The Book of Abraham is a work produced in 1835 by Joseph Smith based on, he said, on Egyptian papyri purchased from a traveling mummy exhibit. According to Smith, the book is "a translation of some ancient records [...] who claim to be Abraham's writings, when he was in Egypt, called the Book of Abraham, written by his own hand, on papyrus." Smith says the papyrus depicts Abraham's early life, his journeys to Canaan and Egypt, and his vision of the cosmos and his creation.
The work was canonized in 1880 by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) as part of the Pearl of Great Price. Thus, this forms the doctrinal basis for the fundamental denomination of the LDS and Mormon Churches of the Latter-day Saint movement even though it is not considered a religious text by the Community of Christ. Other groups in the Latter-day Saint movement have different opinions about the Book of Abraham, some refuse and some accept the text as inspired scripture. This book contains some unique doctrines for Mormonism such as the idea that God organized the eternal elements to create the universe (instead of creating it ex nihilo), the glorification of humanity, the pre-finite existence, the first and second plantations , and the plurality of the gods.
The book of Abraham papyri is considered to have been lost in 1871 Great Chicago Fire. However, in 1966 some of the papyrus fragments were found in the archives of the Metropolitan Art Museum in New York and in the archives of the LDS Church. They are now referred to as Joseph Smith Papyri. After being examined by professional Mormon and non-Mormon mormons, this fragment is identified as Egyptian burial text, including "HÃÆ''r Inhalation License" and "Book of the Dead", among others. As a result, Abraham's book has been a source of significant controversy. Critics say this is a work of fiction made by Smith, while some Mormon apologists maintain its authenticity.
Video Book of Abraham
Origin
Eleven mummies and some papyrus were found near the ancient Egyptian city of Thebes by Antonio Lebolo between 1818 and 1822. After Lebolo's death in 1830, mummies and various objects were sent to New York with instructions that they should be sold for the benefit of losing heirs from Lebolo. Michael H. Chandler eventually bought mummies and artifacts and began to display them, beginning in Philadelphia. Over the next two years, Chandler toured the eastern United States, displaying and selling some mummies when he traveled.
On June 30, 1835, Chandler showed off his collection in Kirtland, Ohio. The promotional brochure made by Chandler states that mummies "may live in the days of Jacob, Moses, or David". At that time, Kirtland was the home of Latter-day Saints, led by Joseph Smith. Smith - who had claimed to have translated the Book of Mormon from the gold plates that had been inscribed with the text of "reformed Egypt" - was immediately attracted to papyri and immediately offered Chandler the initial translation of the scrolls. Smith claims that the scroll contains the writings of Abraham and Joseph, and the story of an Egyptian princess named "Katumin". He writes:
WW Phelps and Oliver Cowdery as scribes, I began the translation of some characters or hieroglyphs, and much of our joy found that one of the [scrolls] contained Abraham's writings, another of Joseph's writings from Egypt, etc. - a more complete account will appear in its place, when I continue to check or open them.
Smith, Joseph Coe and Simeon Andrews immediately bought four mummies and at least five papyrus documents for $ 2,400 (equivalent to $ 57,000 in 2017). In October 1835 he began to "translate the alphabet to the Book of Abraham, and set the Egyptian language grammar as did the ancients." By doing that, Smith worked closely with Cowdery and Phelps. The result of this decomposition effort is the collection of documents and manuscripts now known as the Kirtland Egyptian newspaper. One of these manuscripts is a bound book entitled "Grammar & amp; A [l] phabet of Egyptian Language", which contains Smith's interpretation of the Egyptian flying machine. The first part of this book focuses almost entirely on the decipherment of the Egyptian character, and the second part discusses the form of astronomy that should have been done by the ancient Egyptians. Most of the pages in this thick book were written in July 1835. Most of the writings in the book were written not by Smith but by scribes who recorded what Smith said.
The "Egyptian Alphabet" manuscript is very important because it illustrates how Smith attempted to translate the papyrus. First, the characters in the papyrus are written to the left side of the book. Next, postulate what kind of symbols that sound like designed. Finally, the interpretation of the English symbol is given. The subsequent interpretation of papyrus by Smith takes the form of five "degrees" of interpretation, each of which represents a deeper and more complex level of interpretation.
Having interpreted the Egyptian alphabet in July and October of 1835, Smith seemed to translate most of the Book of Abraham in November 1835, followed by several minor revisions in March 1842. In translating the book, Smith dictated, and Phelps, Warren Parrish, and Frederick G. Williams acted as a scribe. This complete work was first published serially in the newspaper of the Latter-day Saint Times and Seasons movement in 1842, and later canonized in 1880 by the LDS Church as part of the Pearl of Great Price.
Maps Book of Abraham
Job content
Abraham's text book
The Book of Abraham tells the story of Abraham's life, the journey to Canaan and Egypt, and a vision he received about the universe, pre-mortal existence, and the creation of the world. This book has five chapters. Chapter 1 tells how Abraham Terah's father and his ancestors have turned into "the god of Elkenah, and the god of Libna, and the god Mahmackrah, and the god Korash, and the god of Pharaoh, king of Egypt." Imam Chaldean then sacrificed three virgins for the gods of stone and pagan wood, and one priest tried to sacrifice Abraham himself before the angel came to save him. The text then examines the origins of Egypt and its government. Chapter 2 includes information about God's covenant with Abraham and how it will be fulfilled; in this chapter, Abraham traveled from Ur to Canaan, and then to Egypt. In Chapter 3, Abraham learns about the Egyptian understanding of heavenly bodies through Urim and Thummim. It is in this chapter that Abraham also learns about the eternal nature of the spirit [...] life on earth, sacrifice, Creation, election of Redeemer, and second human treasure. The chapter 4 and Ã, 5 contains the expansion and modification of the creation narrative in Genesis In Chapter 4, the gods (there are more than 48 references to the plurality of gods in Chapter 4 and 5 plan the creation of the earth and life on earth.In Chapter 5, the complete gods of creation, and Adam's name is all living things.
Nearly half of the book of Abraham shows a dependence on the King James Version of the Book of Genesis. According to H. Ã, Michael Marquardt, "It seems clear that Smith has the Bible open to Genesis as he dictated this passage [ie, Chapter Ã, 2] from 'Abraham's Book. '"Smith explains the similarity on the grounds that when Moses wrote the book of Genesis, he used the Book of Abraham as a guide, summarizing and condensing the place he deems fit. Thus, since Moses remembered the life of Abraham, his version was in the third person, while the Book of Abraham, written by his titular author, was composed in the first person.
Different doctrines
The text of the Book of Abraham is the source of several different Latter-day Saints doctrines, which Mormon's author Randal S. Chase calls "the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ previously unknown to the members of the Church in the days of Joseph Smith." Examples include the nature of the priesthood, the understanding of the cosmos, the glorification of humanity, the pre-mortal existence, the first and second plantations, and the plurality of gods.
The book of Abraham extends the priestly character in the Latter-day Saint movement, and it is suggested in the work that those who were ordained before the priesthood acquired this right with courage or glory in pre-mortal life. In the same vein, the Book explicitly indicates that Pharaoh is a descendant of Ham and therefore "from the lineage by which he can not have priesthood rights". This passage is the only one found in any Mormon scripture that blocks certain lineages of people from holding the priesthood. Although it is not in the Book of Abraham that explicitly connects the lines of Pharaoh and Ham with black Africans, this passage is used as the basis of the scriptures to withhold the priesthood of the blacks. Both Joseph Smith and Brigham Young use the Book of Abraham to justify the banning of blacks from the priesthood. It was not until 1900 that George Q. Cannon, a member of the First Presidency, began to use the story of Pharaoh as a biblical basis for the ban. In 1912, the First Presidency responded to a question about the prohibition of the priesthood by using the story of Pharaoh. In the early 1900s, it became the basis of church policy with respect to the prohibition of the priesthood. The 2002 Doctrine and Covenants of the Covenant Manual refers to Abraham 1: 21-27 as the reasoning behind not giving the priesthood blacks until 1978.
Chapter 3 of the Book of Abraham describes a unique (and supposedly Egyptian) understanding of the hierarchy of celestial bodies, each with different movements and time sizes. With regard to this chapter, Randal S. Chase notes, "With the help of the divine, Abraham can gain a greater understanding of the order of galaxies, stars, and planets than he can obtain from earthly sources." At the top of the cosmos is the slowest rotating body, Kolob, which, according to the text, is the closest star to God's abode. The book of Abraham is the only work in the canons of the Latter-day Saints to mention the stars of Kolob. According to the Book:
[Abraham] saw the stars, that they were very large, and that one of them was the one closest to the throne of God;... and the great name is Kolob, for it is near to me, for I am the LORD your God: I have appointed this one to govern all those that are in the same order as above which you are standing.
Based on this verse, the LDS Church claims that "Kolob is the nearest star to the presence of God [and] the star that rules throughout the universe." Time moves slowly above the celestial body; one Kolob-day according to 1,000 years of earth. The Church also notes: "Kolob is also a symbol of Jesus Christ, the central figure in God's plan of salvation."
The Book of Abraham also explores the existence of pre-mortal. The LDS Church website explains: "Life does not begin at birth, as is commonly believed." Before coming to earth, people exist as spirits. " These spirits are eternal and different intelligences. Before mortal existence, the spirit is in the "first real". Once certain spirits (ie, those who choose to follow the plan of salvation offered by God the Father on their own will) take a mortal form, they enter into the so-called "second treasure". The second inheritance doctrine is explicitly mentioned only in this book. The purpose of worldly life, therefore, is for man to prepare for a meeting with God; The Church, quoting Abraham 3:26 records: "All who accept and obey the principles and ordinances of saving the gospel of Jesus Christ will receive eternal life, the greatest gift of God, and will have" the glory added above their heads for all eternity ever and ever '. "
Also important is the insistence of the Book of Abraham that there are many gods, and that "the gods" created the Earth, not the ex nihilo, but from the already existing and immortal matter. This shift from monotheism and to polytheism occurs c. 1838-39, when Smith was imprisoned in Liberty Jail in Clay County, Missouri (this was after most of Abraham's Book was deemed to be translated, but before publication). Smith notes that there will be "the time to arrive at [ sic ] that will not be anything by holding [ sic ] to where [ sic ] exists being a god or many deities whom they [sic] will embody all thrones and powers, governments and rulers should be disclosed and confirmed to all who have sincerely invoked [ sic sic for the gospel of Jesus Christ "and that all will be expressed" according to what is ordained in the midst of councyl sic of the eternal God of all other Gods before This world. "
Facsimile
Three pictures (facsimiles of sketches on papyrus) and Joseph Smith's explanation of them printed on the 1842 issues of Times and Seasons . These three illustrations were prepared by Smith and an engraver named Reuben Hedlock. The facsimile and their annotations are then included with the Pearl of Great Price in the reverse format. According to Smith's explanation, Facsimile No. Ã, 1 depicts Abraham tied to the altar, with pastor Elkenah trying to sacrifice himself. Fax No. Ã, 2 contains the representation of celestial bodies, including heaven and earth, fifteen planets or other stars, the sun and the moon, the 1,000 number and God reveal the key words of the holy priesthood.. Fax No. 3 describes Abraham in Pharaoh's palace "reasoning on the principles of Astronomy".
Interpretation and contribution to the Latter-day Saint movement
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The Book of Abraham was canonized in 1880 by the LDS Church, and remains part of a larger work of the scriptures, The Pearl of Great Price.
Recently the LDS Church has softened its position in the Book of Abraham. An essay on the church website, entitled "Translating and Reliving the Book of Abraham," explains: "None of the characters in the piece of papyrus mention the name of Abraham or any event recorded in the book of Abraham.Mormon and non-Mormon Egyptian scholars agree that the characters in the fragments do not fit the translation given in the book of Abraham, although there is no unanimous vote, even among non-Mormon scholars, of the exact interpretation of the sketches on these fragments. " https://www.lds.org/topics/translation-and-historicity-of-the-book-of-abraham?lang=eng>
Christ Community
The Community of Christ, formerly known as The Ordered Church of Jesus of Latter-day Saints, does not accept the Book of Abraham as canonical, even though it is referenced in the early church publications.
Church The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Strangite)
The Strangit branch of the movement did not take an official position on the Book of Abraham. The branch notes, "We know that 'The Book of Abraham' was published in the early period as the text 'who claimed to be Abraham's writing' without any indication of its translation process (see Times and Seasons, 1 March 1842), and therefore has no official position on it.
The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints adheres to the canon of the Book of Abraham.
Loss and rediscovery of papyrus
After Joseph Smith's death, the Egyptian artifact belonged to his mother, Lucy Mack Smith, and he and his son William Smith continued to show off four mummies and related papyri to the visitors. Two weeks after Lucy's death in May 1856, Smith's widow Emma Hale Smith Bidamon, her second husband Lewis C. Bidamon, and her son Joseph Smith III, sold "four Egyptian mummies on record with them" to Abel Combs in May Ã, 26, 1856. Comb then sells two mummies, along with some papyrus, to St. John's Museum. Louis in 1856. At the close of St. Ã, The Louis Museum, these artifacts were purchased by Joseph H. Wood and found their way to the Chicago Museum in about 1863, and were soon put on display. The museum and all its contents were burned in 1871 during the Great Chicago Fire. Today it is assumed that the papyrus forming the base for Facsimiles 2 and 3 was lost in the fire.
After the fire, however, it is believed that all sources for the book have been lost. Despite this belief, Abel Combs still has some papyri fragments and two mummies. While the fate of the mummy is unknown, the fragment is passed to Combs Charlotte nurse nurse Benecke Weaver, who gave it to his daughter, Alice Heusser. In 1918 Heusser approached the New York Metropolitan Art Museum (MMA) about purchasing goods; at the time, the museum curators were not interested, but in 1947 they changed their minds, and the museum bought papyrus from Heusser's widower husband, Edward. In the 1960s MMA decided to raise money by selling some of its items that were considered "less unique". Among these are the papyrus that Heusser sold to the museum decades earlier. In May 1966, Aziz S. Atiya, a Coptic scholar from the University of Utah, was browsing through the MMA collection when he found the Heusser fragment; after examining it, he recognized one as a vignette known as Facsmile of 1 of The Pearl of Great Price. He told the leaders of the LDS Church, and a few months later, in November Ã, 27, 1967, the LDS Church was able to obtain fragments, and according to Henry G. Fischer, curator of the Egyptian Collection at MMA, anonymous donations to MMA allows the LDS Church to obtain papyrus. Subsequent transfers include eleven pieces of papyrus, including the original from Facsimile Ã, 1.
Three of these fragments were designated Joseph Smith Papyrus (JSP) I, X, and XI. Other fragments, named JSP Ã, II, IV, V, VI, VII, and VIII, are considered by critics as the Book of Joseph that Smith refers to. Egyptologist John A. Wilson stated that the fragments found showed at least six to eight separate documents. The twelfth fragment is found in the office of the Historian Historian of the Church and is dubbed the "Fragment of Church Historians". Revealed by the church in 1968, the fragment was named JSP Ã, IX. Although there is a debate about how many collections of papyrus are missing, there is widespread agreement that the papyrus obtained is part of the original purchase of Smith, partly based on the fact that they were taped to a paper that had "a picture of a temple and a map of Kirtland, Ohio" behind , as well as the fact that they were accompanied by a written statement by Emma Smith stating that they already had Joseph Smith.
Controversy and criticism
Since its publication in 1842, Abraham's book has been the source of controversy. The Mormon Non-Mormonist, who began in the late nineteenth century, disagrees with Joseph Smith's account of facsimile. They also affirm that the damaged parts of the papyri have been reconstructed incorrectly. In 1912, a letter about the Book of Abraham was published by Arthur Cruttenden Mace, Assistant Curator of the Egyptian Art Department at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. He writes:
I return this, under a separate cover, 'Pearl of Great Price'. "The Book of Abraham," almost needless to say, is pure fabrication. Pieces 1 and 3 are inaccurate copies of famous scenes on cemetery papyri, and piece 2 is a copy of one of the magical discs that in the late Egyptian period were placed under the mummy's head. There are about forty of these last known in the museum and they are all very similar in character. Joseph Smith's interpretation of this deduction is nonsense from beginning to end. The Egyptian character can now be read almost as easily as Greek, and studying for five minutes in an Egyptian gallery in any museum should be enough to convince anyone educated about the imposture awkwardness.
Controversy intensified in the late 1960s when part of Joseph Smith Papyri was located. The translation of papyrus by Mormon and non-Mormon mormons is incompatible with the text of the Book of Abraham as deliberately translated by Joseph Smith. Indeed, the transliterated texts of the restored papyrus and facsimile published in the Book of Abraham contain no direct, historical or textual references to Abraham, and the name Abraham does not appear anywhere in papyrus or facsimile. Edward Ashment notes, "The sign that Smith identifies with Abraham [...] is nothing more than a hieratic version of [...] a 'w' in Egyptian, has no phonetic or semantic relationship with [Smith] 'Ah-broam. '"The University of Chicago Egyptologist Robert K. Ritner concludes in 2014 that the source of the Book of Abraham" is' Hypothesis of HÃÆ'Â'r,' misunderstood and misinterpreted by Joseph Smith ", and that other papyrus is a common Egyptian burial document such as the Book The dead.
The original text of the Book of Abraham, initiated in 1966 by Jerald Tanner, shows portions of Joseph Smith Papyri and their recognized translations into the Book of Abraham. Ritner concludes, contrary to the position of LDS, due to the microfilm published before the re-invention of Joseph Smith Papyri, that "it is not true that 'no eyewitness accounts of surviving translation'", that the Book of Abraham is "Confirmed as a well-intentioned discovery, but incorrectly by Joseph Smith, "and" although not authentic as the original historical narrative, the Book of Abraham remains a valuable witness to early American religious history and the way to ancient texts as sources of faith and modern religious speculation. "
The Book of Joseph
As mentioned above, a second unspeakable work was identified by Joseph Smith after researching the original papyrus. He says that one scroll contains "the writings of Joseph of Egypt". Based on the description by Oliver Cowdery, some, including Charles M. Larson, believe that the fragments of Joseph Smith Papyri II, IV, V, VI, VII, and VIII are the source of this work.
See also
- Mormon cosmology
- Criticism of the Latter-day Saint movement
- A critical appraisal of the Book of Abraham
- Critique of the sacred text of Mormon
- Kirtland Egyptian Papers
- Testament of Abraham
Note
References
Bibliography
External links
- Translation and History of the Book of Abraham, from the LDS Church website
- The Pearl of Great Price (containing the Book of Abraham), from the LDS Church website
- Abraham's manuscript from JosephSmithPapers.org
- Dialogue: Journal of Mormon Thought , independent Mormon journal with scientific papers on the Book of Abraham
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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