This is Scripture Roundtable 18 from The Interpreter Foundation, in which we discuss Doctrine & Covenants Gospel Doctrine Lesson #14, “The Law of Consecration,” covering scriptures in Doctrine & Covenants sections 42, 51, 78, 82, and 104, bringing in various insights to help us better understand the scriptures. These roundtables will generally follow the 2013 Gospel Doctrine schedule of scriptures, a few weeks ahead of time.
Panelists for this roundtable include Brant Gardner, Robert Boylan, Martin Tanner, and Shon Hopkin.
This roundtable is also available as an audio podcast, and will be included in the podcast feed. You can listen by pressing the play button or download the podcast below:
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I am a little surprised that no one mentioned the promise of consecration made by those members of the Church who have received the temple endowment. Without going into too much detail, the terms of that promise encompass not just our fiscal stewardships, but also our unique talents and abilities and perhaps the most precious resource we have to give: our time on earth. I’m still trying to determine the best way to hold to that promise in everyday life.
I liked the question about in what forms we live the law of consecration today. One of my favorite pieces on that topic is a fantastic little essay / short story by Orson Scott Card called “Consecration: A Law We Can Live.”
Nathan, that is a fantastic piece! I blogged about it here: http://www.templestudy.com/2013/03/24/orson-scott-cards-short-story-law-consecration/
Amen to remembering part of our CURRENT covenant made in the temple.
Card essay was first delivered in 1990 at the “Building Zion Conference” at which Gordon Wagner, Gordon Thomasson, and I also presented papers on Consecration and Stewardship (on which topic we have been writing for more than 35 years).
If I knew how I would post our latest paper (given at Claremont Graduate University a year ago) on this site. Until I learn how, you can email me for a copy (which includes 10+ pages of C&S references and scriptures) at [email protected]
Allen Lambert
Submissions of papers may be sent via the form on this page: http://www.mormoninterpreter.com/contact/submissions/
Unfortunately your discussion of the Law of Consecration contains fundamental historical inaccuracies. For example, there was no functioning United Order during Joseph’s lifetime. Rather, there was an entity named the United Firm, which was a sort of consecrated business holding company. The term United Order was later inserted into the relevant sections of the D&C to obscure the United Firm’s business operations from the Church’s enemies. The consequent misunderstanding of these sections by members today results in incorrect interpretations of the Law of Consecration as practiced during Joseph’s lifetime. There are scholarly and non-academic discussions of this topic, which are easy to find by googling the terms United Firm United Order.