The field of Book of Mormon reception history is ready to be built. Though the label of “reception history” may be most known among literary scholars, the field of biblical reception history grew considerably in the second half of the twentieth century. Even though the academic label may not be familiar to all, building the foundation of Book of Mormon reception history has in turn already begun. It is a fruitful field ready to expand. To begin to understand the possibilities of the field, we must begin with definitions—defining first “reception” and then “the history of reception.” In this article, I will consider why this is important to the field of Book of Mormon studies, summarize what work has already been done, offer some potential correctives, and survey possibilities for the history of Book of Mormon reception.
As Jonathan Roberts introduces The Oxford Handbook of the Reception History of the...
