Last week, Attorney General Jeff Sessions made news when he referenced the Bible to defend the immigration policy of the Trump Administration. Sessions stated:
“I would cite you to the Apostle Paul and his clear and wise command in Romans 13, to obey the laws of the government because God has ordained them for the purpose of order...Orderly and lawful processes are good in themselves and protect the weak and lawful.”
First off, I have no desire to debate immigration policy so you can rest easy in knowing that this post will not be political in nature. Instead I am more interested in addressing Sessions' reference to the Book of Romans (chapter 13 to be specific) and the unique role this particular chapter of the Bible has played over the years.
Paul and Romans in Brief Historical Context
If we want to understand why Romans 13 has been such a controversial piece of Christian scripture we must first understand why Paul wrote it to begin with. Most scholars agree that Paul authored Romans sometime between the years 55 and 58. As its title suggests, Paul wrote this epistle to the "Christians" who were living in the city of Rome. (I hesitate to use the word "Christian" because it is anachronistic to this time period. It would be better to say "Jesus followers" or something similar. In the interest of simplicity, however, I will continue to use the word Christian).
So what was happening in Rome that inspired Paul to write to the Roman Christians in the first place? In the year 49, just a few short years before Paul wrote his letter, Emperor Claudius expelled all Jews from the city of Rome, due to what the Roman officials called "instigation of disturbances" among the people. Shortly thereafter, Claudius was killed by Agrippina, his wife, in the year 54. Long story short, Nero, the son of Agrippina, rose to power. At first, Nero's reign was one of peace and prosperity. Nero allowed the Jews to return to Rome and inaugurated a short era of peace and prosperity that permeated the Roman Capital.
As we all know, this period of prosperity didn't last, and Nero eventually became a degenerate who persecuted Christians to the point of death. For Paul and his fellow Christians, this was a dark time, and Paul was certainly no fan of Nero. So why would Paul write to the Romans and tell them to submit to Nero's leadership or potentially face the wrath of God?
What we must recognize is that Paul wrote his epistle to the Romans BEFORE the persecutions of Nero had begun. This is significant because when we read the words of chapter 13 we must keep in mind that Paul was writing during the brief period of peace and prosperity at the beginning of Nero's reign. When we are mindful of this fact, the verses that Jeff Sessions (and many others) quote from scripture have a very different interpretation.
1. Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
2. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
3. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:
4. For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.
5. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.
6. For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.
7. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour. (Romans 13: 1-7)
Paul was not writing to a group of persecuted Christians living under the yoke of a dictatorial psychopath. He was writing to Christians who were being given (albeit temporarily) an opportunity to thrive. The last thing Paul wanted these new Christians to do was to create waves or even appear to oppose the new regime. By all accounts it seemed that a new era of tolerance was upon all of Rome, and the Christians stood to benefit from it in a big way. Why would anyone dare resist it? Paul, like any leader, would have wanted his people to submit to such a leader. Why wouldn't this be the will of God? Romans 13 Over the Years
Jeff Sessions is far from the first person to reference Romans 13 as support for a political agenda. Over the years Romans 13 has been used to oppose everything from the American Revolution to the Civil Rights movement. Jeff Sessions referencing this chapter of the Bible is simply par for the course when it comes to politicians wielding scripture like a weapon. As Historian John Fea put it:
America was built and born on rebellion and a sort of radical resistance to authority. Whenever Romans 13 was used in the 18th and the 19th century — and Sessions seems to be doing the same thing, so in this sense there is some continuity — it’s a way of manipulating the scriptures to justify your own political agenda.
Romans 13 was used by Loyalist colonists to oppose the cause of American Independence. Romans 13 was used by slave-holding Confederates as doctrinal justification to own slaves (interestingly enough, these were the same Confederates who ended up breaking with the Union. Funny how Romans 13 could be used to justify slavery but not to oppose a break with the Union). Romans 13 was even used in Hitler's Germany by pro-Nazi Christians to inspire support of the German Furor. Heck, some have argued (convincingly so) that Romans 13 was Adolf Hitler's favorite chapter of the Bible. Over at my other blog, American Creation, the topic of how Romans 13 has been interpreted by a plethora of different people with different agendas is so long that I quit counting at 36 posts.
Romans 13 is, like so many other parts of scripture, a unique tool that can be used to add credence to almost any agenda. Paul's words can be twisted to fit just about any issue, from opposing American independence in the 18th century to justifying immigration policy in the 21st century. The fact that these words come from the Bible is why so many are both pleased and pissed with Sessions today. Having said that, Sessions' tactic is neither unique nor particularly convincing from a purely historical perspective. Simply put, Romans 13 has been used to justify/oppose everything under the sun. To call something the "will of God" by appealing to this particular chapter of the Bible is like trying to kick water uphill.
In conclusion, the Apostle Paul was not attempting in Romans 13 to write out a manifesto for Church-State relations that would stand for the next two or three millennia. Instead, Paul's concern was pastoral and local. Paul was worried about his little band of Christians in a foreign land. Paul was advising his followers to be loyal to a regime that was, at the very least, happy to stay our of the way of the Christians. Jeff Sessions is simply wrong when he assumes that this part of the Bible supports his argument on immigration. It does not. Like so many before him, who have also used this Bible chapter to support their respective cause, Sessions is simply acting like a politician, not a historian or theologian. My guess is the Apostle Paul would want Sessions to leave him out of this whole mess because he had bigger fish to fry.
In last week's blog post I referenced how the origin of Judas' epithet (Iscariot) has been debated by scholars, and its possible correlation to first-century Jewish Zealotry. In response, a good friend of mine posed an excellent question on my Facebook wall:
You mention that Judas was an extremist zealot. I wonder why Jesus would have included such a figure to his party of Twelve disciples if this were the case. Could you explain?
My friend expounded upon this question in a follow up message:
I guess it just seems weird to think of a character like Jesus associating with individuals who could be considered religious extremists.
Excellent question. The main issue at play here isn't that Jesus potentially added religious extremists to his group of twelve disciples. The issue is that the ancient and modern worlds are dramatically different from one another. I simply did not explain this fact very well in my post on Judas. I hope to remedy that mistake today.
From the perspective of the modern world a religious zealot (small "z") is akin to a terrorist bomber, or at the very least somebody who accepts the word of scripture to the studies of science. For Jews of Late Antiquity, to be a Zealot (large "Z") was something different entirely. To better explain this important distinction let's take a ride into the past.
Imagine if you will that we have arrived at Twin Pines Mall at 1:00 a.m. to meet the great Dr. Emmett Brown. There we see Michael J. Fox (Marty McFly), sitting in the driver's seat of a DeLorean that will catapult us into the past. Marty inputs the year "30" into the time computer with a destination that reads "Judea." We sit back as the car rockets to a speed of 88 miles per hour. The Flux Capacitor works its magic and...PRESTO! We find ourselves magically teleported to a random Jewish community of the first-century. One of our companions on this trip is a modern day Evangelical Christian (he just happens to be fluent in Aramaic so we can communicate with the locals) who insists that our first order of business is to track down some fellow Christians, in the hopes that they might be able to direct us to Jesus and his traveling band of twelve disciples.
Suddenly we discover a massive problem. No, the problem isn't that the DeLorean couldn't have gone 88 MPH to begin with (though that would be an issue). The real dilemma comes when our Evangelical friend begins asking locals, "Where can I find fellow Christians?"
"Christians?" Reply the locals. "What is that?"
From behind us we hear Dr. Brown mumble under his voice, "Great Scott! Christianity is anachronistic in the first century."
"Anachronistic?" Replies our Evangelical friend. "I don't understand. Tell me more?"
I'm glad you asked.
The word "anachronism" means something or someone that is outside of its correct historical or chronological timeline. For instance, the following picture would be considered anachronistic for obvious reasons:
Abe Lincoln holding an iPhone is akin to Jews of the first century knowing what a "Christian" was. It's a foreign concept for that particular time. This is significant when we discuss the Zealot movement of the first century because we must seek to understand historical people and events on THEIR terms, without injecting modern concepts into the past. So when we read of ancient zealots/zeal, we must seek to understand how they (of the past) defined that term. To inject a modern definition of religious zealotry/zeal onto the past would be as anachronistic as Lincoln with an iPhone. Perhaps it isn't as obvious but the anachronism is the same. This must be our starting point, long before the DeLorean has arrived in ancient Judea.
Two things stand out to us as we continue our quest to find "Christians" in ancient Judea. First is the ever-present reminder that Rome, the empire of all ancient empires, is very much in charge. Second is the fact that local Jews, though accepting of their Roman occupation, are anything but pleased with the current state of affairs. And though the Jews were anything but thrilled with their Roman overlords, living under the rule of Caesar wasn't all bad. For example, Roman society admired and even approved of the Jewish faith. Jews received a special exemption from having to pay homage to Caesar on account of their very old (even by this time) religious traditions. This is another surprising difference from our world today. In the modern world we typically give greater credibility to the newest innovation or technology, whereas the exact opposite was true of the ancient world. This played into the hands of the Jews because the ancient nature of their faith made it more credible to their Roman overseers. As a result, they were given more freedom of religion than many of their neighbors.
But not everything was well in Zion. As we make our way though the various small towns/communities of Judea we quickly take note of the many subgroups of devout Jews, each providing its own interpretation on how the One True God expects His commandments to be interpreted and followed. Groups like the Essenes (fathers of the Dead Sea Scrolls), Pharisees and yes, our Zealot friends, are seen passionately advocating for their respective interpretation of the law. Each of these groups is well versed in the Torah, spending virtually every day since childhood in remembrance of their all-important Jewish heritage. Despite this shared emphasis on Jewish heritage, each group is at odds with one another in many respects. Essenes are furious with the Jewish aristocracy and eventually separate themselves from society, while the Zealots are quick to remind everyone that Jewish freedom is a matter of both spiritual purity and absolute fidelity to the Law. Historian N.T. Wright expounds upon this point when he writes:
The tradition of "zeal" is part of the freedom story...There were brief flashes of glorious history: David beating the Philistines, Solomon teaching wisdom to the whole world. That's how it was supposed to be. But clinging to this story meant struggling to retain hope in the face of experience. Long ages of disappointment and disaster seemed to be the norm: ten tribes lost, and the remaining two dragged off into captivity, weeping by the waters of Babylon.
Why did this happen? The prophets made it clear. It was because Israel sinned. That was the deal God established in the first place: "Now that I've rescued you, stay loyal to me and you'll live in the land. Turn away from me, worship other gods, and I'll kick you out" (Pp. 30).
In other words, absolute obedience and fidelity were the only surefire way to safeguard Israel's continued prosperity and protection. For the Jewish Zealot, ensuring that fellow Jews understood this mantra and fell in line was akin to David slaying Goliath. Complacency had no place among God's chosen people. The scriptures were full of examples of the kind of "zeal" that was to be emulated by all Jews who sincerely sought to defend God's one true path. Whether it be the tale of Phinehas, grandson of Aaron, who slew with a javelin a man caught a-whoring with a Moabite woman in a tent (Numbers 25: 1-9), or the Prophet Elijah, who successfully lured the worshipers of Baal into a showdown with Israel's God (1 Kings: 18 and 19), the message was the same: those who stand to defend the One True God, with zeal, can be counted with the ranks of Israel's greatest heroes.
But our Evangelical friend doesn't care about "Zealots." As he quickly reminds us, we aren't on this voyage to hang out with Jews. We are here to track down the followers of Jesus. Surely they would have nothing to do with these Jewish radicals!
This is where the story gets messy. What our Evangelical friend fails to recognize is that the earliest followers of Jesus saw themselves NOT as Christians (as explained above, this is anachronistic to the time), but rather as devout Jews who saw in Jesus fulfillment of the prophecy regarding the coming of the Messiah. Jewish Zealots were not exempt from this belief. They too longed for the coming of the Messiah who would save God's people from the bondage that seemed to surround them. Men like Simon (the Zealot) and (as mentioned in my post from last week) Judas, found in Jesus the fulfillment of the Messianic prophesy.
The best example of Jewish Zealotry is found in Saul of Tarsus. The man who would eventually become one of the most zealous defenders of the risen Christ was originally a Zealot who saw in the earliest followers of Jesus the same perversion that Phinheas had seen in his day. This helps us to understand why Saul was more than happy to persecute (in his mind it was no persecution but righteous zeal) men like St Stephen, who was stoned to death for his "blasphemy." After his conversion experience, Saul (Paul) reminds us that he was a successful Jew precisely because he was "more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers" than others (Galatians 1: 14) Paul's devotion to Zealotry was the motivation for both his hatred of, and later conversion to, the Jesus movement. The same can be said of Judas but in reverse.
In conclusion, Zealotry was not some word meant to simply emphasize a person's devotion to Jesus or Judaism. It was a movement that invoked a religious, political and social passion for change. Those Zealots who found in Jesus the fulfillment of the Jewish Messianic prophecy used that passion to vehemently defend the cause of Christ (Paul) or oppose it (Judas), even to the death. Thanks to Dr. Brown and Marty McFly, our journey back in time has helped us to better understand the truth.
Now if we could only get a hold of that sports almanac and make some money!
It has been over a year since I last wrote on this silly little blog. To be honest, I simply grew bored with it. In recent weeks, however, I have felt a desire to rekindle the hobby. Only time will tell if this new flame lasts or burns out as quickly as it sparked.
For those who know me, you know that I have a deep love of history. Ever since my childhood I have maintained an interest in the past. My dad, who was himself a history buff, was the first person to inspire my interest in the study of history. Since then I have made the study of history an important part of my life (it even became my chosen area of study in college).
And though there are a myriad of fascinating eras/events/people worthy of study, two particular historical periods have served to capture my interest more than any other: early colonial American history and first-century Christianity. Today I hope to discuss an important event from the latter.
All of us who attended Sunday School are familiar with the story of Judas Iscariot, the apostle of Jesus who eventually betrayed him to Jewish officials. In a nutshell (depending on which Gospel account you read), Judas betrayed Jesus because he was inspired of the devil (John 6:70-71) and/or because he caved to the monetary temptation that was thirty pieces of silver (Matthew 26:14-16). Interestingly enough, Jewish law mandated that thirty pieces of silver be the compensation for a slave's life (see Exodus 21:32). In addition to these Bible accounts, we can and should consider what the Gospel of Judas (a late 2nd-century Gnostic account discovered in the 1970s) has to say on the matter.
Keeping these accounts in mind, can we reasonably reconstruct a motive for Judas' infamous betrayal of Jesus? Are there other motivating factors we need to consider? Is it even possible for us to reconstruct (from conflicting accounts) Judas' ultimate motivations? I believe the answer is: yes...kinda...sorta...possibly.
I recently posed this question to Bart Ehrman, one of the foremost professors of New Testament studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Ehrman is a rock star in the world of New Testament studies and his work has proven invaluable to our understanding of this important and complicated era of the past. In a nutshell, Dr. Ehrman believes that Judas' betrayal of Jesus was ultimately motivated by a belief that Jesus had crossed a line and had taken things too far, particularly while preparing for the Passover in Jerusalem. Dr. Ehrman writes:
Throughout Mark’s account Jesus has been preaching about the coming Kingdom of God, speaking about the coming of the Son of Man in judgment, indicating to his disciples that it would happen soon. Then he comes to Judea from Galilee, cleanses the Temple, and is anointed by an unknown woman in the town of Bethany. Apocalyptic fervor among his disciples must have been at its peak. Jesus has just given his lengthiest apocalyptic discourse in Mark 13, describing what will happen soon, at the end of the age. When he is anointed in Bethany, what does it mean? The act, of course, could be interpreted in a number of ways. If Jesus is about to become king, could it not be a symbolic statement that he is about to assume the throne as the Lord’s “anointed”? Possibly that’s what the disciples think. But Jesus does not interpret it this way. Instead he indicates that this unnamed woman has anointed his body “for its burial” (Mark 14:8).
Every time Jesus speaks about his coming death in Mark, the disciples misunderstand him: isn’t he to be the future king who will rule, and aren’t we to rule with him? So too here. As soon as Jesus speaks of his impending death, Judas goes out to betray him.
Is it possible that we have a historical recollection of the real situation here? For Judas, Jesus’ interpretation of his anointing may have been the last straw.
I should point out that though Dr. Ehrman suggests this as a likely possibility, he maintains that the historical record is simply too inconclusive for us to know for certain why Judas would betray Jesus.
In addition to Dr. Ehrman's hypothesis, other valuable suggestions have been given over the years. A few of them include:
-That Judas, though selected as one of the Twelve, never actually recognized Jesus as the Son of God but instead only recognized Jesus as a great teacher or rabbi (Matthew 26:25).
-That Judas had an unquenchable lust for money that could not be cured (John 12: 4-6 and Matthew 26: 14-16). Some have suggested that since Judas was essentially in charge of the finances for all the apostles (John 13:29) that he had always maintained a love of worldly wealth.
-That Judas was actually COMMANDED by Jesus to betray him. As I mentioned above, the newly discovered Gospel of Judas makes this very claim. The record tells us that Jesus knew his time had come and he needed Judas to set his plan into motion. This meant betraying Jesus to the High Priests.
And though I appreciate many aspects to these (and other) theories regarding Judas' betrayal, I ultimately believe they fall somewhat short, primarily because they are too simplistic. In my opinion, Judas' betrayal of Jesus is a little more complicated that we would like to admit. It may be easier (and more pleasing) to simply say "Judas did it for the money" or "Judas was inspired of the devil" but such explanations lack in giving Judas credit where credit is due.
It probably sounds weird for me to say that Judas "deserves credit" so let me explain. I am NOT suggesting that Judas deserves praise for having betrayed Jesus, nor am I suggesting that Judas was a good guy. Far from it. What I AM suggesting, however, is that Judas is too often portrayed as a devilish punk who was too stupid to see the error of his ways, while the other apostles were pure as the driven snow. This narrative (which has essentially permeated New Testament historiography for centuries) is simply infantile and fails to recognize just how important and intelligent Judas ultimately was.
Like so many villains before and after him, Judas' legacy has been subjected to ad hominem attacks that serve to pacify the believing Christian's emotional need for a "bad guy" but ultimately do little in terms of reconstructing the actual man. It may FEEL better for us to think of Judas as a Hitleresque scoundrel who lurked in the shadows (interestingly, most artistic depictions of Judas portray him as a dark and loathsome figure) but feelings don't depict historical reality.
Judas' epithet (Iscariot) has been debated by scholars for generations. Some believe the name is a Greek rendering of a Hebrew phrase, meaning "Man of Kerioth." Other scholars maintain that "Iscariot" is a Latin corruption of the Aramaic word which means "dagger man." This could prove significant because the phrase "dagger man" could suggest that Judas was a member of the Sicarii, a branch of Jewish Zealots who used aggression and violence to oppose Roman occupation.
In order to understand Judas better we need to better understand what Jewish Zealotry (capital Z) was, and why it likely influenced Judas' view of the world. The term "Zealot" refers to a political/religious movement in Judea that sought the overthrow of Roman domination. Jewish Zealots were an extremist branch of Judaism, distinct from rival Pharisees, Sadducees and Essenes, who had taken their training in the Torah to the extreme. As New Testament historian N.T. Wright has pointed out, these Zealots relied on the stories of "righteous vengeance" like that of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, who smashed the golden idols of the wicked to protect God's true temple rituals (Numbers 16:35-40), or the tale of Judas Maccabeus, who led the triumphant march against Seleucid intruders (the story of Hanukkah), to inspire them to a zealous defense of the One True God of Israel. These Zealots saw it as their divine commission to defend even to the death the commandments of God in a way that we today might call terrorism (but they would call the CORRECT devotion to God).
In essence, the Sicarri were a subgroup of Zealots who took this doctrine even further. In other words, they were the extremists of the extremists. As such they were uncompromising in their devotion to the Torah and in their allegiance to the ONE TRUE GOD of ISRAEL!!!
If we see Judas in this light, we can better understand why we would be mad enough at Jesus to betray him. Jews like Judas had long been awaiting their heroic Messiah, who would deliver Israel from bondage. This Messiah was seen as a political (and possibly military?) figure who was endowed by God to lead God's people to their long-awaited victory. Initially Judas found that figure in Jesus. When he heard Jesus' declaration that he and his Twelve would rule over the Kingdom of God Judas took it as gospel...
...until he realized he had made a mistake.
It wasn't until his arrival in Jerusalem that Judas finally saw Jesus for who he was. Instead of being the promised Messiah of political and military might, Jesus became (in the mind of Judas) an impostor. It was (for Judas) a betrayal of the largest sort. Jesus was just a man, like so many other fraudulent messiahs before him. For Judas, who had devoted so many years of his life to this cause, his sense of loss must have been immeasurable.
This sense of loss could only be matched by Judas' need for "righteous vindication" (again, think of his training and experience as a Zealous Sicarri). The only natural course of action was to turn Jesus over to the authorities as the common criminal he was (receiving the payment for the life of a common slave: 30 pieces of silver). It was the final act of betrayal, but for Judas the betrayal had not been of his doing. It was Jesus who had betrayed all of Judea. It was Jesus who had concocted the devious scheme. It was Jesus who was the Hitleresque villain. In Judas' mind, his act of turning Jesus over to authorities was the "patriotic" thing to do.
Perhaps this also helps us better understand Judas; death. Did Judas commit suicide (assuming we accept Matthew's take on Judas' death) because of felt remorse for betraying Jesus? Or was it because he felt he had been betrayed those many years into believing in a false messiah? Was Judas racked with guilt for having condemned God's "only begotten Son?" Or was he mad at himself for having so easily fallen victim to the clever tactics of yet another con artist?
Perspective is ultimately the determining factor in all of this. For the believing Christian it is simply easier to accept Judas as the scheming, plotting, evil man he was, and since Christianity has come to dominate modern Western culture this is the narrative that most appeals to our senses. If, however, one is able to take a step outside of his/her world view and try to understand Judas as HE saw the world, then another potential narrative exists. Which perspective is correct? You be the judge.
On October 1, 2017, Tad Callister, the General President of the Sunday School of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, delivered a talk during the church's General Conference meeting that is likely to stir debate in certain circles. In a nutshell, Callister's talk focused on how the Book of Mormon is a historical document and Joseph Smith's divine role as translator of the ancient record. Callister took clear aim at critics who have questioned the historicity of the Book of Mormon or the claims made by Joseph Smith. His talk perpetuated the all-or-nothing, black and white, it's either all true or all false mentality that has become a common theme for many Mormon apologists.
As a member of the LDS Church I proudly declare my love and appreciation for the Book of Mormon. I have read the book many times (in both Spanish and English). It has enriched my life in many ways. I have seen the Book of Mormon change lives during my time as a missionary. In short, I believe the Book of Mormon is a valuable book of scripture that convinces the reader "that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God" as its title page states.
But I DO NOT believe the Book of Mormon is a historical record of an ancient people. Far from it.
I realize such a declaration will be hard for many devout Mormons to hear and understand. After all, we are taught since our days as Primary children that the Book of Mormon is BOTH history and scripture. To separate the two smells of blasphemy. I understand that perspective. As recently as a decade ago I espoused and defended such a belief. But my training as a student of history (I received a Bachelor of Arts in History in 2006 and a Master of Arts in History in 2008) persuaded me that such a belief is simply untenable.
It is not my intention to destroy faith or attack LDS beliefs, nor do I have any desire to belittle Brother Callister or his perspective. I simply disagree with his conclusions. In addition, I believe that insisting upon the absolute historical legitimacy of the Book of Mormon as a fundamental article of faith for any believing Latter-day Saint can be potentially destructive to those who do not see the world on such all or nothing terms.
In my opinion, Mormonism should be a "big tent" faith. We should make room for those who do not share the absolutist mentality that seems to permeate mainstream Mormon thought. As President Deiter F. Uchtdorf stated in a 2013 General Conference talk:
If you could see into our hearts, you would probably find that you fit in better than you suppose. You might be surprised to find that we have yearnings and struggles and hopes similar to yours. Your background or upbringing might seem different from what you perceive in many Latter-day Saints, but that could be a blessing. Brothers and sisters, dear friends, we need your unique talents and perspectives. The diversity of persons and peoples all around the globe is a strength of this church.
[...]
If these are your desires, then regardless of your circumstances, your personal history, or the strength of your testimony, there is room for you in this church. Come, join with us!
I say all of this as a disclaimer to the reader. If you are of the opinion that the Book of Mormon is an absolute historical account of a real people then what follows probably isn't for you. If, however, you have a more nuanced view of many Mormon truth claims or have struggled with certain aspects of Mormon history/doctrine, particularly as they relate to the BoM, then I invite you to keep reading. My intention is, as President Uchtdorf states in the quote above, "to [make] room for you in this church." You do NOT have to share Brother Callister's perspective in order to call yourself a Mormon!
So, without further delay, I offer my rebuttal to Brother Callister's General Conference talk on the Book of Mormon (his full talk can be found by clicking here). I have copied Brother Callister's comments in blue below with my subsequent rebuttal to those claims.
Claim #1: First, the critics must explain how Joseph Smith, a 23-year-old farm boy
with limited education, created a book with hundreds of unique names
and places, as well as detailed stories and events. Accordingly, many
critics propose that he was a creative genius who relied upon numerous
books and other local resources to create the historical content of the
Book of Mormon. But contrary to their assertion, there is not a solitary
witness who claims to have seen Joseph with any of these alleged
resources before the translation began.
Even if this argument were true, it is woefully insufficient to explain
the Book of Mormon’s existence. One must also answer the question: how
did Joseph read all of these alleged resources, winnow out the
irrelevant, keep the intricate facts straight as to who was in what
place and when, and then dictate it by perfect memory?
Let me begin by stating that the people whom Brother Callister labels as "critics" are, by and large, professional historians, archaeologists, linguists, botanists, geneticists, anthropologists, etc. who comprise the overwhelming majority consensus of the scholarly world as it relates to the historicity of the BoM. Based on the research in their respective fields of expertise, the overwhelming majority of these same "critics" have concluded that the BoM is not a historical document. Brother Callister's generic label of "critics" makes light of the sincere, professional study that many have given to the historicity of the BoM.
But let us dive into the specific arguments Callister makes. He begins by appealing to a common claim made by Mormon apologists which in a nutshell states, "Joseph Smith was an ignorant farm boy who was too uneducated to possibly have created the Book of Mormon." This assertion is not only false but is also irrelevant. It assumes that the only possible way to become sufficiently educated is through formal schooling (19th century formal schooling, BTW). This assertion is baseless since we know of many intelligent figures from the 19th century who had little to no formal schooling. For example:
Mary Shelley, author of Frankenstein: 6 months of formal schooling.
Abraham Lincoln (before law school): 1 year of formal schooling (typical of the era).
Walt Whitman, renowned poet: 3 years of formal schooling.
Mark Twain, author of Huckleberry Finn: 4 years of formal schooling
Herman Melville, author of Moby Dick: 5 years of formal schooling
James J. Strang, Mormon leader and author of numerous books (one he claimed to translate from gold plates): 6 months of formal schooling.
And there are MANY other examples.
As for Joseph's imaginative abilities, I would simply refer the reader to the words of Joseph's own mother, Lucy Smith, who stated of her son:
In the course of our evening conversations Joseph would give us some of the most amusing recitals which could be imagined he would describe the ancient inhabitants of this continent their dress theirmanner of traveling the animals which they rode The cities that were built by them the structure of their buildings with every particular of their mode of warfare their religious worship-as particularly as though he had spent his life with them.
As for the "alleged resources" Brother Callister references, I will both
agree and disagree. I side with Callister's rejection of sources like
"View of the Hebrews" and "The Great War" but disagree when he states
"not a solitary witness" saw him with any source material. Case in
point, at least 25% of the BoM's text is either a direct or nearly
direct copy of Biblical texts, to include a number of significant King James errors that are unique to those editions. One has to wonder why those same errors would appear in a supposedly ancient record like the BoM? In addition, there were numerous witness accounts of
Joseph Smith devoting serious time and study to the Bible. Heck, Smith would
eventually complete his own "translation" of the Bible. How can anyone
argue that he wasn't familiar with Biblical texts? When speaking of his own education and study of the Bible, Joseph Smith himself stated:
At about the age of twelve years my mind became seriously impressed with regard to all the important concerns for the welfare of my immortal soul, which led me to searching the scriptures believing as I was taught, that they contained the world of God, thus applying myself to them...thus from the age of twelve to fifteen I pondered many things in my heard concerning the situation of the world of mankind the contentions and divisions the wickedness and abominations and the darkness which pervaded the minds of mankind my mind became exceedingly distressed for I became convinced of my sins and by searching the scriptures I found that mankind did not come unto the Lord but they had apostatized from the true and living faith and there was no society or denomination that built upon the gospel of Jesus Christ as recorded in the New Testament and I felt to mourn for my own sins and for the sins of the world.
These are not the musings of some ignorant hick farmer but the mind of a deep thinker who devoted himself to intense study, particularly intense Bible study. At a very young age Joseph Smith had developed a true understanding of Christian scriptures and had arrived at many of the same conclusions as Martin Luther, John Calvin and other prominent thinkers of the Protestant Reformation. And we are seriously going to continue to label this man as "uneducated" or "ignorant?"
Claim #2: How did Joseph produce a book that
radiates with the Spirit, and where did he get such profound doctrine,
much of which clarifies or contradicts the Christian beliefs of his
time? For example, the Book of Mormon
teaches, contrary to most Christian beliefs, that the Fall of Adam was a
positive step forward. It reveals the covenants made at baptism, which
are not addressed in the Bible.
In
addition, one might ask: where did Joseph get the powerful insight that
because of Christ’s Atonement, He can not only cleanse us but also
perfect us? Where did he get the stunning sermon on faith in Alma 32?
Or King Benjamin’s sermon on the Savior’s Atonement, perhaps the most
remarkable sermon on this subject in all scripture? Or the allegory of
the olive tree with all its complexity and doctrinal richness?
This comment, probably more than any other, reveals how little Brother Callister understands about the history of 19th century religious America. The fact of the matter is most of Joseph's teachings, along with most of the teachings found in the Book of Mormon, reflect exactly what was being preached in 19th century America by Christians of various denominations.
Joseph Smith grew up smack dab in the middle of what Preacher Charles Finney call "the Burned Over District," due to the extraordinary (even for the Second Great Awakening) religious fervor that captivated much of western New York. Large camp meeting revivals were a common occurrence throughout the region. The revivals were so popular that it wasn't uncommon for thousands to gather in an open area where they could pitch tents with their door facing the preacher, so they could remain inside the shelter while they heard the message. Singing, worship and dramatic public confessions to Christ were common throughout the camp. Oftentimes the revivals were so large that the preachers found it necessary to construct large wooden platforms so the speaker could be seen and heard by the large crowd. The pastors would even ask that their sermons be written down so others (either not in attendance or too far away to hear) could benefit from the message.
The aforementioned description should ring familiar to anyone who has read the King Benjamin account in the BoM. What Callister calls "the most remarkable sermon" on Christ's atonement is also the best example of 19th century Evangelical fervor finding its way into a supposedly ancient record. See for yourself. From Mosiah, chapter 2 (the beginning of King Benjamin's address):
6 And they pitched their tents round about the temple, every man having his tent
with the door thereof towards the temple, that thereby they might
remain in their tents and hear the words which king Benjamin should
speak unto them;
7 For
the multitude being so great that king Benjamin could not teach them
all within the walls of the temple, therefore he caused a tower to be erected, that thereby his people might hear the words which he should speak unto them.
8 And
it came to pass that he began to speak to his people from the tower;
and they could not all hear his words because of the greatness of the
multitude; therefore he caused that the words which he spake should be
written and sent forth among those that were not under the sound of his
voice, that they might also receive his words.
*Comparing the artistic representations of 19th century revival camp meetings (right and left) with the King Benjamin sermon found in the Book of Mormon (below).
In addition to these similarities, it is worth pointing out how in common the teachings of the BoM are with the sermons/messages being taught in 19th century frontier America by Christians of all types. For example, John Wesley's famous sermon on the Trinity bears many striking similarities to what became Joseph Smith's evolving doctrine on the Trinity (and yes, that doctrine did evolve). It also illustrates just how common these types of issues were in 19th century America. Preachers like Charles Finney, George Whitefield, John Wesley, Jonathan Edwards and MANY others were already dissecting the very issues Joseph Smith would wrestle with in his own lifetime. My guess is Callister is simply more familiar with Joseph's take on the matter than he is with these other theologians.
The part in which Callister mentions Adam and Eve is unique. I will give him that. I have long argued that the most simple yet beautiful teaching in the Book of Mormon (and my favorite BoM verse) is 2 Nephi 2:25, which states, "Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy." Yet this verse, though beautifully simple and profound, does not necessarily negate the critics. There is ample evidence to prove FAR beyond a reasonable doubt that the Adam and Eve story is just that: a story. Genetics, archaeology, etc. have conclusively shown that humans originated LONG before the Adam and Eve story. Having said that, I do concede that Joseph's take on Adam and Eve is unique and quite appealing to that of traditional Christians.
Claim #3: If Joseph were not a prophet, then in order to account for these and
many other remarkable doctrinal insights, the critics must make the
argument that he was also a theological genius. But if that were the
case, one might ask: why was Joseph the only one in the 1,800 years
following Christ’s ministry to produce such a breadth of unique and
clarifying doctrines? Because it was revelation, not brilliance, that
was the source of this book.
He was a theological genius, Brother Callister, but no, he wasn't "the only one in the 1800 years after Christ" to produce such "unique and clarifying doctrines." Far from it. Perhaps Brother Callister has never heard of Polycarp, St. Clement, Augustine of Hippo, Athanasius of Alexandria, St. Jerome, Thomas Aquinas, John Milton, Francis if Assisi, John Wycliffe, Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Knox, Richard Hooker, Jonathan Edwards, John Wesley, George Whitefield, Ellen White and MANY others. I'm not suggesting that Joseph Smith didn't make real and dramatic contributions to Christianity (he absolutely did) but to say that Joseph was "the only one in the 1800 years following Christ's ministry to produce such a breadth of unique and clarifying doctrines" is WOEFULLY incorrect and negates the many incredible contributions (equal to or greater than Smith himself) made by many others.
Claim #4: To explain the Book of Mormon’s existence, the critics must also make
the claim that Joseph was a naturally gifted writer at age 23.
Otherwise, how did he interweave scores of names, places, and events
into a harmonious whole without inconsistencies? How did he pen detailed
war strategies, compose eloquent sermons, and coin phrases that are
highlighted, memorized, quoted, and placed on refrigerator doors by
millions of people, phrases such as, “When ye are in the service of your
fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God” (Mosiah 2:17) or “Men are, that they might have joy” (2 Nephi 2:25).
These are messages with a heartbeat—messages that live and breathe and
inspire. To suggest that Joseph Smith at age 23 possessed the skills
necessary to write this monumental work in a single draft in
approximately 65 working days is simply counter to the realities of
life.
How did J.R.R. Tolkien, author of The Lord of the Rings, create such a complex story with hundreds of characters, geographic locations, plot twists and even an elvish language? How did George Lucas, creator of Star Wars, interweave scores of names, places and events into a harmonious whole without inconsistencies? How did Gene Roddenberry, creator of Star Trek, pen detailed war strategies, compose eloquent dialogues for Captain Kirk and Spock and coin phrases that are highlighted, memorized and quoted ("Live long and prosper")? How did Walt Disney come up with his ingenious creations? How did Mary Shelley, author of Frankenstein (already mentioned earlier) come up with her story by age 19? How did Helen Keller author her first autobiography, while blind and deaf, at the age of 22? How did S.E. Hinton create her novel, The Outsiders at age 18? How did Stephen Crane write The Red Badge of Courage at age 23? How did Jack London write The Call of the Wild at age 27? How did Ken Kesey write One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest at age 26? How did Douglas Adams write The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy at age 27? How did Charles Dickens write The Pickwick Papers at age 25? How did Jane Austen write Sense and Sensibility at age 19? How did F. Scott Fitzgerald write This Side of Paradise at age 23? How did Ernest Hemingway write The Sun Also Rises at age 26? How did J.K. Rowling create her initial drafts and story lines for what would become Harry Potter at age 24? The answer is found in the creative minds of humanity. Our ability to dream and imagine is one of the most amazing and impressive qualities of being human. The following video clip illustrates how easy it is for all of us to believe that a holy book couldn't possibly be written by the hand of man:
As for the claim that Joseph Smith wrote the BoM in 65 working days, I will refer the reader to the
numerous refutations of this claim that can be found from a simple search (you can find a few here, here, here and here).
Claim #5 Even if one accepts all of the foregoing arguments, dubious as they may
be, the critics still face another looming obstacle. Joseph claimed that
the Book of Mormon was written on golden plates. This claim received
unrelenting criticism in his day—for “everyone” knew that ancient
histories were written on papyrus or parchment, until years later, when
metal plates with ancient writings were discovered. In addition, the
critics claimed that the use of cement, as described in the Book of
Mormon, was beyond the technical expertise of these early
Americans—until cement structures were found in ancient America. How do
the critics now account for these and similar unlikely discoveries?
Joseph, you see, must also have been a very, very lucky guesser.
Somehow, in spite of all the odds against him, against all existing
scientific and academic knowledge, he guessed right when all the others
were wrong.
I don't think Callister realizes that the gold plates argument STILL receives criticism even today. Have golden plates from antiquity been found with writing on them? Yes, but that is only half the story. The plates we do have from ancient times are rarely made of gold (since gold was incredibly valuable). In addition, these ancient plates are usually few in number (again, since gold was quite valuable). Usually there would be a plate or two, but to have a golden record from antiquity that contained a history which would eventually yield over 500 pages of English text is simply unprecedented. Also keep in mind that gold, though quite heavy, is also a soft metal. If you wanted to preserve a record for a long time then writing on gold would not be the best choice, since the weight of gold (combined with softness of the metal) would, over time, press all engravings flat, leaving nothing but flat gold behind.
Simply put, the idea of a mass collection of gold plates being used to preserve a very lengthy ancient text is without historical precedent. And even if we were to concede Callister's claim, one must ask why Joseph Smith didn't reference the golden plates during the translation process of the BoM but instead simply looked at a seer stone he placed in a hat (the plates oftentimes not even being in the same room). Even the church's own published essay on the translation of the Book of Mormon confirms that Joseph used a seer stone and not the plates. And what do we make of the fact that "reformed Egyptian" or something of the like has never been discovered?
Yes, the ancient Maya used cement, which I suppose leads Callister to believe the BoM story took place in Mezoamerica? And even if we concede his point about cement, I question why Callister omitted mentioning the plethora of other archaeological and historical problems surrounding the BoM. For instance, how do we explain the complete lack of evidence for swine, horses, wheat, barley, silk and cattle (all of which are referenced in the BoM)? Why have we yet to find any of the metal swords from the numerous battles (some numbering in the thousands if not millions) yet archaeologists regularly make such discoveries in Europe. Where are the chariots? The wheels? The Nephite coinage? The references to Native peoples following a 7-day week calendar? Or as renowned archaeologists Michael Coe has aptly pointed out, what we would expect to find in an ancient American record (references to items like potatoes, tomatoes, corn, buffalo, etc.) are nowhere in the BoM, whereas what we would NOT expect to find (references to cattle, horses, wheat, chariots, etc.) are referenced many times in the BoM. Thomas Ferguson, an LDS member who was funded by the church to conduct archaeological research has stated, "The first myth we need to eliminate is that Book of Mormon archaeology exists...I should say -- what is in the ground will never conform to what is in the book." Both the National Geographic Society and the Smithsonian Institution Department of Anthropology have gone on record stating there is no historical, scientific or archaeological evidence to support the historicity of the BoM.
I guess Joseph wasn't a "lucky guesser" after all.
Claim #6:One of my good and bright friends left the Church for a time. He
recently wrote to me of his return: “Initially, I wanted the Book of
Mormon to be proven to me historically, geographically, linguistically,
and culturally. But when I changed my focus to what it teaches about the
gospel of Jesus Christ and His saving mission, I began to gain a
testimony of its truthfulness. One day while reading the Book of Mormon
in my room, I paused, knelt down, and gave a heartfelt prayer and felt
resoundingly that Heavenly Father whispered to my spirit that the Church
and the Book of Mormon were definitely true. My three-and-a-half-year
period of re-investigating the Church led me back wholeheartedly and
convincingly to its truthfulness.”
This claim is a tough one because fundamentally I agree with what Callister is trying to say here. The BoM IS an inspiring record that teaches of Jesus Christ and his mission as the Savior of mankind. Callister won't receive any criticism from me on this. Where I think he goes wrong is in quoting his friend who stated, "I wanted the BoM to be proven...but when I changed my focus to what it teaches about the gospel of Jesus Christ...I began to gain a testimony." Brother Callister, why couldn't your talk simply focus on that? You just spent the first 8 minutes of your sermon trying to prove (historically, geographically, linguistically, etc.) how the BoM is true, only to reference your friend who ultimately gained a testimony by ignoring such things. Why can't that be the central argument of the Book of Mormon's value? President Russell M. Nelson, in the same General Conference, gave a sermon on the BoM that almost exclusively focused on the book's spiritual value/significance. Why muddy the waters with conjecture and highly questionable "evidence" that is rejected by the overwhelming majority of the scholastic world?
Speaking personally, I cannot embrace the BoM as being "true" if we are to rely on history, science, etc. The evidence is simply overwhelming to the contrary. If, however, we can say the BoM is "true" based on its religious teachings and its emphasis on Jesus' divine role then I am 100% behind such a claim, but we cannot have it both ways.
Why do I care so much about making this distinction? Two reasons:
1.) We need to recognize that the study of scripture and the study of history, science, etc. are VERY different pursuits. They are rarely if ever tied together. Sure, scripture may occasionally bleed over into history or science but usually this is an exception to the rule. Just as a wall separating church from state (with occasional bleed-over) is necessary for society, so is a wall between scripture and academia a necessity. Scripture is terribly equipped to take the place of history, science, etc., just as history/science will never be able to do the job of scripture. When we feel the need to link these separate spheres in order to add legitimacy to the claims of religion we do ourselves a terrible disservice.
Which brings me to my second reason.
2.) The increasing number of people who discover troubling material that discredits many truth claims of the church are not helped when leaders insist on perpetuating the same worn out, disproved assertions, like the BoM being an absolute historical record. When we force members to accept or reject the whole without looking at things objectively we place ourselves in a tough spot. Instead of pretending to be historians and archaeologists, I believe our leadership is most successful when they act like pastors and theologians.
The BoM's strength lies in its knowable spiritual teachings, not its unknowable physical geography. The BoM is more sermon than history, more performance than proof. It relies more on inspiration than evidence. It's a sermon as opposed to a record. It mirrors Joseph Smith and his time more than it sheds light on Nephites/Lamanites and antiquity.
In conclusion, I completely agree with Brother Callister on one issue: the Book of Mormon is what it claims to be: "a volume of holy scripture comparable to the Bible." Where I disagree is when Brother Callister attempts to make the BoM a record of history. It is not. To my fellow Mormons who find this declaration difficult to digest consider the following:
The Bible is full of pseudepigraphic (records attributed to ancient prophets but not actually written by ancient prophets) books such as Genesis, Exodus, etc. which are full of stories lacking any historical veracity. Virtually no scholars affirm the legitimacy of Adam and Eve, the Noah story, the Exodus story, the story of Job and many others. Even Jesus taught in parables. If we are able to glean moral life lessons from obvious Bible fables why can't we do the same with the Book of Mormon? Is the Book of Mormon's value really that dependent upon its historical veracity? When asked about this very issue, Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles stated:
If someone can find something in the Book of Mormon, anything that
they love or respond to or find dear, I applaud that and say more power
to you. That's what I find, too. And that should not in any way discount
somebody's liking a passage here or a passage there or the whole idea
of the book...
I think you'd be as aware as I am that that we have many people who
are members of the church who do not have some burning conviction as to
its origins, who have some other feeling about it that is not as
committed to foundational statements and the premises of Mormonism. But
we're not going to invite somebody out of the church over that any more
than we would anything else about degrees of belief or steps of hope or
steps of conviction...We would say: "This is the way I see it, and
this is the faith I have; this is the foundation on which I'm going
forward. If I can help you work toward that I'd be glad to, but I don't
love you less; I don't distance you more; I don't say you're
unacceptable to me as a person or even as a Latter-day Saint if you
can't make that step or move to the beat of that drum."
So if anyone tells you it's wrong to not believe in the historicity of the BoM tell them to take the matter up with Elder Holland! Ultimately this is a personal question and I am happy to let each person decide for him/herself. For me, the evidence is quite clear; the Book of Mormon is scripture but NOT historical. Regardless of how you choose to answer, it is my hope that Mormonism can be that "big tent" faith where a diversity of opinion on this and other issues are free and welcomed. After all, that is the religion Joseph Smith himself envisioned...
The Ghost Ship of Brooklyn: An Untold Story of the
American Revolution.By Robert P.
Watson.(Da Capo Press., August 31,
2017.Pp. 256).
The history of the American Revolution is a field that has
been thoroughly plowed, on multiple occasions, by historians of every
generation.To find a unique parcel of
this fascinating era of history that hasn’t already been cultivated is a chore
to say the least.Robert Watson’s The Ghost Ship of Brooklyn is one of
those rare instances when a historian stumbles upon this rare piece of
uncharted land.
Watson’s book is focused almost exclusively on a British
prisoner of war ship called the HMS Jersey.On this boat, thousands of American prisoners
of war (or those accused of disloyalty to the British crown) were confined in
the dark, wet and disease-ridden hull of the Jersey. Food was scarce while sanitation was almost completely absent.Watson points out how such conditions led to
a death toll that rivaled that of combat fatalities during the war.
Due to these intolerable conditions, the Jersey developed a reputation throughout
the American colonies (more specifically throughout New York).In fact, the ship became a symbol of British
tyranny and oppression, which galvanized the American rebels to support the
cause of independence.
The depth of Watson’s research is clearly evident in the
book.He regularly references the
first-hand accounts of American colonists who had experienced confinement on
the Jersey.In addition, Watson relies on the records of
the British themselves, who kept a detailed account of all prisoners
incarcerated.Watson’s attention to
these sources adds credence to his claim that British prisoner ships did just
as much (if not more) to bolster the cause of American independence as events
like the Boston Massacre.
The book’s prose has a pleasant flow that is easy for the
reader to follow though the depth of Watson’s research may prove daunting for
some (the book does, at times, repeat itself).Watson presents the history in an entertaining manner, which makes the
book feel more like an engaging story than a textbook.Watson’s ability to frame the history in a
compelling narrative will increase the appeal of this work to not only history
enthusiasts but to a broader readership.
Overall, I found The
Ghost Ship of Brooklyn to be an enjoyable and enlightening read.Its unique contribution to the history of the
American Revolution should not go overlooked.My overall grade: B+
