Difference between revisions of "FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson One"

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[http://lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-1-the-keystone-of-our-religion?lang=eng Gospel Doctrine Teacher's Manual - Lesson 1: The Keystone of Our Religion]
 
[http://lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-1-the-keystone-of-our-religion?lang=eng Gospel Doctrine Teacher's Manual - Lesson 1: The Keystone of Our Religion]
  
−
==Resources==
+
Disclaimer: The information provided here is a supplement to the lesson manual to assist teachers in addressing issues that might arise in the course of teaching. It is in no way intended to replace or supplant the lesson materials provided by the Church. It is intended only to be used as background information for prior preparation by teachers and should not be in any way replace correlated lesson materials.
  
−
1. “The Keystone of our Religion”
+
==1. The Book of Mormon is the Keystone of Our Religion==
 +
===Helpful Insights===
 +
*The Keystone of Our Religion: The Book of Mormon is the keystone of our religion because the essence of our religion is revelation, and the Book of Mormon is tangible evidence of that revelation has been received. This is why Terryl Givens calls the Book of Mormon the “sacred sign” of our faith. [Terryl L. Givens, By the Hand of Mormon: The American Scripture that Launched a New World Religion (New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2002), 62-88] 
 +
*Witness of Christ: Of the 6,607 verses in the modern editions of the Book of Mormon, 3,925 of them make direct reference to Jesus Christ, an average of 1 reference to Christ every 1.7 verses. [Susan Easton Black, Finding Christ through the Book of Mormon (Salt Lake City, UT: Deseret Book, 1987), 16-18]
 +
*Keystone Witness of Christ: If BoM is true, then the resurrected Christ was seen and touched by thousands of people in ancient America. Thus, Jesus really rose from the dead and the Atonement is real.
 +
*Fullness of Doctrine: The Book of Mormon lays-out a six point formula as the “gospel” or “doctrine” of Christ. [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=841]
 +
*Keystone in Doctrine: If the BoM is true, then Joseph Smith is prophet and the doctrines taught in his later revelations are also true.
 +
*Modal for Testimony: The Book of Mormon presents a revolutionary model for revelation as a dialogue that ultimately provides the means for seeking one’s own testimony [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=10&num=2&id=250]
 +
*Keystone in Testimony: If a person gains a testimony of the BoM, then they also gain a testimony that (1) God exists, (2) Jesus Christ atonement is real, (3) Joseph Smith is a prophet, (4) the Church is true. [Introduction to the Book of Mormon]
 +
===Potential Criticisms and Faithful Information===
 +
*Some critics have said the Book of Mormon teachings of Christ are reflective of Joseph Smith’s environment, rather than an ancient Israelite. Recent research actually shows that the Book of Mormon teachings about the Messiah are consistant with ancient Jewish beliefs. [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/papers/?paperID=6&chapterID=52, or http://www.fairlds.org/FAIR_Conferences/2003_Monotheism_Messiah_and_Mormons_Book.html]
 +
*The title page says Jesus Christ is the “Eternal God.” Some critics say this is evidence that Joseph Smith started out as a modalist or Trinitarian. [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=13&num=2&id=392, specifally pg. 114-139]
 +
*Some critics complain the Book of Mormon does not contain the “fullness of doctrine” or the “fullness of Gospel” because it is missing distinctive “Mormon” doctrines. “Gospel” or “doctrine” as used in the Book of Mormon is not meant to be comprehensive [http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Contains_the_fulness_of_the_gospel]
 +
*Some critics say that praying about the Book of Mormon is not an “objective” means of testing it and that the Biblie is the only standard that can or should be used. This idea is contradicted by the Bible itself [http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Moroni%27s_promise]
 +
*Other critics say that “Moroni’s challenge” is circular reasoning. Such critics are actually engaged in some circular reasoning of their own [http://ldsreasonandrevelation.blogspot.com/2011/04/moroni-103-5-and-truth-of-book-of.html#more]
 +
===Faith Affirmations===
  
−
:a. Discuss how, for the same reasons, the Book of Mormon also plays a “keystone” role in our apologetic efforts – our defense of the Church will fail if we cannot adequately defend the Book of Mormon
+
==2. Many Witnesses have Testified of the Book of Mormon==
 +
===Helpful Insights===
 +
*Angels and Books: The Joseph Smith story actually fits an ancient pattern where prophets are given a heavenly book or hidden record by an angelic messenger [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=9&chapid=77, or http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=773]
 +
*In his 2009 General Conference talk, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland talked about how Joseph and Hyrum Smith went to his death baring testimony of the Book of Mormon, a powerful evidence of its divinity [http://lds.org/ensign/2009/11/safety-for-the-soul?lang=eng]
 +
*Various witnesses have left behind a description of the plates [http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Translation/Description_of_the_plates]
 +
*Informal Witnesses: In addition to the official Book of Mormon witnesses, some others got to feel the plates while covered, or got to see them under special circumstances [http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Witnesses/Other_Book_of_Mormon_witnesses]
 +
===Potential Criticisms and Faithful Information===
 +
*Moroni’s Visit: Critics have attacked the story of Moroni’s visit is various ways. Here some of those criticisms are identified and responded to. [http://en.fairmormon.org/Moroni%27s_visit]
 +
*Weight of the Plates: Some critics say the plates would have weighed too much to be lifted and carried as Joseph and others claimed to. This assumes the plates were pure gold [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=847]
 +
*The Three and Eight Witnesses: Various criticisms have been leveled at the Book of Mormon witnesses. All of these have been responded to by faithful Latter-day Saints. [http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Witnesses]
 +
*Fraudulent Plates? Some critics suggest that Joseph Smith could have manufactured a fake set of plates. [http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Anachronisms/Gold_plates, and http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Witnesses/Strangite_parallels]
 +
===Faith Affirmations===
 +
*Metal Plates: Since the coming forth of the Book of Mormon, numerous examples of writing on metal plates have been unearthed. Here are some examples. [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=19&num=1&id=637, or http://www.templestudy.com/2011/04/07/authentic-ancient-metal-plates/, or http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Anachronisms/Metal_plates]
 +
*Subscriptio: This is the ancient Near Eastern practice of placing the title and authorship of a text at the end of the record, rather than the beginning. Interestingly, Joseph Smith said the title page was a translation of the very last of the metal plates. [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=98&chapid=1038]
 +
*Doubled, Sealed, and Witnessed Documents: Joseph Smith and others who saw the plates said that a portion of them were sealed. This is consistent with known legal practices of the ancient Near-East. [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/insights/?vol=21&num=6&id=200, or http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=9&chapid=76]
 +
*Despite leaving the Church, none of the witnesses ever denied their testimony of seeing the plates [http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Witnesses/Recant, or http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=41&chapid=181]
  
−
:b. At the same time, due to the nature of how the Book of Mormon came forth, evidence for the Book of Mormon also serves as evidence that (1) God exists, (2) Jesus Christ is the Savior and was resurrected, (3) that Joseph Smith is a true Prophet, and (4) that the Church he established is God’s Church. Thus, when we can bolster faith in the Book of Mormon, other concerns lose some of their potency.
+
==3. The Book of Mormon was Written for Our Day==
 +
===Helpful Insights===
 +
*The Book of Mormon is An Ancient Book: While the Book of Mormon was indeed written for our, it is important to remember that the Book of Mormon was not written in our day. Brant Gardner has explained it this way:
  
−
2. Many Witnesses have Testified of the Book of Mormon
+
:“It is popular (and theologically appropriate) to claim that the Book of Mormon was written for our day. This statement emphasizes the modern value of the Book of Mormon. It necessarily treats the text ahistorically. Regardless of the value for our day and the obvious fact that it came forth in our day, it was not written in our day, nor in our language, nor in our culture. Even internally, there is little evidence that Mormon conceived of a future people who were significantly different from those he knew.” [Brant A. Gardner, Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon, six volumes, (Salt Lake City: Greg Kofford Books, 2007), 1: viii.]
  
−
:a. The Testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith
+
Thus, it is important not impose modern standards and expectations on to the record. Of course we still can, and should, “liken” the text to our own lives, but at the same time caution must be taken to remember that “likening” is a tool for practical application, not a method of scriptural exegesis. Understanding this is important because many criticisms against the Book of Mormon rely on modern assumptions about the it, rather than what it actually says.
 +
Potential Criticisms and Faithful Information
 +
Faith Affirmations
  
−
::- Angel vs. Treasure Guardian: Some critics have claimed that Joseph Smith’s story of the coming forth of the Book of Mormon started out a money-digger’s yarn, with Moroni as a spirit guardian of buried treasure. Earliest sources better support the religious context (Mark Ashurst-McGee; Larry E. Morris). Furthermore, ancient motifs of angels delivering hidden books better fits the context of Joseph Smith’s story (John A. Tvedtnes)
+
==4. The Book of Mormon can Bring us Nearer to God==
 +
===Helpful Insights===
 +
===Potential Criticisms and Faithful Information===
 +
*“Most Correct Book”: Many critics claim that because Joseph Smith said the Book of Mormon is the “most correct book” it should be error-free. These critics are taking this quote out of context. [http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/As_the_most_correct_book]
 +
*Textual Changes: Some critics point to textual changes as evidence of changing theology or covering up mistakes. Most changes are minor edits to punctuation, spelling, and grammar. The few more significant changes have been examined and discussed by knowledgeable Latter-day Saints [http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Textual_changes]
 +
===Faith Affirmations===
  
−
::- Evidence for metal records and the practice of hiding them and other important documents in stone boxes; sealed books, etc.
+
==Additional Information Related to the Introductory Material in the Book of Mormon==
−
 
+
In the Introduction to the Book of Mormon, it says that the Book of Mormon is a “record of God’s dealings with the ancient inhabitants of the Americas” and that the Lamanites are “among the ancestors of the American Indians.” This opens up a number issues related to Book of Mormon geography, archeology, populations, and modern DNA studies. The following maybe helpful to Gospel Doctrine instructors who would like to be prepared should any of these issues arise during their lesson:
−
::- Could also add insight from Elder Holland’s October 2009 GC talk about Joseph and Hyrum affirming the divinity of the Book of Mormon in the face of death.
+
*Archeology: Critics claim that archeology contradicts the Book of Mormon. [http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Archaeology]
−
 
+
*Geography: Most people assume that the Book of Mormon events spanned across the entire continent. A close reading of the text reveals fairly tight spatial relations. [http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Geography/New_World]
−
:b. The Three and Eight Witnesses
+
*DNA and the Book of Mormon: Some critics claim that DNA disproves the Book of Mormon, while some members have claimed that DNA provides evidence for the Book of Mormon. Both claims are incorrect. [http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/DNA_evidence]
−
 
 
−
::- Could discuss the different experiences of the two sets of witnesses, how they compliment and affirm each other.
 
−
 
 
−
::- Share background information on each or some of the witnesses that show that they were honest and trustworthy.
 
−
 
 
−
::- Talk about how none ever denied their testimony, despite the fact that some fell away.
 
−
 
 
−
::- Comment of the Consistency of their testimony.
 
−
 
 
−
::- Relevant Criticisms: the witnesses are superstitious or visionary and therefore not reliable; some reports show they only claimed to see them “with an eye of faith” (or “spiritual eyes”), “out of the body”, “in a vision”, etc.; attempts to pass the experience of the three witnesses off as a hallucination, hypnotic spell, or merely “visionary”; attempts to redefine the experience of the eight witnesses as “visionary”; fuss over the fact that Joseph wrote the signed statements in the Book of Mormon; complaints that “all witnesses” stood by their testimony is an exaggeration since we don’t have personal writings from all 11 affirming their testimony. (Essentially all of these have been dealt with by Richard Lloyd Anderson in his book, or the various articles he has written)
 
−
 
 
−
:c. Other Witnesses
 
−
 
 
−
::- Inform people about the little know stories of the “informal witnesses” such as William Smith, Lucy Mack Smith, Emma Smith, Mary Whitmer, Lucy Harris, Josiah Stowell, etc. Discuss how these experience help solidify the objective existence of real, tangible plates.
 
−
 
 
−
3.      The Book of Mormon was Written for Our Day
 
−
 
 
−
:a. Here the Manual points out that although the Book of Mormon is ancient, it was still written for our day. While this is true, it could also be pointed out that although the Book of Mormon was written for our day, it is still an ancient document. Meaning, that it should not be held to modern assumptions and expectations. While it is good to “liken” the scriptures to ourselves for spiritual and practical purposes, we should not subsequently impose our modern viewpoint onto the authors of the ancient text. Understanding this import concept helps resolve several criticisms against the text.
 
−
 
 
−
4.      The Book of Mormon Can Bring us Nearer to God
 
−
 
 
−
:a. Since the this refers us to the quote that also says the Book of Mormon is the “most correct” book, this could be a good time to discuss scriptural fallibility, pointing out that the Title Page warns about the “faults of men”(as do other verses in the Book of Mormon).
 
−
 
 
−
:b. Also, since critics frequently use this quote when making a fuss over changes in the Book of Mormon, it might be a good time to introduce the Critical Text Project and Skousen’s Earliest Text edition of the Book of Mormon.
 
−
 
 
−
:c. Finally, a discussion of what Joseph Smith actually meant by “most correct book” and how the critics are completely missing the mark may also be in order.
 
−
 
 
−
5. Additional Scholarly/Apologetic issues pertinent to the Introductory martial (Title Page, Introduction, etc.)
 
−
 
 
−
:a. Joseph Smith said the Title Page was at the back of the plates. This is counterintuitive to our modern sensibilities, but exactly what should be expected from an ancient Near-Eastern document (William J. Hamblin).
 
−
 
 
−
:b. The Introduction says that Book of Mormon peoples are “among” the ancestors of the Native Americans. This could be a doorway to discussing:
 
−
 
 
−
::- “Others” in the Book of Mormon: This implies that others would have also been in the America’s before Columbus, and a close reading of the Book of Mormon text also suggests the presence of others (John Sorenson, Matt Roper, and others)
 
−
 
 
−
::- The limited scope of Book of Mormon Geography: Book of Mormon people thus only occupied a small portion of the continent, a fact that is clear from a close reading of the text.
 
−
 
 
−
::- DNA and the Book of Mormon: Point out that critics have used DNA to attack the Book of Mormon, but LDS scientists have shown that this criticism is ill-founded, and have provided several reasons why their DNA might disappear.
 
−
 
 
−
::- While human genetics does not offer evidence of Near-Eastern contact, evidence from other fields, such as linguistics, do (Brian Stubbs). Could also point out evidence gathered by John Sorenson from botany, etc. and discuss the importance, as Sorenson points out, of using a holistic approach and not just relying on one type of evidence, like DNA.
 
−
 
 
−
::- The Introduction talks about the translation by the “gift and power of God.” This could be a doorway to discussing different translation theories, and how we don’t know exactly what it means to translate by the “gift and power.” Discussion such as this may be necessary in conjunction with the discussion of changes and scriptural fallibility.
 
−
 
 
−
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Revision as of 19:16, 28 December 2011

  1. REDIRECTTemplate:Test3

Lesson 1: "The Keystone of our Religion"

LDS Lesson Manual

Gospel Doctrine Teacher's Manual - Lesson 1: The Keystone of Our Religion

Disclaimer: The information provided here is a supplement to the lesson manual to assist teachers in addressing issues that might arise in the course of teaching. It is in no way intended to replace or supplant the lesson materials provided by the Church. It is intended only to be used as background information for prior preparation by teachers and should not be in any way replace correlated lesson materials.

1. The Book of Mormon is the Keystone of Our Religion

Helpful Insights

  • The Keystone of Our Religion: The Book of Mormon is the keystone of our religion because the essence of our religion is revelation, and the Book of Mormon is tangible evidence of that revelation has been received. This is why Terryl Givens calls the Book of Mormon the “sacred sign” of our faith. [Terryl L. Givens, By the Hand of Mormon: The American Scripture that Launched a New World Religion (New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2002), 62-88]
  • Witness of Christ: Of the 6,607 verses in the modern editions of the Book of Mormon, 3,925 of them make direct reference to Jesus Christ, an average of 1 reference to Christ every 1.7 verses. [Susan Easton Black, Finding Christ through the Book of Mormon (Salt Lake City, UT: Deseret Book, 1987), 16-18]
  • Keystone Witness of Christ: If BoM is true, then the resurrected Christ was seen and touched by thousands of people in ancient America. Thus, Jesus really rose from the dead and the Atonement is real.
  • Fullness of Doctrine: The Book of Mormon lays-out a six point formula as the “gospel” or “doctrine” of Christ. [1]
  • Keystone in Doctrine: If the BoM is true, then Joseph Smith is prophet and the doctrines taught in his later revelations are also true.
  • Modal for Testimony: The Book of Mormon presents a revolutionary model for revelation as a dialogue that ultimately provides the means for seeking one’s own testimony [2]
  • Keystone in Testimony: If a person gains a testimony of the BoM, then they also gain a testimony that (1) God exists, (2) Jesus Christ atonement is real, (3) Joseph Smith is a prophet, (4) the Church is true. [Introduction to the Book of Mormon]

Potential Criticisms and Faithful Information

  • Some critics have said the Book of Mormon teachings of Christ are reflective of Joseph Smith’s environment, rather than an ancient Israelite. Recent research actually shows that the Book of Mormon teachings about the Messiah are consistant with ancient Jewish beliefs. or http://www.fairlds.org/FAIR_Conferences/2003_Monotheism_Messiah_and_Mormons_Book.html
  • The title page says Jesus Christ is the “Eternal God.” Some critics say this is evidence that Joseph Smith started out as a modalist or Trinitarian. specifally pg. 114-139
  • Some critics complain the Book of Mormon does not contain the “fullness of doctrine” or the “fullness of Gospel” because it is missing distinctive “Mormon” doctrines. “Gospel” or “doctrine” as used in the Book of Mormon is not meant to be comprehensive [3]
  • Some critics say that praying about the Book of Mormon is not an “objective” means of testing it and that the Biblie is the only standard that can or should be used. This idea is contradicted by the Bible itself [4]
  • Other critics say that “Moroni’s challenge” is circular reasoning. Such critics are actually engaged in some circular reasoning of their own [5]

Faith Affirmations

2. Many Witnesses have Testified of the Book of Mormon

Helpful Insights

  • Angels and Books: The Joseph Smith story actually fits an ancient pattern where prophets are given a heavenly book or hidden record by an angelic messenger or http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=773
  • In his 2009 General Conference talk, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland talked about how Joseph and Hyrum Smith went to his death baring testimony of the Book of Mormon, a powerful evidence of its divinity [6]
  • Various witnesses have left behind a description of the plates [7]
  • Informal Witnesses: In addition to the official Book of Mormon witnesses, some others got to feel the plates while covered, or got to see them under special circumstances [8]

Potential Criticisms and Faithful Information

  • Moroni’s Visit: Critics have attacked the story of Moroni’s visit is various ways. Here some of those criticisms are identified and responded to. [9]
  • Weight of the Plates: Some critics say the plates would have weighed too much to be lifted and carried as Joseph and others claimed to. This assumes the plates were pure gold [10]
  • The Three and Eight Witnesses: Various criticisms have been leveled at the Book of Mormon witnesses. All of these have been responded to by faithful Latter-day Saints. [11]
  • Fraudulent Plates? Some critics suggest that Joseph Smith could have manufactured a fake set of plates. and http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Witnesses/Strangite_parallels

Faith Affirmations

3. The Book of Mormon was Written for Our Day

Helpful Insights

  • The Book of Mormon is An Ancient Book: While the Book of Mormon was indeed written for our, it is important to remember that the Book of Mormon was not written in our day. Brant Gardner has explained it this way:
“It is popular (and theologically appropriate) to claim that the Book of Mormon was written for our day. This statement emphasizes the modern value of the Book of Mormon. It necessarily treats the text ahistorically. Regardless of the value for our day and the obvious fact that it came forth in our day, it was not written in our day, nor in our language, nor in our culture. Even internally, there is little evidence that Mormon conceived of a future people who were significantly different from those he knew.” [Brant A. Gardner, Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon, six volumes, (Salt Lake City: Greg Kofford Books, 2007), 1: viii.]

Thus, it is important not impose modern standards and expectations on to the record. Of course we still can, and should, “liken” the text to our own lives, but at the same time caution must be taken to remember that “likening” is a tool for practical application, not a method of scriptural exegesis. Understanding this is important because many criticisms against the Book of Mormon rely on modern assumptions about the it, rather than what it actually says. Potential Criticisms and Faithful Information Faith Affirmations

4. The Book of Mormon can Bring us Nearer to God

Helpful Insights

Potential Criticisms and Faithful Information

  • “Most Correct Book”: Many critics claim that because Joseph Smith said the Book of Mormon is the “most correct book” it should be error-free. These critics are taking this quote out of context. [13]
  • Textual Changes: Some critics point to textual changes as evidence of changing theology or covering up mistakes. Most changes are minor edits to punctuation, spelling, and grammar. The few more significant changes have been examined and discussed by knowledgeable Latter-day Saints [14]

Faith Affirmations

Additional Information Related to the Introductory Material in the Book of Mormon

In the Introduction to the Book of Mormon, it says that the Book of Mormon is a “record of God’s dealings with the ancient inhabitants of the Americas” and that the Lamanites are “among the ancestors of the American Indians.” This opens up a number issues related to Book of Mormon geography, archeology, populations, and modern DNA studies. The following maybe helpful to Gospel Doctrine instructors who would like to be prepared should any of these issues arise during their lesson:

  • Archeology: Critics claim that archeology contradicts the Book of Mormon. [15]
  • Geography: Most people assume that the Book of Mormon events spanned across the entire continent. A close reading of the text reveals fairly tight spatial relations. [16]
  • DNA and the Book of Mormon: Some critics claim that DNA disproves the Book of Mormon, while some members have claimed that DNA provides evidence for the Book of Mormon. Both claims are incorrect. [17]
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