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I want to give a gift to an LDS friend that can replace their Mormon Doctrine by McConkie for obvious reasons. Any suggestions of a book that is like it?
So far the closest thing I could find is this book
https://www.amazon.com/LDS-Beliefs-Doctrinal-Robert-Millet/dp/1609080599 ” class=”bbcode_url”> https://www.amazon.com/LDS-Beliefs-Doctrinal-Robert-Millet/dp/1609080599 I don’t have any suggestions, but the book you mentioned looks interesting. I have read another book by the author Robert Millet. He seems to approach issues from a practical yet faithful apologetic perspective. He is a fairly prolific author. I remember in the book “What Happened to the Cross?” Bro. Millet’s discussion of what makes doctrine in the LDS church. One of the criteria for doctrine that ideas like the Adam-God theory never had was staying power. As if to say, “Throw that idea at the doctrinal wall. If it sticks it is true doctrine – If it falls it never was.” A practical approach indeed.
Wonnerful wrote:I want to give a gift to an LDS friend that can replace their Mormon Doctrine by McConkie for obvious reasons.
How about a copy of the LDS canon? I do mean to be flippant. The problem with Mormon Doctrine IMO was that most of what was in there was not really doctrine. There was some actual doctrine but much of it was pseudo-doctrine and some of it was just plain not doctrine – mostly the opinion of McConkie and his cronies. As I thought about this, I realized there’s really no way to do a book that purports to expound Mormon doctrine without conjecture, supposition, and speculation – I think it’s just human nature. Of course I hold a very limited view of what doctrine actually is, and I think the gospel itself is very simple. The church, on the other hand, can be very complicated and members of the church can make the gospel and doctrine appear much more complicated than it actually is.
They can be difficult for some people to understand, but the Givenses books are some of my favorites. Absolutely anything by Chieko Okazaki is worth giving to a friend, and “Lighten Up” is freaking amazing.
Thanks for all the suggestions. I agree with what everyone has said basically. I agree with Curt’s suggestions about Givenses books. I feel like I have been pushing The Christ Who Healstoo much, so I didn’t mention it earlier. And while I love the book, I’m not sure the more orthodox will like it nearly as much even though it is one of the more orthodox of their books I have read. There is great core doctrine in there, but one has to lean more to the mercy and grace side to appreciate it. It is unlike McConkie’s obedience/works point of view and it is not like a dictionary, it’s more of a history book in many ways. DarkJedi wrote:
As I thought about this, I realized there’s really no way to do a book that purports to expound Mormon doctrine without conjecture, supposition, and speculation – I think it’s just human nature.
What is meant by the word doctrine? Is it the modern basic teachings of the church? If that is what is meant by doctrine then the Gospel Principles manual seems like a good summary of basic beliefs. There is still “conjecture, supposition, and speculation” but at least it is of the sort that is widely taught and believed at church.
All good advice. I am looking for something with a topic by topic sections like Mormon Doctrine, but is NOT like it in that it is not like the way McConkie thought about most things. Not sure a good source like that exists, especially since explaining Mormon doctrine is a bit like nailing Jello to a tree. A belief in on-going revelation makes solid doctrinal statements a bit tricky – but it helps us, because it means we don’t have to accept current beliefs as eternal Truth creeds. good point
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