An Approach to the Book of Mormon (Collected Works of Hugh Nibley) [Hardcover]

Hugh Nibley (Author), John W. Welch (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 541 pages
• Publisher: Deseret Book Co; 3 Sub edition (March 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0875791387
• ISBN-13: 978-0875791388
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.3 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,024,019 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A thorough examination of possible scholarly approaches, December 10, 2000

By 

Anon - See all my reviews

This review is from: An Approach to the Book of Mormon (Collected Works of Hugh Nibley) (Hardcover)

The book is typical Nibley, and that's as good as contemporary scholarship gets! He raises many upon many possible points upon which the Book of Mormon may be tested - and points out that the standard treatment is blatant mischaracterization and swift dismissal by critics, a treatment that Nibley has suffered from as well in at least one of the reviews this book, and others of his, have gotten. He points out that the simplistic ideas about the events described in the Book of Mormon that the critics and even LDS members have do not do justice to what the book actually says. He points out that time and again recent (within the last century) archaeological textual finds have vindicated the description of the ancient world which the Book of Mormon first set forth, in rich detail. It certainly does give the honest person much to think about!

28 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Scholarly Tour de Force, August 28, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: An Approach to the Book of Mormon (Collected Works of Hugh Nibley) (Hardcover)

This work is an eye opener to the wonders of ancient manuscript study. Dr. Nibley has shown through erudite research how one can truly provide authentic evidence for the Book of Mormon by paralleling it with ancient historical data unknown to any 19th century Westerner when the text first appeared. One is amazed at the bountiful truth which is received on the antiquity and authenticity of a text when a scholar pursues meticulous quests into the writings of the ancient world for answers. Truly, Nibley has given the world more logical defense for the Book of Mormon as another testament of Jesus Christ.

15 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Masterpiece of Impeccable Scholarship, September 2, 2003

By 

Kevin Taylor (Albany, Oregon United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: An Approach to the Book of Mormon (Collected Works of Hugh Nibley) (Hardcover)

This powerfully insightful book was, and is, so enlightening that Joseph Fielding Smith (10th President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) himself said that it ought to be studied by all members of the Church. Indeed, it should!

It establishes, well beyond any shadow or shade of uncertainty, that the Book of Mormon, if not Divine Scripture, is at least a perfectly representative document of historical Middle East literature; strictly accurate in every respect, and fitting perfectly into the socio-political framework of 600 B.C.

Without embellishing or distorted the facts, Dr. Nibley presents all of the various aspects of life in the Middle East circa 600 B.C., according to the established findings of both Mormon and non-Mormon research. He then demonstrates how flawlessly the Book of Mormon squares with these facts.

And, indeed, the Book of Mormon has even the support of Holy Writ. Namely, the Bible, as he demonstrates in his chapter on Ezekiel's prophecy (Ezekiel 37:15-20). Ezekiel's "Stick of Joseph" is shown primarily to be the Book of Mormon, taken from the "hand of Ephraim"--Joseph Smith being a descendant of Ephraim--and joined together with the "Stick of Judah," the Bible.

Moreover, the Book of Mormon, Dr. Nibley proves, was not only a work of writing above and beyond anything Joseph Smith--who had no more than 3 years of public schooling to his credit--could have produced, it was above and beyond anything anyone could have produced in the early 19th century!

Dr. Nibley also furnishes examples of how the Book of Mormon sheds light on the tactics of humanists, skeptics, anti-religionists, and outspoken unbelievers in general. Reference is made, for instance, to the example of Korihor in Alma chapter 30; Korihor being a prime example of dogmatic humanism.

It is understood, of course, that the pugnacious anti-mormon rabble--as dogs by the wayside--persecute and revile Dr. Nibley, accusing him of partiality in research; of unjustifiable leanings toward the Mormon view of things; and of outright bias.

These claims of rancorous anti-mormon scandalmongers are, as with all of their other claims, pitifully groundless, having no more credibility than the accusations put forth in supermarket checkstand tabloids. One waits with interest but in vain to see even one example of where Nibley's scholarship falls shy of the mark. So, as usual, the anti-mormons produce what they produce best: claims without evidence.

I will add, somewhat, to the aforementioned statement of Joseph Fielding Smith, and say that all people ought to study "An Approach to the Book of Mormon"--not Church members only--if people can do so soft-heartedly, and with a searching mind.