The Doctrine and Covenants is considered part of the Latter-day Saint scriptural canon. The compilation of revelations given mainly to the Prophet Joseph Smith includes administrative guidelines, radical theology, and emotional letters. In this collection of scholarly and devotional insights, we provide context behind influential revelations such as D&C 6, D&C 76, D&C 88, D&C 89, D&C 93, D&C 121, and D&C 132.
Stay Current with New D&C Resources
This page is regularly refreshed with new Come, Follow Me 2025 resources. Here’s a small sample of our related content:
Many revelations were related to the Joseph Smith-Translation project
A slight majority of revelations found in the Doctrine and Covenants can be connected to the Bible translation project known as the New Translation or Joseph Smith-Translation.
Not every revelation that Joseph Smith recorded has been included in the Doctrine and Covenants. In fact, Stephen O. Smoot and Brian C. Passantino found that there are over forty uncanonized revelations of Joseph Smith.
Scholars don’t agree on how to classify Sections 7 and 93
Are Sections 7 and 93 revelations or translations? Michael Hubbard MacKay thinks that they are translations and not revelations:
Joseph Smith … differentiated between Doctrine and Covenants 7—which was a translation—and other Doctrine and Covenants sections that were considered revelations, not translations from an original record.
Stephen O. Smoot, on the other hand, thinks they are a little of both:
These two sections of the Doctrine and Covenants, in my opinion, are textbook examples of how these two categories (“revelation” and “translation”) were collapsed into each other in Joseph Smith’s prophetic lexicon.
The Doctrine and Covenants testifies of Jesus Christ
The Doctrine and Covenants serves as a powerful testament of a Savior who is not merely a historical figure but a present reality, containing numerous revelations where Joseph Smith saw and heard the Lord. Historian Keith Erekson notes that it is an error to limit Christ-centered messages to ancient scripture, observing that “to Joseph, the Jehovah of the Old Testament and the Messiah of the New was also a Living Christ, both visible and describable.” Thus, “Joseph helps me draw nearer to God because for him, the plain and precious message of deity could be found everywhere.” This expansive view reveals a “voice of gladness for the living and dead,” emphasizing that divine truth can be found everywhere. You can read more about these insights in our full article on Joseph Smith’s teachings about Jesus Christ.
Church History
What is Joseph Smith—History?
In 1837 and 1838, Joseph Smith began work on an official history for the Church. Efforts were interrupted by the Mormon-Missouri War, but resumed once Joseph Smith had settled in Nauvoo, Illinois, in 1839. Other attempts at official histories had been made by Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdery, John Whitmer, and others prior to this time, and materials from these previous efforts were assimilated into this new history, which eventually was published in the Times and Seasons beginning March 1, 1842. Church leaders would continue working on the history, publishing it serially in the Millennial Star and later as the 7-volume Documentary History of the Church. In 1851, however, Elder Franklin D. Richards published extracts from the 1842 printing as part of the collection known as the Pearl of Great Price, which was a pamphlet designed to make important documents from Joseph Smith more readily available. The Pearl of Great Price was added to the scriptural canon of Latter-day Saints in 1880, including Joseph Smith—History.
The First Vision story was influenced by debates over agency
The historical backdrop of the First Vision was deeply shaped by the theological tug-of-war between Calvinist predestination and Arminian free will. Terryl Givens explained an interview on agency in the Doctrine and Covenants that the “battle lines between ‘willers’ emphasizing personal agency… and those holding fast to Calvin’s unqualified grace” defined the religious confusion Joseph Smith experienced. This conflict between groups like the Methodists and Presbyterians wasn’t just background noise; it was the central struggle that drove Joseph to the grove to ask which church was right.
Moroni was accidentally identified as Nephi in early drafts of the official Church History
Early drafts of Joseph Smith’s history identify the angel who delivered the gold plates as “Nephi.” However, all known accounts appear to stem from a record written by James Mulholland. As one of Joseph Smith’s clerks, he tried to combine several of the prophet’s manuscripts into a single history.
Brigham Young would later identify the misnomer as a clerical error, and a Church History Topics essay states that “no evidence indicates Joseph Smith ever called the angel ‘Nephi.’”
D&C 3, 5, and 10 are tied to the loss of 116 pages of the Book of Mormon, which included the Book of Lehi and possibly some of the Book of Mosiah. The loss of the 116 pages was a crisis born of desperate circumstances, as Martin Harris faced intense pressure from his skeptical wife, Lucy Harris, to prove the work’s validity. While this event often defines his legacy, biographer Susan Easton Black argues that his life encompasses far more than this singular failure. She describes his journey as “the compelling story of a man who struggled to keep his faith … when family and friends turned against him,” urging readers to look beyond the Martin Harris and the 116 pages narrative to appreciate his complex path to becoming an uncompromising witness.
Willard Richards played a pivotal role in preserving the history of the Restoration, helping to end the silence of the Church’s first decade where few of Joseph Smith’s sermons were recorded. Along with other Nauvoo scribes, such as Thomas Bullock, William Clayton, Eliza R. Snow, and others, Richards ensured that the Prophet’s later teachings—including those now in the Doctrine and Covenants—were captured, leading Alex Smith to observe that “Richards may have left a greater amount of information on the Restoration era of the church than any other single person.” Understanding who Willard Richards was and his contributions as a secretary and historian is essential to appreciating how these texts were preserved for us today.
Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith was flawed
While scribes like Richards were essential in documenting the Restoration, the resulting History of the Church—and the volume derived from it, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith—reflects 19th-century editorial standards that differ significantly from modern practices. Early historians often expanded sparse notes or converted third-person memories into first-person quotes, a method Alonzo Gaskill describes as “taking a second-hand account … and turning it into a first-person statement attributed to the Prophet.” Recognizing these textual complexities is crucial when evaluating the Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith alongside the more rigorous transcripts found in the Joseph Smith Papers.
Patrick Mason said that “D&C 1 is as close to a divine manifesto for the Restoration as we have,” and offered a modern interpretation of D&C 1, which he hopes will “take you back to the actual text to discover God’s voice, fired with a sense of urgency and mission about the nature and purpose of the Restoration and what you are called to do as part of it.”
Lowell Bennion offered an interpretation of Section 1
He [Lowell Bennion] offered what I consider to be one of the most important articulations of how revelation works. In his interpretation of the first section of Doctrine and Covenants, he saw the Lord explaining that he can only communicate to us what we were prepared to understand and accept. This implied for Bennion the need for us to do the spade work to prepare the soils of our minds and hearts to be receptive to the seeds of divine revelation that God might wish to place there. If we were overly dogmatic or confident in our current understandings or if we ever let bias or prejudice stand in the way, we might risk losing out on higher and further understandings because we would fail to imagine alternatives to our own way of seeing the world.
While some interpret D&C 6:37 as a record of a literal vision, Mason Kamana Allred suggests a more participatory meaning, noting that the word behold “contains kernels of both seeing and holding.” Deriving from Old English roots meaning to “firmly grasp,” the verse becomes an invitation to not just view, but to “fully understand and retain in our hearts and minds” the power of the Atonement. This linguistic depth enriches our study of the broader themes of seeing in the Doctrine and Covenants, shifting the focus from passive observation to active spiritual connection.
Section 11
D&C 11 corresponds to Moses 1:39
Elder David A. Bednar highlights a powerful parallel between God’s work and our own, identifying D&C 11:20 as the necessary “companion scripture” to the famous declaration in Moses 1:39. While the Father’s work is to bring to pass immortality and eternal life, Elder Bednar notes that “our work is to keep His commandments with all of our might, mind, and strength.” This reciprocal relationship underscores that our obedience is the mechanism through which we receive the Lord’s tender mercies, a core insight found in our collection of the best David A. Bednar quotes.
Section 13
What are the Keys of the Ministering of Angels?
Chad Nielsen shared several possible interpretations of the keys of the ministering of angels mentioned in section 13 and section 84:
General authorities have suggested several different interpretations over the years of what the keys of the ministering of angels mean. The major ones include receiving a special privilege, acting as angels, and empowering others to receive the ministering of angels. …
Later in life, Joseph Smith repeatedly discussed means of discerning the type of being you are communicating with when visited by an angel or similar personage, such as the instructions in section 129. … In this light, the “keys of the ministering of angels” can be interpreted as being the instructions found in section 129.
During the nineteenth century, Latter-day Saints frequently practiced rebaptism for various reasons. Partly as a result, Latter-day Saints developed different baptismal prayers for different circumstances. Eventually, however, the leaders of the Church made the decision to move away from rebaptism and to emphasize the baptismal prayers preserved in Doctrine and Covenants 20. As Jonathan Stapley and David Grua explained,
Different Church leaders had different perspectives, but it was clear that they all viewed the practice as becoming too commonplace. They removed the requirement for new emigrants to be rebaptized, and those going to the temple in the 1890s. …
It was also at this time that Church leaders reconsidered the propriety of using non-canonical baptism prayers, instead urging administrators to only use the language found in Doctrine and Covenants 20:73.
How did Emma try to fulfil section 25’s commandments?
While Emma Smith is often celebrated for her later work with the 1835 hymnbook and the Relief Society, historian Robin Jensen urges us not to overlook the “immediate 1830 context and reception to this revelation.” Despite sparse records from that early period, the fact that Emma served as a scribe and traveled to Ohio suggests she was actively “expound[ing] Scriptures & exhort[ing] the Church” right from the start. Examining these early efforts provides a clearer picture of Emma Smith’s role in shaping the ‘Elect Lady’ revelation and her immediate willingness to fulfill the Lord’s commands.
What does it mean when D&C 25 says Emma Smith was ordained?
When D&C 25:7 states that Emma Smith was “ordained” to expound scripture, it reflects 19th-century usage rather than modern priesthood terminology. Lisa Olsen Tait notes that in Joseph Smith’s day, “to ‘ordain’ something or someone… could mean simply to appoint them for a particular purpose,” rather than exclusively implying the conferral of priesthood office. Understanding this distinction is vital when asking what’s the relationship between women and the priesthood, as it frames Emma’s calling as a formal appointment to ministry consistent with the broader language of the Restoration.
Section 27 influenced Brigham Young’s Adam-God Theory
Although Brigham Young’s controversial declaration that Adam is “our Father and our God” was later disavowed, Samuel Weber suggests its roots lie in Joseph Smith’s revelations. Joseph never explicitly taught the theory, but he did elevate Adam’s status significantly—most notably in D&C 27:11, which identifies him as the archangel Michael and the “Ancient of Days.” This expanded celestial role, combined with the doctrine of eternal spirits, likely provided the theological scaffolding for what Brigham Young taught about Adam and God, illustrating how he attempted to synthesize Joseph’s most radical ideas.
Section 28
Section 28 changed how we view prophets
Christopher Blythe explained why Section 28 was so significant:
Hiram Page was an early Latter-day Saint, who has become well known for having dictated revelations by looking through a seer stone. …
It was at this point that Joseph received the revelation currently published as Doctrine and Covenants Section 28, which explained that only Joseph Smith could dictate revelations for the Church.
I first understood the importance of this revelation reading Richard Bushman’s Rough Stone Rolling, where Bushman argues that it was with this revelation that Joseph Smith transformed from being a prophet of the Church to being the prophet of the Church.
While spiritual gifts like healing and speaking in tongues were hallmarks of early Latter-day Saint worship—evident even in the Kirtland and Nauvoo Temple dedications—Joseph Smith eventually sought to regulate their practice. Revelations received in 1831 (D&C 46 and 50) emphasized a “cautious use of spiritual gifts,” which effectively “tempered enthusiasm for public displays of spiritual manifestations.” This shift from unchecked charismatic expression to ordered worship provides key context for understanding how early Latter-day Saints observed the Sabbath and balanced spiritual vitality with decorum.
Section 57
W. W. Phelps was called to be a printer by revelation
William Wines Phelps was an important writer and publisher in the early Latter Day Saint church. Biographer Bruce A. Van Orden explained how he was called to do so:
In D&C 57, W. W. Phelps was called as “printer unto the church” and to dedicate his writings to building the Kingdom of God. More than any other man up through 1845, he was the major writer of gospel themes in the church. He was also instrumental in leading the Missouri saints ecclesiastically from 1832 to 1838 and in being one of Joseph Smith’s key scribes.
While D&C 59’s strict instructions can seem confining—prompting Brigham Young to joke that “to keep the Sabbath we must lie in bed all day and scarcely breathe”—Philip Barlow argues for a different perspective. Rather than a list of prohibitions, the Sabbath offers a chance for “thoroughly letting go of the ordinary world, with its striving to accomplish, its anxieties, and its distractions.” This shift in perspective reveals that a radical keeping of the Sabbath is actually a “portal to a new kind of freedom,” a central concept when exploring time in the Doctrine and Covenants.
Section 76
Section 76 was related to the Joseph Smith-Translation
Section 76—called “the Vision” or the Vision of the Three Degrees of Glory—was one of the revelations that was sparked by Joseph Smith’s work with the Bible. As Mark Ashurst-McGee wrote,
Smith had frequent conversations with others about the Bible. He almost certainly discussed the Bible with his scribes as they were working on the Bible translation.
Take for example, the context for D&C 76—a report of the vision of the three degrees of glory experienced by Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon. The History of the Church explains that this vision was experienced while they were engaged in the Joseph Smith Translation and suggests that the vision began while they were discussing the meaning of John 5:29.
While many embraced the Vision gladly, there were some early Latter-day Saints reactions to D&C 76 that were quite negative. Brigham Young observed that “[The revelation] was a great trial to many, and some apostatized. . . . It was new doctrine to this generation, and many stumbled at it.” Mark Staker added to this:
The disruptions caused by the vision apparently continued for some time. As late as the fall of 1833, the presiding elder in Livingston County, New York, and about twenty-five other members, were excommunicated “for rejecting the vision concerning the three glories.” Murdock presided as the branch was brought back in order.
Section 76 may have initiated a “Pure Language Project”
The conclusion of Section 76 highlights a profound “epistemic problem,” declaring that regarding the glories of God, “neither is man capable to make them known.” This inability to adequately capture divine visions in English likely spurred Joseph Smith’s “pure language project,” an attempt to create a system of communication that could convey truth comprehensively. Research suggests this effort is deeply intertwined with the Kirtland Egyptian Papers, implying that these documents may serve as a cosmological expansion rather than a traditional translation, bridging the gap between the Pure Language Project and the Book of Abraham.
There is a poetic rendition of Section 76
A poetic rendition of Section 76 was published in the Times and Seasons as a way to show that Joseph Smith could produce prophecy as poetry. President Smith, however, may have had help from Parley P. Pratt, W. W. Phelps or Eliza R. Snow Smith in producing it.
While many interpret the “seven seals” in D&C 77 as confirmation of a literal 7,000-year history, Nicholas Frederick warns against reading geological certainty into Joseph Smith’s questions about the Book of Revelation, a text “laden with bizarre imagery and symbolism that was… not meant to be taken literally.” He argues that rigid interpretations create unnecessary tension with science, whereas a careful reading suggests that “the language used in D&C 77 allows for a view of the Earth’s temporal existence more in line with what modern science is telling us.” This nuance is critical when determining exactly what D&C 77 says about the age of the Earth and reconciling scripture with scientific discovery.
Section 84
Section 84 may have inspired adoption sealings
Jennifer Mackley explains that the early practice of “adoption sealings” was rooted in the Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood found in D&C 84. Because the revelation taught that priesthood holders become the “sons of Moses,” early Saints believed they needed to “seal the patriarchal chain of priesthood back to Adam” to bridge the gap caused by the Great Apostasy. This theological logic dictated that just as one is baptized into the House of Israel, one must be “adopted to Joseph as head of this dispensation to inherit the blessings of the fulness of the priesthood,” a concept explored in depth in our discussion on Wilford Woodruff and the development of temple doctrine.
The Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood is related to the Relief Society
Wendy Ulrich draws a striking parallel between D&C 84 and the founding of the Relief Society, arguing that the promises given to both groups “aren’t similar, they are identical.” She notes that just as the priesthood holds keys to the ministering of angels and the presence of God, Joseph Smith promised the sisters that “angels could not be restrained from being their associates” if they lived up to their privileges. This indicates that the “highest blessings associated by oath and covenant” are available to women, a core concept when exploring what Wendy Ulrich says about women and the priesthood.
Section 84 explains why the endowment is important
Jennifer C. Lane highlights D&C 84 as the theological backbone of the endowment, explaining that “in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest.” She interprets this not just as access to authority, but as the “priesthood power to become godly, to take on the name and nature of Christ” itself. Connecting this to D&C 109’s instruction to “grow up in [God],” she argues in Let’s Talk About Temples and Ritual that the rites are designed to facilitate a literal transformation of the worshiper’s nature.
Section 87
While Doctrine and Covenants 87 is famous for accurately forewarning that “the Southern States shall be divided against the Northern States,” early Saints recognized its scope extended far beyond the American Civil War. Scribe Frederick G. Williams indexed the text not as a singular prediction, but as a “Prophecy… concerning… the wars,” suggesting a cycle of global conflict rather than a one-time event. This view challenges the traditional understanding of Joseph Smith’s Civil War prophecy, framing it as a broad apocalyptic warning that continues to have relevance today.
Section 88
Section 88 mentions but does not define the Law of the Gospel
The term “law of the gospel” is central to temple covenants, yet its debut in D&C 88 creates a historical puzzle. While the revelation instructs Saints to be “instructed more perfectly… in the law of the gospel,” Joseph Smith provided no explicit definition in the text. This ambiguity “set the stage for this law to be variously interpreted” by subsequent leaders, making a historical study essential to understandingthe Law of the Gospel and how its application has evolved over time.
Section 89
Emma Smith’s Role in D&C 89
The 2025 update to the scriptures highlighted Emma Smith’s role in the reception of the Word of Wisdom. It was due to her questions about the use of tobacco at meetings of the School of the Prophets that Joseph Smith sought the revelation. Matthew Godfrey explained that “I think it illustrates a principle that President Russell M. Nelson taught in 2018: ‘Good inspiration is based upon good information.'”
Widtsoe Interpretation of the Word of Wisdom
Leah Dunford Widtsoe and John A. Widtsoe offered a strict and controversial interpretation of the Word of Wisdom:
John and Leah wrote about the Word of Wisdom in a book they called: The Word of Wisdom: A Modern Interpretation. This was controversial because the book went far beyond Doctrine and Covenants Section 89. They said that you should not eat or drink chocolate or anything with caffeine in it for instance.
It’s Difficult to Observe the Word of Wisdom in Japan
Shinji Takagi explains that observing the Word of Wisdom in Japan is uniquely challenging because drinking is often a social obligation rather than a personal choice. He notes that “not to drink is to refuse a gesture of hospitality,” and refusing a superior can be seen as a serious breach of social order. This is especially difficult with green tea, which is served constantly and viewed as medicinal. Recognizing these cultural pressures is vital to understanding the daily reality of Japanese Latter-day Saints.
Section 90
Vienna Jaques
Vienna Jaques holds the unique distinction of being one of only two contemporary women mentioned by name in the Doctrine and Covenants, appearing in Section 90 due to her crucial financial support. Biographer Brent Rogers notes that her arrival in Kirtland with substantial savings was providential, allowing the Church to purchase the Peter French Farm where the temple would be built. Her contribution was so vital that Joseph Smith later declared it “proved a Savior of life as pertaining to [the Church’s] pecunary concern.” Understanding who Vienna Jaques was reveals her role as a foundational benefactor whose consecration made the first House of the Lord possible.
Section 91
How Section 91 applies to studying scholarship
There is a lesson to be learned from Section 91’s comments on studying the Apocrypha that can be applied to modern scholarship as well:
For devout Latter-day Saints who are afraid of picking up Quinn’s books just because he was excommunicated I would remind them of D&C 91, where Joseph Smith asked the Lord whether he should read the Apocrypha (books that are included in Catholic and Jewish Bibles but typically not in Protestant Bibles like the King James Version). …
To avoid Michael Quinn’s writings is to miss out on a lot of truth about Mormon history. No serious student of Mormon history can avoid Michael Quinn altogether—nor should they. His influence is inescapable, and he still has a lot to teach us.
It isn’t clear what “intelligence” means in Section 93
Section 93 talks about how “Man was also in the beginning with God. Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be.” (D&C 93:29.) What intelligence means and how it relates to the premortal existence are open questions. As James Faulconer wrote,
Given the teaching of Doctrine and Covenants 93:29, we agree that intelligence was neither made nor created. But has intelligence eternally been individual, in Joseph Smith’s terms, “self-existent”? Or does “intelligence” refer to a raw material, comparable to the raw material of matter, a mass of substance, as it were, from which the plurality of individual spirits/intelligences were formed?
Zion’s Camp (or the Camp of Israel, as it was called at the time), was an expedition that Joseph Smith put together in 1834 to provide help to the beleaguered Latter Day Saints in Missouri. The expedition was mounted in response to instructions in Sections 101 and 103.
The 2025 update to the Latter-day Saint scriptures added a clarification to the heading of D&C 105 because, “Contemporary documents regarding the Camp of Israel (Zion’s Camp) indicate that Joseph intended it primarily as a defensive force.”
Section 109
Section 109 was part of the dedicatory services for Kirtland Temple
The Kirtland Temple was dedicated on March 27, 1836. The temple dedication included a prayer offered by Joseph Smith (recorded as D&C 109), a multi-hour sermon given by Sidney Rigdon, the singing of hymns, and speaking in tongues demonstrated by Brigham Young and David W. Patten. The service lasted more than 7 hours and involved roughly 1,000 people, including some who gathered in a schoolhouse overflow meeting next door to the temple.
“After this, Elias appeared, and committed the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham, saying that in us and our seed all generations after us should be blessed” (D&C 110:12). The identity of Elias is not given in the revelation.
What is “the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham?” It is the power to take those who come into the Church and qualify for the blessings of the holy temple, and to form them into eternal family units through the blessings of celestial or eternal marriage.
Recent historical research suggests that when Elijah restored the sealing keys in the Kirtland Temple to “turn the hearts of the Fathers to the children,” Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery initially applied this to adoptive sealings rather than marriage. Evidence indicates Cowdery adopted Adeline Fuller during this period, leading scholars to propose a reversed timeline where adoption preceded marriage sealings. This distinction provides critical context for the friction between the two men regarding Fanny Alger, as Cowdery seems to have viewed the sealing power as familial and non-romantic, explaining his sharp disapproval of Joseph’s relationship with Alger.
Section 119
Tithing Did Not Replace the Law of Consecration
The heading to D&C 119 was modified in the 2025 updates to the Latter-day Saint Scriptures to clarify the relationship of the Law of Consecration to tithing. As Matthew Godfrey explained, “Though we may no longer live it in the same economic sense as the Saints did in the early 1830s, the law of consecration is still a law we covenant to keep today.”
One of the greatest contributions of the Restoration to principles of peace is an insight into the nature of enduring power. As Joseph Smith prophetically wrote from Liberty Jail: “No power or influence can…be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned” (D&C 121:41).
This is a stunning insight into how God’s power actually functions. Because he loves us with perfect love, persuasion, gentleness, and long-suffering, we know we can love and trust him, and we surrender to his influence “without compulsory means” (D&C 121:46).
Sections 123 and 127 discuss how Joseph Smith handled trials
Reflecting on a life where tribulation had become “second nature,” Joseph Smith recognized in Sections 123 and 127 that while he could not control adversity, he could control his response. Eric Smith and Matt Godfrey note that despite constant persecution, the Prophet maintained a profound optimism, urging the Saints to “cheerfully do all things that lie in our power” and then trust in God’s salvation. This resilience offers a powerful template for how Joseph Smith handled trials, transforming a grim imprisonment into a lesson on standing still with assurance.
Section 124
People Listed in Section 124
Several of the people listed in Section 124 are featured in interviews or pages at From the Desk. These include:
Rather than viewing baptism for the dead as a theological backup plan, Section 128 reveals it to be a central pillar of the gospel established before the foundation of the world. Dr. Amy Harris notes that the text “describes baptism for the dead as instituted … even before baptism for the living,” framing it not as a “come-lately fix-it” but as the primary method to extend salvation to all humanity. This perspective shifts the ordinance from a mere administrative task to the very heart of redeeming the dead in the Doctrine and Covenants, forging a necessary link between the living and the departed.
Section 130
The text of D&C 130 was altered to reflect a different meaning from the original text by Brigham Young. As Charles Harrell noted,
Why Young decided to change the sense of Clayton and Richard’s account, which states that the HG can’t dwell in one’s heart to read that the very reason that the HG is a Spirit is so that he can dwell in ones’s heart is unclear. Perhaps he saw the teaching as inconsistent with what the scriptures taught as well as what the Church had been teaching from the beginning including, most notably, Young himself. Given that the current Latter-day Saint teaching is that it is actually the Spirit radiating from the HG that dwells in the hearts of the righteous, it is unclear why the HG needs to be a Spirit at all, since this same spirit radiates from the Father and Son who do have physical bodies.
D&C 131 may not say that there are multiple degrees of glory in the Celestial Kingdom
While D&C 131:1 is commonly understood to describe three sub-degrees within the Celestial Kingdom, historical context suggests a different original meaning. Bryan Buchanan and Shannon Flynn note that because “celestial” was a 19th-century synonym for “heavenly,” Joseph Smith was likely reiterating that “in the heavenly glory… there are three gradations”—referring collectively to the Telestial, Terrestrial, and Celestial kingdoms. This interpretation implies that the concept of subdivisions within the highest degree is a later theological development, popularized by Melvin J. Ballard in the 1920s, challenging our traditional assumptions about whether there are three degrees of glory within the Celestial Kingdom.
Section 132
There is evidence that D&C 132 is an authentic Joseph Smith revelation
Despite theories suggesting that Brigham Young altered the text to support polygamy, scholars Mark Tensmeyer and William V. Smith argue that the preponderance of evidence confirms D&C 132 is an authentic Joseph Smith document.
Tensmeyer notes that even contemporary critics like William Marks acknowledged a revelation authorizing plural marriage, whereas there is “virtually no support for a monogamy-only revelation.” Furthermore, internal clues in the Kingsbury manuscript—specifically a sudden shift to a “hurried style” of abbreviations near verse 61—align perfectly with historical accounts of Hyrum Smith demanding the original back before the copy was finished.
These physical and historical details strongly suggest the current text is an accurate representation of the original D&C 132 plural marriage revelation.
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It used to be taboo to discuss Joseph Smith’s plural marriage practices
Plural marriage is an uncomfortable topic and for a long time it was taboo to discuss Joseph Smith’s marriages other than to Emma. Todd Compton explained some of the irony of this taboo:
Joseph Smith’s revelation on polygamy (D&C 132) and his extensive practice of polygamy laid the foundation for polygamy being an important doctrine and practice of nineteenth-century Mormonism in Utah. …
Brigham Young was sometimes accepted as a much-married polygamist, but Latter-day Saint culture downplayed Joseph Smith’s polygamy—despite the fact that D&C 132 is still in our Doctrine & Covenants, and that Jenson and Joseph F. Smith carefully documented Joseph Smith’s plural marriages.
Joseph Smith Likely Received Other Revelations on Plural Marriage
In addition to D&C 132, some people indicated that Joseph Smith received other revelations on the subject of plural marriage. For example, Andrew Kimball shared the following:
In 1866, Heber told a congregation of saints that “I can recollect well when Joseph Smith the prophet received” a revelation for me “in the presence of President Brigham Young and Willard Richards. They had not been home from a mission in England “over six days before Joseph called us together and laid these things before us, the first time we knew of them.”
Joseph gave his revelation as “Thus saith the Lord for my servant Willard and Brigham and Heber to take more wives for this is pleasing in my God’s sight.”
Heber described his astonishment:
I wept days, but I would not weep before the people. I would go and wash my face and anoint my head. . . . I was sorrowful. I had a good wife. I was satisfied.
Willard Richards Created the Sources Behind Section 135
Just as it is unclear whether John Taylor’s pocket watch saved him in Carthage Jail, it is unclear whether John Taylor was the principal author of D&C 135. What we do know is that Willard Richards was one of the four Latter-day Saints present at Carthage Jail during the assassination of Joseph and Hyrum Smith, and much of what we know about that event came to us through his work as a clerk and historian.
Section 136
Section 136 brought hope during a difficult time
Received amidst the sickness and death of the Latter-day Saints’ time in Winter Quarters, Nebraska, D&C 136 provided essential reassurance to Saints who feared the Church had lost its way after Joseph Smith’s death. Richard Bennett explains that the revelation confirmed the Saints were “still called, still ordained… even if they then did not know precisely where they were going,” shifting their focus from the physical journey to their spiritual refinement. By teaching that “it was not the trail but the trial that would bring meaning to all their sufferings,” the revelation offered a divine perspective on the tragic events and hardships that define what happened at Winter Quarters.
As the only canonized revelation received by Brigham Young, D&C 136 did more than organize a wagon train; it shifted his approach to governance. Chad Orton argues that while the succession crisis focused on the issue of whether he held the keys of the kingdom, this revelation taught him that the Saints had “failed to fully grasp the importance of being a covenant people.” This spiritual recalibration defined Brigham Young’s leadership style, empowering him to act as both an “American Moses” and “American Joshua” in leading the Saints to their promised land.
Section 136 isn’t the only revelation that Brigham Young recorded
Christopher Blythe wrote about how Brigham Young recorded two uncanonized revelations worded in the voice of the Lord (which he termed “dialogic revelations”). He also explained why Brigham Young seems to have written so few revelations:
What we don’t have are many dialogic revelations. In fact, what became Section 136 of the Doctrine and Covenants is in many respects the only known revelation of any length. …
Young responded to his lack of dialogic revelations on numerous occasions. He explained that when a revelation was placed into the words of deity and the Saints were not abiding its precepts, they risked greater condemnation than if it was just given as encouragement from a church leader. He argued that the Saints should not expect new revelations when they hadn’t lived up to the “thus saith the Lord” revelations that Joseph Smith had received—including the law United Order which the revelation I published addresses.
Joseph F. Smith’s life prepared him to receive the Vision of the Redemption of the Dead
The profound insights found in D&C 138 were forged in the furnace of Joseph F. Smith’s personal tragedies. Biographer Stephen C. Taysom explains that having lost his parents young and twelve children throughout his life, Smith experienced an “intense, almost savage, grief” that drove him to ponder the connection between family and heaven. Rather than a sudden manifestation, this Vision of the Redemption of the Dead came to him “drop by painful drop over a long lifetime of suffering,” revealing a theology deeply rooted in the necessity of eternal family bonds.
Susa Young Gates was one of the first people to read Joseph F. Smith’s vision
Susa Young Gates—the most famous daughter of Brigham Young—was a friend of the Joseph F. Smith family and was given the opportunity to read the vision before it was published: “She was thrilled almost beyond expression,” biographer Lisa Olsen Tait observed in an interview about Susa Young Gates and the Vision of the Redemption of the Dead. “‘How blest, O how blest I am to have the priviledge’ of reading the vision, she wrote in her journal that night.”
Section 138 implies that women are foreordained to leadership
Wendy Ulrich explained how she interprets foreordination of women based on Section 138:
Early apostle Orson Hyde equated priesthood with governance, but women function in many governance and leadership roles in the Church just as men do, including over mixed-sex groups like Primary children and teachers.
Other apostles have equated priesthood with the power of God to create, resurrect, and redeem, which gives priesthood a much grander scope than mere earthly ritual or administration, but Doctrine and Covenants 138:38-39 and 55-56 strongly suggests that women were among those chosen as leaders in the premortal world, and Abraham 3:22-24 uses the similar language to describe those who assisted in the work of creation, implying that women were involved there as well.
Despite persistent rumors that Frank Cannon ghostwrote or revised the Manifesto (Official Declaration 1), historical scrutiny contradicts his own claims of involvement. Biographer Val Holley points out that while the First Presidency often consulted Frank on political matters, he was verifiably out of town during the critical 48-hour window of the document’s creation. Consequently, “he could not possibly have participated” in drafting the text, a historical correction explored fully in our interview on Frank J. Cannon: Saint, Senator and Scoundrel.
It wasn’t clear whether the Manifesto was universally applicable
While the Manifesto signaled the end of plural marriage, many Latter-day Saints disagreed about whether it was universally applicable.
The Manifesto urged members to live according to the laws of the land, referring, essentially, to the United States. Some members wondered if the 1890 Manifesto was only temporary. The Saints had created polygamous satellite communities in Mexico and Canada in the 1880s, and so some Saints who married post-Manifesto travelled out of the United States and were married in Mexico or Canada or even on the seas.
The documents included with Official Declaration 1 are sometimes misinterpreted
There are three documents included with the actual Manifesto in the Doctrine and Covenants. In one of them, Wilford Woodruff stated that “The Lord will never permit me or any other man who stands as President of this Church to lead you astray. It is not in the programme. It is not in the mind of God. If I were to attempt that, the Lord would remove me out of my place.” Keith Erekson explained how that can be misinterpreted:
In the first place the idea that a Church leader should be or even could be perfect is inaccurate. There is no scripture, no teaching anywhere, that proclaims that Church leaders are perfect. And those who have carried the burden of the role have always been the first to declare their weaknesses.
Most Latter-day Saints will happily state that Jesus lived the only perfect life, and yet, at some deeper level, we have elevated Wilford Woodruff ’s observation that the Lord will not permit a prophet to lead the people astray (see Official Declaration 1) into a hidden belief that prophets cannot make mistakes.
Bruce R. McConkie left a description of the time when the revelation took place
Official Declaration 2 was issued as a result of a June 1, 1978 revelation that the Quorum of the Twelve and First Presidency received. Bruce R. McConkie was among those who were present and left the most extensive records of what happened during that meeting (although President Kimball and several other apostles disputed its accuracy).
Spencer W. Kimball spent a lot of time preparing for the revelation
Spencer W. Kimball believed that revelation comes when we reach as high as we can. W. Paul Reeve explained how that was the case with the priesthood revelation:
President Spencer W. Kimball studied the issue out in his mind, learned the history of the restrictions for himself, and sought new sources of information. He studied the scriptures and, according to his son Edward Kimball, he concluded that the restrictions “did not come from explicit scriptures but rather from interpretations by various Church leaders.”
He fasted, prayed, sought inspiration in the temple, and laid the groundwork for consensus among senior Church leaders. The lack of consensus among leaders had prevented change in the past and President Kimball recognized the need for consensus as an important component in moving forward.
Spencer W. Kimball aimed to remove the ban early on in his presidency, but worked to gain consensus among the Quorum of the Twelve and First Presidency before doing so:
One of the major claims of Second Class Saints: Black Mormons and the Struggle for Racial Equality is that President Kimball sought to overturn the ban the moment he became the prophet in 1973. …
The priesthood revelation was a decade-long process in which President Kimball felt inspired to lift the ban the moment he became the president. But he had to secure buy-in from the rest of the Brethren first. He wanted unity to enact the momentous policy and doctrinal change, rather than risk the fractures that occurred in the aftermath of the 1890 plural marriage manifesto. It took him five years to convince the Brethren to lift the ban.
Jonathan Stapley observes in an interview about temple development that the pre-1978 restriction was far more than an ecclesiastical “priesthood ban”—it effectively “fractured the cosmos” by preventing Black families from entering the interconnected network of sealings. Official Declaration 2 healed this rift, restoring the vision of a heaven comprised of “all nations, and kindreds, and people,” a shift that had immediate personal consequences. As Quincy Newell notes, shortly after the revelation, proxy work was finally performed for Jane Manning James, fulfilling the desires of the pioneer sister who had petitioned for those blessings for decades.
Two John Taylor Revelations Were Printed with European Editions of the Doctrine and Covenants
John Taylor recorded several revelations in the style of Joseph Smith and even published two during his lifetime, which ended up in some non-English editions of the Doctrine and Covenants:
The two revelations that were published were recorded on October 13, 1882 and April 14, 1883. …
Both of these revelations were printed in several European editions of the Doctrine and Covenants. They continued to be part of the Swedish, German, and Danish Doctrine and Covenants through the 1920s.
Community of Christ uses a different version of the Doctrine and Covenants
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Community of Christ each use the Doctrine and Covenants, but their versions are different. The two organizations separated when the contents of the Doctrine and Covenants went through what we call Section 107. Joshua Sears briefly explained why they’ve diverged:
The obvious difference is that we each include new revelations that the other church does not accept.
Kat Goheen from Community of Christ offered an explanation as well:
I can only speak for Community of Christ, but I believe that our Enduring Principle of Continuing Revelation prompts us to orient forward, as we have been told to look “beyond the horizon to which you are sent” (D&C 161 1a). As we have grown into our new name, we have learned the importance of spiritual discernment and traveling light, and we use recent revelations in our Doctrine and Covenants as signposts for our future direction.
The Doctrine and Covenants quotes the Song of Solomon
Even though Joseph Smith indicated that the Song of Solomon was not an inspired document, quotations from it appear in the Doctrine and Covenants. Dana Pike shared some possible explanations for why that is the case:
Biblical inclusion. The Song is in the Bible, and most early members of the Church were likely at least somewhat familiar with it;
Popular sayings. There are several verses from the Song that were popular sayings in the 1800s (e.g., 1:2; 2:12, 15; 8:6);
Other sources. Latter-day prophets have not avoided quoting or referencing non-Latter-day Saint sources when they found something of value therein (e.g., C. S. Lewis); and
Inspiring imagery. The language of Song 6:10, the verse that appears in the Doctrine and Covenants, contains beautiful, evocative, and inspiring imagery, so why not employ it (even if the book itself is regarded as “not inspired”)!
Who Translated the Doctrine and Covenants Into Spanish?
Eduardo Balderas left an indelible mark on the global Church by completing the first full translation of the Doctrine and Covenants into Spanish. His work bridged a critical gap, providing Spanish-speaking Saints with “deeper doctrine than normally taught” and essential knowledge of Church administration. Without access to these texts, members risked being kept “like children in their own branches and wards,” unable to fully progress in the gospel. Through this effort,Eduardo Balderas transforming how the Restoration was understood throughout Latin America.
Temple Connections
Jeffrey M. Bradshaw argues that the seeds of the temple ordinances were planted long before the Nauvoo era, appearing in Joseph Smith’s earliest translations and revelations. He identifies “unmistakable references to significant components of priesthood and temple doctrines” throughout these early texts, noting that the “narrative backbone, clothing, and covenants” of the endowment are discernible in the 1830 Book of Moses. From the oath and covenant in D&C 84 to the keys restored by John the Baptist, these scriptural connections are essential for tracing ancient threads in the Book of Moses, demonstrating that the temple theology was a cohesive part of the Restoration from the beginning.
Endowment of Power
The “Kirtland Endowment” differed significantly from the modern ordinance, functioning primarily as a spiritual “gift” or bestowal rather than a ritual presentation. Although promised in 1831 with the declaration that “there you shall be endowed with power from on high,” the fulfillment required a five-year season of sanctification and construction. Revelations eventually clarified that this power could only be poured out within a completed House of the Lord, a crucial distinction for understanding exactly what was the Kirtland Endowment.
Sections added to the Doctrine and Covenants in 1876 supported temple work
Apostle Orson Pratt oversaw the preparation of a new edition of the scriptures in the 1870s and made sure that many documents from Joseph Smith were added to the Doctrine and Covenants at that time. These included, as Richard Bennett pointed out, several documents related to temples that raised the level of temple consciousness among the Latter-day Saints:
With the reclamation of past revelations, including Sections 109, 110, 121-123 and 132, all of which were canonized in 1880, temple work received more solid doctrinal footing and support.
Lectures on Faith Were in the Doctrine and Covenants
The Lectures on Faith were a series of doctrinal essays written by Church leaders in 1834. They were included as the “doctrine” portion of the original Doctrine and Covenants. By 1920, they were no longer an adequate summary of Latter-day Saint theology and were dropped from the Doctrine and Covenants.
The Structure of the Lectures on Faith resembled Masonic sermons
According to Cheryl Bruno, the Masonic sermons of Hosea Ballou were similar to the Lectures on Faith. Speaking to the members of Vermont’s Aurora Lodge on December 27, 1805, Ballou cited seven characteristics of deity, which he believed mankind must adopt in order to be prepared for salvation.
Odds and Ends
Maxwell Institute Has Published a Series About Themes in the Doctrine and Covenants
Following the model of the 12-volume series that provided brief theological introductions to the Book of Mormon, Maxwell Institute has published a series that focuses on themes in the Doctrine and Covenants.
The non-narrative structure of the Doctrine and Covenants called for a topical approach. Authors were invited to select their own topics. I think they ended up with a great mix of both bread-and-butter theological topics like agency (Terryl Givens), revelation (Janiece Johnson), and law (Justin Collings), together with some unexpected and interesting topics like time (Philip Barlow) and seeing (Mason Allred).
There is Anthony Sweat artwork inspired by the Doctrine and Covenants
Anthony Sweat has created many paintings about Latter-day Saint history, including several inspired by the Doctrine and Covenants. Here are a few examples:
Art is about visual communication and ideas. It doesn’t speak the same language as history. For example, in my painting “The Voice of God in the Chamber of Father Whitmer,” I painted the head of God really, really big. And his voice is coming down in this swirling yellow pillar to Joseph and Oliver.
The Voice of God in the Chamber of Father Whitmer, by Anthony Sweat.
That painting is based on an actual event recorded in Joseph’s history and in D&C 128:21 “the voice of God in the chamber of old Father Whitmer,” but it’s visual depiction is a translation. …
At some point when Joseph Smith lived near the Susquehanna River in Harmony, PA (Dec. 1827-Jan.1831), Satan appeared to the Prophet, disguised as an angel of light, apparently trying to deceive Joseph. Another angel appeared, Michael (or Adam), to the aid of Joseph Smith and exposed the devil disguised as a false angel of truth.
Joseph Smith gives a small summary of this event in D&C 128:20 when he wrote of angels who had ministered to him such as, “Michael on the banks of the Susquehanna, detecting the devil when he appeared as an angel of light!”
The Church Almost Lost the Copyright to the Doctrine and Covenants
When Wilford Woodruff served a mission to England in 1845, he found out that a former member of the Church was working to obtain the copyright to the Doctrine and Covenants. This, as Kristy Wheelwright observed, “would have prevented the Church from selling copies of the scriptures. More importantly, it would not have been able to control the authenticity and correctness of the printing.” Woodruff was able to address the issue, though it took a lot of study and work to do so.
Truman G. Madsen Memorized the Doctrine and Covenants
BYU Professor Truman G. Madsen once said that “If I tried to quote the entire D&C I would get some things out of order, but I can quote every line in the D&C.”
Bruce R. McConkie had a list of documents he wanted added to the Doctrine and Covenants
Along with Sections 137 and 138, Bruce R. McConkie had a list of other documents that he considered uncanonized scripture that he suggested for inclusion in the Doctrine and Covenants or Pearl of Great Price:
Adding two Articles of Faith about the restoration of the Gospel and the Plan of Salvation (later published in A New Witness for the Articles of Faith)
Several excerpts from the Joseph Smith-Translation:
JS-T Genesis 9:15-25
JS-T Genesis 14:26-40
JS-T Genesis 17:1-14
JS-T Genesis 48:3-11
JS-T Genesis 50:24-38
The entire Wentworth Letter
The Lectures on Faith
While these weren’t accepted into the official canon of the Church, Joseph Fielding McConkie indicated that these, along with the official expositions from the early 20th century known as “the Origin of Man” and “the Father and the Son,” Joseph Smith’s King Follett Discourse, and Joseph Smith’s Sermon in the Grove, were personally regarded as scripture by Elder McConkie. (Joseph Fielding McConkie, “Bruce R. McConkie: A Special Witness,” Mormon Historical Studies 14/2 (Fall 2013): 199-201. See also Joseph Fielding McConkie, The Bruce R. McConkie Story (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2003), 391.)
Quotes About the Doctrine and Covenants
Ezra Taft Benson
The Book of Mormon is the “keystone” of our religion, and the Doctrine and Covenants is the capstone, with continuing latter-day revelation. The Lord has placed His stamp of approval on both the keystone and the capstone. …
God bless us all to use all the scriptures, but in particular the instrument He designed to bring us to Christ—the Book of Mormon, the keystone of our religion—along with its companion volume, the capstone, the Doctrine and Covenants, the instrument to bring us to Christ’s kingdom, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Sister Eliza R. Snow said … we should study the revelations of God, in order to know what He requires of us in our day. If by reading the Book of Mormon, and Doctrine and Covenants, we could attain wealth, how faithful we would be. But when it is eternal life, how negligent many are. Earnestly entreated her young sisters to study these works, to search after the truths of eternal life, and lay up treasures in Heaven.
The Doctrine and Covenants is a unique book. It is the only book on the face of the entire earth with a preface composed by the Creator himself. Furthermore, this book of scripture contains more direct quotations from the Lord than any other existing book of scripture.
It is not a translation of an ancient document, but is of modern origin. It is a book of revelation for our day. It is a unique and divinely inspired selection of revelations that came through prophets of God in our day in answer to questions, concerns, and challenges they and others faced. It contains divine answers to real-life problems involving real people.
The Doctrine and Covenants is an anthology of documents that are accepted as inspired by and binding on members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Most of these are revelations dictated by Joseph Smith, Jr., though some statements of doctrine and revelations and visions by later leaders of the Church are also included.
Is the Doctrine and Covenants in chronological order?
No, while it is generally in chronological order, the Doctrine and Covenants is not strictly chronological.
Why is the Doctrine and Covenants organized the way it is?
The current organization took shape during Orson Pratt’s work on the 1876 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants and is based on a blend of chronology and topical relationships. Later additions, such as Section 137, Section 138, and the Official Declarations were simply added to the end of the compilation rather than inserted based on chronology.
What is the difference between the Book of Commandments and the Doctrine and Covenants?
Originally, the compilation of Joseph Smith’s revelations was called the Book of Commandments, but the name was changed to Doctrine and Covenants when the Lectures on Faith were added as a summary of the doctrines.
Are All Sections in the Doctrine and Covenants Revelations?
The majority of documents in the Doctrine and Covenants are what have been called revelations, but it also includes visionary accounts, revealed translations, excerpts from Church histories, meeting minutes, a dedicatory prayer, epistles from Joseph Smith, excerpts from sermons and private discussions with Joseph Smith, press releases, and official statements of doctrine.
What sections of D&C were not received by Joseph Smith?
Sections 134, 135, 136, and 138, as well as Official Declarations 1 and 2.
Have any documents been removed from the Doctrine and Covenants?
Yes. There are several documents that have been included in the English version of the Doctrine and Covenants that are no longer present, including the Lectures on Faith and a document on marriage, along with two John Taylor Revelations that were included in some European editions of the Doctrine and Covenants for a while.
Why were the Lectures on Faith removed from the Doctrine and Covenants?
This was a theology training manual for training Latter-day Saint missionaries written by a group of Church leaders in Kirtland in 1834. It was dropped in the 1921 edition because it was no longer an adequate summary of Latter-day Saint theology.
Why was D&C 101 removed?
In earlier editions of the Doctrine and Covenants, D&C 101 was a document on marriage. It was removed in 1876 because it advocated monogamy while the Church was practicing polygamy.
Significant English-language Editions of the Doctrine and Covenants
1833 Book of Commandments: The first attempt at publishing a collection of Joseph Smith’s revelations. Printing was interrupted when Latter-day Saints were persecuted in Jackson County, Missouri.
1835 Doctrine and Covenants: The first edition of the Doctrine and Covenants. Included a “doctrine” portion (which consisted of a theological course now called the “Lectures on Faith”) and a “covenants” section that included 102 different revelations. Sections were organized by topic rather than chronologically.
1844 Doctrine and Covenants: This edition added eight sections not included in the 1835 edition. In the current edition, these added sections are numbered 103, 105, 112, 119, 124, 127, 128, and 135.
1876 Doctrine and Covenants: This edition was prepared by Orson Pratt and added 26 sections not included in previous editions, now numbered as sections 2, 13, 77, 85, 87, 108–111, 113–118, 120–123, 125, 126, 129–132, and 136. One section on marriage was removed. Versification was adjusted and the order of sections was changed to better reflect chronology. In 1908, Official Declaration 1 was added to this edition.
1921 Doctrine and Covenants: The Lectures on Faith were removed from the Doctrine and Covenants in this edition.
1930 Latter-day Revelation: This was a compilation of the sections that were deemed to be the most doctrinally relevant in the Doctrine and Covenants. Twenty sections were included in their entirety, with excerpts from an additional twenty one sections also being included. This was the edition of the Doctrine and Covenants that was often first translated into languages other than English.
1981 Doctrine and Covenants: This edition added Sections 137 and 138 and Official Declaration 2. Code names used in previous editions were updated to the actual names.
2013 Doctrine and Covenants: Updates centered on headings and some corrections based on the Joseph Smith Papers research.
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An independent historian specializing in Latter-day Saint history, theology, and music, Chad L. Nielsen has spent over a decade contributing to the "Bloggernacle," including roles at Times and Seasons and From the Desk. He is the author of Fragments of Revelation and a four-time recipient of Utah State University’s Arrington Writing Award, with scholarship appearing in the Journal of Mormon History, Element, and Dialogue. Driven by the belief that history is a sacred responsibility, Chad strives to make academic research accessible to all.
2 replies on “Doctrine and Covenants: Joseph Smith, Theology, Polygamy, and More”
Wow! Thanks, Chad!
Thanks, Mark!