Hugh Winder Nibley (born March 27, 1910 in Portland, Oregon - died February 24, 2005) was one of Mormonism's most celebrated scholars. Nibley is notable for his extensive research and publication on ancient languages and culture, his vigorous defense of doctrines of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and for frankly discussing what he saw as the shortcomings of the LDS people and culture. is the 86th day of the year (87th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1910 (MCMX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Friday [1] of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Nickname: Location in Multnomah County and the state of Oregon Coordinates: , Country United States State Oregon County Multnomah County Incorporated February 8, 1851 Government  - Mayor Tom Potter Area  - City  145. ... February 24 is the 55th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Book of Mormon, see Latter Day Saint movement. ... A scholar is either a student or someone who has achieved a mastery of some academic discipline, perhaps receiving financial support through a scholarship. ... The Salt Lake Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the largest attraction in the citys Temple Square. ...

A prolific author and professor of ancient scripture at Brigham Young University, he was fluent in the Latin, Greek, Hebrew, Egyptian, Coptic, Arabic, German, French, English, and Spanish languages. He also studied Dutch and Russian during World War II. An author is any person(s) or entity(s) that originates and assumes responsibility for an expression or communication. ... The meaning of the word professor (Latin: one who claims publicly to be an expert) varies. ... Many religions and spiritual movements believe that their sacred texts (or scriptures) are the Word of God, often feeling that the texts are wholly divine or spiritually inspired in origin. ... Brigham Young University Brigham Young University (BYU), located in Provo, Utah, is the flagship university of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS or Mormon Church). ... Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in Latium, the region immediately surrounding Rome. ... “Hebrew” redirects here. ... The Coptic language is a direct descendant of the ancient Egyptian language which was once written in Egyptian hieroglyphic, hieratic, and demotic scripts. ... Arabic ( or just ) is the largest living member of the Semitic language family in terms of speakers. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ...

Biography

Nibley served as a missionary for the LDS Church in Germany and served as a master sergeant working in military intelligence for the 101st Airborne Division of the United States Army during World War II. He was among the force on Utah Beach that invaded Normandy on D-Day and witnessed the aftermath of Nazi concentration camps. Two Mormon missionaries A missionary is traditionally defined as a propagator of religion who works to convert those outside that community; someone who proselytizes. ... United States Master Sergeant insignia U.S. Marine Corps Master Sergeant insignia U.S. Army Master Sergeant insignia U.S. Air Force A Master Sergeant is: the eighth enlisted rank in the United States Marine Corps, just above Gunnery Sergeant, below Master Gunnery Sergeant, Sergeant Major, and Sergeant Major of... The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)—nicknamed the “Screaming Eagles”—is an airborne division of the United States Army primarily trained for air assault operations. ... The United States Army is the largest branch of the armed forces of the United States. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Combatants United States Germany Commanders Raymond O. Barton Theodore Roosevelt Jr U.S. 4th Infantry Division Karl-Wilhelm von Schlieben Dietrich Kraiss German 352nd Infantry Division German 709th Infantry Division Strength 32,000  ? Casualties 700 Unknown American assault troops move onto Utah Beach, carrying full equipment. ... Combatants United States United Kingdom Canada Free France Poland Germany Commanders Dwight Eisenhower (Supreme Allied Commander) Bernard Montgomery (land) Bertram Ramsay (sea) Trafford Leigh-Mallory (air) Omar Bradley (U.S. 1st Army) Miles Dempsey (UK 2nd Army) Harry Crerar (Canadian 1st Army) Gerd von Rundstedt (OB WEST) Erwin Rommel (Heeresgruppe... Land on Normandy In military parlance, D-Day is a term often used to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. ... National Socialism redirects here. ... It has been suggested that Internment be merged into this article or section. ...

Nibley began his studies at University of California, Los Angeles, graduating summa cum laude, and earned a doctorate as a University Fellow at the University of California, Berkeley. While at Berkeley he reportedly perused all of the library shelves, beginning on the first floor and moving up. When a book's title struck his fancy, he would then read the book. At the request of Apostle John A. Widtsoe he became a professor at Brigham Young University in 1946. The University of California, Los Angeles, generally known as UCLA, is a public university whose main campus is located in the affluent Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, United States. ... Sather tower (the Campanile) looking out over the San Francisco Bay and Mount Tamalpais. ... This is the current Mormon collaboration of the month! Please help improve it to meet the ideal article standard. ... John Andreas Widtsoe (1872 - 1952) was born in Daloe, Island of Froyen, Norway. ... Brigham Young University Brigham Young University (BYU), located in Provo, Utah, is the flagship university of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS or Mormon Church). ...

Nibley was praised by non-LDS historians and researchers for his ability to draw upon historical sources to give evidences for Latter-day Saint beliefs. In one study the authors argued—due to Nibley's reliability and celebrated scholarship—that most of Nibley's work is reliable, encouraging anti-Mormon writers to assess and counter Nibley's research, rather than dismissing it.^[1] Nibley's research ranges from Egyptian, Hebrew and early Christian histories, and he often took his notes in a mix of Gregg shorthand, Arabic, Hebrew, Greek, and Egyptian. Nibley "insisted on reading the relevant primary and secondary sources in the original and could read Arabic, Coptic, Dutch, Egyptian, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Italian, Latin, Old Norse, Russian and other languages at sight." In a perceptive critique, William J. Hamblin, a colleague of Nibley at BYU, remarked that "Nibley's methodology consists more of comparative literature than history."^[2] Douglas F. Salmon has examined in depth Nibley's comparative method, focusing on the latter's work on Enoch.^[3] A Latter-day Saint is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). ... An anti-Mormon political cartoon from the late nineteenth century. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      A Christian () is a person who...

Among other topics Nibley wrote about were LDS Temples, the historical Enoch, and similarities between Christian Gnostic and Latter-day Saint beliefs, and what he believed were anti-Mormon works. He wrote a response to Fawn M. Brodie's No Man Knows My History, which was titled No Ma'am, That's Not History. The Salt Lake Temple, operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is the best-known Mormon temple. ... Joseph Smith, Jr. ... Gnosticism is a blanket term for various religions and sects most prominent in the first few centuries A.D. General characteristics The word gnosticism comes from the Greek word for knowledge, gnosis (γνῶσις), referring to the idea that there is special, hidden mysticism (esoteric knowledge... Cover of Fawn McKay Brodie: A Biographers Life Fawn McKay Brodie (September 15, 1915 — January 10, 1981) was a biographer and professor of history at UCLA, best known for Thomas Jefferson: An Intimate History, a work of psychobiography, and No Man Knows My History, the first important non-hagiographic... Fawn McKay Brodie (September 15, 1915 – January 10, 1981) was a teacher and biographer. ... No Maam, Thats Not History was a booklet written by Latter-day Saint scholar Hugh Nibley criticizing the Joseph Smith biography No Man Knows My History, by Fawn Brodie. ...

Nibley was strongly opposed to the United States' involvement in the Vietnam War during an era "when it was very unpopular in LDS culture to do so."^[4] Nibley was also bothered by what he saw as the unthinking, sometimes almost dogmatic application of some portions of BYU's honor code. Nibley had no objection to requirements of chastity or obeying the Word of Wisdom, but he thought the often intense scrutiny directed at grooming (hairstyles and clothing) was misguided. In 1973, he said, "The worst sinners, according to Jesus, are not the harlots and publicans, but the religious leaders with their insistence on proper dress and grooming, their careful observance of all the rules, their precious concern for status symbols, their strict legality, their pious patriotism... the haircut becomes the test of virtue in a world where Satan deceives and rules by appearances.”^[5] Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Republic of Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand The Philippines National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam People’s Republic of China Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea Strength US 1,000,000 South Korea 300,000 Australia 48,000... Dogma (the plural is either dogmata or dogmas, Greek , plural ) is the established belief or doctrine held by a religion, ideology or any kind of organization, thought to be authoritative and not to be disputed or doubted. ... An honor code or honor system is a set of rules or principles governing a community based on a set of rules or ideals that define what constitutes honorable behavior within that community. ... Allegory of chastity by Hans Memling. ... The Word of Wisdom is the common name of Section 89 of the Doctrine and Covenants — a book that consists of what many churches within the Latter Day Saint movement consider to be revelations from God. ... Sin is a term used mainly in a religious context to describe an act that violates a moral rule, or the state of having committed such a violation. ... This article is about Jesus of Nazareth. ... William Hogarths 1731 engraving of A Harlots Progress is about a young woman, Mary Hackabout, who arrives in London from the country. ... Look up Publican in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... A status symbol is something, usually an expensive or rare object, that indicates a high social status for its owner. ... Defence of the fatherland is a commonplace of patriotism: The statue in the courtyard of École polytechnique, Paris, commemorating the students involvement in defending France against the 1814 invasion of the Coalition. ... Gustave Dorés depiction of Satan from John Miltons Paradise Lost Satan, from the Hebrew word for adversary (Standard Hebrew: , Satan; Tiberian Hebrew ; Koine Greek: Σατανάς Satanás, Persian: , Satanás; Aramaic: , ; Arabic: , , Geez: , Turkish: Åžeytan), is a term that originates from the Abrahamic faiths, being traditionally applied to...

His work "Approaching Zion", an eloquent indictment of capitalism and endorsement of communalism, is widely considered a classic of Mormon literature.

Often, Nibley was considered the foremost Mormon apologist, and on occasion has been referred to as "defender of the faith," a title that has been widely shared by only one other Mormon: historian and Church leader, B. H. Roberts. Nibley was an active Democrat, and often criticized Republican policies. According to Latter Day Saint belief, Mormon is the name of the compiler of the book of scripture known as the Book of Mormon. ... Brigham Henry Roberts (March 13, 1857 _ September 27, 1933) was born in Warrington, a manufacturing town of Lancashire, England. ...

Also well-known is Nibley's signature for many papers and articles: "I KNOW THE GOSPEL IS TRUE."

During his years as professor emeritus, and prior to his last illness, Nibley had a small office in the Harold B. Lee Library at BYU, where he worked on his magnum opus titled One Eternal Round, which focuses on the hypocephalus ("Facsimile 2") in the Book of Abraham. He turned over the materials for his last book to FARMS in the late months of 2002. Never one for the spotlight, Hugh finally gave authorization to have his biography written, which was published just two years before his death. Harold Bingham Lee (March 28, 1899 – December 26, 1973) was born in Clifton, Idaho but spent the great bulk of his life in Utah where he rose to head The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. ... Magnum opus (sometimes Opus magnum, plural magna opera), from the Latin meaning great work,[1] refers to the best, most popular, or most renowned achievement of an author, artist, or composer, and most commonly one who has contributed a very large amount of material. ... A hypocephalus A hypocephalus is a small disk-shaped object made of papyrus, stuccoed linen, bronze, gold, wood, or clay, which Egyptians placed under the head of their dead (hypocephalus = hypó {Greek: under, below} + cephalus {Latin: head}). They believed it would magically cause the head and body to be enveloped... The Book of Abraham is a text published as part of the Pearl of Great Price, one of the four canonical scriptures of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. ... The Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies (FARMS) is an informal collaboration of academics devoted to Mormon apologetics. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ...

Students

Among the students of Hugh Nibley whom he influenced are:

• Kresimir Cosik, international basketball star, Churchman, and diplomat.
• Benjamin Urrutia, writer and scholar.
• Jonathan M. Beutler, linguist, statesman, and writer

Kresimir Cosic vs. ... Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five active players each try to score points against one another by throwing a ball through a 10-foot high hoop (the basket) under organized rules. ... Benjamin Urrutia (1950-), international author and scholar, was born in Guayaquil, Ecuador. ...

Linguistic contributions

Nibley proposed new translations of some important words:

• Aten - Usually translated "disk of the sun." Nibley pointed out that relief illustrations of the Aten portray it as a sphere, not a flat disk. The correct translation must be "globe, orb, or sphere."

• Kefa - Dr. Nibley pointed out that in Arabic and Aramaic this word refers to a green crystalline stone used for purposes of divination. Its best translation is perhaps "Seerstone." In the Greek New Testament it appears as Kefas, in the English New Testament as Cephas.

• Makhshava - This Hebrew word is usually translated as "thought," but Dr. Nibley made a case for translating it as "plan." e.g., in the book of Esther many translations say that Haman "thought" to destroy the Jewish people. Nibley suggest that it is more accurate to say he planned to exterminate them. He did not just think about it, but made a plan.

• Shiblon - This Book of Mormon name, Dr. Nibley pointed out, is almost certainly connected to the Arabic shibl, "lion cub." Nibley's student Benjamin Urrutia went on to make the connection with the "Jaguar Cub" imagery of the Olmec people of Ancient Mexico, a theory that has been widely embraced by LDS scholars.^{[citation needed]}

[1] Aten (or Aton) was the disk of the sun in ancient Egyptian mythology, and originally an aspect of Ra. ... [1] Aten (or Aton) was the disk of the sun in ancient Egyptian mythology, and originally an aspect of Ra. ... This article is being considered for deletion in accordance with Wikipedias deletion policy. ... It is generally accepted that Aramaic was the mother tongue of Jesus. ... Makhshava is a Hebrew word commonly translated as thought. ... Esther (1865), by John Everett Millais Esther (Hebrew: , Standard  Tiberian ), born Hadassah, was a woman in the Hebrew Bible, the queen of Ahasuerus (commonly identified with either Xerxes I or Artaxerxes II), and heroine of the Biblical Book of Esther which is named after her. ... Haman is a name that is applied to different personages in different religious traditions: Haman (Bible), appears in the Book of Esther and is the main villain in the Jewish holiday of Purim. ... The Book of Mormon is one of the sacred texts of the Latter Day Saint movement, named after the prophet/historian Mormon, who according to the text compiled most of the book. ... The Book of Mormon[1] is one of the sacred texts of the Latter Day Saint movement, regarded by Latter Day Saints as divinely revealed, and named after the prophet-historian Mormon who, according to the text, compiled most of the book. ... Benjamin Urrutia (1950-), international author and scholar, was born in Guayaquil, Ecuador. ... Monument 1, one of the four Olmec colossal heads at La Venta. ...

Controversies

In early 2005, shortly before his death, Hugh Nibley's daughter Martha Beck published Leaving the Saints: How I Lost the Mormons and Found My Faith, an autobiographical book in which she recalls memories of her father repeatedly sexually abusing her between the ages of five and eight. Since the book's publication, Martha Beck's siblings, extended family and friends have vigorously denied these allegations, and have suggested that Martha Beck's use of hypnosis and self-hypnosis in the recovery of her memories of the abuse call into question the veracity of her claims. Some members of Nibley's surviving family also challenge Beck's allegations by pointing out inconsistencies in her descriptions of events to various media sources.^[6] Dr. Martha Nibley Beck (born 29 November 1962) is a sociologist, therapist, and best-selling writer. ... Autosuggestion is a process by which an individual trains the subconscious mind to believe something, or systematically schematizes the persons own mental associations, usually for a given purpose. ...

Death

Hugh Nibley died February 24, 2005.^[7] He had been confined to bed by illness for over two years before his death. February 24 is the 55th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The Collected Works of Hugh Nibley series

• Old Testament and Related Studies, Vol. 1; Deseret Book; ISBN 0-87579-032-1 (Hardcover, 1986)
• Enoch the Prophet, Vol. 2; Deseret Book; ISBN 0-87579-047-X (Hardcover, 1986)
• The World and the Prophets, Vol 3; Deseret Book; ISBN 0-87579-078-X (Hardcover, 1987)
• Mormonism and Early Christianity, Vol 4; Deseret Book; ISBN 0-87579-127-1 (Hardcover, 1987)
• Lehi in the Desert/The World of the Jaredites/There Were Jaredites, Vol 5; Deseret Book; ISBN 0-87579-132-8 (Hardcover, 1988)
• An Approach to the Book of Mormon, Vol 6; Deseret Book; ISBN 0-87579-138-7 (Hardcover, 1988)
• Since Cumorah, Vol 7; Deseret Book; ISBN 0-87579-139-5 (Hardcover, 1988)
• The Prophetic Book of Mormon, Vol 8; Deseret Book; ISBN 0-87579-179-4 (Hardcover, 1989)
• Approaching Zion, Vol 9; Deseret Book; ISBN 0-87579-252-9 (Hardcover, 1989)
• Ancient State: The Rulers & the Ruled, Vol 10; Deseret Book; ISBN 0-87579-375-4 (Hardcover, 1991)
• Tinkling Cymbals and Sounding Brass: The Art of Telling Tales about Joseph Smith and Brigham Young Vol 11; Deseret Book; ISBN 0-87579-516-1 (Hardcover, 1991) (includes No, Ma'am, That's Not History)
• Temple and Cosmos: Beyond This Ignorant Present, Vol 12; Deseret Book; ISBN 0-87579-523-4 (Hardcover, 1992)
• Brother Brigham Challenges the Saints, Vol 13; Deseret Book; ISBN 0-87579-818-7 (Hardcover, 1994)
• Abraham in Egypt, Vol 14; Deseret Book; ISBN 1-57345-527-X (Hardcover, 2000)
• Apostles and Bishops in Early Christianity, Vol 15; Deseret Book; ISBN 1-59038-389-3 (Hardcover, 2005)
• The Message of Joseph Smith Papyri: An Egyptian Endowment, Vol 16; Deseret Book; ISBN 1-59038-539-X (Hardcover, 2006)

Sergeant Nibley, Ph.D.: Memories of an Unlikely Screaming Eagle

A memoir of Nibley's World War II experiences, published in the fall of 2006 by Deseret Book. It is by-lined "Hugh Nibley and Alex Nibley," and refects Nibley's experiences, written and redacted by his son Alex.

Hugh Nibley: A Consecrated Life - The Authorized Biography of Hugh Nibley

Written by Hugh's son-in-law, Boyd Jay Peterson, and published in 2002 by Kofford Books ISBN 1-58958-020-6. This is the only full length biography of Hugh Nibley to date and will be the only one he personally authorized.

See also

• Charles W. Nibley - Hugh Nibley's grandfather
• Richard Nibley - Hugh Nibley's younger brother
• Martha Beck - Hugh Nibley's daughter

Charles Wilson Nibley (February 5, 1849—December 11, 1931) was the fifth Presiding Bishop of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints between 1907 and 1925 and a member of the Churchs First Presidency from 1925 until his death. ... F. Richard Nibley (April 29, 1913 - September 1979) was an American violinist, composer, and educator. ... Dr. Martha Nibley Beck (born 29 November 1962) is a sociologist, therapist, and best-selling writer. ...

References

External links

Book of Mormon Portal

• IMNO interview: Observer; Possibly Hugh Nibley's Last Interview
• Deseret News interview: Nibley still busy at age 92
• BYU magazine interview: Life sketch
• Nibley explains his comment, "We have met here today clothed in the black robes of a false priesthood", given in a prayer at a 1960 commencement at BYU
• FARMS often posts electronic versions of Nibley papers
• More Speeches by Hugh Nibley
• Multimedia speeches