Sunday, June 10, 2018

Early Mormon history: an important paradigm shift - a compilation of 21st century sources which promote it


It has been almost an entire year since I began my explorations into the paradigm shift concerning the translation method of the Book of Mormon. (Link to first post HERE; links to subsequent posts via THIS LINK.)

A recent conversation with an LDS friend has prompted me to compile a list of 21st century sources which endorse/promote the aforementioned paradigm shift. All but the first three sources are available online for reading and/or downloading at no cost:

Joseph Smith's Seer Stones

The Miraculous Translation of the Book of Mormon

From Darkness unto Light

The Gift and Power - Translating the Book of Mormon

Seer Stones, Salamanders, and Early Mormon "Folk Magic" in the Light of Folklore Studies and Bible Scholarship

lds.org - Gospel Topics: Book of Mormon Translation

lds.org - Church History Topics: Seer Stones

Ensign - October 2015: Joseph the Seer

Joseph Smith Papers - GLOSSARY: Seer stone

The Interpreter - The Spectacles, the Stone, the Hat, and the Book: A Twenty-first Century Believer's View of the of the Book of Mormon Translation

The Interpreter - Seers and Stones: The Translation of the Book of Mormon as Divine Visions of an Old-Time Seer

Utah State Univ. Thesis - A Pathway to Prophethood: Joseph Smith Junior as Rodsman, Village Seer, and Judeo-Christian Prophet

The above compilation is limited to sources by contributors who embrace the belief the Book of Mormon is divinely inspired Scripture, and that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is: "the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth" (D&C 1:30).

I would like to encourage those who are aware of other 21st century sources which discuss the translation method of the Book of Mormon—whilst embracing the two above presuppositions—to post such references in the combox of this thread.


Grace and peace,

David

Wednesday, June 6, 2018

Eusebius of Caesarea - Catholic bishop and "the Father of Church History" (an update)


Back in August 2011, I published a post with the same title as this thread (LINK). In that post I listed a number of Eusebius's works that are available online. Earlier today, whilst engaged in some online research, I became aware of an English translation of his Quaestiones ad Stephanum et Marinum—Gospel Problems and Solutions, To  Stephanus and Marinus—which became available online back in 2010. For various digital formats, see the following link:

Eusebius of Caesarea - Gospel Problems and Solutions

From the Preface, we read:

The full title of the largest surviving part of the work is "Gospel Problems and Solutions, To Stephanus: An Abridged Selection". In the original version of what Eusebius himself wrote, there would have been a similar title for the separate book of Gospel Problems and Solutions, To Marinus, but in the only known manuscript, the four Problems to Marinus follow directly after the sixteen Problems to Stephanus, although with a separate dedication. We refer to this version of twenty Problems as the "abridged selection". (Page xiii)

I also recently obtained, and read, a book that was published last year which contains for the first time the English translations of two other works by Eusebius—Google Books Preview available below:

Against Marcellus and On Ecclesiastical Theology

Eusebius of Caesarea is one of my favorite Church Fathers. Though noted for his work on Church history, his theological contributions are just as important—though sorely undervalued by most folk.

It is my hope that those who have not immersed themselves in his numerous theological works will take the time to do so.


Grace and peace,

David