BoM Gospel Doctrine Lesson 27: Alma 30-31

July 17, 2016 By Ben Spackman

These two chapters are loaded. First, we encounter the third member of the Unholy Trinity of antichrists in the Book of Mormon. First was Sherem (Jacob 7), then Nehor (Alma 1), now Korihor. I highly recommend this Ensign article on Korihor, “Countering Korihor’s Philosophy.” I first encountered I as a missionary, and was so impressed I wrote next to the Alma 30 chapter heading, “Ensign July 1992.” (E. Lund’s discussion is taken up further here.) This article introduces terms and concepts like “epistemology,” “empiricism,”... Read more

New Testament Conference Announcement

July 13, 2016 By Ben Spackman

As part of the New Testament Commentary Seminar, a conference will be held at BYU Friday July 29. A formal announcement, more information, and audio/video from previous conferences are available here at the Commentary homepage. Click here for a nice PDF. 4th Annual BYU New Testament Commentary Conference: New Mormon Ideas about Mark and Hebrews Friday, July 29 9:00 am to 3:00 pm Hinckley Center Assembly Hall, Brigham Young University Public welcome, Admission free The Epistle to the Hebrews 9:00 Welcome, Invocation, and Introductions... Read more

BoM Gospel Doctrine Lesson 26: Alma 23-29

July 10, 2016 By Ben Spackman

I did an Olympic-distance triathlon this morning, and it’s left me pretty exhausted… body and mind alike. (I hit all my goals, ambitious things like “don’t die” and “finish.”) Historiography is the study of how history is written. For many people, history is simply “the facts about the past,” but history and history-writing is, in fact, far more complex than that. The history writer inevitably shapes the story told, sometimes in obvious and explicit ways, other times not. In the Bible, scholars have... Read more

BoM Gospel Doctrine Lesson 25: Alma 17-22 (Draft)

July 3, 2016 By Ben Spackman

Alma 17 begins with a chance meeting between Alma and the sons of Mosiah, and then we get a 14 year flashback. The sons of Mosiah (which either includes some who weren’t his sons, or he had more sons than are previously named) are doing something which is easily perceived as hostile: group of armed (Alma 17:7) princes (remember who Mosiah was) enter enemy territory. A raiding party for glory and honor, perhaps? This, perhaps, is why Mormon specifies that their... Read more

BoM Gospel Doctrine Lesson 24: Alma 13-16

July 2, 2016 By Ben Spackman

These chapters are the violent dénoument of the Ammonihah story. Grant Hardy cogently points out how this story with Alma/Amulek parallels an earlier story with Abinadi. Just as Abinadi reprised the role of Moses, so also Alma2 and Amulek at Ammonihah relive the same sort of trial that Abinadi underwent. There are significant common narrative elements, including prophets who start to leave when their words are rejected only to receive a directive to return and deliver a final warning; a dramatic confrontation with the... Read more

BoM Gospel Doctrine Lesson 23: Alma 8-12

July 2, 2016 By Ben Spackman

Once again, the lesson and chapter divisions cut across the 1830/original chapter divisions, breaking up logical units. In particular, today’s chapter 12 extended into chapter 13:9,where it terminates appropriately with an “amen.” Then a new section began in 13:10-15:19. It is after 13:10 that Alma transitions into speaking about Melchizedek and high priests, which I shall take up next week. (Teaser: I think Alma’s invocation of high priests is a direct response to the objection that the tree of life is blocked by... Read more

David O. McKay on Evolution and Reading Genesis

June 28, 2016 By Ben Spackman

One part of my book on Genesis 1 (trying to finish this summer) addresses the question “Why can’t we just believe what our Church leaders have said about Genesis 1?” Well, that presumes two things, first, that a unified interpretation of how to read Genesis has existed among them, and second, that such a unified interpretation (if it existed) had come about via revelation. I examine three Church presidents to demonstrate the variety of views. On one extreme is Brigham Young, and... Read more

BoM Gospel Doctrine Lesson 22: Alma 5-7

June 25, 2016 By Ben Spackman

Alma has divested himself of the judgeship to go on a mission of sorts, to his own people, and stir them up in the ways of remembrance. These three chapters were also individual units in the 1830, so let’s look at what they contain. Alma 5– Preaching at Zarahemla, “according to Alma’s own record” (5:2) which Mormon apparently has in his possession. This discourse ends rather abruptly. Alma 6– Summary of the aftermath of his preaching at Zarahemla, Alma’s regulating the church,... Read more

BoM Gospel Doctrine Lesson 21- Mosiah 29, Alma 1-4

June 18, 2016 By Ben Spackman

Today we move into the Book of Alma. The stories of Alma Sr. and Alma Jr. are a major focus of the Book of Mormon; If we start in Mosiah 17, where Alma first appears, and count through the end of the Book of Alma, it’s roughly 40% of the entire Book of Mormon, by wordcount. (I generated this using Bibleworks 10, though it is off by a bit, because my electronic text doesn’t include original chapter or book headings.... Read more

BoM Gospel Doctrine Lesson 20: Mosiah 25-27, Alma 36

June 18, 2016 By Ben Spackman

(Posted from the Middle of Nowhere, Michigan.) This lesson has us jump to Alma’s retelling of his experience being unconscious for three days, in Alma 36. The story of Alma the Younger is actually told in three places, not just two: Mosiah 27:8-37 (roughly contemporary), Alma 36 (Alma jr. recounting to his son Helaman), and Alma 38:6-8 (Alma Jr. recounting to his son Shiblon.) See the chart here and the article reprinted here. During his time unconscious, Alma is shown a different perspective of his actions and their... Read more