The Pearl of Greatest Price narrates the history of Mormonism's fourth volume of scripture, canonized in 1880. The authors track its predecessors, describe its several components, and assess their theological significance within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Four principal sections are discussed, along with attendant controversies associated with each. The Book of Moses purports to be a Mosaic narrative missing from the biblical version of Genesis. Too little treated in the scholarship on Mormonism, these chapters, produced only months after the Book of Mormon was published, actually contain the theological nucleus of Latter-day Saint doctrines as well as a virtual template for the Restoration Joseph Smith was to effect. In The Pearl of Greatest Price, the author covers three principal parts that are the focus of many of the controversies engulfing Mormonism today. These parts are The Book of Abraham, The Book of Moses, and The Joseph Smith History. Most controversial of all is the Book of Abraham, a production that arose out of a group of papyri Smith acquired, along with four mummies, in 1835. Most of the papyri disappeared in the great Chicago Fire, but surviving fragments have been identified as Egyptian funerary documents. This has created one of the most serious challenges to Smith's prophetic claims the LDS church has faced. LDS scholars, however, have developed several frameworks for vindicating the inspiration of the resulting narrative and Smith's calling as a prophet. The author attempts to make sense of Smith's several, at times divergent, accounts of his First Vision, one of which is canonized as scripture. He also assesses the creedal nature of Smith's "Articles of Faith," in the context of his professed anti-creedalism. In sum, this study chronicles the volume's historical legacy and theological indispensability to the Latter-day Saint tradition, as well as the reasons for its resilience and future prospects in the face of daunting challenges.

A Pearl of Great Price Study Guide: The Book of Abraham, JST Matthew 23-25, and Joseph Smith History. Transcriptions of class lectures and notes by Bruce H. Porter

Many readers of the Pearl of Great Price give the facsimiles in the book of Abraham only a cursory glance before turning to something more familiar and understandable. That's because the facsimiles are Egyptian in nature and do not seem relevant in our modern world of gospel enlightenment. So what is their worth? It is self-evident that we have received no useless and unneeded revelations, said Elder Bruce R. McConkie. All that the Lord does has a purpose and serves a need. A Study Guide to the Facsimiles of the Book of Abraham shows the meaning of every character in the facsimiles and helps readers comprehend their great value. As translated by the Prophet Joseph Smith, they bear witness of the gospel as had by Adam, Noah, and other ancient patriarchs. Appealing to translation, inspiration, and likening, author Allen J. Fletcher brings to light the more mysterious components of the facsimiles, helping us make sense of them in our day and apply their timeless teachings in our lives.

Much of the history of women, in religion as in other fields, is lost because it was overlooked or considered unimportant. It is therefore surprising that so many fragments of women's stories survive in the New Testament texts composed by men. Why did they include so many references to women and why are women, as a group, treated so positively by the male New Testament writers? Women in the New Testament shows how the stories of women are an integral part of the Gospel and its meaning for us. It also relays how we can respond to the challenge these women represent, whether we are men trying to understand or women trying to find our voices within the tradition of faith found in the New Testament. Chapter one discusses three women of expectant faith. Chapters two and three deal with women who are changed by Jesus. Chapter four focuses on New Testament women of influence. Chapters five and six show how women disciples spread and gave shape to the gospel message. Chapters are "Women of Expectant Faith," “Women Changed by Jesus,” “More Women Changed by Jesus,” “Women of Prominence,” “Women and Discipleship,” and “More Women and Discipleship.” Mary Ann Getty-Sullivan, PhD, teaches at St. Vincent College and St. Vincent Seminary, Latrobe, Pennsylvania. She is the author of First and Second Corinthians from the Collegeville Bible Commentary series, author of the God Speaks to Us series of children's books, and editor of the Zacchaeus Studies: New Testament series published by The Liturgical Press. "

Pearl of Great Price Study Guide: Moses, Abraham, The Last Days, and Joseph Smith. A companion to your study of the Pearl of Great Price, this Study Guide from the Making Precious Things Plain Series is a rich resource for teachers, students, and gospel scholars alike. In this volume full of supplemental material, Dr. Randal Chase, a veteran Institute and Gospel Doctrine teacher, shares years of insights into the scriptures by exploring scriptural symbolism, background, culture, and chronology, as well as the words and teachings of gospel authorities. This unique study guide of the Pearl of Great Price provides new depth and understanding to the scriptures. Readers will enjoy Dr. Chase's relaxed style and easy presentation as they gather information, clarification, and quotes that can be used for either private study or public speaking. This unique study guide will be a welcome addition to any library, and they will broaden your comprehension of this great treasure of latter-day scripture, which restores many lost treasures from the Bible. From Adam through Enoch and Noah, to Abraham and Moses, we discover hidden treasures of truth about Old Testament events. Then we receive new insight into the Savior?s prophecies of the latter-days, followed by the inspiring personal history of the Prophet Joseph Smith and the Articles of Faith. The cover features the stunning image of Moses Viewing Jehovah, by Joseph Brickey.