The main idea is at the turning point where the second half begins. For this article i am going to discuss an ancient literary form known as chiasmus. However, a recently recognized phenomenon in the book of mormon has now made it possible for us to cite many specific examples of passages in the book of mormon which bear the distinct stamp of an ancient hebraic literary form. Since then, two organizations farms and fraa have published extensive literature to show that the book of mormon translated by joseph smith jr. A there is an intelligent omnipotent being, who is selfexistent and infinitely b good and benevolent matter eternally existed. Lee library special collections byu religious education. The discovery of chiasmus in the book of mormon is one of the most significant scholarly contributions to understanding and appreciating the nephite record. Chiasmus in the book of mormon mormonism, the mormon church. For those unfamiliar with the term, chiasmus is an ancient literary device that has been found in greek, latin, and hebrew writings. Those who were not so credulous insisted that it obviously read like anything but a hebrew text.
Generally, chiasmus and antimetabole are regarded by many critics as similar tools of rhetoric. Such simple examples of chiasmus are well known in english speech. Oct 03, 2017 we had a guest on our show and many of you know him already. So to celebrate the discovery of chiasmus fifty years ago, we at book of mormon central. The structure of a chiasmus is pretty simple, so they arent difficult to craft. The structure is strongly chiastic, but there are some very sophisticated and elegant perturbations which have been the subject of careful and lengthy analysis welch, 1991, welch, 1989, and brown, 1988. All you have to do is make up the first half of the sentence, and then flip a couple of words around for the second half. To celebrate this day, we held a gala event on august 16th, for a chiasmus jubilee hosted and organized by byu studies and book of mormon central.
The bible, old and new testaments, abound with examples and it is accepted that it is typical of one form of hebraic. A number of hebraisms exist in the structure of the book of mormon. Read more about examples of metrical chiasmus in acrostic psalms. Chiasmus as verbal judo the root pattern is called chiasmus because diagrammed, it forms an x, and the greek name for x is chi.
What is chiasmus and why is it so important in the book of. Practically since the day the book of mormon rolled off the press in 1830, those who believed in the book asserted that it obviously read like a hebrew text. In the late 1960s, a young latterday saint discovered that an ancient form of middle eastern poetry was found throughout the book of mormon, suggestive of its ancient semitic origins. Some of these examples may seem to be compelling, but when closely examined, they turn out to be little more than wishful thinking. They also provide useful background information and other insights. It is basically inverted parallelism where words, phrases, or concepts are introduced in ascending order and then repeated in descending order. Chiasmus in the book of mormon and elsewhere that a very substantial chiasmus has been found in the book of. Chiasmus in the book of mormon mormonism, the mormon. Solomon spaulding wrote a manuscript that is now missing some critics believe it is the actual source of the book of mormon had another book, manuscript found, in which appears the following chiasmus. The discovery of chiasmus in the book of mormon is one of the most. Book of mormon commentary 2 nephi 20 page 1 of 8 2 nephi 20 chiasmus chiasmus. This article provides an introduction to chiasmus, explaining what it is and why mormons think it is evidence for the book of mormon, giving examples from the bible, and discussing whether the book of mormon contains clear instances of chiasmus. What is chiasmus and how is it used in the book of mormon.
Its use in english literature is often a callback to those ancient origins, but just as often, its used as a simple way to add emphasis to a particular pair of phrases. It was also seen in sanskrit, mesopotamian, chinese and egyptian texts. Chiastic form can give order, emphasis, and completeness to longer passages, such as in the 58th psalm. A classic example of the rhetorical value of a chiasmus is seen in the hebrew psalm 82. Welch discovered a variety of instances of chiasmus in the book of mormon and along with his discovery came attention to the phenomenon. There are many weak examples that enthusiasts for the book of mormon, the bible, and other texts have found, but there are some real gems. Book of mormon central byu studies conference cosponsors harold b. Book of mormonevidenceshebraismschiasmus fairmormon.
It is claimed that the presence of chiasmus in the book of mormon is either coincidental, an artifact of the observer, or not impressive since examples of chiastic patterns have been found in the doctrine and covenants or other 19th century writing. So if chiasmus is proof of the ancient origin and truthfulness of the book of mormon, then it must mean the book of the law of the lord is also true, and we have all joined the wrong mormon sect. This year marks 50 years since the discovery of chiasmus in the book of mormon on august 16, 1967. Chiasmus in the book of mormon while on a mission in germany in 1967 john welch attended a catholictaught class on the new testament. Onomatopoeia examples and definition of onomatopoeia. Aug 11, 2009 i first heard about chiasmus in the book of mormon as a student at byu. Definition and examples of chiasmus figure of speech. Chapter 15 chiasmus in the book of mormon reachout trust. Chiasmus in the book of mormon is both a necessary and a natural way of explaining some things in the book of mormon that go unaccounted for otherwise. Hebraisms that could have been known to joseph smith. What a nonlds scholar said about chiasmus mormanity. Welch, a study relating chiasmus in the book of mormon to chiasmus in the.
Chiasmus is an invertedparallel literary form that was employed by ancient hebrew biblical writers, among others. In chiasmus, the words do not have to be repeatedthe second sentence does not just reverse. Definition, usage and a list of chiasmus examples in common speech and literature. Chiasms appear in greek, latin, english and other languages, but it was most highly developed in hebrew. Chiasmus, or inverted parallelism, is a twopart literary structure or system in which the second half is a mirror image of the first, i. Chiasmus in alma 36 handouts for alpine north stake book. After attending a lecture in which the presence of a compositional feature called chiasmus in matthew was mentioned as an example of its hebraic style, welch began looking for chiasmus while he was reading the book of mormon in german. Chiasmus is a rhetorical device in which two or more clauses are balanced against each other by the reversal of their structures in order to produce an artistic effect. It is claimed by many within the lds church that special literary patterns found in hebrew writing are also found in the book of mormon, which they feel helps prove that book comes from ancient jewish origins and not from joseph smiths mind. The most commonly referenced pattern is a type of parallelism, called a chiasm. It reminds me more of the example of chiasmus cited in the ces letter than something written by a master of the form like isaiah. Many of these chiasms have been identified and discussed, 3 but very little research has been done on the use of chiasmus in other ancient american writings. The use of chiasmus is popular in greek, latin and english languages, especially in shakespeares works, the hebrew texts of the bible, analects of confucius and the book of mormon. Jan 01, 2004 in 1967 chiasmus was discovered in the book of mormon, and the findings were published in byu studies.
There, the text uses a word which is ambiguous in hebrew meaning. I initially made it in the forum where i found the original. Onomatopoeia, pronounced onuhmatuhpeeuh, is defined as a word which imitates the natural sounds of a thing. This repetition emphasizes important ideas and words, in addition. Chiasmus is a sophisticated literary device that ranges from the most simple, as illustrated above, to complex examples. In this class welch discovered that new testament scholars had recently become aware of an hebrew literary form called chiasmus.
Joseph smith had been dead ten full years before john forbess book was published in scotland. An instance of this form, called a chiasm, presents two or more literary elements, and then restates them in reverse order. This article provides a fairly basic overview of the issue. Chiasmus is an ancient literary device, as old as hebrew scripture and ancient greek verse. What can we learn from 10 of the best chiasms in the book of mormon.
When john kennedy constructed his famous bromide, ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country, he went to the well of antithesis for his active ingredient. This discovery has changed the way we forever approach book of mormon scholarship. Select one of the links above to view examples of chiasmus in various books of the book of mormon. Chiasmus in the book of mormon judaicaworld archives. This adam clarke information gives grist for the mill of those who think joseph wrote the book of mormon, for sure. Im not sure exactly what forum would be suitable for this thread. Mary leapor, essay on woman 1751 for comparison, the following is considered antimetabole. Chiasmus an open conference on the state of the art august 15 august 16, 2017 joseph smith building auditorium, brigham young university. What are some examples of onomatopoeia in the raven by edgar allan poe. Search through the bibliography to see all of the citations on chiasmus. Examples of chiasmus can be found in the book of mormon. The assumption that the book of mormon is western literature is not universally held. Chiasms appear in greek, latin, english and other languages, but it.
Book of mormon commentary alma 36 page 2 of 12 chiasmus sometimes called an inverted parallelism, is a hebrew literary form where words or ideas are arranged in a certain order and then repeated in reverse order. This article will show you the importance of onomatopoeia and how to use it. Sanderson on january 1, 2000, the first presidency and quorum of the twelve of apostles of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints released a public statement to commemorate the birth of jesus christ two millennia. But in the case of the chiasms from the book of mormon, these objections can be tossed aside as unconvincing, unsatisfactory, unimaginative, and unintelligent. In august 1967, fifty years ago this month, john welch was a young latterday saint on his mission in germany. Welch discovered the presence of chiasmus on august 16, 1967 while on his mission in germany, and since that time, chiasmus has served as a profound witness for the beauty and complexity of the book of mormon. To celebrate this 50th anniversary, throughout july and august book of mormon central will publish one knowhy each week that discusses chiasmus and its significance and value to understanding the bible, the book of mormon, and other ancient literatures. Chiasmus in the book of mormon book of mormon central. The most commonly cited example of chiasmus in the book of mormon is the prophet almas religious experience, as recorded in alma 36. The professor discussed the work of father paul gaechter, a catholic priest who had written a book titled, the literary art in the gospel of matthew. The phenomenon which makes that possible is the presence of chiasmus in the book of mormon.
Chiasmus in mayan texts book of mormon archaeological forum. Antimetabole examples resemble chiasmus, as they are marked by the inversion of structure. Chiasmus in the book of mormon is both a necessary and a natural way of explaining some things in. A scripture wellknown to latterday saints is a good example of a. The most famous example of this is chapter 36 of the book of alma. If chiasmus can be convincingly identified in the book of mormon, it will testify of the book s ancient origin. In classic rhetoric, this figure of speech can be differentiated from an antimetabole, which is repetition of words in. Style of writing that consists of arranging a series of words or ideas in one order and repeating it in reverse order. What can we learn from 10 of the best chiasms in the book of. It creates a sound effect that mimics the thing described, making the description more expressive and interesting. Aug 29, 2017 since welchs discovery of chiasmus in the book of mormon fifty years ago, chiasmus has become one of the most frequently cited evidences for the authenticity of the book of mormon as ancient literature, and therefore as having been translated miraculously by joseph smith. The testimony of the apostles october 12, 2016 november 9, 2016 mark j.
I wouldnt consider any of those greek quotes to be comparable to the sort of chiasmus that is found in the. The early prophetwriter nephi was one of the most skilled authors at using this literary form, and he employed it in a number of ways. Perhaps welch could have strengthened his premise by demonstrating that the parallel members in the book of mormon consist of semitic word pairs, the basis of ancient hebrew poetry. Because mormons claim that examples of chiastic writing in the book of mormon help authenticate the book.
In 1967 chiasmus was discovered in the book of mormon, and the findings were published in byu studies. In this passage, every single phrase is mirrored by a related phrase. For some it is a work of ancient origin, for others it is a dubious hoax full of inaccuracies and anachronisms. Aug 22, 2016 the discovery of chiasmus in the book of mormon is one of the most significant scholarly contributions to understanding and appreciating the nephite record. Chiasmus in the book of mormon byu scholarsarchive. Some have argued chiasmus is evidence of the texts historical authenticity, suggesting it reflects the semitic background of nephi and other authors of the book of mormon. Chiasmus and the book of mormon utah lighthouse ministry. The pattern chiasmus creates here serves to reiterate and elaborate upon ideas. Does chiasmus appear in the book of mormon by chance. The authors find that examples of chiasmus in the book of abraham or the doctrine and covenants are likely to be due to chance, but several wellknown examples of chiasmus in the book of mormon appear to be intentional with a high level of confidence. Book of mormon 1879 lds versification title page simmons, letter, a 1 2 b 1 2 b 1 2 a 1 2. Why is the presence of chiasmus in the book of mormon significant. Chiasm is not just simple repetition it also involves an intensification or an aspect of completion in the second half. They claim that such findings support claims of hebrew origins in the text on the basis that.
Chiasmus is the term for a rhetorical device in which a sentence or phrase is followed by a sentence or phrase that reverses the structure and order of the first one. Onomatopoeia refers to words whose pronunciations imitate the actual sound that is being described. As a popular example, many long and complex chiasmi have been found in shakespeare and the greek and hebrew texts of the bible. While there, on preparation day, he attended a lecture given by a german bible scholar. Chiasmus for students and children admin january 7, 2018 figures of speech leave a comment 1,523 views survey proves that not even one in ten people would know what a chiasmus is. No one in america, let alone in western new york, fully understood chiasmus in 1830. The historical record has yielded no direct evidence that joseph smith actually knew about chiasmus when he translated the book of mormon in 1829, although some other people at that time did. Chiasmus in the book of mormon is both a necessary and a natural way of explaining some things in the book of mormon. If this was the only sort of chiasmus to be found in the book of mormon, then it would be weak evidence, at best, of any sort of ancient origin for the text. Indeed, the presence of chiasmus in the book of mormon may be evidence of joseph smiths own literary style and genius. Many latterday saints point out that the use of chiasmus in the book of mormon is proof that joseph smith translated a script that was hebrew in origin, since the chiasmus had not yet been discovered when the book of mormon was translated in 1829. Chiasmus in the book of mormon religious studies center. Chiasmus is one of the most frequently cited evidences for the authenticity of the book of mormon.
In examples of chiasmus, however, the words and phrases are not repeated. Clear explanation of when and how to write a chiasmus. The most powerful and beautiful example of chiasmus in the book of mormon and perhaps anywhere. Now, 50 years since welchs discovery of chiasmus in the book of mormon, we see that his find is. Chiasmus is one aspect of that way of writing, or, in other words, one of the literary techniques present in the bible, that has recently attracted the attention of.
But knowing about parallelism and being able to write mosiah 25 or alma 36 are two very different. Never let a fool kiss you or a kiss fool you mardy grothe 1999. The chiastic structure, according to welch, is as follows. So it is, in my opinion, with the issue of chiasmus in the book of mormon. Criteria for identifying and evaluating the presence of chiasmus jstor. A literary structure known as chiasmus exists in the book of mormon. Much has been said about the use of chiasmus in the book of mormon. These verses from the book of mormon use chiasmus to build an argument for embracing god.
The book of mormon does indeed have authentic semitic constructions in it, but lds need to tread cautiously in establishing them. Chiasmus in mesoamerican texts book of mormon central. Chiasmus in the book of mormon may, therefore, help readers more deeply appreciate the literary brilliance of the book while simultaneously increasing confidence in its authenticity as an ancient text and elevating faith in its concerted testimony of jesus christ, who is. Chiasmus was particularly popular both in greek and in latin literature, where it was used to articulate balance or order within a text. Serving in the lds south german mission at the time, in the city. Chiasmus in the book of mormon the discovery of chiasmus in the book of mormon is one of the most significant scholarly contributions to understanding and appreciating the nephite record. The chiasmus in the book of mormon are highly structured features, some of.
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