The new Joseph Smith manual…zzzzzzzz

 

When I first read that we would be studying the teachings of Joseph Smith for the next two years in PH/RS, I was excited. Even though he died over 160 years ago, I get the feeling that my generation feels more of a connection to him than Heber J. Grant, Harold B. Lee, or perhaps even Spencer W. Kimball (three twentieth-century prophets who have been featured in the Teachings of the Presidents of the Church series). For Mormons, Joseph Smith is the quintessential “mouthpiece of the Lord.” His life is more familiar to us than that of George Washington or Abraham Lincoln.

Although I’ve only skimmed the new manual, I must admit that while there may be some improvements over past installments in the TPC series, I’m still underwhelmed. Somehow, it still manages to relatively dull lesson manual of the type we’ve grown accustomed to.

For instance, after browsing the table of contents, I turned to one of the more interesting-sounding chapters: “Beyond the Veil: Life in the Eternities.” I was disappointed to find that most of the chapter is merely excerpted from D&C 76. It barely addresses what life will actually consist of in the eternities. Surprisingly, it even leaves out scriptures such as D&C 130:2.

According to the Introduction, one of the express purposes of the manual is to present “Teachings for Our Day.” I understand that it makes sense to focus on those principles that are most relevant to modern life, but I honestly think we dull down the manuals far too much in the interest of avoiding topics or statements that we deem to be “irrelevant.” I don’t think the committees that write these manuals have much interest in studying past prophets for who they were; their main concern seems to be fitting these prophets’ teachings into a box that is easily identified with the “Hinckleyan” prophetic character (even though Joseph Smith and Gordon Hinckley are very different prophets). I’m only half-joking when I say I’m surprised that Correlation was unable to come up with a condemnation of pornography or homosexuality.

Interestingly, the “Teachings for Our Day” section in the Introduction is entirely devoted to explaining why the manual does not discuss plural marriage (although that is only one of many major teachings that were left out). I didn’t know whether to laugh or groan when I read this line: “The Prophet taught the doctrine of plural marriage, and a number of such marriages were performed during his lifetime.” Gotta love the passive voice. It feels like a weak and intentionally ambiguous attempt on the committee’s part to address Joseph’s own polygamous marriages. However, those who aren’t already aware of Joseph’s own practice of polygamy may easily interpret this line as referring to other people’s polygamous marriages.

The line is reminiscent of this gem from the Spencer W. Kimball manual: “Throughout [Kimball’s] service as President of the Church, he received revelations to guide the Saints. The most well known of all these revelations came in June 1978, when the Lord revealed to him and also to his brethren in the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles that the blessings of the priesthood, which had been restricted to some, could now be available to all worthy members of the church (see Doctrine and Covenants, Official Declaration 2).” (Although, in fairness, there is a brief reference to “[t]he question of extending the blessings of the priesthood to blacks” in the seldom-read “Life and Ministry” section that precedes the actual lessons).

The problem of how to deal with history has plagued the TPC manuals in the past. For instance, here is a two-year old post in which J. Nelson-Seawright addresses polygamy in the Wilford Woodruff manual. I don’t want to spend much time on this topic, but I do think that the Joseph Smith manual is one more indication of just how hesitant Correlation is to approach certain topics. Their attitude almost seems begrudging.

I know, I know–some topics just aren’t necessary for our salvation. And not all things that are true are useful. But ironically, that didn’t seem to be a very big concern for Joseph Smith. He taught that whatever knowledge we gained in this life would be of benefit to us in the life to come (D&C 130:19). And if he felt that it was important enough to teach the Saints how to distinguish true angels (both bodied and disembodied) from the devil appearing as an “angel of light” (D&C 129),  or that the earth would become a sea of glass in its celestial state (D&C 130:7), then I wonder why certain other topics are so easily dismissed as being “unnecessary for our salvation.”

In any case, Joseph Smith is a fascinating character, and that alone may be enough to stir up some interesting discussion. Perhaps a sufficient number of mainstream members have read Rough Stone Rolling by now so as to facilitate a more informed approach.

You guys will have to tell me how this thing plays out in PH and RS. I’ve already been assured by the bishop that I’ll be in the nursery at least until summer.