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Style in the Book of Mormon . . . and a Mormon style in politics

Style in the Book of Mormon . . . and a Mormon style in politics

Last updated on: October 27, 2017 at 1:35 pm by Dan Peterson

Style in the Book of Mormon . . . and a Mormon style in politics 2017-10-27T13:35:08-06:00 Dan Peterson

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The wall of Old Jerusalem, near Jaffa Gate (Wikimedia Commons public domain)

More notes:

It is certainly conceivable that a sensitive person might be able, consciously or unconsciously, to mimic such elementary rhetorical structures on the basis of exposure to the Bible. (Whether the semi-literate Joseph Smith of the 1820s would have been capable of such mimicry is perhaps a separate question, however.) But with the increasing subtlety and sophistication of literary forms, such mimicry becomes less and less plausible. And the Book of Mormon contains a wealth of sophisticated literary devices that are only beginning to be appreciated. The Hebraist Donald Parry, for example, has identified numerous rhetorical techniques and literary structures in the Book of Mormon that are reminiscent of the Old Testament. One of these he calls “climax,” or “gradation.” It occurs when the same words are repeated in successive clauses or sentences, creating a sense of ascension, of climbing step by step from one level to another, with a significant climax at the conclusion. One instance, in the book of Moroni, offers an admirable summary of the basic plan of salvation:

And the first fruits of repentance is

baptism; and

baptism cometh by faith unto

the fulfilling the commandments; and

the fulfilling the commandments bringeth

remission of sins; and the

remission of sins bringeth

meekness, and lowliness of heart; and because of

meekness and lowliness of heart cometh the visitation of the

Holy Ghost, which

Comforter filleth with hope and perfect

love, which

love endureth by diligence unto prayer, until the end shall come,

when all the saints shall dwell with God.

Another, from the section of the Book of Mormon that carries Mormon’s own name, summarizes what German scholarship calls Heilsgeschichte, the story of human salvation in history:

Behold, he created

Adam, and by

Adam came

the fall of man. And because of

the fall of man came

Jesus Christ, even the Father and the Son; and because of

Jesus Christ came the

redemption of man. And because of the

redemption of man, which came by Jesus Christ,

they are brought back into the presence of the Lord.

(Frankly, I can’t help but think of the temple in connection with the passage just above.)

***

A few hours ago, I posted several links to articles about Senator Jeff Flake (R-AZ) that prominently mentioned his Mormonism as a factor in his resistance to President Donald J. Trump and Trumpism. (See “Character, Literary and Otherwise.”)

Here’s another, by Laurie Goodstein, writing in the New York Times:

“Flake’s Speech Bore Marks of Mormon Faith, Not Just Politics”

You might also find interesting these other items from the New York Times:

“Full Transcript: Jeff Flake’s Speech on the Senate Floor”

“As G.O.P. Bends Toward Trump, Critics Either Give In or Give Up”

And this, from National Review:

“The Towering Jeff Flake”

Like Jay Nordlinger, I have been a conservative and had been a Republican for decades longer than Donald Trump has ever claimed to be one. And, like Jay Nordlinger, I sorrowfully left the Republican Party in 2016. Or, rather, to paraphrase David Whitmer, it left me.

And, the way things are looking, I may not be back very soon. Unfortunately, though, I haven’t found a new political home.

Finally, an item from the Weekly Standard:

“Exit Flake: A conservative bows out.”

Posted from Jerusalem, Israel

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