Egyptian origins - Salt Lake City, UT
Sept. 26, 2017 4:37 p.m.Sunday School Lesson #37 was given in LDS Church last Sunday. In it it was emphasized that only the Pres has all the keys/authority to receive revelation & commandments for the whole Church, not any of the other prophets, until he be taken. The Church does not have emeritus status for prophets, only for the 70 starting with Paul Dunn. In the D&C section 107 there is the 1st Pres, 12, & 70, who each in turn have collective authority to run the Church, when the Pres is taken, thus when a Pres dies, the 1st Pres is dissolved and return to the 12, where they have to unanimously select the new Pres, which has traditionally been the 12 Pres. If the Pres and the majority of 12 were to be taken, the 70 collectively would unanimously select the new Pres, which is to this point unprecedented. With the Pres not taken, but no longer functioning, there is no leadership for the whole church. The Counselors can only take care of 1st Pres business, not receive revelation and commandments for the Church; so they can approve marriage sealings, for example, but not change or add revelations or commandments. The 12 likewise can continue to function with 12 business, but that's all.
Northern Lights - Arco, ID
Sept. 26, 2017 5:12 p.m.
Egyptian origins,
I believe that there is ongoing leadership for the entire church and there is no worry or angst on my part at least. President Hinckley said the following:
"When the president is ill or not able to function fully in all the duties of his office, his two counselors together comprise a quorum of the first presidency. They carry on with the day-to-day work of the Presidency... any major questions of policy, procedures, programs, or doctrine are considered deliberately and prayerfully by the First Presidency and the Twelve together." (Teaching of the President).
Section 136 of the Doctrine and Covenants records a revelation received by Brigham Young while still President of the Quorum of the Twelve. He had not yet been set apart as President of the Church and yet received revelation for the entire Church in lieu of an organized First Presidency.
I don't expect the Lord will withhold anything from His church simply because the President of the Church can no longer attend meetings. It's happened before and the Church has carried on just fine each time. If significant revelation needs to come, I believe it will come.
Egyptian origins - Salt Lake City, UT
Sept. 27, 2017 3:25 a.m.
Northern Lights
Section 136 was by Brigham Young, because Joseph Smith had been "taken", but notice in verse 3 that the leadership is by the collective 12.
I would recommend the primary source document by President (Counselor) Hinckley, “In … Counsellors There Is Safety”, October 1990. He tells of the official policy of procedures when the President is ill and how it applies to all presidencies in the Church.
The main point is no one takes over the role of President, not even a proxy, or Counselor.
Sept. 26, 2017 4:37 p.m.Sunday School Lesson #37 was given in LDS Church last Sunday. In it it was emphasized that only the Pres has all the keys/authority to receive revelation & commandments for the whole Church, not any of the other prophets, until he be taken. The Church does not have emeritus status for prophets, only for the 70 starting with Paul Dunn. In the D&C section 107 there is the 1st Pres, 12, & 70, who each in turn have collective authority to run the Church, when the Pres is taken, thus when a Pres dies, the 1st Pres is dissolved and return to the 12, where they have to unanimously select the new Pres, which has traditionally been the 12 Pres. If the Pres and the majority of 12 were to be taken, the 70 collectively would unanimously select the new Pres, which is to this point unprecedented. With the Pres not taken, but no longer functioning, there is no leadership for the whole church. The Counselors can only take care of 1st Pres business, not receive revelation and commandments for the Church; so they can approve marriage sealings, for example, but not change or add revelations or commandments. The 12 likewise can continue to function with 12 business, but that's all.
Northern Lights - Arco, ID
Sept. 26, 2017 5:12 p.m.
Egyptian origins,
I believe that there is ongoing leadership for the entire church and there is no worry or angst on my part at least. President Hinckley said the following:
"When the president is ill or not able to function fully in all the duties of his office, his two counselors together comprise a quorum of the first presidency. They carry on with the day-to-day work of the Presidency... any major questions of policy, procedures, programs, or doctrine are considered deliberately and prayerfully by the First Presidency and the Twelve together." (Teaching of the President).
Section 136 of the Doctrine and Covenants records a revelation received by Brigham Young while still President of the Quorum of the Twelve. He had not yet been set apart as President of the Church and yet received revelation for the entire Church in lieu of an organized First Presidency.
I don't expect the Lord will withhold anything from His church simply because the President of the Church can no longer attend meetings. It's happened before and the Church has carried on just fine each time. If significant revelation needs to come, I believe it will come.
Egyptian origins - Salt Lake City, UT
Sept. 27, 2017 3:25 a.m.
Northern Lights
Section 136 was by Brigham Young, because Joseph Smith had been "taken", but notice in verse 3 that the leadership is by the collective 12.
I would recommend the primary source document by President (Counselor) Hinckley, “In … Counsellors There Is Safety”, October 1990. He tells of the official policy of procedures when the President is ill and how it applies to all presidencies in the Church.
The main point is no one takes over the role of President, not even a proxy, or Counselor.