 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||
|
 |
Guide Home > Early LDS History > Changes in Historical Record
Additional TopicsThe following are additional topic areas related to Changes in Historical Record. If there is a bracket number after the topic, that number indicates how many actual articles there are related to that subject. If the link for the topic is not live, it simply means the topic is a 'planned area' for future growth. Ensign ArticlesThese articles cited below provide information on the topic of this page. The Ensign is one of the official publications of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. When you click on one of the article links below, you are whisked to the article found in the archives of the Church's Web site. Dean C. Jessee, "I have heard that Joseph Smith didn't actually write his history--that it was prepared by clerks under his direction. If so, how reliable is it?," Ensign, July 1985, 15. Other ResourcesThe resources listed below are related items available on the Web that should be of interest. These links are to information not located on the FAIR Web site. Dean C. Jesse, "Priceless Words and Fallible Memories: Joseph Smith as Seen in the Effort to Preserve His Discourses," BYU Studies, Vol. 31:2 (1991) Speaking of Joseph Smith, the Lord told an ancient prophet, "I will not loose his tongue, that he shall speak much, for I will not make him mighty in speaking." As if in fulfillment, some who heard Joseph noted that he was "not unusually talented for a Speaker," nor did he appear to be "an educated man." Yet many also complimented the energy, fervor, and meekness of his speech. Because of Joseph's prominence in introducing a new dispensation of the gospel, we might assume that clerks followed the Prophet and recorded everything he said. In reality, the records do not measure up to the stature of the life they chronicle, and probably not more than one in ten of Joseph Smith's discourses were recorded. And the sharp outlines of the Prophet still lie hidden beneath the personalities of clerks, editors, and ghostwriters. Using the body of work related to Joseph Smith requires a studious effort to understand its nature and fully appreciate its content. Robert L. Millet, "Joseph Smith and Modern Mormonism: Orthodoxy, Neoorthodoxy, Tension. and Tradition," BYU Studies, Vol. 29:3 (1989) Much has been said in recent years about the development and “evolution” of thought and practice in Mormonism. Of particular interest to some is what is perceived to be a “reconstruction of Mormon doctrine,” a movement on the part of the Church away from a traditional view of God, man, and salvation, toward a radical “progressive theology." O. Kendall White has described what he calls a type of “Mormon neoorthodoxy.” From White’s perspective, Mormonism emerged in the midst of Restorationism, with a theology not terribly unlike other Protestant faiths of the day. White believes, however, that in time Joseph Smith and the Mormons reached beyond their primitivist roots and developed into a progressive and expansive faith characterized by such beliefs as a finite God, the innate goodness of man, and exaltation by works. But with the expansion of the Church in the modern world, White proposes that a “crisis” in faith has taken place in the lives of many modern Mormons, particularly as they have engaged a growing secularization, more liberal ethical systems, accelerated efforts of anti-Mormons, or revisionist explanations for foundational events of Mormonism. He suggests that a form of “Mormon neoorthodoxy” has begun to develop—an attempt to return to a tighter “redemptive” theological system, based primarily upon a belief in the sovereignty of God, the moral depravity of man, and salvation by grace. Because Joseph Smith’s progressive brand of Mormonism ingeniously linked the other-worldly with the here and now—because it pointed man in a positive and lifting direction, away from the pessimistic worldview of traditional Protestantism—White fears that “few things portend a more ominous future” for the Church than the growing trend toward a redemptive theology.
|
|
FAIR is not owned, controlled by or affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. All research and opinions provided on this site are the sole responsibility of FAIR, and should not be interpreted as official statements of LDS doctrine, belief or practice. If you like what FAIR does and you agree with our mission, we invite you to support FAIR in any way you are able. You can make a donation, or visit our Membership page for additional support ideas. FAIR only succeeds through the efforts of our gracious volunteers.
|
|
Welcome |
Topical Guide |
FAIR Publications |
Join & Support FAIR |
Message Boards
Last Updated
April 27, 2008
You can send comments/suggestions using our contact page. |
