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problems associated with this assumption. First of all, from paleographic and historical considerations, the Book of
Breathings papyrus can reliably be dated to around A.D. 60–much too late for Abraham to have written it. Of course, it could be a copy–or a copy of a copy–of the original written by Abraham. However, a second problem arises when one compares the text of the book of Abraham with a translation of the Book of Breathings; they clearly are not the same…"
328:
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at least some
Mormons a richer and more vital knowledge of their own heritage, has been more than tangentially related to the desire of Latter-day Saint historians to prove the Tanners wrong by showing that a full and honest history of the Latter-day Saints can indeed be written. Much like the irritating grain of sand in the oyster, the result has been a pearl." Tanner, Jerald & Sandra.
472:, a historian and former member of the LDS Church, took issue with the Tanners' work. He noted that "although the most conscientious and honest researcher can overlook pertinent sources of information, the repeated omissions of evidence by the Tanners suggest an intentional avoidance of sources that modify or refute their caustic interpretation of Mormon history."
1038:
has functioned with regard to
American business… The Tanners have prodded the church to begin, however haltingly and imperfectly, to develop a more realistic sense of itself. I would imagine, for example, that much of the flowering of Mormon historical studies in the 1970s, which has helped to give
393:
and other texts used by the LDS church. They argue that the alterations are substantial and that the inconsistencies in the texts are evidence against LDS claims of their being divinely inspired. This is because of the Tanner's interpretation of Joseph Smith's claim the Book of Mormon was "the most
1033:
Some scholars have also, at least in private, been very pleased that the
Tanners have made available hard-to-find printed works from early LDS history... even those scholars who are most critical of the Tanners and their methods have profited, at least indirectly, because the Tanners' allegations
512:'s authenticity. He even went as far as to publish an attack on the Salamander Letter, shocking many scholars, historians, and students who believed the document was genuine. By late 1984, he questioned the authenticity of most, if not all, of Hofmann's discoveries, largely for their undocumented
311:
funerary texts, dating to about the first century BC. The LDS Church disputes the
Tanners' position stating in an Ensign article, "…some people have concluded that this Book of Breathings must be the text Joseph Smith used in his translation of the book of Abraham. However, there are some serious
454:
Lawrence Foster, a non-Mormon historian of Mormon history, has offered a mixed assessment of the
Tanners and their work. On the negative side, Foster has written that, until the Tanners "are prepared to abide by accepted standards of scholarly behavior and common courtesy, they can expect little
455:
sympathy from serious historians." He criticized them for "a holier-than-thou stance, refusing to be fair in applying the same debate standard of absolute rectitude that they demand of
Mormonism to their own actions, writings, and beliefs… The Tanners seem to be playing a skillful
285:(since called the "Joseph Smith Egyptian Papers"). Prior to their publication, few LDS Church members knew about these documents. The next year, the publication prompted discussions and debates about the content of the documents, which have continued for decades.
879:
508:. Hofmann's "discoveries" of important Mormon documents he had secretly forged appeared to bolster the Tanners' arguments, but by early 1984, Jerald Tanner had concluded there was significant doubt as to the
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have spurred them to begin their own investigations into vital and still incompletely understood topics… Jerald and Sandra Tanner have functioned with regard to
Mormonism in much the same way that
588:
279:
The
Tanners have specialized in publishing original documents that would otherwise be inaccessible to the general public. For example, in 1966, they were the first to publish Joseph Smith's
462:
On a more positive note, Foster says that some of the
Tanners' "research and analysis... would do credit to any professional historian." He credits them with being "more than simply
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at the request of an LDS leader. His report was initially kept secret, but it gradually was distributed within Mormon circles and was published posthumously as part of
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There are some anti-Mormons out there that I hold in contempt. They're demagogic. They spread hatred and strife and disharmony. I don't see the Tanners in that way.
138:
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The lawsuit was settled out of court before an appeals court could rule on what observers described as a potentially landmark case concerning internet linking.
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488:(FARMS) at Brigham Young University, suggested the Tanners' willingness to debunk false documents, regardless of their content, was a sign of
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On occasion, the Tanners have publicly challenged critics of Mormonism and earned praise from some LDS scholars. For instance, the historian
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includes reproductions of early Mormon documents accompanied by commentary. A revised version is the basis for their more accessible book,
204:
265:
was a biannual newsletter they published from 1964 to 2022 containing copies of primary documents and discussion critical of LDS history.
237:, on June 14, 1959. The following year, both resigned from the LDS Church. In 1964, they began an outreach to Mormons at their house in
185:
141:(LDS Church). The Tanners founded the Utah Lighthouse Ministry (UTLM), whose stated mission is "to document problems with the claims of
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880:"Why doesn't the translation of the Egyptian papyri found in 1967 match the text of the Book of Abraham in the Pearl of Great Price?"
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The Tanners have also published photo-mechanical reproductions of texts such as complete sets of early-LDS periodicals, including
857:
810:
222:, Soon after they were introduced, Jerald and Sandra began jointly researching the subject of Mormonism. Each had been raised as
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correct book on the face of the Earth… and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book."
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describes it as "the heavyweight of all books on Mormonism". The Tanners question the character and integrity of the
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in which the premises for judgment are conveniently shifted so that the conclusion is always the same—negative."
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241:, which grew into UTLM. They had two daughters and a son together. After 47 years of marriage, Jerald died in
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168:". They jointly published more than 40 books about many aspects of the LDS Church, primarily its history.
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Like her husband, Sandra was a fifth-generation Mormon. She is a great-great-granddaughter of
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779:"After nearly 60 years, Salt Lake City's epicenter of anti-Mormonism is destined for rubble"
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The Tanners have debunked what they characterize as misrepresentations of the LDS Church by
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223:
149:". As of 2022 Sandra Tanner continues to operate the ministry after Jerald's death in 2006.
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writers and researchers who publish archival and evidential materials about the history of
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226:, but discovered that they had each begun questioning the church in their teenage years.
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Joseph Smith said that, in addition to translating the golden plates, he translated the
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in which they annotated and highlighted doctrinal changes, such as the rejection of
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Lighthouse: Jerald and Sandra Tanner, despised and beloved critics of Mormonism
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466:" and says that their work has helped stimulate serious Mormon scholarship.
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in New York. Subsequently, an additional fragment was located in the LDS
966:"Career Apostates: Reflections on the Works of Jerald and Sandra Tanner"
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805:
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669:"Career Apostates: Reflections on the Works of Jerald and Sandra Tanner"
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The Tanners have published compiled lists of changes to the text of the
516:. He was ultimately vindicated when Hofmann's forgeries were exposed.
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763:
417:; they discuss the different accounts that Joseph Smith gave of the
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331:
Lighthouse Ministries Bookstore owned by Jerald and Sandra Tanner
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207:. Both families had longstanding ties to the Mormon community.
1003:. Foundation for Apologetic Information & Research (FAIR).
819:
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papyri. These materials were thought to have been lost in the
245:
on October 1, 2006, as a result of complications arising from
589:
Criticism of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
421:. Their book includes copies of original LDS documents.
156:, printed original versions of early Mormon writings and
569:, includes the complete text of the 1990 changes to the
353:. Also notable is a reproduction of the 1825 edition of
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The Tanners were among the first public critics of the
180:, and was a fifth-generation Mormon. He studied at the
113:
435:
In 1999, the LDS Church sued the Tanners for internet
397:
The best-known publication produced by the Tanners is
364:
Their version contains the margin notes made by Elder
405:, and reprinted five times since. Dean M. Helland of
319:
is a 19th-century work written only by Joseph Smith.
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Foundation for Apologetic Information & Research
523:, a Christian evangelist. They criticized his film
108:
100:
86:
78:
66:
39:
32:
1106:"God Makers II Lawyer Threatens Tanners With Suit"
739:"Sandra Tanner oral history interviews, 1972-1983"
567:Evolution of the Mormon Temple Ceremony: 1842–1990
486:Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies
307:The papyri have been determined to be portions of
1016:"The Impact of Mormon Critics on LDS Scholarship"
529:, despite their involvement in his earlier film,
403:Mormonism: A Study of Mormon History and Doctrine
1104:Tanner, Jerald; Tanner, Sandra (November 1993).
431:Intellectual Reserve v. Utah Lighthouse Ministry
249:. He had retired a few months before his death.
1182:Sandra Tanner interviews on television program
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139:the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
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196:when the fledgling church was deeply in debt.
902:Meeting the Book of Mormon Challenge in Chile
8:
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766:. Utah Lighthouse Ministry. October 7, 2006.
1041:"Mormon FARMS: Battling The AntiMormonoids"
1024:, presentation at the 2002 FAIR conference.
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229:Jerald and Sandra Tanner were married by a
974:. Vol. 17, no. 2. Archived from
29:
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192:, gave large donations to church founder
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1082:Schindler, Harold (15 February 1987).
439:from their website to the copyrighted
1059:"Tanners are wellspring of documents"
971:Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought
556:The Case Against Mormonism, Vols. 1–3
129:(June 1, 1938 – October 1, 2006) and
7:
1126:. Utah Lighthouse Ministry. 1992 .
210:They met in the spring of 1959, in
186:Salt Lake Trade Technical Institute
1092:(online reprint) – via UTLM.
368:, who compared this text with the
25:
1237:Latter Day Saint movement in Utah
1084:"First 'Hofmann' history-mystery"
1057:Moulton, Kristen (May 16, 1998).
27:Latter Day Saint movement critics
1001:The Truth About 'The God Makers'
964:Foster, Lawrence (Summer 1984).
858:Institute for Religious Research
811:Brigham Young University Studies
551:The Changing World of Mormonism.
401:originally published in 1963 as
1247:Mormonism-related controversies
1148:The Changing World of Mormonism
667:Foster, Lawrence (1984-07-01).
442:Church Handbook of Instructions
188:. His great-great-grandfather,
145:and compare LDS doctrines with
1067:. Salt Lake City: LDS Church.
399:Mormonism: Shadow or Reality?,
1:
997:"Faith Without Works Is Dead"
938:"LDS Suit Nearing Settlement"
562:The Mormon Kingdom, Vols. 1–2
546:Mormonism: Shadow or Reality?
379:Studies of the Book of Mormon
315:The Tanners contend that the
282:Egyptian Alphabet and Grammar
94:Mormonism: Shadow or Reality?
1184:Polygamy: What Love Is This?
909:. p. 58. Archived from
854:By his own hand upon papyrus
852:Larson, Charles M. (1992) .
777:Apgar, Blake (25 Nov 2022).
594:Descendants of Brigham Young
269:Joseph Smith Egyptian Papers
263:The Salt Lake City Messenger
258:The Salt Lake City Messenger
214:, at a religious meeting of
133:(born January 14, 1941) are
1267:Religious leaders from Utah
1257:Writers from Salt Lake City
1124:Mormonism—Shadow or Reality
184:and received a degree from
1283:
1200:Episode 236 (10 Sept 2009)
1190:Episode 106 (17 July 2008)
1150:. Moody Publishers. 1979.
936:Rivera, Ray (2000-12-01).
922:Cited by Matthew Roper of
806:"Mormon Bibliography 1978"
764:"Tribute to Jerald Tanner"
725:Sometimes spelt 'Lukites'.
604:Mormonism and Christianity
476:Challenging anti-Mormonism
428:
298:Metropolitan Museum of Art
272:
220:Church of Christ (Lukeite)
203:, the LDS Church's second
176:Jerald Tanner was born in
1205:Episode 308 (25 Feb 2010)
1195:Episode 202 (15 Jan 2009)
1045:Salt Lake City Messenger,
946:. p. C5 – via
899:Helland, Dean M. (1990).
484:, the former chairman of
323:Other documents and books
302:Church Historian's Office
235:Mission Hills, California
1252:Writers from Provo, Utah
1232:Former Latter Day Saints
1210:Episode 417 (5 May 2011)
1110:Salt Lake City Messenger
1047:May 1996 (Issue No. 90).
924:Brigham Young University
888:. LDS Church. July 1988.
275:Kirtland Egyptian Papers
34:Jerald and Sandra Tanner
18:Salt Lake City Messenger
907:Oral Roberts University
804:Flake, Chad J. (1979).
627:Huggins, R. V. (2022).
407:Oral Roberts University
82:Writers and researchers
74:(aged 68) (Jerald)
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374:A Book of Mormon Study
338:Messenger and Advocate
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1089:The Salt Lake Tribune
539:Selected publications
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152:The Tanners, who are
104:April, Dennis, Teresa
1227:Critics of Mormonism
599:H. Michael Marquardt
504:and later murderer
360:View of the Hebrews
247:Alzheimer's disease
231:Protestant minister
131:Sandra McGee Tanner
918:2006-10-10 at the
482:Daniel C. Peterson
333:
294:Great Chicago Fire
182:University of Utah
943:Salt Lake Tribune
784:Salt Lake Tribune
644:978-1-56085-454-8
609:Wesley P. Walters
526:The God Makers II
510:Salamander Letter
344:Times and Seasons
224:Latter-day Saints
166:Adam–God doctrine
127:Jerald Dee Tanner
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50:June 1, 1938 and
16:(Redirected from
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88:Notable work
72:(2006-10-01)
62:respectively
1036:Ralph Nader
355:Ethan Smith
190:John Tanner
178:Provo, Utah
172:Biographies
1221:Categories
790:2023-05-19
748:16 October
615:References
514:provenance
457:shell game
384:A Parallel
347:, and the
54:1941-01-14
46:1938-06-01
828:0007-0106
713:254403678
697:0012-2157
521:Ed Decker
490:integrity
450:Criticism
411:witnesses
205:president
158:scripture
154:ex-Mormon
143:Mormonism
981:Archived
916:Archived
866:26140322
836:43040844
705:45225254
674:Dialogue
578:See also
464:gadflies
309:Egyptian
135:American
101:Children
1022:(FAIR).
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437:linking
413:to the
109:Website
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502:forger
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832:JSTOR
818:(1).
709:S2CID
701:JSTOR
116:.utlm
1152:ISBN
1128:ISBN
862:OCLC
824:ISSN
750:2021
693:ISSN
639:ISBN
164:'s "
118:.org
67:Died
40:Born
820:BYU
683:doi
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357:'s
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233:in
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114:www
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