FAIR is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing well-documented answers to criticisms of the doctrine, practice, and history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Array
The Spalding Theory of Book of Mormon authorship: Difference between revisions
DanBachman (talk | contribs) |
DanBachman (talk | contribs) |
||
| Line 12: | Line 12: | ||
==Response== | ==Response== | ||
Many ''critics'' have rejected the Spaulding theory as unworkable: | Many ''critics'' have rejected the Spaulding theory as unworkable: | ||
* Davis H. Bays, The Doctrines and Dogmas of Mormonism Examined and Refuted (St. Louis: Christian Publishing, 1897), 22, 25 | * Davis H. Bays, ''The Doctrines and Dogmas of Mormonism Examined and Refuted,'' (St. Louis: Christian Publishing, 1897), 22, 25 | ||
::[This theory is] "erroneous, and it will lead to almost certain defeat. . . . The facts are all opposed to this view, and the defenders of the Mormon dogma have the facts well in hand. . . . The Spaulding story is a failure. Do not attempt to rely upon it--it will let you down." | ::[This theory is] "erroneous, and it will lead to almost certain defeat. . . . The facts are all opposed to this view, and the defenders of the Mormon dogma have the facts well in hand. . . . The Spaulding story is a failure. Do not attempt to rely upon it--it will let you down." | ||
* Fawn Brodie, ''No Man Knows My History'' (New York, A. A. Knopf, 1945). | * Fawn Brodie, ''No Man Knows My History'' (New York, A. A. Knopf, 1945). | ||
Revision as of 00:26, 2 March 2006
This article is a draft. FairMormon editors are currently editing it. We welcome your suggestions on improving the content.
Criticism
Critics have claimed that Joseph Smith either plaigerized or relied upon a manuscript by Solomon Spaulding to write the Book of Mormon.
Source(s) of the Criticism
- Eber D. Howe, Mormonism Unvailed (New York : AMS Press, 1834 [1977]).
- William Alexander Linn, The Story of the Mormons (New York: Macmillan, 1902).
Claimed the existence of a second Spaulding manuscript when the first theory failed:
- George B. Arbaugh, Revelation in Mormonism (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1932).
- Wayne L. Cowdery, et.al., Who Really Wrote the Book of Mormon (Santa Ana, Ca.: Vision House Publishers, 1977.)
Response
Many critics have rejected the Spaulding theory as unworkable:
- Davis H. Bays, The Doctrines and Dogmas of Mormonism Examined and Refuted, (St. Louis: Christian Publishing, 1897), 22, 25
- [This theory is] "erroneous, and it will lead to almost certain defeat. . . . The facts are all opposed to this view, and the defenders of the Mormon dogma have the facts well in hand. . . . The Spaulding story is a failure. Do not attempt to rely upon it--it will let you down."
- Fawn Brodie, No Man Knows My History (New York, A. A. Knopf, 1945).
- Jerald and Sandra Tanner, Did Spaulding Write the Book of Mormon? (Salt Lake City: Utah Lighthouse Ministry, 1977).
Conclusion
A summary of the argument against the criticism.
Further reading
FAIR wiki articles
Template:BofM authorship theories
FAIR web site
- FAIR Topical Guide:Spaulding Theory
- Matthew B. Brown, "Solomon Spaulding and the Book of Mormon" *
- Daniel C. Peterson, "The Divine Source of the Book of Mormon in the Face of Alternative Theories Advocated by LDS Critics" *
- John K. Wise, "Clouds Without Water, Zeal Without Knowledge" *
External links
- Lester Bush, "The Spalding [sic] Theory Then and Now," Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 10 no. 4 (Autumn 1977), 40–69.*
- Jeff Lindsay, "Plagiarism in the Book of Mormon: Is It Derived from Modern Writings?, jefflindsay.com (accessed 5 October 2005).
- L. Ara Norwood, "Book of Mormon Authorship: A Closer Look," FARMS Review of Books 1/1 (1989): 80–88. *
- Gary F. Novak, "Naturalistic Assumptions and the Book of Mormon," Brigham Young University Studies 30 no. 3 (1990), 23–40.*GospeLink
Printed material
Over the years many Latter-day Saints have responded to the "Spaulding Theory" as well.
- B.H. Roberts, "Counter Theories of Origin," New Witnesses for God, Vol. 3, Chapter XLIV, (Salt Lake City: Deseret News, 1909), 347–406.GospeLink
- B.H. Roberts, "A Brief Debate on the Book of Mormon," Defence of the Faith and the Saints, Vol. 1, (Salt Lake City: Deseret News, 1907), 365.GospeLink
- B.H. Roberts, "The Origin of the Book of Mormon," Defence of the Faith and the Saints, Vol. 2, (Salt Lake City: Deseret News, 1907), 95–229 GospeLink
- Benjamin Winchester, The Origin of the Spaulding Story, Concerning the Manuscript Found, (Philadelphia: Brown, Bicking & Guilfert, 1840).
- Dean C. Jessee, 'Spalding theory' re-examined,' Church News, 20 August 1977, pp. 3-5.
- Orson Scott Card, 'Spaulding Again?' Ensign, 7 (September 1977), pp. 94-95.