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QUESTION 1: What is Church doctrine? Visitors ask missionaries to account for various quotes from leaders of the Church.

Short answer

While some members consider additional resources as official doctrine, the Church teach that "With divine inspiration, the First Presidency (the prophet and his two counselors) and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (the second-highest governing body of the Church) counsel together to establish doctrine that is consistently proclaimed in official Church publications. This doctrine resides in the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price, official declarations and proclamations, and the Articles of Faith.

Longer answer

Medium Answer: While some members consider additional resources as official doctrine, church leaders teach that "With divine inspiration, the First Presidency (the prophet and his two counselors) and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (the second-highest governing body of the Church) counsel together to establish doctrine that is consistently proclaimed in official Church publications. This doctrine resides in the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price, official declarations and proclamations, and the Articles of Faith. .

Within those books are reader aids such as headings, footnotes, and dictionaries which are not scripture, but are meant as helps to the reader.

The Church has stated that "...Not every statement made by a Church leader, past or present, necessarily constitutes doctrine. A single statement made by a single leader on a single occasion often represents a personal, though well-considered, opinion, but is not meant to be officially binding for the whole Church. With divine inspiration, the First Presidency (the prophet and his two counselors) and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (the second-highest governing body of the Church) counsel together to establish doctrine that is consistently proclaimed in official Church publications. This doctrine resides in the four "standard works" of scripture (the Holy Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price), official declarations and proclamations, and the Articles of Faith..."

http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/commentary/approaching-mormon-doctrine

Additional resources

Additional Resources: http://en.fairmormon.org/Church doctrine/Statements by Church leaders President George Q. Cannon (counselor in the First Presidency) explained that the scriptures are the only source of official doctrine, coupled with later revelation to the prophets that has been presented to the Church and sustained: I hold in my hand the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, and also the book, The Pearl of Great Price, which books contain revelations of God. In Kirtland, the Doctrine and Covenants in its original form, as first printed, was submitted to the officers of the Church and the members of the Church to vote upon. As there have been additions made to it by the publishing of revelations which were not contained in the original edition, it has been deemed wise to submit these books with their contents to the conference, to see whether the conference will vote to accept the books and their contents as from God, and binding upon us as a people and as a Church. B.H. Roberts further explained that only those things within the Standard Works and those presented for a sustaining vote by the First Presidency and Council of the Twelve Apostles is binding upon the Church and its members: The Church has confined the sources of doctrine by which it is willing to be bound before the world to the things that God has revealed, and which the Church has officially accepted, and those alone. These would include the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, the Pearl of Great Price; these have been repeatedly accepted and endorsed by the Church in general conference assembled, and are the only sources of absolute appeal for our doctrine. Anything else is valuable and may be of use for explanation, exhortation, and instruction, but does not bear the weight of ‘scripture’ in the LDS canon. Harold B. Lee was equally explicit: If anyone, regardless of his position in the Church, were to advance a doctrine that is not substantiated by the standard Church works, meaning the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price, you may know that his statement is merely his private opinion. The only one authorized to bring forth any new doctrine is the President of the Church, who, when he does, will declare it as revelation from God, and it will be so accepted by the Council of the Twelve and sustained by the body of the Church. And if any man speak a doctrine which contradicts what is in the standard Church works, you may know by that same token that it is false and you are not bound to accept it as truth. Elsewhere, President Lee taught the same principle: It is not to be thought that every word spoken by the General Authorities is inspired, or that they are moved upon by the Holy Ghost in everything they speak and write. Now you keep that in mind. I don't care what his position is, if he writes something or speaks something that goes beyond anything that you can find in the standard works, unless that one be the prophet, seer, and revelator—please note that one exception—you may immediately say, "Well, that is his own idea!" And if he says something that contradicts what is found in the standard works (I think that is why we call them "standard"—it is the standard measure of all that men teach), you may know by that same token that it is false; regardless of the position of the man who says it.

In Mormon Doctrine, Elder Bruce R. McConkie was equally clear: The books, writings, explanations, expositions, views, and theories of even the wisest and greatest men, either in or out of the Church, do not rank with the standard works. Even the writings, teachings, and opinions of the prophets of God are acceptable only to the extent they are in harmony with what God has revealed and what is recorded in the standard works http://en.fairmormon.org/Church_doctrine/Statements_by_Church_leaders#Standard_of_doctrine_in_the_Church

QUESTION 2a: What is our relationship to the Bible?

Short answer

Latter-day Saints love the Bible and cherish it as a source of information about God and His plan for mankind. We consider it to be inspired, and it is one of the four books Latter-day Saints regard as scripture.

Longer answer

Latter-day Saints love the Bible and cherish it as a source of information about God and His plan for mankind. We consider it to be inspired, and it is one of the four books Latter-day Saints regard as scripture. We study and ponder its sayings and seek to live by the divine standard it proclaims (Discourses of Brigham Young, pp. 124-125). The Bible, as no other book, bears testimony of the life and ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ and testifies of His atoning sacrifice and resurrection. It contains the prophecies of patriarchs and seers that the Messiah-Christ would come and the testimonies of apostles and other witnesses that He did come. When it was recorded, it was truly "the word of God" revealed to inspired men. By the providence of the Lord it has been handed down from age to age and preserved as a witness to all mankind that God loves us and has provided a way for us to return to Him. The late Elder James E. Talmage, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, had this to say about the Bible in his classic book about the Articles of Faith: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints accepts the Holy Bible as the foremost of her standard works, first among the books which have been proclaimed as her written guides in faith and doctrine. In the respect and sanctity with which the Latter-day Saints regard the Bible they are of like profession with Christian denominations in general, but differ from them in the additional acknowledgment of certain other scriptures as authentic and holy, which others are in harmony with the Bible, and serve to support and emphasize its facts and doctrines.

The historical and other data upon which is based the current Christian faith as to the genuineness of the Biblical record are accepted as unreservedly by the Latter-day Saints as by the members of any sect; and in literalness of interpretation this Church probably excels.

Nevertheless, the Church announces a reservation in the case of erroneous translation, which may occur as a result of human incapacity; and even in this measure of caution we are not alone, for Biblical scholars generally admit the presence of errors of the kind -- both of translation and of transcription of the text. The Latter-day Saints believe the original records to be the word of God unto man, and, as far as these records have been translated correctly, the translations are regarded as equally authentic. The English Bible professes to be a translation made through the wisdom of man; in its preparation the most scholarly men have been enlisted, yet not a version has been published in which errors are not admitted. However, an impartial investigator has cause to wonder more at the paucity of errors than that mistakes are to be found at all.

There will be, there can be, no absolutely reliable translation of these or other scriptures unless it be effected through the gift of translation, as one of the endowments of the Holy Ghost. The translator must have the spirit of the prophet if he would render in another tongue the prophet's words; and human wisdom alone leads not to that possession. Let the Bible then be read reverently and with prayerful care, the reader ever seeking the light of the Spirit that he may discern between truth and the errors of men. (James E. Talmage, Articles of Faith, Ch.13, p.236 - p.237)

Every year the LDS Church around the world focuses its Sunday School lessons on one book of scripture in a four year rotating course. Two of those four years are dedicated solely to the Bible. The same goes for the "seminary" program in which every LDS teenager participates. Latter-day prophets consistently urge the membership of the Church to study, ponder and pray about the messages found in the Bible.

Additional resources

http://en.fairmormon.org/Bible/Basics

QUESTION 2b: Do we believe in the Bible?

Short answer

Latter-day Saints treasure the Bible. We accept it as scripture and use it as a source of doctrine. In particular, we treasure the words of our Savior Jesus Christ found in the New Testament, and the prophecies about His coming and atonement in the Old Testament.

Longer answer

Latter-day Saints treasure the Bible. We accept it as scripture and use it as a source of doctrine. In particular, we treasure the words of our Savior Jesus Christ found in the New Testament, and the prophecies about His coming and atonement in the Old Testament. The Church has adopted the Authorized King James as the official English translation used by the Church, but is not opposed to other translations. The LDS Church encourages study of the Bible. It forms a significant part of what Latter-day Saints consider scripture. This includes, along with the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine & Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. Every year each congregation of the LDS Church focuses its Sunday School lessons on one book in a four-year rotating course. Two of those four years are dedicated solely to the Bible. The same goes for the “seminary” program, which is a study course for high school students.. The Bible is the most quoted text of LDS scripture, and members of the Church are encouraged to use the Bible as a source of doctrine, for personal study and enlightenment, and most importantly, we treasure the words of our Savior Jesus Christ found in its New Testament.

Our 8th Article of Faith reads in part "We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly" We understand this to mean that we believe that the Bible is an inspired book, that it was given through inspired authors, and that as far as it represents the text written by those original authors, it is the word of God. As with any revelation from God, we believe that reading with the Spirit of God is a crucial aspect of understanding the Bible. In following our view that the Bible is the word of God as given to its original authors, we also believe in supporting and using responsible scholarship to help us restore as much as possible that original text of the Bible.

Additional resources

http://en.fairmormon.org/Bible/Basics