Book of mormon geography your site for lds theology. Book of mormongeographynew worldlimited geography theory. Ive always thought that a plain reading of the text of the book of mormon clearly indicates a hemispheric model, with lamanites and nephites occuping an. Practically since the book of mormon was published, its geography has been the subject of discussion and debate. Hammond drives that point home by the use of maps, travel distances, and relationships to other areas. Includes every geographical place mentioned in the book of mormon.
Has the church ever promoted a limited geography model for the book of mormon. Lehis family landed either on the east coast or on the northern shore of the gulf of mexico, after sailing around africa and across the atlantic ocean. The book of mormon contains the record of gods dealings with a branch of the tribes of joseph, who were divinely led to a country far away from the biblical promised land. The church and byu stay neutral in questions of exactly where the book of mormon took place. The final test of our views of book of mormon geography will be archaeological work in the ground itself, ferguson wrote in 1951 to his friend. Limited geography and book of mormon population in 1927, janne m. The fight over book of mormon geography deseret news. Why did mormon give so many details about geography. This book locates everything from the narrow neck, to zarahemla, from cumorah, to the land of promise, bountiful, and more. I have yet to discover when church leaders realized that mapping the book of mormon would require taking sides, but it was a subject of.
It is different, well written, long, and with more footnotes and references than i have ever seen. A limited geography model for the book of mormon is one of several theories by latter. A major reason why the region that is described in the book of mormon cannot be just one limited region is because the book of mormon indicates otherwise since after the arrival in the western hemisphere, lehi prophesied that the knowledge of the land would be kept from the knowledge of the other nations 2 nephi 1. This page provides settings and an overview or summary timeline with approximate dates for the generic map or schematic diagram of the book of mormon lands, including nephite, lamanite and jaredite place names in the promised land in the americas. Is the limited geography model for the book of mormon a. The limited view of book of mormon geography began in 1842, when the churchs newspaper, the times and seasons, noted the recent publication of a book by stephens and catherwood that chronicled the discovery of various ruins in mesoamerica. Since the early twentieth century, many scholars and other serious students of the book of mormon have come to favor the limited geography model, with mesoamerica extending from southern mexico to guatemala as the book of mormon homeland and new yorks hill cumorah as the repository of mormon s record but not the scene of the final. Scholarship ive always thought that a plain reading of the text of the book of mormon clearly indicates a hemispheric model, with lamanites and nephites occuping an otherwise unpopulated land. The limited geography which others purport is in opposition to the revealed word. It is generic due to the fact that there are slightly different versions of lgt, but certain ideas remain consistent throughout. Overview of book of mormon geography and church history. In 1938 a church study guide for the book of mormon stated that the book. First, throughout the complex narrative of the book of mormon, its geographic layout is constant. Interesting as these matters may be, study of the book of mormon is most rewarding when one focuses on its primary purpose.
It is a book of scripture aimed at teaching people about christ and how to find happiness through the gospel. Another limited geography model, known as the heartland model, has the book of mormon taking place primarily in the eastern united states. If the number of links posted here to mormontimes is any example, we appear to be subjected to a barrage of claims involving the limited geography theory. The book of mormon geography lands and map with dna evidence. A complete description of the book of mormon geography bomgeography, including an internal map model, external map model i. Lds book of mormon geography a promised land, the land. This book is a large geographic setting like no other setting available. This is one of many issues about which the church has no official position. The book of mormon map described in alma chapter 22 has finally been deciphered. More importantly, it is the only book on the subject that is not merely someones belief or opinion, but every point made is reference directly to the book of mormon text and.
Amidst the hundreds of passages of potential geographic significance, alma 22. Is the limited geography model for the book of mormon a plausible. This book is in contradiction to all other published books on the subject of geography. Latterday saints speculated that the book of mormon took place. Book of mormon geography jeff lindsays site and the. Did joseph smith teach a hemispheric, rather than a limited, geography model for the book of mormon. Thus, all american indians were considered to be lamanites who descended from lehi or mulek.
This notion, of course, purports to offer a mesoamerican locale for book of mormon events. But careful reading of the text clearly demands a limited geography, and mesoamerica is the prime candidate. Proposed book of mormon geographical setting wikipedia. John sorenson s theory seems to be the most popular among apologists, so that is the one i use as an example.
Issues in the limited mesoamerican or mayanland models. Internal book of mormon geography focuses on the relationships between lands and other geographic features, independent of where they might be physically located on todays maps. Discover the book of mormon like youve never seen it before. By miscalculating the size of book of mormon lands, joseph smith and others incorrectly claimed that the entire american hemisphere was book of mormon land. We have been disappointed to read online commentary from individuals favoring a heartland model of book of mormon geography that asserts. Speaking of the book s history and geography, president russell m. Virtual book of mormon book of mormon maps and learning. Smith gave at that conference 107 years ago could apply equally to current disputes over book of mormon geography. A brief history of the limited geographic view of the book. Before we examine some of the possible locations for book of mormon geography however, i would like to stress the fact that as of today, the lord has not revealed where the nephites or lamanites lived, and as such, the lds church has taken no official stance on anything related to book of mormon geography. Book of mormon geography settings, timeline, overview. Lgt is the generic term for limited geography theory. Book of mormon central archive limited geography and the book of mormon.
Comparing book of mormon geography models mormon lds. The lord could have removed all questions regarding the exact locations of these events but he did not. Pratt, ruins in central america, latterday saints millennial star 2, no. The book of mormon describes the final battle place between the nephites and lamanites as the land and hill cumorah. A radically different book of mormon geography theory. An approach to the book of mormon geography from the sea west to the sea eastthe orientation of the book of mormon lands to the sea updated the narrow strip of wildernessspatial features, orientation and recorded journeys. The map is without any scale, and does not attempt to relate them to presentday geography or place names. Why have church leaders taught a hemispheric geography for the book of mormon rather than a limited one. Controversy, evidence, and two cumorahs the book of mormon is not intended to be a history book or a guide to geography, science, or any other secular topic.
This article discusses how geographical theories about the book of mormon have developed. National geographic society statement on the book of mormon. 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. In 1991, john sorensen of byu, the dean of book of mormon geography, created a book called the geography of book of mormon events. The church correctly expressed this idea of a limited geography when they changed the introduction of the book of mormon to the lamanites, and they are among the ancestors of the american indians. A limited geography model for the book of mormon is one of several theories by. The articles linked below will describe the various theories and examine the strengths and weaknesses of each. The heartland is the place where it all happened, right under our very noses.
The book of mormon geography, a promised land, the land of promise, is one of our books. The limited geography of the book of mormon da pacem domine. Cumorah and the limited mesoamerican theory religious. Book of mormon geography the encyclopedia of mormonism. Reuben clark taught under assignment from the first presidency. Two other pieces of evidence might be invoked to support the idea that the book of mormon text requires a limited geography, although both break down upon close examination.
It is generic due to the fact that there are slightly different versions of lgt, but certain ideas remain. Some question that the limited geographic model of mesoamerica is big enough to contain all of the described civilizations and travels. Second, the only geographic model that fits the text of the book of mormon is a limited geographical model. This site can be used as a study guide to help understand the book of mormon. The prophet joseph smith himself accepted what he felt was evidence of book of mormon civilizations in both north america and central america. This book will astound all book of mormon geography enthusiasts. The majority of mesoamerican book of mormon geography models seek to correlate the isthmus of tehuantepec or the isthmus of guatemala. In order to remove these inherent improbabilities and protect the credibility of the book of mormon as authentic history, a number of lds scholars have proposed a new approach to book of mormon geography called the limited geography theory. Later, in the 1920s, scholars in the reorganized church of jesus christ of latterday saints proposed that the book of mormon took place in a limited geography much smaller than the hemispheric model. The church has been neutral when it comes to issues relating to book of mormon geography, as is fairmormon. But that flash of insight would fade and for decades the general membership of the church would think of the book of mormon as dealing with the entire new world. All opinions, speakers and presenters represent and express their own individual opinions, and not necessarily the opinions of firm foundation, book of mormon evidence, or its employees, and no information or opinions represent the church of jesus christ of latterday saints.
They far exceed the heartland models in their ability to synthesize the text with known archaeology. The book of mormon itself is the best source for understanding the geographical locations contained therein. Home true book of mormon geography lands western new. He received his bs from weber state university, his ma from brigham young university, and his phd from the university of. Limited geography and the book of mormon byu scholarsarchive. The book of mormon geography book, a promised land, the land of promise, is one of our books at alpha publishing available for purchase at virginia elieson was inspired with this geography, while with her patriarch husband and mission president in dallas here organized into a book by peter covino, jr.
Is the limited geography model for the book of mormon a plausible reading of the text. Not long after the book of mormon was published, latterday saints began speculating about the location of this hill. Pros, cons of book of mormon geography theories deseret news. Numerous attempts have been made to diagram physical and political geographies depicting features mentioned in the text, but this requires many additional assumptions and is difficult to accomplish without making approximate relationships appear precise sorenson, 1991. The articles linked below will describe the various theories and examine the strengths and weaknesses of. A clip from the dvd book of mormon and new world dna produce by us at fair. Lamanites true book of mormon geography lands western.
Sjodahl stated that students of the book of mormon should be cautioned. The scientific search for nephite remains mormons in. An analysis of the limited geography theory since the advent of the book of mormon in 1830, interested observers and believers have proposed various theories regarding its development, origin, and possible historical significance and setting. Book of mormon geography in the world of joseph smith. The book of mormon geography conference was held at brigham young academy on may 2324, 1903. From 1952 onward, lds scholar hugh nibley repeatedly argued that the. How a mormon lawyer transformed archaeology in mexicoand. Today latterday saints also hold many views on book of mormon geography, but with the advent of limited geographic models, there is an intensity behind this debate that was not present previously. We have been disappointed to read online commentary from individuals favoring a heartland model of book of mormon geography.
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