—Moroni 6:5-6
Jana Riess, a senior columnist at Religion News Service, and author of the Flunking Sainthood blog, interviewed Denver Snuffer about the various independent fellowships that have formed in hopes of preserving the restoration.
I thought the answers were helpful and important. This is what decentralized Mormonism looks like. My own experience with it has been delightful.
Click Here to read the interview.
Yea, if they will come, they may, and partake of the waters of life freely. Behold, this is my doctrine—whosoever repenteth and cometh unto me, the same is my church. Whosoever declareth more or less than this, the same is not of me, but is against me; therefore he is not of my church.
—D&C 10:66-68
Amen, Adrian. Decentralized religion is so unlike our modern corporate mindset. Without a handbook of instructions, hierarchical managers or billions of dollars to build cool stuff, it looks like chaos at first glance, like the path of fringe movements and troublemakers, something destined to peter out for lack of direction. Groups of people getting together and making stuff up on the fly in the name of God doesn’t make sense to us. But it might.
ReplyDeleteDoctrine and Covenants 10:64-69 speaks of the Lord revealing a great mystery in tenderly gathering the humble and defining his doctrine and his church with startling simplicity:
64 Therefore, I will unfold unto them this great mystery;
65 For, behold, I will gather them as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, if they will not harden their hearts;
66 Yea, if they will come, they may, and partake of the waters of life freely.
67 Behold, this is my doctrine—whosoever repenteth and cometh unto me, the same is my church.
68 Whosoever declareth more or less than this, the same is not of me, but is against me; therefore he is not of my church.
69 And now, behold, whosoever is of my church, and endureth of my church to the end, him will I establish upon my rock, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against them.
From a modern viewpoint assuming a highly organized and structured religious society, Christ’s definition of his doctrine and his church are indeed a great mystery to us. (If only the prophet would somehow parse the real meaning of these verses for us.) But if we step out in faith and accept Christ’s definition at face value, perhaps a highly organized and structured religious society is part of the problem. What if decentralized religion is a means for allowing our Lord to gather us as he intends.