Of course these inconsistencies could readily be explained by understanding the book of mormon as a work of fiction written by a nineteenth century american, but book of mormon scholars often approach the topic with the a priori acceptance of the theory that the book of mormon is. Mesoamerica meaning middle of america is located in the mid latitudes between 10 and 22 n of the americas in the southern portion of north america, encompassing much of the isthmus that joins it with south america. Mesoamerican civilization, the complex of indigenous cultures that developed in parts of mexico and central america prior to spanish exploration and conquest in the 16th century. 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. I recently read this book with my collegeage child who is struggling to reconcile some parts of our church history and decide if she has a place in the church. A complete description of the book of mormon geography bomgeography, including an internal map model, external map model i. One of the core books on mormon settlement is the mormon landscape by richard francaviglia. But to come to this conclusion, they only share the quotes from joseph smith that agree with them and ignore the rest. Introduction to the book of mormon the church of jesus christ of. Clark, archaeology and cumorah questions, journal of book of mormon studies. Book of mormon geography in the world of joseph smith.
Mormon art comprises all visual art created to depict the principles and teachings of the. The contemplation of the scenery around us produced peculiar sensations in our bosoms. Robert smithson and john lloyd stephens in yucatan, september 1. Videos watch past wayne may presentations as he reveals the supporting evidences of the book of mormon as found in archaeology, geography and historical records. The two big problems with the mesoamerican model for book of mormon geography are 1 there is zero evidence of the book of mormon narrative there and 2 the proponents insist joseph didnt know much about the book of mormon. Certain groups who entertain a north american setting for the book of mormon claim that joseph knew where book of mormon events took place. The term mesoamerica is derived from the greek and means middle america. Mormons, indians, and the american landscape tells the tale of a beloved mountainous landmark and a disregarded lake. Book of mormon the church of jesus christ of latterday saints.
According to joseph smith and subsequent presidents and apostles of the lds church, the geographical extent of book of mormon lands included virtually all of north and south america. Book of mormongeographynew worldgreat lakes geography. The geographical setting of the book of mormon is the set of locations of the events described. On zions mount tells the story of this curious shift. For thousands of years, this area was populated by groups such as the olmec, zapotec, maya, toltec, and aztec peoples. The mormon code of health, called the word of wisdom, also protects agency, or freedom of choice, by proscribing the use of addictive substances. Regarding point 1, i have read all of sorensons works and most of what farms and the maxwell institute have. Mesoamerica invests in business platforms with the potential to transform latin america. In this page, i discuss the recent discoveries in mesoamerica which have caused a complete paradigm shift in the thinking of scholars. Archaeological and historical evidence why book of. Book of mormon geography jeff lindsays site and the. True book of mormon geography lands, western new york model. Items in the bmc archive are made publicly available for noncommercial, private use. Why does the book of mormon include the rise and fall of two nations.
This page is a supplement to my book of mormon evidences page. While nothing can take the place of a spiritual witness of the truthfulness of the book of mormon, an understanding of the correlating evidence of the book of mormon, especially as it relates to geography, can provide greater appreciation for this inspired book of scripture. Thank you patrick mason for writing such an honest, faithaffirming and empathetic book. In his research, he examined hundreds of settlements across the intermountain west looking for features that were common to places settled by latterday saints and he was able to define a list of landscape. I have watched more than 20 hours of wayne may book of mormon lecture videos and conversed with both wayne may and rod meldrum in person. Utah valley was historically the home of bands of ute indians, who used the ample fishing grounds of utah lake and the provo river to build up their food. I had the pleasure of being amongst many on a tour to mesoamerica with john lund. The material world of mormon settlement architecture, landscape and amer culture 9780816689576. And yet, no indian legend graced the mount until mormon settlers conjured itonce they had displaced the local indians, the utes, from their actual landmark, utah lake. This is the cultural history of two utahbased mormon agricultural landscapes.
Elder roberts was a scholar and general authority for the church president of the first quorum of the seventy. Book of mormon tours 275 n e, orem, utah 84097 rated 4. He had compiled and written works on the veracity of the book of mormon, as well as the comprehensive history of the church. My approach to the book of mormon, as a professional archaeologist, for over four decades, has been researching the book mormon and archaeology assuming the book of mormon as a history of ancient america. The mormons of utah created a distinctive cultural landscape, related to their religion and particularly. Overview of book of mormon geography and church history. Here are 10 of the most remarkable landscapes america has to offer the committed tourist.
The city of lib key to book of mormon geography transcript of the september 2005 bmaf conference presentation. The word of wisdom was given by revelation to joseph smith, the founder and. Mesoamerica is a historical region and cultural area in north america. A response to wayne may book of mormon archaeology in north america this is the video in question, and heres the thread that prompted the investigation. Items do not represent the official views of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints or of book of mormon central. Book of mormon fringe theory was inspired by geography enthusiast john e. In his introduction to on zions mount jared farmer claims that geographic metaphor best supports his twofold argument that 1 the work of utahmormon historians runs inward and pools just like water in their great basin, never making it to the sea. Criteria for book of mormon lands and people there are several theories held among latterday saints for the location of book of mormon lands. Book of mormon geography, information about the church of jesus christ of latterday saints, mormon church, questions and answers, doctrine, genealogy, gospel, scriptures. Since the publication of the book of mormon in 1830, mormon archaeologists have attempted. Roberts, jennifer, the art bulletin, landscapes of indifference.
Inclusion within the bmc archive does not imply endorsement. See more ideas about book of mormon, america and ancient civilizations. I purchased this book a few days prior to leaving, had it personalized and signed by him, and read it before, during, and after my adventure in the book of mormon lands. The king james quotations in the book of mormon, the history of the text of the book of mormon. Proposed book of mormon geographical setting wikipedia. The book is focused on the utah valleythe valley just to the south of my home in salt lake citywhere the city of provo and the mormon churchowned brigham young university is located. John lund talks about the book of mormon and mesoamerica at the learn our religion lecture series. The scientific search for nephite remains mormons in. It is a quintessentially american story about the fraught process of making. It examines the distinctive patterns used by mormons in settling the western united states. Unfortunately, the geographical details of the book of mormon do not fit terribly well in models presented thus far.
The mormon religion was officially founded in 1830 when the book of. As you are already aware, we had to take the sad decision to cancel all performances of the book of mormon from wednesday 8 april saturday 2 may 2020 to. The name mesoamerica is a term used to identify the heartland of a number of significant precolumbian cultures. Selfreliance, social welfare, and sacred landscapes.
Early church authors, including benjamin winchester, speculated about a. He received his bs from weber state university, his ma from brigham young university, and his phd from the university of. Lund, mesoamerica and the book of mormon is this the place. The author recognizes that the book of mormon as well as the doctrine and.
Laws of health mormons follow a law of health that does more than prevent illness. He was known as the great defender of the book of mormon. Jared farmers penetrating and sweeping gaze invites readers to view connections between land, landscape, and peoples that have remained, like poes purloined letter, hidden in. These man credited joseph smith with teaching them that the land of bountiful mention in the book of mormon was in central america. It is a book of scripture aimed at teaching people about christ and how to find happiness through the gospel. How does the book of mormon help date the first christmas.
Controversy, evidence, and two cumorahs the book of mormon is not intended to be a history book or a guide to geography, science, or any other secular topic. From an extract from stephens incidents of travel in central america, it will be seen that the proof of the nephites and lamanites dwelling on this continent, according to the account in the book of mormon, is developing itself in a more satisfactory way than the most sanguine believer in that revelation, could have anticipated. Consider a scene of a church to hang in your dining room or living room. A response to wayne may book of mormon archaeology in. Oliver cowdery and joseph smith taught this clearly. The material below covers the geography of the book of mormon in north america. He also taught them that moroni had traveled from central america to palmyra, newyork dedicating future temple sites along the way. A dna study by emory university, accepted by the smithsonian, acknowledges that some native americans have ancestry in common with the peoples in modern israel and the mediterranean area. This site can be used as a study guide to help understand the book of mormon. Does the book of mormon fit best in a geography located around the great lakes, between the united states and canada. We do so by partnering with their leaders and providing them with growth capital, strategic and operational expertise, rigorous analysis, and access to world class talent to drive their growth and impact. John lund on book of mormon in mesoamerica youtube. Adena and hopewell peoples lived in pennsylvania and western new york, but this region represented the impoverished fringe of their culture. Anthropologist mark wrights 2008 fair conference address on similarities between mesoamerica and the book of mormon.
Why did moroni include mormons condemnation of infant baptism. Archaeological and historical evidence joseph smith and. If you arent familiar with the book of mormon, please see my book of mormon introduction page and get your own free copy at. Includes every geographical place mentioned in the book of mormon. Why are there thousands upon thousands of native american archeological sites found in eastern united states that fit the timeline of both the jaredite and the nephite nations. He talks about the olmecs and ancient codex in this short clip. A piece featuring symbolism or people in prayer could be a calming presence in your study or reading nook. Some place the geography of the book in upstate new york or near the great lakes. Lds gospel principles, values, and the teachings of the church are also important art themes, especially to the. The book of mormon and defensive fortifications in mesoamerica. A limited geography model for the book of mormon is one of several theories by latter day saint movement scholars that the books narrative was a historical record of people in a limited geographical region, rather than of the entire western hemisphere as believed by some early latter day saints. Plausible locations in mesoamerica for book of mormon.
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