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Mormonism and history/Accuracy of Church history
FAIR Answers Wiki Table of Contents
Accuracy of Church history
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- The Church's Gospel Topics essays on LDS.org
- How the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has responded to issues related to Church history
- Artistic depictions of the Book of Mormon translation
- How the Church has handled issues related to publications related to Church history
- The History of the Church, though credited to Joseph Smith, was not actually authored by him
The Church's Gospel Topics essays on LDS.org
Summary: The Church has posted a series of Gospel Topics essays on LDS.org which discuss a variety of issues related to Church History and belief.
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- Source:Steven E. Snow:Deseret News:9 Dec 2013:The First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve both have been very supportive of this process
- Question: What has the Church done to help members learn about historical issues?
Summary: Elder Dallin Oaks discusses the issue of church history and facts that are not discussed frequently in church approved curriculum during an interview with Helen Whitney (HW) for the PBS documentary, The Mormons.[1]
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Artistic depictions of the Book of Mormon translation
Summary: People are sometimes troubled when they see artists' depictions of the Prophet and Oliver sitting at a table while Joseph views the plates as they sit in plain sight. Obviously, the plates often didn't sit in plain view, and these artistic interpretations originate purely in the mind of the artist. Some accounts indicate that the plates sat on a table covered with a cloth "in plain view," with Emma indicating that she actually moved them around in order to perform her household chores.[2]
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- Question: Does Church art always reflect reality?
- Question: Why are people concerned about Church artwork?
- Question: Is the Church trying to hide something through its use of artwork?
- Question: Why doesn't the art match details which have been repeatedly spelled out in Church publications?
- Question: How do non-Mormon artists treat the Nativity?
- Question: What message does the Book of Mormon translation painting convey?
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- Question: Was the newspaper called The Seer published by the Church?
- Question: Who qualifies for the title "Mormon scholar?"
The History of the Church, though credited to Joseph Smith, was not actually authored by him
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- Question: Who is the author of History of the Church?
- Question: Why is History of the Church written in first-person, as if Joseph Smith himself wrote it?
- Question: Is History of the Church not accurate because Joseph Smith himself did not write it himself?
Notes
- ↑ Helen Whitney, interview with Dallin H. Oaks, "Elder Oaks Interview Transcript from PBS Documentary," LDS.org.
- ↑ Interview of Emma Smith by her son Joseph Smith III, "Interview with Joseph Smith III, 1879," Dan Vogel (editor), Early Mormon Documents (Salt Lake City, Signature Books, 1996–2003), 5 vols, 1:541–542.