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08-01-2007, 11:53 PM | #1 |
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The LDS Faith is one of simplified faith, for the purposes of promoting faith, not
academic or intellectual understanding. This is not to say the proponents of this approach are simple minded, stupid or uneducated, but rather a conscious choice was made some time to avoid the historical Judeo-Christian approach.
As a result in explaining our religious principles, we tend to shove our academics in the background, and press forward. In terms of growth and conversion the approach has worked. Do you believe we will always favor that approach, or do you believe the Church as it matures will also tend to listen to its scholars in matters of theology? Discuss if you don't mind. I don't mean this discussion for sarcastic purposes, but I am wondering if you believe we'll continue on the course unchanged, as in "if it ain't broke, don't fix it", or whether the demands of an increasing world of information will require the Church to take a retooled approach to theological matters.
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08-02-2007, 12:04 AM | #2 | |
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When God repeatedly instructs us to pray and receive revelation about the truth of things, again it's pretty clear that academic or intellectual considerations are secondary or tertiary. I firmly believe this is God's design and not the result of a group of theological traditionalists being overprotective of its doctrine. I don't see any signs that God will suddenly have the development of the doctrine of His church primarily driven by academia/intellectualism rather than the current established method of revelation through those in authority. That isn't to say that academic study can't enhance or build upon spiritual understanding, but it isn't going to be the prime mover. Maybe the paradigm shifts during the Millennium. |
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08-02-2007, 12:42 AM | #3 | |
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When the "discovery" of the genetic question arose, we seemed to inquire from "our" geneticists what it all meant. And if a newer version of the scriptures are released, we might see the deletion of the "principal ancestor" claim, which was added in 1981 and not necessarily part of the original. I just notice a slight change in tone, but perhaps I err.
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08-02-2007, 01:06 AM | #4 |
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Our approach is the right approach.
Historians of Christianity have discovered that theology came on the scene only after revelation was gone (See Roger Olson, The History of Christian Theology). Some prophets have gone into theologizing (Solomon, Job, Joseph Smith) but that's not the Biblical model.
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08-02-2007, 02:28 AM | #5 | |
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Outside of Joseph Smith, the one revelation by Joseph F. Smith and the SWK revelation, when do we receive theological revelations? We seem to simply be Bible thumpers without any continuing insights via the revelatory process.
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08-02-2007, 02:35 AM | #6 | |
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The answer to your question is that the reason Joseph Smith had so many revelations was because those plain and precious things needed to be restored. Since his time, there have been things revealed from time to time, but the fulness of the gospel was restored through Joseph Smith. What we need, is not more revelation, but more understanding (spiritual, not academic) and application of the existing revelations. |
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08-02-2007, 02:36 AM | #7 | |
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08-02-2007, 02:41 AM | #8 | |
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If there aren't more revelations, it is either because God's not talking or because we're not listening. Take your pick.
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08-02-2007, 03:13 AM | #9 |
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08-02-2007, 03:42 AM | #10 |
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Precisely. There are lessons to be learned and we aren't listening to what we are already being told.
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