Stephen O. Smoot
Virginia
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Articles by Stephen O. Smoot
W.Va. Coal Association Shares Comments on “Ambitious Plan” for State Energy Development
W.Va. Coal Association Shares Comments on “Ambitious Plan” for State Energy Development By Stephen Smoot January 8, 2026 - When Thomas Jefferson wrote his “Notes on the State of Virginia” in the 1780s, spotlighting the resources and potential of both the settled east and the barely developed, but resource-rich mountains, he saw coal as one of the keys to future prosperity.
Capito, Miller Work to Bring Help to West Virginia Health Care Challenges
Last spring, as the One Big Beautiful Bill moved through negotiations, political battles, and other issues on its way to passage, critics sounded the alarm on cuts to Medicaid included in the bill. The year 2025 saw both cuts to the federal government combined with revenue-enhancing policies to cut the yearly budget deficit and, hopefully in the future, start to pare down the dangerous levels of national debt.
Joseph Smith Jr. as a Translator: The Book of Abraham as a Case Study
Keywords Joseph Smith, translation, Abraham Abstract This paper examines Joseph Smith’s approach to translation, using the Book of Abraham as a case study to explore the interplay between divine revelation and human participation in scriptural production. While the Book of Abraham incorporates both ancient and modern elements, its unique synthesis resists simple categorization as either an unblemished Abrahamic autograph or a purely nineteenth-century pseudepigraphon.
'We're not apologizing for being Latter-day Saints'
Jasmin Rappleye is certain that rigorous scholarship is no foe to faith in Latter-day Saint truth claims. The influencer, in fact, believes the two reinforce each other. And along with her husband, Neal, plus scholar Stephen Smoot, she's out to prove it with the recent launch of the podcast, " Informed Saints." "We're doing apologetics, but we're not apologizing for being Latter-day Saints," Jasmin said.
Smoke Hole trail gets new name
During the summer, regulars frequenting the Smoke Hole region noticed a small change in the trail name. A trail linked to the North Fork Mountain Trail, named after Redman Run, had its name quietly altered to Hickory Trail. Residents noted that they feared that the forest service had made a mistake, misinterpreting the name of the creek and trail as originating in a slur against American Indians, rather than honoring a black family that repeatedly made history in the Potomac Highlands.
Doctrinal Ambiguity vs. Queer Theory Revisionism
Download Print-Friendly Version Part two in a series of two. In the first article of this two-part series, I defined Air Bud Theology and provided an example of its most common form: justifying a belief or practice not through explicit doctrinal or scriptural support, but rather through the absence of an explicit prohibition.
Doctrinal Ambiguity vs. Queer Theory Revisionism
Download Print-Friendly Version Part two in a series of two. In the first article of this two-part series, I defined Air Bud Theology and provided an example of its most common form: justifying a belief or practice not through explicit doctrinal or scriptural support, but rather through the absence of an explicit prohibition.
The Risks of Making Doctrine Out of Loopholes
Download Print-Friendly Version Part one of two in the series. As a child of the ’90s, one of my favorite movies is Air Bud (1997). For those unfamiliar with this modern cinematic masterpiece—the Citizen Kane of our time—Air Bud tells the story of a young boy named Josh who discovers a stray Golden Retriever named Buddy with an uncanny talent for basketball. When Josh joins his school’s basketball team, the Timberwolves, Buddy’s skills quickly earn him a spot as an unofficial team member.
The Risks of Making Doctrine Out of Loopholes
Download Print-Friendly Version Part one of two in the series. As a child of the ’90s, one of my favorite movies is Air Bud (1997). For those unfamiliar with this modern cinematic masterpiece—the Citizen Kane of our time—Air Bud tells the story of a young boy named Josh who discovers a stray Golden Retriever named Buddy with an uncanny talent for basketball. When Josh joins his school’s basketball team, the Timberwolves, Buddy’s skills quickly earn him a spot as an unofficial team member.
Book of Mormon Minimalists and the NHM Inscriptions: A Response to Dan Vogel
Biblical “minimalists” have sought to undermine or deemphasize the significance of the Tel Dan inscription attesting to the existence of the “house of David.” Similarly, those who might be called Book of Mormon “minimalists” such as Dan Vogel have marshaled evidence to try to make the nhm inscriptions from south Arabia, corresponding to the Book of Mormon Nahom, seem as irrelevant as possible.
Help for the Troubled “Young Mormon”
Keywords young Mormon, Adam S. Miller, religious scholarship Abstract Adam S. Miller has recently made a name for himself in Mormon intellectual circles by publishing a number of books in theology and philosophy.1 Miller, who holds a PhD in philosophy from Villanova University and is currently a professor of philosophy at Collin College in McKinney, Texas, adds to his list of publications with a new book published by the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship.
Vanquishing the Mormon Menace
Keywords anti-Mormonism, Postbellum South, Mormon history Abstract Patrick Mason has offered a fascinating look at the history of nineteenth century anti-Mormonism in the American South with his 2011 volume The Mormon Menace: Violence and Anti-Mormonism in the Postbellum South.
Mormonism at Oxford and What It Signifies
Keywords Oxford Handbook of Mormonism, Latter-day Saints, theology Abstract The Oxford Handbook of Mormonism is a welcomed addition to the current scholarly discussion surrounding the history, theology, and culture of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It should be read and studied by all interested students in Mormonism and signals that the scriptures, theology, and history of the Latter-day Saints are all increasingly being taken seriously in mainstream academia.
Telling the Story of the Coming Forth of the Book of Mormon
Keywords Book of Mormon, Latter-day Saint history, translation, publication Abstract The book From Darkness unto Light: Joseph Smith’s Translation and Publication of the Book of Mormon by Michael Hubbard MacKay and Gerrit J. Dirkmaat is an outstanding resource for anyone interested in early Latter-day Saint history and the coming forth of the Book of Mormon.
The “Fiery Darts of the Adversary” in 1 Nephi 15:24
Keywords fiery darts, adversary, 1 Nephi, Book of Mormon Abstract After receiving a revelation (1 Nephi 11–14) that clarified the meaning of his father Lehi’s dream (1 Nephi 8), Nephi explained to his rebellious brothers the significance of the various symbols of that dream.
The Council of Fifty and Its Minutes: A Review
Keywords Council of Fifty, Mormon history, Mormon studies, Joseph Smith Papers Abstract The publication of the Council of Fifty minutes is a momentous occasion in modern studies of Mormon history. The minutes are invaluable in helping historians understand the last days of Joseph Smith and his project to establish the Kingdom of God on the earth.
The Divine Council in the Hebrew Bible and the Book of Mormon
Keywords divine council, Hebrew Bible, Book of Mormon, monotheism Abstract The Book of Mormon purports to be a record that originates from the ancient Near East. The authors of the book claim an Israelite heritage, and throughout the pages of the text can be seen echoes of Israelite religious practice and ideology. An example of such can be seen in how the Book of Mormon depicts God’s divine council, a concept unmistakably found in the Hebrew Bible (the Christian Old Testament).
Et Incarnatus Est: The Imperative for Book of Mormon Historicity
Home > Journals > INTERPRETER > Vol. 30 (2024) Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith, novel, ancient text Smoot, Stephen O. (2018) "Et Incarnatus Est: The Imperative for Book of Mormon Historicity," Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship: Vol. 30, Article 13. Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/interpreter/vol30/iss1/13 DOWNLOADS COinS
Pressing Forward with the Book of Abraham
Keywords Book of Abraham, Egyptian papyri, Joseph Smith Abstract The Book of Abraham continues to attract scholarly attention. New findings in the fields of Egyptology, Near Eastern archaeology, and Mormon history have highlighted the complexity surrounding the origins of the Book of Abraham and its relationship to the Egyptian papyri that came into the possession of Joseph Smith in 1835.
Approaching Abinadi
Keywords Abinadi, Book of Mormon, prophet Abstract The recently released Abinadi: He Came Among Them in Disguise, a new book from Brigham Young University’s Book of Mormon Academy, offers readers multidisciplinary approaches to Mosiah 11–17 that highlight the literary, historical, and doctrinal richness of the story of Abinadi. Students and scholars of the Book of Mormon are sure to benefit greatly from this new volume. Recommended Citation Smoot, Stephen O.
Feasting on the Book of Mormon
Keywords Book of Mormon, MISE, Maxwell Institute Study Edition, reader's experience Abstract The Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship has recently published a new study edition of the Book of Mormon. Edited by Grant Hardy, the Maxwell Institute Study Edition (MISE) incorporates important advances in Book of Mormon scholarship from the past few decades while grounding the reader’s experience in the text of the Book of Mormon.
Translating the New Testament for Latter-day Saints
Keywords New Testament, Latter-day Saints, translating Abstract A new translation of the New Testament by Thomas A. Wayment, a professor of Classics at Brigham Young University, offers Latter-day Saints a fresh look at this volume of scripture. Accompanying the translation are study notes that touch on historical, textual, and other items of importance in any critical reading of the New Testament.
Notes on Book of Mormon Heads
Keywords Book of Mormon heads, mnemonic cues, Egyptian literary culture, scribal practice Abstract This paper looks at the two types of heads used in the Book of Mormon. It argues against a recent theory that these heads served as mnemonic cues that enabled Joseph Smith to extemporaneously compose and dictate the text. Instead, it argues that the function and form of heads in the Book of Mormon finds ancient precedent in Egyptian literary culture and scribal practice.
Jacob - The Prophet of Social Justice
Keywords Jacob, social justice, prophet, Book of Mormon Abstract Deidre Nicole Green, a postdoctoral research fellow at the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship, offers an analysis of the theology of the book of Jacob with her new contribution to the Institute’s brief theological introduction series to the Book of Mormon.
"Record-Keeping Technology among God’s People in Ancient and Modern Tim" by Richard E. Turley Jr. and Stephen O. Smoot
Home > Journals > INTERPRETER > Vol. 42 () record-keeping, history, ancient, Lord's commandments Turley, Richard E. Jr. and Smoot, Stephen O. (2021) "Record-Keeping Technology among God’s People in Ancient and Modern Times," Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship: Vol. 42, Article 9. Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/interpreter/vol42/iss1/9 COinS
Framing the Book of Abraham: Presumptions and Paradigms
Keywords Book of Abraham, presumptions, paradigms, apologetics Abstract The Book of Abraham continues to undergo scrutiny in both academic and polemical publications.
Newly published Nazi archives reveal the regime's disdain for the Church of Jesus Christ
In the hushed corridors of Berlin's Bundesarchiv lies a dossier of some 500 pages compiled by the Nazi Party's intelligence agency - the Sicherheitsdienst, or SD - on an unlikely group: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The B. H. Roberts Foundation recently acquired and published this dossier which provides an unfiltered view into the regime's scrutiny of the faith under the Nazi regime between 1933 and November 1939, two months after the war began.
Temple Themes in the Book of Abraham
Keywords Book of Abraham, temple themes, covenant Abstract The Book of Abraham is replete with temple themes, although not all of them are readily obvious from a surface reading of the text. Temple themes in the book include Abraham seeking to become a high priest, the interplay between theophany and covenant, and Abraham building altars and dedicating sacred space as he sojourns into Canaan.
“Thou Wast Chosen Before Thou Wast Born”: An Egyptian Context for the Election of Abraham
Keywords Book of Abraham, premortal existence, Abraham, Latter-day Saints Abstract Arguably the most important doctrinal contribution of the Book of Abraham is its teaching about the premortal existence of humankind. As John Gee has recognized, “The largest effect that the Book of Abraham has had on Latter-day Saint thought is its concept of the premortal existence and the purpose of life.
Abrahamic Legends and Lore
Keywords Book of Abraham, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, legends, lore, Bible studies Abstract As a central figure in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, there are many extrabiblical traditions about the life of the patriarch Abraham. These sources are important to study because they may contain distant memories of real events in Abraham’s life.
"Ask the Right Questions and Keep Looking" by Stephen O. Smoot, John Gee et al.
Keywords Book of Abraham, investigation, scripture study, facsimiles Abstract As the preceding has shown, the Book of Abraham is an inexhaustible source of exploration and critical investigation, and the work of scholarly examination into this book shows no signs of slowing. On the contrary, we see multiple welcoming avenues for additional study.
The Plain of Olishem
Keywords Book of Abraham, location, Olishem, Ur of the Chaldees Abstract The opening chapter of the Book of Abraham mentions a location called “the plain of Olishem” (Abr. 1:10). It isn’t clear from the text whether the plain itself was Olishem, or whether Olishem was some city or region in the area to which the plain was adjacent, or whether the plain takes its name from a major city on the plain.
The "Kirtland Egyptian Papers" and the Book of Abraham
Keywords Book of Abraham, Joseph Smith papyri, translation Abstract Associated with the translation of the Book of Abraham is a collection of documents commonly known today as the “Kirtland Egyptian Papers.” This name was coined by Hugh Nibley in the early 1970s to describe a corpus of manuscripts that can be classified into, broadly, two categories: Book of Abraham manuscripts and Egyptian-language manuscripts (or manuscripts that “focus on alphabet and grammar material that the authors...
"The Relationship between the Book of Abraham and the Joseph Smith Papy" by Stephen O. Smoot, John Gee et al.
Abstract It is clear that Joseph Smith’s inspired translation of the Book of Abraham was connected to the Egyptian papyri he acquired in summer 1835. However, less clear is the precise relationship between the Book of Abraham text and the papyri. “Several theories posit ways in which the Book of Abraham text relates to the papyri. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints maintains that Joseph Smith translated the Book of Abraham from papyri, but they do not specify which papyri.
The Priesthood Ban and the Book of Abraham
Keywords Book of Abraham, priesthood ban, curse in the land, Pharaoh Abstract The Book of Abraham preserves an account of the founding of Egypt (Abr. 1:23–27) and mentions the origins of a “curse in the land” (v. 24) pertaining to the priesthood among the descendants of Ham. “The land of Egypt,” the text says, was “first discovered by a woman, who was the daughter of Ham, and the daughter of Egyptus” (v. 23).
The Name of the Lord
Abstract On two occasions in the Book of Abraham, the Lord reveals to Abraham his true name: Jehovah. The first incident was when Abraham had a “vision of the Almighty,” wherein “the angel of [the Lord’s] presence” rescued him from being sacrificed in Ur of the Chaldees and made early allusions to a future covenant relationship (Abr. 1:15).
"Potiphar's Hill" by Stephen O. Smoot, John Gee et al.
Keywords Book of Abraham, Potiphar, Olishem, location, priest of Pharaoh, Shagreel, idol worship Abstract Besides Ur of the Chaldees and the plain of Olishem, one of the geographical features of the Book of Abraham is a location called Potiphar’s Hill, which is said to be “at the head of the plain of Olishem” in the land of Chaldea (Abr. 1:10). It was at this hill that “the priest of Pharaoh”— who was also in the service of a solar deity named Shagreel—made offerings on an altar (vv. 9–10).
By His Own Hand upon Papyrus
Keywords Book of Abraham, Joseph Smith papyri, translation Abstract In the current (2013) edition of the Pearl of Great Price, the Book of Abraham is prefaced with this explanatory head: “A Translation of some ancient Records that have fallen into our hands from the catacombs of Egypt.
Chiasmus in the Book of Abraham
Keywords Book of Abraham, inverted parallelism, literary structure Abstract Chiasmus, or inverted parallelism, is “a two-part [literary] structure or system in which the second half is a mirror image of the first, [that is,] where the first term recurs last, and the last first.” Most Latter-day Saints who know about chiasmus have probably heard about its presence in the Book of Mormon and the Bible. Chiasmus, however, also appears in the Book of Abraham.
Egyptianisms in the Book of Abraham
Keywords Book of Abraham, Egypt, Joseph Smith, translation Abstract One way of determining whether the Book of Abraham is a translation of an underlying Egyptian document or whether it was originally composed in English is to see if the text contains what might be called Egyptianisms, or literary and linguistic features of the Egyptian language.
What Egyptian Papyri Did Joseph Smith Possess?
Keywords Book of Abraham, Joseph Smith papyri, translation Abstract In early July 1835, Joseph Smith acquired some Egyptian papyri from which he claimed to translate the Book of Abraham. From historical evidence and the papyrus fragments that were returned to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in November 1967, we can piece together a profile of what papyri the Prophet is known to have possessed.
Ancient Near Eastern Creation Myths
Keywords Book of Abraham, creation myths, Genesis Abstract The Book of Abraham’s Creation account (Abr. 4–5) shares an obvious relationship with the biblical Creation account in Genesis (Gen. 1–2). However, it also shares common features with creation myths from ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. Recommended Citation Smoot, Stephen O.; Gee, John; Muhlestein, Kerry; and Thompson, John S. (2022) "Ancient Near Eastern Creation Myths," BYU Studies Quarterly: Vol. 61: Iss. 4, Article 31.
Abraham the Seer
Abstract A careful reading of the Book of Abraham reveals subtle literary and narrative elements in the text that might otherwise go unappreciated. For instance, a running leitmotif—a recurring theme or concept— throughout the Book of Abraham is that of Abraham as a seer, or someone who sees or otherwise has a visual interaction with divine manifestation (typically or usually aided by a divinatory device such as a seer stone).
The Abrahamic Covenant
Keywords Book of Abraham, priesthood, inheritance Abstract One of the important doctrinal contributions of the Book of Abraham is its elaboration on the nature of the Abrahamic covenant (Abr. 2:6–11). While some details about the Abrahamic covenant can be read in the book of Genesis (12:1–5; compare 26:1–4, 24; 28; 35:9–13; 48:3–4), it is in the Book of Abraham where additional important aspects about this covenant are revealed.
The Purpose and Function of the Egyptian Hypocephalus
Abstract Facsimile 2 of the Book of Abraham is a type of document called a hypocephalus. “The term ‘hypocephalus’ refers to a piece of Late Period and Ptolemaic [ca. 664–30 BC] funerary equipment.
"Facsimile 3, Figure 2" by Stephen O. Smoot, John Gee et al.
Keywords Book of Abraham, Facsimile 3, Isis, Pharaoh, gods Abstract The explanation given for Facsimile 3 identifies figure 2 as “King Pharaoh, whose name is given in the characters above his head.” One potential way to identify this figure by Egyptological methods would be to read “the characters [hieroglyphs] above his head.” Unfortunately, the original illustration or vignette from the papyrus is not extant, and so we are forced to decipher the glyphs as they are reproduced in Facsimile 3...
"Book of Abraham Bibliography" by Stephen O. Smoot, John Gee et al.
Keywords Book of Abraham, Pearl of Great Price, www.pearlofgreatpricecentral.org Abstract The following bibliography on the Book of Abraham has been modified and expanded from that found at www.pearlofgreatprice cen tral .org. The purpose of this bibliography is to assemble a variety of works on the Book of Abraham written primarily by or for Latter-day Saints. This bibliography is not exhaustive and does not include more specialized academic literature.
Approaching the Facsimiles
Keywords Book of Abraham, facsimiles, scriptures study resources Abstract As “the only illustrations in our scriptures,” the facsimiles of the Book of Abraham “attract attention not only because of their rough-hewn quality but by their very existence as a visual medium in the midst of the written word.” Latter-day Saint scholars and interested laypersons have offered a number of different approaches to understanding the facsimiles.
Did Abraham Lie about His Wife, Sarai?
Keywords Book of Abraham, Sarai, Pharaoh Abstract Before he journeyed into Egypt, Abraham was instructed by God: “Behold, Sarai [later Sarah], thy wife, is a very fair woman to look upon; therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see her, they will say—she is his wife; and they will kill you, but they will save her alive; therefore see that ye do on this wise: Let her say unto the Egyptians, she is thy sister, and thy soul shall live” (Abr. 2:22–23).
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