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The discussion in Gospel Doctrine Class today was about the Succession of the Prophets. I know I am too literal and too analytical, but the nicely packaged presentation was incomplete at best and misleading at worst. In summary, the process of succession was well known unto the Twelve. Brigham Young returned and gave his talk as Joseph transfigured, and the bulk of the church followed him.
My issues:
1) Joseph gave a variety of succession instructions at various times to various groups. It is not surprising that there were claims and counterclaims. The first place where things were not clear was that the Stake Leadership in Nauvoo had been set on a level equal with the Twelve in the Doctrine and Covenants. Instructions for a patriarchal succession were given to others and church patriarchs and even apostles laid claim to benefits of patriarchal succession. This patriarchal claim gave rise to the Reorganized Church. The patriarchal issue was not fully resolved until the position of Church Patriarch was abolished in 1979. I find it so interesting that when Brigham returned to Nauvoo, that he saw the threat that the stake leadership presented, and did a mass ordination of the Nauvoo Priesthood holders to positions of seventy, and thus solidified his power base. You never hear that mentioned in Gospel Doctrine.
2) The succession process was not clear to the Twelve, at least at the time of the martyrdom. It was several years before an agreement was reached and Brigham Young was set apart as the Prophet and President of the Church. Brigham Young led the saints west as President of the Quorum of the Twelve. Even near the time of his death, Brigham was reportedly not too keen on being succeeded by John Taylor.
The book “Mormon Heirarchy: Origins of Power” by Quinn is very enlightening on this subject.
I completely agree that a succession plan based on tenure and service is by its nature much more stable than a patriarchal system, where any new generation can produce rotten leadership. It is no wonder that it ultimately triumphed and that the church has blossomed under this plan.
I understand that a lesson plan has to revolve around the time allotted, and the understanding of the participants. I continue to have concerns however that the church membership as a whole is fed a sanitized version of events that misrepresent history, and create a ‘nutshell’ version of events which is accepted as the whole truth. The other concern is have is that there is no forum for speaking up and clearing up misrepresentations or omissions. If it’s not in the manual, it’s off limits. (Okay, not literally, but generally in practice.)
SilentStruggle, I recently read the book. It is fascinating. I agree that there was a real struggle for who should lead the church.
But, why do you think the church should give an objective history? The church’s job is to bring souls to Christ, not create doubt. Does the Catholic Church give a full accounting of the Crusades in Sunday School? Do you think they should? Does any religion point to the weaknesses in their argument? Are you advocating that they should? Do you air your sins to the world in the interest of objectivity to let people know that you are both a nice person and a “jerk” at times? Why not?
Look, I also don’t like all the white-washed history at church, but I understand why it is whitewashed. If you want to be objective, then you’re welcome to learn these things. That’s fine. I just don’t understand getting upset that the church wants to present its’ best foot forward. Don’t we all? How many organizations go around actively promoting all the terrible things they’ve done over the years?
I realize that I muddled two issues in my original post; 1) the Twelve holding the keys, and 2) Prophetic succession. The Twelve did know they held the keys early on. To answer you question, I guess I just feel a little betrayed by the church that has told me all my life to be honest in my dealings, in fact, requires it for temple attendance. I have been taught that being completely honest means telling the whole truth. Secondly, I get frustrated when church members discuss their neat little packages of ‘truth’ as facts what isn’t necessarily so. Thirdly, I feel frustrated that you are not allowed to discuss beyond certain boundaries, and would be labeled as a nut and a troublemaker if you brought up such things in class.
I guess in my naivete’, I expected something more from this church.
I guess I also feel a little frustrated that the church historically (until relatively recently), kept the lid on things by controlling access to historical research information.
I do realize that the publishing of church materials such as Gospel Doctrine Manuals and Institute Church History Manuals is done on the church’s dime, as is the teaching itself, and I guess they therefore have a right to teach whatever version they see fit.
As such, I have calmed down considerably since yesterday!
Hi Silentstruggle: I agree that the manuals are a real issue to work through, they are one of my major stumbling block in having faith in the organizational decisions of the church but it is getting better.
However I did teach that lesson to my youth class and here was the core of that lesson:
Quote:(D&C 107:22-24)
22 Of the Melchizedek Priesthood, three Presiding High Priests, chosen by the body, appointed and ordained to that office, and upheld by the confidence, faith, and prayer of the church, form a quorum of the Presidency of the Church.
23 The twelve traveling councilors are called to be the Twelve Apostles, or special witnesses of the name of Christ in all the world—thus differing from other officers in the church in the duties of their calling.
24 And they form a quorum, equal in authority and power to the three presidents previously mentioned.
(D&C 107:36-37)
36 The standing high councils, at the stakes of Zion, form a quorum equal in authority in the affairs of the church, in all their decisions, to the quorum of the presidency, or to the traveling high council.
37 The high council in Zion form a quorum equal in authority in the affairs of the church, in all their decisions, to the councils of the Twelve at
the stakes of Zion.
(D&C 107:40-57)
40 The order of this priesthood was confirmed to be handed down from father to son, and rightly belongs to the literal descendants of the chosen seed, to whom the promises were made.
41 This order was instituted in the days of Adam, and came down by lineage in the following manner: (verses 42 to 57 lay out the descent of the priesthood through Adams children)
(D&C 107:58)
58 It is the duty of the Twelve, also, to ordain and set in order all the other officers of the church, agreeable to the revelation which says:
Now we only had the usual 40 minutes minus 10 because Sacrament went too long and some of the kids dawdled along but we worked through the various positions on the succession using these scriptures rather than me presenting the “official succession story”. I have a small class which currently includes amongst their membership: the granddaughter of the Bishop and she is also the daughter of one of his counsellors (yes, I know, back to family ties in the church determining a lot of things all the way down to the ward level and all the way out into our sticks but that isn’t the topic right now — Quinn has a lot to say about that as you well know) , and 4 kids whose various Dads (2) are Stake High Counsellors. So what I am saying with that is that my lesson certainly got back to at least a few people with “authority” and no comments from that quarter except to say that they are all happy that their kids are finally engaged and talking about what went on in Sunday School.
So, yes discussion in adult classes seems to be a touchy world but it is possible to have the discussions at some points within the structure and in this case the kids were certainly involved. We ended up on verse 58 and the fact that the Quorum had the “keys”, and that was a reasonable way to resolve the succession. However this set of 12 kids at least get to go into life knowing that it wasn’t a smooth, easy, Brigham is the one, process, that it was messy (that of course assumes that the lesson was memorable enough to actually make an imprint in a teenage brain which is VERY questionable but at least the attempt was made
😆 ).But MH is right, the Church will ALWAYS produce manuals aimed at Stage 3 believers, they really have no other options, I think the question is how to open up discussion somehow but again I think the Church is now content to leave that to places like this one.
Silent Struggle, I will say that I have shared your frustration. However, since I started my own blog where I can discuss these issues, I really have lost much of the frustration at church. John Dehlin did a wonderful podcast with Armaund Mauss where he said that the church made a conscious decision to turn Sunday School into an “indoctrination” class rather than an “education” class. Well, like you I wish that it was more of an education class.
I’ve just found places like StayLDS and my own personal blog to be wonderful outlets of learning. The church’s goal is to bring souls to Christ, while education’s goal is to educate. It’s nice when these two goals align, but they don’t always. I guess I have a great calling where I don’t have to go to Sunday School and get frustrated. Instead, I sit in the clerk’s office and do paperwork. If I’m out of paperwork to do, I bring a book to church and read. I just finished “Great Basin Kingdom”, and I’m working on “Forgotten Kingdom.” I just did some fascinating (to me at least) posts on consecration and United Order. I’m really impressed with the early saints’ desire to have no poor among them. I’m also greatly interested in the petty problems that arose, which makes me realize how difficult it is to be truly selfless. I realize by studying this history how far I have to go to be a better person, and I’m grateful for their experiment to see how difficult it was to live. They did some amazingly radical, successful enterprises, which may have lasted longer without the polygamy raids.
I’m currently in a Mormon history book club which has greatly helped relieve my frustration levels at church. While some of these books can be kind of dry, in places they bring up fascinating topics, which gives me wonderful blogging material.
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