The Book of Mormon by Terryl L Givens
With more than 140 million copies in print and serving as the principal proselytizing tool of one of the world's fastest-growing faiths, the Book of Mormon is undoubtedly one of the most influential religious texts produced in the Western world. This compact volume offers the only concise, accessible introduction to this extraordinary work. Givens examines the Book of Mormon primarily in terms of the claims that its narrators make for its historical genesis, its purpose as a sacred text, and its meaning for its audiences. The author traces five governing themes -- revelation, Christ, Zion, scripture, and covenant -- and analyzes the Book's central doctrines and teachings. Some of these resonate with familiar nineteenth-century religious preoccupations; others consist of radical and unexpected takes on topics from the Fall of Man to Christ's mortal ministries and the meaning of atonement. This introduction surveys the contested origins and production of a work held by millions to be scripture and reviews the scholarly debates that address questions of the record's historicity.
"Taking the Book of Mormon on its own terms, Terryl Givens offers a complex, reverent analysis of a powerful epic history" --Daniel Walker Howe, Pulitzer-Prize Winning author of What Hath God Wrought: The Transformation of America, 1815-1848. "For all who need to have an accurate account of what Mormons believe-and they are a faith community that now spans the globe-familiarity with the message of the Book of Mormon is the basic starting point. And there is no better guide to that text than Terryl Givens, a marvelous scholar who has now given us this highly readable and insightful introduction." --Richard J. Mouw, Professor of Christian Philosophy and President, Fuller Theological Seminary "If you have the slightest interest in the Book of Mormon for any reason you should read this book. Those unfamiliar with the Book of Mormon will find an excellent supplement here. If you are already familiar with the Book of Mormon, this re-introduction will make it seem like you're meeting again for the first time." --Association of Mormon Letters
Terryl L. Givens is Professor of Literature and Religion and holds the James Bostwick Chair of English at the University of Richmond. Some of his books include Viper on the Hearth: Mormons, Myths, and the Construction of Heresy (Oxford, 1997), By the Hand of Mormon: The American Scripture that Launched a New World Religion (Oxford 2002), which the New York Times called "provocative reading," People of Paradox: A History of Mormon Culture, which was named Best Book of the Year by the Mormon History Association for 2007, and most recently, When Souls Had Wings: Pre-Mortal Existence in Western Thought (Oxford 2009).
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9780195369311 |
| ISBN 10 | 0195369319 |
| Title | The Book of Mormon |
| Author | Terryl L Givens |
| Series | Very Short Introductions |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press Inc |
| Year published | 2010-01-21 |
| Number of pages | 152 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |