Revelations and Translations
5 Episodes
Aside from his Book of Mormon translation project, Joseph Smith engaged in at least three other scripture production projects that we know of. The first was his ambitious Bible translation project we now know as the Joseph Smith Translation. The second was the printing of his own revelations, which we now know as the Doctrine and Covenants. And the third was his project of translation which commenced after he acquired Papyrus scrolls from Egypt, which culminated in what we now know as the Book of Abraham. In this new series Scott and Casey will consider each of these fascinating projects in turn, including the points of controversy connected with each.
Composite image. Original artwork by Annie Henrie
Episodes
Episode 1
What Do We ACTUALLY Know About the JST?
In this first episode, we begin our exploration of Joseph Smith’s translation of the Bible, or the JST for short. When did it begin? Why didn’t we get this into Latter-day Saint Bibles until 1979? What does the word “translate” mean in this context in light of the fact that Joseph Smith didn’t know Hebrew or Greek during this project? And what are some common assumptions church members often bring to the text of the JST that may not be warranted?
58 Min
Episode 2
The JST as Revelatory Springboard?
Because there are no explicitly stated purposes of Joseph Smith’s Bible translation project, either by him or in any of his revelations, all explanations offered about or criticisms leveled at his Bible translation are based on assumptions and best guesses at best, but then, of course, there’s nothing wrong with educated best guesses, so long as we’re not overly dogmatic and we humbly recognize the tentativeness of our position. The current best evidence from the best scholarship …
55 Min
Episode 3
Did Joseph Smith Plagiarize Part of the JST?
In his Bible translation project, did Joseph Smith plagiarize the work of a prominent British scholar named Adam Clark? Or, if you don’t want to call it plagiarism, did Joseph Smith borrow or appropriate phrases or ideas from Adam Clark’s Bible commentary without attribution which are found in our JST footnotes today? This is the question at the heart of the biggest modern controversy surrounding Joseph Smith’s Bible translation. In today’s episode of …
60 Min
Episode 4
Q&R! Tough JST Questions with Kent Jackson
Did Joseph Smith ever consider his Bible translation work finished? Will the JST ever be canonized and replace the King James Version as the official Latter-day Saint Bible? Why haven’t any other of our prophets since Joseph Smith engaged in similar translation work? How can we reconcile Joseph Smith’s Bible revision work with Deuteronomy 4:2 and Revelation 22:19, which actually warn against adding to the Bible? Is there any evidence whatsoever that …
50 Min
Episode 5
Exploring the Divine-Human Partnership in Scripture Creation | Featuring the D&C
One of the biggest criticisms of scripture generally is the extent to which humans were involved in its production. On the one hand, we can’t really expect scripture to be effortlessly beamed down from heaven to flawed and imperfect humans and then interpreted flawlessly and recorded perfectly, can we? But on the other hand, how divine and trustworthy can scripture be if flawed humans were involved in writing it, compiling it, editing it, and publishing it? In …
54 Min
Episode 6
How Has Canonizing/De-Canonizing Happened in the Doctrine & Covenants?
Because of our location in time and good record keeping, we are privileged to have an up close and personal view of the production of modern scriptural canon, and as we get into it, it’s a bit of a rollercoaster. From its first publication in 1835 to its current version today, the Doctrine and Covenants has undergone major additions, deletions, rearrangements, and textual changes. In today’s episode of Church History Matters, we’ll take a ride through the history of …
62 Min
Episode 7
Q&R! Tough Questions with Paul Reeve
Some people see a connection between the church’s past restrictive policy toward blacks in the church and the church’s current restrictive policy towards gays in the church, specifically prohibiting gay temple marriage. In what ways are these two issues similar, and in what ways are they different? How can church members reconcile A, the teaching that the prophet won’t ever lead the church astray, with B, the fact that church presidents for over a century taught false …