REL A 275 Midterm

Blessings from abiding by BoM precepts

Grow closer to God

What did J.S. say about the BoM helping people get nearer to God

We would get nearer to God by studying the Book of Mormon and abiding by its precepts, than by any other book

What is a precept?

a command: sticking to a rule or commandment

Levels of Elder Bednar’s scripture study framework (importance of each one)

Doctrines = why

Principles = what

Application = how

What President Benson said about starting a serious study of the BoM

There is a power that will flow into your lives

What D&C teaches about remembering the BoM

remember what is says and do what it tells you to do.

Hermeneutics

the study of how humans interpret sacred texts

exegesis

the interpretation of text that takes into account the context of the original author/editor

eisegesis

the interpretation of a scriptural text from a reader’s perspective

scriptural examples of exegesis

1 Corinthians 3:16-17: the temple is a metaphor for the Church and its members

scriptural examples of eisegesis

1 Corinthians 3:16-17: LDS people generally interpret the temple to be a metaphor for our physical bodies

why do we need exegesis and eisegesis when interpreting scriptures

The different perspectives help us have a full understanding

why does mormon include the story of Korihor in the BoM

It is placed between two major missionary stories to contrast the power of the word of God, with that of the devil.

exegetical interpretations of “tender mercies” (1 Nephi 1:20)

The many tender mercies over the 3 decades between the events of 1 Nephi and when he wrote the record

exegetical interpretation for “word” (Alma 32-33)

Christ and his redemption and atonement

Exegetical interpretations for Paul’s “temple” (1 Corinthians 3:16-17)

temple = church and its members

the exegetical key J.S. used to understand scripture

enquire what the question was that drew out the answer or caused Jesus to utter a parable

value of understanding chapter divisions in the 1830 BoM when thinking about exegesis

chapters were much longer and different stories used to be grouped together in different ways and they were paired together to teach specific things

a repeated phrase the BoM uses to help reader identify applications of teachings

“and thus we see”

examples of how BoM writers uses eisegesis

1 Nephi 16:29 “And thus we see that by small means the Lord can bring about great things”

redactor

produces something new from older available sources and adds their own perspective or voice

redaction

pulling from older sources to create something new

redaction vs editing

editing just assembles/revises someone else’s work while redacting adds it’s own voice

examples of redaction and their results in OT and BoM

1 and 2 Chronicles used to be Chronicles, they were redacted from the books of Samuel and Kings to paint David in a much more flattering light

Nephi redacts Lehi’s plates in his account

Sources used by Nephi in his redaction process

Lehi, Jacob, Isaiah

sources used by Mormon in his redaction process

Mosiah, Alma, Helaman

the four purposes of Mormon’s “short comments” made during his redaction process

religious lessons to be learned

explanations

fulfillment of prophetic pronouncements

editorial advance notice

the result(s) of recognizing and understanding the redactional process of the BoM

greater understanding and clarity

the five sets of plates that are referred to as the BoM

Nephi (small), Nephi (large), Mormon, Ether, Brass (Nephi, Jacob, Mormon, and Moroni are the authors)

Book 1 (purpose, content, editor, main authors)

Book 2 (purpose, content, editor, main authors)

Book 3 (purpose, content, editor, main authors)

Book 4 (purpose, content, editor, main authors)

Book 5 (purpose, content, editor, main authors)

literal definition of translation

carrying meaning across from one language to another

tight control

directly translating word for word (little to no self-input)

\

loose control

directly translates word for word (and puts in his own input)

what language did J.S. first think the plates might be in

Native American Language

What languages were actually involved in the composition of the gold plates

Egyptian, reformed Egyptian, and Hebrew

literal translation

faithful to the source text

artistic translation

accessible and potent for the intended audience

complex tension

faithful to the source text and accessible and potent for the intended audience (accuracy and appropriateness)

which (literal, artistic, or complex) best applies to translation of the BoM

complex

what the term Urim and Thummim refers to

the brown seer stone and the Nephite interpreters (spectacles)

what method did Joseph Smith use to translate the gold plates

read words off the seer stone in the darkness of the hat

who was the principle ( and most productive) scribe for the BoM

Oliver Cowdery

who lose the 116 pages

Martin Harris

what lesson did J.S. say he learned from the loss of the 116 pages

fear god more than man; man cannot stop god’s plan

how many manuscripts of the BoM existed prior to publication

two: the original and the printer

In which years were the different editions of the BoM from 1830-today

1837

1840

1879

1921

1936 (Braille)

1981

who is responsible for the changes in the 1879 edition

Orson Pratt

what is the purpose of the PoS

To become like God and Christ and live with them again (Get and Become)

gospel definition of “death”

separation

what had to happen for the atonement to be fully realized

Jesus Christ had to physically die

the three pillars of eternity

creation, fall, infinite atonement

what makes Samuel the Lamanite’s speech unique

It is the only teaching from a Lamanite in the BoM

what was samuel the lamanite’s invitation to the people?

to repent

samuel the lamanite’s teachings about redemption from the two deaths (physical and spiritual)

All mankind will be redeemed because of the resurrection of Christ and brought back into the presence of the Lord

samuel’s teachings on what brings about “the condition of repentance” and the consequences of those who don’t meet those conditions

If ye repent ye shall be saved, if not ye shall be cut off and experience a second spiritual death (cast into the fire)

where the scriptures teach about the three degrees of glory in heaven

D&C 76

President Boyd K. Packer on what best improves attitudes and behaviors

the study of the doctrines of the gospel

what Pres. Nelson teaches about the three pillars of eternity and their relationship to one another

they are doctrinally interrelated. We cannot understand the atonement without the fall and the fall without the creation

the fall of adam and eve and the aspects that are clarified in latter-day revelation

the Fall was not a mistake, but a central part of the plan

the consequences that came from partaking of the fruit and how it changed their current state (2 Nephi 2)

sin, death, children

How Jacob was redeemed, according to Lehi

through the righteousness of the Redeemer

how affliction can be for our good

our afflictions help us to grow which is the purpose of coming to earth

the relationship between the creation, the fall, and the atonement

Creation came from God, the Fall from man, Atonement from Christ

the status of newborn children according to LDS gospel

clean and innocent

nevertheless

the first has no power to lessen the greater truth of the second

consecrate

to make sacred; dedicate to the worship of God

sin

something inherently wrong

transgression

going against something formally prohibited

moral agency

we are free to choose but responsible for our choices

terminology in BoM in connection to the atonement

It is everything Jesus does to make us one with the Father

the two grand pillars of the atonement

resurrection from death and redemption from sin

the three different types of grace and the suggested sequence of experiencing them

therapeutic: healing

Enabling: strengthening

Perfecting

another way death is understood in the BoM

separation from God

what we need to do to apply the blessings of the atonement

broken heart and contrite spirit-repent

the BoM passage that best describes perfecting grace

Moroni 10:32-33

narrative theology (and its main purpose)

focuses on the bible as a dramatic account of God’s activity

(purpose is to identify God’s character)

narrative criticism

focuses on ascertaining the meaning of the text and discovering how the story communicates its meaning

why stories and narratives are used in scripture

explain human action

articulates human consciousness

depicts identity of agents

display the content of christian conviction

how narrative scholars analyze characters and setting

explore how setting establishes mood

provide the occasion for plot conflicts

develop a character’s mental, emotional, or spiritual state

the three major narrators in the BoM

Nephi, Mormon, and Moroni

the three personal characteristics found in Mormon’s narrative style

Historian-accurate

Narrator-aesthetically pleasing

Moralist-teaching correct doctrine

how often Mormon interrupts his narrative to speak to his audience

over 100 times

why does mormon include so many prophecies and their fulfillment

prophecies provide connections between larger episodes and books

what was the great foundational promise to the Nephites

"Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall prosper in the land; but inasmuch as ye will not keep my commandments, ye shall be cut off from my presence."

cultural narrative

a narrative that captures a general understanding of what it means to belong

Heilsgeschichte

the pattern of specific events in human history in which God clearly reveals his presence, and savings action

symbolism in Lehi’s dream

Large and Spacious Field: The World \n Tree: The love of God \n Fruit: The atonement \n River: Depths of Hell \n Iron Rod: Word of God \n Mists of darkness: temptations \n Great building: Pride of the World

How could Lehi’s dream be a new cultural narrative

it is ahistorical (time) and atemporal (place)-it can define any unrelated groups connected by their journey through the dark wasteland

which BoM scenes show the Nephite cultural narrative

Jesus Christ’s visitation in the Americas

what is the biggest difference between the Israelite experience and the Nephite experience

The Nephites were never going to return to their original lands of inheritance

What is the condescension of God

condescension means to descend voluntarily from a higher state to a lower state

the importance of bear witness and record

witness (testify of validity) vs record (write down officially)

both must be done to truly believe a message

why is understanding covenants essential to understanding the BoM

It is a central doctrine of the BoM occuring 154 times in the book.

covenants

an agreement made when two individuals meet and agree to certain conditions that will then define their relationship

Abrahamic covenant (3 main blessings)

land

posterity

blessings of the gospel (priesthood)

spiritual parallel of the promise of land in the Abrahamic Covenant to the mosaic covenant and the new and everlasting covenant

a place in the celestial kingdom

eternal marriage and eternal increase

exaltation and eternal life