PROVO — Studying the views of eternity and eternal life from the ancient Egyptians shows that there are significant "touch points" between the Egyptian concepts and the concepts Mormons encounter in their faith, BYU professor of ancient scripture Andrew C. Skinner said.

"(Studying the ancients) is in part, evidence that God is the same in ancient times and civilizations as he is in modern times," said Skinner, a former dean of Religious Education. "We possess very little, if anything, that the ancients didn't know or didn't possess. That says to me that this plan that God has for us was not made up on the spot. It wasn't a God who said, 'Gee, I have to do something with the people down there.' But rather, this is a plan that has been in existence since before any of us populated the earth, and there's great continuity and great equality, because it means the same requirements for eternal life that are given to me are the same ones that the ancients must abide by as well."

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