“And Also Numbered Among the People Who Were of the Church of God”

Brant Gardner

Social: Mormon tells us that there were two important social markers for this people. The first is that they were among the people of Nephi. At this point in time that designation serves as a political definition. They are now Nephites, not Lamanites. The second designation points out the religious division inside of the people of Nephi. These were people of the church of God, rather than a different option. We know that there are at least two available options among the people of Nephi, the church of God and the order of Nehor. There may have been others, but those are the two largest factions. When Mormon describes the assimilation of the Anti-Nephi-Lehies-now-people of Ammon, he categorizes them into the two salient mental categories required of the people in the land of Zarahemla, politics and religion.

Multidimensional Commentary on the Book of Mormon

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