Articles which do not invoke any type of limited geography in their discussion include. In 1991, john sorenson of byu, the dean of book of mormon geography, created a book called the geography of. Sorensons most recent compilation and discussion of book of mormon passages relating to geography. Foundation for ancient research and mormon studies. Patty henetz of the associated press has written an article on dna and the book of mormon, focusing on geneticist simon southerton and his forthcoming book, losing a lost tribe.
Wayne may presents book of mormon evidence in north american geography, archaeology and historical records. Dna controversy is an issue that most critics believe completely undermines mormon beliefs in the truthfulness of the book. This book locates everything from the narrow neck, to zarahemla, from cumorah, to the land of promise, bountiful, and more. This presentation examines the question of the location of the nephite lands in the americas. To be clear, fair advocates no particular theory of book of mormon. Mormon revisionists today believe that moroni went from one hill cumorah to the next to bury the plates. Where applicable, we have updated the references to reflect later publications. This suggests that the events chronicled in the book of mormon occurred in a much smaller region than the traditional understanding, which argues the same events occurred across the entire western hemisphere. The standard of truth, 18151846, some concern has been expressed online and to us personally that the text of the book has expressed a preference against a heartland model of book of mormon geography. We have been disappointed to read online commentary from individuals favoring a heartland model of book of mormon geography. Clark book of mormon geography digging into the book of mormon. The church teaches that joseph smith translated this record from gold plates found on a hillside in upstate new york in 1820, when he was 14. Dna research and mormon scholars changing basic beliefs.
Book of mormongeographynew worldgreat lakes geography. Dna vs book of mormon incredible new evidence that proves the book of mormon. After making some contributions here, i am now beginning to wonder if much of this article should not be moved to the stub on book of mormon geography, leaving this page free to document the specific issue of dna research. Although dna and the book of mormon has probably made the rounds through the bloggernacle, i suspect its a story that wont go away for a while.
Amidst the hundreds of passages of potential geographic significance, alma 22. Book of mormon evidence in american archaeology wayne may. A statement on our united position visavis creation and dna dating. Dna vs book of mormon incredible new evidence youtube. While the church has pinned its hopes on the work of limited geography apologetics, the essay makes no mention of geography at all. Our changing understanding of ancient america and its scripture part 1. Historical antecedents and early interpretations, by matthew roper farms limited geography bibliography. Most of you believe that the book of mormon occurred in central america, right.
Im not even really sure what the problems are, but i think it would be wise for fair to step back and breathe. He graduated summa cum laude from byu and received masters and doctoral degrees in history from the university of wisconsinmadison. The book of mormon and dna research edited by daniel peterson 287 pages. The contents, structure, and authorship of the book of mormon by jn washburn 247 pages. In 1997, the group became a formal part of brigham young university byu, which is owned and operated by the church of jesus christ of latterday saints lds church. There is generally no direct support amongst mainstream historians and archaeologists for the. Book lot mormon lds evidences map geography structure dna. It is important to remember that most dna apologists defending the book of mormon, do so on the assumption that lehi and his family made a small genetic impact in the americas. Reviews of dna evidence for book of mormon geography. The book is composed of 128 pages of understandable text including seventeen maps illustrating geographical features mentioned in the text. Ask a groupie from either camp to cross on foot their proposed river sidon, east of where they allege the book of mormon land of zarahemla was. His contention is that the dna research thus far doesnt support the book of mormon. It might be useful to point out to the casual reader of these articles, that the scholars involved in critiquing the annotated edition of the book of mormon differ from the editors on some fundamental assumptions which accounts for much of the discord and criticism in their expose.
Ecuador at the headwaters of the amazon the land of zarahemla. Its been over a year since someone posted something on book of mormon geography, so i think its about time. In early 2008 rodney meldrum published a dvd titled dna evidence for book of mormon geography. In mormon theology, lamanites are understood as both chosen and cursed. This remarkable find coincides with the true book of mormon geography which is centered in western new york not mesoamerica. The basic premise of the research engaged in by the author, rod meldrum, was that there was sufficient evidence in the book of mormon and from the prophet jos smith jr. It is conceivable that much of the dna of book of mormon peoples did not survive for the same reason. Book of mormon geography, lands, map, dna true evidence. This part responds to the claim that the book of mormon does not teach that native americans are israelites. Practically since the book of mormon was published, its geography has been the subject of discussion and debate. Despite the limited space on the plates, mormon as a historian and military. Dna evidence of the book of mormon in north america, linking. The book of mormon is not intended to be a history book or a guide to geography, science, or any other secular topic. Another testament of jesus christ, is true, not false.
Unconventional book of mormon geography theories mormon. Answers to farms objections to dna evidence against the book of mormon. They flatly reject the hemispheric geography, the view accepted by most mormons and all the prophets. Why did mormon give so many details about geography. New scientific support for the truthfulness of the book of mormon.
Following are a few excerpts, gleaned from different areas. The church takes no position on the specific geographic location of book of mormon events in the ancient americas. In 2014 the church quietly published book of mormon and dna studies, an essay which distills an avalanche of mormon apologetics published solely in lds journals, and attempts to address population genetics. In this article, we will provide some background on this issue focusing on the scientific issues, followed by a point by point response to various statements made in the essay about the book of mormon.
Hence, moroni had to carry the plates from central america to new york. For these same reasons, arguments that some defenders of the book of mormon make based on dna. Farms findings on mesoamerica are based on the book of mormon s internal geography, that is, descriptions of how long it took the ancient peoples to get from one place to another. The book of mormon, the founding document of the latter day saint movement and one of the four books of scripture of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints lds church, is an account of three groups of people. Because the nephites were nearly exterminated, any chance of locating an existing tribe carrying nephite dna on book of mormon land is unrealistic. One of two parts of the most detailed response available anywhere to the 2014 article book of mormon and dna studies on the lds church website. Correlation and verification through dna, prophetic, scriptural, historical, climatological, archaeological, social, and cultural. Church releases statement on book of mormon geography. The controversy stems from dna studies of native american peoples. The book and the map, new insights into book of mormon geography by venice priddis 169. A man believes in a book of mormon geography, and fair is up in arms about it.
According to the book, two of these groups originated from ancient israel. Sorenson molecular genealogy foundation book of mormon. The book of mormon geography lands and map with dna evidence. He is also associate professor of history at brigham young university, where he teaches american religious history. Critics claim that such studies prove conclusively that there is no evidence of a middle eastern strand within the native american gene pool. The book of mormon geography and map with dna evidence and the location of lands and cities such as zarahemla, cumorah, the narrow neck, mexico, caribbean sea, american indians, and true evidence are all here. Dont know much about book of mormon geography the faith. Spencer fluhman is the executive director of the neal a. Lost civilizations of north america documentary4, deborah bolnick on haplogroup x. Archaeological evidence, dna evidence, scientific theories, and scriptures from the book of mormon.
Farms has since been absorbed into the maxwell institutes laura f. On january 31, 2014, the lds church published an essay entitled book of mormon and dna studies in the gospel topics series on its official website. T he popularized mesoamerican setting and opposing heartland book of mormon geography model are both scripturally unfit. In this episode, three geneticists respond to the lds essay book of mormon and dna studies, and to apologist michael ashs article entitled the dna challenge to the book of mormon that fizzled. It is commonly referred to as the hemispheric geography model because it locates the events and descendants of the book of mormon peoples across the entire western hemisphere, including north, central, and south america. The maxwell institutes statement on book of mormon geography is quite succinct. Historical antecedents and early interpretations matthew roper introduction the book of mormon is a record prepared and written by ancient american prophets. The church of jesus christ of latterday saints released a statement today concerning the geography of the book of mormon in the form of a new gospel topics essay titled book of mormon geography. Using the book of mormon to combat falsehoods in organic evolution by clark a. Although the question of limited geography is strongly linked to dna and the book of mormon, we will not be dealing with that in this volume.
Dna evidence for book of mormon geography miscellaneous. This statement was cited in the 2014 gospel topics essay book of mormon and dna studies n. Nothing is known about the dna of book of mormon peoples, and even if their genetic profile were known, there are sound scientific reasons that it might remain undetected. Farms supported and sponsored what it considered to be faithful scholarship, which includes academic study and research in support of christianity and mormonism, and in particular, the official position of the lds church. Hi, i just finished watching a dvd titled dna evidence for book of mormon geography. Rodney meldrum, dna evidence for book of mormon geography. Genetic drift particularly affects mitochondrial dna and ychromosome dna, but it also leads to the loss of variation in autosomal dna. The foundation for ancient research and mormon studies farms was an informal collaboration of academics devoted to latterday saint historical scholarship. See the series of quotations from 1903 to 1993 at book of mormon geography and revelation, fairmormon n. Book of mormon dna mormonism, the mormon church, beliefs.
Book of mormondna evidencegeography issues fairmormon. For example, farms has published a limited geography model for the book of mormon. A phylogenetic perspective, journal of book of mormon studies 121 2003. In 2006, the group became a formal part of the neal a. It is a book of scripture aimed at teaching people about christ and. Correlation and verification through dna, prophetic, scriptural, historical, climatological, archaeological, social, and cultural evidence rodney meldrum, 2007, mailorder dvd. Book of mormon geography jeff lindsays site and the. The new essay begins with this declarative statement.
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