Articles of Faith

Great book. It came on time and was very informative. Bought it for my missionary.

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 simula