Who Wrote The Proclamation On The Family?

[DonBradley]

Here's an interesting piece trying to assess who wrote the Proclamation on the Family based on which apostles have cited it the most:

http://zelophehadsdaughters.com/2013/02/19/who-wrote-the-proclamation-on-the-family/

I'd love to see this supplemented with a wordprint analysis, though I fear this will always lead back to the usual suspect---Solomon Spalding.

[rongo]

I don't know, but I'm pretty sure that the author of "The Living Christ" was someone else (not the Brethren). The floweriness of language in it is over the top. The Proclamation is worded much better, is much more easily memorized, and is more accessible to normal people.

My family (including a four year old) memorized the Proclamation. We gave up on "The Living Christ" because of its flowery phrasing.

[cinepro]

I assumed they still hauled a hunk of granite up to the top of the COB and let God do the lightning thing...

Edited March 21, 2013 by cinepro

[Scott Lloyd]

Here's an interesting piece trying to assess who wrote the Proclamation on the Family based on which apostles have cited it the most:

http://zelophehadsda...-on-the-family/

I'd love to see this supplemented with a wordprint analysis, though I fear this will always lead back to the usual suspect---Solomon Spalding.

Sounds reasonable to me, considering that, using the methodology employed by Jockers, Criddle and Witten, one may determine that Sidney Rigdon wrote 34 of the 85 Federalist Papers, -- even though he hadn't been born yet.

Edited March 21, 2013 by Scott Lloyd

[Darren10]

-- even though he hadn't been born yet.

Maybe that's a sign that Sidney Rigdon was a true prophet.

[CASteinman]

I think another method of looking at this would be to search for specific phrases in all of the talks for the period of about 2 years prior to the Proclamation being brought forward.

[rongo]

Wasn't the Proclamation drafted by the legal department and adopted/approved by the QFP/Q12? In anticipation of the coming social trends, to lay a claim and foundation to doctrinal/theological/1st Ammendment precedent (when attacks based on the Church "discriminating" ensued)?

I am a big fan of the Proclamation, and such an origin (if accurate) wouldn't bother me at all.

[Scott Lloyd]

Wasn't the Proclamation drafted by the legal department and adopted/approved by the QFP/Q12? In anticipation of the coming social trends, to lay a claim and foundation to doctrinal/theological/1st Ammendment precedent (when attacks based on the Church "discriminating" ensued)?

I am a big fan of the Proclamation, and such an origin (if accurate) wouldn't bother me at all.

If that was a consideration, I should think Elder Oaks, with his legal background, would have had something to do with it.

[Stone holm]

Is it included in the new edition of the scriptures?

[cinepro]

I suspect that knowing who, exactly, wrote the PoF would do more harm than good. It's much easier to excuse such things based on the fallibility of a few known Church leaders than having to accept it as the united expression of all 15 Apostles.

[BCSpace]

Doesn't matter who wrote it if the Church published it.

I suspect that knowing who, exactly, wrote the PoF would do more harm than good. It's much easier to excuse such things based on the fallibility of a few known Church leaders than having to accept it as the united expression of all 15 Apostles.

What is it about the PoF that needs an excuse?

[nealr]

Wasn't the Proclamation drafted by the legal department and adopted/approved by the QFP/Q12? In anticipation of the coming social trends, to lay a claim and foundation to doctrinal/theological/1st Ammendment precedent (when attacks based on the Church "discriminating" ensued)?

I am a big fan of the Proclamation, and such an origin (if accurate) wouldn't bother me at all.

I've also heard that as well. I have also heard (and this pure rumor) that the Church keeps a file with any all studies the support the statements made in the Proclamation sort of like a legal brief.

If that was a consideration, I should think Elder Oaks, with his legal background, would have had something to do with it.

Also Elder Maxwell, who was still living at the time.

Edited March 23, 2013 by nealr

[Damien the Leper]

A former bishop of some obscure ward in Ghana wrote it. It took 14 months to get to SLC.

[Bill “Papa” Lee]

Here's an interesting piece trying to assess who wrote the Proclamation on the Family based on which apostles have cited it the most:

http://zelophehadsdaughters.com/2013/02/19/who-wrote-the-proclamation-on-the-family/

I'd love to see this supplemented with a wordprint analysis, though I fear this will always lead back to the usual suspect---Solomon Spalding.

He does get around.

[canard78]

I don't know, but I'm pretty sure that the author of "The Living Christ" was someone else (not the Brethren). The floweriness of language in it is over the top. The Proclamation is worded much better, is much more easily memorized, and is more accessible to normal people.

My family (including a four year old) memorized the Proclamation. We gave up on "The Living Christ" because of its flowery phrasing.

I know a member who was the Exec Sec to the Area Presidency at the time "The Living Christ" was compiled. According to him, Elder Packer lead the project to compile the statement.

The story goes that Elder Packer sent out a letter to all area presidency members saying he wanted each of them to write their testimony of Jesus Christ. What he got back filled a table and looked like the Encyclopedia Britannica piled up. He wrote back to the presidencies and told them to consolidate their work into one document. The returned documents were still too long. They were finally told to submit a one page summary of their testimony of the Saviour. These final 1-pagers were used to feed into writing the final document.

The man who told me was a very respected member and former Temple President. However he told me when he was in his late 80s, so memory and sequence may have changed details a little. Plus he only told me once, so my rendition might also have diluted the detail of the experience.

Either way, it was an interesting illustration of how the brethren go about seeking and receiving guidance and input to important statements and documents made by the church. Not 'revelation by committee' but a great respect for the range of experience and knowledge of their quorums and leaders and a willingness to extensively study it out before reaching a final statement or decision.

[Duncan]

I know a member who was the Exec Sec to the Area Presidency at the time "The Living Christ" was compiled. According to him, Elder Packer lead the project to compile the statement.

The story goes that Elder Packer sent out a letter to all area presidency members saying he wanted each of them to write their testimony of Jesus Christ. What he got back filled a table and looked like the Encyclopedia Britannica piled up. He wrote back to the presidencies and told them to consolidate their work into one document. The returned documents were still too long. They were finally told to submit a one page summary of their testimony of the Saviour. These final 1-pagers were used to feed into writing the final document.

The man who told me was a very respected member and former Temple President. However he told me when he was in his late 80s, so memory and sequence may have changed details a little. Plus he only told me once, so my rendition might also have diluted the detail of the experience.

Either way, it was an interesting illustration of how the brethren go about seeking and receiving guidance and input to important statements and documents made by the church. Not 'revelation by committee' but a great respect for the range of experience and knowledge of their quorums and leaders and a willingness to extensively study it out before reaching a final statement or decision.

if you read Elder Earl C. Tingey's book on the atonement he says something similar and Elder Jay Jensen has said similar as well, although they didn't say anything about the TLC document but you can't win everything

[CASteinman]

I was once in a Bishopric where we had a disciplinary council on a very unusual (well back then it was very unusual) situation. It was so unusual that we wrote to the Presiding Bishopric who forwarded our letter to the First Presidency.

Understand.. we were looking for guidance about how to proceed.

The First Presidency wrote back saying, in essence, "We are interested in this case and would like to be informed when the Lord reveals to you what to do -- please let us know".

[Freedom]

I know that the revelation on the priesthood was written by Elder McConkie. Elder David B Haight commented that McConkie's record made it sound like they all received the words and Elder McConkie advised that all revelations are the word of God. Or something to that affect. Of course, writing the revelation does not mean it was not edited. Elder Haight shared this little bit of history at a tri-stake conference held here in Vancouver some 20 years ago. Perhaps is someone else here that was at that conference can recall more clearly what he said.

I know that the First Presidency Message found at the start of Preach My Gospel went through multiple revisions, at least according to Elder Perry. Likewise, the purpose of missionary work found on page 1 also went back and forth for some time before settling on "Invite others to come unit Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end." I would think that the proclamation also was a community effort, going through multiple revisions. The final produce may not look very much at all what was first written.

[Duncan]

I know that the revelation on the priesthood was written by Elder McConkie. Elder David B Haight commented that McConkie's record made it sound like they all received the words and Elder McConkie advised that all revelations are the word of God. Or something to that affect. Of course, writing the revelation does not mean it was not edited. Elder Haight shared this little bit of history at a tri-stake conference held here in Vancouver some 20 years ago. Perhaps is someone else here that was at that conference can recall more clearly what he said.

I know that the First Presidency Message found at the start of Preach My Gospel went through multiple revisions, at least according to Elder Perry. Likewise, the purpose of missionary work found on page 1 also went back and forth for some time before settling on "Invite others to come unit Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end." I would think that the proclamation also was a community effort, going through multiple revisions. The final produce may not look very much at all what was first written.

it went through multiple versions, mulitople titles etc. a person named Ben White wrote a MA on it,if you can believe it. I recall years ago the missionaries saying that every word was prayed about...

[Stone holm]

I was once in a Bishopric where we had a disciplinary council on a very unusual (well back then it was very unusual) situation. It was so unusual that we wrote to the Presiding Bishopric who forwarded our letter to the First Presidency.

Understand.. we were looking for guidance about how to proceed.

The First Presidency wrote back saying, in essence, "We are interested in this case and would like to be informed when the Lord reveals to you what to do -- please let us know".

Interesting, I have found that you are more likely to get at least some response when you are dealing with disciplinary issues as opposed to other issues. Although it seems odd you would write to the Presiding Bishopric instead of the First Presidency on a disciplinary issue. I remember once we got an unsolicited response from a Secretary to the First Presidency on a weird case which involved a person who became enamored with a Muslim overseas and came back sort of converted to their form of polygamy. When the documents went in we got back a response that the case was to be flagged because the member had become involved with an apostate group which advocated polygamy. It had not occurred to any of us that Islam would be considered an apostate group.

[rongo]

The Church takes polygamy very, very seriously and scrutinizes cases where people have been exposed to or involved with polygamy to make sure that no recruiting goes in in the Church. There are polygamous groups that teach that the Church has the true order of the temple, and their group has the true order of marriage, and people play-act to get baptized and receive their endowment in our church before they leave, having "received their ordinances."

When I was a WML in the Salt Lake area, I learned that C.O.P.s (children of polygamy) had to be interviewed by a member of the Twelve before they could be baptized, even if their exposure to polygamy had been minimal/non-existent (as was the case with our investigator. His appointment with Elder Wirthlin was two months out).

A sister in our current ward was a C.O.P., and also had to be interviewed by an apostle before she was baptized. Her mom and dad were in a polygamous sect, and her dad is now a Reformed Jew.

Edited March 25, 2013 by rongo

[CASteinman]

Interesting, I have found that you are more likely to get at least some response when you are dealing with disciplinary issues as opposed to other issues. Although it seems odd you would write to the Presiding Bishopric instead of the First Presidency on a disciplinary issue. I remember once we got an unsolicited response from a Secretary to the First Presidency on a weird case which involved a person who became enamored with a Muslim overseas and came back sort of converted to their form of polygamy. When the documents went in we got back a response that the case was to be flagged because the member had become involved with an apostate group which advocated polygamy. It had not occurred to any of us that Islam would be considered an apostate group.

I might be wrong about writing to the Presiding Bishopric. (its been about 30 years now.. so my memory could be off, but I think it was the PB) I think that is who we wrote, but we did not write the First Presidency in any case.

I wouldn't have thought to flag it either, but obviously it is an apostate group and obviously it is polygamy.

[Scott Lloyd]

I might be wrong about writing to the Presiding Bishopric. (its been about 30 years now.. so my memory could be off, but I think it was the PB) I think that is who we wrote, but we did not write the First Presidency in any case.

I wouldn't have thought to flag it either, but obviously it is an apostate group and obviously it is polygamy.

It's not obvous to me. In an LDS context, I view the term "apostate group" as applying to a group that claims to stem from the revelations and authority given to the Prophet Joseph Smith but rejects the authority of the current leadership of the Church.