What is LDS canon?

[Snow]

And second, because the fact is we need a sort of "stamped" set of writings that even we LDS need to make sure we are in agreement with concerning the Core principles of the Gospel. Just think how we might ourselves disintegrate if we didn't distinguish between the the canon (Standard Works, official declarations and proclamations, and the Articles of Faith) and other works such as Mormon Doctrine or Journal of Discourse. We might ourselves forget what is really important and have major schisms in the church, as is what precisely happened when Lutheran broke off from the Catholic church, and hence has continued among our Protestant friends.

That's not exactly what Luther did. He saw, correctly, the corruption that existed in the mother church and fulfilled what he thought was his moral obligation in dissent. I think he was likely inspired to do so.

[richlittell]

That's not exactly what Luther did. He saw, correctly, the corruption that existed in the mother church and fulfilled what he thought was his moral obligation in dissent. I think he was likely inspired to do so.

Using the term "corruption" might offend some of our Catholic friends, but I agree with what you say, that Luther saw what to him were some discrepencies between the established church of his era and what he believed religion to be. Most importantly, I do indeed believe he was inspired. He helped move the work forward (from an LDS perspective) but his was still an errant, or incomplete, doctrine.

My point was, that this inability to understand or agree on the core principles of a religion led to a schism in the established church of that era (though it was over interpretation rather than a misunderstanding of what comprised canon).

If we didn't have a "canon," it would be so easy for people, most especially LDS, to believe that the Gospel discourses, Mormon Doctrine and other such works carried as much weight as the Scriptures, official declarations and proclamations and the Articles of Faith. Since there are some discrepancies between these works, we could end up with all sorts of schisms, just look at how we as LDS debate things here on this website. I believe it is our canon, and the direction of our living prophets, that keep us all anchored and bound in brotherhood and sisterhood and on the right path to salvation.

It's easy for us to see now, since our canon has been defined for us by our leaders, but if we had never had any official canon and no knowledge of such, how would each of us decide how to weigh in on all the talks and works ever put forth by the leaders of our church? Would the works comprising the D&C have as much weight as those of the J.of Discourses? Where would the Pearl of Great Price fit in? and so forth and so on. If not for an official "open canon" we all might be of one the Church of Jesus Christ of Brigham Young, and of the other the Church of Jesus Christ of Bruce R. McKonkie. (I like both these men, so that is not a discredit to their names, thoughts and works, just an example).