Geology and Third Nephi (3): The Time of Darkness (B)

Last updated on: February 17, 2020 at 11:40 pm by Dan Peterson

Geology and Third Nephi (3): The Time of Darkness (B) 2020-02-17T23:40:11-07:00 Dan Peterson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Indonesia’s Mount Rinjani erupts in 1994. The conjunction of volcanic eruptions with storms of thunder and lightning, which is often reported, is nicely illustrated in this image
(Wikimedia Commons public domain photograph)

I share a few more notes here from a significant article that a longtime friend of mine wrote nearly a quarter of a century ago: Bart J. Kowallis, “In the Thirty and Fourth Year: A Geologist’s View of the Great Destruction in 3 Nephi,” BYU Studies 37/3 (1997-1998).

Dr. Kowallis begins his article with a three hundred year-old traditional oral account of the enormous volcanic eruption that occurred off the northeastern coast of Papua New Guinea. But it’s not the only such report.

Another describes “thunder, lightning, and tremors” as forerunners to the great “time of darkness.” Another reports that, leading up to the eruption, “a storm was on its way and there was a rustling and whistling in the air.” Still other reports talk of winds and earthquakes, floods and loud noises, fumes, and unusual variations in temperature. During the eruption itself, at least as the eruption was perceived by survivors in the region, many people were killed when their huts collapsed or by falling stones. Others apparently died from fumes, or by sores caused by hot falling volcanic ash. Along the coasts, crops and trees were destroyed by floods of water. Understandably, too, in the wake of the cataclysm, with crops dead or dying, fields buried under volcanic materials, trade routes disrupted, and farmers and merchants among the fatalities, many who had survived the violence nonetheless died of starvation. One account explains that “all bad men, trouble makers, people with bad thoughts, thieves, etc.” perished during that “time of darkness.” (138)

It is astonishing — and it is surely a reflection of the magnitude of the event they narrate — that such accounts survived for more than three hundred years. But what is perhaps most amazing, perhaps, is that (apart from some exaggeration and a few embellishments) the stories, seen altogether, seem to accord with what physical or geological analysis of the effects of the great eruption has disclosed about it. “All of the conclusions based on this physical evidence,” says Professor Kowallis, “agree well with the oral traditions.” (138)

And, taken together, they are far more than slightly reminiscent of the account given in the Book of Mormon, in the book of 3 Nephi.

As the abstract of Dr. Kowallis’s article says, “Geological studies and eyewitness accounts of volcanic activity show the likelihood that the massive destruction reported in 3 Nephi was caused by an explosive volcanic eruption.” (137)

Posted from Phoenix, Arizona

Previous Post

February 15, 2020

Geology and Third Nephi (2): Santorini and the Land of the Pharaoh

Next Post

February 15, 2020 Unrivalled silliness and conceit?

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 March 2014 August 2013 February 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

I took a census that displeased God, resulting in a plague that killed 70,000 men. Who am I?

Select your answer to see how you score.

David Saul Solomon Joab