Midterm 1 Flashcards
The Lord’s preface to D&C
D&C 1 - Christ’s words
1: 14-16
- –Describes primary causes of the apostasy
- -every man walks “after their own way and after the image of their own God” - after the world
- -do not hear the voice of the lord
- -have strayed from his ordinances and broken the everlasting covenant
1: 17-23
- -Lord gives primary purpose of Restoration
- -fulfill the words of the prophets (and give us comm.)
- -weak things of the world come forth
- -faith inc. in world and everlasting covenant established
- -fulness of gospel proclaimed by the weak and simple
Chronological order:
- BOM comes forth
- 1st temple dedicated
- priesthood is restored
- the first vision
- the law of consecration given
- location of Zion is identified
- The first vision
- —Moroni’s visitation and then Joseph rec. plates - The priesthood restored
- –send 1st missionaries - The BOM comes forth
- Law of Consecration is given
- Location of Zion identified
- 1st temple dedicated
- -liberty Jail revelations - war in Missouri - intro. full endowment - Martyrdom
Overview of church history (6)
- Beginnings (1820-31)
- Two church centers (31-39)
- Nauvoo (39-46)
- Church in the west (47-90)
- Expansion (90 - 1950)
- Worldwide church (50 - present)
- Beginnings
New York (1820-31)
Key events
- –1st vision
- –translating BOM
- –Priesthood restorations
- –organization of church
Major section
D&C 39
membership - approx. 280
- Two church centers
Ohio and Missouri (31-39)
Key events
- –Missouri persecutions
- –Zion’s camp
- –1st Pres. and 12 called
- –dedicating Kirtland Temple
Major section
D&C 87 - revelation on war - at the time many disputes over slavery in south Carolina
membership - 18,000
- Nauvoo
(1839-46)
Key events
- –Mission of 12 to Britain
- –Relief Society founded
- –Temple ordinances revealed
- –Joseph and Hyrum Smith martyred
major section
10
membership - 34,000
- Church in the west
1847 - 98
Key events
- –Trek to Salt Lake valley (UT is part of U.S. by then)
- –Colonization of Western U.S., Canada and Mexico
- –4 temples dedication
major sections
1, 1 Official declaration
Membership - 270,000
- Expansion
1899 - 1950
key events
- –Gathering to diff. nations
- –missionary work expanded
- –welfare system established
- –4 temples dedicated
church moves from the West and spreads East U.S.
section 1
membership - 1,100,000
- The Worldwide church
1951 - present
Key events
- –additional General authority Quorums called
- –141 + temples dedicated
- –2000 + stakes organized around world
1 official declaration
membership - 15,000,000 +
Dallin H. Oaks quote on learning by faith
“Some things can be learned only by faith. Our ultimate reliance must be on faith in the witness we have rec. from the HG”
BOM says “the end” at the end of book and it closes
but D&C is continuing and still not ended or complete
How do we know if something is an official teaching of the church?
Official or unofficial stmts. (ex. taking sacrament with right hand - Pres. Nelson)
–does Atonement redeem people on all the worlds God created? - OFFICIAL STMT - bc freq. discussed the infinite atonement
4 factors to evalutate if a teaching or doctrine is an “official” teaching
- The current CORRELATED PUBLICATIONS of the church
- —books, manuals, magazines published through church correlated presses (teacher manuals, bible dictionary, church magazine articles, JS papers, LDS.org topic essays) - the CUMULATIVE OFFICIAL TEACHINGS of general authorities/officers
- –what is being taught collectively, cohesively and consistently by official church leaders (gen. conf., worldwide broadcasts, reg. confidence., seminars and trainings for leaders) - the UNITED VOICE of the current 1st Pres. and 12 apostles
- –official pronouncements, proclamations and publications from current prophets, seers and revelatory (official proc., letters from 1st pres., official handbooks, books, documents, announcements with sig. of 1st pres. or 12) - the HARMONIZED scriptural canon
- –repeatedly and consistently in canonized revelations and scripture writings of prophets (Bible, BOM, D&C, PGP)
- –“formally accepted by church and members was standard works)
What are the fundamental principles of our religion?
“THE TESTIMONY OF THE APOSTLES AND PROPHETS, CONCERNING JESUS CHRIST, THAT HE DIED, WAS BURIED, AND ROSE AGAIN THE THIRD DAY, AND ASCENDED UNTO HEAVEN; AND ALL OTHER THINGS WHICH PERTAIN TO OUR RELIGION ARE ONLY APPENDAGES TO IT.” - JS
canon questions
is book of mormon perfect or does it contain mistakes?
–Moroni apologized in Ether for mistakes of man
Temple words are not found in Canon but it is scripture - just like Family Proclamation
“if they do not square with the revelations, we need not accept them” - accepted the four standard works as measuring yardsticks to measure every man’s doctrine
doctrinal outliers
doctrinal outliers exist - “no man hath seen God at any time” (1 John 4:!2)
“In bible read imp. declaration ‘in mouth of 2 or 3 witnesses shall every word be established’ - this assures God’s children that divine doctrines are confirmed by more than one scriptural witness…scriptural witness authenticate each other” - Nelson
United voice
“When 1st pres. and 12 speak with a united voice, it is the voice of the Lord for that time” - Ballard
–when revelation is doctrine for entire church…comes to only 1st pres. and 12 - prophet can rec. revelation individually that becomes doctrine when it is sustained by united voice of the 1st pres. and 12
“true principles are taught FREQUENTLY and by MANY” - not hidden in an obscure paragraph on one talk - doctrine not diff. to find - Elder Anderson
not every stmt. made by a church leader constitutes doctrine - single stmt. by single leader although well-considered opinion, not officially binding for whole church - Christofferson
Is it correlated?
Ensign
seminary study guide
BYU speeches
Books by apostles and prophets
Reliable historical sources
- PRIMARY SOURCE
- –Written or produced by a participant or observer of event
- -if not is it a secondhand account by non-participant? - CONTEMPORARY ACCOUNT
- -Recoded at or relatively near time of events
- -if not is it a later reminiscent recalled after a significant amt. of time? - INTENT AND TONE
- -Personal agenda that may bias content is mitigated. Tone is factual, fair, balanced, candid
- -why was it written? motive?
- -or is tone one-sided, defensive? - RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER SOURCES
- -dates, facts, claims are consistent with same events/content
- -compare account with other primary/secondary sources of same events - major similarities and diff? consistency? - FACTUAL INFERENCE
- -Stmts. based on relatively indisputable facts/knowledge and inference are drawn logically - avoid subjective opinions
- -is it a stmt. of factual inference or subjective opinion?
- -fact is based on relatively indisputable date
- -inference is conclusion drawn from facts
- -opinion is subjective judgement not based entirely on known facts or indisputable knowledge - more of personal viewpoint/outlook
Seeking knowledge - Ballard
–students need to learn doctrinal and historical context by study and faith accompanied by pure testimony so they can exp. a mature and lasting conversion - James did not say, “if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask Google!” - wise people do not rely on internet
LDS Newsroom - “approaching mormon doctrine”
- -Most issues stem from doctrine - best understood within a broad context and analysis
- –Not every statement by church leader constitutes doctrine - single statement is a personal, thought-out opinion, but not binding for entire church
- –First Presidency and 12 apostles seek revelation to establish consistent doctrine - resides in the 4 “Standard works”
- –Encouraged through modern revelation to focus on the family, actively participate in service, strive to find individual spiritual confirmation of truth
- –Sometimes what is argued to be conflicting doctrine is really just a misunderstanding btwn diff. terminology btwn religions
“a prophet is a prophet only the he is acting as such” - story about Brigham Young
a pattern by study and faith
study of church history begins with a question in heart and mind
- give place
- –who is telling story - how and why? - can’t make assumptions about past based on present ideas and values - don’t judge - PLANT
- -hearing, reading, seeking to understand - evidence, ideas and meaning - DISCERN
- -authenticity and reliability - author authority??
- -context (historical - setting time - other events at time) (literary context - association with other words and sources) (textual, biographical context - story fit - author’s 1st work? author’s views change over time?)
- -significances- did writing have impact, influence? cause new events? - NOURISH
- –feast, reflect, create lessons - seek to know what, why how…not y/n/dates - reap the fruit
- -ask good questions
scripture developing
- church in west period - orson Pratt adds sections and verses and 26 new sections
- expansion - lectures on faith removed an dadd official declaration 1
- worldwide - 2013 minor cleanups and what we use today
what is scripture?
Lord defines it in D&C 68:4 - anytime someone speaks by the HG - means scripture…but is it canon??
canon - bible dictionary - word of greek origin meaning “a rod for testing straightness” - now used to authorize sacred books by true believers in Christ - revelation measured against sacred works
–patriarchal blessing and gen. conf. is scripture but not canon
Venn diagram
–with above definitions - but can be both