Mormon scholarship, apologetics, and evangelical neglect: Losing the battle and not knowing it?

Trinity Journal, Fall 1998 by Mosser, Carl, Owen, Paul

Since the Greek gold tablets appear to have an Egyptian origin which agrees in time and content with the Egyptian associations of the Book of Mormon, the most feasible and plausible explanation for the internal characteristics shared by the Book of Mormon is that seventh/sixth-century BC Egypt is the common meeting ground for the two traditions.34

There is no room here for detailed study of further examples of scholarly defenses of the Book of Mormon, but many others merit attention. John Welch has argued for an ancient Vorlage based on chiastic structures in the Book of Mormon.35 Donald W. Parry, professor of Hebrew at BYU and a member of the International Dead Sea Scrolls Editing Team, has published an exhaustive study of Hebrew poetic structures in the Book of Mormon text.36 Roger R. Keller, a former Presbyterian minister armed with a Ph.D. in Biblical Studies from Duke University, has written a monograph arguing, on the basis of distinctive word usages, that the Book of Mormon cannot be the product of a single nineteenth-century author, but rather is the product of several ancient writers.37 John Tvedtnes, senior project manager for FARMS, has written technical studies on Hebraisms and Isaiah variants in the Book of Mormon.38 Several studies involving form-critical analysis also require some attention. Stephen D. Ricks, Professor of Hebrew and Semitic Languages at BYU, has written a detailed article discussing King Benjamin's coronation in Mosiah 1-6 against the backdrop of ancient Near Eastern treaty literature.39 Blake T. Ostler has examined the account of Lehi's vision in 1 Nephi 1 against the backdrop of the "call form" in similar theophanies in the Hebrew Bible and OT pseudepigrapha.40 There are many more studies which could be mentioned, but this should suffice to demonstrate that LDS academicians are producing serious research which desperately needs to be critically examined from an informed evangelical perspective.

V. THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS, THE PSEUDEPIGRAPHA, AND THE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE

Biblical scholars are well aware of the impact the discoveries at Qumran and adjacent vicinities have had on both Old and New Testament studies.41 The Dead Sea Scrolls have greatly enhanced our understanding of OT textual criticism, Aramaic backgrounds to the NT, and the complexity of the various Judaisms existing in firstcentury Palestine. It would be hard to overestimate the importance of Dead Sea Scrolls research for understanding the Bible.

Recently Mormon scholars have come to the forefront of Dead Sea Scrolls research. FARMS and BYU have sponsored several international conferences on the Scrolls in Israel and the U.S., attended by world-renowned scholars. At least four Latter-day Saints are on the International Dead Sea Scrolls Editing Team headed by Emmanuel Tov.42 Latter-day Saint Scrolls research is readily accepted by the larger academic community, and Mormons are increasingly asked to collaborate on, contribute to, or edit books with non-LDS scholars.43 Mormon interest in the Scrolls is not limited to mere curiosity. They use the fruits of their research to promote their faith.44