Gnostic elements in the Book of Mormon

Abstract: In 1945 the Dead Sea Scrolls were found in Nag Hammadi; the founding consisted of Gnostic Gospels, the Gospels helped researcher to get a more correct view of the Gnostic Movement. In the beginning of the 19th century another founding was made, according to Joseph Smith an angel appeared from heaven giving him lost Christian Gospels on golden plates, later knows as the Book of Mormon. With the new Gospels Joseph Smith founded the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter day Saints, also know as Mormonism. The thesis’ purpose has been to examine and do a literature analysis on the Book of Mormon, a recently new discovery, with secondary research on the Gnostic Gospels, also a recently new discovery. This paper will guide its reader through similarities between the two movements; with the overarching research question “What Gnostic elements can be found in the Book of Mormon?”. The first chapter will introduce the reader to the Book of Mormon and the Gnostic movement, in chapter two the research results will be displayed followed by the analysis, discussion and a conclusion that will take place in chapter three.