Journal of Book of Mormon Studies
Keywords
Nephite prophets, Jaredites, Moroni, record keepers
Abstract
This paper looks closely and critically at how the Nephite prophets dealt with the records of the Jaredites as the text of the Book of Mormon itself presents these dealings. 1 It questions unspoken assumptions that often pervade discussions of these records and of how record keepers from King Mosiah2 to Moroni managed them. It asks, for example, whether Mormon could realistically have taken on the task of preparing the abridgment of Jaredite history found in the book of Ether. It also challenges the idea that Moroni wrote the book of Ether only because Mormon did not have time to do so, suggesting instead that Moroni's role in preserving the Jaredite legacy was his own unique commission from the Lord. These questions are part of my appeal for a fundamental reconsideration of the roles played by the key actors who handled the Jaredite records.
BYU ScholarsArchive Citation
Axelgard, Frederick W.
(2017)
"More Than Meets the Eye: How Nephite Prophets Managed the Jaredite Legacy,"
Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Vol. 26:
No.
1, Article 6.
Available at:
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jbms/vol26/iss1/6