Some Concepts of Divine A Personal Promise, a Personal Challenge By Lorin K. Hansen

ince the beginning of the Restoration Braatan observes: "Every modern Protestant many Mormons have been led to believe theology, regardless of which category shapes its that their position on the principle of thinking, has felt obliged to establish itself as a s modern divine revelation was nearly theology of revelation, as if thereby it has achieved unique in the Christian world. Reactions all that matters or what matters most.’’2 James ~ from other Christians have been suffi- Barr speaks of the uniqueness of the present cient to leave that impression. Very early, for situation: "It is equally clear that the dominance example, Joseph Smith related his First Vision to of the concept of revelation is modern, and has a Christian minister and received this first taste caused this term to acquire a function which it of prevailing opinion: "He treated my communi- never had in the whole previous history of the cation not only lightly, but with great contempt, church."3 A veritable flood of literature has saying it was all of the devil, that there were no appeared on the subject. The doctrir~e of revela- such things as visions or in these tion has been called "the most frequented hunt- days, that all such things had ceased with the ing ground of theologians.’’4 Intense interest has apostles, and that there would never be any more been felt by Catholics as well as Protestants. One of them" (JS-H 2:24). Such reactions have been of the two most important documents to come common in Mormon experience. This is not sur- out of the latest Vatican Council was the docu- prising since the belief in the cessation of modern ment on divine revelation. Karl Rahner explains revelation has been a dominant view throughout the present situation in the Roman Catholic most of Christian history, the origin of the doc- Church: "Quietly and almost unnoticed, an an- trine dating back to the second century. At that swer is being given at the present time to the time the early church struggled desperately to question of a correct and full understanding of protect the faith from the divisive influence of the concept of revelation, the question to which professed gnostic revelations. In self-defense, in the Church at that time [during the Modernist the face of waning authoritative guidance, the Movement] had no clear answer."s church of that day enunciated the principle of What are these new concepts of divine revela- "revelation given once for all in days long gone ’’1 tion? And why have they taken on such impor- and never to be added to or altered. tance in our day? A concise statement on such a But much has happened in Christian thought flurry of new thought is difficult. It is helpful, since Joseph Smith’s day. There has been the rise however, to realize that there are only a few of ]Protestant liberalism, the brief flourishing of basic recurring themes which dominate this new the Catholic modernist movement, the reaction revelation-literature. In the following discussion of Protestant fundamentalism, the influence in four basic categories will be described briefly, put this century of neo-orthodox (crisis) theology, in historical perspective, and related to the and a host of other theological expressions. As Mormon experience. part of these theological movements there have been major changes in the general Christian REVELATION AS COMMUNICATION view of divine revelation. The most common concept of revelation The awakening concern with revelation began through the Christian centuries has been revela- first within . In retrospect Carl tion as communication. Revelation, in this view,

MAY 1985/SUNSTONE 51 is the divine process of unveiling, making known consciousness of man (D&C 8:2-3). Whatever objective truths that before were hidden. By the the means, the revelation can be verbalized and incarnation, by vision, by voice, or by the inner recorded and added to the canon of scripture. promptings of the Spirit, God conveys to man The Mormon concept of revelation, therefore, objective truths important to his salvation. is similar to the orthodox view in that revelation, It is this concept of revelation that has so long at least in part, is communicated propositon. But been coupled with the idea that revelation was even in this respect there are obvious differ- complete and closed. The incarnation was God’s ences. The most obwious is that, in the Mormon complete self-revelation to man. The Bible, as a view, revelation is continuous, the canon of the depository of propositional revelation, was com- scripture is never closed. An article of Mormon plete with Christ and the apostles. The imme- faith is that God "does now reveal, and.., will diate source of man’s knowledge from God was yet reveal many great and important things per- no longer the present prophetic gift but rather taining to the Kingdom of God" (A of F 9). the inspired, inscriptured truths of a closed Revelation can become scripture, and here also The canon. The scriptures themselves became God’s there are parallels and contrasts in the Mormon doctrine revelation. and orthodox views. In orthodoxy verbal inspira- Again, this view of revelation--complete and tion of the Bible is not considered to be equiva- of revelation with the canon closed--dates back to the strug- lent to a mechanical dictation, but in some way has been called gles of early Christians. In fact, this concept has there is a confluence of the wills of God and man. been at the center of Christian controversy ever The words of scripture reflect the styles and the most fre- since. It was a central issue in the Reformation cultures of the writers yet are authoritatively the quented hunting when Protestants claimed not only the com- very word of God. The inspiration is plenary; one ground of pleteness of scripture but also the sufficiency of cannot call some parts of the scriptures inferior theolo- scripture. It was hotly debated during the Fnlight- or allow for errors in so-called unessential enment when Deists claimed that there had been matters. gians. no special communication from God. Belief in the In addition to the Bible there are modern closure of revelation has also been challenged. accounts and testimonies that contribute to the Scattered Spiritualists or "enthusiastic" sects Mormon concepts of revelation and of the inter- such as the Montanists, the Quakers, the Quie- play of the divine and the human in revelation. ¯ tists, and the Moravians have claimed the. imme- An attempt should not be made to reduce these diacy of the Spirit, the indwelling light, the accounts to some universal formula, but to the openness of revelation. extent that these testimonies are representative, The greatest challenge to this conservative, revelation that is the basis of scripture is a co- narrow view of revelation, however, came in the operative experience between man and God. nineteenth century when many Christians Joseph Smith once stated, "All things what- became deeply influenced by the new historical soever God in his infinite wisdom has seen fit and and scientific criticism of the scriptures. In spite proper to reveal to us .... are revealed to us in of an onslaught of skepticism, the conservative the abstract.., revealed to our spirits as though view survived. A stream of orthodoxy, weakened we had no bodies at all.’’7 The apparently but determined, continued down even to the gave expression to tlhese abstractions in his own present. In fact, orthodox views of revelation are language and received confirmation concerning now being reasserted with new force by a rising these expressions (D&C 9:7-9). Whatever the group of modern evangelicals. Carl F. H. Henry, precise nature of this process, it was God’s way a strong advocate in this movement, expresses of giving authoritative revelation to man "after this view concisely: "The Bible is no mere record the manner of their language, that they might of revelation, but is itself revelation. Revelation come to understanding" (D&C 1:24). is inscriptured. Scripture is a mode of divine dis- This confluence of God and man produces a closure, a special written form of revelation. God correct message; in this respect the Mormon speaks to us today by the scriptures; they are position is also one of scriptural inerrancy. In the the trustworthy and adequate bearer of His words of Joseph Smith, "there is no error in the revelation."6 revelations which I have taught.’’~ In contrast to When the scriptures thus become objectified, Christian orthodoxy, however, a clear distinc- propositional revelation, the next step is to tion has to be made between a correct teaching regard God as the literal author. "Biblical- and a perfect and full expression of that teaching. inspiration," in the view of strict orthodoxy both The process of revelation is not mechanical, Catholic and Protestant, is said to be "verbal" involving the very choice of words. The human (extending to the very choice of words) and element is there too. For this reason Joseph "plenary" (extending to all parts equally). Smith and the Ch,urch after him have felt justi- The overriding concept of revelation in Mormon fied in editing and improving the wording of thought is also that of divine communication. modern scripture, that it might better convey the The communication may come through vision or intended message. The message is divine, the through voice. Sometimes the communication words are of man, and the text is sufficient for comes by the direct influence of the Spirit on the the purposes of God.

52 SUNSTONE / MAY 1985 In orthodoxy, the human element in the scrip- uses made of the idea were quite varied. The tures must be circumscribed with great care. naturalistic thinker, the liberal, and the conser- Verbal, plenary inspiration is the critical link to vative all used the category of history to convey communication from God. In Mormonism the views of divine revelation, each in contrast to the human element in scripture is also a sensitive view of traditional orthodoxy. The debate among issue, but there is not the urgency found in these various views has continued to our own Christian orthodoxy. There is more allowance day. folr the human element within the bounds of The enthusiasm with which this concept of scriptural inspiration. As vital and cherished as revelation-in-history has been embraced, in what- the scriptures are in Mormonism, it is the per- ever form, was noted by James Barr: social witness and the present prophetic guidance which are deemed most vital as a foundation for No single principle is more powerful in the handling of the the faith. Bible today than the belief that history is the channel of divine revelation. Thus the formula "’revelation through HISTORY AS REVELATION history" is taken to represent the center of biblical thinking, ]In the mid-nineteenth century, about the time and the interpretation of any biblical passage must be related The of Joseph Smith, intellectual forces were surfac- to this historical revelation .... These ideas today are not message ing in Western thought which were to bring only common, but they enjoy almost unqualified acceptance. is divine, the sweeping changes in and ¯ . . Historians of theology in a future age will look back on a :major reaction against the rationalistic, the mid-twentieth century and call it the revelation-in- words are of proposition-centered ~’eligion of orthodoxy. A history period. ~ man, and the revolution was occurring in men’s view of his- It should be noted that the theme of history- text is sufficient to~’y. Historians were attempting a strict scien- as-revelation has been used explicitly by one for the pur- tifiic approach to their work. Men were deeply Mormon author, Heber C. Snell, to relate the influenced by such men as Hegel and Darwin. story of ancient Israel. To quote Snell: poses of Ideas of progress, development, and evolution God. were coming into vogue. History was now being God was making a special revelation of himself and his will viewed not merely as a sequence of events but as through ancient Israel. It was not a revelation embodied in an organic development. words but in life. What happened to individuals, to com- munities, and to Israel as a whole, which led in the direction These changes had far-reaching effects on of the highest values we know, is the proof of the revelation. Christian theology and particularly on the con- In this sense the greatest persons and events were the revela- cept of divine revelation. The critical, skeptical tion. That is what is meant by the revelation of God in eye of the historian now shifted to the Bible. History. ~o Eventually, little of the Bible was not called into question. As a result Christianity began to lose Snell’s work was received with mixed feelings by faith in the inerrancy of the scriptures and began his Mormon audience. Some saw his book essen- to see the Bible as a very fallible, human book. tially as a document of Protestant liberalism. This struck at the very heart of orthodox reli- Others thought it addressed a definite heritage gion, leaving many, especially Protestants, to in the Mormon concept of history. Perhaps it was w(~.nder where they were to turn for the founda- some of both. tion of their faith, where they were to find the In any case, the concept of revelation-in- locus of divine revelation. history has made its contributions. It was a chal- Men of that day were very much in the spell of lenge to an abuse that treated the Bible merely as historical and evolutionary thought, and many a textbook of doctrinal propositions. It brought came to regard history instead of scripture as the into relief the key biblical theme of what God was locus of divine revelation. The scriptures were accomplishing in history. The historical context no longer the inspired recordings of once- in scripture gained new importance. But the delivered propositions but a human record of revelation-in-history concept has also had its dif- man’s upward, spiritual evolution. The revela- ficulties. It too has been involved in distortions of tion was not in the words of the book but in the the scriptures. Preconceived notions of evolu- divine process of historical, progressive redemp- tionary history have been used to reconstruct tion that the book described. Thus it could be said and reorder biblical events. The revelation-in- that the Bible itself was not revelation but that it history concept has also been used to displace or "contained" revelation in the sense that it de- downplay the concept of direct, divine revela- scribed or represented the historical revelation. tion. When God recedes behind the scenes of The relating of history to revelation has been history, in the writings of many, he recedes too touched on in various ways down through the far. God no longer speaks. become centuries. But it was in the nineteenth century mere gifted philosophers giving expression to that the categories of history, evolution, and the religious consciousness of the age rather progressive redemption had their full impact on than chosen emissaries announcing, "Thus saith the Christian theology of revelation. At that the Lord!" time the view of revelation-in-history came to be The revelation-in-history concept, in many of associated with liberal theology, but even then its expressions, is foreign to Mormon thought.,It

MAY 1985/SUNSTONE 53 is a Mormon belief, however, that history does still another view of divine revelation. have meaning and direction. God, according to Instead of a theology of the immanence of Milton R. Hunter, has been "the center, the prin- God, as found in nineteenth-century liberalism, ciple, motive force of human history.’’11 Salva- in neo-orthodoxy emphasis shifted to a theology tion is not just a matter of lifting men out of a of the complete transcendence of God. Instead of meaningless sea of events. There is also a divine man’s being able to gradually create a kingdom of "plan of salvation" for the human family as a God on earth, man was held to be sinful, depraved, whole. and hopelessly lost. Salvation was not in history This view of God working through history is but by a timeless, eternal God breaking into his- often found in Mormon literature which deals tory and lifting men out of it. Within liberalism with the principles of revelation-accommodation there had been a shift to the message of the social ;and progressive preparation. A prophet or a gospel; within neo-orthodoxy there was a return Savior can be sent to men, but unless men are to an emphasis of personal redemption. Man’s sufficiently prepared in their cultural and spiri- predicament was not to be solved by evolution tual situation, little is accomplished. Christ came through time or even by striving for adherence in despair, in the meridian of time, but for centuries there to presumably divinely disclosed propositional had been a schoolmaster. As man progresses he truths. Not rational knowledge and progress, but uncertainty, receives divine revelation conditioned to his faith and the grace of reconciliation were man’s estrangement, present situation. In the words of Brigham dire needs. And this came through personal guilt, or dread, Young: "I do not believe there is a single revela- encounter between man and God. In the words tion, among the many God has given to the of Karl Barth: "Revelation~that which came to is grasped by Church, that is perfect in its fullness. The revela- apostles and prophets as revelation~is nothing the mystery of tions of God contain correct doctrine and princi- less than God himself." ~3 In other words, God ple, so far as they go .... He [God] has to speak to himself in personal encounter. The supreme revela- ¯ us in a manner to meet the extent of our capaci- revelation occurred when God was incarnate in tion. ties." (Journal of Discourses, 2:314.) Thus, the Lord the Christ. But this revelation is not complete for tells the Church today, "ye are little children... an individual until he too encounters the very ye cannot bear all things now; nevertheless be of presence of God in his own soul. This occurs as good cheer, for I will lead you along" (D&C one recognizes the Christ in the man . 78:17-18). Here a little, there a little, hopefully The divine-human encounter, the unveiling man progresses in spiritual vision. and the response, involves also the awakening of While Mormons generally believe in a divine man to the reality of his justification and election influence and some sort of progression in his- with God. Quoting Barth: "This is what revela- tory, they do not ordinarily use the term revela- tion means, this is its content and dynamic: tion in reference to it, particularly since this term reconciliation has been made and accomplished. seems to raise the specter of nineteenth-century Reconciliation is not a truth which revelation Protestant liberalism. Nevertheless, at least one makes known to us; :reconciliation is the truth of Mormon author has so named it by using a con- God Himself who grants himself freely to us in venient metaphor.~z The usual sense of revela- his revelation,la For Barth, revelation is a matter tion as direct communication from God has been of redemption and exclusively a matter of re- called "vertical revelation." The disclosure of demption. The encounter, the faith, and the God’s purposes through development in history reconciliation are all one revelation event. Finally has been called "horizontal revelation." it is important to note that the testimony, the justification, and the reconciliation are not com- REVELATION AS PERSONAL ENCOUNTER municated propositions. Rather, through this Protestant liberalism has had a major impact encounter with God and the outpouring of the on Christianity. Early in the twentieth century, Spirit., man is changed, finds himself in a new however, it began to slip from its central position position. on the theological stage. One reason for this was Neooorthodoxy, in a sense, is a return to the position of liberalism on the nature of man. reformation themes. But (on the question of the After a world war and a depression it no, longer historical and scientific criticism of the scrip- seemed so evident that progress was inevitable tures) it is not entirely in the tradition of the or that man’s unfolding nature was altogether reformers. It accepts with liberalism the critical good. The mood was changing from one of approach to the Bible. In Protestant liberalism optimism and hope to one of crisis and despair. this led to the shift of the locus of revelation from In this new context, after the First World War, scripture to history. The key to the neo-orthodox neo-orthodoxy or crisis theology developed. The accommodation, however, is a shift of the revela- movement began in Europe under the leadership tion concept from objective, communicated pro- of Swiss theologians Karl Barth and Emil positional truth to personal encounter. Revela- Brunner but quickly gained an extensive follow- tion, it is claimed, is completely devoid of proposi- ing, influencing even British and American the- tional truth. There can be truths about revelation, ologians. This movement has been most influen- man’s response in retrospect, but the revelation tial in bringing into relief within Protestantism itself is pure encounter. For orthodoxy the Bible

54 SUNSTONE/MAY 1985 was revelation; for neo-orthodoxy revelation Mormons do not accept the concept of strict ver- was the encounter that came while man was bal, plenary inspiration (as in orthodoxy) nor do reading the Bible. The Bible was merely the they accept at the other extreme that God speaks stepping-stone to revelation. Thus, in neo- only in subjective truths (as in neo-orthodoxy). orthodoxy criticism of the Bible can be accepted From this middle ground it would seem that and yet divine revelation itself remains beyond orthodox theologians are trying to preserve their the reach of destructive criticism. faith and protect the scriptures from the critics This accommodation to scriptural criticism is by exaggerating them and that the encounter shown in the interpretation given to many bibli- theologians have unnecessarily conceded the cal accounts. Reference is made by Barth and scriptures to the critics and have sought haven in Brunner, for example, to the Fall of Man. But for an untouchable world of subjectivity. them there is not actually a man named Adam. Brunner considers the of the Old EXISTENTIAL EXPERIENCE AS REVELATION Testament to be a "relic of popular mythology." We have seen in neo-orthodoxy how modern Such "naive and childlike stories" indicate not the theologians have turned away from the The physical presence of God as a person but only the nineteenth-century concepts of salvation and encounter is "personal" presence of God through the "Spirit." revelation-in-history and turned instead to a In comparison, revelation in Mormon litera- subjective interpretation of revelation along the one of reconci- ture is often defined as divine communication, lines of reformation themes. In this century, we liation between and emphasis is placed on the "knowledge" that also find another closely related development, the wholly comes from revelation. "By the power of the another thread in this fabric of subjective inter- Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things" pretation. Many modern theologians have adopted transcendent, (Moro. 10:4-5). But there is another dimension the approaches of existentialism in their state- absolute God to the Mormon concept of revelation. The Holy ments of faith, rejecting not so much nineteenth- and depraved Ghost is also the Comforter. Revelation is also century liberalism as the positivistic approach to communion. It involves not only proposition but knowledge that lies at the basis of it. Passionate man. also a deep feeling of the nearness of God. In the involvement rather than dispassionate observa- words of David O. McKay: "Never forget that tion, reflection, and speculation is claimed as the great events have happened in this Church key to man’s personal "existence." This existen- because of such communion, and because of the tial approach has had its effect on recent views of responsiveness of the soul to the inspiration of divine revelation, expressed in the writings of the Almighty. I know it is real! . . . the greatest such theologians as Rudolph Bultmann, Paul comfort that can come to us in this life is to sense Tillich, and H. Richard Neibuhr. the realization of communion with God.’’is In the existentialist view, as in neo-orthodoxy, This aspect of revelation is important in the revelation could be described as encounter. But Church today, evident not so much in theological now the encounter is not with a divine, tran- descriptions and definitions or even in the re- scendent being. Revelation is rather, as Tillich co~:ded propositions of the Restoration. It is to be would say, an encounter with "Being Itself." The experienced oneself or sensed in the personal revelation is the manifestation of God only in the testimonies of the members. sense that "God" is another name for the "ulti- While there are some similarities between neo- mate ground of being," and the encounter is with ort~hodox and Mormon concepts of revelation in the personal only in the sense that God, though that revelation is thought of as personal com- not a person in any sense, is the "ground of all munion and a present reality, there are also fun- that is personal." According to Tillich: "A revela- da:rnental differences. In neo-orthodoxy, for ex- tion is a special and extraordinary manifestation ample, the encounter is one of reconciliation which removes the veil from something which is between the wholly transcendent, absolute God hidden in a special and extraordinary way. This and depraved man. The encounter is a moment in hiddenness is often called"mystery."... Here [in which man becomes aware of his election and revelation] the mystery appears as the power of justification to which he contributes nothing. In being, conquering nonbeing. It appears as ulti- Mormon thought God is not so distant nor man mate concern.’’16 Man, in despair, uncertainty, so depraved; neither is revelation subsumed in estrangement, guilt, or dread of nonbeing, is the concept of redemption. After receiving the grasped by the "mystery" of revelation. His mind testimony of Jesus, the witness of the Spirit, transcends to a state of ecstasy and illumination. one’s ultimate salvation most likely is still in the There is a disclosure of what ultimately concerns balance. There is the of Promise, but him, the Ultimate Ground of his Being. In the thiis is God’s affirmation to those who receive the of this mystery-ecstasy encounter he testimony of Jesus, who are baptized in his name, achieves his inner integrity, his meaning and and who at long last overcome by faith (D&C authenticity. 76:50-53). Like Barth, these theologians give no place to Mormonism, of course, differs as well in its objective knowledge or doctrine in what they estimate of the Bible and to an extent stands in a mean by revelation. There can be statements position between orthodoxy and neo-orthodoxy. made about revelation, but the "true" knowledge

MAY 1985/SUNSTONE 55 of revelation is subjective and cannot be verbal- light, exceeding joy, and consuming purpose. ized and separated from the revelation event Without retelling that story, it can be said that itself. Truth is found only in the depth of inward whatever modern theologians could mean by experience. To quote Bultmann: such words as "encounter," "reconciliation," or "authenticity," the meanings could hardly indi- What, then, has been revealed? Nothing at all, so far as the cate more than the overwhelming reality of the question concerning revelation asks for doctrines--doctrines, transformation in the life of Alma. say, that no man could have discovered for himself--or for Another dramatic example, more modern, illus- mysteries that no man could have known once and for all as trates another important point. Lorenzo Snow soon as they are communicated. On the other hand, how- tells that he had expected some manifestation at ever, everything that has been revealed, insofar as man’s his conversion and baptism into the restored eyes are opened concerning his own existence and he is once 17 Church~as a confirmation of the truth of his again able to understand himself. actions. None came. His feelings became gloomy What is received is existential knowledge or what and depressed, and he decided to pray about it. As There are Bultmann calls "not-knowing knowledge." he began to pray he immediately became en- simple, vital, Again, it follows that the objective statements veloped and filled with the Spirit of the Lord: "O objective truths of the scriptures have no divine sanction.. They the joy and happiness I felt! No language can represent merely the crude attempts by the describe the almost instantaneous transition from which can be ancients to express themselves. The extraordinary a dense cloud of mental and spiritual darkness known, can be events of the scriptures (the Fall, the Resurrec- into a :refulgent of light and knowledge, that God tion, etc.) become the myths (Bultmann) or sym- lives, that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and of expressed, and bols (Tillich) employed to allude to the truths of the restoration of the Holy Priesthood, and the have been revelation, that is, the existential truths behind fulness of the gospel."ls Lorenzo Snow describes revealed by the myths. several aspects of this experience: despair, en- Let it be said in passing that the God in this counter with the Spirit, and ecstasy. Finally, in God. existential concept of revelation is in great con- contrast to the "not-knowing knowledge" of trast to the God of Mormon testimony. Revela- Bultmann, he speaks of propositional testimony. tion for Tillich and Bultmann is said to be an Thus, it would be the Mormon view that when encounter with the Divine, but still the focus is on we speak of revelation, we are speaking of the man. In their writings the personal God who is a ways of God and, therefore, that we should loving Father seems to fade away into esoteric approach the subject with humility and open- abstractions. ness. We should take care not to think that the These theologians also speak of the dread and ways of divine revelation can be reduced to uncertainty of life. Yet they give no place to the overly simple formulas. In particular, we should possibility of objective, revealed truths which not imagine that the importance of existential could relate to these feelings. According to knowledge in revelation precludes the concurrent Mormon scripture there are truths which cannot reality of objective knowledge in revelation. be known except by the Spirit. There are also truths that defy verbalization "neither is man CONCLUSION capable of making them known" (D&C 76:114- In summary, looking at ourselves in compari- 18). But still there are simple, vital, objective son with others, we could say that the Mormon truths which can be known, can be expressed, concept of revelation is that of communication, and have been revealed by God. It is these truths without revelation being completed or without of the gospel, the Good News, the "peaceable the heavens being closed. God’s subtle influence things" (D&C 39:6; 42:61) of joy and eternal life is in history, but revelation also comes to man at that are so addressed to man’s situation. a point of history and in a manner accommodated The importance of the inner man was not an to his conditions. Revelation is existential or sub- original discovery of modern existentialism. This jective without thereby being devoid of proposi- has been God’s message throughout the cen- tional content. And it is encounter without the turies. Superficial assent and outward show are person of God being lost in superlatives and not sufficient. "Saith the Lord, I will put my law vague philosophical abstractions. in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; From the Mormon viewpoint, however, the and I will be their God and they shall be my most striking of the concepts used to describe people" (Jer. 31:33). Man must be deeply affected divine revelation in modern theology is the new by the gospel message; he must be born of the emphasis among Christians of revelation as a Spirit into a newness of life. modern, personal experience. It seems the logic The testimony of a life touched by the Spirit of of the position has become most compelling. The God has been told so often. That touch is often a Swedish theologian, Nathan Soderblom, echoes delicate touch, but at times it has been very dra- the feelings of many others when he concludes matic. The classic example from Mormon scrip- "how :impossible it is to maintain that there is a ture, of course, is the experience of Ahna the true revelation unless we assume it continues in younger. Alma made a transition from a soul the present time.’’~9 racked with torment to one filled with marvelous It is also interesting that for all the modern

56 SUNSTONE/MAY 1985 emphasis on revelation as a present, personal 2. Carl E. Braatan, New Directions in Theology Today, volume It: experience, there seems to be little discussion on History and Hermeneutics (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1966), p. the role of the prophet for modern times. Revela- 12. tion is often said to be subjective only; there is no 3. James Barr, Old and New in Interpretation (New York: Harper objective, prophetic message. But even on this and Row, 1966), pp. 83-84. point, there are signs of change.20 4. John Baille, Revelation (New York: Macmillan, 1937), p. x. In Mormonism, by way of contrast, the presi- 5. Karl Rahner and Joseph Ratzinger, Revelation and Tradition dent of the Church, as prophet, and other spiri- (New York: Herder, 1966), pp. 10-11. tual leaders provide ever present guidance from 6. Carl F. H. Henry, "Divine Revelation and the Bible," in God. The importance of the role of the prophet, Inspiration and Interpretation, ed. J. F. Walvoord (Grand Rapids: however, in no way diminishes the importance in Eerdmans, 1957), pp. 256-57. 7. Joseph Smith, Jr., History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- Mormon thought of each person receiving reve- day Saints, ed. B. H. Roberts, 2d ed. rev., 7 vols. (Salt Lake City: lation. Mormons feel that to each person is given Deseret News, 1932-51), 6:312; hereafter cited as History of the the opportunity for inspiration within the sphere Church. of his own affairs and responsibilities. And to 8. Ibid., 1:104-5. Whoever each is promised the confirming witness that the 9. James Barr, "Revelation through History in Old Testa- the person guidance from spiritual leaders is inspired. ment and Modern Theology," in New Theology, no. 1, ed. Thus, even with the emphasis in Mormonism Martin E. Marry and Dean G. Peerman (New York: Macmillan, and whatever on prophetic revelation, there is a shift of respon- 1964), p. 61. the faith, there sibility to the individual.21 In a sense, all must be10. Heber C. Snell, Ancient Israel--lts Story and Meaning, 3d ed. is the personal prophets of God,22 each must seek his own com- (Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 1963), p. 280. 11. Milton R. Hunter, Gospel through the Ages (Salt Lake City: promise and the munion. The promise of Brigham Young is typi- Stevens and Wallis, 1945), p. 52. cal: "When you have labored faithfully for years, 12. George T. Boyd, Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 3 personal chal- you will learn this simple fact--that if your (Spring 1968): 56. lenge of divine hearts are right and you still continue to be obe- 13. Karl Barth, God in Action Manhasset: Roundtable Press, dient, continue to serve God, continue to pray, 1963), p. 56. revelation. the. Spirit of revelation will be in you like a well of 14. Ibid., p. 17. water springing up to everlasting life" (JD, 12:103). 15. David O. McKay, "Consciousness of God: Supreme Goal Whoever the person and whatever the faith, of Life," Improvement Era 70 (June 1967): 80. there is the personal promise and the personal 16. Paul Tillich, (Chicago: University of challenge of divine revelation. Revelation is now. Chicago Press, 1963), 1:108-10. So we must ask: Can we live the precepts of God? 17. Rudolf Bultmann, "The Concept of Revelation in the Can we draw near to him? Can we serve him in New Testament," in Existence and Faith (New York: Living Age righteousness? Can we be sensitive to the Spirit Books, 1960), p. 85. and responsive to the Spirit? 18. Eliza R. Snow Smith, Biography and Family Record of Lorenzo Snow, p. 5, as quoted in Preston Nibley, The Presidents of the Church (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1971), p. 140. 19. Nathan Soderblom, The Nature of Revelation (Philadelphia: LORIN K. HANSEN received his Ph.D. in physics from UCLA. Fortress Press, 1966), p. 121. He is a research physicist in Sunnyvale, California. 20. Gabriel Moran, Theology of Revelation (New York: Herder and Herder, 1966), note especially chapter 6; see also Louis C. Midgley, Improvement Era 73 (August 1970): 68. 21. See J. Reuben Clark, Speeches of the Year, 7 July 1954, FOOTNOTES Brigham Young University. 1. A. C. McGiffert, A History of Christian Thought (New York: 22. See Brigham Young, JD, 3:192; Heber C. Kimball, JD, Scribners, 1950), p. 164. 5:88.

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