New Approaches to the Book of Mormon: Explorations in Critical Methodology

by Brent Lee Metcalfe (Editor)

Book by

Genres: Religion, Lds, Mormonism

460 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1993

Reviews

[Rob · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not read the entire book because I lack the necessary foundation to understand it all. I would have been just reading words without meaning. It was interesting to see how many apologists jump into the fray, Mormon apologists who disagree with each other. I wonder if something considered so true should require so much in the way of apologetics? And then we are left with just having faith and ignoring a responsibility to use our critical thinking abilities. It seems to me that if all things were created spiritually, then so is the intellect, and it should not be overlooked. That which I could grasp and understand, I liked. The rest of it i can't defend or argue with because it is beyond my understanding. The books gets five stars simply because it forced me to think and to confront my current intellectual barriers (which are many and imposing). If I were smarter, maybe I would understand it all.

[Jordan Rudd · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent critical look at the Book of Mormon that was years ahead of its time. Using the same tools that critical scholars of the Bible have employed for over a century, Metcalfe and company give the Book of Mormon its greatest compliment by taking it seriously.

[Quinn Price · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has about 10 excellent essays on various studies of Book of Mormon subjects. The overwhelming consensus of the authors is the Book of Mormon is still true, but must be regarded as a fictional story as it does not in anyway fit archeologically, culturally or in any other way with what life was like in central or south America. I think a more courageous approach would be to call it what it is; 19th century fiction. Yet the authors are clearly grappling with the overwhelming evidence against the validity of the Book of Mormon while maintaining their membership in the LDS church, much like those who tried to tried to maintain the theory that the sun rotated around the earth struggled for years with the evidence before embracing what others had already figured out.

[Don LaVange · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brent gave me a copy of this book back when we both worked for Novell, Inc in the GroupWise division. He wrote something on the jacket (I'm too lazy to go find it now) like "beware, you may be getting in over your head). Some of the stories in this book proved to begin to unravel my tightly held, but fraying belief in mormonism. Brent, you're so naughty!

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent. Some of it was over my head. This is not to be read with anyone who is happy with the way they currently think about the Book of Mormon. But if you would like to read critical thinking, this is your book. My view p 434