Open Canon, Continuing Revelation in LDS Church
Mormons Believe in Ongoing Revelation and Additional Scripture
Aug 11, 2009
Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe in the reality of continuing revelation, meaning that God not only spoke in the Bible but continues to speak today. What does that mean about the Mormon scriptural canon and modern LDS church leadership?
LDS Ninth Article of Faith
Thirteen statements known as the Articles of Faith sum up basic Mormon doctrine. The 9th Article of Faith deals with ongoing revelation. It reads, "We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God."
The LDS scriptural canon includes the Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine & Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. Mormons also regard the most recent addresses of their prophet and apostles as scripture, and believe in the possibility of more of God's word being revealed as scripture in the future.
Open Canon vs. Closed Canon
Most Christian denominations have a closed canon of scriptures, meaning that they believe the Bible contains all of God's words to mankind and that no further scripture will ever be given to the earth.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, however, rejects this notion. Latter-day Saints believe in an open canon, meaning the potential for more binding revelation to be given. Church apostle Jeffrey R. Holland calls the idea of a closed canon "an unscriptural characterization of true Christianity."
Why Revelations 22:18 Doesn't Mean the Canon is Closed
Believers in a closed canon usually point to Revelations 22:18, which says that "if any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book."
However, there are many reasons why this injunction refers to the book of Revelations, rather than the entire Bible:
- Several books of the Bible were written after John's revelation, including Jude, the three Epistles of John, and the Gospel of John. The Bible is not arranged chronologically as many people assume.
- The Bible as a single bound volume did not exist at the time Revelations was written. For centuries after Revelations was written, New Testament books were circulated separately or in small collections.
- Similar statements are included elsewhere in the Bible, including Moses' pronouncement in Deuteronomy 4:2: " Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it."
Throughout the Bible, God has called prophets to record ongoing revelation to the people at the time. "We declare to the world that the heavens are not closed," says LDS church apostle L. Tom Perry. "God continues to reveal His will to mankind, as He has in all periods of time when He has had authorized servants [i.e: prophets] upon the earth."
Purpose of Continuing Revelation
Mormons believe that continuing revelation is necessary not because God's word changes, but because the challenges that humankind faces change constantly.
In New Testament times, for example, prophets and apostles spoke a lot about discontinuing idol worship and letting go of the strict observances of the Law of Moses. The New Testament from 1 Corinthians to Jude is a collection of letters written by church leaders to help early Christians deal with the challenges of their time and place.
Similarly, the LDS church sustains a prophet and apostles who receive revelation from the Lord to help with the particular challenges that people face today. The prophet's recent counsel includes avoiding debt, getting all the education possible, the importance of marriage and family, and steering clear of pornography.
Ongoing Revelation Doesn't Demean Existing Revelation
Many incorrectly assume that an open canon of scripture automatically demeans or discredits existing revelation. But as Elder Holland explains, "The Old Testament does not lose its value in our eyes when we are introduced to the New Testament, and the New Testament is only enhanced when we read the Book of Mormon."
Latter-day Saints welcome the revelation they now have and look forward to more revelation to come. The Book of Mormon suggests that mankind will someday have records from the lost ten tribes of Israel.
Source of Ultimate Authority in the LDS Church
Some people criticize the LDS church because the Bible is not the ultimate authority of their faith. However, neither is the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine & Covenants, or any other book of scripture.
Elder Holland explains that "the scriptures are not the ultimate source of knowledge for Latter-day Saints. They are manifestations of the ultimate source. The ultimate source of knowledge and authority for a Latter-day Saint is the living God." Mormons believe that God's word is alive, vibrant, and continues to flow through a living prophet today and will continue to do so.
Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have an open canon of scriptures and believe in continuing revelation from God through a prophet. They also believe in the Lord's words in the Book of Mormon: "because that I have spoken one word ye need not suppose that I cannot speak another; for my work is not yet finished; neither shall it be until the end of man." [2 Nephi 29:9]
Sources:
- The Holy Bible, King James Version. Salt Lake City: Intellectual Reserve, 1979.
- The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. Salt Lake City: Intellectual Reserve, 1981.
- Jeffrey R. Holland, "My Words... Never Cease." Ensign, May 2008.
- L. Tom Perry, "We Believe All That God Has Revealed." Ensign, November 2003.
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