Richard lloyd anderson, attempts to redefine the experience of the eight witnesses richard lloyd anderson, journal of book of mormon studies, 205an angel showed the book of mormon plates to the three witnesses, who heard gods voice declare the translation correct. He was universally respected for his industry and integrity. Foundation for ancient research and mormon studies, 1994. Primary documents concerning their testimonies appear in preston nibley, witnesses of the. They left 10 specific statements of handling the plates. The three witnesses is the collective name for three men connected with the early latter day saint movement who stated that an angel had shown them the golden plates from which joseph smith, jr.
Additional information on the individual witnesses and their statements are available in the maxwell institutes digital collection. Evaluating the book of mormon witnesses book of mormon central. Jul 08, 2011 this is a photomechanical reprint of the first edition 1830 of the book of mormon. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. The above videos from 2014 are a great resource that critically analyzes the bom witness statements and puts them in context. Why were three key witnesses chosen to testify of the book of mormon.
The author, richard lloyd anderson, gives many historical details about the statements of such critics and the sources and background of their statements. Facts on the book of mormon witnesses part 1 mormons. December 1841april 1843 by joseph smith book 5 editions published between 2008 and 2011 in english and held by 29 worldcat member libraries worldwide. That keystone, the book of mormon, has been shared, studied, respected, and embraced by millions of people the world over.
He is a member of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints. Explaining away the book of mormon witnesses fairmormon. The most significant witnesses are the three witnesses and the eight witnesses, all of whom allowed their names to be used on two separate statements included with the book of mormon. Some people seem to deal with them by simply waving them aside. David whitmer, one of the book of mormon s three witnesses, said if you believe my testimony to the book of mormon. Richard lloyd anderson was an emeritus professor of church history and doctrine at brigham young university. Richard lloyd anderson, investigating the book of mormon witnesses salt lake city.
Statements clearly traced to the witnesses verify the testimonies printed in the book of mormon. In missouri in 1833 a mob of about five hundred men too david to a public square where he was stripped, tarred, and feathered. Page numbers from the printed copy have been inserted in the text in brackets. The earliest documented statement of the three witnessesoliver cowdery, david whitmer, and martin harrisis their statement in the handwriting of oliver cowdery subsequently published in the 1830 edition of the book of mormon. Anderson, investigating the book of mormon witnesses, 116. Investigating the book of mormon witnesses by richard. Investigating the book of mormon witnesses kindle edition by anderson, richard lloyd. Richard lloyd anderson 9 may 1926 12 august 2018 was an american lawyer and theologist of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints who was a professor of church history and doctrine at brigham young university byu. A case for the book of mormon before the church of jesus christ of latterday saints was officially organized, its keystone was in place. It is the word of god given through the prophet joseph smith to us today. Richard lloyd anderson presents evidence from original sources on each of the eleven witnesses and concludes.
Anderson, testimonies of the book of mormon witnesses maxwell institute. In fact, joseph smith gave a revelation in july of 1828 in which martin harris, one of the three witnesses, was called a wicked man, who has set at naught the counsels of god, and has broken the most sacred promises doctrine and covenants 3. The three witnesses of the book of mormon were oliver cowdery, david whitmer, and martin harris. Bofm witnesses presentation provides a spiritual and temporal witness of the realities of the book of mormon. Today chris and clay join me again for a roundtable discussion about the eleven witnesses to the book of mormon. Dan challenges many of the assertions taken by lds apologist richard anderson. Additional book of mormon witnesses journey of faith films. Three witnesses the three witnesses are david whitmer, oliver cowdery, and martin harris, who mortgaged his farm to finance the first printing of the book of mormon. The book of mormon contains two sets of joint statements written by joseph smith for those who claimed to have seen the gold plates. Paul and joseph smith richard lloyd anderson duration. Martin harris shows signs of being an unstable person in terms of his religious convictions. Additional book of mormon witnesses posted by ben on sep, 2012 in book of mormon witnesses 0 comments.
Questions about the witnesses to the reality of the. Assessments by contemporaries described him as an industrious, hardworking farmer, shrewd in his business calculations, frugal in his habits, and strictly upright in his business dealings quoted in richard lloyd anderson, investigating the book of mormon witnesses 1981, 9697. Though each of the three witnesses was eventually excommunicated from the church two returned, none ever denied or retracted his published testimony. In my personal experience, and as a member of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints sometimes mistakenly called the mormon church, i have heard it described as everything from interesting, false, uplifting, or contrary to the bible. The three witnesses, utah genealogical and historical magazine, october 1927october 1929, vol. Investigating the book of mormon witnesses by richard lloyd. When i was a member of the church i honestly never thought about checking up on the witnesses of the book of mormon. The three and eight witnesses to the book of mormon. In this carefully researched, thoughtprovoking book, dr. His book investigating the book of mormon witnesses is widely considered the definitive work on this subject.
We also talk about the testimony of the three witnesses, three men who were allowed to see an angel and the physical gold. Skeptics have misused some historical sources as they attempt to reverse the eight witnesses statements about their physical contact with the book of mormon plates. Their written testimony of three witnesses has been included in all of the almost 100 million copies of the book of mormon the church has published since 1830. Media in category book of mormon witnesses the following 2 files are in this category, out of 2 total. So right at the outset of the translation, the promise of book of mormon witnesses was given by revelation. Book of mormon spiritual and temporal witnesses presentation. The names of those persons are signed to the certificates in the book. Learn more about mormon apostles, visit talk with a mormon, visit. Book of mormon witnesses encyclopedia of mormonism, pg.
Richard andersons work on the three witnesses and the eight witnesses demonstrates conclusively. Richard lloyd anderson, personal writings of the book of mormon witnesses, in book of mormon authorship revisited. My dear friend, the book of mormon is a gift from god to you. The witnesses of the book of mormon the millennial star. Richard lloyd anderson is the author of investigating the book of mormon witnesses 4. The evidence left by the book of mormon witnesses is rich, varied, and uneven, including the following. I grew up believing that i belonged to the only true church on the face of the earth and even though there were teachings about the church i didnt agree with, it never occurred to me they didnt have physical proof for the book of mormon. We talk at length about our assumptions that the three witnesses has a spiritual event, that the eight witnesses had a physical event, whether their experience was consistent, and how the institutional church may have expressed certainty about the boundaries and constructs of their. For a comprehensive treatment of the experiences of these eight witnesses, see richard lloyd anderson, attempts to redefine the experience of the eight witnesses, journal of book of mormon studies, 141 2005. The witnesses to the book of mormon the witnesses to the book of mormon have always been extremely impressive to me. Ancient documents often needed the signatures of witnesses in order to be considered authentic or legally binding. Evaluating the book of mormon witnesses 39 themselves. He is a member of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints anderson was born in 1926 in salt lake city, the first child to agnes ricks and lloyd anderson. It is very interesting how the lord decided to have those special witnesses of his work of the last days.
A carefully researched, thoughtprovoking book, by dr. Also, joseph later found that the book of mormon prophesies in two places of its modern witnesses. Aside from the lost 116 pages, was the book of mormon translated with the urim and thummim or strictly from peering into a hat and the words appearing from a seer stone. There is a law definitely stated in the scriptures governing testimony and the. Attempts to redefine the experience of the eight witnesses. Sep, 2012 in the last book of the book of mormon, there is a prophet named moroni, and in chapter 10 versus 35, he gives us a promise that if we read this book, ponder about its teachings, and ask god the eternal father in the name of christ, we can know ourselves this book is true. Joseph smith, the three witnesses, and the eight witnesses are a twelveman jury in affirming the reality of the gold plates and the book of mormon. His degrees consist of a ba, history, brigham young university. David whitmer, one of the book of mormons three witnesses, said if you believe my testimony to the book of mormon. Lucy mack smith, biographical sketches of joseph smith the prophet, and his progenitors for many generations liverpool, s. This article provides an overview of the statements and experiences of the eight. If you read it and pray about its teachings, i promise you it will change your life. He grew up in salt lake, provo, and ogden, utah, and briefly in pocatello, idaho he remembered being bossy to his two. And not one of the witnesses ever retracted or denied their testimony, including the men who later left mormonism.
The book of mormon witnesses are a group of contemporaries of joseph smith who claimed to have seen the golden plates from which smith translated the book of mormon. Richard lloyd anderson, wherein he presents evidence from original sources on each of the eleven witnesses of the metal plates from which the prophet joseph smith translated the ancient scriptural account known as the book of mormon. In the strength of the lord i can do all thingsnook book. Why could seantum be convicted without any witnesses. Anderson was born in 1926 in salt lake city, the first child to agnes ricks and lloyd anderson. Evaluating the book of mormon witnesses book of mormon. Richard lloyd anderson author of investigating the book of. For the witnesses testimonies, and their lives outside the church, see richard lloyd anderson, investigating the book of mormon witnesses corr. Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, unto whom this work shall come. It also contains biographical and historical information relating to the book of mormon. That we, through the grace of god the father, and our lord jesus christ, have seen the plates which contain this. The eight witnesses speak of viewing the plates themselves with unobstructed vision. Investigating the book of mormon witnesses kindle edition.
What anderson will be best remembered for, however, is his landmark work on the book of mormon witnesses. Much has been said about the book of mormon since its first publication in the 1800s. The three men chosen as witnesses of the book of mormon were oliver cowdery, david whitmer, and martin harris. Investigating the book of mormon witnesses deseret book. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading investigating the book of mormon witnesses.
Richard lloyd anderson, did oliver cowdery, one of the three special book of mormon witnesses, express doubt about his testimony. The signatures of the eight witnesses to the book of mormon. Facts on the book of mormon witnesses part 1 mormons in. Foremost scholar of the book of mormon witnesses passes. We build enduring faith in jesus christ by making the book of mormon accessible, comprehensible, and. Three witnesses mormonism, the mormon church, beliefs. Primary documents concerning their testimonies appear in preston nibley, witnesses of the book of mormon salt lake city, 1953. Many critics of the book of mormon witnesses say that the witnesses of the book of mormon denied their written testimonies in statements to different people over the years. In another revelation given sometime later, god was supposed to have told joseph smith that harris is a wicked man, for he has. The bible prescribe at least two or three witnesses for everything. Richard lloyd anderson mormonism, the mormon church. By providing the testimonies of witnesses and including them at the end of the book of mormon, joseph smith was following not only the ancient pattern called for by nephi, but also the guidance and inspiration of the lord. By june 1829 martin harris, oliver cowdery, and david whitmer had verbalized a desire to be the special three witnesses alluded to in the book of mormon.
The eight witnesses of the book of mormon lds blogs. In studying the history of joseph smith and the the church of jesus christ of latterday saints, referred to as the mormons, we emphasize joseph smiths own testimony of the book of mormon, that book of additional scripture that is another testament of jesus christ. Richard lloyd anderson, testimonies of the three witnesses, provo, ut. Richard lloyd anderson, the most interviewed witness, improvement era, may 1969, vol. This is a photomechanical reprint of the first edition 1830 of the book of mormon. See also richard lloyd anderson, investigating the book of mormon witnesses salt lake city. We talk at length about our assumptions that the three witnesses has a spiritual event, that the eight witnesses had a physical event, whether their experience was consistent, and how the institutional church may have. The following is their testimony that can be found in the first pages of the book of mormon.
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