LDS Temples

December 18, 2008 in Temple by Greg | 4 comments

This post – LDS Temples – is all about finding information about ancient and modern temples. A few weeks ago I saw Jeff Lindsay’s post The Mormon Temple Ceremony: What is the Most Helpful Thing for Members to Know Before They Go?, and thought it would be a good idea to create a list of links to blogs and sites that provide information not only about LDS temples, but temples in every age of the world.

Sealing Room in the Manti LDS Temple This list will change over time so feel free to bookmark this page and if you have any suggestions and/or good sources of information on this topic, please leave a comment and we’ll add new sites to the list of links below:

  • Heavenly Ascents – David J. Larsen’s illuminating and scholarly approach to the temple roots of early Christian beliefs.
  • The House of the Lord – Authoritative – albeit few – talks about the temple maintained by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
  • LDS Church Temples – A site which contains up-to-date information about all LDS Temples – those operating and under construction – by Rick Satterfield.
  • LDS Temples – About.com’s resource center maintained by the ever capable Rachel Woods.
  • Mormon Monastery – A quiet place to study and learn about temples which is run by a humble monk.
  • Mormon Mysticism – A blog by David Littlefield about “Mormonism, the Temple, Mormon Mysticism, Jewish Mysticism, and the meaning of life.”
  • Mormon Temple Ceremony – Answers to basic questions about LDS teachings concerning the temple.
  • Mormon Temple Origins – Jeff Lindsay’s lengthy treatise and links to other sources of information about the apparent origins of Mormon temple worship.
  • Mormon Temples – A site maintained by Light Planet with links to additional sources of information about the rites of the temple.
  • Ritmeyer Archaeological Design – Leen Ritmeyer’s blog about The Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
  • The Temple Institute – A Jewish site dedicated to “rekindle the flame of the Holy Temple in the hearts of mankind through education” and to rebuild the “Holy Temple of G-d on Mount Moriah in Jerusalem.”
  • Temple Studies Group – A site created by Margaret Barker and friends “to convene symposia on Temple themes.”
  • Temple Study – Bryce Haymond’s spectacular blog dedicated to LDS scholar Dr. Hugh W. Nibley who seemed to have a special calling to teach us about the temple.
  • Things Unutterable – William J. Hamblin’s occasional musings on ancient temples, celestial ascent and deification.

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    LDS Temples Backgrounder

    As mentioned in a previous post, the basis of every temple ordinance and covenant is the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Russell M. Nelson stated:

    The temple is the house of the Lord. The basis for every temple ordinance and covenant—the heart of the plan of salvation—is the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Every activity, every lesson, all we do in the Church, point to the Lord and His holy house. Our efforts to proclaim the gospel, perfect the Saints, and redeem the dead all lead to the temple. Each holy temple stands as a symbol of our membership in the Church, as a sign of our faith in life after death, and as a sacred step toward eternal glory for us and our families.1

    Dr. Hugh W. Nibley once wrote:

    It is an eloquent commentary on the bankruptcy of the modern mind, as Giorgio de Santillana points out, that we can find so little purpose or meaning in the magnificent and peculiar structures erected by the ancients with such immense skill and obvious zeal and dedication. These great edifices are found throughout the entire world and seem to represent a common tradition; and if they do, then we have surely lost our way.2

    The following video helps explain why Mormons build temples.

    YouTube Preview Image

    Hopefully, this page - and the information listed under the temple endowment, temple, and endowment tags - can act as a resource for those searching for information about LDS Temples.

    Sources:

    1. Nelson, Russell M. “Personal Preparation for Temple Blessings”. May 2001. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 16 December 2008.↩
    2. Nibley, Hugh W. “Ancient Temples: What Do They Signify?”. September 1972. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 18 December 2008. For a review of this article, see Nibley on Book of Mormon Geography.↩

    Tags: Giorgio de Santillana, Hugh W. Nibley, Jesus Christ, Margaret Barker, Temple, William J. Hamblin

    1. SethNo Gravatar on December 19, 2008 at 8:34 am

      Wonderful article on the temple. I think that it is difficult to do really well, but you did a great job at being sensitive and explanatory. You are also one of the few bloggers that cites their sources. I like that a lot. Information is only as good as how easy it is for others to find. Again, great job on a wonderful article about a sacred topic.
      http://yesiammormon.blogspot.com

    2. GregNo Gravatar on December 19, 2008 at 10:31 am

      Thanks for your comments Seth. They’re appreciated. And have a wonderful Christmas! I look forward to seeing how you build out your new blog too. It looks promising.

    3. amaNo Gravatar on January 27, 2009 at 9:09 pm

      Very nice! Thanks for all the references. This would have been very good to have before going through the temple.

    4. GregNo Gravatar on January 28, 2009 at 8:07 am

      Yes, and I believe very useful after going through the temple as well.