Doctrinal Commentary On The Pearl Of Great Price

From the unique perspective of the Pearl of Great Price, the author examines latter-day doctrines related to the nature of God, premortal life, the Creation, the Fall, the Atonement, the establishment of Zion, the last days, and the work and glory of God.

The Pearl of Greatest Price narrates the history of Mormonism's fourth volume of scripture, canonized in 1880. The authors track its predecessors, describe its several components, and assess their theological significance within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Four principal sections are discussed, along with attendant controversies associated with each. The Book of Moses purports to be a Mosaic narrative missing from the biblical version of Genesis. Too little treated in the scholarship on Mormonism, these chapters, produced only months after the Book of Mormon was published, actually contain the theological nucleus of Latter-day Saint doctrines as well as a virtual template for the Restoration Joseph Smith was to effect. In The Pearl of Greatest Price, the author covers three principal parts that are the focus of many of the controversies engulfing Mormonism today. These parts are The Book of Abraham, The Book of Moses, and The Joseph Smith History. Most controversial of all is the Book of Abraham, a production that arose out of a group of papyri Smith acquired, along with four mummies, in 1835. Most of the papyri disappeared in the great Chicago Fire, but surviving fragments have been identified as Egyptian funerary documents. This has created one of the most serious challenges to Smith's prophetic claims the LDS church has faced. LDS scholars, however, have developed several frameworks for vindicating the inspiration of the resulting narrative and Smith's calling as a prophet. The author attempts to make sense of Smith's several, at times divergent, accounts of his First Vision, one of which is canonized as scripture. He also assesses the creedal nature of Smith's "Articles of Faith," in the context of his professed anti-creedalism. In sum, this study chronicles the volume's historical legacy and theological indispensability to the Latter-day Saint tradition, as well as the reasons for its resilience and future prospects in the face of daunting challenges.

Pearl of Great Price Study Guide: A companion to your study of the Pearl of Great Price, this Study Guide from the Making Precious Things Plain Series is a rich resource for teachers, students, and gospel scholars alike. In this volume full of supplemental material, Dr. Randal Chase, a veteran Institute and Gospel Doctrine teacher, shares years of insights into the scriptures by exploring scriptural symbolism, background, culture, and chronology, as well as the words and teachings of gospel authorities. This unique study guide of the Pearl of Great Price provides new depth and understanding to the scriptures. Readers will enjoy Dr. Chase's relaxed style and easy presentation as they gather information, clarification, and quotes that can be used for either private study or public speaking. This unique study guide will be a welcome addition to any library, and they will broaden your comprehension of this great treasure of latter-day scripture, which restores many lost treasures from the Bible. From Adam through Enoch and Noah, to Abraham and Moses, we discover hidden treasures of truth about Old Testament events. Then we receive new insight into the Savior's prophecies of the latter-days, followed by the inspiring personal history of the Prophet Joseph Smith and the Articles of Faith.

Now for the first time, you can enjoy the full text of the Pearl of Great Price as part of the popular Gospel Studies Series. the full text of the scripture is included with in-the-verse notes that provide a highly effective, unique teaching tool. Notes between the verses offer additional insights and teach principles and doctrines. This wonderful new volume brings the gospel full circle from the Creation story in Moses to the early history of the restored Church in latter days. Study along with David J. Ridges as he brings the Pearl of Great Price to life with this unique teacher in the hand. a Powerful Study Guide Quickly gain a basic understanding of the Pearl of Great Price with the help of brief notes within and between the verses.Example: Joseph Smith Matthew 24:22 and Jesus went out, and departed from the temple; and his disciples came to him, for to hear him, saying: Master, show us concerning the buildings of the temple, as thou hast said They shall be thrown down, and left unto you desolate [the disciples would like Him to give them more details about the coming destruction of the temple in Jerusalem].The Savior s prophecy that the buildings of the temple would be torn down was fulfilled by about 70 to 73 AD as the Romans finally conquered the Jews and destroyed many of their cities. Transfer these brief notes into your own scriptures to increase your understanding now as well as in the future.A Quick Reference Quickly get help for specific verses or chapters. Review for a lesson, talk, or family night discussion.

The principal doctrines defining Mormonism today often bear little resemblance to those it started out with in the early 1830s. This book shows that these doctrines did not originate in a vacuum but were rather prompted and informed by the religious culture from which Mormonism arose. Early Mormons, like their early Christian and even earlier Israelite predecessors, brought with them their own varied culturally conditioned theological presuppositions (a process of convergence) and only later acquired a more distinctive theological outlook (a process of differentiation). In this first-of-its-kind comprehensive treatment of the development of Mormon theology, Charles Harrell traces the history of Latter-day Saint doctrines from the times of the Old Testament to the present. He describes how Mormonism has carried on the tradition of the biblical authors, early Christians, and later Protestants in reinterpreting scripture to accommodate new theological ideas while attempting to uphold the integrity and authority of the scriptures. In the process, he probes three questions: How did Mormon doctrines develop? What are the scriptural underpinnings of these doctrines? And what do critical scholars make of these same scriptures? In this enlightening study, Harrell systematically peels back the doctrinal accretions of time to provide a fresh new look at Mormon theology. “This Is My Doctrine” will provide those already versed in Mormonism’s theological tradition with a new and richer perspective of Mormon theology. Those unacquainted with Mormonism will gain an appreciation for how Mormon theology fits into the larger Jewish and Christian theological traditions.

This book provides some of the more interesting and controversial quotes from past and present LDS (Mormon) prophets, apostles, and leaders.