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Partakers of the Divine Nature

January 4, 2009 in Religion by Greg | No comments

Partakers of the divine nature is a phrase from the second epistle of Peter in the New Testament in which is recorded:

Divine Nature - The Creation of Adam by Michaelangelo Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. (2 Peter 1:1-4; emphasis added).

A number of years ago, while studying this apparent state of being, I came across this story in the Improvement Era:

On May 5, 1961, Mr. John Cook, a newspaper feature writer, was granted an interview with President McKay. Toward the close of the interview he said that he hoped the President wouldn’t mind if he asked a question, and said that the President wouldn’t need to answer the question if he felt that he shouldn’t but for his own information, not for publication, he would like to know if President McKay had ever seen the Savior.

President McKay answered that he had not, but that he had heard his voice, many times, and that he had felt his presence and his influence. He then told about Peter (saying that he was his favorite among the apostles, even more so than Paul with all his education and learning – that Peter was a rough simple man, but sincere) and he told how Peter had spoken of being partakers of the divine spirit, of a divine nature, and explained what he felt that to mean.

Then he told how some evidences were stronger even than that of sight, and recalled the occasion when the Savior appeared to his disciples and told Thomas who had doubted, “Reach hither thy finger and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side; and be not faithless but believing.” And then President McKay said that he liked to believe Thomas did not actually look up, but knelt at the Savior’s feet and said unto him, “My Lord and my God.” And then President McKay repeated the words of the Master, “Because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed; blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” President McKay then smiled and said, “That is quite a testimony I have given you. I do not know when I have given this before.”

Mr. Cook was visibly moved, and after leaving the office said it had been the greatest experience of his life, that President McKay was like no other man he had ever seen or heard. He was so greatly moved that tears were in his eyes as he left President McKay.1

I was deeply humbled to have come across this experience.

Sources:

  1. McKay, David O. Improvement Era. (September 1963): 785-786.↩

Hebrews – To Ascend the Holy Mount

December 30, 2008 in Religion by Greg | No comments

Hebrews – To Ascend the Holy Mount is an extract of a chapter from Temples of the Ancient World: Ritual and Symbolism.1 This past weekend, Carrie and I had the opportunity to meet with a small group of people to renew friendships and remind us of the ties that bind people together. As I reflected upon that experience, I was reminded of this testimony:

Mount Sinai Hebrews is, to use Paul’s2 words, “strong meat” (Hebrews 5:14). Paul wants to preach strong meat, but he addresses members who will not digest it (see Hebrews 5:12). Nevertheless, he broaches doctrines that deal with the upper reaches of spiritual experience and Melchizedek Priesthood temple ordinances. My purpose will be to identify several passages that have relevance to temple ordinances. Paul’s letter might be divided into two main ideas: the promise of the temple and the price exacted to obtain the promise. At several points I will add the Prophet Joseph Smith’s commentary, without which much of the temple significance of the apostle’s remarks in Hebrews would elude us.

The Promise

Paul urges the Hebrews, “Let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance…and of faith” (Hebrews 6:1–2; italics added). They had tarried too long in the foothills of spiritual experience. Having “tasted of the heavenly gift, …the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come” (Hebrews 6:4–6), they could no longer delay resuming the climb lest they lose the promise. Paul warns, “Be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit [or, are inheriting] the promises” (Hebrews 6:12).

The promise that Paul refers to repeatedly is that same promise explained in Doctrine and Covenants 88:68–69: “Therefore, sanctify yourselves that your minds become single to God, and the days will come that you shall see him; for he will unveil his face unto you, and it shall be in his own time, and in his own way, and according to his own will. Remember the great and last promise which I have made unto you” (italics added). Paul uses several different terms in Hebrews for the experiences associated with this promise: for example, obtaining a good report (11:39), entering into the Lord’s rest (4:3, 10), going on to perfection (6:1), entering into the holiest (10:19), being made a high priest forever (7:17), knowing the Lord (8:11; D&C 84:98), pleasing God (Hebrews 11:5), obtaining a witness of being righteous (11:4), and having the law written in the heart (8:10; 10:16; Jeremiah 31:31–34). He speaks of boldly pursuing the fulfillment of the promise: Grasp, he says, the hope that is set before you, which enters behind the veil, where Jesus, as a forerunner, has already entered (see Hebrews 6:18–20, NIV).

Paul compares these Israelites to their ancestors of twelve hundred years earlier. He refers to the early Israelites’ rejection of God’s invitation to enter into his rest as the “provocation”; that is, Israel provoked God by refusing to enter his presence. Paul quotes from Psalm 95:8–11: “Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said…they have not known my ways. So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest” (Hebrews 3:8–11; italics added).

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  1. Thomas, M. Catherine. Temples of the Ancient World: Ritual and Symbolism. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book and the Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1994. Please be aware I have omitted one or two footnotes and have inserted links where appropriate - Ed.↩
  2. The basic premise in this paper is that the apostle Paul is the author of Hebrews, a fact that the Prophet Joseph Smith acknowledged on several occasions.↩

Brother of Jared at the Veil

December 28, 2008 in Religion by Greg | 10 comments

The Brother of Jared at the Veil is an extract of a chapter from the Selected Writings of M. Catherine Thomas. The story of the brother of Jared is found in the book of Ether in the Book of Mormon. Dr. Thomas begins the story this way:

The Brother of Jared Sees the Lord's Finger Pierce the Veil and Touch the Molten Stones The temple is the narrow channel through which one must pass to reenter the Lord’s presence. A mighty power pulls us through that channel, and it is the sealing power of the at-one-ment of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Savior’s at-one-ment is another word for the sealing power. By the power of the at-one-ment, the Lord draws and seals his children to himself in the holy temples.

In scripture we can study how the ancient great ones were drawn through that narrow channel to find their heart’s desire: we find, for example, Adam, cast out, bereft of his Lord’s presence, searching relentlessly in the lonely world until he finds the keys to that passage to the Lord. Abraham searches for his priesthood privileges (see Abraham 1:1) and after a diligent quest exclaims, “Thy servant has sought thee earnestly; now I have found thee” (Abraham 2:12). Moses on Horeb, Lehi at the tree, Nephi on the mountain top—all these men conducted that search which is outlined and empowered in the temple endowment, gradually increasing the hold, the seal, between themselves and their Lord.

This was the very search for which they were put on earth: to rend the veil of unbelief, to yield to the pull of the Savior’s sealing power, to stand in the Lord’s presence, encircled about in the arms of his love (see D&C 6:20; 2 Nephi 1:15). This then is the temple endowment: having been cast out, to search diligently according to the revealed path, and at last to be clasped in the arms of Jesus (see Mormon 5:11).

In particular, I wish to focus briefly on some of the temple elements in the experience of the brother of Jared: (1) the tower of Babel, (2) his period of probation, (3) his experience at the cloud-veil, and (4) some observations on faith and knowledge as revealed in the brother of Jared’s search for the heavenly gift. One can see that these four elements follow a temple pattern: a false religion is offered; a period of probation or trial of faith is provided; and upon obedience, light and knowledge are granted.1

Following “the brother of Jared’s rejection of the spiritual chaos at the tower of Babel” and the “successful navigation of their tests”, these experiences “brought the brother of Jared to the need for more light and thus to the mount Shelem” (see Ether 2 & 3). She continues:

The word shelem has three main Hebrew consonants forming a root word that spans a wide spectrum of meanings: peace, tranquility, contentment, safety, completeness, being sound, finished, full, or perfect. Shelem (and shalom) signify peace with God, especially in the covenant relationship. It also connotes submission to God, which we see in the Arabic words muslim and islam. In particular, shelem has reference to the peace offering of the law of sacrifice, which corresponds to the seeking of fellowship with God,2 and thereby has a relationship to the meanings of the at-one-ment; that is, shelem, fellowship, sealing, and at-one-ment have an obvious relationship. When the brother of Jared carried the stones in his hands to the top of the mount, whether or not a temple peace offering is implied, he sought a closer fellowship or at-one-ment with the Lord. Therefore, the mount is called shelem because of its exceeding height (see Ether 3:1), not because shelem means great height, but rather that it suggests a place that is suitably high for temple activity.

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  1. Thomas, M. Catherine. Selected Writings of M. Catherine Thomas. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book and the Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 2000. 388-397.↩
  2. Francis Brown, S. R. Driver, Charles A. Briggs. The New Brown, Driver, and Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Boston: Houghton, Mifflin and Co., 1907. 1022-24; also LDS Bible Dictionary, s.v. “Sacrifices,” 767.↩

A Gift Worthy of the Savior

December 25, 2008 in Religion by Greg | No comments

This year, Carrie started a new Christmas tradition in our family – a gift worthy of the Savior. Tonight, after a busy day of making French breakfast puffs (a family tradition) and watching with joy as Andrew opened and played with some wonderful presents, we sat down and read the account of the Savior’s birth in the gospel of Luke.

A-Light-to-the-Gentiles-by-Greg-Olsen Although Andrew was getting near that sugar-induced state of euphoria called sleep, Carrie then shared with us this new tradition. It is modeled after the following story in the December 1978 Ensign:

One of our most spiritual family home evenings was held at Christmas time two years ago. We began with a lesson on the birth of Christ and talked about the gifts he had given us, then discussed some of the gifts we could give him. We decided that we would each give a Christmas gift to Jesus, an acknowledgement of our appreciation for his gifts to us of repentance, forgiveness, and the Atonement. Our gifts would be a promise to reach some specific self-improvement goal.

Earlier that day I had purchased some special little boxes, and I gave one to each family member. Each wrote down his gift—his goal—on a piece of paper, put it in the box, gift-wrapped it, and placed it under the tree.

On Christmas Eve we each opened our own box and read aloud to the rest of the family our gift for the Savior. I promised to fast more faithfully, and I have kept that promise; my husband, Michael, resolved to read the scriptures; our twelve-year-old would say his prayers morning and night; our nine-year-old would try to stop fighting with her brother and sisters; and our five-year-old would help her mother more.

They were not spectacular gifts, but they were sincerely and lovingly offered. We all benefitted during the next year from that special home evening.1

Over the years, I’ve often pondered what I could give that would be worthy of my Savior. As I’ve thought about it, I’ve come to the conclusion that the only gift I can give him is by doing those things he has asked me to do. Some scriptures come to mind:

And now, my beloved brethren, I would that ye should come unto Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel, and partake of his salvation, and the power of his redemption. Yea, come unto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the end; and as the Lord liveth ye will be saved. (Omni 1:26).

O God, Aaron hath told me that there is a God; and if there is a God, and if thou art God, wilt thou make thyself known unto me, and I will give away all my sins to know thee, and that I may be raised from the dead, and be saved at the last day. (Alma 22:18).

We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas day today and that you have many happy days ahead!

Sources:

  1. Burrows, Claudia. “Our Gifts for the Savior”. December 1978. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 25 December 2008.↩

Temple Experiences

December 23, 2008 in Religion by Greg | No comments

This morning I happened across a post about Karen R. Merkley’s temple experiences that I thought were powerful. Here is what she shared with me:

One night in the temple, I pondered the changes occurring in some of my loved ones lives. Then another thought attached itself to the previous one like a precious string of pearls forming a necklace. The gems were these impressions: Just as your ancestors prepared the way for you to accept the gospel of Jesus Christ by prompting you along the way, you prepared the way for them to receive it fully through family history and temple ordinances. They, in turn, have come back in great beauty and force to teach, instruct, guide our extended families.

Draper Utah Temple

And then came the additional thought: In much the same way, but on a much more significant scale, the Savior prepared the way for us to receive the gospel, and we now have the opportunity to prepare the way for Him through missionary, family history, and temple work–sealing together the human family in preparation for His Second Coming. This pattern is stunning to me.

And these impressions have changed my life.

I have since come to see that family history is synonymous with family healing. The waters of the temple are the waters of life. Those who are faithful are called to work with the Savior in being “repairers of the breach”–or the gaps in the human family caused by sin and error (Isaiah 58:11-12). I testify that we can do this–we can help heal the human family through this glorious work made possible through Christ’s work of proxy for us–his atoning sacrifice. His endowment prepares us for ours and our provision of endowments for others will prepare us to receive the Second Endowment–to see the face of the Lord. It’s better than lobster tail. It’s the fruit off the tree of life itself – white, delicious, sweeter than any other – of that, I bear witness.1

In another post, Karen wrote:

Some wonder about the symbolic nature of the temple ceremony. Those outside the Church often mystify what isn’t mysterious, and sensationalize what isn’t sensational in the worldly way. We learn symbolically. Just as baptism is symbolic of our death to our old selves and a rebirth to a new life in Christ, and as well, of Christ’s resurrection, so, too, is the endowment symbolic of our commitments and our progression as we learn how to enter the Lord’s presence in an instructional venue.

I like what Mormon educator, Truman Madsen, says about the nature of ordinances. Truman acknowledges the blend of thought and feeling that occur in the temple, and says he wishes we had a word for it, like “compre-feel.” In the ordinances, “a symphonic combination of all aspects of the self occurs” (The Highest in Us, p. 39). Ordinances trigger spiritual memories and enable us, endow us with power to carry on here tapping into a reservoir of strength and knowledge that has come with us here and which the Savior has provided through his atoning sacrifice for our sins. This is not a matter of magical mysticism but of the Master’s manner of teaching us in His house.

I love the temple. I recently found one expression of my feelings about the temple ordinances in the scriptures: “More to be desired are they than gold, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb” (Psalms 19:10).

This is only a glimpse into what a temple is. There is much more to come. And there is much that can only be experienced first-hand.2

Sources:

  1. Merkley, Karen R. “Mormon Woman Shares Conversion to LDS Faith”. 22 December 2008. Mormon Bloggers. 23 December 2008.↩
  2. Merkley, Karen R. “Temple Ceremony”. 7 May 2008. Mormon Bloggers. 23 December 2008.↩

Kirtland Temple Endowment – End of Week

December 20, 2008 in Religion by Greg | No comments

The “Kirtland Temple Endowment – End of Week” is the third in a three-part series of articles about the dedication of the Kirtland Temple in 1836. (See Kirtland Temple Endowment – Beginning of Week and Kirtland Temple Endowment – Mid-Week for the other posts in this series.)

The purpose of this series - and the information listed under the temple endowment, temple, and endowment tags – is to provide online reference material about the temple that is difficult to find. Additional sources of information about temples – ancient and modern - can be found at LDS Temples.

Waiting for the Fulfillment of the Promise

On Wednesday, March 30th, the Prophet Joseph Smith declared:

. . . that the time that we were required to tarry in Kirtland to be endowed, would be fulfilled in a few days, and then the Elders would go forth, and each must stand for himself, as it was not necessary for them to be sent out, two by two, as in former times, but to go in all meekness, in sobriety, and preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified; not to contend with others on account of their faith, or systems of religion, but pursue a steady course.1

Kirtland Temple Endowment – End of Week

The following text is the record of the Kirtland Temple endowment as found in the History of the Church:

Sunday, 3.–Attended meeting in the Lord’s House, and assisted the other Presidents of the Church in seating the congregation, and then became an attentive listener to the preaching from the stand. Thomas B. Marsh and David W. Patten spoke in the forenoon to an attentive audience of about one thousand persons. In the afternoon, I assisted the other Presidents in distributing the Lord’s Supper to the Church, receiving it from the Twelve, whose privilege it was to officiate at the sacred desk this day. After having performed this service to my brethren, I retired to the pulpit, the veils being dropped, and bowed myself, with Oliver Cowdery, in solemn and silent prayer. After rising from prayer, the following vision was opened to both of us—2

Christ Appears in the Kirtland Temple Vision Manifested to Joseph the Seer and Oliver Cowdery. 1. The veil was taken from our minds, and the eyes of our understanding were opened. 2. We saw the Lord standing upon the breastwork of the pulpit, before us, and under His feet was a paved work of pure gold in color like amber. 3. His eyes were as a flame of fire, the hair of His head was white like the pure snow, His countenance shone above the brightness of the sun, and His voice was as the sound of the rushing of great waters, even the voice of Jehovah, saying—4. I am the first and the last, I am He who liveth, I am He who was slain, I am your advocate with the Father. 5. Behold, your sins are forgiven you, you are clean before me, therefore lift up your heads and rejoice. 6. Let the hearts of your brethren rejoice, and let the hearts of all my people rejoice, who have, with their might, built this house to my name. 7. For behold, I have accepted this house, and my name shall be here, and I will manifest myself to my people in mercy in this House. 8. Yea, I will appear unto my servants, and speak unto them with mine own voice, if my people will keep my commandments, and do not pollute this holy house. 9. Yea the hearts of thousands and tens of thousands shall greatly rejoice in consequence of the blessings which shall be poured out, and the endowment with which my servants have been endowed in this house; 10. And the fame of this house shall spread to foreign lands, and this is the beginning of the blessing which shall be poured out upon the heads of my people. Even so. Amen. 11. After this vision closed, the heavens were again opened unto us, and Moses appeared before us, and committed unto us the keys of the gathering of Israel from the four parts of the earth, and the leading of the Ten Tribes from the land of the north. 12. After this, Elias appeared, and committed the dispensation of the Gospel of Abraham, saying, that in us, and our seed, all generations after us should be blessed. 13. After this vision had closed, another great and glorious vision burst upon us, for Elijah the Prophet, who was taken to heaven without tasting death, stood before us, and said—14. Behold, the time has fully come, which was spoken of by the mouth of Malachi, testifying that he [Elijah] should be sent before the great and dreadful day of the Lord come. 15. To turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers, lest the whole earth be smitten with a curse. 16. Therefore the keys of this dispensation are committed into your hands, and by this ye may know that the great and dreadful day of the Lord is near, even at the doors.

Sources:

  1. See Kirtland Temple Endowment – Mid-Week.↩
  2. Roberts, Brigham H., ed. History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1932–512. 2:435-436.↩

LDS Temples

December 18, 2008 in Religion by Greg | 2 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

    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.↩

    Scriptural Meaning of the Word Endowed

    December 17, 2008 in Religion by Greg | 4 comments

    I found insightful John W. Welch‘s discussion of the scriptural meaning of the word endowed found in a 1993 Ensign article1:

    Hebrew Scriptures What is the meaning of the word endued or endowed? In Luke 24:49, shortly after his resurrection, Jesus told his Apostles, “I send the promise of my Father upon you,” but they were to remain in Jerusalem, “until ye be endued with power from on high.” (Emphasis added; see also Acts 1:4–5, 8.) The Greek word in the text is enduo.

    Webster’s American Dictionary of the English Language (published in 1828) noted that the English word endue (or indue) “coincides nearly in signification with endow, that is, to put on, to furnish, … to put on something; to invest; to clothe.” The Compact Edition of the Oxford English Dictionary notes that endue means “to put on as a garment; to clothe or cover.”2 Indeed, Joseph Smith’s diary uses the spellings endument and endowment interchangeably, as when he prayed in December 1835 that all the elders might “receive an endument, in thy house.”3

    The Greek word enduo has two main meanings. The first is “to dress, to clothe someone,” or “to clothe oneself in, to put on.” Second, the word can also be used figuratively, meaning to take on “characteristics, virtues, intentions.”4

    Thus, the endowment is a dressing not in ordinary clothes, but “with power from on high” (Luke 24:49) and in the virtues and intentions of God. It involves the opportunity to “put on (enedusasthe) Christ” (Galatians 3:27), so that “this mortal [can] put on (endusasthai) immortality.” (1 Corinthians 15:53.) It is possible to see both literal and figurative significance in the word enduo in connection with the desire of the pure in heart to be encircled in the robes of God’s righteousness.

    Sources:

    1. Welch, John W. “New Testament Word Studies”. April 1993. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 17 December 2008.↩
    2. “Endue”. The Compact Edition of the Oxford English Dictionary. 2 Vols. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1971. 1:863.↩
    3. Jessee, Dean C. Ed. The Personal Writings of Joseph Smith. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1984. 105.↩
    4. Bauer et al. Greek-English Lexicon. 263.↩

    Are Mormons Christians?

    November 26, 2008 in Religion by Greg | 2 comments

    “Are Mormons Christians?” has become a common question over the last number of years. In writing this entry, I hope to take a different approach in comparison to the many sources of information which are available on this subject1, and instead focus on Elder Dallin H. Oaks’ talk on Easter Sunday over 23 years ago.2

    Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane by Hoffmann Obviously, “Are Mormons Christians?” is a very personal subject and goes to the core of my belief as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As I reviewed some of the material, I noticed there are widely divergent views with one or more groups attempting to define what it means to be a Christian. From a Latter-day Saint or Mormon perspective, I offer the following as my understanding of what it means to be a Christian or follower of Christ.

    Taking Upon Us the Name of Christ and Becoming a Christian

    In “Taking Upon Us the Name of Christ”, Elder Oaks referred to the “sacrament of the Lord’s supper, which many call communion”. As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we are commanded to partake of the sacrament each week. (D&C 59:9, 12). When we partake of the bread and water - which represents the body and blood of Christ (Mark 14:22-14) - we signify to our Heavenly Father that we are “willing to take upon [us] the name of thy Son, and always remember him and keep his commandments which he has given [us].” (D&C 20:77; Moroni 4:3).

    Elder Oaks then stated:

    Our witness that we are willing to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ has several different meanings. Some of these meanings are obvious, and well within the understanding of our children. Others are only evident to those who have searched the scriptures and pondered the wonders of eternal life.

    In particular, Elder Oaks mentioned three obvious meanings of the sacrament of the Lord’s supper or communion:

    1. We renew our covenant made at baptism when we signified to the Church that we had truly repented of our sins, expressed our willingness to take upon ourselves the name of Christ, and committed to serve him to the end. (D&C 20:37; see also 2 Nephi 31:13; Moroni 6:3).
    2. We took upon ourselves the name of Christ by becoming members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which Church bears his name. (D&C 115:4; 3 Nephi 27:7–8). We became members of the “household of God” (Ephesians 2:19) and are called “the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters; for behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you.” (Mosiah 5:7; see also Alma 5:14; Alma 36:23–26). We also publicly proclaim our belief in Christ by following his example and seek to “sanctify the Lord God in [our] hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh [us] a reason of the hope that is in [us].” (1 Peter 3:15).
    3. The third meaning according to Elder Oaks “appeals to the understanding of those mature enough to know that a follower of Christ is obligated to serve him. Many scriptural references to the name of the Lord seem to be references to the work of his kingdom. Thus, when Peter and the other Apostles were beaten, they rejoiced ‘that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.’ (Acts 5:41). Paul wrote certain members who had ministered to the Saints that the Lord would not forget the labor of love they had ’shewed toward his name.’ (Hebrews 6:10). According to this meaning, by witnessing our willingness to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ, we signify our willingness to do the work of his kingdom.”

    5.1.2 The Name of Christ and the Temple

    Elder Oaks then proceeded and said:

    There are other meanings as well, deeper meanings that the more mature members of the Church should understand and ponder as he or she partakes of the sacrament.

    It is significant that when we partake of the sacrament we do not witness that we take upon us the name of Jesus Christ. We witness that we are willing to do so. (See D&C 20:77). The fact that we only witness to our willingness suggests that something else must happen before we actually take that sacred name upon us in the most important sense.

    What future event or events could this covenant contemplate? The scriptures suggest two sacred possibilities, one concerning the authority of God, especially as exercised in the temples, and the other—closely related—concerning exaltation in the celestial kingdom.

    The name of God is sacred. The Lord’s Prayer begins with the words, “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.” (Matthew 6:9.) From Sinai came the commandment, “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.” (Exodus 20:7, Deuteronomy 5:11). Latter-day revelation equates this with using the name of God without authority. “Let all men beware how they take my name in their lips,” the Lord declares in a modern revelation, for “many there be who . . . use the name of the Lord, and use it in vain, having not authority.” (D&C 63:61–62).

    Elder Oaks then went on to point out the many scriptures which “refer to ‘the name of Jesus Christ’ are obviously references to the authority of the Savior. This was surely the meaning conveyed when the seventy reported to Jesus that ‘even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.’” (Luke 10:17). He also stated the following:

    By way of further illustration, the Old Testament contains scores of references to the name of the Lord in a context where it clearly means the authority of the Lord. Most of these references have to do with the temple.

    When the children of Israel were still on the other side of the Jordan, the Lord told them that when they entered the promised land there should be a place where the Lord their God would “cause his name to dwell.” (Deuteronomy 12:11; see also Deuteronomy 14:23–24; Deuteronomy 16:6). Time after time in succeeding revelations, the Lord and his servants referred to the future temple as a house for “the name” of the Lord God of Israel. (See 1 Kings 3:2; 1 Kings 5:5; 1 Kings 8:16–20, 29, 44, 48; 1 Chronicles 22:8–10, 19; 1 Chronicles 29:16; 2 Chronicles 2:4; 2 Chronicles 6:5–10, 20, 34, 38). After the temple was dedicated, the Lord appeared to Solomon and told him that He had hallowed the temple “to put my name there for ever.” (1 Kings 9:3; 2 Chronicles 7:16).

    Similarly, in modern revelations the Lord refers to temples as houses built “unto my holy name.” (D&C 124:39; D&C 105:33; D&C 109:2–5). In the inspired dedicatory prayer of the Kirtland Temple, the Prophet Joseph Smith asked the Lord for a blessing upon “thy people upon whom thy name shall be put in this house.” (D&C 109:26).

    All of these references to ancient and modern temples as houses for “the name” of the Lord obviously involve something far more significant than a mere inscription of his sacred name on the structure.

    Are Mormons Christians? in Summary

    In summary, I believe that Elder Oaks taught what it means to be a Christian:

    Sacrament being administered to a Mormon congregation When the priest offers the scriptural prayer on the bread at the sacrament table, he prays that all who partake may “witness” unto God, the Eternal Father, “that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son.” (D&C 20:77; Moroni 4:3). This witness has several different meanings.

    It causes us to renew the covenant we made in the waters of baptism to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ and serve him to the end. We also take upon us his name as we publicly profess our belief in him, as we fulfill our obligations as members of his Church, and as we do the work of his kingdom.

    But there is something beyond these familiar meanings, because what we witness is not that we take upon us his name but that we are willing to do so. In this sense, our witness relates to some future event or status whose attainment is not self-assumed, but depends on the authority or initiative of the Savior himself.

    Scriptural references to the name of Jesus Christ often signify the authority of Jesus Christ. In that sense, our willingness to take upon us his name signifies our willingness to take upon us the authority of Jesus Christ in the sacred ordinances of the temple, and to receive the highest blessings available through his authority when he chooses to confer them upon us.

    Finally, our willingness to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ affirms our commitment to do all that we can to be counted among those whom he will choose to stand at his right hand and be called by his name at the last day. In this sacred sense, our witness that we are willing to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ constitutes our declaration of candidacy for exaltation in the celestial kingdom. Exaltation is eternal life, “the greatest of all the gifts of God.” (D&C 14:7).

    That is what we should ponder as we partake of the sacred emblems of the sacrament. As we do so, we glory in the mission of the risen Lord, who lived and taught and suffered and died and rose again that all mankind might have immortality and eternal life. Of this I testify in the sacred name of the Lord Jesus Christ, whose witness I am, amen.

    These are blessings to which all faithful members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints aspire. I believe Elder Oaks’ talk conveys the essence of what it means to be a Christian. Some of these blessings are “not self-assumed” but are dependent upon the “authority or initiative of the Savior himself.” Ultimately the Savior chooses those who will be called by his name at the last day and are Christians in the full sense of the word.

    Sources:

    1. See for example, Robinson, Stephen E. Are Mormons Christians? Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1991; Millet, Robert L. A Different Jesus? The Christ of the Latter-day Saints. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 2005.; “Are Mormons Christians?“. Light Planet. 26 November 2008; Abrams, Cooper. “Are Mormons Christian?“. Christian News and Views. 28 November 2008; and, Kennedy, John W. “Are Mormons Christians?: Checking the Credentials of the ‘Saints’“. 15 June 1998. Christianity Today. 28 November 2008.↩
    2. Oaks, Dallin H. “Taking Upon Us the Name of Jesus Christ“. May 1985. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 26 November 2008.↩

    Claiming Christ

    November 14, 2008 in Religion by Greg | 1 comment

    Claiming Christ: A Mormon-Evangelical Debate is a book written by Robert L. Millet1 and Gerald R. McDermott.2 The book follows up where Stephen E. Robinson and Craig L. Blomberg left off in How Wide the Divide?: A Mormon and an Evangelical in Conversation. Although I have not yet read Claiming Christ, aquinas at Summa Theologica appears to have written a masterful review at An LDS Perspective on Claiming Christ: A Mormon-Evangelical Debate. Here is an excerpt:

    Claiming Christ by Millet and McDermott

    Morehead’s Musings: This book presents an academic discussion of theological issues. But while such theological frameworks may appeal to Evangelicals who approach their faith and interactions with those of other faiths with this priority and framework in mind, it runs the risk of missing the mark in communicating meaningfully with Latter-day Saints. This is not to dismiss the importance of worldview and doctrine which are surely related to ethics and praxis, but what might be the (even assumed) frameworks that Latter-day Saints begin with, and how might Evangelicals begin from these starting points and then bridge the way to their concerns over theological discussion? 

    Aquinas: This is a great question. We really need spend more time learning each others metaphors. I think McDermott “breaks” Latter-day Saint metaphors by projecting and imposing criteria and meaning from Evangelical metaphors. I’d like to offer three examples of this. First, McDermott makes the argument that the LDS Jesus doesn’t transcend the cosmos (Claming Christ, 75). The Latter-day Saint metaphor is that God creates by bringing order out of Chaos. Cosmos is order. Chaos is disorder, unformed the unorganized. God speaks to Chaos and it obeys. So, what McDermott really means is the LDS God doesn’t transcend Chaos because Chaos exists when God creates. However, this breaks the metaphor because the metaphor only works when Cosmos and Chaos are opposites. The metaphor doesn’t care or it doesn’t make an issue of Chaos pre-existing as a challenge to the absoluteness of God. The point is not who exists before: God or Chaos. The point is that it is God who is creating by speaking to the waters. The point in this metaphor is that God is God because of his creative powers. The Holy Ghost broods over the waters and brings forth heaven and earth from the primordial waters in Genesis. That is one example.

    Read the rest of this entry »

    1. Robert L. Millet is Professor of Ancient Scripture and the Richard L. Evans Professor of Religious Understanding at Brigham Young University.↩
    2. Gerald R. McDermott is Professor of Religion at Roanoke College.↩

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