The Book of Mormon: brief theological introductions

When will each volume be available?

Series volumes will appear periodically through the end of 2020. Rather than announcing exact publication dates for each volume in advance, we plan to release each book as soon as its production is complete.

How can I know when new volumes will be available?

Sign up for the Institute’s newsletter here to receive email updates the moment a volume becomes available for pre-sale, whether through Amazon, the BYU Store, Deseret Book, or elsewhere. You can also be notified by following the Maxwell Institute on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Shipping date info should be available when you submit a pre-order, though they are subject to change in the event of printing errors, etc.

What is the fastest way to get each volume?

The answer depends on your location. If you live in Utah, places like Deseret Book and the BYU Store often have books available on the shelf shortly before orders are shipped from online retailers. Otherwise, we can’t provide exact estimates.

What’s taking so long?

We’re excited, too! This series was conceived in early 2019. We worked at breakneck speed, aiming for volumes to appear in tandem with the Sunday school curriculum for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We wanted the series to clearly represent the kind of care and attention we believe the Book of Mormon deserves. We’ve devoted the same special attention to every stage of production—from writing and revising, to design and typesetting, to copy-editing and proofing, to index creation, to stocking, shipping, and delivery. We are thankful to the many people who have worked hard at every step of the process to bring you the very best we can offer. And we are grateful to our readers for their patience!

How can I obtain a review copy?

Journalists, editors, bloggers, college instructors, and other reviewers can submit requests to blairhodges@byu.edu. Please include your name, publication, affiliation, and preferred mailing address.

What about audiobook?

Audiobooks for each volume will be released into 2021.

What about a complete boxed set?

We plan to make a full set available after each individual volume has been published. We’ve purposefully kept the cost as low as possible for each volume ($9.95), so a future box set will likely cost at least as much as the total of each individual volume purchased separately.

What is a “brief theological introduction”?

Faithful scholars have long explored the Book of Mormon’s historicity, literary quality, textual history, reception, and more. This series focuses particularly on theology—the scholarly practice of exploring a scriptural text’s implications and its lens on God’s work in the world. What does scripture say? What does it ask of us? The original meaning of the term “theology” is something like “God talk”—learning and talking about God with a combination of faith and reason. This series doesn’t intend to declare authoritative “doctrine.” Its authors bring their faith and their academic training into conversation with scripture, leading to fresh discoveries and new challenges. Briefly, no single volume pretends to be comprehensive. Each invites readers to think about how their own backgrounds, hopes, questions, and assumptions shape the kind of answers scripture might provide. They are introductory because they are a beginning rather than a definitive conclusion.

How can I learn more about the series?

Check out interviews with each author on the Maxwell Institute Podcast. Watch presentations about each volume from the Institute’s recent lecture series, “Explorations in the Book of Mormon,” and the ongoing series “Book of Mormon Conversations,” co-sponsored by the Widtsoe Foundation. Links to these materials are available below.

First Nephi, with Joseph Spencer

Listen | Read

Second Nephi, with Terryl Givens

Listen | Read

Jacob, with Deidre Green

Listen | Read

Enos, Jarom, Omni, with Sharon J. Harris

Listen | Read

Mosiah, with James E. Faulconer

Listen | Read

Alma 1–29, with Kylie Nielson Turley

Listen | Read

Alma 30–63, with Mark Wrathall

Listen | Read

Helaman, with Kimberly Matheson Berkey

Listen | Read

3rd, 4th Nephi, with Daniel Becerra

Listen | Read

Book of Mormon Conversations

A series of virtual discussions with volume authors, co-sponsored by the John A. Widstoe Foundation.

Introducing the brief theological introductions series
J. Spencer Fluhman, Philip L. Barlow, Larry Eastland

1st NEPHI
Joseph M. Spencer and Richard E. Turley

2nd NEPHI
Terryl Givens and Laura Redford

ENOS, JAROM, OMNI
Sharon J. Harris and Jacob Rennaker

MOSIAH
James E. Faulconer and Michael Stanley

ALMA 1–29
Kylie Nielson Turley and Larry Eastland 

ALMA 30–63
Mark Wrathall and Chris Eastland

“Explorations in the Book of Mormon”

Series authors discuss drafts of their books prior to publication. 

PART 1
1 Nephi, 2 Nephi, Alma 30–63
Joseph M. Spencer, Terryl L. Givens, Mark Wrathall

PART 2
Enos/Jarom/Omni, Mosiah, Alma 1–29
Sharon Harris, James E. Faulconer, Kylie Turley

PART 3
Jacob, Helaman, 3 and 4 Nephi
Deidre Green, Kimberly Berkey, Daniel Becerra

PART 4
Mormon, Ether, Moroni
Adam Miller, Rosalynde Frandsen Welch, David F. Holland

Volume Authors

1st Nephi—Joseph M. Spencer, Brigham Young University

2nd Nephi—Terryl Givens, Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

Jacob—Deidre Nicole Green, Maxwell Institute

Enos, Jarom, Omni—Sharon J. Harris, BYU

Mosiah—James E. Faulconer, BYU

Alma 1–29—Kylie Nielson Turley, BYU

Alma 30–63—Mark Wrathall, University of Oxford

Helaman—Kimberly Matheson Berkey, Loyola University Chicago

3rd, 4th Nephi—Daniel Becerra, BYU

Mormon—Adam S. Miller, Collin College

Ether—Rosalynde Frandsen Welch, Maxwell Institute

Moroni—David F. Holland, Harvard Divinity School

General Editors

Spencer Fluhman, Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

Philip Barlow, Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

Series Editors

D. Morgan Davis, Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

James E. Faulconer, Brigham Young University

Kristine Haglund, Independent scholar

Joseph M. Spencer, Brigham Young University

Rosalynde Welch, Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship