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Close Topic OptionsWhat Is "Official" LDS Doctrine? - Page 5 of 7
Bspace, the problem arises when General Authorities - Page 5 - Mormon Doctrine Studies - Posted: 2nd Jan, 2013 - 3:46pm
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Define Mormon Doctrine
What Is "Official" LDS Doctrine? - Page 5
Besides the quote given by B. H Roberts that dbackers provided, I found an interesting article from FAIR, in the beginning it is speaking about whether Prophets are infallible or not, discussed in the thread "The Prophet said so, is that enough?" Then it deals with what is really "official doctrine":
| QUOTE |
| Not every utterance by every general authority constitutes "official" doctrine. "There are many subjects," we read in the First Presidency-authorized Encyclopedia of Mormonism, "about which the scriptures are not clear and about which the Church has made no official pronouncements. In such matters, one can find differences of opinion among Church members and leaders. Until the truth of these matters is made known by revelation, there is room for different levels of understanding and interpretation of unsettled issues." Statements by leaders may be useful and true, but when they are "expressed outside the established, prophetic parameters," they do "not represent the official doctrine or position of the Church." This includes statements given in General Conference. Conference talks-while certainly beneficial for the spiritual edification of the Saints-generally focus on revealed, official truths. They do not-by nature of being given in Conference-expound "official" doctrine. As Harold B. Lee said, "It is not to be thought that every word spoken by the General Authorities is inspired, or that they are moved upon by the Holy Ghost in everything they write." To claim that anything taught in general conference is "official" doctrine, notes J. F. McConkie, "makes the place where something is said rather than what is said the standard of truth. Nor is something doctrine simply because it was said by someone who holds a particular office or position. Truth is not an office or a position to which one is ordained." How do we know then, what is "doctrine", and what is not? First it must generally conform to what has already been revealed. "It makes no difference what is written or what anyone has said," wrote J. Fielding Smith, "if what has been said is in conflict with what the Lord has revealed, we can set it aside." The standard works, he explains, are the "measuring yardsticks, or balances, by which we measure every man's doctrine." Harold B. Lee expressed similar thoughts when he taught that any doctrine, advanced by anyone-regardless of position-that was not supported by the standard works, then "you may know that his statement is merely his private opinion." He recognized that the Prophet could bring forth new doctrine, but "when he does, [he] will declare it as revelation from God," after which it will be sustained by the body of Church. The Prophet can add to the scriptures, but such new additions are presented by the First Presidency to the body of the Church and are accepted by common consent (by sustaining vote) as binding doctrine of the Church (See D&C 26:2; 107:27-31).20 Until such doctrines or opinions are sustained by vote in conference, however, they are "neither binding nor the official doctrine of the Church. |
https://www.fairlds.org/FAIR_Brochures/What...on_Doctrine.pdf
References for every statement is given in the article. I'll research more and see what I find. Feel free to comment.
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Doctrine LDS quotOfficialquot What
Official LDS doctrine is that which is published by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and is of latest date where there might be conflict (to account for continuing revelation/inspiration).
Nothing more, nothing less.
Note the LDS Newsroom article Approaching Mormon Doctrine which I believe is quoted by Pandora on the first page of this thread.
It says the doctrine is established by the First Presidency and [Quorum of the 12 Apostles] and published in official works. Notice that doctrine is merely contained in the Standard Works (the scriptures).
It is not possible for an LDS person to assert, for example, that the water in John 3:5 refers to water baptism according to the LDS Church without referring to an official publication/manual of some sort. Without such doctrine so published, no one can tell if LDS doctrine asserts that the water refers to water baptism or the EV notion that it represents physical birth.
Hence, LDS doctrine cannot be defined by the Standard Works alone. And in many respects, the doctrine is more important that the scriptures because the doctrine is established by the prophets whereas the scriptures themselves state that no prophecy (Gospel teaching) of the scriptures is of private interpretation. This jives with Ephesians 4:11-14 which shows us that in order to hear the correct doctrine, one needs the Church organization of apostles and prophets etc. Til we all come in unity of the faith which hasn't happened yet.
What Is "Official" LDS Doctrine? Studies Doctrine Mormon
This is it in a nutshell, the most recent publications by the church are all "Official" anything else is either just opinion or outdated.
Page 5 Doctrine LDS quotOfficialquot What
I'd say up until Correlation, you're somewhat correct.
Even the old stuff counts unless there are new details on the same subject. That is because there is no "Expiration date" on the publications, no methodology for making such determinations besides ongoing revelation/inspiration. If something old becomes controversial, the Church will comment and lay it to rest; whether it stands or falls.
What Is "Official" LDS Doctrine?
Let's put it this way.... If those guys in Salt Lake decide it does not match with the political correctness of the day then they say it is not offical but if it backs them up its like the stone tablets Moses got on Mt. Sinai.
What "Official" LDS Doctrine - Page 5
QUOTE All I know is that it's quite complicated and it seems to be a matter of what is convenient and what it isn't and to be quite honest, is frustrating.
I don't understand why that would be. All you have to do is check to see if it's published specifically by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
In conversation, and someone makes a claim about doctrine you're unsure about, just ask to see where such is published.
What "Official" LDS Doctrine Mormon Doctrine Studies - Page 5
Bspace, the problem arises when General Authorities quote from those books to support a statement in General Conference. If the Journal of Discourses as an example isn't doctrinal, why to quote it in GC or in Church manuals?
TOPIC: What Is "Official" LDS Doctrine?