Introduction to the Doctrine and
Covenants
Benjamin E. Park
D&C 77-OD2
The Voice of Revelation
“The revelation gave the first inkling of how Joseph
would speak in his prophetic voice. The speaker
stands above and outside Joseph, sharply
separated emotionally and intellectually. The
rebuke of Joseph is as forthright as the
denunciation of Martin Harris. There is no effort
to conceal or rationalize, no sign of Joseph
justifying himself to prospective followers. The
words flow directly from the messenger to
Joseph and have the single purpose of setting
Joseph straight.”
The Voice of Revelation
“[In these revelations,] God speaks, with no human
intermediary present. When Joseph figures in the
revelations, he stands among the listeners, receiving
instructions. When reprimands are handed out, he is likely
to receive one…the voice [of the revelations] is imperious
but never argumentative. The words make no appeal to
reason or scripture or experience. God pronounces what is
and what will be without giving evidence. Hearers must
decide to believe or not without reference to outside
authority—common sense, science, the Bible, tradition,
anything. The hearer faces the personage who speaks, free
to hearken or turn away.”
-Richard Lyman Bushman
Prophets in Antebellum America
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Nat Turner
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Ellen White
Anne Lee
Crucial Differences
1. Written down and compiled into publishable
form
2. Immediately equated with the Bible,
representing an ever-expanding scriptural
canon
From Manuscripts to Triple
Combinations
“Each sentence was uttered slowly
and very distinctly, and with a
pause between each, sufficiently
long for it to be recorded, by an
ordinary writer, in long hand. This
was the manner in which all his
written revelations were dictated
and written. There was never any
hesitation, reviewing, or reading
back, in order to keep the run of
the subject; neither did any of
these communications undergo
revisions, interlinings, or
corrections. As he dictated them
so they stood, so far as I have
witnessed.”
Parley P. Pratt
Editing the Revelations
1. Stylistic Emendations
2. Doctrinal and Organizational Updates
3. Expansive additions
“[Critics] cite these changes, of which there are many
examples, as though they themselves were
announcing revelation, as though they were the only
ones of know of them. Of course there have been
changes and corrections…When properly reviewed,
such corrections become a testimony for, not against
the truth of the books.” –Elder Packer
“We believe they
[the revelations]
are now correct.
If not in every
word, at least in
principle.”
Oliver Cowdery, The Evening
and Morning Star, June 1832
[January 1835 reprint], 16
“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. The
revelations of God contain correct
doctrine and principle, so far as
they go; but it is impossible for the
poor, weak, low, groveling, sinful
inhabitants of the earth to receive a
revelation from the Almighty in all
its perfections. He has to speak to
us in a manner to meet the extent
of our capacities.”
Brigham Young, 8 July 1855, Journal of Discourses 2:314
The Creation of D&C 86
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Dictated by Joseph Smith in December 1832
Written down by Sidney Rigdon
Transcribed by Frederick Williams
Copied by Orson Hyde
Recorded by John Whitmer into Manuscript
Revelation Book
6. Edited by Doctrine and Covenants Committee
7. Published in 1835
Different Editions of the D&C
Evening and Morning Star
• LDS Newspaper in
Independence, Missouri
• Published a handful of
the earliest and most
important revelation
• Earliest publication for
most of Joseph Smith’s
Revelations
• Preparatory for the Book
of Commandments
Book of Commandments
• First printed book of
revelations
• Contained nearly the
first 70 sections of
the D&C
• Destroyed by mob in
1833 before it was
completed
1835 Doctrine and Covenants
• First completed
revelation book
• Contained
revelations up until
D&C 102
• Remained the
standard for almost
a decade
1844 Doctrine and Covenants
• Meant to add seven
sections: 103, 105,
112, 119, 124, 127,
and 128.
• Delayed because of
the martyrdom
• Because of delay, it
included John
Taylor’s eulogy,
section 135
Orson Pratt Editions
• Three editions (1876, 1879, 1880)
• Added 25 Joseph Smith
Revelations (2, 13, 77, 85, 87, 108,
109, 110, 111, 113, 114, 115, 116,
117, 118, 120, 121, 122, 123, 125,
126, 129, 130, 131, 132)
• Added one Brigham Young
Revelation (136)
• Rearranged sections into a new
order
• Divided into verses
• Added footnotes
• Republished at least 28 times
• 1908 edition included OD1
1921 Edition
• Commissioned by
Pres. Grant in 1920,
appeared in 1921
• Updated footnotes
and introductions
• Formatted into two
columns
• Removed Lectures
on Faith
1981 Edition
• New footnotes
and study guides
• Expanded index
• Added three texts
(137, 138, OD2)
The Final 3 Revelations
In one sense these three texts complete the Doctrine and
Covenants. They reveal how the Lord has included
every soul, living and dead, of every nation, kindred,
tongue, and people, in his plan for the salvation and
exaltation of all mankind. These three texts finish what
section 1 announced the Doctrine and covenants
would do, that is, testify that the Lord’s “eyes are upon
all” and manifest his willingness “to make these things
known unto all flesh” (D&C 1:1, 34).
-Steven Harper
Themes and Tensions in the D&C
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Collapse of the Sacred
Community over the individual
Primacy of individual revelation
Millennialism
Temple
Church Organization and Practice
Possible Discussion Questions
• How does learning of the reception, transcription, and
publication of the D&C give you a better appreciation
for the revelations?
• How can we balance looking at the revelations as a
composite whole amongst the Gospel of Christ, while
still appreciating their individual contexts?
• What are the benefits of the “collapse of the sacred”?
What are the costs?
• Is it useful to compare Joseph’s revelations to those of
Anne Lee, Ellen White, or even Nat Turner?
“In consequence of the book of
revelations, now to be printed,
being the foundation of the
Church in these last days, and a
benefit to the world, showing
that the keys of the mysteries of
the kingdom of our Savior are
again entrusted to man; and the
riches of eternity within the
compass of those who are
willing to live by every word
that proceedeth out of the
mouth of God—therefore the
conference voted that they
prize the revelations to be
worth to the Church the riches
of the whole earth, speaking
temporally.”
-Joseph Smith