Giddianhi--Gadianton Propagandist

In a recent post Plundering the Narrative: Gadianton Robbers and First Nephi 1:2-3 Morgan Dean looks at the robber Giddianhi's letter to Lachoneus I (3 Nephi 3:2-10) in light of Nephi's introductory colophon at the beginning of 1 Nephi. Building on the work of other scholars, including Noel Reynolds, who argued that Nephi's record was a political text that justified his rule over his brothers, Dean suggests that the shrewd Governor of the Gadiantons attempted to subvert the Nephite foundational narrative by patterning his own words after those of Nephi, but with a cunning twist or two. Dean is an excellent scholar with fresh ideas and is always worth reading.