Welcome to Episode 70 of our LDS Discussions series!

In this episode, our panel takes a deep dive into one of the most debated questions surrounding the Book of Mormon: were ancient metal plates a known concept in Joseph Smith’s world, and are they truly comparable to the golden plates he described?

We examine historical sources from the 18th and 19th centuries that reference metal records –brass, copper, lead, and stone –and place them within Joseph Smith’s cultural and intellectual milieu. From biblical scholarship and early American speculation about Native American origins to apologists’ use of presentism, this episode carefully distinguishes between general awareness of metal inscriptions and the specific, unprecedented claims of a large golden codex containing extensive narrative text.

Along the way, we explore major figures, books, and ideas circulating before and during Joseph Smith’s lifetime, assess whether these sources were likely known to him, and ask a crucial question: at what point does probability break down –not because of a single anachronism, but because of the sheer scale and complexity of the plates described in the Book of Mormon?

This conversation builds toward a detailed timeline of Joseph Smith’s environment, highlighting how concepts expanded, evolved, and were ultimately synthesized into something entirely new.

Leave a comment letting us know if you like this format with John Dehlin being “not home.”

___________________

YouTube

Show Notes

At Mormon Stories we explore, celebrate, and challenge Mormon culture through in-depth stories told by members and former members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as scholars, authors, LDS apologists, and other professionals.

Our overall mission is to:

1. Facilitate informed consent amongst LDS Church members, investigators, and non-members regarding Mormon history, doctrine, and theology

2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis

3. Promote healing, growth and community for those who choose to leave the LDS Church or other high demand religions

🤝Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today

One-time or recurring donations: https://donorbox.org/mormon-stories?default_interval=m

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mormonstories

Venmo: https://account.venmo.com/u/mormonstories

Paypal: https://paypal.me/mormonstories

Join this channel to get access to perks:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx6OgmoqJbOVRq-Lv1P7SzA/join

Our Platforms:

🌐Mormon Stories Blog: https://www.mormonstories.org/episodes

🎙️Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mormonstories

✳️Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4sDzk7dRjODTSEqzZKZJzk?si=148b0efc1ccc4404&nd=1

🍎Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mormon-stories-lds/id312094772

🖼️Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mormstories

📱TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mormonstoriespodcast

🎮Discord: https://discord.com/invite/kuX5p6yyjF

Contact us:

📧 MormonStories@gmail.com

📬PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117

The star in the East

Mentioned by

Mentioned in 0 episodes

The AI-powered Podcast Player