Adherents to the Latter Day Saint movement view the Book of Mormon as a work of divinely inspired scripture, which was written by prophets in the ancient Americas. Most adherents believe Joseph Smith's account of translating ancient golden plates inscribed by prophets. Smith preached that the angel Moroni, a prophet in the Book of Mormon, directed him in the 1820s to a hill near his home in Palmyra, New York, where the plates were buried. Critics point out there is no physical evidence that Joseph Smith actually had possession of golden plates. Several individuals besides Smith himself have stated they saw the plates, including 11 witnesses whose testimonies are found at the beginning of every copy of the book, beginning with the First Edition, who said they saw them in 1829. Three of those individuals also stated they were visited by an angel. The other eight witnesses said that they viewed the plates without any divine manifestations. They relate that they were permitted by Smith to handle and heft the plates and examine the engraved characters found on the plates. Other witnesses at other times had occasion to heft or carry the plates while they were wrapped in cloth. Still others did not say they had seen the plates but that they had observed Smith dictating parts of the text that eventually became the Book of Mormon.
There is an extensive body of work by scholars supportive of Smith's claims who have studied the manuscripts, and the text in its various aspects. Critics who have examined the question of authorship of the text have wondered whether it was written by Smith alone or with help from an associate (such as Oliver Cowdery or Sidney Rigdon). Other critics suggest The Book of Mormon was copied by Smith from other available literature at the time of its production, such as the View of the Hebrews, the Spalding Manuscript (often seen spelled as "Spaulding"), or the King James Version of the Bible.
Theories of authorship
There are differing views on the origin of the Book of Mormon. Sole author, Joseph Smith, drawing upon contemporary ideas and themes.For argument regarding Joseph's authorship, see Sole author, other: Largely dismissed by modern scholarship, but highly influential among Smith's contemporaries and early critics. It primarily focused on Solomon Spalding. Theories of multiple authors posit collaboration with others to produce the Book of Mormon, generally citing Book of Mormon scribe Oliver Cowdery or Sidney Rigdon as potential co-authors. Latter Day Saint view: ancient historical narrative, translated by miraculous means.
The prevailing view among scholars is that Joseph Smith authored the Book of Mormon himself, without the intentional complicity of anyone else. One argument for this theory is that the Book of Mormon reflects Smith's life experiences. There are, for instance, parallels between the tree of life vision in the Book of Mormon and a dream of Joseph Smith Sr.Hal Hougey, The Truth About the "Lehi Tree-of-Life" Stone (Concord: Pacific Publishing Co., 1963)Grant H. Palmer, An Insider's View of Mormon Origins (Salt Lake City, Utah: Signature Books, 2002) pp. 70–71
The golden plates were sometimes called the "Golden Bible" in early descriptions. The label "Golden Bible" predates the Book of Mormon, as legends of such an artifact circulated in Canada and upstate New York while Smith was growing up in Vermont. Smith's companion Peter Ingersoll later stated that Smith had told him of the legend of the Canadian Golden Bible.
Theories of multiple authors/translators
Another theory is that Smith was aided in the translation of the Book of Mormon by one or more co-authors, such as Sidney Rigdon or Oliver Cowdery. Both Rigdon and Cowdery had more formal education than Smith.
David Persuitte highlights a revelation of Smith's from March 1829, that apparently limited Smith's power to translation. Persuitte argues the wording of the revelations indicates at least one other secret collaborator, as "if he had some partners who had imposed it upon him in order to prevent him from gathering too much power to himself." In contrast, co-authors Jerald and Sandra Tanner argue the early text of the revelation merely demonstrates that "Joseph Smith was not planning on doing any other work besides the Book of Mormon".
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery was a third-cousin of Lucy Mack Smith, Joseph Smith's mother. A pastor who lived near Cowdery, Ethan Smith, had written View of the Hebrews, another work that has been posited as a source for the Book of Mormon. Cowdery served as scribe during the transcription of the Book of Mormon, and was one of the Three Witnesses to the golden plates. Cowdery later resigned and was excommunicated in 1838, then re-joined the LDS Church in 1848.
Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon was a Baptist preacher, and one of the most prominent of Smith's earliest followers. Rigdon served as a scribe for the Book of Moses, received revelations jointly with Smith, served as Smith's spokesperson, and with Smith carried the title "Prophet, Seer, and Revelator". After Smith's death, Rigdon led his own faction of Latter Day Saints and continued to announce revelations.
Pointing away from Rigdon's co-authorship, there is little or no extant evidence that Smith knew of or was in contact with Rigdon until after the Book of Mormon was published, although some witness accounts place Rigdon in upstate New York in 1825 and 1826. Most histories state that Rigdon learned of the Book of Mormon from Parley P. Pratt, a member of Rigdon's Kirtland congregation, who had joined the Church of Christ in Palmyra in September 1830. Upon Pratt's return to Ohio, Rigdon reportedly learned of Smith and the Book of Mormon and was baptized by Pratt. According to these histories, only after his own baptism did Rigdon travel to New York, first meeting Smith in December 1830, nine months after the Book of Mormon's publication.
Beliefs of Latter-day Saints
Religious adherents to the Latter-day Saints Movement generally accept Joseph Smith's account that he translated an ancient record compiled and abridged by Mormon, a pre-Columbian resident of the Western Hemisphere. Some believers, perhaps in reaction to critique of these beliefs, suppose that the text is a divinely inspired narrative, regardless of its historicity (i.e., "Inspired Fiction"), or an example of "automatic writing". Dunn concludes, "It is clear that Smith's translation experience fits comfortably within the larger world of scrying, channeling, and automatic writing."
According to the accounts of Joseph Smith and his associates, the original record was engraved on thin, malleable sheets of metal ("leaves") with the appearance of gold, and bound with three rings at one edge. The engraving was reportedly of considerable skill. According to the narrative of the book, the prophet-historian Mormon abridged other records of the local civilizations from the preceding millennia.Words of Mormon 1:3–6. Mormon then gave the record to his son, Moroni, who inscribed a few additional words of his own, and concealed the plates about AD 400.Book of Mormon Introduction. Near the end of Moroni's life (approximately AD 421), he placed these plates along with several other items in a stone box in a hillside (now named Cumorah) near present-day Palmyra, New York.
By Smith's account, on September 21, 1823, this same Moroni, now an angel, appeared to Smith to instruct him about this ancient record and its destined translation into English. Smith was shown the location of the plates (and the other items in the box), but was not immediately allowed to take them. After four years of annually meeting with the angel, Smith was finally entrusted with the plates. Through the power of God and the Urim and Thummim (ancient seeing stones buried with the plates), he was able to translate the Reformed Egyptian inscriptions.According to See Joseph Smith–History 1 for a complete record of Smith's account. Smith stated he was commanded to show the plates to only certain people. Accounts by these individuals are recorded in the introduction of the Book of Mormon as "The Testimony of the Three Witnesses" and "The Testimony of the Eight Witnesses."
Purported sources A number of works have been cited that could have served as sources for the Book of Mormon.
King James Version of the Bible
The King James Bible (1611) may have been a source for the Book of Mormon. In total, some 478 verses in the Book of Mormon are quoted in some form from the KJV Book of Isaiah. Segments of the Book of Mormon—1 Nephi chapters 20–21 and 2 Nephi chapters 7–8 and 12–24—match nearly word-for-word Isaiah 48:1–52:2 and 2–14 (respectively). Other parallels include Mosiah 14 with KJV Isaiah 53, 3 Nephi 22 with KJV Isaiah 54, 3 Nephi 24–25 with KJV Malachi 3–4, and 3 Nephi 12–14 with KJV Matthew 5–7.
King James Bible Book of Mormon (1830)"For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up" (Malachi 4:1)"For behold, saith the prophet... the day soon cometh that all the proud and they who do wickedly shall be as stubble; and the day cometh that they must be burned." (1 Nephi 22:15)"[T]he axe is laid unto the root of the trees; therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire" (Matthew 3:10)"[T]he ax is laid at the root of the tree; therefore every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be hewn down and cast into the fire" (Alma 5:52)"[B]e steadfast and unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord" (1 Corinthians 15:58)"[B]e steadfast and immovable, always abounding in good works" (Mosiah 5:15)
Joseph Smith taught that The Book of Mormon was written at least 1100 years prior to the King James Version, but it contains many of the same peculiarities, such as , which is quoted nearly word-for-word in . This passage addresses believers holding snakes and drinking poison; however, it does not appear in many early biblical manuscripts and is widely believed to have been composed in the 2nd century.See the New International Version Bible, 1984, Mark 16: "The most reliable early manuscripts and other ancient witnesses do not have Mark 16:9–20." Additionally, the Book of Mormon reflects KJV literary and linguistic style. The KJV was the most commonly used translation of the Bible when the Book of Mormon was produced.
Deuterocanon/Apocrypha Another theorized source for the Book of Mormon are the books of the Deuterocanon, called "Apocrypha" by Protestants. In particular, 2 Maccabees includes the name "Nephi".
Apocrypha Book of Mormon (1830)"We will assay to abridge in one volume. ... labouring to follow the rules of an abridgment. ... But to use brevity ... is to be granted to him that will make an abridgement." (2 Maccabees 2:25-31)"I make an abridgement of the record ... after I have abridged the record. ... I had made an abridgement from the plates of Nephi. ... I write a small abridgement." (1 Nephi 1:17, Words of Mormon 3, 5:9)"They commanded that this writing should be put in tables of brass, and that they should be set ... in a conspicuous place; Also that the copies thereof should be laid up in the treasury" (1 Maccabees 14:48-49)"And I commanded him ... that he should go with me into the treasury ... I also spake unto him that I should carry the engravings, which were upon the plates of brass" (1 Nephi 4:20,24)"Then the king, in closing the place, made it holy ... many men call it Nephi". (2 Maccabees 1:34,36)"And my people would that we should call the name of the place Nephi; wherefore we did call it Nephi". (2 Nephi 5:8)"And it came to pass ... I dreamed a dream by night" (2 Esdras 13:1)"And it came to pass ... Behold, I have dreamed a dream" (1 Nephi 8:2)
Spalding's "Manuscript Found"