Spencer fluhman is the executive director of the neal a. Many have pointed to the area around the isthmus of tehuantepec as a likely spot. Compelling book of mormon evidence for lehis journey. According to most adherents of the latter day saint movement, the book of mormon is a 19thcentury translation of a record of ancient inhabitants of the american continent, which was written in a script.
Nov 09, 2009 for those who believe the book of mormon took place in present day u. The scientific legacy of a quest to prove the book of mormon. However, careful examination of the text revealed that the book of mormon was quite consistent in its use of distances, and that these distances covered only a few hundred miles at most, and not thousands as some had thought. Welch, lehis trail and nahom revisited, in reexploring the book of mormon. Welch, member of the byu law faculty, is generally considered the leading book of mormon scholar alive today. Lost civilizations of north america documentary4, deborah bolnick on haplogroup x.
We read about a narrow neck, a narrow neck of land. The statement placing the setting for the book of mormon on the american continent was also a secondary source. The church emphasizes the doctrinal and historical value of the book of mormon, not its geography. The fight over book of mormon geography deseret news.
The foundation for ancient research and mormon studies farms was an informal collaboration of academics devoted to latterday saint historical scholarship. However, careful examination of the text revealed that the book of. It contains a lineage history of three small colonies who came from the old world and settled in an american land of promise. As the above logo depicts, we do respect this mandate, and our model is unique in this regard.
Historical antecedents and early interpretations matthew roper introduction the book of mormon is a record prepared and written. Saints and book of mormon geography church history. Joseph smith, revelation, and book of mormon geography. Chief among these is the fact that we know we certainty where the story beginsin old world jerusalem. First, they discuss book of mormon geography, preferring the mesoamerican theory. Why did mormon give so many details about geography. The discussion on book of mormon geography was getting heated. A collection of short articles from the farms newsletter in the 1980. Hugh nibley and book of mormon geography book of mormon.
Fax from the office of the first presidency to farms, april 12, 1993. Hemispheric geography theory lds have traditionally interpreted the text hemispherically and assumed a blank continent. This article discusses how geographical theories about the book of mormon have developed. Poulson doesnt seem to notice the irony in this sentence. How byu destroyed ancient book of mormon studies william.
Due to its commitment to faithful scholarship, farms has been a focus of some controversy within the mormon community. Speaking of the book s history and geography, president russell m. This book locates everything from the narrow neck, to zarahemla, from cumorah, to the land of promise, bountiful. Both an approach to the book of mormon geography, february 2009 6 mediterranean california basin chile south africa australia mediterranean climates throughout the world. Interesting as these matters may be, study of the book of mormon is most rewarding when one focuses on its primary purpose. Sorenson, an ancient american setting, 34353, an apologist for the critics. Joseph smith and the geography of the book of mormon. Critique of a limited geography for book of mormon events. He is also associate professor of history at brigham young university, where he teaches american religious.
Fields, atul nepal, joseph smith, the times and seasons, and central american ruins, journal of book of mormon and other restoration scripture 22, no. The heartland model or heartland theory of book of mormon geography states that the book of mormon events primarily occurred in the heartland of north america. Yet until last week, i was concerned about the future of book of mormon studies covering the entire spectrum of scholarship. After several months of intense careful study of the text i have put together the following proposed map, showing the relative positions.
The two big problems with the mesoamerican model for book of mormon geography are 1 there is zero evidence of the book of mormon narrative there and 2 the proponents insist joseph didnt know much. Each year at its annual book of mormon lands conference, the book of mormon archaeological forum gives the father lehi award and the. All lds students of book of mormon geography who have worked systematically with the problem in recent decades have come to agree on this sorenson 1985, 2930. Linguistic anachronisms in the book of mormon are words that represent concepts that are not believed to have existed in the americas between 2500 b. Home true book of mormon geography lands western new. A source book 1992, which presents maps of where cities theoretically might be located, where battles took place, and so on. He is also associate professor of history at brigham young university, where he teaches american religious history. Matthew roper, limited geography and the book of mormon. Top 10 book of mormon map features book mormon history.
The maxwell institutes statement on book of mormon geography is quite succinct. Scholars gathered in provo, utah, to discuss their theories about where the. Supporters, including highranking church leaders, see this model as. Moronis america the book of mormon in north america. Since the early twentieth century, many scholars and other serious students of the book of mormon have come to favor the limited geography model, with mesoamerica extending from southern mexico to. The research herein refutes the claim that dna analysis. Apr 30, 2015 matthew roper, limited geography and the book of mormon. Jan 29, 2019 as such, we value the book of mormon the primary sourcefor the subject of book of mormon geography above secondary sources like olivers letter. The prophet joseph smith himself accepted what he felt was evidence of book of mormon civilizations in both north america and central america. How a mormon lawyer transformed archaeology in mexicoand.
A complete description of the book of mormon geography bomgeography, including an internal map model, external map model i. Smith, hebrew scholar, edited the first book of mormon critical text published by farms in 1984 1987. Sep 08, 2015 beyond in depth classes on major books of the book of mormon, byu should offer classes on book of mormon geography, history, archaeology, linguistics, literature, theology, culture, language. Book of mormon geography in joseph smiths day book of. Gods word is to be established by two or more witnesses 2 cor. After several months of intense careful study of the text i have put together the following proposed map, showing the relative positions of book of mormon lands, cities, rivers, etc. Joseph smith knew book of mormon geography book of. Jun 27, 2016 for overviews on the history of book of mormon geography, see john l. Joseph smith, discourses of the prophet joseph smith, compiled by alma p. Sorenson, an ancient american setting for the book of mormon salt lake city. Cumorah true book of mormon geography lands western. Supporters, including highranking church leaders, see this model as consistent with archaeological and genetic findings about ancient american peoples, as well as with the book of mormon text.
Work produced under farms s auspices has been critiqued on at least three fronts. He also includes a summary of the criteria for an acceptable model from the text, by feature pp. Includes every geographical place mentioned in the book of mormon. Proposed book of mormon geographical setting wikipedia. The one and only river mentioned in the entire book of mormon is called the sidon.
Bob also participated in the book of mormon geography group convened by david a. In 1997, the group became a formal part of brigham young university byu, which is owned and operated by the church of jesus christ of latterday saints lds church. Until we have clearer knowledgeon book of mormon geography in church history. The research herein refutes the claim that dna analysis proves the book of mormon false, on the contrary it explores genetic dna evidence that may actually support the claims of the book of mormon. A discussion of the arabian, or old world, geography of the book of mormon enjoys many advantages over discussion of new world matters. Peruvian setting for the book of mormon mormon matters. We read about a narrow neck, a narrow neck of land, a small neck of land, a narrow pass, a narrow passage, and a narrow strip of wilderness. Critics of the book of mormon have claimed that a variety of linguistic anachronisms exist in it which cast doubt upon its historical authenticity. He graduated summa cum laude from byu and received masters and doctoral degrees in history from the university of wisconsinmadison. The land of zarahemla is at a lower elevation relative to the land of nephi. Generations of mormons grew up with the notion that american indians are descended from a lost tribe from the house of israel, offspring of a book of mormon figure named lehi, who left jerusalem and sailed to the americas around 600 b. Farms even publishes sorensons the geography of book of mormon events. Hugh nibley and book of mormon geography by kirk magleby.
Moroni and sacred grove and smith family farm at saints. John l sorenson, the geography of the book of mormon. Animals in the book of mormon v 5 book of mormon lands one important topic bearing upon the issue of animals in the book of mormon is the location of the lands described in the text. They then address the topic of domestication, crosscultural naming challenges, the extinction of animals, and the difficulty of identifying an extinction date for any animal. Recent research has been conducted on native american dna, studies potentially related to the book of mormon that may lend support to its claims. Limited geography and the book of mormon byu scholarsarchive. As the above logo depicts, we do respect this mandate, and our model. In our view, an ancient mesoamerican setting is best supported by the information given in the book of mormon. The book of mormon geography lands and map with dna evidence. Biblical lands and the book of mormon lands provides an important premise and solution for several geographical features and challenges noted in the book of mormon text. It, therefore, is an important geographical indicator. Regarding point 1, i have read all of sorensons works and most of what farms and the maxwell institute have. The hill cumorah in ontario county ny is the hill where joseph smith found the golden plates and is the same hill where the civilizations of the nephites cumorah and the jaredites ramah fought their last battles. The geographical setting of the book of mormon has been the subject of.
An ancient american setting for the book of mormon salt lake city. These problematic areas in normans publication suggest that perhaps he, like the man who lost his watch, is looking in the wrong place. Cumorah true book of mormon geography lands western new. Jan 30, 2019 see the series of quotations from 1903 to 1993 at book of mormon geography and revelation, fairmormon n. This site can be used as a study guide to help understand the book of mormon. After making some contributions here, i am now beginning to wonder if much of this article should not. The mesoamerican core and north american periphery of book of mormon geography of course all of this has quite a bit of uncertainty, but these are the best explanations i have come across. Historical antecedents and early interpretations matthew roper introduction the book of mormon is a record prepared and written by ancient american prophets. And they built a great city by the narrow neck of land, by the place where the. Home true book of mormon geography lands western new york. Since the early twentieth century, many scholars and other serious students of the book of mormon have come to favor the limited geography model, with mesoamerica extending from southern mexico to guatemala as the book of mormon homeland and new yorks hill cumorah as the repository of mormons record but not the scene of the final. The final test of our views of book of mormon geography will be. The first readers of the book of mormon tended to conceive of geography stretching for thousands of miles in a northtosouth direction.
Items do not represent the official views of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints or of book of mormon central. New era dawns for book of mormon studies meridian magazine. Statement on book of mormon geography page 7 general. Generations of mormons grew up with the notion that american indians are. See my answers to questions about the book of mormon here. When the maxwell institute at byu which included farms further redefined its direction last month, i wondered if it signified the end for research related to book of mormon geography. They then address the topic of domestication, crosscultural naming challenges, the extinction of animals, and the. Sorenson provides a versebyverse analysis of each geographical passage in the book of mormon in the geography of book of mormon events.
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