General disclaimer and statement on terminology, phrases, and nomenclature.
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| The prophet Mormon |
The author further discloses their membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the “Church”/“LDS Church”), and communicates only as an individual member and not on behalf of the organization. Readers can directly refer to the organization’s authorized resources for current policies and official teachings.
This article has been written to address potential misunderstandings by delineating a uniform context and identifying specific definitions for the terms, descriptors, and concepts listed below, apropos of the subject matter presented herein. The author strives to use this vocabulary consistently and endeavors to be mindful when referencing the Church, its established and former policies, practices, and doctrine, and to do so accurately and within its proper context.
Unlike a traditional glossary that lists topics alphabetically, the following terms are presented in order of contextual significance, intended to guide understanding of the vernacular as employed by the author.
• Gospel/Gospel of Jesus Christ
As far as the Church’s primary function is concerned, the Gospel is:
This functional description places emphasis on the “...plan of salvation…through the Atonement of Jesus Chist…” while making general references to “covenants,” and “ordinances,” as they relate to being able to return to God’s presence, collectively referred to as “...the fulness of the gospel…”
Within this context, the phrase, “The fulness of the gospel... connotes...(of a word) imply or suggest (an idea or feeling) in addition to the literal or primary meaning... a fuller comprehension of the Atonement.” (emphasis added)—Nelson, 1999 In short, the fullness of the gospel refers to the essential doctrines, ordinances, and priesthood authority necessary for salvation and exaltation. It does not imply that members of the Church know everything or that there is nothing more to learn. It is also a tenet of the faith that God…
This author has also emphasized the phrase, “the gospel includes…eternal truths…” because eternal truths are not limited to ordinances, covenants, or what can only be found in scripture or the words spoken or written by Church leaders. The Thirteenth Article of Faith says, in part:
“Anything” recognizes the value of knowledge that can be attained outside of one’s religion, acknowledging that the Church is not the only place truth can be found.
There is no definitive list of “the best books,” and the admonition to seek “learning” is not limited to what can be learned from the scriptures. Wherever truth may be found, Latter-day Saints are clearly instructed to seek it out. In the words of Brigham Young:
• The Church/LDS [Church/member(s)…]
For purposes of brevity, the terms “the Church/LDS Church” and “LDS” refer to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and as a general descriptor for the organization, its members (“Latter-day Saints”), established official policies, and/or doctrine, past or present, unless otherwise stated.
While this author does their best to follow the counsel of Church leaders and adhere to the criteria provided by the Church’s official style guide when referencing the complete and correct name of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and appropriate descriptors of its membership, within the context of the articles presented on this website, a consequential distinction is made between “Members of the Church…” and “Mormons.” (see below)
• Canon/LDS Canon
“Canon” is defined as a collection of sacred books. LDS Canon refers to the Standard Works or scriptures of the Church. The canon of any faith is generally considered to be the definitive source or prooftext of its beliefs and teachings—their interpretation and application varies not only from one religious sect to another but from person to person, including individuals who identify themselves as members of the same religion.
LDS Canon includes the Old and New Testaments of the Bible, the Book of Mormon, modern revelation recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price—which contains the following caveat:
In other words, even though the Bible is a key part of LDS Canon, many historical and theological scholars would agree that it is not without errors, contradicts itself, and lacks univocality.
• Doctrine/LDS Doctrine
In its broadest sense, the Doctrine of Christ, also referred to as the Plan of Redemption or Salvation, comprises the principles and teachings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ as they are presently understood and implemented by the LDS Church. “Established” or “official doctrine” in the Church are the principles as taught by living prophets and apostles during their stewardship.
As explained on the Church’s official website:
The words “doctrine,” “canon,” “gospel,” and “policy,” are sometimes used interchangeably. As noted above, “canon” refers to the Standard Works of the Church—the scriptures. The previous excerpt describes doctrine as residing within scripture. It does not say that every single word and concept within the pages of scripture is doctrine. In addition to errors in translation referenced above, there is also a clear acknowledgement that the instructions and commandments that God communicates “…to His people through prophets…does not preclude future additions or changes to its teachings or practices.” (emphasis added)
“...changes to…teachings or practices” is not without precedent, examples of which can be found throughout the scriptures. The most obvious, perhaps, is the fulfillment of the law of Moses, which consisted of numerous rules, principles, ceremonies, symbols, and rituals, established to constantly remind the people of their duties and responsibilities to God, including physical commandments and practices, like animal sacrifice. It also detailed rules and restrictions concerning every day facets of life from strict limitations on the nature and extent of activities undertaking on the sabbath to the type of material one’s clothing can be made from to the kinds of plants and animals that can be used as food—and those that should not—how they should be prepared. Over many years, Jewish leaders added some of these provisions, ceremonies, and prohibitions to the original law. By the 1st century C.E., much of the spiritual meaning had been lost.
The law of Moses was fulfilled by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, which ended many of those prohibitions and practices, most notably that of ritual sacrifice. And yet, over two thousand years later, there are still many Christians—including a lot of Mormons—that insist on following portions of the Law of Moses, for no reason other than, “it’s in the Bible.”
• Policy
Throughout the Church’s history, policies have been established, clarified, and rescinded. Programs have been implemented and discontinued. Procedures have been defined, revised, and discarded. Many of these are detailed in the Church’s General Handbook, an instruction and reference manual with more than two dozen editions published by the Church from the late 19th through the early 21st Centuries. Periodic updates are made to the online version of the Handbook as needed. Changes to Church policies can be the result of new revelation received by the General Authorities, but Church policies in general are not “prophetic” or definitively “doctrinal”—nor should they be viewed as such. Most Church policies are implemented as a result of administrative necessity to accommodate the needs of its members in a changing world and the effects it has on the organization and its people. The General Handbook itself is not a definitive source for the study of doctrinal principles and is NOT considered modern scripture like the Doctrine & Covenants. Thus it is NOT included in the Standard Works of the Church. i.e. the General Handbook—including the policies as written within it—is NOT part of LDS CANON.
• Church Leaders/Leadership
All individuals who serve in leadership positions within the Church are called from among its members, all of whom are imperfect individuals with strengths, weaknesses, opinions, and free agency. They are counseled to fulfill their responsibilities prayerfully and in harmony with the Gospel to the best of their ability and understanding. There are no educational prerequisites for those called to leadership positions in the Church, such as academic degrees in theology or divinity.
Church leaders are given a great deal of discretion and flexibility when conducting the affairs of the Church. This includes the freedom to try different modes of operation to determine what policies and practices will best serve God’s children, including Church members and non-members. Again, Church leaders, like everyone else, have faults, weaknesses, and cultural biases—implicit and explicit—from Bishops and Branch Presidents overseeing the smallest congregations to the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. In other words, it is understood that all are fallible and all can and do make mistakes—sometimes collectively. This alone does not invalidate their worthiness to serve nor preclude anyone from sustaining them in their callings.
• Members/Church Members/LDS Members/Latter-day Saints
The Church identifies its members as those individuals whose names are included in its official membership records. Those records do not reflect an individual’s activity/involvement with the organization, or lack thereof. Nor is including anyone’s name on those records considered a saving ordinance, serving only an administrative function. Within the context of this and other articles, a consequential distinction is made between so-called active “Church members” (AKA “LDS members”/“Latter-day Saints”) and those herein referred to as “Mormons.”
• Culture vs. faith traditions & belief systems
In the study of sociology, the term “culture” has a broad definition encompassing concepts that include—but are not limited to—the arts, laws, customs, behaviors, and institutions. Culture is so multifaceted that it has been described as “...the beliefs that people hold about reality...”—Sociology of Culture (emphasis added)
Thus, it should be understandable that when a cultural norm, tradition, or notion is brought to the attention of a devout follower of an established religious tradition, and appears to be rhetorically incompatible or in direct contradiction with each other, it often results in cognitive dissonance on the part of the follower.
Facing such conflicts can result in an individual’s faith crisis. The simplest solution to alleviate cognitive stress is to ignore those conflicts, probably the most common response. Some will attempt to reconcile the conflict without changing their worldview, which can lead to the perception that anyone who points out even the most minor inconsistencies is innately hostile to their belief system. Perceived hostility is often taken personally. Such internalization can lead to defensive and/or offensive actions, resulting in heated arguments in person or online, or even physical violence between individuals, communities, or nation-states.
The author’s intent is not to foment conflict of any kind, nor is it to provoke a faith crisis for anyone—quite the opposite. Regardless of whether or not the reader is a person with or without spiritual beliefs of any kind, familiar or not with the LDS Church, active, inactive, or former members, they are invited to empathize and understand why many “Mormons”—as described below—think and behave the way that they do.
• “Mormonism”/Mormon culture and dogma
As far as how they are employed by the author, the terms “Mormon” and “Mormonism” are principally used as an identifier for Mormon culture, dogma, and dogmatic attitudes expressed as rigid, deeply held beliefs or traditions that are not officially taught or endorsed by the Church. While official doctrine is based on scripture and the teachings of living prophets, and is subject to clarification—i.e., adaptation, evolution, change—through ongoing revelation, cultural dogmas tend to be more static and socially enforced. A process called “enculturation,” which may or may not be a conscious transition. These dogmas can include expectations around lifestyle, politics, or interpretations of modesty and gender roles. Such attitudes can strongly influence community behavior, often creating a perceived standard that is not only distinct from the Gospel of Jesus Christ but, at times, can be antithetical to it.
It’s also important to note that Mormon culture is not necessarily contained within the geographical boundaries of the state of Utah or the Intermountain West. Still, it does appear, at least from this author’s perspective, to be centered there. Thus, the phrase “Flippin’ Utah Mormons” is just a title and is not used as a blanket description for all Church members who live in Utah.
• “Presumptive Mormonism”
Another characteristic the author has noted among enculturated Mormons—including some former Mormons—is a presumption that all Mormons believe the same things in the same way, with little or no deviation. Such presumptions can be made for any group identifying with a particular organization, faith tradition, political faction, or socio-economic philosophy. A glaring problem inherent with this presumption is that it makes little or no allowance for differences of opinion, interpretation, or even subjective experience. The justification for this is often reduced to a line of reasoning to the effect of, “This is what I was taught about Mormonism, therefore it is what Mormons believe.” The author refers to its application to the LDS Church—and everything attributed to it—as “presumptive Mormonism.”
• “Mormon(s)”
In LDS-adjacent communities—and among former Church members in particular—a spectrum of descriptors is used to identify those associated with the Church and their varying degrees of that association. These identifiers include “True Believing Mormon” (typically used as a pejorative), “Nuanced Mormon,” “Progressive Mormon,” “Liberal Mormon,” “Post Mormon,” “Ex-Mormon,” etc.
The author uses the word “Mormon(s)” in reference to those who identify with, and devote themselves to Mormon cultural dogmas, as described above, or have identified with them in the past. Enculturated Mormons often perceive this devotion as just “living the Gospel”. It may even be proselytized—albeit unintentionally—at the expense of actual Gospel principles because said Mormons are generally unaware of any distinction between their Mormon culture and the Gospel of Jesus Christ—as they understand it.
Objectivity
The author acknowledges the impossibility of offering a truly objective viewpoint. Still, it is hoped that the perspective offered will invite at least some clarity on the matters discussed. Especially for those who struggle to reconcile what they understand and feel are true principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ with concepts that may appear to be in conflict but can be resolved through deeper understanding and, especially, recognizing the difference between doctrinal Church teachings and flawed interpretations, incorrect ideas, and untrue beliefs that—unfortunately—are often “taught at Church.”
Joseph L. Puente
Salt Lake City, Utah
