.html}}

* MSN Encarta encyclopedia: "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" {{link|url=http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761563331/Church_of_Jesus_Christ_of_Latter-day_Saints.html}}

* RSN (Religion New Service): Religion Backgrounders {{link|url=http://www.religionnews.com/bkgd_mormon1.html}}

* PBS (Public Broadcasting Service): "The Church: A Brief History" {{link|url=http://www.pbs.org/americanprophet/lds.html}}

* LaborLawTalk dictionary {{link|url=http://dictionary.laborlawtalk.com/Church_of_Jesus_Christ_of_Latter-day_Saints}}

* Encyclopedia Britannia Online {{link|url=http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-232003?tocId=232003}}

* BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) {{link|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/subdivisions/index.shtml}}

* World Council of Churches (WCC): Churches {{link|url=http://www.oikoumene.org/?id=3652}}

* National Council of Churches (NCC): National Council of Churches’ 2005 "Yearbook of American & Canadian Churches." {{link|url=http://www.ncccusa.org/news/050330yearbook.html}}

* United States Department of State: International Religious Freedom Report 2004 (Tonga) {{link|url=http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2004/35430.htm}}

==Saints claim to be Christian only recently?==

This claim is absurd. The critics depend on their audience not knowing much about LDS history for this claim. Enemies and members of the Church have long known that Church members consider themselves "Christian" (italics added in all cases):

===1830s===
;1830: “They call themselves the church of Christ, and the only church of Christ. All professing Christians who do not adhere to their system, they consider as formalists; ‘having the form of Godliness, but denying the power’”.{{ref|fn1}}
;1831: “Old Joe . . . and several others . . . admitted [that the new faith] was an improvement in Christianity”.{{ref|fn2}}
;1832: The Mormonites “say the Millennium is soon to commence and that Christ is to come personally and take up His residence with them. . . . In its general principles this sect entirely coincide with others which have from time to time sprung up in Christendom”. {{ref|fn3}}
;1833: There is “a civil war between the Mormonites and their brother Christians”. {{ref|fn4}}
;1834: "Brother Joseph . . . went on to show the brethren how wicked and unchristianlike such conduct [among them] appeared before the eyes of truth and justice”.{{ref|fn5}}
;April 1834:The only name given under heaven, whereby man can be saved, is Jesus Christ. Men in days of old heard the glad tidings, that the Son of Man would come in the fulness of his own time, to make intercession for the children of men, and suffer, the just, for the unjust, and rise from the dead, that the bands of the temporal death might be broken, that the resurrection might pass upon all men, that they might stand in the presence of God to be judged according to their works.—These glad tidings were communicated from heaven to earth, by the ministering of holy angels and by the voice of the living God. Thousands have looked forward with an eye of faith, and a confidence unshaken in the promises of God, to the time when the great and last sacrifice should be made for fallen man. Many have rejoiced to see the day of the Son of Man, have seen it, and were glad; and have fallen asleep after obtaining the promise, that they should see God in the flesh and should reign with him on the earth a thousand years....The news that the gospel brought in days of old, was, that Jesus Christ would come into the world; that he would suffer according to the flesh; that he would rise from the dead, and thereby redeem his people from the power of the grave.{{ref|ems.april.1833}}
;1835: “the doctrine promulgated by the ‘latter day Christians’ in the newly discovered Bible”.{{ref|fn6}}
;1836: “This morning a minister from Conne[c]ticut by the name of John W. Olived called at my house . . . . [He] asked me wherein we differ from other Christian denomination[s]”.{{ref|fn7}}
;1836: “they have the appearance of being devout Christians. . . . They call themselves ‘Latter-day Saints,’ and profess to be the only true church, to have the only gospel order, consisting of apostles, elders, bishops, etc., etc., which several orders of the Christian hierarchy have been distinctly brought to light in the Book of Mormon”.{{ref|fn8}}
;1837: “a large society of Christians who style themselves ‘Latter-day Saints’ or Mormons.” (''Painesville Republican'', vol. 1, no. 31, 15 June 1837).
;1838: "The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning ''Jesus Christ'', that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are ''only appendages to it''".{{ref|js2}}
;1839: "This sect took its rise, A. D. 1830, in the county of Ontario, and State of New York. In April of that year, the society was ''organized as a Christian Church''".{{ref|bishop1}}
;1839: The Mormons “were singing a hymn as other good Christians are wont to do . . . . [One of them offered] a very good Christian prayer . . . . [which petitioned that the Mormons might have] Christian fortitude.” (''Peoria Register and North-Western Gazetteer'', vol. 3, no. 17, 27 July 1839)
:1839: {{CriticalWork:Dobson:Mormons|pages=xxx}}

===1840s===
;1840: “We want no religion but pure Christianity”.{{ref|fn9}}
;1840: The heaven-born doctrines of christianity are so opposite to the vain, grovelling, and selfish sentiments of corrupt human nature, and the self-denying practices of genuine believers are so repugnant to the feelings of those whose nature is “earthly, sensual, and devilish,” that it is utterly unreasonable to suppose that anything like amity, concord or peace, can possibly exist between the church and the world. [{{Book:Taylor:Calumny Refuted|pages=1–12}}]
;1840: The citizens of Nauvoo are “a people, professing to be Christians.” (''Quincy Whig'', vol. 3, no. 13, 25 July 1840).
;1840: The Mormons retain “many truths which are held in common by different denominations of Christians.” (''The Alton Telegraph'', vol. 5, no. 46, 14 November 1840).
;1840: "We want no religion but pure Christianity." [{{Book:PP Pratt:Plain Facts|pages=5}}]
;1840: "If every friend to the cause of apostolic christianity, would subscribe and pay in advance for the above mentioned books [Book of Mormon, hymn books]...." [{{TS1|author=Anon.|article=Books!!!|vol=1|num=9|date=July 1840|start=139–40}} {{link|url=http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=/BOMP&CISOPTR=2425&REC=14}}
;1841: “I understood from [the Mormons] as follows, . . . that they did not discard the Bible as used by other Christian sects”.{{ref|fn10}}]
;1841: "why it is, that so many professing Christianity, and so many professing to reverence the sacred principles of our Constitution (which gives free religious toleration to all), have slandered, and persecuted ''this sect of Christians''."{{ref|fn10c}}
;1841: "The object of our visit to your city is not to subvert any moral or truly Christian principle, or to promulgate any doctrine other than that which was advocated by Patriarchs, Prophets, Christ and the Apostles; which doctrine or gospel, we believe is the same invariable plan of salvation that it ever was, and that it ought to be taught, administered and obeyed in the present age, precisely as it was in the primitive or golden period of Christianity." [{{Periodical:Snow Winchester:Address to the Citizens of Salem|pages=574-76}}]
;1841: "Many of them have given up home and friends in obedience to what they consider the call of Christ, their Master.... The Mormons not only claim to be Christians, but the only Christians." [{{CriticalWork:Auburn Journal and Advertiser:December 1841:Mormons|pages=xxx}}]
;1842: “the great Christian city of Nauvoo”.{{ref|fn11}}
;1842: [Mormons teach that] "no man can be a Christian, or be admitted into the kingdom of God, unless he is baptized by immersion by an authorized person." [{{CriticalWork:RTM:Mormons|pages=345–46}}]
;1842: Hyrum Smith is "one of the most pious and devout christians in the world." (''New York Herald'' (19 February 1842); cited in Veritas, "The Mormon Prophets," ''Millennial Star'' 3 (May 1842): 8.)
;1842: Mormons “are Christians in the fullest sense of the term, believing in the Old and New Testaments.” (''The New York Herald'', vol. 7, no. 419, 16 May 1842).
;1842: Mormons are described as – “A ''Christian'' sect in Illinois.” (''Alton Telegraph and Democratic Review'', vol. 7, no. 25, 18 June 1842; emphasis in original).
;1842: "All these letters and documents [about the Mormons] disclose a most extraordinary movement in human affairs. What they mean we can hardly tell, but is it not time for some great religious revolution, as radical as Luther's, to take place in the ''Christian'' world?...Unlike ''all other Christian sects'', they adopt at once all the modern improvements of society, in art and literature; and from their singular religious faith give the highest enthusiasm to the movement at large. There is nothing odd, or singular, or absurd about them.” ("Wonderful Progress of Joe Smith, the Modern Mahomet.—Spread of the Mormon Faith, and a New Religious Revolution at Hand," ''N.Y. Herald'' (17 June 1842); emphasis added).{{ref|fn10b}}
;1842: "Mr. Whitney then asked if we acknowledged any to be Christians except those who embraced our doctrines and joined our church." (Orson Hyde letter, ''Times and Seasons'', vol. 3, no. 18, 15 July 1842, 849).
;1842: A Baptist complained that a Church preacher "declined making an honest confession of those peculiarities which separate them as widely from the Baptists, as from every other denomination of the ''christian'' church." {{ref|baptist1}}
;1842: Wrote the ''Daily Sun'' of Cincinnati:
::Whatever this new doctrine may be, it is extremely pleasing to the world, and death to the constituted church creeds of every name but that of Mormon. It is destined to spread, for every man that takes it upon him to speak in its favor, is fully competent to make out his case. One is very much surprised to see with what facility they prove their doctrine from the holy scriptures. Mr. Adams remarked, that he did not care whether a man believed the Book of Mormon or not, so that he came forward with a broken heart, believing on the Lord Jesus Christ and in baptism for the remission of sins—let him come forth, and if God did not reveal to him the truths of the Book of Mormon, he need not believe it. [{{TS1|author=Anon.|article=Mormonism [Reprinted from the Daily Sun, Cincinnati]|vol=4|num=2|date=1 December 1842|start=28–29}} {{link|url=http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=/BOMP&CISOPTR=3386&REC=5}}
;1842: "The Mormons were Christians in belief, and looked for the second Advent of Christ—when he shall come, surrounded by the angels of Heaven to dwell in person upon the earth....We confess that Mr. Winchester has changed our opinion of the sect; for we held them in contempt if not in abhorrence, from the representations we had read of them, whereas, if what Mr. Winchester states be true (and we have no reason to doubt him,) we can recognize them as professing Christians, tinged with peculiarities on particular points." [{{TS1|author=Anon.|article=Mormons, or Latter Day Saints|vol=4|num=2|date=1 December 1842|start=27–28}} Reprinted from the ''Baltimore Clipper''. {{link|url=http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=/BOMP&CISOPTR=3382&REC=6}}]
;1843: "So far we are agreed with ''other Christian denominations''. They all preach faith and repentance. The gospel requires baptism by immersion for the remission of sins, which is the meaning of the word in the original language—namely, to bury or immerse".{{ref|js1}}
;1843: Joseph Smith, in a public discourse, compared the Mormons to other denominations of Christians. (''New York Spectator'', vol. 46, no. 46, 23 August 1843).
;1844: The Mormons are “calling themselves Christians . . . . Christians, as they claim to be.” (''The Warsaw Signal'', NS no. 4, no. 121, 6 March 1844).
;1844: “The ''[Saturday] Courier'' should for the sake of truth and consistency, strike its flag of neutrality in RELIGION, while it wages a war of extermination against the Mormons; the only sect in Christendom, who in this nineteenth century can exhibit the irresistible evidence of martyrdom, in support of its cause”.{{ref|fn12}}
;1844: "On Sunday I was invited to give, in a public discourse, the points of difference between faith of the Latter-day Saints and ''other professors of'' [p.417] ''the Christian religion''."{{ref|fn12b}}

===1850s===
;1853: Now, we ARE believers in the Bible, and in consequence of our unshaken faith in its precepts, doctrine, and prophecy, may be, attributed "the strangeness of our course," and the unwarrantable conduct of many towards this people. Come, my brother Presbyterian; come, my brother professors of every persuasion of long standing and popular distinction in the world, who are dubbed with the word "ORTHODOX;" come, ''we are all good Christians''; I find no fault with you—why should you find fault with me?{{ref|by1}}
;1854: “Mormonites . . . . call themselves Christians, it is true” (''The Daily Globe'', vol. 6, no. 261, 5 October 1854).
;1857: "Their religious teachers of Mormonism, preach to them, as they call it, "Christianity in its purity." (S[olomon] N. Carvalho, ''Incidents of Travel and Adventure in the Far West; with Col. Fremont's Last Expedition'', chapter 22. {{link|url=http://www.jewish-history.com/wildwest/carvalho/carval22.html}}
;1859: We, as Christians, are divided and subdivided into many systems varying in doctrinal points. This one says, "I am right;" and that one says, "I am right;" another rises up and varies, more or less, from the doctrines of the Church he has left, and says he is right.{{ref|fn15}}

===1860s===
;1861: "…who is there that was not startled when he heard that a sect, affecting to be Christian beyond all other sects, which had sprung up in broad day from amidst the civilization of the United States…"{{ref|fn15-b}}
;1863:Should you ask ''why we differ from other Christians''...Are all this people, in the Scriptural sense, Christians? They should be. Do they all serve God with an undivided heart? They should. Many of them do, seeking daily to do his will.{{ref|by2}}
;1864:The Latter-day Saints ''differ from their Christian brethren''.{{ref|by3}}
;1866: Now, ''we as Christians'' desire to be saved in the kingdom of God.{{ref|by4}}
;1866: President B. Young preached a very interesting and instructive discourse, in which he showed that professing Christians believe all that the Jews believe, which appertains to life and salvation, and have accepted principles in advance of the Jews, including faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; and that the Latter-day Saints receive all believed in by other professing Christians, appertaining to life and salvation, accepting, as a part of their religious faith, principles in advance of them which are taught in the Scriptures. He touched upon the history of the Jewish people, showing the penalties which they had incurred by disobedience to the commandments of God, and pointing to the promises made to the patriarchal fathers concerning them. And deduced that if the condition of professing Christians is to-day better than that of the Jews, for believing more of the revelations of God, so the condition of the Saints is preferable to that of the other inhabitants of Christendom, in accepting all the revelations which the Lord has been pleased to give. {{ref|fn16}}
;1866: "On one occasion one of the native brethren who had been persecuted, claimed his rights as a Swiss citizen, and the question was brought up in the Swiss Congress, Are the 'Mormons' Christians? After some discussion, the conclusion was arrived at that they were, and must accordingly be protected."{{ref|swiss1}}

===1870s===
;1870:Have you embraced truth, Latter-day Saints? Have you anything different from ''other Christians''?{{ref|by5}}
;1871: If you should have visits here from those professing to be Christians, and they intimate a desire to preach to you, by all means invite them to do so. Accord to every reputable person who may visit you, and who may wish to occupy the stands of your meeting houses to preach to you, the privilege of doing so, no matter whether he be a Catholic, Presbyterian, Congregationalist, Baptist, Free-will Baptist, Methodist, or whatever he may be; and if he wishes to speak to your children let him do so. Of course you have the power to correct whatever false teachings or impressions, if any, your children may hear or receive. I say to parents, place your children, as far as you [p.196] have an opportunity to do so, in a position or situation to learn everything in the world that is worth learning. You will probably have what is called a ''Christian Church here; they will not admit that we are Christians'', but they cannot think us further from the plan of salvation as revealed from heaven than we know them to be, so we are even on that ground, as far as it goes.{{ref|fn13}}
: We are preaching to the people far and near; our Elders are traveling through the earth; strangers are coming here, and we are declaring to them that the Gospel of the Son of God is true. Whether they believe or not, it is no matter. That book (the Bible)contains the words of the Almighty…. I know of the bright promises which he gave to his disciples anciently. I live in the possession of them, and glory in them and in the cross of Christ, and in the beauty and holiness that he has revealed for the salvation and exaltation of the children of men. I do wish we would live to them, and may the Lord help us. {{ref|fn14}}
;1872:''We, as Christians'', believe in God, in Christ and in his atonement, in repentance and obedience, and in receiving the Spirit.{{ref|by6}}
: "we take the liberty to believe the Bible, which our fellow Christians, generally throughout the world, profess to believe in…”{{ref|fn17}}
:: “We are looking for him [i.e. Second coming of Christ]. The Christians of all denominations expect that he will appear in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. The Latter-day Saints expect this in common with all other Christians.”{{ref|fn18}}
;1876:These are only a few reflections, when we take into consideration ''our Christian religion''.{{ref|by7}}
:Brother Cannon speaks of Christians. ''We are Christians'' professedly, according to our religion.{{ref|by8}}
:“How shall we, as Christians, reconcile these words of our Savior with the reception everywhere given by the world to Messrs. Moody and Sankey? They are, professedly, Christian ministers, yet they are largely entertained by the world, extolled by the world, and apparently loved by the world….”{{ref|car1}}
:“But Joseph Smith reiterates the Savior’s promises. He has no fear of being proved a false teacher. He professes to be a Christian minister called and sent of God….”{{ref|car2}}
:“Immediate revelation was the life of primitive Christianity, and when that ceased to be given to men, Christianity waxed feeble, waned and died. With the restored Gospel came immediate revelation, and Christianity was born again upon the earth.”{{ref|car3}}

===1880s===
;1881: ''We are a Christian community''; we believe in God and in Jesus Christ...{{ref|lyman1}}
===1890s===
;1892: "What a singular sort of ‘Christian community’ that must be that will not tolerate an unorthodox Christian society in its midst!”{{ref|fn19}}
:“The insinuation in this [written attack on the LDS by a Protestant minister in SLC] is to the effect that a ‘Mormon’ is not a Christian, and the ‘Mormon’ religion is not a Christian religion, and further that the Supreme Court of the United States has virtually so decided…. But if a ‘Mormon’ is not a Christian then there are no Christians in America…. A member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is at least as fairly entitled to the appellation of a Christian as a member of the Presbyterian Church”{{ref|fn20}}
:“[with reverence to Revelation 1. 12] We accept—as all Christians do—that God inspired the words ‘to see the voice.’”{{ref|fn21}}

===1900-1950===
;1907: If it be true Christianity to accept Jesus Christ in person and his mission as divine; to revere him as the Son of God, the crucified and risen Lord, through whom alone mankind can attain salvation; to accept his teachings as a guide, to adopt as a standard and observe as a law the ethical code he promulgated; to comply with the requirements prescribed by him as essential to membership in his Church, namely, faith, repentance, baptism by immersion for the remission of sins, and the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost,—if this be Christianity, ''then are we Christians'', and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a Christian church.{{ref|1stpres1}}
;1917: [W]e are a Christian people, we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and we feel that it is our duty to acknowledge him as our Savior and Redeemer.{{ref|JFS1917}}

===After 1950===
;1956: We are not Catholic, Protestant, nor Jewish, and yet this disclaimer should not be taken to mean we are not Christian. You who heard the powerful address of President Clark this morning will know that ''we are Christians'', for central to everything we believe and teach is our faith that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. We are grateful for our Judeo-Christian heritage, for the Holy Bible which we accept without reservation as the word of God, except as to some errors that have crept in through translations.{{ref|brown1}}
;1997: Jacob Neusner, one of the great Judaism scholars of the twentieth century: "Christianity encompasses a remarkably diverse set of religious systems that have some qualities in common—belief in Jesus Christ—but also differ deeply, especially about matters on which they seem at first glance to concur. For example, who, exactly was, and is, Jesus Christ? No one imagines that by describing a single common denominator Christianity tells us about one unitary religion. Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox, Methodist, Mormon, and Lutheran—each is comprised by clearly delineated groups of Christians, all of them with their respective systems of belief and behaviour...as the world knows Christianities, but no single Christianity, so the world has known, and today recognizes, diverse Judaisms, no single Judaism."{{ref|neusner1}}
;2006: Bart Ehrman, a leading expert on the text of the New Testament: "...just as ''Christianity today'' is incredibly diverse (compare the Roman Catholics with ''the Mormons'' with the Pentecostals with the Seventh Day Adventists with the Eastern Orthodox… and so on!), it was even more diverse in the early centuries..." ("A Few Questions for Bart Ehrman," ''Oxford University Press Blog (OUPblog)'' (9 October 2006). {{link|url=http://blog.oup.com/2006/10/a_few_questions_3/}}
Clearly, the Church has "claimed" to be Christian for a long time, and even hostile critics realized it. To insist that this is a new, public relations move is false. Neutral observers have also seen the Church as Christian. Only a recent, intolerant fringe of fundamentalist Christianity has tried to exclude the Church from Christianity by self-serving definitions.

=={{Conclusion label}}==

Critics use a self-serving and self-referential definition of "Christian" to exclude the LDS. They ignore the fact that many other Christians over the millennia would have disagreed with them on the same points, yet this does not disqualify these other believers from the family of "Christians."

Claims that the Church has only recently been asserting its Christian status are false, as attested by LDS scripture, practice, doctrine, and public statements of its leadership and its early critics.

Ironically, many of those who attack the Church and its members for not being Christians show a distinct lack of the Christian virtues themselves:

:There has been no end to opposition. There are misinterpretations and misrepresentations of us and of our history, some of it mean-spirited and certainly contrary to the teachings of Jesus Christ and His gospel. Sometimes clergy, even ministerial organizations, oppose us. They do what we would never do. We do not attack or criticize or oppose others as they do us...Strangest of all, otherwise intelligent people claim we are not Christian. This shows that they know little or nothing about us. It is a true principle that you cannot lift yourself by putting others down.{{ref|packer1}}

=={{Endnotes label}}==
#{{note|black.60-61}} {{Book:Black:Finding Christ|pages=}} {{Periodical:Black:Names of Christ}}
#{{note|black.5}} Black, ''Finding Christ'', 5. Chapter 22
#{{note|perry.216-217}} {{Book:Black:Expressions of Faith|pages=216–217|author=Donald W. Parry|article=The Book of Mormon}}
#{{note|heretics1}} For a discussion by a non-LDS, conservative evangelical on points of doctrine upon which modern evangelical Christianity differs with the doctrines taught by the early Christian Fathers, see: {{Heretics1|start=1}}{{link|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=j7K4S5n8hVAC&printsec=frontcover&dq=Will+The+Real+Heretics+Please+Stand+Up:+A+New+Look+at+Today's+Evangelical+Church+in+the+Light+of+Early+Christianity&hl=en&ei=VIYkTorbDOnmsQKtoYmvAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCkQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false}}
#{{note|peterson1}} For a discussion of these issues, see {{Periodical:Peterson Ricks:Comparing LDS Beliefs to Early Christianity}}
#{{note|fn1}} {{CriticalWork:Sherer:To Absalom Peters|pages=xxx}}
#{{note|fn2}} {{CriticalWork:Morning Courier:1 September 1831:Mormon Religion|pages=xxx}}
#{{note|fn3}} {{CriticalWork:Farmer's Herald:6 June 1832|pages=xxx}}
#{{note|fn4}}{{CriticalWork:Liberal Advocate:30 December 1833|pages=xxx}}
#{{note|fn5}}{{HoC1|vol=2|start=83}}
#{{note|ems.april.1833}} {{EMSfairwiki|article=The Gospel|vol=1|num=11|date=April 1833|start=81|end=83}}
#{{note|fn6}} {{CriticalWork:Painsville Telegraph:4 September 1835|pages=xxx}}
#{{note|fn7}}{{PWJS1|start=144}}
#{{note|fn8}} {{CriticalWork:Eells:To Joshua Leavitt|pages=59}} (letter written on 1 April 1836 by James H. Eells who lived in Elyra, Ohio)
#{{note|js2}} {{TPJS1|start=121}}
#{{note|bishop1}}Francis G. Bishop, ''Brief History of the Church of Jesus Christ, of Latter Day Saints'' (Blum and Son, Salem, Massachusetts 1839), 2.
#{{note|fn9}} {{Book:Pratt:Plain Facts|pages=6}}
#{{note|fn10}} {{TSfairwiki|author=Upper Mississippian|article=Nauvoo Mormon Religion|num=8|start=324|date=15 February 1841|vol=2}}; reprint of an article from the ''Upper Mississippian''
#{{note|fn10c}} Extract from a Letter in the ''Juliet Courier'', dated from Monmouth, Illinois (June 1841); cited in {{HoC1|vol=4|start=381}}
#{{note|fn11}} ''Chicago Democrat'', May 1842; editorial by John Wentworth
#{{note|fn10b}} Cited by {{WE | author=Helen Mar Whitney | vol=10|num=13|date=1 December 1881|start=97|end=99 }} Available in {{WV1|start=149}}
#{{note|baptist1}} {{TSfairwiki|author="A Baptist," letter to the editor published in the ''North Staffordshire Mercury''|article=Difference Between the Baptists & Latter-day Saints|vol=3|num=23|date=1 October 1843|start=931|end=932}} {{ia}}
#{{note|js1}} {{TPJS1|start=314}}
#{{note|fn12}}{{TS1|author=Philadelphia Sun reprint|article=Magna est veritas, et praevalebit’ (Not sure of translationvol=5|num=15|date=15 August 1844|start=621}}
#{{note|fn12b}} D.S. Hollister to Joseph Smith, 9 May 1844; cited in {{HoC|vol=6|start=416|end=417}}
#{{note|by1}}{{JDfairwiki|author=Brigham Young|title=Effects and Privileges of the Gospel|date=24 July 1853|vol=1|disc=35|start=237|end=237}}
#{{note|fn15}} {{JDfairwiki|author=Brigham Young|date=22 May 1859|vol=7|disc=22|start=148|title=Government of God}}; {{DN1|vol=9|num=13|date=1 June 1859|start=104|article=Government of God|author=Brigham Young}}
#{{note|fn15-b}} Juley Remy, ''Journey to Great Salt Lake City'' (1861), 2:82–83; cited by {{WorksOfAbraham1|start=195}}.
#{{note|by2}}{{JDfairwiki|author=Brigham Young|title=Advice To California Emigrants. — The Principles Of The Gospel, etc.|date=8 July 1863|vol=10|disc=46|start=230|end=231}}
#{{note|by3}}{{JDfairwiki|author=Brigham Young|title=Difference Of Ideas Entertained Respecting God, etc.|date=31 July 1863|vol=10|disc=60|start=318|end=319}}
#{{note|by4}}{{JDfairwiki|author=Brigham Young|title=Remarks by President Brigham Young|date=19 August 1866|vol=11|disc=41|start=268|end=268}}
#{{note|fn16}} {{DNW1|author=Brigham Young|vol=15|num=109|date=4 March 1866 |start=page?}}; cited in {{BYA1|vol=5|start=32}}
#{{note|swiss1}} {{MS1|vol=28|num=12|date=24 March 1866|start=179|author=William W. Riter|article=Minutes of a General Council; Birmingham,England; January 5, 1866}}
#{{note|by5}}{{JDfairwiki|author=Brigham Young|title=The Saints Are A Strange People Because They Practise What They Profess|date=20 February 1870|vol=13|disc=26|start=237|end=238}}
#{{note|fn13}} {{JDfairwiki|date=3 June 1871|author=Brigham Young|vol=14|disc=26|start=195|end=196|title=Discourse by President Brigham Young}}; {{MS|vol=33|num=27|date=4 July 1871|article=Discourse by President Brigham Young|start=418|end=420|author=Brigham Young}}; DNW 20:235.
#{{note|fn14}} {{JDfairwiki|author=Brigham Young|date=27 August 1871|vol=14|disc=31|start=227|title=Remarks by President Brigham Young}}; {{DN|vol=20|num=31|date=6 September 1871|author=Brigham Young|author=Discourse by President Brigham Young|start=357|end=358}}
#{{note|by6}}{{JDfairwiki|author=Brigham Young|title=Riches — Hurry — Fashion — Helping The Poor — Mysteries|date=26 May 1872|vol=15|disc=7|start=42|end=42}}
#{{note|fn17}} {{JDfairwiki|author=John Taylor|date=3 March 1872|title=Discourse by Elder John Taylor|vol=14|disc=45|start=338}} {{DN1|num=36|vol=21|author=Discourse by Elder John Taylor|date= 13 March 1872|start=65, second column}}
#{{note|fn18}} {{JDfairwiki|author=Orson Pratt|title=Discourse by Elder Orson Pratt|date=10 March 10 1872|vol=14|disc=46|start=348}}; {{DN1|author=Orson Pratt|article=Discourse by Elder Orson Pratt|vol=21|date=20 March 1872|start=77, fourth column}}
#{{note|by7}}{{JDfairwiki|author=Brigham Young|title=Discourse By President Brigham Young|date=15 August 1876|vol=18|disc=26|start=217|end=217}}
#{{note|by8}}{{JDfairwiki|author=Brigham Young|title=Discourse By President Brigham Young|date=17 September 1876|vol=18|disc=29|start=231|end=231}}
#{{note|car1}}{{MS1|vol=38|date=6 March 1876|start=152|author=Editorial (Elder David McKenzie)|num=10|article=Christianity and Revivalism}}
#{{note|car2}}{{MS|vol=38|date=27 March 1876|start=200|end=201||author=Editorial (Elder David McKenzie)|num=13|article=Gifts of the Holy Ghost}}
#{{note|car3}}{{MS1|vol=38|date=3 April 1876|start=217|author=Editorial (Elder David McKenzie)|num=14|article=Evidences of the Truth}}
#{{note|lyman1}}{{MS1|vol=43|date=9 May 1881|start=292|author=Francis M. Lyman|num=19|article=General Conference (5 April 1881)}}
#{{note|fn19}} {{DNW1|author=Editorial on citizens of Beaver Dam, Virginia removing Mormon Elders by force to another part of the state|vol=45|num=13|article=A Singular Sort of ‘Christianity’|date=17 September 1892|start=396}}
#{{note|fn20}} {{DNW1|author="Intolerant Discrimination"|article=Intolerant Discrimination|vol=45|num=14|date=24 September 1892|start=441}}
#{{note|fn21}} {{DNW1|author="The Book of Mormon"|article=The Book of Mormon|vol=45|num=25|date=10 December 1892|start=780}}
#{{note|1stpres1}}{{IE|author=First Presidency|article=Address to the World|vol=10|date=May 1907|start=481|end=495}}
#{{note|JFS1917}} Joseph F. Smith, General Conference address (April 6, 1917)
#{{note|brown1}}{{IE|author=Hugh B. Brown|article=Discourse|vol=10|date=December 1956|start=949|end=949}}
#{{note|neusner1}} Jacob Neusner, ''The Way Of Torah'', 6th edition, (Belmont, California: Wadsworth Publishing Company, 1997), 15. ISBN 0534516033.
#{{note|packer1}} {{Ensign|author=Boyd K. Packer|article=A Defense and a Refuge|date=November 2006|start=85|end=88}} {{link|url=http://lds.org/ensign/2006/11/a-defense-and-a-refuge?lang=eng}}

=={{Further reading label}}==

==={{FAIR wiki articles label}}===
*[[Did early LDS leaders denounce Christianity]]
{{FallacyBegin}}
* [[Logical_fallacies#Ad_hominem | Ad hominem]]
* [[Logical_fallacies#Appeal_to_authority | Appeal to authority]]
* [[Logical_fallacies#Appeal_to_belief | Appeal to belief]]
* [[Logical_fallacies#Appeal_to_the_majority | Appeal to the majority]]
* [[Logical_fallacies#Appeal_to_tradition | Appeal to tradition]]
* [[Logical_fallacies#Argument_from_repetition | Argument from repetition]]
* [[Logical_fallacies#Argumentum_ad_numerum | Argument ad numerum]]
* [[Logical_fallacies#Bandwagon_fallacy | Bandwagon fallacy]]
* [[Logical_fallacies#Begging_the_question | Begging the question]]
* [[Logical_fallacies#False_analogy | False analogy]]
* [[Logical_fallacies#False_premise | False premise]]
* [[Logical_fallacies#Ideology_over_reality | Ideology over reality]]
* [[Logical_fallacies#No_true_Scotsman | No true Scotsman]]
* [[Logical_fallacies#Poisoning_the_well | Poisoning the well]]
* [[Logical_fallacies#Straw_man | Straw man]]
{{FallacyEnd}}
{{DefinitionFallaciesWiki}}
{{TheosisWiki}}
{{InterfaithWiki}}

==={{FAIR web site label}}===
{{JesusFAIR}}
{{TheosisFAIR}}

==={{Video label}}===
{{Video:Brown:2004:Historical or Hysterical}}

==={{External links label}}===
*Davis Bitton, "A Voice from Christmas Past," ''Meridian Magazine'' (''ldsmag.com''), 5 December 2006. {{link|url=http://www.ldsmag.com/historybits/061205christmas.html}}
* {{Dialogue|author=G. Eugene England, Jr.|vol=5|num=4|start=71|date=Winter 1970|article=Are Mormons Christians?|end=76}}{{link|url=http://content.lib.utah.edu/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=/dialogue&CISOPTR=7466&REC=20}}
*{{FR-14-1-8}}
*{{FR-14-1-9}}
*{{FR-18-2-6}}{{NB}}
*Nate Nielson, "Are Mormons Christian?" Newsroom Blog, Public Affairs Department, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (19 April 2010). {{ldslink|http://newsroom.lds.org/blog/2010/04/are-mormons-christian.html}}
*Daniel C. Peterson and Stephen D. Ricks, "Comparing LDS Beliefs with First-Century Christianity, (Provo, Utah: FARMS, no date). {{link|url=http://farms.byu.edu/display.php?table=transcripts&id=93}}
*{{aremormonschristians0}}
*{{Ensign1|author=Robert E. Wells|article=We Are Christians Because...|date=January 1984|start=17}}{{link|url=http://library.lds.org/library/lpext.dll/ArchMagazines/Ensign/1984.htm/ensign%20january%201984.htm/we%20are%20christians%20because%20.htm?fn=document-frame.htm&f=templates&2.0}}
{{TheosisLinks}}

==={{Printed material label}}===

* {{CR|author=Hugh B. Brown|article=’Are the Latter-day Saints… Christians?’|date=8 April 1962}}; see also {{IE|author=Hugh B. Brown|article=’Are the Latter-day Saints… Christians?’vol=65|num=6|date=June 1962|start=408|end=411}}
* Hugh B. Brown, "Are Mormons Christians?," in ''The Abundant Life'' (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1965), 23–34 (Address given at Monks Park, England, 26 October 1962).
*{{Viper1|start=1}}
* {{IE1|author=President Anthony W. Ivins|article=What is a Christian? Why the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a Christian church|vol=29|num=8|date=June 1926}}{{GL1|url=http://gospelink.com/library/doc?book_doc_id=236901}}
*{{Offenders1|start=1}}{{NB}}
{{TheosisPrint}}
{{Articles Footer 1}} {{Articles Footer 2}} {{Articles Footer 3}} {{Articles Footer 4}} {{Articles Footer 5}} {{Articles Footer 6}} {{Articles Footer 7}} {{Articles Footer 8}} {{Articles Footer 9}} {{Articles Footer 10}}

[[fr:Jesus Christ/Latter-day Saints aren't Christians]]

Science and the Church of Jesus Christ/Global or local Flood

2011-07-18T19:04:28Z

DeeAnnC: /* {{Endnotes label}} */ added link to google books

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=={{Criticism label}}==

*Modern scientific knowledge regarding the diversity of species, language and evidence of continuous human habitation does not support the Biblical story that a global flood wiped out most life as recently as 4,400 years ago.
*Critics claim that LDS scriptures require Mormons to believe in a global flood, and that if LDS doctrine or leaders are fallible in their statements concerning the flood, then they must be wrong about other Church doctrines as well.
*If Noah's Flood was not global, how do we account for Joseph Smith's claim that the Garden of Eden was located in Missouri?
*Isn't it true that before the flood all the continents were all one land mass, since the Bible says that the earth was "divided in the days of Peleg."

{{CriticalSources}}

=={{Response label}}==
{{Epigraph|THE GREAT FLOOD. The Old Testament records a flood that was just over fifteen cubits (sometimes assumed to be about twenty-six feet) deep and covered the entire landscape: "And all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered" (Gen. 7:19). Scientifically this account leaves many questions unanswered, especially how a measurable depth could cover mountains. Elder John A. Widtsoe, writing in 1943, offered this perspective: The fact remains that the exact nature of the flood is not known. We set up assumptions, based upon our best knowledge, but can go no further. We should remember that when inspired writers deal with historical incidents they relate that which they have seen or that which may have been told them, unless indeed the past is opened to them by revelation. The details in the story of the flood are undoubtedly drawn from the experiences of the writer. Under a downpour of rain, likened to the opening of the heavens, a destructive torrent twenty-six feet deep or deeper would easily be formed. The writer of Genesis made a faithful report of the facts known to him concerning the flood. In other localities the depth of the water might have been more or less. In fact, the details of the flood are not known to us [Widtsoe, p. 127]. —''Encyclopedia of Mormonism'', "Earth" {{link|url=http://eom.byu.edu/index.php/Earth}} }}
{{parabreak}}

===Basic teachings and beliefs regarding the Flood===
There are a number of basic teachings which we all accept regardless of the global or local scope of the Flood:
*There existed a prophet named Noah.
*Noah was commanded by the Lord to construct an ark.
*Noah warned the people of the impending deluge.
*The Flood was a ''literal'' event which did indeed occur.
*Noah, his family and the animals he collected were saved from the deluge.
*The Lord made a covenant with Noah and his descendants.

{{SeeAlso|/Statements|l1=Statements from Church leaders regarding the Flood of Noah}}

===Belief in a global flood within the Church===
Without a doubt, the flood is always treated as global event as it is taught by Church leaders. This is not likely to ever change, since it is based directly upon a straightforward reading of the scriptures. The challenge comes to those who examine scientific data showing the diversity of plant and animal life, and the millennia required to achieve such diversity. The story of a global deluge then appears to be at complete odds with scientific data, which may encourage some not only to doubt the scriptures, but to even question the existence of God. Therefore, can one believe that the Flood of Noah may have been of limited scope, yet still accept what is taught in Church? This article examines the scriptures from the point of view of the prophets who ''wrote'' the story of the Flood in order to answer this question.

Although this criticism is directed at the LDS church, it is really directed at ''anyone'' who believes in a literal reading of the Old Testament. LDS leaders have in the past taught the concept of a global flood based upon such a reading. Although the idea of the global flood has been used as an example, Church leaders have never stated that a belief in a ''global'' flood is ''necessary'' for salvation.

{{scripture||Genesis|7|19-23}} reads:
:19 And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered.
:20 Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were covered.
:21 And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man:
:22 All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died.
:23 And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark.

A similar reference to the destruction of all flesh from off the earth is found in Latter-day scripture in {{scripture||Moses|8|25-30}}. These passages have long been interpreted to mean that the entire globe was covered by water (although some have pointed out that the reader is left to wonder how "the mountains were covered" by water "fifteen cubits" deep — approximately 23 feet.) The primary reason for this global interpretation is the use of the word "earth." When modern readers see the word "earth," they envision the ''entire planetary sphere''. Dr. Duane E. Jeffery elaborates:

:A critical issue in the Flood story in the King James Bible has to do with translations of the Hebrew words ''eretz'' and ''adamah'' as meaning the entire “earth.” What do these terms actually mean? It is widely recognized that Hebrew is a wonderful language for poets, since virtually every word has multiple meanings. But that same characteristic makes it a horrible language for precision. As it turns out, ''eretz'' and ''adamah'' can indeed be a geographical reference akin to what we usually mean by “the earth.” But it is not at all clear that the ancients had the concept of a spherical planet that you and I do. Many scholars argue that the Bible writers thought in terms of a flat earth that was covered by a bowl-shaped firmament into which the windows of heaven were literally cut..." {{ref|jeffery.30}}

In fact, the concept of a spherical earth "did not appear in Jewish thought until the fourteenth or fifteenth century."{{ref|jeffery1}} The word "earth," as used in the Bible, simply refers to solid ground or land, as opposed to water (see {{scripture||Genesis|1|10}} — "God called the dry land Earth; and...the waters called he Seas...."). It is, of course, possible that earlier prophets had a more advanced view of the nature of the earth—this perspective could, however, have been lost to later centuries and scribes.

The concept of a global flood has become further reinforced within the Church by the fact that modern day prophets and apostles have taught that the flood washed away the earth's wickedness. For example, in 1880 Elder Orson Pratt stated that God "required our globe to be baptized by a flow of waters, and all of its sins were washed away, not one sin remaining."{{ref|pratt1}} Joseph Smith, Jr. taught that Noah was born to save seed of everything when the earth was washed of its wickedness by the flood.{{ref|smith1}} Such wickedness could include ''man's'' wickedness, or it could imply a need for the earth itself to have a type of baptism.

===Are Church members required to believe in a global flood?===
The early prophets and apostles frequently taught their beliefs regarding a global flood using the scriptures. In modern times a belief in a global flood event continues to be widely-held within the Church. A search for the full term "global flood" on the official Church website (www.lds.org) produces only a single reference in the January 1998 ''Ensign'', although there are a number of references in other articles to the Flood being of a global nature even up to the present time. (see: [[/Statements|Statements by General Authorities related to the Flood]]) Typically, references to the Flood are presented in the context of teaching some Gospel principle. One recent article in the ''Ensign'', written by BYU professor Donald W. Parry, clearly and directly indicates his opinion that the flood was global in nature.
<blockquote>
Still other people accept parts of the Flood story, acknowledging that there may have been a local, charismatic preacher, such as Noah, and a localized flood that covered only a specific area of the world, such as the region of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers or perhaps even the whole of Mesopotamia. Yet these people do not believe in a worldwide or global flood. Both of these groups—those who totally deny the historicity of Noah and the Flood and those who accept parts of the story—are persuaded in their disbelief by the way they interpret modern science. They rely upon geological considerations and theories that postulate it would be impossible for a flood to cover earth’s highest mountains, that the geologic evidence (primarily in the fields of stratigraphy and sedimentation) does not indicate a worldwide flood occurred any time during the earth’s existence.
 
There is a third group of people—those who accept the literal message of the Bible regarding Noah, the ark, and the Deluge. Latter-day Saints belong to this group. In spite of the world’s arguments against the historicity of the Flood, and despite the supposed lack of geologic evidence, we Latter-day Saints believe that Noah was an actual man, a prophet of God, who preached repentance and raised a voice of warning, built an ark, gathered his family and a host of animals onto the ark, and floated safely away as waters covered the entire earth. We are assured that these events actually occurred by the multiple testimonies of God’s prophets. {{ref|ensign.jan.1998}}

</blockquote>

The belief that the flood was either ''global'' or ''local'' does not constitute a critical part of Latter-day Saint theology.{{ref|jeffrey3}} Whether the flood was global or local, we believe that the prophet Noah existed, that he built an ark, and that he and his family survived the deluge.

===How could the Garden of Eden have been in Missouri if the Flood was local?===
{{Main|Garden of Eden in Missouri?}}

A question related to the scope of the Flood that arises is how the Garden of Eden could possibly have been located in Missouri if Noah's flood was not global, since his posterity appeared in the Old World. If one were making assumptions about a localized flood in Noah's day, one would have to assume that the flood originated wherever Noah was, and that for as long as the ark drifted, extended at least as far as Noah could see. It would be difficult to know where Noah was before the flood, but the length of Noah's journey could be quite far based upon storm conditions and the time afloat.

One "limited flood" explanation that has been proposed for this is that Noah built his ark and either went down the Mississippi River valley, or that he built the ark on the East Coast of the North American continent. Another line of thought is that the placement of the Garden on the North American continent was more of a symbolic act intended to "sacralize" the land—thus providing it with its own "sacred history" similar to that of the Old World. The truth is, however, that the Biblical description of the location of the Garden of Eden does ''not'' match up with existing Old World geography, any more than it does with New World geography. {{ref|barney1}} (For a more in-depth treatment of this subject, see Kevin Barney, [http://www.bycommonconsent.com/2007/07/was-the-garden-of-eden-really-in-missouri Was the Garden of Eden Really in Missouri?] and the wiki article [[Garden of Eden in Missouri?]]).

===Doesn't the Bible say that the continents were divided immediately after the Flood?===

At least a few leaders of the Church have been of this view. Prominently, prior to becoming president of the Church, Joseph Fielding Smith wrote that

:in the beginning all of the land surface was in one place as it was in the days of Peleg, ({{b||Genesis|10|25}}.) that the earth was divided. Some Bible commentators have concluded that this division was one concerning the migrations of the inhabitants of the earth between them, but this is not the case. While this is but a very brief statement, yet it speaks of a most important event. The dividing of the earth was not an act of division by the inhabitants of the earth by tribes and peoples, but a breaking asunder of the continents, thus dividing the land surface and creating the Eastern Hemisphere and Western Hemisphere.{{ref|jfs1}}

John Taylor also expressed similar views, albeit more briefly.{{ref|taylor1}} It is perhaps important to note that then-Elder Smith wrote that "By looking at a wall map of the world, you will discover how the land surface along the northern and southern coast of the American Hemisphere and Europe and Africa has the appearance of having been together at one time."{{ref|jfs2}} Elder Smith was writing between 1953 and 1966; modern continental drift theory was only beginning to gain acceptance during this period (even by 1977, a geology textbook would note that "a poll of geologists now would probably show a substantial majority who favor the idea of drift," while also providing a substantial critique of the theory.{{ref|geobook1}})

It is difficult to know, then, if Elder Smith would have revised his view of the implication that continents "fit," jigsaw-puzzle-like, into each other had he been aware of some of the later evidence. He was certainly humble enough to renounce other views which he had expressed which contradicted later scientific advances.

A few scriptures, then, refer to the earth being ''divided'':

:{{s||Genesis|10|13}} and {{s|1|Chronicles|1|19}}: And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of the one was Peleg; because in his days the earth was divided: and his brother’s name was Joktan.

:{{s||DC|133|24}}: And the land of Jerusalem and the land of Zion shall be turned back into their own place, and the earth shall be like as it was in the days before it was divided.

The verses in Genesis and 1 Chronicles are describing the descendants of Shem. LDS scholar Hugh Nibley viewed Genesis 10:25 (which says that in the days of Peleg "the earth was divided") as meaning "the earth was divided among the children of Noah." There is no serious biblical scholarship that reads these verses as implying a rapid drift of the continents—partly because such an idea would have been utterly foreign to writers in that time period. Some members have preferred to take the reading of Elder Smith as described above.

Note that a belief that the continents were ''physically'' divided during the flood contradicts the belief that the Garden of Eden was on the Western continent, since there would have been no "Western hemisphere" prior to the Flood. At best one would have to say that the Garden of Eden was on the same continent that the modern Middle East is on, but that it was a little further west than believed by traditional fundamentalist Christians.

{{NoOfficial}}

=={{Conclusion label}}==
Like other Christians, Latter-day Saints hold different views on the issue of whether Noah's flood was local or global. Members of any given LDS congregation may have of a variety of points of view, and many have no firm opinion one way or the other.

A belief in either a global or local flood is not a requirement for Latter-day Saints; traditionally, many earlier members and leaders endorsed the global flood views common in society and Christendom generally. The accumulation of additional scientific information have led some to conclude that a local flood — one limited to the area in which Noah lived — is the best explanation of the available data. People of either view, or neither, can be members in good standing.

=={{Endnotes label}}==
#{{note|jeffery1}}{{Sunstone | author=Duane E. Jeffery | article=Noah’s Flood: Modern Scholarship and Mormon Traditions|num=134|date=October 2004|start=30|end=}}
#{{note|jeffery2}}{{Sunstone | author=Duane E. Jeffery | article=Noah’s Flood: Modern Scholarship and Mormon Traditions|num=134|date=October 2004|start=27|end=45 }}
#{{note|pratt1}} {{JDfairwiki|author=Orson Pratt|title=The Earth's Baptism In Water|date=1 Aug. 1880|vol=21|disc=36|start=323}}
#{{note|smith1}} History of the Church 1:283; Evening and Morning Star, August 1832.
#{{note|ensign.jan.1998}}Donald W. Parry, “The Flood and the Tower of Babel,” ''Ensign'', Jan 1998, 35. {{link|url=http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=4a5557b60090c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD}}
#{{note|jeffery3}}{{Sunstone | author=Duane E. Jeffery | article=Noah’s Flood: Modern Scholarship and Mormon Traditions|num=134|date=October 2004|start=31|end=32 }} Jeffrey notes that ideas of a global flood may have resulted from a widespread local problem. A current hypothesis that has been gaining ground since 1998 is that a significant flooding event occurred in the area now occupied by the Black Sea. Evidence has been discovered which has led a number of researchers to believe that the Black Sea area was once occupied by a completely isolated freshwater lake at a much lower level than the ocean. The theory is that the sea level rose and eventually broke through the Bosporus shelf, resulting in a rapid flooding event which would have wiped out all life living along the shores of the lake (see p. 34). Whether this is the source for the Genesis flood remains conjecture.
#{{note|barney1}}Kevin Barney, [http://www.bycommonconsent.com/2007/07/was-the-garden-of-eden-really-in-missouri Was the Garden of Eden Really in Missouri?], ''By Common Consent'', July 4, 2007.
#{{note|jfs1}} {{AnswersGospelQuestions1|vol=5|start=73}}
#{{note|taylor1}} John Taylor, ''Government of God'' (Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret Book, 1852), 110.{{link|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=VCdOAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=government+of+god&hl=en&ei=aoMkToDEDML-sQL2oOXgAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCkQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false}}
#{{note|jfs2}}{{AnswersGospelQuestions1|vol=5|start=73}} For essentially the same argument, see also 4:22; ''Church History and Modern Revelation'' (1947), 2:35; and ''Man: His Origin and Destiny'' (1954), 385, 421–422. Note that these sources are all even earlier, and likewise predate modern continental drift data and theory. President David O. McKay was clear on multiple occasions that the latter volume represented only President Smith's personal opinions, and were not Church doctrine (see [[Primary_sources/Evolution/David_O_McKay_1957|here]] and [[Primary_sources/Evolution/McKay_Letter_1959|here]]).
#{{note|geobook1}} Richard A. Davis, ''Principles of Oceanography'', 2nd edition, (Addison-Wesley, 1977), ISBN 0201014645. For more on continental drift theory's history and development, see ''wikipedia.org'' {{link|url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_drift}}.

=={{Further reading label}}==

==={{FAIR wiki articles label}}===
{{EvolutionWiki}}

==={{FAIR web site label}}===
{{EvolutionFAIR}}

===Videos===
{{Video:Meldrum:Stephens:2003:Children of Lehi}}
{{Video:Ostler:2005:Fallacy}}

==={{External links label}}===
{{EvolutionLinks}}
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Racial issues and the Church of Jesus Christ/Brigham Young/Race mixing punishable by death

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Mormonism and church integrity/"Lying for the Lord"

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