The Theology Shift Of The RLDS Church -- The Blind Leading the Blind Discussion Board

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Date Posted: 12:15:29 03/27/01 Tue
Author: Mamusz
Subject: The Theology Shift Of The RLDS Church

Mamusz said:

After the first generation dies out, who had a
testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel, the
succeeding generations do not see the vision that
once was shared...and so they do not hesitate to
change the basic beliefs that were once held.

Ron said:

I agree with this statement in general. However,
you have included some "loaded" words such as
'truthfulness' and 'basic' which suggest that the
first generation had everything right and since
then things have deteriorated.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mamusz said:

Yes, after re-reading my post, I did imply that
there was a "truthfulness, and there were basic
beliefs." But, my statement was correct,
according to you, when I said that once the
generations that held to the original beliefs die
out, these beliefs will no longer be taught, and,
in fact, will be changed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mamusz said:

Education has been encouraged, even required in
some instances of church appointment. The
hierarchy is composed of "titled" men. Generally
people that hold Bachelor of Divinity degrees and
seminarians are much more liberal in their
theological views.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ron said:

I think that I would separate universities which
have theology departments and seminaries. The
former provide a non-denominational education in
theology which does not require confession of
creeds.

The seminaries are more likely to filter their
education to match their denominational bent.
These range from extremely liberal to strongly
conservative evangelical seminaries. I think
that within the church there are some who have
recieved their education at liberal seminaries,
some at
conservative seminaries and a few at universities
with a theology department.

I think the temptation is too great to become
ingrown and indoctrinate rather than educate.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mamusz said:

Did I not hear that St. Paul School of Theology
was a liberal seminary?

Ron, you have said yourself that seminaries tend
to indoctrinate those who attend a seminary in
their own denominational bent.

Do you think that it is possible to attend this
particular seminary, and not form their
theological views, which would not reinforce the
Book of Mormon and some of our other beliefs?

Certainly I can't imagine them teaching beliefs
in the restoration of the gospel through Joseph
Smith.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ron said:

I agree with you that while it is important that
the church have some focus, there is a danger in
a focus of dictatorial power.

I think that Grant McMurray is heading back
toward the type of leadership of Joseph III.
However, I also believe that it is not solely his
decision.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mamusz said:

I am still amazed that anyone would solely blame
the president of the church for all the changes
that have occurred. I'm not speaking alone of
Grant McMurray here. I'm speaking of many of our
past presidents, as well as other key people in places
of influence and leadership.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ron said:

There are many levels of leadership in the church
and changes at the top are not immediately
reflected throughout the complete organization.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mamusz said:

Perhaps that is why, while it is stressed that
the general population still believe in the Book of Mormon,
the effects of the leadership has not been
completely felt yet.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ron said:

I do think that the present trend of the church
membership becoming more weighted to the
underdeveloped and poorer nations will have an
impact on the church. I am not sure that I can
predict what the theological impact will be.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mamusz said:

I wouldn't even try. As in all things, time will
tell.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ron said:

Hope this is enough to start the conversation
that you wished for

Ron.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mamusz said:

Well, as always you tried to give it a start.
However, you may be more informed than some
others.

Mamusz

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