The Adam Clark Controversy

The biggest controversy surrounding Joseph Smith's Bible translation project is the Adam Clark controversy. This controversy emerged when two scholars, Tom Wayman and Haley Wilson-Lemmon, published research suggesting that Joseph Smith may have been influenced by a British scholar named Adam Clark in his translation of the Bible. Initially, this finding was met with interest and curiosity, but later it sparked accusations of plagiarism against Joseph Smith. However, another eminent scholar, Kent Jackson, extensively reviewed the proposed connections between Adam Clark and the Joseph Smith Translation (JST) and concluded that there is no evidence to support the claim of plagiarism. Jackson dismantled the proposed parallels between Clark's commentary and the JST, showing them to be vague, superficial, and coincidental at best. The controversy escalated further when Wilson-Lemmon left the Church and began appearing on anti-Mormon podcasts, falsely claiming that Joseph Smith plagiarized from Clark. Both Wayman and Jackson argue against the accusation of plagiarism, emphasizing that even if Joseph consulted Clark's commentary, it does not invalidate his role as a prophet or the inspiration behind the JST. They encourage a reevaluation of assumptions about prophetic translation and the incorporation of scholarly sources, cautioning against hasty and unfounded conclusions.