Book of mormon literary style literature

The literary power of the book of mormon religious. Scriptural style in early nineteenth century american literature. Opening the book of mormon itself, we find that it more than fulfills our expectations. But rarely has the book, on its own merits, been considered a genuine work of art. First, we are going to discuss the style of book of mormon writer or writers, and second we will talk about scriptural style in the book of mormon. Although understated as literature in its clear and plain language, the book of mormon exhibits a wide variety of literary forms, including intricate hebraic poetry, memorable narratives, rhetorically effective sermons, diverse letters, allegory, figurative language, imagery, symbolic types, and wisdom literature. As unnatural parallels multiply in any study, the scale tips from accident toward the cultural connection side. When isaiah wrote hebrew, it contained no punctuation or capitalization.

Another testament of jesus christ book of mormon american sign language book of mormon desseret alphabet. Is it really fair to call the book of mormon a classic. Pratt, remembered his first encounter with the book as leaving an indelible impact on his life. Literary style used in book of mormon insured accurate. The book of mormon musical in march 2011, a religious satire musical opened on broadway entitled the book of mormon. I would add that literary style is not just the frosting on the cake called the book of mormon it is an essential part of the cake. It is the sacred text for the 15 millionstrong church of jesus christ of latterday saints.

A truly mormon literature would stand firm against secular mans increasing anxiety about the ability of language to get at the irreducible otherness of things outside the mind. In 2016, however, reaction to the book of mormon among non mormon readers is much more positive, with some now classifying the book as a classic. Literary style used in the book of mormon hugh nibley. So literary style is really not fluff after all, but an essential ingredient in communicating gods message to his children p. Religious studies center, brigham young university, 1990, 25169. The book of mormon is, in steinbergs view, a work of fan fiction, a way to imbue a new world with some of the sanctity of the holy land. Jacob through words of mormon, to learn with joy, eds.

This may lead readers to wonder if it has any literary merit at. Several critics have pointed to grammatical errors in the early modern english style of the book of mormon and made the argument that because the original ms, the printers ms, and the first edition of the book of mormon appear to have contained hundreds of grammatical errors, the book was therefore fabricated by smith and not divinely inspired. This blog post is the first of several about the writers and the construction of the book of mormon. A mormon literary theory would view words and language as centered in christ and would privilege meaning and reason. The blurry eyes from reading and the enjoyment from delving into the great literature of history have left me to ponder the book of mormon as it might stack up against the standards, mores, artifices, and literary devices used by the geniuses to portray their ideas in print.

This compilation of groundbreaking book of mormon articles is selected from over fifty years of lds scholarship published by byu studies. Tanner, literary reflections on jacob and his descendants, in the book of mormon. Its the calling card for thousands of missionaries, and part of the inspiration for a tony awardwinning broadway musical. It is claimed that the presence of chiasmus in the book of mormon is either coincidental, an artifact of the observer, or not impressive since examples of chiastic patterns have been found in the doctrine and covenants or other 19th century writing. A literary structure known as chiasmus exists in the book of mormon. While the book of mormon is richly chiastic, extensive structural chiasmus has yet to be found in any other literature in the world other than the hebrew. Whether one believes the book of mormon is ancient scripture or nineteenth century american literature, it is a classic that has had a profound effect on millions of men and women. Perhaps the most conspicuous academic embrace of the book of mormon is occurring inof all placesliberal secular vermont, where elizabeth fenton is currently teaching a graduate seminar at the university of vermont called the book of mormon and its world, which all available evidence suggests is the first literature course outside of utah to focus exclusively on the book of. A glance at independent studies of poetic style in the book of mormon crowell 1992. I dont, however, have any more substantive argument as to why this is a mormon poem, although i can imagine that one might be made. The book of mormon is where the literary and spiritual ambitions of the.

However, along with its incomparable spiritual message, the book of mormon contains a wealth of literary forms and figures of speech containing dozens of literary patterns. Many writers contributed to the book of mormon as ive stated earlier the purpose of my blog is to bear my witness that the book of mormon is another witness of jesus christ. He has reasearched and written widely on various topics, but his study of the book of mormon led him to publish two. Thus, the presence of chiasmus in the book of mormon would reveal new ways in which the book of mormon is true to itself, true to its general cultural origins, and truly a remarkable piece of religious literature in its own right.

Scriptures and literature the complete standard works online online versions of the standard worksscriptures of the church copy of book of mormon obtain a free copy of the book of mormon. Thus it seems that we are able to meet the demands of an exceptionally strong conditional here. Book of mormon literature the encyclopedia of mormonism. The encyclopedia of mormonism entry book of mormon literature observes that the book is both coherent and polished although not obtrusively so and notes the use of chiasmus, allegory, metaphor, typology, and other literary forms. The church news recently received a letter from an interested nonmember of the church making the inquiry about why the prophet joseph smith, in translating the book of mormon, did not use. Book of mormon, work accepted as holy scripture, in addition to the bible, in the church of jesus christ of latterday saints and other mormon churches. Two studies 47 the book of mormon s own theological statements, therefore, are drawn from, depend on, expand, and explain interpretations already present in the new testament. It is increasingly seen as a unique work that beautifully and compellingly reveals and speaks to the essential human condition. Book of mormon literary style in mesoamerica it came to. Every man that writes is writing a new bible, or a new apocrypha.

Gideon burton brigham young university presentation to the association for. Bible king james version, bible quoted in book of mormon, biblical scholars, blasphemy, book of mormon, carl popper. Hebrew literary patterns in the book of mormon by donald w. The generation of writers after the home literature movement produced fiction. Ancient literary forms in the book of mormon byu scholarsarchive. The poem is by a mormon and appeared in an anthology of mormon poetry and was labelled by a mormon scholar of literature as a mormon poem. Although the book of mormon is composed of such literary elements as stories, poetry, symbolism, letters, archetypes, typology, and allegories, it is not just. My intended readers are those who may have little appetite for endless footnotes from obscure sources, and are not bedazzled by credentials behind a name. For example, parallelisms, which abound in the book of mormon, serve many functions. January 2, 1988 by ben crowder apocryphal works, attack.

They add emphasis to twicerepeated concepts and give definition to sharply drawn contrasts. In 20, cedar fort refused to sell a contracted book after one of the authors. The book of mormon has added words to the language, dotted the map from new york to utah with unique place names, and given believers a gallery of heroes rivaling the old testament. What can stylometry tell us about book of mormon authorship. The book of mormon is the main piece of holygodgiven writ that distinguishes mormonism from catholicism and the. Chiasmus in the book of mormon philosophies of men. The book of mormon gets the literary treatment cultnews101.

The book of mormon was published on march 26, 1830. Rust, richard dilworth although understated as literature in its clear and plain language, the book of mormon exhibits a wide variety of literary forms, including intricate hebraic poetry, memorable narratives, rhetorically effective sermons, diverse letters, allegory, figurative language, imagery, symbolic types, and wisdom literature. The encyclopedia of mormonism entry book of mormon literature. Literary style used in book of mormon insured accurate translation. New computer study purports to detect literary influences.

New computer study purports to detect literary influences on the book of mormon posted on october 27, 20 by christopher smith the internets been abuzz with hype this week about a new computer study by duane and chris johnson which purports to identify four literary influences on the book of mormon besides the king james bible. This may not be an earthshattering observation, but by framing joseph smiths as a literary project steinberg recovers it from the abuses of those who dismiss smith as a huckster. Each has its unique alphabet and is read from right to left. This volume features articles that look at literary aspects of the book of mormon, including a lyric reading of nephis psalm, the exodus pattern and moses typology in the book, the literary context that affected its acceptance in england in 1837, a comparison of the book of mormon with the narrative of zosimus, and even an analysis of the. A stylometric analysis of mormon scripture and related texts d. This volume features articles that look at literary aspects of the book of mormon, including a lyric reading of nephis psalm, the exodus pattern and moses typology in the book. That said, unique literary styles in the book of mormon is not meant to satisfy all technical demands of academic scholarship. The style of the book of mormon has been criticized by some as being verbose and redundant, but in most cases these repetitions are orderly and effective. Mark twain may have savaged its literary ambitions, but a new novel from avi steinberg tries to rescue mormonisms holy text by treating it like. The literary masterpiece called the book of mormon. Conceived by trey parker, matt stone, and robert lopez, the play tells the story of two young mormon missionaries sent to a remote village in northern uganda, where a brutal warlord is threatening the local population. A journal of mormon thought, which was founded in 1966.

Unique literary styles in the book of mormon, further. With the exception of converts, initial reaction was hostile. Grant hardy became intrigued with world religions, especially those of east asia, as a young missionary. It was first published in 1830 in palmyra, new york, and was thereafter widely reprinted and translated. The book of mormon is the doctrinal centerpiece of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints. Journal of the book of mormon and other restoration scripture 69 classics from the past literary style used in book of mormon insured accurate translation hugh nibley nibleys response to a query was printed in the church news. That we have a trope entry on the book of mormon, a book of scripture used by the church of jesus christ of latterday saints and its splinter groups alongside the bible and the canonized revelations of their founder joseph smith and a few other past leaders of the lds church.

Although understated as literature in its clear and plain language, the book of mormon exhibits a wide variety of literary forms, including. Book of mormonevidenceshebraismschiasmus fairmormon. The literary power of the book of mormon book of mormon. The book of mormon gets the literary treatment religion. The literature of these experiences is, as one might expect, often less concerned with the aesthetics of form and style than it is with the practical matters of defense, instruction, preachment, and encouragement. That the time limits named in the book of mormonwhich represents the people of america as speaking and writing one language down to as late a period as. The bibleasliterature movement was so successful that by the fall of 1982, when the notoriously shy fryebedecked in an illfitting powder blue.

Echoes and evidences of the book of mormon parry, donald w. Although the book of mormon is composed of such literary elements as stories, poetry, symbolism, letters, archetypes, typology, and allegories, it is not just literature. Fanfic mark twain may have savaged its literary ambitions, but a new novel from avi steinberg tries to rescue mormonisms holy text by. Not least, it has added to native literature a distinct literary type, the nephite legend, by now an approved subject for ph. He instructed both undergraduate and graduate classes in sociological theory, the sociology of religion, the sociological study of mormon life, and the book of mormon. Critics of the book of mormon are quick to point out that knowledge of chiasmus was actually widespread during that time and it would not have been exceptional at all for joseph smith to have been aware of this hebrew literary style during translation. Chiasmus is in a literature if and only if its roots are hebraic. Chiasmus is one aspect of that way of writing, or, in other words, one of the literary techniques present in the bible, that has recently attracted the attention of. There is a science of measuring literary style called. Parry the poetry contained in the inspired books, the most ancient and the most simple, is superior to all others, and deserves exclusively to be denominated sublime. Bible, book of ether, book of mormon, book of moses, book of the dead, brigham young, carnal, celestial. The answer here rests on the whole literary style contained in the book of mormon compared to maya writing in the popol vuh. One of the first concepts that struck me while studying mormon literature, was that in the early stage s of lds literature, specifically added upon, the work and author seemed to be more concerned about por traying truth than they were interested in portray ing beauty.

This volume features articles that look at literary aspects of the book of mormon, including a lyric reading of nephis psalm, the exodus pattern and moses typology in the book, the literary context that affected its acceptance in england in 1837, a. For the first time, studies of the book of mormon s literary qualities were appearing in major journals of american literary studies. Duke taught at brigham young university from 1963 to 2003 in the department of sociology. Some critics have disparaged the book of mormon s language for being too repetitive. They speak out incisively on such topics as the prophecy of ezekiel 37, internal and external evidences of the divine origin of the book of mormon, literary style in the book of mormon, ancient temples and the book of mormon, and the book of mormon s teachings for the last days.