Interesting. For those who have not been following the "Critical text" of the Book of Mormon previously, this short article is very informative and condenses a lot of information into a brief synopsis. Dr. Peterson is extremely careful in what he writes, and I am certain that he is only trying to articulate what Royal Skousen and Stanford Carmack have discovered while actually adding very little of his own perspective regarding this achievement.
That being said, it seems apparent from the other comments that readers are not fully understanding the import, let alone the impact that this research is going to provide. Nowhere does Dr. Skousen say that the Book of Mormon is not inspired. In fact, quite opposite, I believe that Dr. Skousen will be the first to admit that the book is divinely inspired. What he is noting is the presence of particular words and word forms which are indicative of a process which is not fully understood at the present time.
In this excellent article, Dr. Peterson is just advising us in shorthand fashion of the opportunities that this complex work will engender for us in the coming years and decades. Yes, as Joseph Smith testified, the Book of Mormon is inspired and has been translated by the gift and power of God. No, we do not understand everything or even exactly what that statement means or how the gift and power was manifest.
The "Critical Text" of the Book of Mormon will ultimately help us understand the translation process a little better, though. Of this, I am certain.
Kent BrooksbyAugust 2, 2024
"The Book of Mormon is a creative and cultural translation of what was on the plates, not a literal one. Based on the linguistic evidence, the translation must have involved serious intervention from the English-language translator, who was not Joseph Smith." Royal Skousen, "The History of the Text of the Book of Mormon, Part Five
This alone is enough for me not to care one bit about any of Royal Skousen's thoughts on the Book of Mormon and its origin. Call me old fashioned, but I still believe that Joseph Smith was and is a prophet of God.
Richard HillsAugust 1, 2024
I like to believe that Joseph Smith was inspired to put these peculiar grammatical and colloquial words in and that Joseph himself and others were later inspired to take them out.
Comments | Return to Story
Tim ErnstAugust 7, 2024
Interesting. For those who have not been following the "Critical text" of the Book of Mormon previously, this short article is very informative and condenses a lot of information into a brief synopsis. Dr. Peterson is extremely careful in what he writes, and I am certain that he is only trying to articulate what Royal Skousen and Stanford Carmack have discovered while actually adding very little of his own perspective regarding this achievement. That being said, it seems apparent from the other comments that readers are not fully understanding the import, let alone the impact that this research is going to provide. Nowhere does Dr. Skousen say that the Book of Mormon is not inspired. In fact, quite opposite, I believe that Dr. Skousen will be the first to admit that the book is divinely inspired. What he is noting is the presence of particular words and word forms which are indicative of a process which is not fully understood at the present time. In this excellent article, Dr. Peterson is just advising us in shorthand fashion of the opportunities that this complex work will engender for us in the coming years and decades. Yes, as Joseph Smith testified, the Book of Mormon is inspired and has been translated by the gift and power of God. No, we do not understand everything or even exactly what that statement means or how the gift and power was manifest. The "Critical Text" of the Book of Mormon will ultimately help us understand the translation process a little better, though. Of this, I am certain.
Kent BrooksbyAugust 2, 2024
"The Book of Mormon is a creative and cultural translation of what was on the plates, not a literal one. Based on the linguistic evidence, the translation must have involved serious intervention from the English-language translator, who was not Joseph Smith." Royal Skousen, "The History of the Text of the Book of Mormon, Part Five This alone is enough for me not to care one bit about any of Royal Skousen's thoughts on the Book of Mormon and its origin. Call me old fashioned, but I still believe that Joseph Smith was and is a prophet of God.
Richard HillsAugust 1, 2024
I like to believe that Joseph Smith was inspired to put these peculiar grammatical and colloquial words in and that Joseph himself and others were later inspired to take them out.
ADD A COMMENT