The Doctrine and Covenants (sometimes referred to as D&C) is a part of the open scriptural canon of Mormonism. The book is a later version of the unfinished Book of Commandments, which was printed in 1833 and mostly destroyed by a mob (about 27 original copies exist today). This earlier book was a collection of 65 purported revelations given to Joseph Smith, Jr.
In 1835, these earlier revelations were combined with additional revelations and published, totaling 103 sections (although they only numbered to 102 because two sections were inadvertently numbered 66). Together with a series of doctrinal discourses used in the school of the prophets in Kirtland, Ohio entitled Lectures on Faith, the resulting combination was entitled The Doctrine and Covenants; the "doctrine" portion consisted of the Lectures on Faith, while the "covenants" portion consisted of Smith's revelations. This book was officially accepted as part of the Mormon canon on August 17, 1835. The book is organized in "sections", with each section representing an individual revelation.
Today, the book is published in a number of versions, by different denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement.
The Doctrine and Covenants is often abbreviated as "D&C" which many within Mormonism dislike because the abbreviation is also used for a medical procedure, dilation and curettage, related to abortion.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Editions
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), The Doctrine and Covenants, stands alongside the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and The Pearl of Great Price as holy scripture. Together they are referred to as the "Standard Works."
Sections Added to LDS Edition
The 138 Sections in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' Doctrine and Covenants break down as follows:
- Sections 1–134, 137 — From the presidency of Joseph Smith, Jr. (1828–1844)
- Sections 135–136 — During the administration of the Twelve (1844–1847)
- Official Declaration 1 — From the presidency of Wilford Woodruff (1889–1898)
- Sections 138 — From the presidency of Joseph F. Smith (1901–1918)
- Official Declaration 2 — From the presidency of Spencer W. Kimball (1973–1985)
The 1844 edition added eight sections not included in the 1835 edition. In the current edition, these are numbered Sections 103, 105, 112, 119, 124, 127, 128, and 135.
In 1876, a new edition renumbered most of the sections and included twenty-six revelations not included in previous editions, the are now numbered as Sections 2, 13, 77, 85, 87, 108-11, 113-18, 120-23, 125, 126, 129-32, and 136. This was the first edition in which the text was divided into verses.
Sections 137 and 138 were added in the 1981 edition.
The LDS Church's edition also now contains two "Official Declarations" at the book's conclusion, the first renouncing polygamy in 1890, and the second renouncing racial discrimination in ordaining members to the Priesthood in 1978. An "Official Declaration" is not a revelation, but an announcement that a revelation was received. In neither case is the entire revelation included in the Doctrine and Covenants.
Portions Removed from the LDS Edition
In 1876, the original Section 101 was removed. It had included the text:
- "Inasmuch as this Church of Christ has been reproached with the crime of fornication, and polygamy: we declare that we believe that one man should have one wife; and one woman but one husband, except in the case of death, when either is at liberty to marry again."
Replacing this section is the Section now numbered 132 which discusses the doctrine of plural marriage.
The Lectures on Faith portion of the book was removed by the the LDS Church in 1921.
Community of Christ Editions
Officials of the "New Organization" of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (now known as the Community of Christ) first published an edition of The Doctrine and Covenants in 1864, based on the previous 1844 edition. A General Conference of the church in 1878 approved a resolution that declared that the revelations of the Prophet-President Joseph Smith III had equal standing to those previously included in the work. Since that time, the church has continually added sections to its edition of The Doctrine and Covenants, containing the "revelations" of succeeding Prophet-Presidents. (The numbers of the sections and versification differ from the edition published by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and both modern editions differ from the original 1835 edition numeration).
Sections Added to Community of Christ Edition
The 163 Sections of the Community of Christ's Doctrine and Covenants break down as follows:
- Sections 1–113 — From the presidency of Joseph Smith, Jr. (1828–1844)
- Sections 114–131 — From the presidency of Joseph Smith III (1860–1914)
- Sections 132–138 — From the presidency of Frederick M. Smith (1914–1946)
- Sections 139–144 — From the presidency of Israel A. Smith (1946–1958)
- Sections 145–152 — From the presidency of W. Wallace Smith (1958–1978)
- Sections 153–160 — From the presidency of Wallace B. Smith (1978–1996)
- Sections 161–163 — From the presidency of W. Grant McMurray (1996–2004)
Portions Removed from the Community of Christ Edition
A General Conference of the church removed the "Doctrine" portion of the work in 1897. A "World Conference" (as "General Conferences" are now known) concluded that several sections that had been added between the 1835 and 1844 editions had been included without proper approval of a church conference. The World Conference removed Sections 107, 109, 110, 113 and 123 to an "appendix." A World Conference in 1990 subsequently removed the appendix from the Doctrine and Covenants.
Editions used by Other Denominations
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite) uses the 1846 Nauvoo, Illinois edition. Most recently a facsimile reprint was produced for the chruuch at Voree, Wisconsin by Richard Drew in 1993.
External links
- LDS Edition of the D & C
- Community of Christ Edition
- SaintsWithoutHalos.com: Doctrine and Covenants - Mormon historical revisionist site with thoroughly annotated D&C showing changes from various editions.
References
- The Doctrine and Covenants of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Containing Revelations Given to Joseph Smith, the Prophet, with Some Additions by his Successors in the Presidency of the Church, Intellectual Reserve: Salt Lake City, UT, 2000.
- Book of Doctrine and Covenants: Carefully Selected from the Revelations of God and Given in the Order of their Dates, Herald Publishing House: Independence, MO, 2000.
- Joseph Smith, The Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints: Carefully Selected from the Revelations of God, photo enlarged and reprinted from the 1846 Nauvoo edition by Richard Drew, Burlington (Voree), Wisconsin, 1993, for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite).