When Joseph Smith, Jr. was killed, the church he founded broke into almost 30 fragments. But when the dust finally settled in the 1860s, six viable iterations of the original church remained, each claiming to be the Steven L. Shields
Speaker: Steven L. Shields
Continuing Along The Divergent Paths Of The Restoration
Forty years ago, the first edition of Divergent Paths of the Restoration was published. It has been updated several times with the 5th recently completed and awaiting publication. This presentation will give insights into the challenges of keeping track of a movement that continues to expand, becoming more diverse in its expressions. What are the …
Prophet
This paper considers the experiences, ministry, prophetic work, and church groups started by three different but related twentieth-century prophets in lesser-known Latter Day Saint denominations. Otto Fetting, Thomas B. Nerren, and William A. Draves each claimed and produced messages reportedly given by a resurrected John the Baptist. None claimed to be “a prophet,” nor did …
SL09376 Panel: The Enduring Principles—a 21st-century Approach to the Restoration’s Call
The Community of Christ has a Christian foundation and Restoration heritage. “In faithful response to [this] heritage and continuing experience with God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit, we endeavor to uphold the following enduring principles as essential components of church identity and mission”: Grace and Generosity; Sacredness of Creation; Continuing Revelation; Worth of All Persons; …