Episode 395
The Book of Mormon: Part 40 (The rest of the story!)
This episode is part 40 and the final episode in a series going through the story of the Book of Mormon.
This episode covers the books of 4 Nephi, Mormon, Wisdom of Mormon, and Moroni. As prophesied, the Nephite people remained righteous until around 200 A.D. Schisms and pride caused the church to split. Lamanites restored their former identity. Gadianton robbers somehow became a thing again.
A young man named Mormon led the Nephites to some pyrrhic victories, but he couldn't get the Nephites to repent of their pride and wickedness. Both sides agreed to a final battle at Cumorah around 385 A.D. The Lamanites slaughtered all but a few Nephites from the army. The Lamanites took control of the whole land and oppressed the remaining Nephites. Mormon's son Moroni hid his father's abridged plates in a hill at Cumorah for future readers. Moroni's brief book has mostly records of church doctrines including a letter from Mormon harshly condemning infant baptism.
After examining Moroni 10:32 for "impossible salvation" then "Moroni's challenge" in Moroni 10:4 to see how Mormon missionaries use it to try to get converts through a subjective experience. Finally, I close the series by reflecting on the lack of historical evidence for the Book of Mormon and how its transmission was fundamentally different from how we have the Bible.
Further research:
Didache, EarlyChurchWritings.com, trans. Charles H. Hoole.
Tertullian, On Baptism (Chapter 18), NewAdvent.org, trans. S. Thelwall.
Clay Gorton, "Is a child considered a member of the Church before age 8 without receiving a baby blessing?" Ask Gramps, March 19, 2025.
Joseph Smith: The Prophet of the Restoration
The Book of Mormon online: 4 Nephi, Mormon, Wisdom of Mormon, Moroni
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