Elder Ballard On The Proper Name Of The Church

[Bikeemikey]

 

You're being a word policeman. Stop it, I say. Stop it this instant.

 

Nice!

[Mark Beesley]

Just noticed this thread. My only remarks is that how I refer to the Church has no bearing or influence on my attempts to come unto Christ. Remarks such as thse by Elder Ballard and others are made in very general terms to a very broad audience and do not attempt to address whether one is referencing the name of the Church in writing or orally, and whether one is in a sectarian or secular setting, etc., etc., etc. Elder Ballard's remarks were likely prompted by a specific incident, or convention that he wanted to address, but I don't see the value of multiple thread, multiple fora discussion on an issue that has NO impact on one's personal salvation.

[Scott Lloyd]

Just noticed this thread. My only remarks is that how I refer to the Church has no bearing or influence on my attempts to come unto Christ. Remarks such as thse by Elder Ballard and others are made in very general terms to a very broad audience and do not attempt to address whether one is referencing the name of the Church in writing or orally, and whether one is in a sectarian or secular setting, etc., etc., etc. Elder Ballard's remarks were likely prompted by a specific incident, or convention that he wanted to address, but I don't see the value of multiple thread, multiple fora discussion on an issue that has NO impact on one's personal salvation.

If you've just noticed this thread, you probably haven't had occasion yet to grasp that Elder Ballard didn't originate this directive. It was formulated by the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles over a decade ago. Since then, it has been included in Church style guidelines on the Church's own website and news releases and is in the Church's Handbook 2.

 

It has doctrinal and scriptural support. The name of the Church was given by revelation, and the resurrected Savior commanded the Nephite multitude to call His Church by His name.

 

While you may not feel that it impacts your personal efforts to come to Christ, and you are free to declare your intention to ignore it, it is nevertheless an admonition that has been given repeatedly to us by apostles and prophets, and they obviously expect us to follow it. And with regard to the proper name of the Church, they don't differentiate as to setting, occasion, etc.

 

This is not the first time Elder Ballard has made this the subject of a conference address, as he noted in his recent sermon:

 

In the October 2011 conference, I urged that we remember these important words of the Lord: “For thus shall my church be called in the last days, even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”¹

With these words, the Lord makes clear that this is not only a formal title but also the name by which His Church is to be called. Given His clear declaration, we should not refer to the Church by any other name, such as “Mormon Church” or “LDS Church.”

The term Mormon can be appropriately used in some contexts to refer to members of the Church, such as Mormon pioneers, or to institutions, such as the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Church members are widely known as Mormons, and in interactions with those not of our faith, we may fittingly refer to ourselves as Mormons, provided we couple this with the full name of the Church.

If members learn to use the correct name of the Church in connection with the word Mormon, it will underscore that we are Christians, members of the Savior’s Church.

Brothers and sisters, let us follow up and develop the habit of always making it clear that we belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The theme of his sermon was follow-up, and he chose to follow up on this and one other item of instruction he had previously given in conference.

 

That he would so choose it is an obvious indication of its importance to him. I'm confident it is important to the other Brethren as well.

 

And I've already addressed the matter of its applicability to personal salvation. Here is my reasoning:

 

In this dispensation, we are admonished not only to seek salvation for ourselves, but to help others to receive it as well. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the instrument by which Heavenly Father's children receive salvation in this dispensation. Through it the ordinances of salvation are taught and performed. One cannot receive the blessings that the Church of Jesus Christ has to offer unless he or she knows what the Church is and understands its true character.

 

Forming the habit of referring to the Church by its proper name is one means identified by latter-day prophets and apostles of conveying that knowledge far and wide.

 

Finally, the length of this thread is largely due to the fact that I have had to continually repeat answers and explanations that have already been given -- as I just did in this post.

Edited April 16, 2014 by Scott Lloyd

[Five Solas]

If you've just noticed this thread, you probably haven't had occasion yet to grasp that Elder Ballard didn't originate this directive. It was formulated by the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles over a decade ago. Since then, it has been included in Church style guidelines on the Church's own website and news releases and is in the Church's Handbook 2.

 

It has doctrinal and scriptural support. The name of the Church was given by revelation, and the resurrected Savior commanded the Nephite multitude to call His Church by His name.

 

While you may not feel that it impacts your personal efforts to come to Christ, and you are free to declare your intention to ignore it, it is nevertheless an admonition that has been given repeatedly to us by apostles and prophets, and they obviously expect us to follow it. And with regard to the proper name of the Church, they don't differentiate as to setting, occasion, etc.

 

This is not the first time Elder Ballard has made this the subject of a conference address, as he noted in his recent sermon:

In the October 2011 conference, I urged that we remember these important words of the Lord: “For thus shall my church be called in the last days, even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”¹

With these words, the Lord makes clear that this is not only a formal title but also the name by which His Church is to be called. Given His clear declaration, we should not refer to the Church by any other name, such as “Mormon Church” or “LDS Church.”

The term Mormon can be appropriately used in some contexts to refer to members of the Church, such as Mormon pioneers, or to institutions, such as the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Church members are widely known as Mormons, and in interactions with those not of our faith, we may fittingly refer to ourselves as Mormons, provided we couple this with the full name of the Church.

If members learn to use the correct name of the Church in connection with the word Mormon, it will underscore that we are Christians, members of the Savior’s Church.

Brothers and sisters, let us follow up and develop the habit of always making it clear that we belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

 

The theme of his sermon was follow-up, and he chose to follow up on this and one other item of instruction he had previously given in conference.

 

That he would so choose it is an obvious indication of its importance to him. I'm confident it is important to the other Brethren as well.

 

And I've already addressed the matter of its applicability to personal salvation. Here is my reasoning:

 

In this dispensation, we are admonished not only to seek salvation for ourselves, but to help others to receive it as well. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the instrument by which Heavenly Father's children receive salvation in this dispensation. Through it the ordinances of salvation are taught and performed. One cannot receive the blessings that the Church of Jesus Christ has to offer unless he or she knows what the Church is and understands its true character.

 

Forming the habit of referring to the Church by its proper name is one means identified by latter-day prophets and apostles of conveying that knowledge far and wide.

 

Finally, the length of this thread is largely due to the fact that I have had to continually repeat answers and explanations that have already been given -- as I just did in this post.

Wow.  Mark Beesley writes a 119 word post and you bury him with 600+

 

To paraphrase Harry Truman's 1948 presidential campaign (focused on an obstructionist Republican Congress)--give 'em heck, Scott!

;0)

 

--Erik

[Scott Lloyd]

Wow. Mark Beesley writes a 119 word post and you bury him with 600+

To paraphrase Harry Truman's 1948 presidential campaign (focused on an obstructionist Republican Congress)--give 'em heck, Scott!

;0)

--Erik

I've not seen Mark complain about that.

But for someone who has denounced this thread as a waste of his time, you seem disposed to chime in here frequently.

Though I don't wonder much that someone with an obvious antipathy toward The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints would be annoyed about a suggestion or reminder that the proper name of the Church be used to accurately identify it. As I said earlier, your displeasure with it signifies I'm on the right track in emphasizing it.

And I don't mind, really. Keeping the thread alive longer (as you've just done) gives it greater visibility.

Edited April 18, 2014 by Scott Lloyd

[MormonFreeThinker]

I agree, we must always say the church of Jesus CHrist