A sourcebook, he laid out his thinking on the subject in detail. Raish, precolumbian contact with the americas across the oceans. Church members are asked not to teach theories about book of mormon geography in church settings but to focus instead on the book of mormons teachings and testimony of jesus christ and his gospel. What the church statement about book of mormon geography. It presents, in order, dozens and dozens of speculative maps made by book of mormon scholars, and includes amazing detail. It is a book of scripture aimed at teaching people about christ and. Unconventional book of mormon geography theories mormon. The geography of book of mormon events in latterday saint thought. Jun 27, 2016 for overviews on the history of book of mormon geography, see john l. Proposed book of mormon geographical setting wikipedia. Since the publication of the book of mormon in 1830, members and leaders of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints have expressed numerous opinions about the specific locations of the events discussed in the book. Made popular by his 1985 publication an ancient american setting for the book of mormon, sorensons geographic model for the book of mormon has withstood the test of time and remains the preeminent geographic model for book of mormon events. The standard of truth, 18151846, some concern has been expressed online and to us personally that the text of the book has expressed a preference against a heartland model of book of mormon geography.
Church releases statement on book of mormon geography. Youll find objective evidence of the book of mormon through my this land, multibook series. Unfortunately, exploring and testing his geographic. Oct 02, 2014 finally there is a way to really explore john sorensons book of mormon geography. An overzealous individual trying to expand his version of missionary work had an assistant, even the brother of joseph smith, and the two succeeded despite numerous. Why are there thousands upon thousands of native american archeological sites found in. The book of mormon in north america moronis america. Early church authors, including benjamin winchester, william smith, w. The lord has never revealed the specific location of book of mormon events. Start reading about the geography, names, places and events, that relate to modern day and book of mormon scripture. Matthew roper, limited geography and the book of mormon. Gods word is to be established by two or more witnesses 2 cor. The purpose of saints is to present a compelling narrative of the faith and sacrifice of early latterday saints, not to weigh in subtly or otherwise on the various theories of book of mormon geography.
Official church statement on book of mormon geography. Since the days of joseph smith most saints believed that the book of mormon took place across the entire expanse of north and south america. May 27, 2010 the discussion on book of mormon geography was getting heated. Book of mormon geography in nevillenevilleland book of. The church does not take a position on the specific geographic locations of book of mormon events in the ancient americas. Mormon essentially into southern mexico and southern guatemala with the isthmus of tehuantepec as the narrow. The hill cumorah in ontario county ny is the hill where joseph smith found the golden plates and is the same hill where the civilizations of the nephites cumorah and the jaredites ramah fought their last battles. Since a precise knowledge of where the book of mormon took place is not necessary for it to bring spiritual conversion, the church has never offered a revealed or official geography, and is unlikely to. Oliver cowdery and joseph smith taught this clearly. Although the book of mormon is primarily a religious record of the nephites, lamanites, and jaredites, enough geographic details are embedded in the narrative to allow reconstruction of at least a rudimentary geography of book of mormon lands. While some of these sources treat book of mormon geography in only the vaguest generalities, others make very specific claims on the topic. May 08, 2018 careful analysis of early writings on book of mormon geography reveals a diversity of ideas and opinions on the location of nearly every book of mormon place. Few people understand the cumorahland region the way willard bean did. Phelps, and the pratt brothers speculated about a setting in central andor south america.
The geography of book of mormon events a source book. Saints and book of mormon geography church history. The church takes no position on the specific geographic location of book of mormon events in the ancient americas, the essay reads. It is a comfort to know that additional knowledge of many of the events of the book of mormon geography happened right here in the untied states. The greatest nation on the earth is the government of the united states of america with its inspired declaration of independence, constitution, and bill of rights. It is claimed that the church has no official position on geography of the book of mormon because the lands in the book of mormon never existed. The geographical setting of the book of mormon is the set of locations of the events described in the book of mormon. The heartland model or heartland theory of book of mormon geography states that the book of mormon events primarily occurred in the heartland of north america. Church members are asked not to teach theories about book of. The discussion on book of mormon geography was getting heated. A source book is a valuable resource to book of mormon scholars. As the above logo depicts, we do respect this mandate, and our model is. As the above logo depicts, we do respect this mandate, and our model. Church releases short essay on book of mormon geography lds.
Leaders of the church have long been clear that there is no official or revealed geography for the majority of book of mormon events, including those which take place in the new world. Sorenson, an ancient american setting for the book of mormon salt lake city. I know the brethren of the church take a neutral position on the geography of the book of mormon. I believe that the bom takes place in the great lakes area mostly. The limited geography models are the result of a growing school of thought among latter day saint scholars that for the text of the book of mormon to realistically be interpreted as a historical document, the events described therein must be limited to an area of several hundred square miles. Others argued for a setting in the american heartland. Statements, by date, relevant to the geography of book of mormon events, by lds leaders or others reflecting views current in the church appendix b. Book of mormon geography jeff lindsays site and the. Like the church, book of mormon central bmc is officially geography neutral. Meldrum has been a particularly vocal critic of the byusponsored mesoamerican geography, who eventually returned fire with a scorching dismissal. The book of mormon geography lands and map with dna evidence. Book of mormon geography jeff lindsays site and the shake. New pieces of evidence from the this land series of books will give you new insight into the book of mormon. Why did mormon give so many details about geography.
For that reason, we have designed and prepared this artistic rendering in such a way that you can get a basic idea of approximate directions and theoretical. Where did the events described in the book of mormon take. Search for library items search for lists search for contacts search for a library. We read about a narrow neck, a narrow neck of land, a small neck of land, a narrow pass, a narrow passage, and a narrow strip of wilderness. Cannon noted there were several different and conflicting book of mormon geographies in circulation, and no two of them agree on all points.
Though there are several plausible hypotheses regarding the geographic locations of book of mormon events. Jan 29, 2019 the church takes no position on the specific geographic location of book of mormon events in the ancient americas. Scholars gathered in provo, utah, to discuss their theories about where the events described in the book of mormon took place. Were the nephites and lamanites spread throughout both north and south america or did book of mormon events occur within a more. Items do not represent the official views of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints or of book of mormon central. Leaders of the church have long been clear that there is no official or revealed geography for the majority of book of mormon events. He received his bs from weber state university, his ma from brigham young university, and his phd from the university of.
In 1991, john sorenson of byu, the dean of book of mormon geography, created a book called the geography of book of mormon events. We have sought to uphold the churchs position of neutrality on these theories. Olsen proposes a malaysianthai setting for the book. Clark book of mormon geography digging into the book of mormon. Later, in the 1920s, scholars in the reorganized church of jesus christ of latterday saints proposed that the book of mormon took place in a limited. Some placed the nephite capital city zarahemla in mesoamerica, others in south america. Then there are those like rodney meldrum, a salesman and creationist with no scientific training, who back a heartland theory that claims all book of mormon events took place in north america. The antimormons love the idea that we dont even know where our sacred scriptures happened. The book of mormon is not intended to be a history book or a guide to geography, science, or any other secular topic. The book of mormon was first preached on book of mormon lands all those above events were in fulfillment of ancient prophecies that could only be fulfilled on book of mormon lands. This little book displays the authors remarkable facility with and understanding for ancient american history and archaeology as they defended the prophet josephs original and only position on the location of book of mormon events. He provided his interpretation of over seven hundred verses he deemed relevant to the book of mormon. Youll find objective evidence of the book of mormon through my this land, multi book series. See the series of quotations from 1903 to 1993 at book of mormon geography and revelation, fairmormon n.
Home true book of mormon geography lands western new. Which is what makes the book of mormon all the more convincing. The geography of book of mormon events a source book john l. The fight over book of mormon geography deseret news. For the big picture, we excerpt below in blue a brief explanation about the book of mormon from the book of mormon scriptures section at. Church members are asked not to teach theories about book of mormon geography in. As the ancient prophet mormon edited the scriptural texts that would become the book of mormon, he must have had a map in his mind of the places and physical features that comprised the setting for the events described in that book. Church releases statement on book of mormon geography book. There is a great deal of talk about the geography of the book of mormon. The geography statement itself makes your reading of the includes a history bit quite implausible, since the official position that the events the book of mormon describes took place in the ancient americas explicitly requires that the events in the americas took place, and are not therefore fiction or allegory. The new essay begins with this declarative statement. There are over 100 theories of where the book of mormon happened, including, baja, chile, malaysia, honduras, peru, etc. Our changing understanding of ancient america and its scripture part 1, part 2, part 3, by john l.
Aug 15, 2019 when he organized the book of mormon into chapter and verse, he included footnotes about geography that he specified were speculative, except for cumorah, which he declared was in new york. This article describes the origin of the myth that the book of mormon events occurred in south america. Instead, we are left to our own speculations concerning book of mormon geography. The church recently released a statement about book of mormon geography. Proponents of these theories find support in the text of the book of mormon, as well as.
Nelson on the importance the books primary purposeto testify of jesus christ and his gospel. Finally there is a way to really explore john sorensons book of mormon geography. For overviews on the history of book of mormon geography, see john l. The great strength of the book is that it provides a wellargued perspective based on the geology of natural disasters that is new to the analysis of the book of mormonone that adds to the reality of book of mormon events and opens new doors for potential research and understanding of the geography of the book of mormon. Mormons map is book of mormon scholar john sorensons reconstruction of that mental map solely from.
Church releases short essay on book of mormon geography. Home true book of mormon geography lands western new york. Book of mormon geography the encyclopedia of mormonism. Basic geography book of mormon geography can seem confusing. The church of jesus christ of latterday saints recently released a gospel topics essay which reiterates the churchs neutrality on the subject of book of mormon geography. Jan 29, 2019 the article concludes by emphasizing the churchs neutrality on book of mormon geography and quoting president russell m. Careful analysis of early writings on book of mormon geography reveals a diversity of ideas and opinions on the location of nearly every book of mormon place. Overview of book of mormon geography and church history. Even though the mormon church formally denies endorsing any geographical theory regarding the location of book of mormon events, its many book of mormon editions, film strips, pamphlets and professors using images and references exclusively of the mesoamerican area speaks otherwise. Critics have long focused on the inconsistency between book of mormon claims the mesoamerican setting that has long prevailed in the church. Book of mormon geography settings, timeline, overview. Sorenson a malay site for the book of mormon events pdf, by ralph a. Sep 28, 2019 the antimormons love the idea that we dont even know where our sacred scriptures happened.
Oct 12, 2018 since the publication of saints, volume 1. The internal consistency of these descriptions is one of the striking features of the book of mormon. The church is neutral on this, but i will give you what i believe from the archaological evidence i have studied and what i think may have happened during christs coming to earth. This book locates everything from the narrow neck, to zarahemla, from cumorah, to the land of promise, bountiful. An annotated bibliography jerald and sandra tanner, covering up the black hole in the book of mormon. The church takes no position on the specific geographic location of book of mormon events in the ancient americas. He provided his interpretation of over seven hundred verses. Sorensons useful study aid for those interested in book of mormon geography issues. The church of jesus christ of latterday saints does not officially endorse any one particular geographical model for where the events in the book of mormon transpired in the new world. Critique of a limited geography for book of mormon events.
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