Ryan.Samples Posted May 1, 2012 Posted May 1, 2012 Help a brother out, yo! In discussing another thread I started asking questions about understanding the distinctions between teaching and doctrine. Rather than muddy the waters there, it seemed more sensible to start a new thread.A relevant quote presented:I don't see why such a distinction is necessary. Modern prophets teach what is in canonized revelation.If I am understanding the oft-cited newsroom release and the general information members have shared with me, not everything a prophet (or other church leader) says is doctrine. In fact, it would seem to me that only things that make their way into the standard works are doctrine.So help me out here. What constitutes doctrine? How do you define this term? How does it relate to commandments? Are all binding commandments found in official doctrine (the standard works)? Are there commandments or instructions that come from the prophet that are considered non-binding? The above quote comes into view because what if a prophet starts to speak on something not yet canonized, or expounds on a teaching not explicitly discussed in the standard works?I'm don't necessarily have any particular doctrine in view as I ask this question, it just happened to come up in a discussion related to Adam and the priesthood.Obviously there's a lot of ground to cover here for me so we can and should certainly take the discussion in small bites... Thanks in advance.
zerinus Posted May 1, 2012 Posted May 1, 2012 Help a brother out, yo! In discussing another thread I started asking questions about understanding the distinctions between teaching and doctrine. Rather than muddy the waters there, it seemed more sensible to start a new thread.A relevant quote presented:If I am understanding the oft-cited newsroom release and the general information members have shared with me, not everything a prophet (or other church leader) says is doctrine. In fact, it would seem to me that only things that make their way into the standard works are doctrine.So help me out here. What constitutes doctrine? How do you define this term? How does it relate to commandments? Are all binding commandments found in official doctrine (the standard works)? Are there commandments or instructions that come from the prophet that are considered non-binding? The above quote comes into view because what if a prophet starts to speak on something not yet canonized, or expounds on a teaching not explicitly discussed in the standard works?I'm don't necessarily have any particular doctrine in view as I ask this question, it just happened to come up in a discussion related to Adam and the priesthood.Obviously there's a lot of ground to cover here for me so we can and should certainly take the discussion in small bites... Thanks in advance.This question has been asked, and hashed and rehashed on this board so many times that I am not all that keen in answering it once again. If you have a specific question in mind, bring it to the table, and we will discuss it. But a general question about "what is doctrine" is not one I am all that interested in answering.
Ryan.Samples Posted May 1, 2012 Author Posted May 1, 2012 Mind posting a link to one of the better threads?
mfbukowski Posted May 1, 2012 Posted May 1, 2012 Help a brother out, yo! In discussing another thread I started asking questions about understanding the distinctions between teaching and doctrine. Rather than muddy the waters there, it seemed more sensible to start a new thread.A relevant quote presented:If I am understanding the oft-cited newsroom release and the general information members have shared with me, not everything a prophet (or other church leader) says is doctrine. In fact, it would seem to me that only things that make their way into the standard works are doctrine.So help me out here. What constitutes doctrine? How do you define this term? How does it relate to commandments? Are all binding commandments found in official doctrine (the standard works)? Are there commandments or instructions that come from the prophet that are considered non-binding? The above quote comes into view because what if a prophet starts to speak on something not yet canonized, or expounds on a teaching not explicitly discussed in the standard works?I'm don't necessarily have any particular doctrine in view as I ask this question, it just happened to come up in a discussion related to Adam and the priesthood.Obviously there's a lot of ground to cover here for me so we can and should certainly take the discussion in small bites... Thanks in advance.Just to let folks know- yes you are a "brother", but no you are not LDS- so folks if you want to respond, take in easy on this good guy.I don't want to respond for the same reasons Zerinus doesn't.
zerinus Posted May 1, 2012 Posted May 1, 2012 Mind posting a link to one of the better threads?Too many. I think it would be more constructive if you began by telling us what is the source of your interest in Mormonism, and what specific questions you have about it, and what are the reasons for your interest in those questions.
Calm Posted May 1, 2012 Posted May 1, 2012 (edited) Here is a recent extensive one, IIRC some of it was quite good:http://www.mormondia...__fromsearch__1edit: link doesn't work so instead go to search and do a title only search on "doctrine". About a quarter of the threads that come up will be the ones you want. Edited May 1, 2012 by calmoriah 1
Ryan.Samples Posted May 1, 2012 Author Posted May 1, 2012 (edited) Here is a recent extensive one, IIRC some of it was quite good:http://www.mormondia...__fromsearch__1edit: link doesn't work so instead go to search and do a title only search on "doctrine". About a quarter of the threads that come up will be the ones you want.Aha! A scholar and a gentleman! Or lady... Thanks for the directions. I searched earlier to little success, largely because I overlooked the "title only" search. Thanks.You guys can consider the thread closed. Thanks.*edited for spelling error Edited May 1, 2012 by Ryan.Samples
BCSpace Posted May 1, 2012 Posted May 1, 2012 So help me out here. What constitutes doctrine? How do you define this term? How does it relate to commandments? Are all binding commandments found in official doctrine (the standard works)? Are there commandments or instructions that come from the prophet that are considered non-binding? The above quote comes into view because what if a prophet starts to speak on something not yet canonized, or expounds on a teaching not explicitly discussed in the standard works?Everything published by the Church is official doctrine and that is born out in the 2007 statement to which you refer as well as the Church program for teaching the doctrine and keeping it pure and also related in the latest General Conference. Since continuing revelation is part of our systematic theology, if there is a conflict, then latest date takes precedence. If something published by the Church is not doctrine, it will tell you such as the introduction to the LDS Bible Dictionary for example.There is no such distinction or dichotomy in the Church as "teaching vs. doctrine". All Church teachings are doctrine.
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