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Chiasmus in Alma 36
Title
Chiasmus in Alma 36
Publication Type
Chart
Year of Publication
1999
Authors
Welch, John W. (Primary), and Welch, Greg (Primary)
Number
10-132
Publisher
Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies
City
Provo, UT
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Abstract
In his blessing to his son Helaman, Alma uses chiasmus in recounting his conversion to the gospel of Jesus Christ. This chart illustrates the deep structure of Alma 36. Jesus Christ is the crux of the chiasm, just as he is the center of the gospel and the only means whereby salvation can be attained. The turning point in Alma's conversion was not the appearance of the angel or the fear of eternal banishment, but calling on the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Fittingly, Alma makes this spiritual turning point the literary focal point of this entire chapter, one of the finest examples of chiastic composition anywhere in world literature.Subject Keywords
Parallelism
Chiasmus
Bibliographic Citation
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