Review of Geology of the Book of Mormon

Since the earliest days of the publication of the Book of Mormon, there have been several studies, scholarly and otherwise, on the geography of the regions and events described within that book. Until now, most of those discussions and arguments over the possible locations and arrangement of its cities and regions have been based on geographical relationships described in the Book of Mormon itself and modern archaeological research within the Americas. Most current models favor Mesoamerica as the geographic region of Nephite and Lamanite lands. The recent publication of Jerry D. Grover Jr.’s Geology of the Book of Mormon adds significant strength to these models. 

 

Today, while some individuals still argue for a Book of Mormon setting in the Great Lakes region of the United States and Canada, most Latter-day Saint scholars acknowledge Mesoamerica as the most likely region that matches descriptions found within the book. The likelihood of such a setting was greatly strengthened by John L. Sorenson’s groundbreaking book, An Ancient American Setting for the Book of Mormon, published in 1985. Jerry Grover’s book, which uses geological principles to explain the occurrence of natural events in the Book of Mormon, is not as widely known. This is most likely because it is new and self-published. However, the self-published nature of the book should not dissuade readers from using it as a valuable contribution to Book of Mormon studies. Grover has done an admirable job of setting forth his sound scientific analysis and interpretations, providing a new perspective on the settings and locations of Book of Mormon lands.