2008  AML Award: Special Award in Textual Criticism and Bibliography

Presented to:
Dean C. Jessee, Mark Ashurst-McGee, Richard L. Jensen

For:
The Joseph Smith Papers, Journals Series, vol. 1, Journals 1832-1839

The Association for Mormon Letters is pleased to present a special award in Textual Criticism and Bibliography to Dean C. Jessee, Mark Ashurst McGee, and Richard L. Jensen for The Joseph Smith Papers: The Journals 1832-1839, published by The Church Historians Press. Textual criticism is the painstaking and careful process of examining and transcribing primary texts. Its goal is to make available for scholars and other interested readers texts of lasting interest and value. These critical editions also contain additional information gathered by scholars that sheds valuable light on both the meaning and the production of the transcribed texts. For Latter-day Saints, outside of scripture itself, no project could be more important than The Joseph Smith Papers. And nothing could be more important to the project than precision and accuracy. Jessee, Ashurst McGee, and Jensen have more than lived up to the highest scholarly standards in this inaugural volume. The thorough historical introduction and copiously accurate notes rival the same tools in any other collections of the papers of important Americns yet published. These editors’ work completely justifies the faith of the Church leadership in this project. Joseph Smith’s actual words and teachings will now be available to all interested readers worldwide. Each successive volume will only enhance awareness of Joseph as a revelatory genius, engaged in the divine work of restoring the Gospel of Jesus Christ and bringing its blessings and covenants to all who are willing to accept it.