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7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Keystone Work in Mormon Religious Exposition, December 7, 2005
The LDS (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints - Mormons) church was founded in 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr. who went on in 1842 to compose a sketch of his young church for John Wentworth of the Chicago Democrat at the latter's request for information about the church on behalf of a friend. The letter contained thirteen succinct statements of faith which the LDS church has subsequently adopted as canonical in a work called "The Pearl of Great Price." While the LDS deny having conventional creeds, they generally acknowledge that Joseph Smith's "13 Articles of Faith" generally present a good synopsis of their faith, and it was a development of this synopsis that James Talmage, LDS apostle and geologist by training, embarked upon in the current work, "The Articles of Faith."
Talmage was one of the great thinkers of the LDS church (along with B.H. Roberts and John Widtsoe) who, in the very late 19th century and early 20th century articulated a maturing LDS doctrine in a way that has become fairly normative even for modern LDS people. While the early "Lectures on Faith" and similar doctrinal adventures have been put aside, Talmage's works persist as a vital testimony to his importance. Talmage was a systematic expositor and excellent writer. His works can be difficult to read due to his extensive vocabulary. Still, other more modern LDS leaders like Bruce McConkie who followed and often repeated Talmage's footsteps later in the late 20th century, obviously followed the patterns set out by Talmage.
In this book, the ministry of Joseph Smith is reviewed, and a foundation of Smith as a "true prophet" is constructed. Talmage recognized that the rest of the book hinged on the validity of Smith's status as "true prophet." Following that, Talmage treats the very nature of God which diverges from the God of mainstream Christianity significantly. He goes on to set up the LDS paradigm with regard to the nature of man and the "Fall of Adam," and how that Fall is remedied in the "Atonement and Salvation" available through Jesus Christ. LDS soteriology doesn't find a better spokesman than Talmage. Next the two main "principles of the gospel," "faith and repentance" are treated, followed by the first two "ordinances" (similar to "sacraments"); baptism and "the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost," the LDS confirmation. Next, the emblematic nature of the LDS celebration of "the Lord's Supper" is detailed (the LDS deny any "substantiation" in the tokens of the bread and water). A very important chapter on religous authority follows. The LDS claims to a literal "line of authority" from God's heavenly ministers to Joseph Smith, then from him to all others is a feature of the faith claims. Along with that, the LDS claim to have a restoration of the offices of the primitive Christian Church. This is the weakest part of this great work, as Talmage explains the various offices (the LDS have many multiple High Priests who also serve simulaneously in other capacities e.g. Bishop, Seventy without regard for the message of Hebrews in which the office of High Priest was finally filled in Jesus Christ, the perfect, ultimate High Priest). In any event, Talmage goes on to briefly treat spiritual gifts before getting to a very interesting part on LDS scripture (which includes the Bible - with caveats - the "Book of Mormon" - claimed to be a record of God's people in the ancient America's and Christ's visit here, the "Doctrine and Covenants" - revelations from God to modern LDS leaders, and "The Pearl of Great Price" - a collection of shorter documents dealing with Abraham, Moses, creation, the restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ in the LDS church, and the "Articles of Faith"). A feature of the LDS faith includes ongoing revelation from God through living prophets, which Talmage treats. Next, Talmage talks about the dispersion and gather of Israel. "Israel" to the LDS can mean "ethnic/religous Jews," "the lost tribes," "the descendants of the Lamanites in the Book of Mormon" (then believed to be Native Americans), and the modern LDS church itself. This "gathering" reflects a dispensationalism in the LDS theology, ultimately resulting in a "new Jerusalem" which will be in Missouri - a sister city to the older, historical, renewed Jerusalem. Christ will reign personally on the earth in this wonderful future. The LDS accept a corporeal resurrection. The book ends with chapters on religious tolerance and the importance of submission to secular authority. Like my fellow Catholics (I grew up LDS but have since converted), the LDS are not afraid to be involved in politics or social aims that meet religious ends. And finally, the LDS believe in a practical Christianity. It's little wonder that one of the favorite LDS epistles in the Bible is that of James. (While the LDS are criticized for not being "Christian," usually on theological bases, as a practical matter their daily lives are either indisguishable from or even superior to their "Christian" brothers.)
Talmage generally includes in his works copious endnotes, and this work is no exception. Not for the faint of heart, nor for the dabbler, this is a work for the student of LDS theology who wants to understand what the LDS believe. It does not disappoint, and I suppose Talmage's contributions to LDS thinking will persist and he'll always be thought of as an LDS theological luminary.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
good book, but get hardcover instead, May 14, 2007
the book i got was physically trashed because it was an old little missionary one, which is good if you serve in Africa and it will get ruined anyhow. If you live in a nice place and/or value your books, get a hardcover one
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by Le Grand Richards
by James E. Talmage
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