Church History Matters

034 Q&R with Dr. Kerry Muhlestein! Tough Book of Abraham Questions

Oct 24, 2023

Dr. Kerry Muhlestein, an esteemed Egyptologist specializing in 2nd Century BC religious ideas, discusses the cultural interplay of Jews, Greeks, and Egyptians. He explores how this multicultural backdrop informs Joseph Smith's interpretations of the Abraham facsimiles. The conversation dives into the temple themes present in Facsimile #2, critiques from Egyptologist Dr. Robert Ritner, and the top three intellectual evidences suggesting ancient connections to the Book of Abraham. Insights into the complexities of ancient texts and their modern implications abound.

01:09:32

Creator website

Episode guests

Kerry Muhlestein

AI Summary

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

The multicultural exchange in 2nd century BC Egypt suggests Joseph Smith's interpretations of Abraham's facsimiles may reflect blended religious ideas.

Joseph Smith's symbolic rather than direct translations of the Abraham facsimiles indicate varied interpretations shaped by cultural context and understanding.

Dr. Robert Ritner's critiques of the Book of Abraham require a thorough scholarly engagement to explore the plausibility of ancient connections.

Deep dives

Multicultural Influences on Religious Interpretation

In second century BC Egypt, there was a significant cultural exchange of religious ideas between Jews, Greeks, and Egyptians. This multicultural environment raises questions about how Joseph Smith's interpretations of the Abraham facsimiles might be shaped by these shared traditions. As diverse communities interacted, they could have modified and intertwined each other's stories and symbols, which suggests that Joseph's readings may also reflect this blending of beliefs. Understanding this context is crucial for assessing the authenticity and implications of his translations.

Intro

2min

Meet the Egyptology Expert

4min

Unraveling the Book of Abraham

27min

Temple Connections: The Book of Abraham and Egyptian Influence

11min

Navigating Assumptions in Academic Discourse

4min

Unraveling Abraham: Text and Symbolism

10min

Intellectual Foundations of the Book of Abraham

6min

Exploring Belief: Insights into the Book of Abraham and Prophetic Mission

5min

There was in 2nd Century BC Egypt an indisputable multicultural sharing of religious ideas between Jews, Greeks, and Egyptians. How should that fact influence how we evaluate Joseph Smith’s interpretations of the Abraham facsimiles in general and individual hieroglyphics on the facsimiles specifically?

On a related note, some of Joseph’s descriptions of Facsimile #2 contain temple themes, saying more will be revealed about those in the temple. Can Egyptologists today read those hieroglyphs? And are they actually connected in any way to what we learn about in our modern temples?

Also, Dr. Robert Ritner is an Egyptologist who has critiqued LDS scholarship on the Book of Abraham. Has he been adequately responded to?

And finally, what are the top three most solid intellectual evidences for the book of Abraham having ancient connections which Joseph Smith could not have known about?

In today’s episode of Church History Matters, we dive into all of these questions and more with Dr. Kerry Muhlestein, an Eyptologist and scholar on the Book of Abraham.

For show notes and transcript for this and other episodes go to https://doctrineandcovenantscentral.org/church-history-matters-podcast/