The Doctrine and Covenants: a Roundtable Discussion
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The Doctrine and Covenants: A Roundtable Discussion Richard Neitzel Holzapfel, Richard E. Bennett, and Susan Easton Black are professors of Church history and doctrine at BYU. Alexander L. Baugh and Andrew H. Hedges are associ- ate professors of Church history and doctrine at BYU. Holzapfel: What do you think is an important topic, incident, or scripture in the Doctrine and Covenants? Baugh: Two important themes from the Doctrine and Covenants that , © 2003 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. , © 2003 Intellectual Reserve, really stand out for me are the Zion community Joseph Smith hoped to create, and then his efforts to create that Zion, including the element of consecration, in terms of bringing about temporal equality. Holzapfel: Why do those two come to your attention? Baugh: The first thing that stands out in the early revelations is Joseph Smith’s focus and effort to complete the translation and publication of the Book of Mormon. Once that was completed, the Saints needed an organiza- tional structure. They pushed forward to get the Church organized. But then the next major focus was on a revision of the Bible. What was Joseph Smith doing during the summer of 1830? He was translating the Bible. What did Jesus Christ Appears to the Prophet Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery Joseph Smith and Oliver Jesus Christ Appears to the Prophet he find while translating? Among other things, he produced revelatory infor- mation about Enoch. There are eight verses in Genesis chapters 4 and 5 of Walter Rane, Rane, Walter the King James Version of the Bible that mention Enoch (Genesis 4:17–18; The lesson of repentance and forgiveness is repeated numerous times throughout Church history, 5:18–19, 21–24). Joseph Smith added 115. including in the famous vision in the Kirtland Temple in April 1836 when the Savior appeared to Joseph and Oliver. 203 204 Religious Educator · vol. 11 no. 2 · 2010 The Doctrine and Covenants: A Roundtable Discussion 205 What did Enoch do? He created this Zion community. What was Joseph Baugh: Zion is still there in his mind when he writes the Wentworth Smith’s goal from 1831 to 1838? To establish a similar city, a Zion community letter in what is now Article of Faith 10: “We believe in the literal gather- of the Saints. I think it really devastated him after 1838–39 when he and the ing of Israel, and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; [in] Zion (the New Saints were expelled from Missouri. He must have thought, “What should I Jerusalem).” do? Is Zion forsaken? Are we going to still be able to go with that program?” Hedges: You could say he replaces the focus on Zion with the focus on He came to Nauvoo with an idea of eventually establishing and returning to the temple, with Nauvoo, but the temple was all preparatory to, and feed- Zion, returning to Missouri. But then he received section 124, in which the ing into, the idea of Zion. In section 105, when he calls off Zion’s Camp, he Lord said that Zion was on hold. He required the temple no more at their says, “It is expedient in me that mine elders should wait for a little season for hands (see D&C 124:48–51). So they decided to build a temporary gather- the redemption of Zion—That they themselves may be prepared, and that ing place in Nauvoo and hope that in the future the establishment of Zion my people may be taught more perfectly, and have experience. And this would take place. The word Zion is mentioned 210 times in the Doctrine cannot be brought to pass until mine elders are endowed with power from and Covenants in 192 verses. Now, that means some of those verses have the on high” (vv. 9–11). The whole focus on the temple, with the idea of Zion word two or three times. It appears in fifty-seven sections of the Doctrine in mind, is preparatory. We are going to get people their endowments and and Covenants. If we add the term New Jerusalem, that is seven more times. become prepared to do what we were not able to do the first time. I think that was Joseph’s focus and the Church’s focus in 1838. He was try- Baugh: Absolutely. Joseph Smith clearly ties in the temple with becom- ing to do what Enoch did—create a Zion society. In fact, Joseph even used ing a Zion people. The centerpiece of Zion is the temple. Enoch as one of his code names. Joseph was fascinated with Enoch, who was Bennett: Yes, it is the centerpiece when we look at the plat of the city of able to do it. The Lord had revealed the principles on how to create Zion, so Zion. Joseph thought, “Maybe we can do it in my lifetime as well.” I know that was Baugh: “Okay,” they probably thought, “if we cannot build a temple in his hope. Jackson County, we can build one in Kirtland. It is not the temple, but it Holzapfel: Section 21 was received the day the Church was organized, “Yea, will do what we need it to do in the meantime to prepare the Brethren— his weeping for Zion I have seen” (D&C 21:8). So already, by the time the particularly, of course, for Zion.” Church is organized, Joseph Smith was obviously dreaming, praying, and weep- Holzapfel: Elder McConkie gave a conference address years ago in which ing for this Zion. he talked about the covenants we make, and one of them was that we would, Bennett: The expulsion from Missouri and the travel to Quincy and basically, consecrate our time to build Zion [see “Obedience, Consecration, and then eventually to Nauvoo were not the end of Zion. In fact, it was a refine- Sacrifice,” Ensign, May 1975, 50]. And so whatever language of the Church, ment of Zion. We may not have been able to stay in the place of Zion. Like whether it be Tongan, or French, or an African dialect, or Spanish, or Portuguese, you said about section 124, Nauvoo was going to be the cornerstone of Zion; wherever Saints are to go to the temple, that word Zion is repeated as a covenant, they were going to reclaim Zion. They were still a Zion people on a Zion mis- a central covenant. It is always striking to me that, no matter where you live, that sion. I love section 124, verse 6: “For, behold, I am about to call upon them word becomes part of your vocabulary. to give heed to the light and glory of Zion, for the set time has come to favor Black: In fact, we use the phrase “the stakes of Zion.” her.” And even though they were driven out of that place of Zion, the Saints Baugh: I see the concept of Zion in several elements. Enoch’s city was redeemed and reclaimed and rescued the concept of Zion. Section 124 is a Zion. We see the New Jerusalem, the holy city Joseph Smith hoped for reclamation of Zion. Even though Zion might not be this place, we are still and envisioned, as Zion. Joseph Smith definitely referred to the Church in Zion’s people on a Zion mission. And it kind of goes with that foundation Missouri during the Kirtland-Missouri period as the Church in Zion. that you talked about, established there earlier. The Doctrine and Covenants Black: And in Brigham Young’s time it was also a government. In the never absolves us from that great hope of establishing Zion. state of Deseret, Zion was a people, place, and government. 206 Religious Educator · vol. 11 no. 2 · 2010 The Doctrine and Covenants: A Roundtable Discussion 207 Baugh: And we often refer to the stakes of Zion, the whole element of the man might speak in the name Church, as a Zion body. And then the scripture that we always refer to, section of God” (v. 20), which refers to 97, verse 21, says that Zion is a condition. It is a pure-hearted people—people a restoration of the priesthood, with pure motives, pure gospel intent. And so it is broad and yet it is narrow, “that faith also might increase in but you look at the Book of Mormon and most of the verses or passages about the earth” (v. 21) in a time when Zion are Isaiah quotations. We get some in the Old Testament—again mainly faith declines. As a church, we are Isaiah. Not a lot in the New Testament (seven verses total), but the Doctrine heading upstream, aren’t we? We and Covenants is full of Joseph Smith’s vision of a utopian community of are going against the current of Saints. a world declining in faith. “That Holzapfel: I would like to add that the New Testament talks about building mine Everlasting Covenant might this type of kingdom. Jesus proclaims that the kingdom of God is at hand, and be established” (v. 22). Here the he prays, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth” (Matthew 6:10). Often Lord is speaking of the fulness of Christians think about “going” to heaven. But Mormonism teaches the opposite, the gospel but also such specific Photo by Richard B. Crookston Richard Photo by and beautiful doctrines as eternal because of what Jesus said. “Thy kingdom come” suggests bringing heaven here Richard Bennett points out how the first half of the on earth. Of course, the Pharisees had a countervision of the kingdom.