DNA Evidence and the Book of Mormon
The Official Essay published by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on DNA and the Book of Mormon
The official stance of the Church on the topic of DNA research and studies and how they relate to the history of the people of the Book of Mormon
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Website Recommendation:
https://scripturecentral.org/knowhy/why-hasnt-lehis-dna-been-found
A great review of why we may never find DNA evidence for the people of the Book of Mormon in today’s Native American people.
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Book Recommendation:
Let's Talk About Misconceptions with DNA and the Book of Mormon
https://www.amazon.com/Lets-Talk-About-Misconceptions-Mormon/dp/1639933417
As DNA testing and analysis have grown in prominence to address questions of identity and origin, a common curiosity has risen for Latter-day Saints: Could DNA testing prove the historicity of the Book of Mormon? After all, if Lehi and his family traveled from Jerusalem and established civilizations in the Americas, the DNA should show that, right? Of course, the answer is not so simple. In this book, forensic and genetic experts Dr. John M. Butler and Dr. Ugo A. Perego shed fascinating light on just what DNA can—and can’t—tell us about the Book of Mormon and its peoples. After providing a general overview to bring readers up to speed on the basics of genetic research, the authors go to the Book of Mormon itself and explore different viewpoints on what the existent studies and data suggest about its peoples. They then bring it all together to clearly lay out what we can learn from DNA and to dispel common misconceptions regarding the Book of Mormon and DNA evidence. With the lenses of science and faith working in harmony throughout this exploration, this book provides the tools to search out the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and take the question to the Lord ourselves.
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Social Media Resources:
DNA Evidence of Book of Mormon People in the Americas (10 min)
A brief but very thorough review of why you would not expect to test current Native Americans and find a direct DNA link to the Lamanite people mentioned in the Book of Mormon.
The Book of Mormon and DNA Studies (52 min)
“The Book of Mormon and DNA Studies” by Dr. Ugo Perego, given at "FAIR Ritorna a Roma," part of the 2024 Europe FAIR Conference series. Dr Perego is one of the leading authorities on DNA and genetics as it pertains to the history of the people of the Book of Mormon, his presentation explores what is known and what can’t be known about this subject with the current state of research on the subject.
Nephite DNA In The Americas? (40 min)
David Read presents his findings researching the DNA and genetics of Native Americans and tying them back to the Nephites and Lamanites who left Jerusalem.
Book of Mormon Evidence You’ve Never Heard Before (2 hr)
In this episode of The Holy Rebellion, Christian and Travis welcome Neal Rappleye, a research associate at the Ancient America Foundation and respected Book of Mormon researcher. With honesty, humor, and depth, Neal unpacks the tension between scholarship and spirituality, helping listeners see how faith and evidence can work together rather than compete. The conversation dives into topics like anachronisms, DNA, archaeology, and the historical context of the Book of Mormon. Neal explains why some supposed “problems” have been resolved through ongoing discoveries and why others require patience and perspective. He reminds listeners that while evidence matters, personal revelation and lived spiritual experience ultimately hold greater weight. This episode is a thoughtful, hopeful invitation to inquiry and faith. Neal’s insights and humility will resonate with anyone who has ever wrestled with doubt, curiosity, or the desire to understand how the Book of Mormon fits into both history and testimony.
Key Points: DNA Evidences and the Book of Mormon
Without any DNA samples from travelers from the Old World, there is no way of scientifically proving they lived or Did Not live in the Americas. No current living Jewish groups are likely genetically close enough related to the original travelers of The Book of Mormon to be able to draw comparisons.
One would need a DNA sample from the original Nephites/Lehites/Lamanites to even begin to draw any conclusions as to where they lived and where their descendants might currently live.
The natural laws of DNA transference between generations and populations dictate that a small group of people who join a much larger group of unrelated people will very quickly become undetectable. Their DNA will very likely become untraceable over relatively few generations. This is especially true when also including the powerful affects of genocide, war, and wide spread disease that wiped out huge percentages of native Americans a thousand years after the events of The Book of Mormon.
With the current verifiable DNA material available from the Old World and the New World, it is scientifically impossible to draw any conclusions as to the authenticity of the Book of Mormon either for or against it. Proponents and critics of The Book of Mormon cannot use current DNA evidences to make their case with any scientific certainty what-so-ever.
