The BYU Maxwell Institute has followed up their previous series of Brief Theological Introductions to the Book of Mormon with a similar series focused on Themes in the Doctrine and Covenants. I’ve been excited about them since I heard about them a couple years ago at a Global Mormon Studies conference, so I was very happy when I got my set last month. The first one that I read was the one on Redeeming the Dead by Amy Harris, and I enjoyed it. 

It’s a small book (about 100 pages and small dimensions), but goes through a series of discussions about redeeming the dead, using texts from the Doctrine and Covenants as the centerpoints of discussion. Compared to the brief theological introductions to the Book of Mormon series, so far these books have tended to be more devotional in approach to the topics, but still rely on incorporating scholarship to theological readings of the scriptures to reveal insights. For example, in this volume, Harris draws extensively on the work of Philip Barlow, especially his piece “To Mend Fractured Reality: Joseph Smith’s Project,” as a framework for understanding the development of salvation of the dead in Joseph Smith’s context. She also draws on a variety of scholarly studies of the topic, such as Samuel Morris Brown’s In Heaven as it is on Earth and Jonathan Stapley’s Power of Godliness, and even the Brief Theological Introductions to the Book of Mormon. She also draws extensively on the teachings of leaders of the Church, such as Dallin H. Oaks, Jeffrey R. Holland, Chieko Okazaki, etc.

One thought that really stood out to me from Harris is that redeeming the dead through ordinance work like baptisms for the dead was always part of the plan. As Joseph Smith wrote, salvation for the unbaptized dead was offered “according to the ordinance which God has prepared for their salvation from before the foundation of the world” (D&C 128:8). Amy Harris suggests that because of this, “baptism for the dead … was not a fix-it for a theological gap in the divine plan of salvation, but a precondition of the earth’s creation” (p. 16). It makes sense that God would want to offer salvation to everyone, even while recognizing the limitations of mortal life have made it unlikely that the majority of the human family would have a solid shot at exaltation if limited to life. I just hadn’t thought of it specifically that way before. 

I also appreciated that the book didn’t just dwell on metaphysics and history of redemption for the dead, but also took the time to discuss ways in which the doctrine of redeeming the dead can positively affect day-to-day living. That type of discussion is, unfortunately, something that tends to get overlooked in theological discussions. For example, Harris writes that “redeeming the dead is not just for the future, it is about relationships now and forever.” This is because “the doctrine of the redemption of the dead contains a relational component that provides an essential corrective. Celestial glory is only possible with each other” (p. 65). If our goal is to create a network of eternal, heavenly relationships, we need to start working on our relationships now. She demonstrates this in the relationship between Orson Pratt and his brother Parley Pratt, who had a falling out for an extended period, but the rift began to heal as Orson engaged in family history and reached out to share with Parley. 

In addition, beyond just reflecting on the text of the Doctrine and Covenants, Harris’s work looks at developments that have not been included in the scriptures. Examples include Wilford Woodruff’s 1894 revelation and modern technological improvements to the family history wing of the Church. She also wrestles with some of the more uncomfortable aspects of family history research, such as dealing with the knowledge of slavery, rape, or ethnic conflicts in our family history. (I haven’t seen a lot of that type of discussion and the ways in which family history work can help with healing beforehand, so it was nice to see some of that here.)

Redeeming the Dead by Amy Harris was a worthwhile read that I would recommend to members of the Church and scholars looking to gain their bearings in the theological underpinnings of redemption for the dead.