Doctrine and Covenants

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Doctrine and Covenants

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Doctrine and Covenants
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Modifications: Textual changes Oliver Cowdery and the "rod of nature" Direct quotation from God? Lectures on Faith removed Relationship to the Book of Mormon: Contradiction Sec. 132 and Jacob 2 Other: D&C 84: God not seen w/o priesthood Lamanites in the D&C

Textual changes in the Doctrine and Covenants

Summary: Joseph Smith and others made revisions, additions, and deletions to his early revelations when preparing them for publication. Some claim that revelations from God are inerrant and should never be changed, and that this proves that Joseph Smith did not receive revelation.

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• Why and how revelations were modified in the Doctrine and Covenants
• Oliver Cowdery and the "rod of nature"

Overview of changes to the Doctrine and Covenants

Jump to details:

• Question: Who made the changes to the Doctrine and Covenants?
• Question: What are the reasons for the changes to the Doctrine and Covenants?
• Question: If the Doctrine and Covenants contained quotations from God, why would Joseph Smith later edit God's words?
• Question: Were the changes to the revelations hidden from the Church members?
• Question: Have edits to the revelations been discussed in the present day?
• Brigham Young (1855): "I do not even believe that there is a single revelation, among the many God has given to the Church, that is perfect in its fulness"

Oliver Cowdery and the "rod of nature"

Summary: It is claimed that a revelation received by Joseph praised Oliver Cowdery's gift of using divining talents. It is claimed that the revelation was published in the Book of Commandments in its original form, then subsequently modified in the Doctrine and Covenants in order to hide the reference to the "rod of nature." Therefore, it is claimed that Joseph attempted to "cover up" Oliver Cowdery's work with a divining rod by changing a revelation. Critics also claim that Oliver would ask questions of his divining rod in faith and it would move in response.

Jump to details:

• Revelations in Context on history.lds.org: "Cowdery was among those who believed in and used a divining rod"
• Question: Was Oliver Cowdery a "treasure hunter and 'rodsman'?
• Question: What if the "rod of nature" was indeed a physical object such as a divining rod?
• Question: Did Joseph Smith attempt to "cover up" Oliver Cowdery's work with a divining rod by changing the wording of the revelation that became Doctrine and Covenants 8:6–8?
• Question: How was the wording of the "rod of nature" revelation that became Doctrine and Covenants 8:6–8 altered over time?
• Gospel Topics: "the Bible mentions other physical instruments used to access God’s power: the rod of Aaron, a brass serpent, holy anointing oils, the Ark of the Covenant, and even dirt from the ground mixed with saliva"
• Dallin H. Oaks (1987): "It should be recognized that such tools as the Urim and Thummim, the Liahona, seerstones, and other articles have been used appropriately in biblical, Book of Mormon, and modern times"

Contradiction between Section 132 and Jacob 2

Summary: Critics note that D&C 132 speaks favorably about some Old Testament practitioners of plural marriage, while Jacob 2 is negative. Some claim that this discrepancy is a contradiction, suggesting that Joseph Smith's ideas about plural marriage changed, and the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants are not inspired.

D&C 84 states that God cannot be seen without priesthood

Summary: How could Joseph Smith has seen God the Father and Jesus Christ during the First Vision if he had not yet received the priesthood?

References to Lamanites in the D&C

Summary: Since in the Doctrine and Covenants the Lord refers to American Indians in North America as "Lamanites" (e.g., DC 28:8-9,14, DC 30:6, DC 32:2, DC 54:8), does this cause problems for the Limited Geography Theory (LGT) or issues of Amerindian genetic data?

1835 Doctrine and Covenants denies polygamy

Summary: The 1835 edition of the D&C contained a statement of marriage which denied the practice of polygamy. Since this was published during Joseph Smith's lifetime, why might the prophet have allowed it to be published if he was actually practicing polygamy at that time?

Lectures on Faith

Summary: The Lectures on Faith were a series of theological lectures prepared for early Church members. They were for a time published in the Doctrine and Covenants, but were never canonized.

Jump to details:

• Question: What are the Lectures on Faith?
• Question: Who wrote the Lectures on Faith?
• Question: Were the Lectures on Faith revelations?
• Question: Why were the Lectures on Faith removed from the Doctrine and Covenants in 1921?