Doctrine and Covenants
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The Doctrine and Covenants (usually abbreviated and cited as D&C) is a part of the open scriptural canon of Mormonism. The book exists in numerous forms published by different Latter Day Saint denominations. Generally, modern versions of the book primarily include revelations concerning church governance.
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[edit] History
The Doctrine and Covenants was first published in 1835 as a later version of the Book of Commandments, which had been partially printed in 1833. This earlier book contained 65 early revelations by church leaders including Joseph Smith, Jr. and Oliver Cowdery. Before many copies of the book could be printed, however, the printing press and most of the printed copies were destroyed by a mob in Missouri.
On September 24, 1834 a committee was appointed by the general assembly of the church to organize a new volume containing the most significant Latter Day Saint revelations. This committee of Presiding Elders, consisting of Joseph Smith, Jr., Oliver Cowdery, Sidney Rigdon, and Frederick G. Williams, began to review and revise numerous revelations for inclusion in the new work. The committee eventually organized the book into two parts: a "Doctrine" part followed by a "Covenants" part.
The "Doctrine" part of the book consisted of a theological course now called the Lectures on Faith. The Lectures were a series of doctrinal courses used in the School of the Prophets which had recently been completed in Kirtland, Ohio. According to the committee, these Lectures were included in the compilation "in consequence of their embracing the important doctrine of salvation." (See 1835 D&C, Preface.)
The "Covenants" part of the book, labeled "Covenants and Commandments of the Lord, to his servants of the church of the Latter Day Saints", contained a total of 103 revelations on church governance. These 103 revelations were said to "contain items or principles for the regulation of the church, as taken from the revelations which have been given since its organization, as well as from former ones." (See id.) Each of the 103 revelations was assigned a "section number"; however, section 66 was used twice. Thus, the original work was numbered only to 102.
On February 17, 1835, after the committee had selected the book's contents, the committee wrote that the resulting work represents "our belief, and when we say this, humbly trust, the faith and principles of this society as a body. (See 1835 D&C, Preface.)
The book was first introduced to the church body in a general conference on August 17, 1835. Joseph Smith, Jr. and Frederick G. Williams, two of the Presiding Elders on the committee, were absent, but Oliver Cowdery and Sidney Rigdon were present. The church membership at the time had not yet seen the Doctrine and Covenants manuscript as it had been compiled and revised by the committee; however, various church members who were familiar with the work "bore record" of the book's truth. At the end of the conference, the church voted to accept the compilation as "the doctrine and covenents of their faith, by a unanimous vote" (History of the Church 2: 243-6), and to make arrangements for its printing.
Later in 1835, the book was printed and published under the title Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of the Latter Day Saints: Carefully Selected from the Revelations of God.
[edit] Challenged
At the time of the publication of the book, several Church members questioned some of the wording of the revelations. Joseph Smith responded with a revelation that challenged the wisest member to try and produce a revelation comparable to the least of them. (D&C 67:6-7 LDS) William E. McLellin, who was thought to be the smartest member at the time, was selected, but was unable to produce such a revelation. (History of the Church, 1:226)
[edit] The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints editions
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), The Doctrine and Covenants stands alongside the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and The Pearl of Great Price as holy scripture. Together they are referred to as the "Standard Works."
[edit] Sections added to LDS edition
The 138 Sections in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' Doctrine and Covenants break down as follows:
- Sections 1–134, 137 — From the presidency of Joseph Smith, Jr. (1828–1844)
- Sections 135–136 — During the administration of the Twelve (1844–1847)
- Official Declaration 1 — From the presidency of Wilford Woodruff (1889–1898)
- Section 138 — From the presidency of Joseph F. Smith (1901–1918)
- Official Declaration 2 — From the presidency of Spencer W. Kimball (1973–1985)
The 1844 edition added eight sections not included in the 1835 edition. In the current edition, these are numbered Sections 103, 105, 112, 119, 124, 127, 128, and 135.
In 1876, a new edition renumbered most of the sections in a roughly chronological order instead of the earlier topical order, and included twenty-six revelations not included in previous editions, now numbered as Sections 2, 13, 77, 85, 87, 108-11, 113-18, 120-23, 125, 126, 129-32, and 136. This was the first edition in which the text was divided into verses.
During the 1880s five foreign editions contained two revelations to John Taylor (in 1882 & 1883) which "set in order" the priesthood, gave more clarificatation about the roles of priesthood offices - especially the Seventy and required Priesthood leaders to live plural marriage in order to qualify to hold their Church positions. Probably due to the LDS Church's change in attitude to this doctrine in 1890, these sections were not included in future English editions.
In 1930 a small volume edited by James E. Talmage titled "Latter-day Revelations" was published, which contained a highly edited selective version of the Doctrine and Covenants. Some believe it was intended to replace the Doctrine and Covenants, but that due to the controversy that arose this plan was dropped. Interestingly it did not contain the section on plural marriage (Covenant 132) at all.
Sections 137 and 138 were added in the 1981 edition. These were accounts of two visions, one from Joseph Smith and the other from his nephew, Joseph F. Smith in 1918. No new revelatory sections have been added since then.
The LDS Church's edition also now contains two "Official Declarations" at the book's conclusion, the first renouncing polygamy in 1890, and the second in 1978 announcing the opening of Priesthood ordination to all worthy male members including previously restricted members of African descent. An "Official Declaration" is not a revelation, but an announcement that a revelation was received. In neither case is the entire revelation included in the Doctrine and Covenants, and these two revelations were possibly not of the nature of a writable piece of text.
[edit] Portions removed from the LDS edition
In 1921, the LDS Church removed the Lectures on Faith portion of the book, apparently without a vote by the church body, with an explanation that the Lectures "were never presented to nor accepted by the Church as being otherwise than theological lectures or lessons". (See Introduction , 1921 edition.) The Lectures contained theology concerning the Godhead—such as that the Godhead consists of two "personages" (5:2a), and that the Father is a "personage of spirit, glory, and power" (5.2:c)—that were apparently inconsistent with Joseph Smith's later teachings that the Godhead consists of three personages, and that the Father has a physical body.
[edit] Community of Christ editions
Officials of Community of Christ (formerly known as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) first published an edition of The Doctrine and Covenants in 1864, based on the previous 1844 edition. A General Conference of the church in 1878 approved a resolution that declared that the revelations of the Prophet-President Joseph Smith III had equal standing to those previously included in the work. Since that time, the church has continually added sections to its edition of The Doctrine and Covenants, containing the revelations of succeeding Prophet-Presidents. (The numbers of the sections and versification differ from the edition published by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and both modern editions differ from the original 1835 edition numeration).
[edit] Sections added to Community of Christ edition
The 163 Sections of the Community of Christ's Doctrine and Covenants break down as follows:
- Sections 1–113 — From the presidency of Joseph Smith, Jr. (1828–1844)
- Sections 114–131 — From the presidency of Joseph Smith III (1860–1914)
- Sections 132–138 — From the presidency of Frederick M. Smith (1914–1946)
- Sections 139–144 — From the presidency of Israel A. Smith (1946–1958)
- Sections 145–152 — From the presidency of W. Wallace Smith (1958–1978)
- Sections 153–160 — From the presidency of Wallace B. Smith (1978–1996)
- Sections 161–162 — From the presidency of W. Grant McMurray (1996–2004)
[edit] Portions removed from the Community of Christ edition
Community of Christ removed the Lectures on Faith ("Doctrine" portion of the work) in 1897. The 1970 World Conference (as General Conferences are now known) concluded that several sections that had been added between the 1835 and 1844 editions had been published without proper approval of a church conference. The World Conference removed Sections 107, 109, 110, 113 and 123 to a historical appendix. The World Conference of 1990 subsequently removed the appendix from the Doctrine and Covenants.
[edit] Doctrinal Developments in the Community of Christ Edition
The ongoing additions to the Community of Christ Edition provide an excellent record of the leadership changes and doctrinal developments within the denomination. The most controversial modern revelation contained in the Community of Christ version is Section 156, added in 1984, which called for construction of the Independence Temple and ordination of women to the priesthood, among other changes. While some of the prose in the new revelations seems designed to guide the denomination on matters of church governance and doctrine, others are seen as inspirational. One such example can be cited from Section 161, presented as counsel to the church by President W. Grant McMurray in 1996: "Become a people of the Temple–those who see violence but proclaim peace, who feel conflict yet extend the hand of reconciliation, who encounter broken spirits and find pathways for healing."
[edit] Editions used by other denominations
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite) uses the 1846 Nauvoo, Illinois edition which is virtually identical to the 1844 edition. Most recently a facsimile reprint was produced for the church at Voree, Wisconsin by Richard Drew in 1993.
The Church of Christ (Temple Lot) contends that the thousands of changes made to the original revelations as published in The Book of Commandments, published in the 1835 and later editions of the Doctrine and Covenants (including the change of the church's name) are undoctrinal and result from Joseph Smith's fall from his original calling. As a result, the Church of Christ prefers to use reprints of The Book of Commandments text.
The Restoration Branches generally use the older RLDS Doctrine and Covenants.
[edit] External links
- The Doctrine and Covenants at Wikisource.
- Doctrine and Covenants - Official internet edition at lds.org
- Community of Christ Edition(partial)
- SaintsWithoutHalos.com: Doctrine and Covenants - Mormon historical revisionist site with thoroughly annotated D&C showing changes from various editions.
[edit] References
- The Doctrine and Covenants of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Containing Revelations Given to Joseph Smith, the Prophet, with Some Additions by his Successors in the Presidency of the Church, Intellectual Reserve: Salt Lake City, UT, 2000.
- Book of Doctrine and Covenants: Carefully Selected from the Revelations of God and Given in the Order of their Dates, Herald Publishing House: Independence, MO, 2000.
- Joseph Smith, The Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints: Carefully Selected from the Revelations of God, photo enlarged and reprinted from the 1846 Nauvoo edition by Richard Drew, Burlington (Voree), Wisconsin, 1993, for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite).
- Peter Judd, Journey in Trust: A Study Resource for D&C 161, Herald House, 2004. ISBN 0-8309-1122-7
- Book of Commandments: Herald Heritage Reprint, Herald House, 1833 (reprint). ISBN 0-8309-0066-7
- F. Henry Edwards, The Edwards Commentary on the Doctrine & Covenants, Herald House, 1986. ISBN 0-8309-0187-6
