Proclamation to the World

[Guest]

I happened to be looking ahead in the D&C Lesson manual for Sunday School this year.  I noticed lesson 45 was the Proclamation.

I see this as setting the stage for eventually canonizing it as Official Declaration #3.  But of course, that isn't going to stop people from saying it isn't actually scripture.  Those who believe it, believe it.  Those who follow the philosophies of men will still follow pop culture.

[The Folk Prophet]

4 minutes ago, Carborendum said:

I see this as setting the stage for eventually canonizing it as Official Declaration #3. 

I remember discussing why it wasn't added in the 2013 edition and my mother, very wisely I thought, pointed out that it didn't need to be canonized because the principles are already doctrine repeatedly taught elsewhere. I tend to think that true.

[Guest]

7 minutes ago, The Folk Prophet said:

I remember discussing why it wasn't added in the 2013 edition and my mother, very wisely I thought, pointed out that it didn't need to be canonized because the principles are already doctrine repeatedly taught elsewhere. I tend to think that true.

I do too.  I then wonder why people claim it isn't "doctrine".  But like I said, I don't think many will change their minds much even if it were canonized.

[Jane_Doe]

50 minutes ago, Carborendum said:

I happened to be looking ahead in the D&C Lesson manual for Sunday School this year.  I noticed lesson 45 was the Proclamation.

I see this as setting the stage for eventually canonizing it as Official Declaration #3.  But of course, that isn't going to stop people from saying it isn't actually scripture.  Those who believe it, believe it.  Those who follow the philosophies of men will still follow pop culture.

From the Newsroom--

• With divine inspiration, the First Presidency(the prophet and his two counselors) and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (the second-highest governing body of the Church) counsel together to establish doctrine that is consistently proclaimed in official Church publications. This doctrine resides in the four “standard works” of scripture (the Holy Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price), official declarations and proclamations, and the Articles of Faith. Isolated statements are often taken out of context, leaving their original meaning distorted.

http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/approaching-mormon-doctrine

Something can be doctrine and not be scripture, the Proclamation being the prime example.  Being canonized as scripture is formal process, and the Proclamation very well may be Official Declaration 3 some day.  

Also note: while SS stays pretty much focused on scripture and canonized writings, RS/Priesthood lessons do not.  

[Guest]

6 minutes ago, Jane_Doe said:

Also note: while SS stays pretty much focused on scripture and canonized writings, RS/Priesthood lessons do not.  

Thank you for the quote.  But I'm a bit confused by this last statement.  Could you expound?

[Jane_Doe]

30 minutes ago, Carborendum said:

Thank you for the quote.  But I'm a bit confused by this last statement.  Could you expound?

Typically Sunday School lessons are focus just straight up on scripture study (OT/NT/BoM...).  

Third hour lessons will focus on not officially scripture things: like General Conference talks, Teaching of the Prophets series, etc.  These things are good, but not scripture.

[Sunday21]

Here is the proclamation https://www.lds.org/manual/doctrine-and-covenants-and-church-history-student-study-guide/the-worldwide-church/the-family-a-proclamation-to-the-world?lang=eng

[Guest]

41 minutes ago, Jane_Doe said:

Typically Sunday School lessons are focus just straight up on scripture study (OT/NT/BoM...).  

Third hour lessons will focus on not officially scripture things: like General Conference talks, Teaching of the Prophets series, etc.  These things are good, but not scripture.

So do you find it interesting that the proclamation is the focus of a SS lesson?

[Jane_Doe]

23 minutes ago, Carborendum said:

So do you find it interesting that the proclamation is the focus of a SS lesson?

Very much.

[Guest]

It would still be pretty neat if the Proclamation became D&C Section 139! 

Edited June 28, 2017 by DoctorLemon

[JohnsonJones]

IF, it ever became canon, or in the D&C, I would expect it more to be along the lines of an Official Declaration than another section of the D&C, but who knows.

[Rob Osborn]

Ive embraced the proclamation ever since it came out. Its very carefully written out in prophetic manner that has transceneded decades and will continue to do so. For me it has becone kind of the litmus test to see if someone truly is a follower of Christ. If they question it, dispute it, or say its not doctrine or true then they arent a true follower of Christ.

[Just_A_Guy]

If I read the manual's title page accurately, this lesson has existed since 2003.

As to imminent canonization:  there was a bit of a fuss some years back when President Packer ad-libbed part of a conference talk in which he described the POTF as "revelation", which was later redacted in the print version of his talk.  If I had to guess, I would speculate that there isn't consensus in the leading Church quorums about whether the document should be canonized; and that President Packer was probably one of the leading voices in favor of canonization.

[The Folk Prophet]

As I understand the story, the details in it were not "revealed" but put together carefully to express truths already revealed. The process of putting it together and the fact that it was created and released was, certainly, inspired. But it certainly wasn't a revelation like unto the revelations Joseph Smith received to form the D&C.

[person0]

3 hours ago, JohnsonJones said:

IF, it ever became canon, or in the D&C, I would expect it more to be along the lines of an Official Declaration than another section of the D&C, but who knows.

I agree.  I believe another actual section of the D&C would probably be revealed in the same or very similar language format.  Either way, it's already doctrine.

Edited June 29, 2017 by person0

[Just_A_Guy]

22 minutes ago, The Folk Prophet said:

As I understand the story, the details in it were not "revealed" but put together carefully to express truths already revealed. The process of putting it together and the fact that it was created and released was, certainly, inspired. But it certainly wasn't a revelation like unto the revelations Joseph Smith received to form the D&C.

Then again, not even all of the D&C was that way, either.  

[The Folk Prophet]

53 minutes ago, Just_A_Guy said:

Then again, not even all of the D&C was that way, either.  

Sure. But not my point. Just....'splainin'.

[Just_A_Guy]

1 hour ago, The Folk Prophet said:

Sure. But not my point. Just....'splainin'.

Mansplaining?  Why, you pig!  En garde, sir.

[bytebear]

10 hours ago, Jane_Doe said:

Typically Sunday School lessons are focus just straight up on scripture study (OT/NT/BoM...).  

Third hour lessons will focus on not officially scripture things: like General Conference talks, Teaching of the Prophets series, etc.  These things are good, but not scripture.

I tend to see SS as what we believe and why.  And RS/PH is how we apply it in our lives and in our families.  Teaching us how to teach our family correct principles.

[mordorbund]

10 hours ago, Just_A_Guy said:

Mansplaining?  Why, you ...

I'm going to cut you off right there and talk over you.

[omegaseamaster75]

14 hours ago, Rob Osborn said:

Ive embraced the proclamation ever since it came out. Its very carefully written out in prophetic manner that has transceneded decades and will continue to do so. For me it has becone kind of the litmus test to see if someone truly is a follower of Christ. If they question it, dispute it, or say its not doctrine or true then they arent a true follower of Christ.

I embrace the proclamation, it is carefully written and constructed from current doctrines all of which I agree with.  It is not scripture not in the sense that we recognize scripture.  I do not think that the church will canonize it.  Nothing new has been revealed with the proclamation. The brethren took an opportunity to combine points of doctrine in a concise and truncated manner easily explainable to the masses.  Is it doctrinal yes, but its nothing we didn't already know.

[Rob Osborn]

6 minutes ago, omegaseamaster75 said:

I embrace the proclamation, it is carefully written and constructed from current doctrines all of which I agree with.  It is not scripture not in the sense that we recognize scripture.  I do not think that the church will canonize it.  Nothing new has been revealed with the proclamation. The brethren took an opportunity to combine points of doctrine in a concise and truncated manner easily explainable to the masses.  Is it doctrinal yes, but its nothing we didn't already know.

It cements what was otherwise foggy points of doctrine. 

[The Folk Prophet]

15 minutes ago, Rob Osborn said:

It cements what was otherwise foggy points of doctrine. 

The concepts of family and eternal marriage were foggy?

[mordorbund]

It's probably time to drop the Articles of Faith from our scripture since it's just a summary of doctrines we find elsewhere.

[Rob Osborn]

2 hours ago, The Folk Prophet said:

The concepts of family and eternal marriage were foggy?

Some of the concepts in regards to gender identity and gender roles were getting a lil foggy. Its interesting that on many points the Proclamation is now used to clarify pounts of doctrine.