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My understanding is that the Lectures on Faith were included in the 1835 edition of the D&C and was considered at the time to be and important piece of the “Doctrine” of the book. The Lectures were then removed in 1921 with the following explanations. http://en.fairmormon.org/Lectures_on_Faith_removed_from_Doctrine_and_Covenants ” class=”bbcode_url”> http://en.fairmormon.org/Lectures_on_Faith_removed_from_Doctrine_and_Covenants Joseph Fielding Smith said the following concerning their removal:
a) They were not received as revelations by the prophet Joseph Smith.
b) They are instructions relative to the general subject of faith. They are explanations of this principle but not doctrine.
c) They are not complete as to their teachings regarding the Godhead. More complete instructions on the point of doctrine are given in section 130 of the 1876 and all subsequent editions of the Doctrine and Covenants.
d) It was thought by Elder James E. Talmage, chairman, and other members of the committee who were responsible for their omission that to avoid confusion and contention on this vital point of belief, it would be better not to have them bound in the same volume as the commandments or revelations which make up the Doctrine and Covenants.[6]
My question is this. If the Lectures on Faith were admitted into the cannon of scripture via First Presidency approval and a vote of common consent by the membership, shouldn’t the same level of approval be required to remove it from the cannon?
Typically, accepting new doctrines as binding on the church required 1) First Presidency Approval 2) Approval of the Q12 and 3) Common consent by the membership of the church.
A follow up question is- Can other accepted doctrines and books in our cannon of scripture be removed without common consent?
Seems so. My sense is that the lectures were not accepted in the same sense as the sections so I don’t think anyone was upset about their removal. (no evidence for that only an impression since the specifics in the lectures like the nature of the godhead weren’t being taught). For now they’re just a historical oddity but not much more than that. Thanks GBSmith, It seems like it would be just as easy to get rid of other historical oddities by removing sections or the Book of Abraham etc instead of doubling down on accepting them as scriptures. Obviously it’s up to church leadership but even among the most devout members I can’t think of anyone who would miss the BofA facimilies, for example. Instead of proposing theories like the “repackaging” of the meaning of the facimilies. Clearly it’s up to the brethren how they treat these things but it would appear to be much simpler to get rid of the false teachings or documents
The chapter headings and introduction to the Book of Mormon were altered fairly recently, since they weren’t part of what is considered “scripture”, without input or a vote of common consent by the membership. I have NO problem with that and actually liked it. I would feel the same way if the facsimiles in the BoA were removed. Wouldn’t bother me at all and I would approve. I feel the same way about the Lectures on Faith. There are fun to read, but I don’t see them in the same way I see “scriptures” (even as I don’t see scriptures as infallible, inerrant or binding on my faith in all cases). I see them much like I see talks in General Conference: things that should be pondered and appreciated, generally, but not necessarily “the word of God” in all respects.
Old-Timer wrote:I feel the same way about the
Lectures on Faith. There are fun to read, but I don’t see them in the same way I see “scriptures” (even as I don’t see scriptures as infallible, inerrant or binding on my faith in all cases). I see them much like I see talks in General Conference: things that should be pondered and appreciated, generally, but not necessarily “the word of God” in all respects. And memorized.
😆 I actually wish there would be an essay on this topic. Or at least a SS lesson on it. The idea that we have morphed our cannon is vital to us keeping an open heart and mind on the gospel. The idea that our religion is static is one of our most damaging myths. I put more stock in the Lectures than the BOA mom3 wrote:I actually wish there would be an essay on this topic. Or at least a SS lesson on it. The idea that we have morphed our cannon is vital to us keeping an open heart and mind on the gospel. The idea that our religion is static is one of our most damaging myths.
This! My favorite part of the LofF is that it shows evolution of thought in our church regarding the Godhead. This is in stark contrast to the idea that the nature of the Godhead was known with clarity from the moment of the first vision.
I believe our thoughts of the Godhead have even since evolved past D&C 130. I do not believe that our current doctrine is that the HG uses his “spirithood” to dwell in hearts. Our understanding of what it means to be a corporial, anthropomorphic, spirit being has changed.
The Lectures of Faith were removed because we stopped believing what was in them. They were written when JS had a very monotheistic view of God. The same can be seen in the BofM and the first few versions of the First Vision. It was easy to remove the Lectures, and forget about the early versions of the First Vision. Much harder to expunge the monotheism in the BofM. A great book on the subject is
Line Upon Line, Essays on Mormon DoctrineFor example: Quote:
2 nephi 3121 And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God, without end. Amen.
Alma 11
38 Now Zeezrom saith again unto him: Is the Son of God the very Eternal Father?
39 And Amulek said unto him: Yea, he is the very Eternal Father of heaven and of earth, and all things which in them are; he is the beginning and the end, the first and the last;
44 Now, this restoration shall come to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, both the wicked and the righteous; and even there shall not so much as a hair of their heads be lost; but every thing shall be restored to its perfect frame, as it is now, or in the body, and shall be brought and be arraigned before the bar of Christ the Son, and God the Father, and the Holy Spirit, which is one Eternal God, to be judged according to their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil.
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