Customer Reviews

Mormon Doctrine

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First of all, let me start out by identifying myself as a devout Catholic evangelist. Over the past year, the study of comparative religion has interested me greatly, and at first, my approach to study was marred by the use of unreliable and biased resources. I made the mistake of trying to learn about Mormons by reading anti-Mormon literature. However, what I found there (in books such as The God Makers, Kingdom of the Cults, etc) was not only appalingly uncharible and vindictive, but also appalingly deceitful and false! Unimpressed with their rhetoric and straw men tactics, I decided instead to do what I should have done in the first place; ask the Mormons what they believe.

Aside from the BOM and D & C, this is the first resource I purchased. The layout was impressive - very easy to use, concise, and well cross referenced. I was at first dismayed at the lack of an index, but that became a moot point since the book is so well laid out. Furthermore, although I know this is of course not scripture any more than the writings of St. Thomas Aquinas are to Catholics, it does present a good yet fallible summary of, well, Mormon Doctrine. My only complaint is that McConkie is a bit too brief in covering some points, and doesn't always give references to relevant sections in the canonized books of the Mormon Church. Because of this, further study is not always easy to persue. On the pro side of that, this book can rightfully be considered a "primary source" when citing, by and large.

While I still disagree with many aspects of Mormon theology, at least now I can be confident that what I am stating on a particular point is actually what the LDS church believes. Persuing Mormon literature (and conversations with Mormons) prevented me from going down the fiery path of polemics and hatred for Mormons. As a Catholic, I know all too well what it is like to be on the receiving end of hatred and bigotry which roots itself in misunderstanding. As someone who is oftentimes on the receiving end of counter apologetics, I know well the difference between mere theological disagreement and outright bigotry. The distinction makes all the difference in the world when it comes to dialogue.

Persual of literature such as this will require some extra effort, yes, but it will also help you obey the commandment not to bear false witness. There is no excuse for lazy research.

Anyway - I fear that this book review had turned into an admonishment for my fellow apologists to be honest. However, since I think it needs to be said, and it does tie into this book in a sense, I'm keeping it here. In any case, if you want to learn about Mormonism, don't listen to idiots like Dave Hunt. Rather, you do well to start here for a good, reliable primer and a lasting resource.

I grew up with several Mormon friends and my brother has converted to Mormonism. As a result I have had quite a few dialogs with Mormons. I found that I was woefully unprepared. So I began to study the Mormon religion. When I asked Mormons such as my brother about their beliefs I would get responses that were couched in terminology I as an "mainstream" Christian would find palatable. It was hard to find out what Mormon's really believed. I had other resources that were produced by "mainstream" Christians. However, these resources dealt with archaine theologies that while they are historically accurate are different from what most LDS believe today. MORMON DOCTRINES is an invaluable resourse to understand the current beliefs of the LDS Church.

The first step in being able to talk to someone about their faith is understanding their faith. This is especially important in being able to bridge the language gap between Mormonism and "Mainstream" Christianity. MORMON DOCTRINE is especially good for this due to its encyclopedic format. Common terms such as Salvation, God, The Holy Ghost and Heaven can clearly be examined.

While I strongly disagree with the doctrine promoted in MORMON DOCTRINE it is an indispensible resource for understanding what Mormons believe.

The unusual thing about McConkie's Mormon Doctrine is that it has little to do with the loving, gentle image presented by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in its advertisements. Bruce McConkie's approach may be disconcerting to many non-LDS, but his candor makes Mormon Doctrine well worth the time.

I seriously recommend this volume to all those persons who are investigating the theology of the LDS simply because it addresses so many issues which will probably not be discussed during investigator classes and missionary meetings. In other words, practically all of the Gospel Doctrines of the Restored Church are presented in alphabetical order, with reference sources clearly noted. I personally feel that Mormon Doctrine is a wealth of information concerning one of the fastest growing Faiths in the world. So, if you are interested in learning more about "Intelligences", "Heavenly Parents", "Eternal Progression" and the "Father of God", Mormon Doctrine is the superb resource. Elder McConkie pulls no punches, and the clarity of his expositions on his Faith make his work understandable on all levels.

The style of Mormon Doctrine is very forthright, clear, and authoritative. Although at the very beginning of the book there is the caveat that Mormon Doctrine does not necessarily represent the views of the Church, and thus represents only the views of the author, the book is clearly one of the standard references in official Church publications, with references being made to it frequently in Sunday School manuals and other publications.

At this point, I must state that Elder McConkie's references to non-LDS Churches (and especially Roman Catholicism) tend to be rather harsh, so please keep that in mind when reading Mormon Doctrine.

Bruce R. McConkie's first book is a touchdown! Set up as a cyclopedia, "Mormon Doctrine" has several thousand entries on topics relating to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, such as Aaronic Priesthood, Jesus Christ (the most cross-refenced entry), Atonement, Evolution, and Zion. His uniqe spiritual and theological endowments are shown plainily in the many entries in the book. It is a must for any new convert or seasoned scriptorian who wishes to know more about Mormonism. It is also valualble for the student who whishes to have a quick, one-volume work on the faith of the Latter-day Saints.

Altought Bruce R. McConkie's work is not an official LDS Church Publication, it is a clear and consise presentation of what mormons believe. I found the "encyclopedic" style quite useful, and it has plenty of cross-references that come in handy when looking for unfamiliar names. One of the most stressed matters within the work is the identity of Christ, from His premortal commission, His earthly ministry, the things He is bringing to pass in the latter days, and His glorious second coming. Worthy of mention here is that the work includes the most complete summary of what the scriptures say are the signs of the second coming of Jesus Christ. McConkie is one of the most versed latter-day saints regarding the messiah, and in this work, it shows. Definitely, a good study tool, but not for entry-level study of mormonism.

Though this book has a lot of interesting thoughts and insights it is not the approved doctrine of the church. Most of it is just the author's humble opinion and speculation on certain subjects.
In my opinion this is not a completely accurate view of what the Mormons believe because most of it was Elder McConkie's express opinion. Most of the things discussed in that book are very trivial and if you asked an average "church-going Mormon" they would tell you that they don't know and it isn't taught but there opinion is such and such. If you really want to understand our beliefs, talk to the missionaries and read the Book of Mormon.

This little single volume work is an excellent source of the basic principles of the doctrines within Mormondom. Although only the ideas of the writer, I would place this as one of the more solid standards of correct portrayals of the LDS church's stance on many theological ideals.

this book is just awesome. No one, in the whole world, has been able to clearly express and define concepts and religious beliefs.

Yes, this book is not an official publication of the Church. But then again, almost all of the books on this website are not official publications of the Church of Jesu Christ of Latter-day Saints. Neither are "Doctrines of Salvation," "Believing Christ," "The Work and Glory," nor the telephone book. Most of the books I own are not official publications of the Church, but that does not make them any less valuable, useful, or truthful!

By the way, "Standing for something" is published by Times books, not the Church.

This encyclopedia is one of the greatest sources of information about what we believe. I feel that it is essential to look at the sources that Elder McConkie uses: the scriptures, JST, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, and the writings of other prophets. The key is not to look past, but through Elder McConkie and see the foundation upon which he builds.
This book is an encyclopedia format; so like the dictionary, it has no plot, just reference entries! It covers many subjects, and provides scriptures to reinforce Elder McConkie's analysis. It is interesting to see how far and wide the Restoration goes, and the endless variety of subjects that are embraces within the Gospel!

This is a handy one-volume book for people wanting an introduction to the Gospel, but can't afford the Encyclopedia of Mormonism.

The main problem with Mormon Doctrine, and everything else Elder McConkie writes, is that many people talked about Elder McConkie, but few ever read or understand Elder McConkie! Hopefully we will read with a careful eye this book.

I also find it rather unusual that some people won't forgive Elder McConkie for making one mistake in doctrine. Is he beyond God's redeeming grace?

Bruce Redd McConkie (1915-1985) was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) from 1972 until his death; prior to that he had been a member of the First Council of the Seventy since 1946.

He first published this book in 1958, as "the first major attempt to digest, explain, and analyze all of the important doctrines of the kingdom" and "the first extensive compendium of the whole gospel--the first attempt to publish an encyclopedic commentary covering the whole field of revealed religion." Mark E. Petersen (later of the Twelve Apostles) said about it, that it was "full of errors and misstatements, and it is most unfortunate that it has received such wide circulation." The 1966 second edition incorporated many changes, especially a softening of the tone. It remained in print until 2010, and has been superseded by the Encyclopedia of Mormonism (4 Vol. Set).

Here are some quotations from the book:

"Is it possible to repent of adultery and gain forgiveness of sins so as to be saved in the celestial kingdom of God? YES in most cases; NO in some." (Pg. 24)
"As early as 1832 the Lord revealed to the Prophet the doctrine of celestial marriage, including the principle of the plurality of wives." (Pg. 52)
"This doctrine (Blood Atonement) can only be practiced in its fulness in a day when the civil and ecclesiastical laws are administered in the same hands." (Pg. 93)
"The Lord placed on Cain a mark of a dark skin, and he became the ancestor of the black race." (Pg. 109)
"Cain, Ham, and the whole negro race have been cursed with a black skin, the mark of Cain, so they can be identified as a caste apart, a people with whom the other descendants of Adam should not intermarry." (Pg. 114)
"Paul himself was married. Of this there is no question." (Pg. 119)
"Since the kingdom of God on earth is concerned with temporal as well as eternal salvation, there are of course banking, insurance, agricultural and other business enterprises in which the Church has an interest." (Pg. 141)
"There is no revealed account of the spirit creation, only this explanation (Moses 3) that all things had been created in heaven at a previous time." (Pg. 170)
"Both the Nephite and Jaredite civilizations fought their final great wars of extinction at and near the Hill Cumorah... between Palmyra and Manchester in the western part of the state of New York." (Pg. 175)
"So-called cave men and the like were all degenerate descendants of the highly civilized men who peopled the earth beginning with Adam." (Pg. 196)
"Thus the period during which birth, and life, and death have been occurring on this earth is less than 6,000 years." (Pg. 255)
"There will be a not too distant day when all necessary changes shall be made in the Bible, and the Inspired Version---as then perfected---shall go forth to the world." (Pg. 385)
"It should be remembered that polytheism has reference to pagan deities to whom reverence, devotion, and worship are given. It is not to be confused with the gospel truth that there are 'gods many, and lords many...' The saints are not polytheists." (Pg. 579)
"With all their inspiration and greatness, prophets are yet mortal men with imperfections common to mankind in general. They have their opinions and prejudices and are left to work out their own problems without inspiration in many instances." (Pg. 608)
"(W)e can come to no other conclusion than that Quetzalcoatl and Christ are the same being." (Pg. 614)
"The Book of Mormon explains why the Lamanites received dark skins and a degenerate status." (Pg. 616)
"...the revealed truth that there was no death either for man or animals or plants or any form of life until some 6000 years ago when Adam fell." (Pg. 681)