Edited by Roy A. Prete
Editor's note: This is the first of a
two-part article giving excerpts from Window of Faith, a work of Latter-day scholars that explore
the fascinating concept of God's role in human history.
Is there a divine
purpose in history? What special insights do Latter-day Saints
have regarding the role of God in history? In the new book Window
of Faith ― a pioneer work of scholarship, based on prophetic
statements ― LDS scholars offer numerous insights into the
role of God in history.
Modern prophets
and apostles have long identified the divine hand at work in several
aspects of Western history, such as the intellectual awakening
and flowering of the arts in the Renaissance, the discovery of
America, the religious renewal of the Reformation, the development
of representative constitutional government and individual rights
in Britain, and the rise of freedom in America, to mention but
a few. The providential rise of freedom in America has long been identified as a necessary step in preparation
for the Restoration of the gospel.
But as The Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints extends its reach across
more and more of the earth, broader themes emerge:
·
A theme of prime importance is
the development of freedom in the Western world ― in the
United States, in particular, but also in other countries ―
and its spread in one form or another to the peoples of the earth,
facilitating the spread of the gospel across the world.
· A second theme that
has taken on greater importance is the unparalleled disbursement
from heaven of scientific and technical knowledge in the modern
era, which has blessed all of mankind and greatly accelerated
the Lord's work, providing systems of transportation and communication
for a worldwide church and information technology for vastly expanded
family history research and temple work.
· A third major theme
has been the rapid progress of the Church since 1945, allowing
it to assume by degrees its worldwide mission of spreading the
gospel, "unto the ends of the earth, as the stone which is
cut out of the mountain without hands shall roll forth, until
it has filled the whole earth" (D&C 65:4; see also Daniel
2:44-45). Following the turbulent events of the early twentieth
century, the world has been prepared to receive the gospel through
the spread of freedom, and also by other means.
This book represents
an approach to world history for Latter-day Saints which recognizes
the hand of God in the historical process. It views the unfolding
of history within the perspective of Heavenly Father's plan for
the salvation of his children.
The thesis of
the work is that God, working through human agents, has shaped
world history for the accomplishment of His purposes. In the great
work of salvation, chief among God's purposes in the modern era
are the Restoration of the gospel and its dissemination to the
all the world in preparation for the Second Coming of the Messiah
(see D&C 1:1-23, 34-36; 65:1-6). The Millennial reign will
thus be ushered in during which the great redemptive work of administering
saving ordinances for the untold myriads who have lived on earth
without a knowledge of the gospel will be accomplished.”
As the work of
the Lord's church progresses, the gathering of the House of Israel
according to God's ancient covenants is being accomplished in
its spiritual dimension, while the literal gathering of the House
of Israel continues to unfold. Our Father in Heaven is the God
of the whole earth and has not worked with just one people, but,
as ancient and modern prophets have indicated, He has guided the
destinies of all peoples and has given them light and knowledge
as He has seen fit.
Ever respecting
the agency of man, He has shaped to His purposes the destinies
of mankind, for, as Moroni declared, ‘the eternal purposes of the Lord shall roll
on, until all his promises shall be fulfilled’ (Mormon 8:22).
Elder Alexander B. Morrison on “God in History”
The first chapter
in this volume of 27 chapters is a keynote address, "God
in History," by Elder Alexander B. Morrison, Emeritus Seventy.
It was delivered at a pre-publication symposium held at BYU, February
5-6, 2003.
Emphasizing the
subjective nature of historical exploration, Elder Morrison affirmed
the role of God in history, but ― urging humility on the
part of the researcher ― he cautioned against attributing
either too much or too little to the divine influence.
He said that the
historian wishing to explore God's role in human history should
investigate several principles, among them:
· His
love for all His children,
·
the principles
of agency and freedom,
·
the concept of
progress,
·
the centrality
of Christ in the divine plan, and
·
the importance
of prophets as a source in learning the divine will” (13).
God’s intervention
is most particularly visible, he concluded, “in every moment of
the existence of the [Lord’s] Church” (11)
The rest of the
volume is divided into four parts, which deal with specific themes.
The first two parts, “A Marvelous Work and a Wonder,” and “Philosophical
and Theological Underpinnings,” are excerpted below. For specific
treatment of the historical sections, “Preparing the Way,” and
“To All the World,” see part two of this article.
“A Marvelous Work and a Wonder”
This section of
the book discusses overt ways in which God has intervened in history.
Drawing on a vast erudition in both early Christian studies and
those of the Restoration, John W. Welch lays the groundwork for
the discussion of providential history in exploring "Early
Mormonism and Early Christianity: Some Providential Similarities."
He points out the similarities of revelations that heralded the
original church and the restored gospel, the subsequent apostolic
ministries and the growth patterns of the two new churches. All
these things, Welch says, “would suggest the role of the divine
hand" in the formation of the original church and the church
as set forth in the latter days.
In the chapter,
"The Restoration in the Lord's Plan," Richard O. Cowan,
a noted scholar of Latter-day Saint history in the twentieth century,
carries the discussion one step further, placing the Restoration
of the gospel in the context of previous cycles of apostasy and
restoration. Tracing the events of the Restoration, he observes
that unlike earlier dispensations, this one will not fall away,
but is intended to prepare the way for the millennial reign, which
will complete the work of salvation on the earth.
In contrast to
this glorious outcome, Richard E. Bennett ― the foremost
scholar of the Mormon Exodus ― and Amber J. Seidel explore,
within the context of existing Protestant concepts, the views
of Joseph Smith and early missionaries on the Apostasy in the
period up to 1834.
In their chapter,
“A World in Darkness: Early Latter-day Understanding of the Apostasy,
1830-34," they conclude that the apostasy was seen by early
church leaders not only as an apostasy from the Christian Church,
with the corruption of doctrine, ordinances and practices, but
as an apostasy from the concept of Israel as the Lord's covenant
people.
Against this conceptual
backdrop, the quest for a new Zion society becomes of much greater
significance. In his chapter, “A Place Prepared: Joseph, Brigham
and the Quest for Promised Refuge in the West," Ronald K.
Esplin, a noted scholar of nineteenth century Latter-day Saint
Church history, has taken up the theme of the westward migration
― which, in the words of President Wilford Woodruff, "was
the main Key of the Mormon history of the nineteenth century."
Esplin argues that under successive prophetic leaders the Saints
were more led than driven to the Rocky Mountains.
As identified
in scripture, one of the Lord's great objectives in the era of
the Restoration is to bring to pass the gathering
of the House of Israel. The coming forth of the Book of Mormon
is a sign that "the work of the Father hath already commenced
unto the fulfilling of the covenant which he hath made unto the
people who are of the house of Israel" (3 Nephi 21: 7). The covenant relationship of
Old Testament history is thus now blended with the history of
the so-called Gentile nations, with the apparent result that God's
intervention in their affairs is more visible, in many instances,
than in ages past.
The chapter by
Victor L. Ludlow, lifelong scholar of Hebrew and Arab studies,
is entitled, "The Scattering and Gathering of Israel: God's
Covenant with Abraham Remembered through the Ages." His
writings are a vital part of any attempt to understand God's dealings
with the whole of the human family in the modern period (13-15).
“Philosophical and Theological Underpinnings”
When we introduce the idea of God as an active participant
in the historical process, we introduce all of the age-old theological
and philosophical questions relating to the relationship between
God and Man, for God is "the same yesterday, today, and forever"
(Mormon 9:9), and what is history but the forward moving through
time of the tapestry of human events. Part 2 of this volume is
thus intended to deal with basic issues which derive from such
an approach.
The first chapter
in this section, "Merging the Secular and the Spiritual,"
is intended to define the scope of the book, to deal with methodological
issues, and to outline the major themes (121). This approach
relies not only on the material record and empirical research,
but also on the principle of divine revelation from God. It uses
statements of his prophetic spokesmen as interpretive texts (126).
But, given the
fallibility of human beings, including prophets and apostles,
the chapter suggests that in matters of history as well as doctrine,
we need to rely on two or more prophetic statements ― for
as the Apostle Paul states, “In the mouth of two or three witnesses
shall every word be established” (2 Corinthians 13:1; see also
D&C 6:28).
In the next chapter,
"Providential History: The Need for Continuing Revelation,"
Brian Q. Cannon, a noted BYU historian and director of the Charles
Redd Center for Western Studies, traces the secularization of
history writing since the eighteenth century and the repeated
and various attempts by believing Christians to reestablish providential
history as a viable genre of historical study.
Providential historians
have sought to understand the cosmic role of a sovereign deity
in historical development, but successive schools among them have
been relegated, in the absence of any further knowledge through
revelation to using the Bible [merely] as a moral guide in their
appraisal of human conduct.
To establish a
framework for a Latter-day Saint appreciation of the divine role
in human affairs, Byron R. Merrill (from a background in law and
religion) considers in the following chapter the vital principles
of "Agency and Freedom in the Divine Plan." Because
the principles of agency and freedom frequently affect the nature
and extent of divine involvement in human affairs, an appreciation
of these principles is crucial to any understanding of God’s often
apparent, but sometimes invisible, role in human history.
The next chapter,
"How Has God Intervened in History?," asks an important
question that can be answered, at least in part, from scripture
and the statements of modern prophets. To establish the spiritual
context, the plan of God in the premortal world for the salvation
of His children must be considered, as well as the consequences
of the War in Heaven.
As a loving Father,
God continues to watch over His children, but intervenes in visibly
overt ways only as they have faith. Means by which God has interacted
in the affairs of men include the Creation, the revelation of
His gospel to our first parents and succeeding generations, through
gospel covenants and covenant peoples, and in the preservation
of scripture.
God’s hand may
also be discerned in whom He sends at specific times and places
for particular missions, in the light of Christ to which all people
have access, in the migration of covenant peoples, in the raising
up of lands of liberty, in the outpouring of scientific and technological
knowledge, and, in dramatic fashion, in the calling of a modern
prophet in this dispensation. Finally, we must recognize that
divine retribution may be involved in selected destructions, which
people frequently bring upon themselves when they become totally
steeped in evil.
A more difficult
question relates to when God will or will not intervene in human
affairs, for this is a matter involving not only the purposes
and will of God, but the agency of man and the exercise of His
faith. Drawing insights from Latter-day Saint theology on the
purposes of mortality, Craig J. Ostler (a recognized doctrinal
scholar) attempts to address the issue in his chapter, "Earthquakes,
Wars, Holocausts, Disease and Inhumanity: Why Doesn’t God Intervene?"
His treatment
helps us see things from the Lord's point of view, taking into
consideration the Atonement of Christ, the principle of agency,
and the need for humans to be tested in a variety of circumstances.
The question of
God's interaction with the major religions of the world is the
subject of Roger R. Keller's chapter, "Why Study World Religions?"
An expert on world religions, Keller bases his thesis on prophetic
statements, including the First Presidency letter of 1978, which
states that God has inspired many of the great philosophical and
religious leaders of the world.
Latter-day Saints,
who wish to share the gospel with other peoples, would do well
to know of their beliefs, and can also sharpen their appreciation
of various dimensions of their own heritage through comparative
study.
Modern prophets
and apostles have affirmed that the great outpouring of knowledge
in modern times is from God. In the final chapter in Part 2, Sherilyn
Farnes and Roy A. Prete explore "The Discovery Process: Spiritual
and Secular Parallels," by which all the great scientific
and technological advances have come in the modern era.
They and conclude
that the discovery process is similar in many respects to the
process of revelation in the spiritual realm, and that all of
these advances have come from the Lord for the benefit of mankind
and the building up of His church. They are part of the promised
endowment of knowledge of this, the dispensation of the fulness
of times” (121-23).
Readers will be
amazed to learn that according to one study, as many as 83 percent
of scientists receive help from sudden insights and alogical thinking
— what they termed hunches (235). This may include things familiar
to spiritual truth seekers such as flashes of insight, as in the
case of James Watt (who had an idea on how to improve the steam
engine on a Sunday afternoon stroll), or Charles H. Townes, who
invented the laser as he sat on a park bench in Washington, D.C.
Insights may also
come following arduous seeking and persistent pondering, as in
the case of Edison as he sought a better process for making carbolic
acid ― and sometimes in dreams, as in those of Friedrich
Auguste Kekulé on the molecular structure of benzene.
Sometimes discovery
is serendipitous, such as in the discovery of penicillin by Sir
Alexander Fleming, who stumbled onto the discovery as he did other
work in his lab. As Louis Pasteur observed, after having unwittingly
discovered the vaccination for chicken cholera, “Chance favors
only the prepared mind.”
The comparison
between spiritual discovery and its more secular cousin is apparent,
suggesting that God is the active force in both processes. (234-44)
The second half of the book seeks to explore the history
of the modern age and dilemmas of the twentieth century from an
LDS perspective. An overview will be posted in Meridian next week.
The Book
Roy A. Prete, ed., Brian Q. Cannon, Richard O. Cowan, D. Mark
Prescott, Craig J. Ostler, Associate Eds., Window of Faith:
Latter-day Saint Perspectives on World History (Provo, Utah:
Religious Studies Center Brigham Young University, 2005), 585
pp., ISBN 0-8425-2610-2, [distributed by Covenant Communications,
American Fork, Utah; Deseret Book, Salt Lake City, Utah, $49.95;
and Seagull Books (discount available)]
Public Lecture
at BYU, October 31, 2005
Roy A. Prete, PhD, Assoc. Professor of History, “Providential
History: A Latter-day Saint Perspective,” Monday, October
31, 2005, 3:00- 3:50 pm, Harold B. Lee Library Auditorium, BYU,
Provo, Utah.
