Cracking The Code: Tracing Book of Mormon Origins

Mormon Discussion Podcast: Leading With Faith · Apr 3, 2025 · 3h 16m

[Mormonism Live 225] What if one of the most foundational parts of the Book of Mormon wasn’t ancient at all—but lifted from a 19th-century Methodist Bible commentary? In this episode, Mormonism Live dives into what may be the most significant academic finding in Mormon studies in decades: compelling evidence that Joseph Smith used Adam Clarke’s biblical commentary—a massive, scholarly work from the early 1800s—as a source while “translating” Isaiah into the Book of Mormon. Based on Colby Townsend’s stunning new paper, we break down direct textual connections, show how Smith…