From BYU Studies Quarterly, volume 61, number 4.

It is clear that Joseph Smith’s inspired translation of the Book of Abraham was connected to the Egyptian papyri he acquired in summer 1835. However, less clear is the precise relationship between the Book of Abraham text and the papyri. There are three main theories, which are summarized in this episode: (1) Joseph Smith used the papyri fragments which survive today, (2) he used papyri that we no longer have, or (3) he worked without the aid of any of the Joseph Smith papyri.

From BYU Studies Quarterly, volume 61, number 4.

Historically, skeptics have alluded to documents known as the Kirtland Egyptian Papers to cast doubt on the authenticity of the Book of Abraham. These documents fall into two categories: Book of Abraham manuscripts and Egyptian-language manuscripts. This episode clarifies the differences between the two groups of manuscripts, including their content, authorship, and relationship to the Book of Abraham.

From volume 61, number 4 of BYU Studies Quarterly:In early July 1835, Joseph Smith acquired some Egyptian papyri from which he claimed to translate the Book of Abraham. From historical evidence and the papyrus fragments that were returned to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-­day Saints in November 1967, we can piece together a profile of what papyri the Prophet is known to have possessed.

From volume 61, number 4 of BYU Studies Quarterly:

This episode describes how Joseph Smith's methods of translating ancient scripture expand the meaning of "translation" beyond its strictly academic definition to encompass divine revelation. No first-person account exists to describe exactly how Joseph Smith produced the translation of the Book of Abraham, but we can find clues in the context of how he translated other books of scripture.

The Book of Abraham is considered holy scripture by Latter-day Saints. Scholars have explored the book from various perspectives and have made compelling arguments for its authenticity. This issue of BYU Studies is designed to introduce Latter-day Saints to the Book of Abraham from an academic perspective and provide a reliable guide that can be used to understand it better. 

BYU Studies editor Tina Hawley describes Joseph W. Geisner's Writing Mormon History: Historians and Their Books.

Adam Oliver Stokes reviews Life and Times of John Pierce Hawley: A Mormon Ulysses of the American West by Melvin C. Johnson.

A poem by Pamela Hamblin

Each of the major narrators/compilers of the Book of Mormon evince varying degrees of understanding that their work is destined for modern readers who would face a set of modern concerns. This essay by Luke Drake suggests that Mormon’s editorial hand—on display both in the redaction of the words of Samuel the Lamanite and in the narration of the events surrounding Samuel’s ministry—can be understood to address pressing issues faced by latter-day readers: specifically, the perils posed by racism, “tribalism,” and disinformation.

Linda Hoffman Kimball's lighthearted poem joyfully explores the mix of our ancestors that blend together to create a unique individual.