Restorations: Scholars in Dialogue from Community of Christ & The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

by Andrew Bolton, Casey Paul Griffiths, Richard G. Moore

This book contains reflections from two groups of scholars who trace their beginnings to the early Saints who built the Kirtland Temple. These scholars come from the two largest branches of the Restoration movement, Community of Christ and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who have often found themselves on the opposite sides of many issues. This book is filled with honest, frank conversations between people of the two faiths but also collegiality and friendship. Centered on twelve themes, this dialogue is about bringing together informed scholars from the two churches working together, with goodwill, to accurately understand each other.

Genres: Religion

275 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 16, 2024

Reviews

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really interesting and helpful book written by faithful members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Community of Christ. It's written as a dialogue between the two groups. It's a remarkable example of respectful conversation that builds understanding around some important doctrines and topics for both faiths, not in an effort to convert, but to genuinely understand. The topics highlighted here include: Jesus Christ, scripture, salvation, ordinances and sacraments, prophets and polity, personhood, the First Vision and continuing revelation, apostasy and restoration, shared sacred space, and Zion. Here are some of my favorite quotes:

"This book contains reflections from two groups of scholars who both trace their beginnings to the early Saints who built the Kirtland Temple. They come from the two largest branches of the Restoration movement, Community of Christ and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints... Today the 'mountain Saints' and the 'prairie Saints' are both worldwide Saints (p. viii)."

"The two churches hold fourteen years of shared history (1830-44) and then nearly two centuries of separate development and growth (p. ix)."

"While the Book of Mormon remains a vital part of both faiths, we have also generally avoided the term 'Mormon' to refer to either faith, since both churches feel strongly about the use of their proper names and the connections each provides to Jesus Christ and his teachings (p. xii)."

"Dialogues between religious institutions are not uncommon (p. 1)."

"Following the death of Joseph Smith, division and confusion arose as to who should take the reins of leadership in Joseph's place (p. 2)."

"The 'New Organization' of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints selected presiding officers and made efforts to persuade Joseph Smith III to accept the role of leader of their church (p. 3)."

"Another circumstance that has led to closer relationships is, strangely enough, changes within both faith traditions that have resulted in fewer issues between the formerly hostile Restoration relatives. The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints aligned themselves more with the Kirtland-era church and doctrine, whereas The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints theology was based more on the doctrine and practices of the Nauvoo era (p. 4)."

"In light of improved relationships between individuals... people in both groups began to consider the possibility of improving communication and understanding through an organized dialogue (p. 5)."

"'A lengthy, productive conversation emerged' (p. 4)."

"The first meeting of the newly created Latter-day Saint / Community of Christ dialogue was scheduled for August 10, 2016 (p. 7)."

"By the conclusion of those first meetings, a spirit of cooperation and a feeling of optimism grew within the group so that an honest, friendly dialogue was possible and would be a positive endeavor. The group decided to meet twice a year (p. 8)."

"'I have a greater appreciation for the early history that we shared' (p. 11)."

"'Meeting in each other's sacred space has been illuminating' (p. 11)."

"Community of Christ's mission statement... reads, 'We proclaim Jesus Christ and promote communities of joy, hope, love, and peace. We believe in the salvation of individuals, societies, and the earth' (p. 18)."

"Seeking Zion means becoming one family, all humans becoming brothers and sisters, with Christ as our head. We think globally and work out Zion locally in our neighborhoods and villages, one street or footpath at a time (p. 18)."

"Jesus Christ is our exemplar in all things... Jesus is our Savior and Redeemer (p. 22)."

"'There is more mercy in God than sin in us' (p. 24)."

"We simply are drawn to worship in both praise and profound silence, moved too deeply to find words to express the wonder of Jesus Christ (p. 24)."

"While we certainly have disagreements in how we speak of and potentially understand the Godhead or Trinity, there is more in common here than I think there is distinctiveness (p. 27)."

"'Jesus is... the human face of God' (p. 27)."

"We agree about the nature of true discipleship--we must follow the grace-filled Jesus. We both believe that Jesus is the only true manifestation of God in the flesh. Jesus's life is the road map for salvation. We both believe that only in and through Jesus Christ is salvation possible. While sacraments and ordinances have their place as potential avenues to God's grace, Christ is always the source of grace (p. 28)."

"Scripture is essential to the life of Community of Christ. It is our witness of Jesus Christ, the basis of our worship services, and the way we understand our identity and mission in the world (p. 34)."

"The beauty of worshipping in a noncreedal church in diversity, and I suppose if you visited with five Community of Christ members about their relationship with scripture, then you would receive five difference flavors of response! (p. 34)"

"Community of Christ has a tradition of informal educational opportunities through Temple School and various seminar offerings... God is truth and so is not threatened by vigorous inquiry (p. 35)."

"Experience with scripture is related to our experience with hymns... An important lens for us is that of continuing revelation... A final lens is that of common consent. We live in the beautiful tension of a hierarchical church structure that simultaneously values the voice of each member: a theocratic democracy (p. 37)."

"We give thanks for the richness and complexity of scripture and bring our best selves to journey with it (p. 38)."

"Joseph Smith's prophetic career was saturated with the production of scripture and scripture-related texts, including his translation and publication of the Book of Mormon, his new translation of the Bible, his work on the Egyptian papyri, and the publication of numerous revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants (p. 39)."

"'The scriptures are not the ultimate source of knowledge for Latter-day Saints,' Elder Jeffrey R. Holland declared, stressing the primacy of 'living, vibrant, divine revelation' communicated from 'the living God' (p. 41)."

"We turn to the scriptures because through them we find God (p. 43)."

"It is clear that despite some significant differences in how our approaches to scripture have developed, our communities share a dedication to Jesus Christ, to whom all scripture points us (p. 47)."

"For members of the Church of Jesus Christ, being saved is a process (p. 52)."

"Joseph Smith taught that we are eternal beings (p. 52)."

"We believe in Christ and trust in his redeeming mercy and grace (p. 53)."

"Though salvation is available to all through the goodness and grace of Christ, there are certain things that must be done in order for divine grace and mercy to be activated in the lives of Christians (p. 53)."

"There is no person who comes to earth who is outside the reach of Christ's power to save, no soul beyond the pale of mercy and grace (p. 54)."

"We believe that the gospel is a gospel covenant (p. 54)."

"We believe in a type of universal salvation--not in the sense of everyone will one day dwell with God and be like God, but rather that all who do not defect to perdition will enjoy a measure of God's goodness and grace through inheriting a heaven of some type (p. 55)."

"While Latter-day Saints believe and teach that the highest form of salvation comes to those who receive the blessings of our temples, we do not in any way believe that it is the temple, or the ordinances contained there, that saves us. Salvation is in Christ (p. 57)."

"Just as discipleship has been seen increasingly as servanthood, so too has salvation been see in the transformed lives of disciples in community (p. 61)."

"Community of Christ proclaims a big on-this-earth salvation, far more than just heaven when we die (p. 62)."

"Community of Christ has shifted away from personal salvation and afterlife questions to an emphasis on salvation as the present and ongoing transformation of human beings by the love of God (p. 63)."

"What we, members of Community of Christ, have come to appreciate is Jesus's spirituality, his concern for the poor and oppressed, and his sacrificial love (p. 65)."

"A belief that we share with our Latter-day Saint friends is that God still speaks, but our processes for sharing new revelations with the membership differ (p. 66)."

"In the past half century, Community of Christ has developed from a very exclusive church... to a very inclusive church, affirming the worth of all persons more thoroughly through its theology and Enduing Principles (p. 73)."

"Ordinances, usually called 'sacraments' by our friends in Community of Christ, are central to our connection with each other as church members and essential in forming our relationship with God and seeing his grace made manifest in our lives (p. 75)."

"Community of Christ does not perform or allow any ceremonies on behalf of the dead (p. 82)."

"We believe that for ordinations to be efficacious, they must be performed by the proper priesthood authority (p. 83)."

"In all my dealings with Community of Christ, there is a wonderful spirit of inclusiveness... The leadership and members genuinely do all in their power to make sure that all people, no matter where they are from or what their backgrounds are, have a chance to receive of the grace of Christ through these sacred ordinances and sacraments (p. 84)."

"Joseph and early Latter Day Saints struggled with the contradictory nature of an organization that centered on a prophet who spoke authoritatively as a mouthpiece for God to the church and the world while also relying on the freedom and even responsibility of members to receive their own personal revelation (p. 88)."

"'The genius of our Church government is government through councils' (Stephen L. Richards, p. 90)."

"Joseph Smith III defined the Restoration as a 'theocratic democracy.'... The 1984 World Conference depicts theocratic democracy in motion (p. 94)."

"The prophet is the only priesthood member responsible for discerning God's will and presenting letters of divine counsel to the whole church, which may be presented for consideration and inclusion in the Doctrine and Covenants... World Conference is the church's highest democratic legislative body (p. 96)."

"What I found particularly unique at Community of Christ World Conference was the welcoming of dissenting voices and debate (p. 99)."

"Ecumenical dialogue is always enlightening (p. 100)."

"I believe it's fair to generalize that the nature of authority in Community of Christ has evolved to become less hierarchical and more relational (p. 102)."

"For members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the relationship between heavenly parents and spiritual offspring is literal (p. 113)."

"God prepared a plan that included a Savior, who would redeem every individual from death and, for those who desire, from sin (p. 114)."

"God's value and definition of humankind are not affected by mortals' moral relativism, politics, policies, or popular opinion but instead are founded on God's truths, which never change (p. 115)."

"As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we see all people, regardless of nationality, race, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, gender, and so forth, as potential gods and goddesses (p. 116)."

"'The whole intent of the gospel plan is to provide an opportunity for each of you to reach your fullest potential, which is eternal progression and the possibility of godhood' (Spencer W. Kimball, p. 117)."

"Community of Christ does not have different church roles based on gender (p. 119)."

"Joseph Smith III authorized the ordination of Blacks in 1865 yet was cautious about interracial marriage... It wasn't until the 1930s... that the conversation about women's ordination to the priesthood began to change (p. 120)."

"We all matter. We all are loved. We all are accepted as children of God (p. 121)."

"It seems that Christ clearly loved all people, but his love did not equal complete inclusion or lack of law (p. 123)."

"If God truly is love, then perhaps we need to know more about God to understand love. As we understand God and try to become more like him, we will learn to love and perceive worth the way he does (p. 123)."

"The purpose of God's laws is to help us become like him: happy, joyful, loving, kind, gentle, wise, omniscient (p. 125)."

"Members of both faiths believe that their prophet has received revelation on many topics (p. 126)."

"My holy envy for you as a member of Community of Christ is your ability to seemingly not judge but just love (p. 126)."

"We are always learning to understand, embrace, and apply the truth, which sometimes our predecessors lived and practiced better than we have done (p. 128)."

"In Community of Christ, we see God as embodying both the Divine Feminine and the Divine Masculine (p. 129)."

"It seems that through at least 1840, most members of the church knew little or nothing of the First Vision (p. 134)."

"'Community of Christ does not believe revelation is verbal, literal, or inerrant. Scripture is rather viewed as the written testimony of God's interaction with creation, inspired by the Holy Spirit. It is not the words of a written text that we follow but the God who inspires those words' (Dale Luffman, p. 138)."

"The gospel of Jesus Christ has always embraced visions as a form of God's communication with humankind (p. 139)."

"Orson was so relentless in his preaching and promoting of the First Vision that one historian referred to him as the 'Defender of the First Vision' (p. 143)."

"In more recent times, the church has steadfastly anchored itself to the First Vision (p. 145)."

"The doctrine of the First Vision... presents a unique case study in the history of our two faiths (p. 147)."

"For The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the First Vision is a virtual treasure trove of doctrinal truths (p. 149)."

"The role of the First Vision in the life of both The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Community of Christ has evolved through the years (p. 150)."

"The one-true-church doctrine and apostasy, in the Latter-day Saint and Community of Christ traditions, were at one stage important identity makers that differentiated both traditions purposefully from the mainstream (p. 156)."

"The end of the 1960s was a pivotal time for Community of Christ. At that time, the membership of the Utah-based church had increased substantially, making it so it could afford to be exclusive from mainstream Christianity, while the Missouri-based Saints could not. Because of this, Community of Christ became increasingly influenced by and interested in creating a shared theological dialogue with Protestants in an age of increasing ecumenism (p. 157)."

"Early members came to believe that the Restoration involved a return of divine communication; a recovery of hidden scriptures and lost gifts, priesthood authority and powers, and practices; the redemption of a people; the resurrection of bodies; and eternal reunions (p. 160)."

"Smith's revelations linked priesthood and priesthood ordinances to the biblical past (p. 162)."

"The prairie Saints... have developed as New Testament resformationists (p. 167)."

"Early members sacrificed to build the Kirtland and Nauvoo Temples in the 1830s and 1840s, and the Church of Jesus Christ continues to emphasize temple building to the present (p. 177)."

"Reunions in Community of Christ are family camps that typically occur for a week in the summer. All ages are welcome, and each day church services are held in addition to Sunday school-type classes. Reunions also feature many recreational activities, including campfires where participants sing both secular and sacred songs (p. 181)."

"On April 1, 1968, President W. Wallace Smith (grandson of Joseph Smith Jr.) presented a new revelation to Community of Christ. The revelation concluded with directions for the church to start work on a temple (p. 182)."

"The pursuit of peace is practiced in the Temple through events such as the Community of Christ International Peace Award, given annually from 1993 to 2019, and the Community of Christ Peace Colloquy (p. 183)."

"The groundbreaking for the Community of Christ Temple was on April 6, 1990, and in April 1994 the dedication services were held. The Temple holds the world church administration offices and the official archives for the church. The Temple is across the street from the Auditorium, and the two buildings are connected by an underground tunnel that allows the buildings to work in conjunction for hosting large gatherings like the World Conferences, which are held every three years (p. 183)."

"The primary way to enter the sanctuary is to take the Worshipper's Path (p. 184)."

"It is easy to see that temples are understood very differently theologically and practically in the two traditions (p. 187)."

"The quest for Zion is central to the purpose of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (p. 193)."

"Zion was used by most American Christians as a metaphor for a gathering of heavenly people, or the work or kingdom of God (p. 194)."

"Beginning in the early years of the twentieth century, church leaders began to adjust their call for Saints and converts to gather to a Zion located in the Rocky Mountains (p. 196)."

"The work of Zion continued as is exemplified with the development of the welfare program (p. 197)."

"Currently the church is calling upon its members to create Zion where they are and is attempting to put temples in their midst so that, through the vertical covenants of the temple, and the horizontal elements of Zion building, members are becoming one with the 'divine nature' (p. 198)."

"Joseph Smith taught that the 'great mission' of the Saints was to 'organize a nucleus of heaven' (p. 198)."

"'Dialogue is always worthwhile and helpful when it's genuine' (p. 215)."