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Home » The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints » LDS Deep Doctrine » What Books Should be Studied as Scripture? (Recent Discoveries of Ancient Scripture...)
Re: What Books Should be Studied as Scripture? [message #425 is a reply to message #420] Tue, 29 May 2012 14:10 Go to previous messageGo to previous message
Dragon is currently offline  Dragon
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Registered: June 2010
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The QUAD contains four sections, hence the name. Let's examine the history of each one to reveal what is canon and what is 'helpful'.

The King James Version of the Bible was completed in 1611. Our canon includes that text, as it was then, with certain formatting changes, such as the addition of verses. Everything else in that section is meant to help the student, and is not considered canon. The chapter headings were written by Bruce R. McConkie and included in the 1979 printing of the LDS format of the KJV. To my knowledge, there was never a vote to accept or deny these chapter headings or other footnotes and maps as canon. Furthermore, Bruce R. McConkie wrote the Bible Dictionary, which has also never been canonized. If you read the preface to the Bible Dictionary, it says The Bible Dictionary Quote:
... is not intended as an official or revealed endorsement by the Church of the doctrinal, historical, cultural, and other matters set forth.

Further more, the JST excerpts in the back have no more backing to them than the rest of the footnotes. If the JST were canon, we would read the JST Bible, and not the KJV.

The Book of Mormon was published in 1830, and no additions or changes have been canonized since then, other than those which are intended to correct spelling, punctuation, or grammar. Once more, the chapter headings were added by Bruce R. McConkie and the footnotes are there for convenience. Only the text as it was originally translated by Joseph Smith is canon.

The Doctrine and Covenants. Finally, a book of living scripture! This is one book which can be and has been updated. Most of the content is from 1844 and prior, with the following canonized additions:
Section 136 in 1847
Official Declaration 1 in 1890
Section 138 in 1918
Official Declaration 2 in 1978

If you notice each section has two section headings. The first are canon, and the second are for convenience as added by Bruce R. McConkie. If there is scripture revealed to the prophet, which the Lord sees fit to canonize, it will most likely be added to the D&C.

The Pearl of Great Price. This book is a collection of things, most notably sections from the JST which ARE canonized by inclusion in the Pearl. Then there is the testimony of Joseph Smith himself, and the Book of Abraham which he translated from the scrolls found in Egypt. Last, to complete the canon, are the Articles of Faith.

If you go to LDS.org and select the scriptures, you will see a link for Study Helps. This includes many of the things I have identified as included but not canonized. I have personally found errors in the placement of verses in the Topical Guide of the Bible, and believe some of the chapter headings to be wrong. Bruce R. McConkie was a great man, with a lot of resources at his disposal when he completed these Study Helps. They are a wonderful tool, but they do fall short of being canonized. If we consider the Bible Dictionary scripture, we should also include Mormon Doctrine and Jesus the Christ, which had at least as much time, effort, and inspiration poured into them.

- Dragon

- Dragon

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