I want to say to you, read the book, the Pearl of Great Price, and read the Book of Abraham. The Pearl of Great Price I hold to be one of the most intelligent, one of the most religious books that the world has ever had; but more than that, to me the Pearl of Great Price is true in its name. It contains an ideal of life that is higher and grander and more glorious than I think is found in the pages of any other book unless it be the Holy Bible. It behooves us to read these things, understand them: and I thank God when they are attacked, because it brings to me, after a study and thought, back to the fact that what God has given He has given, and He has nothing to retract." - Levi Edgar Young, Conference Report (April 1913), 74

"...it must be evident to all who seriously consider the matter, that if the Book of Abraham as given to us by Joseph Smith be true, it must have been translated by a greater than human power." - George Reynolds, The Book of Abraham: Its Authenticity Established as a Divine and Ancient Record (Salt Lake City: Deseret News, 1879), 4

Profile



My name is Tim Barker. I am the proud father of four amazing boys and I am married to an amazingly beautiful and loving wife. We met while attending Brigham Young University-Idaho, where I obtained a B.S. degree in Accounting. Prior to attending college I had served a full-time mission in the Florida Tampa Mission. After graduating from BYU-Idaho, I spent the next six years in public accounting primarily performing audits of financial statements (and internal controls under SOX §404) for publicly-held companies as well as financial statement audits for privately-held companies and benefit plans. Currently, I am a Chief Financial Officer for a manufacturing company. Outside of my secular living, my personal time is generally spent with my family, performing church responsibilities, and researching and studying the scriptures and church history. I am an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, which I know to be the Lord's true church restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith. I know that the Lord's priesthood authority is held and exercised by living Prophets and Apostles today, who lead this church under the Lord's direction and inspiration. I currently serve as a seminary teacher.

In relation to the Book of Abraham I have a testimony from the Holy Spirit that this book of scripture is true. I am absolutely fascinated with this sacred text. Consequently, I have developed this blog for the purpose of exploring all Book of Abraham related subjects. On the secular side of things, and especially in connection with the provenance of the Book of Abraham, it should be clear that the technical science of Egyptology is not my discipline. I do, however, have over 120 books on Egyptology that will be referenced for discussion points in various postings. Publications by specialists in this field can assist in understanding the context of Abrahamic-Egyptian connections. These sources are secondary to Book of Abraham studies, but can provide scholarly perspectives in appreciating this text in an Egyptian setting. In all likeliness, there are probably just better than a handful of individuals that are both interested in the Book of Abraham and who are fluently versed in Egyptology. Accordingly, I am generally reliant upon those individuals who also share my testimony regarding the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and the truthfulness of the Book of Abraham. Additionally, there are plenty of experts in Egyptology that have weighed in on the Book of Abraham. Their contributions by way of specialized Egyptological knowledge is certainly appreciated; however, I am inclined to dismiss their bias against the truthfulness of the Book of Abraham. Their secular knowledge is the source of their conclusions, and as advanced as this knowledge might be, it is, and always will be, secondary when compared to the divine knowledge bestowed through the Holy Spirit, and certainly unconvincing when it stands in contrast to divine revelation. Criticisms serve as a catalyst for revisiting assumptions and exploring the text from new angles.

My objective in developing and maintaining this blog is to provide a positive and faithful perspective on Book of Abraham related issues, and to contribute my personal studies on the subject. I believe this approach is necessary, in part, to counter the overabundance of propaganda inaccurately critiquing the Book of Abraham and the restored gospel in general. I hope it will also serve as a forum for others similarly interested in this book of scripture. Elder M. Russell Ballard has observed that the internet is the "modern equivalent of the printing press..." that allows everybody to "be a publisher, to have his or her voice heard..."  He stated that "there are conversations going on about the Church constantly. Those conversations will continue whether or not we choose to participate in them. But we cannot stand on the sidelines while others, including our critics, attempt to define what the Church teaches." Accordingly, he advises us to "join the conversation by participating on the Internet to share the gospel and to explain in simple and clear terms the message of the Restoration."1 This blog focuses on one aspect of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ through the Prophet Joseph Smith: the Book of Abraham. Also in connection with Elder Ballard's comments, please see my other blog: LDS Studies for discussion on broader LDS topics.

Based on the foregoing information it should be clear that my motivation for doing this blog rests upon my interest in the Book of Abraham as a sacred text, as well as my love for the gospel, and a desire to sustain and defend the faith. 

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1 M. Russell Ballard, "Sharing the Gospel Using the Internet," Ensign (July 2008), 58-63
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