Dna research and mormon scholars changing basic beliefs. After making some contributions here, i am now beginning to wonder if much of this article should not be moved to the stub on book of mormon geography, leaving this page free to document the specific issue of dna research. The book of mormon is not intended to be a history book or a guide to geography, science, or any other secular topic. For these same reasons, arguments that some defenders of the book of mormon make based on dna. Mormon revisionists today believe that moroni went from one hill cumorah to the next to bury the plates. Ecuador at the headwaters of the amazon the land of zarahemla. Church releases statement on book of mormon geography. A man believes in a book of mormon geography, and fair is up in arms about it. This book locates everything from the narrow neck, to zarahemla, from cumorah, to the land of promise, bountiful, and more. It might be useful to point out to the casual reader of these articles, that the scholars involved in critiquing the annotated edition of the book of mormon differ from the editors on some fundamental assumptions which accounts for much of the discord and criticism in their expose. The contents, structure, and authorship of the book of mormon by jn washburn 247 pages. The church of jesus christ of latterday saints released a statement today concerning the geography of the book of mormon in the form of a new gospel topics essay titled book of mormon geography.
Book of mormon geography jeff lindsays site and the. The book of mormon and dna research edited by daniel peterson 287 pages. The foundation for ancient research and mormon studies farms was an informal collaboration of academics devoted to latterday saint historical scholarship. Answers to farms objections to dna evidence against the book of mormon. There is generally no direct support amongst mainstream historians and archaeologists for the. Im not even really sure what the problems are, but i think it would be wise for fair to step back and breathe. Most of you believe that the book of mormon occurred in central america, right. Genetic drift particularly affects mitochondrial dna and ychromosome dna, but it also leads to the loss of variation in autosomal dna. A statement on our united position visavis creation and dna dating.
In 2006, the group became a formal part of the neal a. To be clear, fair advocates no particular theory of book of mormon. Spencer fluhman is the executive director of the neal a. Its been over a year since someone posted something on book of mormon geography, so i think its about time. Our changing understanding of ancient america and its scripture part 1. Amidst the hundreds of passages of potential geographic significance, alma 22.
Book of mormondna evidencegeography issues fairmormon. The controversy stems from dna studies of native american peoples. Book of mormon geography, lands, map, dna true evidence. He graduated summa cum laude from byu and received masters and doctoral degrees in history from the university of wisconsinmadison. The maxwell institutes statement on book of mormon geography is quite succinct. Dna controversy is an issue that most critics believe completely undermines mormon beliefs in the truthfulness of the book.
It is important to remember that most dna apologists defending the book of mormon, do so on the assumption that lehi and his family made a small genetic impact in the americas. In early 2008 rodney meldrum published a dvd titled dna evidence for book of mormon geography. This suggests that the events chronicled in the book of mormon occurred in a much smaller region than the traditional understanding, which argues the same events occurred across the entire western hemisphere. Correlation and verification through dna, prophetic, scriptural, historical, climatological, archaeological, social, and cultural evidence. The basic premise of the research engaged in by the author, rod meldrum, was that there was sufficient evidence in the book of mormon and from the prophet jos smith jr. Wayne may presents book of mormon evidence in north american geography, archaeology and historical records. On january 31, 2014, the lds church published an essay entitled book of mormon and dna studies in the gospel topics series on its official website. Using the book of mormon to combat falsehoods in organic evolution by clark a. Patty henetz of the associated press has written an article on dna and the book of mormon, focusing on geneticist simon southerton and his forthcoming book, losing a lost tribe. For example, farms has published a limited geography model for the book of mormon. Despite the limited space on the plates, mormon as a historian and military. Dna evidence for book of mormon geography miscellaneous.
This statement was cited in the 2014 gospel topics essay book of mormon and dna studies n. While the church has pinned its hopes on the work of limited geography apologetics, the essay makes no mention of geography at all. Book of mormon dna mormonism, the mormon church, beliefs. He is also associate professor of history at brigham young university, where he teaches american religious history. Correlation and verification through dna, prophetic, scriptural, historical, climatological, archaeological, social, and cultural evidence rodney meldrum, 2007, mailorder dvd. Dna evidence of the book of mormon in north america, linking. Sorenson molecular genealogy foundation book of mormon. Where applicable, we have updated the references to reflect later publications. Lost civilizations of north america documentary4, deborah bolnick on haplogroup x. The new essay begins with this declarative statement. We have been disappointed to read online commentary from individuals favoring a heartland model of book of mormon geography. Farms supported and sponsored what it considered to be faithful scholarship, which includes academic study and research in support of christianity and mormonism, and in particular, the official position of the lds church. The book of mormon geography and map with dna evidence and the location of lands and cities such as zarahemla, cumorah, the narrow neck, mexico, caribbean sea, american indians, and true evidence are all here.
Farms has since been absorbed into the maxwell institutes laura f. They flatly reject the hemispheric geography, the view accepted by most mormons and all the prophets. According to the book, two of these groups originated from ancient israel. Archaeological evidence, dna evidence, scientific theories, and scriptures from the book of mormon. It is a book of scripture aimed at teaching people about christ and. Although dna and the book of mormon has probably made the rounds through the bloggernacle, i suspect its a story that wont go away for a while.
Although the question of limited geography is strongly linked to dna and the book of mormon, we will not be dealing with that in this volume. This remarkable find coincides with the true book of mormon geography which is centered in western new york not mesoamerica. Another testament of jesus christ, is true, not false. Why did mormon give so many details about geography. A phylogenetic perspective, journal of book of mormon studies 121 2003. Foundation for ancient research and mormon studies. Unconventional book of mormon geography theories mormon.
In this episode, three geneticists respond to the lds essay book of mormon and dna studies, and to apologist michael ashs article entitled the dna challenge to the book of mormon that fizzled. In 2014 the church quietly published book of mormon and dna studies, an essay which distills an avalanche of mormon apologetics published solely in lds journals, and attempts to address population genetics. The church takes no position on the specific geographic location of book of mormon events in the ancient americas. The church teaches that joseph smith translated this record from gold plates found on a hillside in upstate new york in 1820, when he was 14. Hi, i just finished watching a dvd titled dna evidence for book of mormon geography. In this article, we will provide some background on this issue focusing on the scientific issues, followed by a point by point response to various statements made in the essay about the book of mormon. Book of mormon evidence in american archaeology wayne may. Reviews of dna evidence for book of mormon geography.
Following are a few excerpts, gleaned from different areas. Farms findings on mesoamerica are based on the book of mormon s internal geography, that is, descriptions of how long it took the ancient peoples to get from one place to another. Hence, moroni had to carry the plates from central america to new york. Dna vs book of mormon incredible new evidence youtube. One of two parts of the most detailed response available anywhere to the 2014 article book of mormon and dna studies on the lds church website. The book is composed of 128 pages of understandable text including seventeen maps illustrating geographical features mentioned in the text.
Dna vs book of mormon incredible new evidence that proves the book of mormon. New scientific support for the truthfulness of the book of mormon. Book of mormongeographynew worldgreat lakes geography. Ask a groupie from either camp to cross on foot their proposed river sidon, east of where they allege the book of mormon land of zarahemla was. It is commonly referred to as the hemispheric geography model because it locates the events and descendants of the book of mormon peoples across the entire western hemisphere, including north, central, and south america. The book of mormon, the founding document of the latter day saint movement and one of the four books of scripture of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints lds church, is an account of three groups of people. Articles which do not invoke any type of limited geography in their discussion include. This part responds to the claim that the book of mormon does not teach that native americans are israelites. In 1997, the group became a formal part of brigham young university byu, which is owned and operated by the church of jesus christ of latterday saints lds church. In 1991, john sorenson of byu, the dean of book of mormon geography, created a book called the geography of. 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 mormon theology, lamanites are understood as both chosen and cursed. Rodney meldrum, dna evidence for book of mormon geography. Sorensons most recent compilation and discussion of book of mormon passages relating to geography.
His contention is that the dna research thus far doesnt support the book of mormon. The book of mormon geography lands and map with dna evidence. This presentation examines the question of the location of the nephite lands in the americas. Historical antecedents and early interpretations matthew roper introduction the book of mormon is a record prepared and written by ancient american prophets. Nothing is known about the dna of book of mormon peoples, and even if their genetic profile were known, there are sound scientific reasons that it might remain undetected. Dont know much about book of mormon geography the faith. Clark book of mormon geography digging into the book of mormon. Correlation and verification through dna, prophetic, scriptural, historical, climatological, archaeological, social, and cultural. Because the nephites were nearly exterminated, any chance of locating an existing tribe carrying nephite dna on book of mormon land is unrealistic. Practically since the book of mormon was published, its geography has been the subject of discussion and debate. It is conceivable that much of the dna of book of mormon peoples did not survive for the same reason. The book and the map, new insights into book of mormon geography by venice priddis 169.