Other religions and movementsDraft · awaiting advisor review
Is the Book of Mormon another testament of Jesus?
In short
Latter-day Saints believe it is: an ancient record of Jesus’ ministry in the Americas, translated by Joseph Smith in 1830. Most Christians do not accept it as scripture. It claims to add to the apostles’ finished witness, and historians and archaeologists have found no trace of its peoples. Its message about Jesus often echoes the Bible, but its claims about its own origins are hard to sustain.
The Objection
Jesus said he had “other sheep” not of this fold (John 10:16), and God cares for every nation. The Book of Mormon is a second witness to Christ’s atonement and resurrection, standing beside the Bible. Eleven men signed statements that they saw the plates, and none publicly denied it. Its complex structure is hard to credit to a young man with little schooling. God promises to confirm its truth to anyone who sincerely prays (Moroni 10:4).
Put as its strongest advocates would put it.
The Christian Case
- Scripture
The New Testament presents Jesus as God’s final word and the faith as “once delivered unto the saints”. Paul warns against any other gospel, even from an angel. Christians therefore test new revelation against the apostles’ teaching. Latter-day Saints reply that these verses forbid a false gospel, not further scripture.
- Historical evidence
No archaeological, linguistic or inscriptional evidence has yet been found for Nephite or Lamanite civilisations. Genetic studies trace Native American ancestry mainly to Asia. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints acknowledges this. It suggests that the book’s peoples were a small group in a limited region whose DNA could now be undetectable.
- Historical evidence
The book quotes long passages of Isaiah, often in King James wording. These include chapters from Isaiah 40–55, which many scholars date to the exile, after Lehi is said to have left Jerusalem around 600 BC. Latter-day Saint scholars defend Isaiah’s single authorship and explain the wording as part of the translation process.
- Historical evidence
The statements of the Three and Eight Witnesses are genuine early evidence, and several witnesses kept to their testimony after leaving the church. Critics note that most came from the Smith and Whitmer families. Some accounts also describe a visionary experience rather than ordinary sight. Historians of different beliefs still weigh how to explain them.
- Philosophical argument
One argument runs like this. The prayer test in Moroni 10:4 rests on an inner feeling, and people of many faiths report similar confirming experiences for contradictory beliefs. So feeling alone cannot settle which claim is true, and it needs to be weighed alongside evidence and the earlier revelation. Latter-day Saints answer that spiritual knowledge is real knowledge, as the Bible itself says.
- Christians differ
Christians differ on how to describe Latter-day Saints. Many see them as a separate religion, because later Latter-day Saint teaching on God’s nature departs from the creeds. The Catholic Church and most Protestant churches do not recognise their baptism. Others stress their sincere devotion to Jesus. They also note that the Book of Mormon itself sounds closer to traditional teaching than later Latter-day Saint doctrine.
Where the Evidence Is Weaker
Arguments from silence have limits. Much of ancient America is unexcavated, the book gives no clear map, and some items on critics’ anachronism lists are disputed. The witness statements are real evidence that needs an explanation. Christians also appeal to the Spirit’s inner witness (Romans 8:16), so they should not dismiss Latter-day Saints’ spiritual experience as mere emotion.
Arguments to Avoid
- The Spalding manuscript theory, that Joseph Smith copied an unpublished novel, has been largely abandoned by historians.
- It is overstated to call it settled that the book was copied from Ethan Smith’s View of the Hebrews; the parallels are debated.
- It is unkind and inaccurate to treat Latter-day Saints as dishonest or to mock their faith in Jesus; many are sincere and devout.
- It is wrong to say the Book of Mormon teaches that God was once a man; that idea comes from Joseph Smith’s later sermons, not the book.
Read for Yourself
Hebrews 1:1–4
1God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; 3Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; 4Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
Galatians 1:6–9
6I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
John 10:11–16
11I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. 12But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. 13The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. 14I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. 15As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
1 Corinthians 15:1–8
1Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: 5And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: 6After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. 7After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. 8And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
Further Reading
- How Wide the Divide? A Mormon and an Evangelical in Conversation · Craig L. Blomberg and Stephen E. Robinson (1997)An evangelical and a Latter-day Saint scholar in respectful dialogue.
- The New Mormon Challenge · Francis J. Beckwith, Carl Mosser and Paul Owen (eds) (2002)
- By the Hand of Mormon: The American Scripture That Launched a New World Religion · Terryl L. Givens (2002)A Latter-day Saint scholar’s account of the book and its reception; useful for hearing the other side.
Drafted with Opened AI and awaiting review by Opened’s apologetics advisors. Labels show the kind of support each point has: Scripture is what the Bible says; historical evidence and philosophical arguments can be checked by anyone; “Christians differ” marks questions on which faithful Christians disagree.
Next QuestionAre only 144,000 people going to heaven?