A Brief Theological Introduction 11: Ether (The Book of Mormon: Brief Theological Introductions 11)

And this cometh unto you, O ye Gentiles, that ye may know the decrees of God that ye may repent. Following the destruction of the Nephite people, Moroni works in solitude to complete a long-promised translation of an ancient record: the Jaredite plates. Discovered amid the ruins of a lost civilization, this record has captivated Nephites imaginations for centuries. Now Moroni sees foreshadowed therein the spiritual wonders and historical tragedies of his own people. In this brief theological introduction, literary scholar Rosalynde Frandsen Welch explores the book of Ether a sweeping history in which Moroni, absorbed in the past, turns his heart to future readers whose spiritual fate will be at stake. According to Welch, Moroni s work as translator-prophet brilliantly reframes the nature of scripture itself. Like the brother of Jared s luminous stones, Moroni s offering glows with his powerful testimony of Christ. In faith, his record extends the promise of Christ s saving power to people in every place and time.

Rosalynde Frandsen Welch is an independent scholar of Latter-day Saint literature and theology. She earned a PhD in early modern English literature from the University of California at San Diego. She is the author of numerous articles and book chapters on Latter-day Saint scripture, culture, and theology. She has served as a codirector of the Latter-day Saint Theology Seminary and as associate editor at the Journal of Book of Mormon Studies.