"Those not of our faith challenge the need for the Book of Mormon, maintaining that the testimony of the Bible is sufficient. 'What does the Book of Mormon teach about Christ that we don't already know?' they ask. The answer is: Plenty…" wrote BYU professor Joseph Fielding McConkie in the 1 June 1996 issue of the LDS Church News. Following is a glimpse into Elder McConkie's apologetic for the Book of Mormon.*

The article began with the first of many truths McConkie claimed we could not know if our understanding was limited to the Bible alone. Restored through the Book of Mormon, he said, is a teaching from Alma that the resurrection is the inseparable union of body and spirit. This is not news to Christians who have believed it for almost 2,000 years, gaining their knowledge exclusively from the Bible (see 2 Cor. 5:1-10; Phil. 1:19-26; 1 Thess. 4:13-18, etc.).

McConkie wrote that traditional Christians, because of the "plain and precious things taken from the Bible," do not understand that the Old Testament saints knew of Christ; Christians do not know that Old Testament prophets had a "hope of His glory." However, the book of Isaiah speaks plainly about the coming Messiah. Christ Himself said, "'O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!'…And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself." (Luke 24:25 & 27). The Scriptures spoken of here are what is known today as the Old Testament. The textual reliability of these Hebrew Scriptures is supported by the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Therefore, Christians (and Latter-day Saints) can have confidence that the text of the Old Testament is the same as that quoted by Jesus Christ.

According to McConkie, "One of the great purposes of the Book of Mormon is to testify to the Jews that the purpose of the law of Moses [specifically the sacrificial system] was to teach of Christ." However, this has already been addressed in the New Testament book of Hebrews. The foreshadowing of Christ's great sacrifice is detailed in chapters 8-10.

"In the testimony of Jacob," stated McConkie, "we find a sure and certain voice proclaiming Jesus Christ to be the Only Begotten Son of God and to be the only 'sure foundation' upon which we can build. From his testimony, and that of his fellow prophets in the Book of Mormon, we learn truths that we would not otherwise know." Even a cursory reading of the New Testament reveals these basic teachings about Christ.

Elder McConkie is a professor of ancient scriptures. His comments regarding truths missing from the Bible which are only available in the Book of Mormon are puzzling. We can only surmise that he is unaware of the content of the Old and New Testaments. Unfortunately, McConkie's article perpetuates the myth necessary to Mormonism that the biblical text is insufficient, thereby creating a need for the Book of Mormon and a Church-wide distrust of the Bible.

God said in Hosea 4:1 & 6: "There is no truth or mercy or knowledge of God in the land….My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." The Israel of Hosea's day accepted false religious practices as true worship while their religious leaders neglected to teach them otherwise. For this they were justly condemned. In like manner, LDS leaders point people away from the only source of the true knowledge of God; without this knowledge the people will perish.

Latter-day Saints must take up the Bible and read it. They must find out for themselves what the Word of God says. To rely on their leaders' pronouncements regarding its contents would--apparently--be irresponsible, not to mention self-defeating.

Contrary to Elder McConkie's assertions, the Bible teaches everything we need to know about Jesus Christ. From Genesis to Revelation, He is revealed as Creator, Redeemer, the Holy One Who sits upon the throne.

The Bible is sufficient, as is the Almighty One of whom it speaks.

* In this essay the authors do not intend to convey the idea that the Book of Mormon is, as the LDS Church asserts, Another Testament of Jesus Christ; there is ample evidence to the contrary which is beyond the scope and purpose of this article to demonstrate.