A Study of Latter-Day Saint Theology, Doctrine and History
Aside from Jesus Christ, there is probably no more significant, influential or beloved figure in scripture than Isaiah. Isaiah is quoted 85 times in the New Testament, second only to the Psalms. The Book of Mormon contains 21 full chapters, eight additional citations, and 22 paraphrases from Isaiah. Joseph Smith's revelations are replete with direct... Continue Reading →
"Behold, thou art Joseph, and thou wast chosen to do the work of the Lord, but because of transgression, if thou art not aware thou wilt fall." —Revelation to Joseph Smith, July 1828 (D&C 3:9) [Note: this post is intended as a follow up to the three-part series on Joseph Smith's financial malfeasances. I recommend reading... Continue Reading →
“Our whole strength rests on the validity of that vision. It either occurred or it did not occur. If it did not, then this work is a fraud. If it did, then it is the most important and wonderful work under the heavens.” —Gordon B. Hinckley on Joseph Smith's First Vision, October 2002 General Conference... Continue Reading →
"And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was... Continue Reading →
“No other psalm has in research evoked so many hypotheses and discussions as Psalm 110.... We should at once emphasize that both in questions of textual criticism and in history-of-religions problems the last word has not yet been spoken.”— Hans-Joachim Kraus New Testament writers quote Psalm 110 more than any other psalm. (And one of... Continue Reading →
There are many self-styled prophets and teachers in greater Mormondom currently advocating the "doctrine" that Jesus will personally appear to you in this life if you follow the Doctrine of Christ. This is commonly referred to as "The Second Comforter" and can pretty reasonably be traced back to Joseph Smith's misinterpretation of John 14. (The... Continue Reading →
It's interesting to go back and reread things with a new perspective and see what I might have missed the first time or ten--especially with Joseph Smith's revelations. It's now pretty easy to recognize when Joseph draws on on the Hebrew Bible or the New Testament in constructing his revelations. D&C 45 is another revelation... Continue Reading →
“And it came to pass that I looked and beheld the great city of Jerusalem, and also other cities. And I beheld the city of Nazareth; and in the city of Nazareth I beheld a virgin, and she was exceedingly fair and white.” (1 Nephi 11:13) The Birth of Jesus is the most well-known birth story in all... Continue Reading →
Polygamy and the authenticity of the Book of Abraham are probably the two most hotly debated aspects of early Mormonism and Joseph Smith's prophetic career. In recent years much has been made of the papyri, the Egyptian Alphabet and whether the Book of Abraham is a translation or a revelation. A lot rides on the... Continue Reading →
BOOK OF MORMONISM 