As we discuss all of the facsimiles, we must keep in mind what i wrote. Could the books of jasher and josephus have helped joseph fabricate the book of abraham. Facsimile 1 published in the book of abraham is a common egyptian funerary scene. Compared with the book of moses, the book of abraham seems to more forcefully state the idea that all beings could only. Book of abrahamjoseph smith papyrifacsimilesfacsimile 2.
A facsimile from the book of abraham church of jesus christ. Critical appraisal of the book of abraham wikipedia. The measurement according to celestial time, which celestial time signifies one day to a cubit. The above donut chart shows percentages of the book of abraham section of letter to a ces director that fairmormon is in agreement, disagreement, and neutral on if one assumes that fairmormons undisputed silence is acceptance of the facts, fairmormon agrees with 90. Book of abraham question looking for the hieroglyphic. The book of abraham the church of jesus christ of latterday saints. The lds church issued a new article on the book of abraham on its official website in 2014, arguing that it does not matter that the text of the book of abraham does not match the text of the papyri joseph. The book of abraham, first published in 1842 and then canonized as scripture in 1880, is the subject of the latest now you know video from the church of jesus christ of latterday saints. Sometime between 1818 and 1822, antonio lebolo, who was. Rhodes abraham s creation drama quicktime movie, by hugh nibley.
Pt 2 proving book of abraham facsimiles refuting larson duration. He went to egypt and preached the gospel of jesus christ to the egyptians see facsimile 3, figures 16. Teaching the book of abraham facsimiles, by michael d. Smith who had claimed to have translated the book of mormon from golden plates that had been inscribed with reformed. Latterday saints can learn more accurate and pertinent data and information in 2 hours of reading both the churchs translation and historicity of the book of abraham essay and dr. This forms one possible explanation of how drawings done about the first century a. In the entry on the facsimiles from the book of abraham in the encyclopedia of mormonism we are told that the prophets explanations of each of the facsimiles accord with present understanding of egyptian religious practice. Study together bible map 9 map 2 in the 1979 edition at the back of the lds edition. Facsimile 2 the church of jesus christ of latterday saints.
We cannot be sure that we should be looking to the egyptians to know how to interpret these symbols in the book of abraham. An early rendering of it reveals damage, and egyptologists agree that facsimile 2 is a poor and inaccurate restoration. Ancient records offer new support for the book of abraham a brief survey of the vast body of ancient documents that confirm numerous details in the book of abraham that are not found in the bible, and could not have been known to joseph smith. I return herewith, under separate cover, the pearl of great price.
I have studied the book of abraham, and the truth of it has been made known to me in a way i cant deny. An online handbook to the lds church mormon comparing the source hypocephalus to the published facsimile while we dont have the original hypocephalus, an early rendering of it reveals damage, and egyptologists agree that facsimile 2 is a poor and inaccurate restoration. The book of abraham contains writings of the old testament prophet. The book of abraham, it is hardly necessary to say, is a pure fabrication. The writings of abraham while he was in egypt, called the book of abraham, written by his own hand, upon papyrus. Ancient records offer new support for the book of abraham a brief survey of the vast body of ancient documents that confirm numerous details in the book of abraham. Official response of the mormon church to the book of abraham. Ive been going through the ces letter line by line and learned that the book of abraham and have found it to be nothing more than a common pagan egyptian funerary text for a deceased man named hor around firstcentury c. I am aware that many members of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints mormon doubt the veracity of joseph smith juniors translation from egyptian hieroglyphs, including the facsimiles found in the book of abraham. The facsimiles are not said to be authored by abraham, but have been attached as illustrations relevant to the text. In 1912, a letter about the book of abraham was published by arthur cruttenden mace, assistant curator in the department of egyptian art in new yorks metropolitan museum of art. The book of abrahamthe pearl of great price student manual. The following is his translation, interpretation, and commentary on facsimile 2 as found in our present book of abraham. How the book of abraham exposes the false nature of.
Joseph smiths explanations of the drawings accompany the facsimiles. The book of abraham is a book of lds scripture that joseph smith translated from a collection of ancient egyptian papyri the church purchased. For instance, on a webpage previously housed at byu, a farms author avoids the most obvious question that any lds person would have regarding facsimile 2. Speaking of the translation of the book of mormon, the lord said, you cannot. Joseph smiths notes to facsimile 2 identify it as representing god sitting in the. The book of abraham largely follows the biblical narrative but adds important. Kolob, signifying the first creation, nearest to the celestial, or the residence of god. Point out that the explanations for facsimile 1, figures 2, 10. Facsimiles 2 and 3, which have not survived, clearly demonstrate that other parts of the alleged book of abraham were actually from the book of breathings, the book. This is problematic for mormons, however, for if the papyri are only about 2,000 years old, they are far too new to have been written on by the hand of abraham. Lds living how did the book of abraham come to be and. Mormon challenges why did 1912 egyptologists disagree.
An online handbook to the lds church mormon comparing the source hypocephalus to the published facsimile while we dont have the original hypocephalus, an early rendering of it reveals damage, and egyptologists agree that facsimile 2. First in government, the last pertaining to the measurement of time. The altar for sacrifice by the idolatrous priests, standing before the gods of elkenah, libnah, mahmackrah, korash, and. Translation and historicity of the book of abraham a. But how did the book of abraham come to be and what does it teach us. Abraham seeks the blessings of the patriarchal orderhe is persecuted by. None of the characters on the papyrus fragments mentioned abraham s name or any of the events recorded in the book of abraham. I know that anyone who earnestly wants to know if the book of abraham is true can also receive this. I have shown that the extant papyrus was deemed by joseph smith to be, in the very least, the beginning of the book of abraham.
This is a remarkable statement in view of the fact that non mormon egyptologists who have commented on joseph smiths interpretation of the facsimiles. Debunking fairmormon letter to a ces director book of. Source hypocephalus as published in the book of abraham. Ritners direct response than they would in several weeks of mining through obfuscated unofficial mormon. The book of abraham is a work produced between 1835 and 1842 by joseph smith based. Could the books of jasher and josephus have helped joseph. The book of abraham skinny frequently, when reading a discussion on the lds problem of the book of abraham, the apologists and critics beat around the bushconfusing the reader. However, facsimile 3 also shows anubis, yet smith made him out to be a tinyheaded, racist caricature of an african slave. Dick and taylor both contain a number of exact phrases found in abraham 3 and facsimile 2. The idolatrous priest of elkenah attempting to offer up abraham as a sacrifice.
In facsimile 2, they appear to be represent the delivering of the power, authority, and governance of god to the four quarters, lands, and peoplessymbolized by the four heads of the river eden that the book of abraham. The hathor cow facsimile 2, figure 5 pearl of great. Facsimile 2 as found in the kirtland egyptian papers. Mormon handbook the book of abraham facsimile 2 facsimile 2 is a common egyptian hypocephalus. All three facsimiles are said to be from the book of abraham, but facsimile 2 apparently was not a part of a scroll but was a separate document on its own. Mormon and non mormon egyptologists agree that the characters on the fragments do not match the translation given in the book of abraham. I am curious where the hieroglyphic hor is found in the facsimile. Evidences of the divine authenticity of the book of abraham bonus.
The illustration represented by facsimile 2 is a hypocephalus, a disc made of linen, papyrus, or bronze, covered with inscriptions and images which relate to one of the last spells in the book of the dead. Kerry muhlestein, professor of ancient scripture at brigham young university, phd in egyptology at ucla in 2003. Facsimile 2 shows that abraham obtained the knowledge that would help him return to. The lds church admits on their website that the book of abraham is not a translation of the papyri joseph claimed it was a translation of. Topics essay translation and historicity of the book of abraham available on. Thomas taylors 1816 book, the six books of proclus on the theology of plato, especially volume 2, contains most of the motifs in abraham 3 and facsimile 2. The book of abraham is a work produced between 1835 and 1842 by the latter day saints lds movement founder joseph smith that he said was based on egyptian papyri purchased from a traveling mummy exhibition. In the book of abraham, facsimile 2, figure 7, joseph smith identified the ithyphallic egyptian god min as representing god sitting upon his throne here is some commentary by kerry muhlestein.
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