Perspectives on Mormon Theology: Scriptural Theology

James E. Faulconer · Joseph M. Spencer

Feb 2015 · Greg Kofford Books

About this ebook

The phrase “theology of scripture” can be understood in two distinct ways. First, theology of scripture would be reflection on the nature of scripture, asking questions about what it means for a person or a people to be oriented by a written text (rather than or in addition to an oral tradition or a ritual tradition). In this first sense, theology of scripture would form a relatively minor part of the broader theological project, since the nature of scripture is just one of many things on which theologians reflect. Second, theology of scripture would be theological reflection guided by scripture, asking questions of scriptural texts and allowing those texts to shape the direction the theologian’s thoughts pursue. In this second sense, theology of scripture would be less a part of the larger theological project than a way of doing theology, since whatever the theologian takes up reflectively, she investigates through the lens of scripture.

The essays making up this collection reflect attentiveness to both ways of understanding the phrase “theology of scripture.” Each essay takes up the relatively un-self-conscious work of reading a scriptural text but then—at some point or another—asks the self-conscious question of exactly what she or he is doing in the work of reading scripture. We have thus attempted in this book (1) to create a dialogue concerning what scripture is for Latter-day Saints, and (2) to focus that dialogue on concrete examples of Latter-day Saints reading actual scripture texts.

Contributors:

Introduction: Scriptural Theology

-    James E. Faulconer and Joseph M. Spencer

1. A Mormon Reading of Job 19:23–25a

-   Joseph M. Spencer

2. “Without Money”: Equality and the Transformative Power of God’s Word

-   Robert Couch

3. “Take No Thought”

-   Adam S. Miller

4. Jesus on Jesus: John 5 and 7

-   Eric D. Huntsman

5. I, Nephi

-   Claudia L. Bushman

6. Alma’s Wisdom-Poem to Helaman (Alma 37:35–37)

-   Bruce W. Jorgensen

7. “Seek Ye Earnestly the Best Gifts”

-   Jane Hafen

8. Records, Reading, and Writing in Doctrine and Covenants 128

-   Jenny Webb

9. Faith and the Ethics of Climate Change

-   George B. Handley

10. The Way toward the Garden: Moses 5:1–12

-   James E. Faulconer