Many of the names and places didnt exist in the late 1820s, and they are in the wrong locations relative to one another. Book of mormongeographynew worldgreat lakes geography. Some believe that the history depicted in the book of mormon. These two books are referenced heavily throughout moronis america maps edition. The book of mormon does not say that the entire land northward resides in land occupied by the united states of america. For that reason, our design team has chosen to develop an internal map that shows relational directions and approximate distances that match the. Maps moronis america the north american setting for. Exploring the book of mormon in americas heartland. The prophet joseph smith himself accepted what he felt was evidence of book of mormon civilizations in both north america and central america. On the map of the usa, i cannot find a place where the sea divides the land in pennsylvania located to the south of cumorah, new york or anywhere else in the united states that would mark the boundary between desolation and bountiful. Book of mormon fringe theory was inspired by geography enthusiast john e.
Book of mormon geography the encyclopedia of mormonism. Moronis americamaps edition book of mormon evidence. Maps the north american setting for the book of mormon. Because of this theory, he wrote, some members of the church have become confused and greatly disturbed in their faith in the book of mormon. Moronis america the book of mormon in north america. The lord could have removed all questions regarding the exact locations of these events but he did not. The state of utah has the highest percentage of mormons. Below is more detail about the above north american map of the book of mormon. Short summary of problems with rod meldrums heartland by gregory smith.
Traveling from the land of desolation in the north, to the land southward, we encounter the principal book of mormon lands of bountiful, zarahemla, and nephi. I have watched more than 20 hours of wayne may book of mormon lecture videos and conversed with both wayne may and rod meldrum in person. Then more recently north america theories including heartland, etc. For the first 150 years of mormonisms existence, everyone thought it was a story about a people who left the middle east and came to south or central america, and who fought wars clear up into new york state where.
The church and byu stay neutral in questions of exactly where the book of mormon took place. Book of mormonplagiarism accusationsplace names from. The book of mormon is a real history, but we know nothing about where any events took place. A mormon history of the americas the book of mormons history of the americas is full of irreconcilable errors and false archaeology. In the last few years i have read over 5000 pages about the south. After several months of intense careful study of the text i have put together the following proposed map, showing the relative positions of book of mormon lands, cities, rivers, etc. I still think there is a serious problem of imprinting a particular geographyeven an abstract onebut if the people involved accept the scripture on faith alone, they may never care about the realworld geography, so a mental abstract map is no problem. Such maps can be a useful introduction for those who are new to the book of mormon.
Wayne may presents archaeological support of the book of mormon to a group in malad, idaho in february of 2017. Indeed, the book of mormon has come forth on this land, and the. Summary of problems with rod meldrums heartland theory. A hundred and fifty years of book of mormon geographies. An ancient american setting for the book of mormon. The book of mormon is the sacred text of mormonism.
The book of mormon is more than a history book of two ancient civilizations, it reveals the covenant land of joseph, the favorite son of jacob, israel who was sold into egypt by his brothers that being the promised land of america. Whether you create an abstract map, or a map in baja, central america, peru, thailand, or anywhere else, every nonnew york based map rejects what oliver. See my answers to questions about the book of mormon here. The great strength of the book is that it provides a wellargued perspective based on the geology of natural disasters that is new to the analysis of the book of mormonone that adds to the reality of book of mormon events and opens new doors for potential research and understanding of the geography of the book of mormon. Were the nephites and lamanites spread throughout both north and south america or did book of mormon events occur within a more confined area. Many mormon apologists point to central america for the location of book of mormon lands due to the mention of a narrow neck of landwhere the sea divides the land, however problems arise when one considers that the sea south and the sea north are irreconcilable with this limited geographical location for book of mormon. Mormon stories dr michael coe an outsiders view of book of mormon archaeology here are posts from bofm blog that i enjoy about. Clark, archaeology and cumorah questions, journal of book of mormon studies. Book of mormon geography, the near cumorah setting book.
Review of deciphering the geography of the book of mormon. Settlements and routes in ancient america, by richard hauck. The many convergences of book of mormon locations and statements with geographical, archeological, and anthropological evidence, as shown in this article and others, confirm the book of mormon and its location in mesoamerica. Book of mormongeographynew worldgreat lakes geography book of mormon evidences. Book of mormon geography in north america wayne may. This book locates everything from the narrow neck, to zarahemla, from cumorah, to the land of promise, bountiful. Book of mormon difficulties, contradictions and explanations. The authors of this study use archaeological evidence to argue the animals mentioned in the book of mormon had once been present in north america, although dating to an earlier period than that covered in the book of mormon, and could have survived even into the lehite period. Readers of the book of mormon may wonder, at times, where in the americas the events described took place. All my studies suddenly made sense, all aspects of the book of mormon finally became clear. Sharing map with rian nelson permission from works of joseph. Adena and hopewell peoples lived in pennsylvania and western new york, but this region represented the impoverished fringe of their culture. The hill cumorah in ontario county ny is the hill where joseph smith found the golden plates and is the same hill where the civilizations of the nephites cumorah and the jaredites ramah fought their last battles. Book of mormon archaeology in north america dvdrom 2010.
Wayne may presents book of mormon evidence in north american geography, archaeology and historical records. Some believe that the history depicted in the book of mormon occurred in north america, while others believe that it occurred in central. This book of mormon map along with a wall map are available for down loading in color and the book of mormon geography book a promised land, the land of promise with all the mormon maps and details is also available at alpha publishing at. Book of mormon in north america maps book of mormon evidence. The church of jesus christ of latterday saints does not officially endorse any one particular geographical model for where the events in the book of mormon transpired in the new world. Below is the modern map of the area of smiths youth.
The heartland model or heartland theory of book of mormon geography states that the book of mormon events primarily occurred in the heartland of north america. Book of mormon evidence in american archaeology wayne may. The book of mormon is supposed to be a history of real people living in a real place. Continued below two pins on the map lands of the book of mormon narrow strip of wilderness sea west is the mississippi zarahemla opinions additional pins on the map. I now know that the book of mormon happened in the usa in the historic heartland that is such a significant part of american and book of mormon history. The book of mormon geography lands and map with dna evidence. Proposed book of mormon geographical setting wikipedia. In 2018, there were 16,118,169 members worldwide with the highest population found in the united states at 6,592,195 members. Nonmormon archaeologists speak on book of mormon evidence. Church releases statement on book of mormon geography book.
These covenant lands are in the borders of the prophetic. Two of the most prevalent claims for the book of mormon are, there is much archaeological proof to the book of mormon, and the american indians are descendants of israelites who came to america as described in the book of mormon. Although church members continue to discuss such theories today, the churchs only position is that the events the book. The owner and employees of this site are members of the lds church and in good standing. The best way to teach the book of mormon is with a fantasy map based on an interpretation that repudiates the teachings of the prophets about the new york cumorah. Geographical, and other evidences in support of the book of mormon landscape, as found in north america. As mormons believe in jesus christ, they are considered to be christians. The view of book of mormon geography taught by joseph smith and subsequent presidents and apostles of the mormon church includes three major, closely related points. The land of zarahemla is at a lower elevation relative to the land of nephi. Here is a post i have done that deals with geography of the book of mormon. Book of mormon geography in north america the products services offered by wayne may are neither made, provided, approved nor endorsed by intellectual reserve, inc. Virtual book of mormon book of mormon maps and learning.
Book of mormon geography, lands, map, dna true evidence. The material below covers the geography of the book of mormon in north america. The original idea behind this proposal was that joseph picked up these place names and locations from a map in order to create his book of mormon geography. True book of mormon geography lands, western new york model.
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