Dale R. Broadhurst audio collection

Collection

Identifier: A0315

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Dale R. Broadhurst audio collection (1979-1982) contains audio recordings of material relevant to Broadhurst's Masters thesis research into the theory that the Book of Mormon was plagiarized in part from an earlier, fictional manuscript by Solomon Spalding.

Dates

1979-1982

Creator

Broadhurst, Dale R. (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Materials must be used on-site; no use of original material, access copies will be made available for viewing. Five business days advanced notice required. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law, condition of the material, or by donor.

Biographical Note

Dale R. Broadhurst (b. 1947) was born in Boise, Idaho and grew up in Idaho Falls. A member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS), renamed the Community of Christ in 2001, Broadhurst has a keen interest in the origins of the Mormon Church and the Book of Mormon itself. While working on his Masters degree in Christian Education at the Methodist Theological School in Delaware, Ohio, Broadhurst did extensive research on the correlation between the Book of Mormon, published in 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr., and a manuscript of epic American fiction composed by Solomon Spalding (1761-1816). This longstanding but not generally accepted theory that Smith plagiarized some of Spalding's work has been pursued by select groups since the early 1830s. After completing his Masters degree in 1982 and dedicating many years to educational volunteer work in Asia and the Pacific, Dale Broadhurst retired to Hilo, Hawaii, where he lives with his wife, Elizabeth.