The book of abraham is consistent with various details found in nonbiblical stories about abraham that circulated in the ancient world around the time the papyri were likely created. For purposes of this exercise, i want to admit everything the church says about the translation process of the book of mormoni. Why were afraid of mormons bu today boston university. It is also one of the most controversial issues in mormonism, responsible for many lifelong, faithful mormons questioning their religion. Eyewitnesses spoke of a long roll or multiple rolls of papyrus. He talks about the idolatry of the egyptianlike society he lived in, and about barely escaping sacrifice to. A mormon defends the book of abraham recovery from. Well the book was derived from a set of egyptian papyri purchased by the joseph smith in 1835 from a traveling mummy show. Finally, he examines each of the facsimiles and discusses what egyptology says about the kinds of things found in the joseph smith papyri and in the book of abraham. T the book contains a narrative about some of abrahams life as well as visions he had concerning the premortal life and the creation. If he in fact translated an ancient record of the patriarch abraham through the power of god, he must have been the prophet and seer he claimed to be.
Although the bible is ambiguous on the subject, the book of abraham makes it very clear. Durr, this makes sense because the bible was the only book that smith ever read. The official publication for news media, opinion leaders and the public article, church provides context for recent media coverage on gospel topics pages. The book of abraham has close affinities to a large number of apocryphal and egyptian writings to which joseph smith could have had no access. The book of abraham the book of abraham is a book of lds scripture that joseph smith translated from a collection of ancient egyptian papyri the church purchased. The book of alma is the longest of all the books of the book of mormon, consisting of 63 chapters. Below is the modern map of the area of smiths youth. In 1912, a letter about the book of abraham was published by arthur cruttenden mace, assistant curator in the department of egyptian art in new yorks metropolitan museum of art. Abraham refers to a picture in the text of the book of abraham abr. The book of abraham, it is hardly necessary to say, is a pure fabrication. This page deals primarily with the question of the source of the book of abraham now available online at. According to smith, the book was a translation of some ancient records.
The prophet joseph smith said that the book of abraham exhibited mormonism in its true light history of the church 5. Not like real egyptian parody of walk like an egyptian by the bangles see. Translation and historicity of the book of abraham mormonthink. An explanation and overview of the joseph smith papyri and their connection with mormon scripture. Book of abraham mormonism, the mormon church, beliefs. Harris a quick glance over the preface and chapters two and three of the saga of the book of abraham may lead to the hasty decision that the reader is once again confronted with the usual rehashing of the same old, tiresome things. An approach to the book of mormon collected works of hugh. In the last chapter, we saw some of the problems mormonism faces with the book of mormon and archaeology. Death blow to mormonism the book of abraham is a fake. How the book of abraham exposes the false nature of. Cuts 1 and 3 are inaccurate copies of well known scenes on funeral papyri, and cut 2 is a copy of one of the magical discs. Email from my tbm sister about the book of abraham ask her why joseph said written by his own hand on the papyrus when in actual fact abraham had been long dead when it was written. The literature on the book of abraham ranges from doctrinal commentaries on the pearl of great price the lds book of scripture containing the book of abraham to some studies directed to the history of joseph smiths involvement with the egyptian artifacts with. The book of mormon original broadway cast recording by dudescolded.
It was not until i became involved in the community of christ that i learned that the book of abraham was the one text from the lds canon not considered scripture by the rlds church. A variation of this was advocated by benjamin urrutia in dialogue. Explores the joseph smith papyrus and demonstrates that joseph smiths claim that he had translated the book of abraham from it was a fabrication. Henry eyring espoused this view in the book of abraham symposium, april 3 1970 p. May 19, 2016 scholars have translated the book of abraham papyri. The book of abrahamthe pearl of great price student manual. Jun 22, 2010 abraham refers to a picture in the text of the book of abraham abr. Email from my tbm sister about the book of abraham what she wrote sounds so discombobulated it made absolutely no sense to me. In the twentieth century there were two events that put the authenticity of the book of abraham as an ancient text. The book of abraham is a work produced between 1835 and 1842 by joseph smith based, he said, on egyptian papyri purchased from a traveling mummy. Among the early book of abraham relatedmanuscripts that have survived from the days of joseph smith are a number of papers collectively referred to as the kirtland egyptian papers kep. The book of abraham, mormons believe, is abrahams own account of part of his life. The book of abraham is the possibly the best known of these books and certainly the most controversial.
An approach to the book of abraham byu scholarsarchive. Mar 19, 2011 first off, some information, what is the book of abraham. The story of abraham is wellknown to both jews and christians. Abraham sitting upon pharaohs throne, by the politeness of the king, with a crown upon his head, representing the priesthood, as emblematical of the grand presidency in heaven.
The book of abraham comprises five chapters of text and three facsimiles of vignettes from the papyri collection, together with josephs proffered explanations. Mormon handbook the book of abraham since abraham lived before moses, who authored the torah the first five books of the old testament, it would make the papyrus older than the book of genesis. Abraham, first called abram, was called of god to leave his native country and go to a promised land which would be shown to him. If he got something right, it would have been a lucky guess. The brief overview of the circumstances surrounding the controversy about the book of abraham on this field guide website contains information compiled from larsons book, and from a variety of other books and websites listed in the bibliography at the end of the main profile on mormonism on the field guide website. Most americans were thinking about the north and south. That is an outright lie because it wasnt written until a couple thousand years after abe, and it doesnt contain even a mere mention of his name. Scholars have translated the book of abraham papyri. First off, some information, what is the book of abraham. The book of abraham is the second book in the pearl of great price.
Response to claims made on mormonthink page the book of abraham. An approach to the book of mormon collected works of hugh nibley nibley, hugh, welch, john w. Mormonthink will be responding to this essay in the near future. An approach to the book of mormon collected works of hugh nibley. Ten questions and answers on the book of abraham mormons in. By his own hand upon papyrus is what joseph smith claimed. For the first 150 years of mormonisms existence, everyone thought it was a story about a people who left the middle east and came to south or central america, and who fought wars clear up into new york state where.
Among the early bookofabrahamrelatedmanuscripts that have survived from the days of joseph smith are a number of papers collectively referred to as the kirtland egyptian papers kep. Alma 1722 lamanites receive the testimony of jesus christ. Smith translated the papyrus and published it under the title, the book of abraham. Book of mormon, not just the elements of a chiasm that appear in a passage, such as alma. In the twentieth century there were two events that put the authenticity of the book of abraham as an ancient text and not a modern pseudepigraphon in doubt. In this chapter we will examine another book of the mormon scriptures called the book of abraham. Omni, and others, and even by the finger of god alma. The book is comprised of five chapters and three facsimiles.
It is evident that the writings of abraham while he was in egypt, of which our printed book of abraham is a copy, must of necessity be older than. A range of articles and resources to assist the investigation of joseph smiths controversial claim that he discovered and translated a lost record of the biblical patriarch abraham. I also have read most of mormonthink and having come from a protestant church that. It also traces the provenance of his stones once they left his possessions. The lost book of abraham part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4 youtube. Although no formal training in egyptology, joseph smith created a translation of part of the papyri, and the work was published called the the book of abraham. These facts added up to an unusual predicament for abraham lincoln in the fall of 1861. Disproves lds claims that joseph smith received the book of abraham through revelation and proves that joseph smiths source for his translation was a pagan egyptian text, the book of breathings. With the rebellion raging, lincoln needed as many allies as he could find, and both his government and jefferson daviss coveted the west for its minerals and its. Book of abraham mormon stories mormon stories podcast. This talk set combines the latest research with faithful scholarship for those seeking to better understand the book of abraham. Criticism of mormonismwebsitesmormonthinkthe book of abraham. The book of abraham comes first on my list, because ultimately the divinity of josephs calling rests upon it. The missing papyrus theory of the book of abraham it is likely futile to assess josephs ability to translate papyri when we now have only a fraction of the papyri he had in his possession.
This book discusses the origins of joseph smiths seer stones and explores how joseph used them throughout his life in a way that goes beyond translating the book of mormon. The guys who did south park did book of mormon on broadway. Ten questions and answers on the book of abraham mormons. In addition, the lincoln hypothesis reveals documented evidence that abraham lincoln did, in fact, check out the book of mormon as he struggled with making some of the most critical decisions of his presidency. The translation was published serially in the times and seasons beginning march 1, 1842, at nauvoo, illinois. The brief overview of the circumstances surrounding the controversy about the book of abraham on this field guide website contains information compiled from larsons book, and from a variety of other books and websites listed in the bibliography at the end of the. An essay on the book of abraham is now in the topical guide of the website. Part 2 deals with the content of the book and joseph smiths comments on three egyptian drawings that have been attached to the published book of abraham. The book records the first 39 years of what the nephites termed the reign of the judges, a period in which the nephite nation adopted a constitutional theocratic government in which the judicial and executive branches of the government were combined. A mormon defends the book of abraham recovery from mormonism.
The book of mormon if the book of abraham was a fraud, is. According to mormon writers, the book of abraham was supposed to have been written on papyrus by abraham about 4,000 years ago. Joseph smiths interpretation of these cuts is a farrago of nonsense from beginning to end. This very same papyrus, it is claimed, was acquired by joseph smith in 1835. The book of abraham issues translation problems mormonthink. The book of abraham is one of the canonized works of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints. The book of abraham is part of the standard works or written scriptures of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints. He claims that the book of abraham was put in secret code as the book of breathings so that the egyptians would not destroy it. The lds church has admitted in its official essay the book of abraham translation has nothing to do with what is on the papyri. Professor ritner lds egyptologist john gees former professor has given his response to the lds church essay on the book of abraham.
Mormonthinks section on the book of abraham issues. Was the book of mormon a key factor in lincolns success and the healing of a nation. I return herewith, under separate cover, the pearl of great price. Part 2 deals with the content of the book and joseph smiths comments on three egyptian drawings that have. The book of mormon is supposed to be a history of real people living in a real place. This suggests that a main source of the text is the kjv. The book of abraham is a work produced between 1835 and 1842 by joseph smith based, he said, on egyptian papyri purchased from a traveling mummy exhibition. He talks about the idolatry of the egyptianlike society he lived in, and about barely escaping sacrifice to the egyptian gods by a priest. It is now included in the pearl of great price, one of the books that members of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints consider scripture in addition to the bible, the book of mormon, and the doctrine and covenants. In 1835, joseph smith, founder of the original mormon church the church of christ purchased several egyptian papyrus scrolls and fragments from the owner of a traveling road show which exhibited egyptian mummies and documents. The book of abraham the church of jesus christ of latterday saints. As such, it is accepted by the church as the word of god, giving his divine instruction to man. Includes color photos of the surviving joseph smith papyri, articles by mormon and nonmormon egyptologists, and free download of a 240page book that surveys the history of the book of abraham controversy.
Abraham claims that his story starts out near a place called olishem abraham 1. Plural marriage goes back to old testament times, when abraham, jacob, david and. Translation and historicity of the book of abraham. The introduction to the book of abraham still maintains it was translated from the papyrus, by joseph smith pearl of great price, the book of abraham, introduction. Joseph smith began the translation in 1835 after obtaining some egyptian papyri. Current claims the book of abraham was not translated from the papyri deny over 150 years of mormon teaching on the subject and the very words of joseph himself. Hence, in my own devotionals, i read the book of abraham in the same manner that i read the book of mormon and believed it had the authority of a sacred text. The most recent jsp revelations and translation vol. The book of abraham is a book of ancient scripture translated by the prophet joseph smith from ancient papyri. In the book of genesis we learn that he was the son of terah, born in ur of the chaldees genesis 11. The book of abraham narrative clearly demonstrates the manner in which the lds church works diligently to massage or reinterpret inconvenient facts to continue. An introduction to the book of abraham byu studies. The book of abraham is a book of lds scripture that joseph smith translated from a collection of ancient egyptian papyri the church purchased.