BYU Studies
BYU Studies
BYU Studies publishes scholarship that is informed by the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Submissions are invited from all scholars who seek truth "by study and also by faith" (Doctrine and Covenants 88:118), discern the harmony between revelation and research, value both academic and spiritual inquiry, and recognize that knowledge without charity is nothing (1 Corinthians 13:2). For more information, visit our website at byustudies.byu.edu
Episodes
Mentioned books
Jun 26, 2023 • 8min
Creation from Chaos
Traditional Christianity teaches that God created the universe ex nihilo, or "out of nothing." By contrast, Joseph Smith taught that God created the universe ex materia, or by organizing pre-existing materials, and this teaching is present in the Book of Abraham. The ancient cultures of Egypt, Syria-Canaan, and Mesopotamia also seem to envision creation as bringing order to a preexisting chaos.
From BYU Studies Quarterly, volume 61, number 4.
Jun 26, 2023 • 12min
The Fall of Lucifer
The Bible and ancient extrabiblical texts sometimes make allusions to Lucifer's fall from heaven. Is the mythic archetype of a fallen angel also present in Near Eastern literature from Abraham's day?
From BYU Studies Quarterly, volume 61, number 4.
Jun 23, 2023 • 9min
The Son of Man
The Book of Abraham's passage about the premortal council identifies Jesus not with his name, but a title: "One answered like unto the Son of Man: Here am I, send me" (Abraham 3:27). What is the significance of this title?
From BYU Studies Quarterly, volume 61, number 4.
Jun 23, 2023 • 9min
The Foreordination of Abraham
The Book of Abraham clearly teaches the idea of a premortal existence and the divine foreordination of rulers. Do these teachings find a plausible context in the ancient Near East?
From BYU Studies Quarterly, volume 61, number 4.
Jun 16, 2023 • 10min
The Divine Council
The Creation account in the Book of Abraham tells of a plurality of Gods who carry out the Creation. Significantly, these Gods are said to have taken "counsel" among themselves. After Joseph Smith's lifetime, archaeologists uncovering texts from Egypt, Syria-Palestine, and Mesopotamia discovered creation myths involving a group of divine beings collaborating as a heavenly council, or battling for power.
Jun 14, 2023 • 13min
Kolob, the Governing One
One of the more memorable contributions of the Book of Abraham is its depiction of Kolob—which, in recent years, some Latter-day Saint scholars have sought to situate in the ancient world. This episode describes some of the tantalizing points that favor the authenticity of the name and concept of Kolob.
From BYU Studies Quarterly, volume 61, number 4.
Jun 13, 2023 • 9min
Shinehah, the Sun
One of the astronomical terms defined in the Book of Abraham is Shinehah, which is said to be the sun (Abr. 3:13). What is the sun's significance in ancient Egyptian tradition? Is there evidence that Shinehah is an authentic ancient word?
From BYU Studies Quarterly, volume 61, number 4.
Jun 12, 2023 • 8min
Abrahamic Astronomy
The Book of Abraham is noteworthy for its description of what is sometimes called “Abrahamic astronomy.” Scholars looking at the astronomical portrait in chapter 3 have described at least three models for its interpretation.
From BYU Studies Quarterly, volume 61, number 4.
Jun 9, 2023 • 14min
Abraham the Seer
A careful reading of the Book of Abraham reveals a recurring theme of Abraham as a seer, or someone who sees or otherwise has a visual interaction with divine manifestation. This episode reviews some of the overt and subtle ways that the text expands on this theme.
From BYU Studies Quarterly, volume 61, number 4.
Jun 7, 2023 • 7min
Did Abraham Lie about His Wife, Sarai?
The Book of Abraham portrays God as instructing Abraham to call Sarai his sister when they came to Egypt in order to preserve his life. Was identifying her as his sister an outright falsehood or a misleading ambiguity? Do any other Abrahamic accounts include this detail?
From BYU Studies Quarterly, volume 61, number 4.
