- Last Lemming on Canonization, Part 1: Functional Canon to Formal Canon: “I don’t necessarily want to reduce the canon, but I would like to see it rearranged. The D&C should contain the truly foundational stuff relating to the establishment and operation of the Church (e.g. Section 20), along with core doctrines (e.g. Section 76). The rest should be moved to a “Book of Joseph Smith”, which could have a revelations section and a translations section. I would put the unannotated facsimiles in an appendix to the latter.” Apr 27, 20:20
- on Canonization, Part 1: Functional Canon to Formal Canon: “Roger, I found them for you. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/pgp/abr/fac-1?lang=eng https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/pgp/abr/fac-2?lang=eng https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/pgp/abr/fac-3?lang=eng” Apr 27, 18:22
- on Canonization, Part 1: Functional Canon to Formal Canon: “I didn’t mean to imply we should change D&C doctrine. I mean we need to exclude the irrelevant parts. This has already been done in part by lesson manuals. studying and reading shouldn’t be slog. Alleging that JS’s theophany is well documented is unsupportable. Stephan Harper is hardly an unbiased source. Three versions, all different? On my mission in the mid-sixties, The first discussion was based around the First Vision. Yet we’re not exactly sure what transpired. The BoM we used was called a history of the American Indians. My Navajo/Hopi neighbors were Lamanites. When it comes to the BoM, apologists need to up their game or disappear. The PoGP contained copies of the Abraham facsimiles. They have disappeared. The word translated has been redefined. We need to take a realistic look at our Canon.” Apr 27, 14:54
- on Canonization, Part 2: The Future of Canon?: “Best Loved Talks of the Lds People And the old LDS Library Subscription service kind of filled the broad need in the past. If engagement with certain talks is of value, the metric the Church could use its internal analytics on the gospel library AP. BYU Speeches or YouTube most viewed are interesting too.” Apr 27, 14:18
- on Canonization, Part 1: Functional Canon to Formal Canon: “We absolutely do not need to remove any of Joseph Smith’s revelations from the Doctrine and Covenants. In fact, I believe we should add more of them. The origins of the Book of Abraham are only “suspect” to those who are not familiar with this important and inspired text and its history. The documentary record of what transpired in the Sacred Grove early in the Spring of 1820 is robust and provides us with a clear and inspiring picture of Joseph’s foundational vision. Steven Harper is correct when he calls it the best documented theophany in history. The Book of Mormon should absolutely not be regarded as inspired fiction by any sensible Latter-day Saint; much less the prophetic custodians of the canon today. This is because despite Gentile indifference or ridicule, it is precisely what it claims to be. Accepting the foundational truth claims of the Church does not detract from focusing on Jesus Christ. In fact, getting entangled in academic navel-gazing and idly speculating about what we should remove from the depository of scripture does. In this regard, I agree that we should look to at the Community of Christ. Specifically, look at its historical trajectory and see where theological liberalization on the foundational truth claims of Joseph Smith and “Mormonism” takes you.” Apr 27, 13:59
- on Canonization, Part 2: The Future of Canon?: “Chad Nielson, I would personally include the king follett discourse, the lectures of faith, the law of adoption, what is truth poem,something from the journal of discourses, the salt lake dedicatory prayer, possibly the proclamations and some non canonized revelations from Joseph Smith. It is definitely open to discussion and would probably be more of an educational book rather than spiritual book.” Apr 27, 13:50
- on Canonization, Part 2: The Future of Canon?: “Not for nothing, it may be worth mentioning that if Bruce R. McConkie had his way, the Wentworth Letter would’ve been canonized in the circa 1976/1981 Pearl of Great Price, giving us two First Vision accounts, &c.” Apr 27, 13:41
- on Canonization, Part 2: The Future of Canon?: “AlanJayWhite, the little compilation that I mentioned in my last comment is basically what you describe. The problem that I think people would run into would be finding agreement on what should be included. There are hundreds of those types of documents that could be included. Which ones should be included and which ones left out? It’s a tough question. Out of curiosity, what would you suggest?” Apr 27, 13:38
- on Canonization, Part 2: The Future of Canon?: “I have thought about whether an “LDS apocrypha” should be created. Uncanonized revelations, sermons, teachings, visions and the like all contained in one book. What do you think?” Apr 27, 13:32
- on Canonization, Part 1: Functional Canon to Formal Canon: “Apologies, I lumped too much together without editing for clarity on my response to Roger. A focus on Christ in what use from the scriptures is not a bad direction is what I intended to communicate with my second sentence.” Apr 27, 11:21
