The Community of Christ, formerly known as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, views the Book of Mormon as an additional witness of Jesus Christ and publishes two versions of the book through its official publishing arm, Herald House: the Authorized Edition, which is based on the original printer's manuscript, and the 1837 Second Edition (or "Kirtland Edition") of the Book of Mormon. [48] The account describes a group of families led from the Tower of Babel[49] to the Americas, headed by a man named Jared and his brother. [162][163][164], The LDS Church, which distributes free copies of the Book of Mormon, reported in 2011 that 150 million copies of the book have been printed since its initial publication. The original manuscript was used by Smith to further correct errors printed in the 1830 and 1837 versions of the Book of Mormon for the 1840 printing of the book.[125]. [43][44] The title page states that the purpose of the Book of Mormon is "to [show] unto the remnant of the house of Israel what great things the Lord hath done for their fathers; ... and also to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations."[45]. Surviving manuscript pages were handed out to various families and individuals in the 1880s. Book of Mormon. In other words, the whole of Mormon theology. "And it came to pass" was his pet. Separate editions of the Book of Mormon have been published by a number of churches in the Latter Day Saint movement, along with private individuals and foundations not endorsed by any specific denomination. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. In the late-19th century the extant portion of the printer's manuscript remained with the family of David Whitmer, who had been a principal founder of the Latter Day Saints and who, by the 1870s, led the Church of Christ (Whitmerite). English. These videos are shown on an extra channel. Curtis Dahl, "Mound-Builders, Mormons, and William Cullen Bryant". Premium Membership is now 50% off! The Book of Mormon teaches that God has flesh and bones and that He has a wife with whom they produce spirit offspring in heaven that will inhabit human bodies on earth. [25], The first completed manuscript, called the original manuscript, was completed using a variety of scribes. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. According to Mormon apostle Bruce McConkie, author of the book Mormon Doctrine, the gospel is "the plan of salvation [that] embraces all of the laws, principles, doctrines, rites, ordinances, acts, powers, authorities, and keys necessary to save and exalt men." & Rosenvall, David L. (ed)", "How the Guide to English Pronunciation of Book of Mormon Names Came About", "News of the Church: First Presidency Emphasizes Following Christ's Example", "Lights. The following information is in the Book of Mormon. In 2015, this remaining portion was published by the Church Historian's Press in its Joseph Smith Papers series, in Volume Three of "Revelations and Translations"; and, in 2017, the LDS Church bought the printer's manuscript for US$35,000,000.[133][134]. However, no such ancient language has ever existed. The Book of Mormon resembles the Bible in its length and complexity and in its division into books named for individual prophets. In Trey Paker and Matt Stone, The Testaments of One Fold and One Shepherd, Mound_Builders § Alternative_explanations, Historical authenticity of the Book of Mormon, Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, Foundation for Apologetic Information & Research, The Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertonite), Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, The Book of Mormon Movie, Vol. Edited by Richards. [53] These passages contain doctrinal and philosophical teachings on a wide range of topics, from basic themes of Christianity and Judaism[54] to political and ideological teachings. The New Testament and Book of Mormon are published in one book. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. [61] Many of the book's contributors described other visions of Jesus, including one by the Brother of Jared who, according to the book, lived before Jesus, and saw the "body" of Jesus' spirit thousands of years prior to his birth. Non-Mormon critics disagree in their opinions as to the origin of the book. Numerous observers have suggested that the Book of Mormon parallels others within the 19th-century "mound-builder" genre that was pervasive at the time. According to the text, Moroni then made an abridgment (called the Book of Ether) of a record from a previous people called the Jaredites.