The danger of casting aside reliance on revelation as the only source of truth, replacing it with reliance on fleshy academia, is that no matter how pro-LDS, no matter how well researched their claims, no mater how intelligent the historian, they will still be pathetic amateurs in the battle for truth as they face the master of all flesh reliance, that great deceiver, the father of all lies.
Just when the LDS historians, armed with well researched, flesh-centric facts, argue the rest of academia to an uncomfortable silence on the issue of Joseph Smiths prophetic calling, the Master of the flesh reliant, will miraculously produce an indisputably authentic letter from Joseph Smith describing how the angel Moroni turned into a salamander. In the battle for absolute truth, we can never win if we insist on playing in the devils court, following his rules, relying on the tools he can so easily, seamlessly, manipulate.
Similarly there is a danger within the study of church history if we are not careful, as was well articulated by Elder Packer:
“A member of the Church ought always, particularly if he is pursuing extensive academic studies, to judge the professions of man against the revealed word of the Lord… There is no such thing as an accurate, objective history of the Church without consideration of the spiritual powers that attend this work. Elder Boyd K. Packer, “The Mantle is Far Greater Than the Intellect” 2004.
In my next blogs I will provide suggestions for how we can enjoy church history in the form of the new book "Saints" while keeping it from becoming something it was never intended to be. While reviewing, studying, pondering church history as it is presented in “Saints” it is also good to remember what the Prophet recently taught in General Conference;
“You don’t have to wonder about what is true. You do not have to wonder whom you can safely trust. Through personal revelation, you can receive your own witness that the Book of Mormon is the word of God, that Joseph Smith is a prophet, and that this is the Lord’s Church. Regardless of what others may say or do, no one can ever take away a witness borne to your heart and mind about what is true.” President Russell M Nelson (Emphasis Added)
If we are to survive Satan’s onslaught in our day, the rock upon which we build is not history, it is not science, it is not any other human-centric methodology. No, just as it was in Peter’s day and throughout time, the rock upon which we must build is revelation, a foundation upon which if we build, the gates of hell cannot prevail….as President Nelson further stated:
“ If we are to have any hope of sifting through the myriad of voices and the philosophies of men that attack truth, we must learn to receive revelation.” President Russell M Nelson (Emphasis Added)