Share
Analysis of Joseph Smith's Accounts of His First Vision
Title
Analysis of Joseph Smith's Accounts of His First Vision
Book Title
Opening the Heavens: Accounts of Divine Manifestation, 1820-1844
Publication Type
Book Chapter
Chapter
2
Year of Publication
2017
Authors
Allen, James B. (Primary), and Welch, John W. (Primary)
Editors
Welch, John W. (Secondary)
Edition
2
Pagination
36-77
Publisher
BYU Press/Deseret Book
City
Provo, UT/Salt Lake City
Share
Abstract
The Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints began when God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ appeared to the youthful Joseph Smith in spring 1820. In the brilliant light of this key event, almost everything else in Church history pales by comparison.
Fortunately, Joseph Smith spoke and wrote on several occasions about this sublime and formative experience, now known as the First Vision. In addition to numerous circumstantial and secondary evidences that have expanded and supported our historical knowl-edge of this all-important event, ten accounts, written or dictated by Joseph Smith himself or recorded at the time by someone who heard him, are available to modern readers. Few events so central to the foundation of any world religion are so informatively documented.
Subject Keywords
Early Church History
First Vision
Multiple First Vision Accounts
Smith, Joseph, Jr.
Bibliographic Citation
Terms of use
Items in the BMC Archive are made publicly available for non-commercial, private use. Inclusion within the BMC Archive does not imply endorsement. Items do not represent the official views of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or of Book of Mormon Central.