What is the Book of Abraham?

[tomhardman]

Hello. I recently wrote an essay summarizing the most important arguments on both sides of the Book of Abraham debate:

In Fide Scientiam | To our faith add knowledge

My goal with this essay was to accurately and objectively present the best arguments both for and against the premise that the Book of Abraham is divine scripture. I would welcome any feedback from those who have more knowledge about BoA issues than I do (whether from a critical or believing perspective).

Thank you in advance for your feedback!

-Tom Hardman

[Just_A_Guy]

Hello. I recently wrote an essay summarizing the most important arguments on both sides of the Book of Abraham debate:

In Fide Scientiam | To our faith add knowledge

My goal with this essay was to accurately and objectively present the best arguments both for and against the premise that the Book of Abraham is divine scripture. I would welcome any feedback from those who have more knowledge about BoA issues than I do (whether from a critical or believing perspective).

Thank you in advance for your feedback!

-Tom Hardman

Tom, I hadn't seen Barney's Maxwell Institute article, but I've seen a more general sum-up of his online here. The semitic adaptation theory is intriguing, and frankly--I think you've done a better job of summarizing and presenting it clearly, than Barney himself does.

I think John Gee has done some work trying to extrapolate the original length of the Hor Scroll, that may be worth a passing mention as well. (I think his work has been addressed, from the critic's side, by someone--Craig Smith, maybe?)

[Lakumi]

Hello. I recently wrote an essay summarizing the most important arguments on both sides of the Book of Abraham debate:

In Fide Scientiam | To our faith add knowledge

My goal with this essay was to accurately and objectively present the best arguments both for and against the premise that the Book of Abraham is divine scripture. I would welcome any feedback from those who have more knowledge about BoA issues than I do (whether from a critical or believing perspective).

Thank you in advance for your feedback!

-Tom Hardman

like many questions, it just leads into more questions

[mordorbund]

From the Times and Seasons where the book of Abraham was published (and repeated in History of the Church vol. IV ch. 30):

TRANSLATED FROM THE PAPYRUS, BY JOSEPH SMITH.

A Translation of some Ancient Records that have fallen into our

hands, from the Catacombs of Egypt, purporting to be the writings of

Abraham, while he was in Egypt, called the Book of Abraham, written by his

own hand upon papyrus.

Emphasis mine. It's not conclusive, but it certainly casts doubt on whether Joseph believed the papyri were 4000 years old.

[livy111us]

FAIR produced a DVD on the book of Abraham and has a few clips online. Here are a few that pertain to some subjects in your article.

Missing portions of facsimile 1:

Egyptians knowledge of Abraham:

Biblical characters associated with Osiris and other gods:

An Egyptologist answers some criticisms in another video as well

Written by his own hand?

Facsimiles:

Facsimile 1:

Joseph Smith Papyrus: