Jesus Washes the Feet of His Disciples
Posted in Ancient Near East Bible Book of Mormon covenants dust Evidence Gospel of Jesus Christ Resurrection Scholarship Scripture

The “Arise from the Dust” Theme and the Unity of Isaiah

In my exploration of the “arise from the dust” theme in the Book of Mormon, published in several articles for Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day saint Faith and Scholarship (see “Arise from the Dust,” Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and “Strong Like Unto Moses”) and the topic of my 2018 presentation at the FAIR Latter-day Saints Conference, I noted that passages from Isaiah 49 and Isaiah 52 play an important role in the Book of Mormon. Both involve the theme of dust….

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Book of Mormon cover
Posted in Book of Mormon Evidence

What to Make of “Plagiarism” of the Bible in a Purportedly Ancient Text? A Jewish Scholar Offers a Thoughtful Perspective

The Book of Mormon’s frequent “plagiarism” of passages from the Bible is one of the most common criticisms raised against it’s authenticity and antiquity. It’s actually not very much like…

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Posted in Arabian Peninsula Bible Book of Mormon Critics Evidence

About That Burial Marker in Yemen for a Man Named Ishmael: Impossible That He Was a Hebrew?

Neal Rappleye recently reported that a grave marker in Yemen bearing the name Ishmael could fit the time and place for the burial of Ishmael inn the Book of Mormon. David Bokovoy argues that this is impossible because the marker bears the image of a face, and real Jews forbade images of faces. I discuss why that is an oversimplification of ancient Jewish practices. If cherubim in the Tabernacle can have faces, I suppose a grave marker can, too, as long as no idolatry was intended.

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Posted in Arabian Peninsula Book of Mormon Critics Evidence

“O Captain, My Captain”: Walt Whitman’s Surprising Role in the Ultimate Refutation of All Book of Mormon Evidence

Fond Memories from Before the Blast Back before a massive nuclear logic bomb wiped out Latter-day Saint apologetics a few days ago,  the story behind the map below once counted…

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Posted in Arabia Arabian Peninsula Book of Mormon Evidence

An Update on Maps of the Arabian Peninsula Showing Nahom-related Names

In 2008, James Gee published the results of his extensive search for the rare European maps of Arabia that included names that seem related to Nahom, the place where Ishmael…

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Posted in Arabian Peninsula Book of Mormon Evidence Race Scripture

Recent Discoveries and Advances Published by Interpreter, Part 1

If you aren’t following the journal Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship, you may have missed some discoveries and advances in understanding our scriptures that could be…

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Posted in Book of Mormon Media Movies Witnesses

Apple Itunes Features the Witnesses Movie Trailer on the Front Page of their Movie Trailer Site

I just heard that the trailer for the new Witnesses film about the Three Witnesses is being featured on the front page of Apple’s iTunes Movie Trailers site. That’s pretty…

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Posted in Book of Mormon Evidence Media Movies Origins Witnesses

Witnesses, the Dramatic Movie About Some of the Book of Mormon Witnesses, Premiers on June 2

The powerful drama about the Three Witnesses of the gold plates of the Book of Mormon has now been captured in a movie, Witnesses, that is coming to some theaters…

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Posted in Ancient Near East Bible Books Scholarship Scripture Translation

The Valediction of Moses: A 2,700-Year-Old Biblical Document Long Said to Be a Forgery Gains New Respect

A version of the book of Deuteronomy, long said to be forgery, has just been declared authentic after all, making it the most ancient biblical scroll known in the modern…

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Posted in Ancient Near East Book of Mormon Evidence Hebrew Israel Scholarship

A Gift from Biblical Reproductions: Alma the Son of Judah on a Bar Kochba Letter

There’s an interesting business, Biblical Reproductions, selling authorized reproductions of artifacts and documents related to the Bible. One of the products is a reproduction of 5/6Hev 44 Bar Kokhba, a…

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