While I am not one who holds to scriptural inerrancy or the formal
sufficiency of the Bible (or all of scripture, which is not limited to the Bible [see Not
By Scripture Alone: A Latter-day Saint Refutation of Sola Scriptura]), I
would like to think I have a high view of the Bible. Much of my research and
apologetics focuses on biblical-related issues, such as the biblical-exegetical
evidence for Latter-day Saint theology. Further, I do have some pretty
"conservative" views (e.g., I believe the Synoptic Gospels were
written pre-70). Sadly, I have come across all too many Latter-day Saints who
hold to a very low view of the Bible, both here in Ireland as well as on the
online LDS community (a certain fellow whose idea of heaven is worshipping
Bruce McConkie for all eternity comes to mind).
Notwithstanding, the Book of Mormon itself has a much higher view of the
Bible and its importance than these (very) errant (and often annoying) members
of the Church. When Lehi is reiterating Joseph of Egypt's prophecies to his
youngest son (also called Joseph), there is a prophecy about the Bible and the
Book of Mormon, and their relationship:
But a seer will I raise up out of the fruit
of thy loins; and unto him will I give power to bring forth my word unto the
seed of thy loins-- and not to the bringing forth my word only, saith the Lord,
but to the convincing them of my word, which shall have already gone forth
among them. Wherefore, the fruit of thy loins shall write; and the fruit of the
loins of Judah shall write; and that which shall be written by the fruit of thy
loins, and also that which shall be written by the fruit of the loins of Judah,
shall grow together, unto the confounding of false doctrines and laying down of
contentions, and establishing peace among the fruit of thy loins, and bringing
them to the knowledge of their fathers in the latter days, and also to the
knowledge of my covenants, saith the Lord. (2 Nephi 3:11-12)
In other
words, the writings of Judah (the then-future Bible) and writings of Joseph of
Egypt’s descendants (the then-future Book of Mormon) would grow together and be used together to refute false doctrines—it is
not the Book of Mormon in spite of the
(purported inadequacies of) the Bible (I had a friend who served under Joseph Fielding
McConkie in Scotland in the early 90s—for a while, he did not allow
missionaries to ever use the Bible when teaching). Furthermore, one function of the Book of Mormon is to confirm not refute the scriptures existing prior to the coming forth of the Book of Mormon (i.e., both the OT and NT).
Such errant
Latter-day Saints functionally treat
this prophecy in the Book of Mormon as a false
prophecy(!) That is an unenviable position to be in.
For a more balanced understanding of the LDS approach to the Bible, see my response to Mike Thomas of Reachout Trust:
