The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ

One of the highest virtues portrayed in The Book of Mormon is that of obedience to the commandments of God. Which of the characters in The Book of Mormon most exemplifies that virtue in your eyes, and why?

Research the manuscript transmission of The Book of Mormon, including the accounts of Joseph Smith’s discovery of the buried plates, the translation of the plates, the loss of 116 pages of the original manuscript, and the sworn testimony of the early witnesses who claim to have seen the plates. To what degree are stories of the text’s provenance central to its meaning? How does the text’s meaning change if we regard Joseph Smith as its author rather than its translator and compiler?

How does the transition from monarchy to republic alter the culture of the Nephites? What new ideas and practices become possible under this new political structure, and how do these ideas and practices impact the future of this group?

The Book of Mormon narrates a particular view of the ancient history of the Americas and their Indigenous populations. Research the reception of The Book of Mormon among Indigenous American audiences, and describe their reactions to the stories it tells about their ancestry.

Study the accounts of missionary activity in The Book of Mormon (for example, the repeated efforts of godly Nephites to evangelize the Lamanites), and write an essay about how those accounts might inform or inspire the methods and attitudes of Mormon missionaries today.

Compare and contrast the teachings of Jesus Christ in 3 Nephi with those in the biblical Gospel of Matthew.

Research the standard scholarly understanding of the history and archaeology of the Americas in the period covered by The Book of Mormon (c. 600 BCE – 400 CE). To what degree is The Book of Mormon’s narrative compatible with that understanding?

Research the history of LDS interpretation on the controversial “skin of blackness” passage in 2 Nephi 5:21. How is this text understood by Mormons today, and how does that understanding compare to earlier interpretations?