Scripture Conversations

The prophet Nephi wrote the book of 1st Nephi about 30 years after the events transpired, including the major family split from his older brothers. The way Nephi structured his writing was purposeful and careful. What was his intent, and how did he craft his narrative? In this episode, BYU professors Jared Ludlow, Amy Easton-Flake, Joseph Spencer, and Tyler Griffin explore these questions in an inspiring scripture conversation.

It’s well known that Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon. But what exactly is “translation,” and what does it mean to Joseph Smith? How is the Book of Mormon’s revelatory translation different than a typical academic understanding of translation? Last, what changes have been made to the Book of Mormon in various editions? In this episode, BYU professors Dan Belnap, Nick Frederick, Keith Wilson, and Michael Hubbard MacKay explore these questions in an inspiring scripture conversation.

The Book of Mormon is a compilation of many other ancient scriptural sources, such as the Brass plates, record of Lehi, small plates of Nephi, large plates of Nephi, and record of the Jaredites. How did Mormon pull these courses come together to create his book, and what’s the logic to its organization? In this episode, BYU professors Kerry Muhlestein, Dana Pike, Dan Belnap, and Frank Judd explore these questions in an inspiring scripture conversation.

Joseph Smith famously called the Book of Mormon “the most correct of any book on earth and the keystone of our religion.” What does “THE most correct” mean from a textual and doctrinal perspective? In this episode, BYU professors Gaye Strathearn, Joseph Spencer, Nick Frederick, and Tyler Griffin explore these questions in an inspiring scripture conversation.

What is the Book of Mormon? If you had to write a paragraph responding to that question, what would you say? How would your answers compare to what the Title Page of the Book of Mormon summarizes as its purpose? In this episode, BYU professors Shon Hopkin, Brad Farnsworth, Joseph Spencer, and George Pierce explore the Book of Mormon’s purpose and Title Page in an inspiring scripture conversation.