“Assumptions” or Inspiration—Which?

by Dennis B. Horne

 

In 1973 Elder Bruce R. McConkie gave a major devotional address at BYU that he titled, “Agency or Inspiration—Which?” I have borrowed the gist of that talk title and two paragraphs from it to make a point and ask some questions that some might find worth pondering.

 

The author of a chapter in a recently published (free) ebook uses the word “assumptions” frequently, almost obsessively, when describing how certain past apostolic Church leaders interpreted and taught the scriptures.[1]

 

He gave academic names to categories of these alleged assumptions. The ebook itself uses the word “assumption[s]” 87 times and the chapter noticed here uses it some 60 of those; mostly applying it to certain teachings of Pres. Joseph Fielding Smith and Elder McConkie. Some examples follow:

Apostolic Comment on the 1911 BYU Modernism-Evolution Concern, and Three Associated Dream-Visions

 

by Dennis B. Horne

1911 saw the culmination of a grave problem at Brigham Young University between a few highly educated faculty pushing scientific and theological theories, and Church leaders and school administrators seeking stable gospel orthodoxy for students. A well-written overview of this episode, which really stretched from 1909 to early 1911, is found in Ernest L. Wilkinson, ed., Brigham Young University: The First One Hundred Years (Provo, Utah: Brigham Young University Press, 1975), 4 vols, 1:412-435. The episode is not found in Saints, vol. 3, though mention of the Scopes Monkey trial is.

What is shared below are comments from Apostles who dealt with the BYU circumstances by formal committee assignment or later referred to it (plus a few dream-vision accounts of related interest).

Apostolic Reading (Correlation) Committee Comments on Elder B. H. Roberts’s Formerly Unpublished Book "The Truth, the Way, the Life"

 

Compiled and Arranged by Dennis B. Horne

The following are comments given by a reading committee made up of members of the Quorum of the Twelve in 1929, regarding questionable doctrinal assertions in Elder B. H. Roberts’s  book, The Truth, The Way, The Life.  These comments, made by the committee in their official responses to their reading of Elder Roberts’s book, are an exceptional example of the work done by these earlier Church reading committees.  Because Elder Roberts would not edit his book in conformity with their wishes, it was not published as originally planned by the Church and desired by Elder Roberts. Then, in the early 1990s, a group of scholars at Brigham Young University reviewed the recently made-available work and its history, and published it with their commentary and the reading committee’s comments as well.  Two papers were prepared by the reading committee, one titled, “Doctrinal points questioned by the Committee which read the Manuscript of Elder B. H. Roberts, entitled—The Truth, The Way, The Life.” and the other “List of Points on Doctrine in Question by the Committee in Relation to B.H. Robert’s Ms.” There were also notes included of a report made by the chairman of the committee, George Albert Smith, to the Quorum President, Rudger Clawson. The committee was made up of George Albert Smith, Joseph Fielding Smith, David O. McKay, Stephen L Richards, and Melvin J. Ballard. For a complete review of this committee’s work, see B. H. Roberts, The Truth, The Way, The Life: An Elementary Treatise on Theology, John W. Welch, ed. (Provo, Utah: BYU Studies, 1994). The following selected items are taken from this publication, the reading committee’s comments on Roberts’s statements coming from the footnotes. Page numbers are given after each excerpt. (See also James B. Allen, “The Story of The Truth, The Way, The Life” BYU Studies 33, no. 4 [1993], 691-741.)[1]

Elder Mark E. Petersen on the Creator/Creation and the “Race of God”

 

by Dennis B. Horne 

[Editorial note: The information in this post is an overview of Elder Mark E. Petersen’s (and others’) teachings and experience and may not necessarily represent official Church understanding.] 

            “The Lord counsels us to learn from all the best books, as you know” Elder Mark E. Petersen stated to a gathering of church religious educators. “‘The glory of God is intelligence,’ and the glory of man is intelligence. We must learn. We must acquire more knowledge. We must apply that knowledge. We must develop wisdom with that knowledge. If we are eventually to become perfect as God is perfect, then our learning must be on and on continuously. We must have an almost insatiable desire for more knowledge and more learning. The big thing about it, though, is that we must make sure that our knowledge is good knowledge, that it is uplifting knowledge, that we get fact and not theory. We must have the facts. If we learn mistaken notions, we got off on a tangent. It is only the truth that keeps us on the track, and there we must be highly selective in the kinds of books we read and in the kinds of instructions we accept.”[1]

Elder Bruce R. McConkie’s Alternative to Evolution

by Dennis B. Horne 

One could wonder if Elder McConkie might have preferred another stronger title—“The Lord’s Revealed Alternative to the False Theory of Evolution”—for such is how he viewed it. In an Ensign article, he wrote: “The Lord expects us to believe and understand the true doctrine of the Creation—the creation of this earth, of man, and of all forms of life. Indeed, as we shall see, an understanding of the doctrine of creation is essential to salvation. Unless and until we gain a true view of the creation of all things we cannot hope to gain that fulness of eternal reward which otherwise would be ours.”[1]

As he neared the closing years of his life and ministry as an Apostle of the Lord, the three subjects he seemed to give the most attention to in his writings and talks were the creation, the fall, and the atonement of Jesus Christ—what he called “the three pillars of eternity.”

A Little-Known Slice of Church History: Marion G. Romney’s Teachings about the Origin and Mission of Adam

 

by Dennis B. Horne

 Some Introductory Life History

President Marion G. Romney (1897-1988) is little-known in the contemporary Church, so an introduction is in order, including a few special highlights. Born in Mexico, in the Colonia Juarez colony, he grew up in a tight-nit Latter-day Saint community. With the 1912 Mexican revolution his family was forced to leave, eventually ending up in Oakley, Idaho, where he attended Rick’s College for two years. He served a mission to Australia, where his testimony solidified. Two motivating experiences should be mentioned.

Interesting Items from the George F. Richards journal published by the Church Historian’s Press

 

Compiled by Dennis B. Horne

 

Note: The below are excerpts from the journal of George F. Richards, member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (and also President of that Quorum), from the time of his call to the end of what the CHP has so far posted. These are selections that I find interesting for a variety of reasons, as will become apparent to readers. I have provided links at the end of entries for those who wish to read the originals.