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Ep. 26 The CES Letter - Strongest Case for the Catalyst Theory? (pt. 6)
Critics of the Book of Abraham have long pointed out the flaws of Joseph Smith's "translation" of Egyptian from the Facsimiles.
"As early as 1913, intelligentsia and leadership alike of the LDS church acknowledged that Smith had failed to meet the standards of contemporary scholarship regarding his translation efforts."
-Terryl Givens
https://bit.ly/2HzIqis
Over a hundred years ago, B.H. Roberts made an argument similar to the "catalyst" theory promoted by the LDS gospel topics essay today.
https://bit.ly/2P2gHLo
In the February 1913 edition of the Improvement Era, he wrote:
"Joseph Smith's purpose, as higher critics say the purpose of the New Testament writers was, NOT TO WRITE HISTORY, BUT TO EDIFY," to teach some religious truth "which they regarded as all important;" not to give out correct translations of ancient documents, but to give the world some "spiritual allegory, or drama." [emphasis added]
https://bit.ly/2HxIyPF
But the "catalyst theory" - an attempt to allow the Book of Abraham to be considered an inspired work without necessarily having historicity - is problematic to some critics. If Joseph Smith's work should be viewed as pseudipigraphic, believers are left with thorny questions such as "How could Joseph Smith think he was translating an ancient document when he really wasn't?" or "Why would Joseph Smith claim the Book of Abraham was 'by his own hand written upon papyrus'?"
https://bit.ly/37GXbuN
In this episode of our series on The CES Letter, 4 Mormons attempt to make what they think to be the strongest possible argument and evidence in favor of the catalyst theory. Referencing the $2,400 expenditure of the scrolls (~$76,000 today), the First Vision as a "higher consciousness" experience, and the "onto-normativity" and continual attempt by Joseph Smith to experience the divine, we attempt to argue for a more complicated approach to understanding Joseph Smith's worldview from a psychological standpoint.
We will continue our discussion of the "prophet puzzle" and psychology of Joseph Smith in next week's episode: "The Prophet Puzzle in Light of the Book of Abraham."
***
Why the CES Letter? (Blog post explaining my motivation for doing this podcast): https://medium.com/@BrandonLy1/why-the-ces-letter-a05254bc3950
Music: "This Is Everything" by Josh Woodward. From the Free Music Archive. CC BY
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By The Ly Bros
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Critics of the Book of Abraham have long pointed out the flaws of Joseph Smith's "translation" of Egyptian from the Facsimiles.
"As early as 1913, intelligentsia and leadership alike of the LDS church acknowledged that Smith had failed to meet the standards of contemporary scholarship regarding his translation efforts."
-Terryl Givens
https://bit.ly/2HzIqis
Over a hundred years ago, B.H. Roberts made an argument similar to the "catalyst" theory promoted by the LDS gospel topics essay today.
https://bit.ly/2P2gHLo
In the February 1913 edition of the Improvement Era, he wrote:
"Joseph Smith's purpose, as higher critics say the purpose of the New Testament writers was, NOT TO WRITE HISTORY, BUT TO EDIFY," to teach some religious truth "which they regarded as all important;" not to give out correct translations of ancient documents, but to give the world some "spiritual allegory, or drama." [emphasis added]
https://bit.ly/2HxIyPF
But the "catalyst theory" - an attempt to allow the Book of Abraham to be considered an inspired work without necessarily having historicity - is problematic to some critics. If Joseph Smith's work should be viewed as pseudipigraphic, believers are left with thorny questions such as "How could Joseph Smith think he was translating an ancient document when he really wasn't?" or "Why would Joseph Smith claim the Book of Abraham was 'by his own hand written upon papyrus'?"
https://bit.ly/37GXbuN
In this episode of our series on The CES Letter, 4 Mormons attempt to make what they think to be the strongest possible argument and evidence in favor of the catalyst theory. Referencing the $2,400 expenditure of the scrolls (~$76,000 today), the First Vision as a "higher consciousness" experience, and the "onto-normativity" and continual attempt by Joseph Smith to experience the divine, we attempt to argue for a more complicated approach to understanding Joseph Smith's worldview from a psychological standpoint.
We will continue our discussion of the "prophet puzzle" and psychology of Joseph Smith in next week's episode: "The Prophet Puzzle in Light of the Book of Abraham."
***
Why the CES Letter? (Blog post explaining my motivation for doing this podcast): https://medium.com/@BrandonLy1/why-the-ces-letter-a05254bc3950
Music: "This Is Everything" by Josh Woodward. From the Free Music Archive. CC BY