“And See That Ye Have Faith Hope and Charity”

Alan C. Miner

In Alma 7:24 it says, "And see that ye have faith, hope, and charity, and then ye will always abound in good works." According to Hugh Nibley, one might say, "Well, here's the Book of Mormon being lifted from the New testament." No, it isn't. Richard Reitzenstein showed many years ago that the formula--faith, hope, and charity--is a very ancient one. It's found in Hebrew writings, and it's a formula found in the Hermetic writings quite commonly. It's not limited to the New Testament at all. It's very ancient. These three [virtues] go together. [Hugh W. Nibley, Teachings of the Book of Mormon, Semester 2, p. 300]

Step by Step Through the Book of Mormon: A Cultural Commentary

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