8. The matter of Book of Mormon anachronisms. Those who approach the Book of Mormon with the view of proving it to be essentially what it seems to claim to be - a record of the history of ancient Americans who lived between 2200 BC and AD 400 - immediately find themselves having to deal with the problem of anachronisms. For example, verbal anachronisms occur in the use of such modern ( i.e. post-Lehi) and non-Hebraic terms as Bible, Jews, Gentiles, church, synagogue, baptize, priestcraft, adieu, and even the names of Sam and Timothy. The problem lies not alone in the linguistic label but more often in the fact that the institution to which the label points (e.g. synagogue, church) is a post-Lehi development.

Other possible anachronisms include the mention of steel, silks, Copernican astronomy, and medical knowledge of blood circulation and pores before their known discovery. The findings of early American—archaeology do not substantiate the claim that such items were known among the ancient Americans before their discovery in the Old World. In addition, the book mentions crops and animals introduced to America by later European settlers, notably wheat, barley, cows, hogs, asses, sheep, and horses. Sidney B. Sperry, eminent Mormon bibliophile, has at tempted to answer these and other criticisms, but admittedly his logic and data selection would appeal only to those who already have a faith commitment to the historical validity of the Book of Mormon narrative.