DemythologizingMormonismCarlYoungblood12January2013

UlyssesFernandoPessoa

Omythoonadaquetudo.OmesmosolqueabreoscusummythobrilhanteemudoOcorpomortodeDeus,Vivoedesnudo.

Este,queaquiaportou,Foipornoserexistindo.Semexistirnosbastou.PornotervindofoivindoEnoscreou.

AssimalendaseescorreAentrarnarealidade.Eafecundaladecorre.Embaixo,avida,metadeDenada,morre.

UlyssesFernandoPessoa

Mythisthenothingthatiseverything.TheverysunthatbreaksthroughtheskiesIsabrightandspeechlessmythGod'sdeadbody,Nakedandalive.

Thisherowhocastanchorhere,Becauseheneverwas,slowlycametoexist.Withouteverbeing,hesufficedus.Havingnevercomehere,Hecametobeourfounder.

Thusthelegend,littlebylittle,Seepsintoreality,Spreadingandenrichingit.Lifedownbelow,halfOfnothing,perishes.1

ThusbeginstheepicsetofpoemsentitledMensagem(Message)byFernandoPessoa,aPortuguesepoetandauthorregardedbyHaroldBloomasoneofthefoundersoftheWesternCanonandoneofthemostimportantliteraryfiguresofthetwentiethcentury. Throughoneof2hismanyheteronyms,oralternateidentitiesthroughwhichheoftenwrote,Pessoalamentedthathebelong[ed]toagenerationofPortuguesewho,aftertheIndieswerediscovered,foundthemselvesoutofajob. Pessoafeltnostalgiafortheindustriouszealdisplayedbyhispeople3duringtheAgeofDiscoveryanddeploredtheirsubsequentlangorandlackofambition.MensagemwasanefforttorekindlethatzealbyresurrectingtheancientsymbolsofPortuguesedominance.ThetitleofthispoemisUlysses,theLatinnamefortheprotagonistofHomersOdyssey,who,accordingtolegend,foundedLisbon. Pessoadisplayskeeninsightintothe4

1FernandoPessoa,Mensagem(Lisbon:ParceriaAntnioMariaPereira,1934),translationfromhttp://clichereality.blogspot.no/2010/08/mythisnothingthatiseverything.html,accessed12Jan2013.Translatorunknown.2HaroldBloom,TheWesternCanon(NewYork:HarcourtBrace,1994).3FernandoPessoa,OGuardadordeRebanhoseOutrosPoemas(SoPaulo:Cultrix,1997).TranslatedbyCarlYoungblood.4"Odysseus,"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odysseus,accessed12Jan.2013

natureofmyth.Itdoesntjustexplaintheworlditcreatesit.Thislegendaryfigure,withouteverbeing,nonethelessprovidedtheidentitythroughwhichthePortuguesenationrosetobecomeasuperpower.

LiketheancientsymbolsofPortugal,thesymbolsofMormonismarealsoinastateofflux.TheMormonChurchisfacingincreasedlevelsofdisaffection andpublicscrutiny, inadditionto5 6increasingtensionbetweenitsdoctrinalparadigmsandthoseofthelargerculture.ThisessayseekstoexplainthisprocessandexplorewaysthatMormonismcanadapttotheseachangeitispresentlyexperiencing.IwishtoexpressmygratitudetoRichardHollowayforhislecturesatGreshamCollegeonTheMythsofChristianity,fromwhichIborrowheavily.7

Itsnotuncommonforpeopletoassumethatthecourseofhistoryhasbeenoneofsteadyandgradualprogress.ThomasKuhnarguedotherwiseinhisbookTheStructureofScientificRevolutions. Hedescribedtheprocessofscientificdiscoveryasoneofperiodsofrelative8peaceandstabilityinterruptedoccasionallybydramaticupheavalsintheprevalentscientificparadigm.

Duringthepeacefulperiods,scientistsagreeonthebasicoperatingprinciplesofthesubjectsoftheirresearch,butpersistentunexplainedphenomenapushthemtowardsfurtherdiscoveries.Sometimestheexistingtheoriescanbemadetoworkorslightlyalteredtoexplainthings,andsometimescertainproblemsareshelvedandneglectedforatime.Butwhenadiscoveryprovidesaclearlybetteranswertopreviouslyunexplainedorinsufficientlyunderstoodproblems,itsucceedsinreplacingtheestablishedparadigm.

Forexample,thePtolemaicviewoftheheavenswasreplacedbytheCopernicanview,whichinturngavewaytoNewtonianphysicsandmorerecentlytoEinsteinstheoryofgeneralrelativity.Eachsuccessiveparadigmwasacceptedbecauseitwasabletoanswerbothnewandpreviouslyresolvedproblemsmoreadequatelythanitspredecessor.Itwouldbewrongtosaythatthepreviousparadigmswerefalse,buttheirscopeofusefulnesswasmorelimitedincomparisontotheirsuccessors.Theyworkedforawhileuntil,oftenquitesuddenly,theynolongerdid.9

Thesameconceptionofprogresscanbeappliedtohumanknowledgeingeneral.Aswelook

5PeggyFletcherStack,Mormonstacklingtoughquestionsintheirhistory,TheSaltLakeTribune,February3,2012.http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/5340813478/churchldsmormonfaith.html.csp.AccessedJanuary14,2013.6MatthewBowman,IsThistheMormonMoment?TimeMagazine,September27,2012.http://ideas.time.com/2012/09/27/isthisthemormonmoment/.AccessedJanuary142013.7RichardHolloway,TheMythsofChristianity,availableathttp://homepages.which.net/~radical.faith/holloway/index.htm.LastaccessedonJanuary13,2013.8ThomasS.Kuhn,TheStructureofScientificRevolutions,(Chicago:UniversityofChicagoPress,1970).9RichardHolloway,TheBrokenMyth,http://homepages.which.net/~radical.faith/holloway/myths%201a.htm.LastaccessedonJanuary13,2013.

backthroughhistory,wenotice,perhapsdisturbingly,thatratherthanbeingsomethingfixedandeternal,mostofwhatpeoplethoughtofastruewascontingentupontimeandcircumstances.Thisisadifficultnotionformany.Infact,itisaproblemthatphilosophershavearguedoversinceatleastthetimeofancientGreece.

WilliamJamesobservedthatonecanclassifypeopleingeneral,andphilosophersinparticular,intotwocampsortemperamentstherationalistandtheempiricist. Therationalist10temperamentbelievesthatthereisaperfectexternalrealitythatwemustconformto,thattruthisstaticandeternalandcanbearrivedatthroughproperthinkingorthroughrevelationfromagencieswhoarealreadyinpossessionofit.Hence,itisoftenassociatedwithreligiousauthority.Theempiricisttemperament,ontheotherhand,tendstobeskepticalofideology,preferringinsteadtoacquiretruththroughexperientialobservation.

Jamessoughttoachieveaceasefireofsortsbetweenthetwocampsbyproposingthatrationalisttheoriesshouldnotbedismissedoutofhand,butshouldinsteadbesubjectedtoempiricalanalysis.Accordingtothisphilosophy,whichhecalledpragmatism,assertionsaretruetotheextenttheyholdupunderempiricalscrutiny,buttheyalwaysretainsomedegreeoftentativenessbecausetheycouldbemodifiedbynewexperience.Farfrombeingagainstreligion,Jamesactuallypointedoutthatreligiousbeliefsandtraditionscanoftenbedemonstratedtoconferbenefitsontheirfollowers,andthatsuchbenefitscanbesufficientjustificationforreligiousfaith.Truth,accordingtoJames,iswhatworks,orwhatseemstoprovidethemosteffectiveexplanationsandsolutionstoourpresentchallenges.11

Itisimportanttoclarifythatpragmatismisnotthesameasrelativism.Asindividualsubjectiveexperiencesaresharedandcorroborated,theyattainatypeofobjectivitywithinahumancontextorframeofreference.Butwecanneverbreakoutofourhumanframeofreferencetogainsomesortofunfilteredaccesstothereallyreal.Thisrecognitionisoneofpragmatismssignificantcontributions.Evenrationaliststendtobehavepragmaticallyintheireverydaylives,althoughtheymaybelieveinabsolutetruth.

Forexample,ifyouareofarationalistbentyouprobablyprofessabeliefinobjectivestandardsoreternaltruthsthatremaininforceregardlessofwhatpeoplechoosetodo,andthatwemustcomplywithifwedesiretolivehappyandsuccessfullives.Butthen,asHallowayputsit,anomalousthingsbegintohappen.Theobjectivestandardsmayindeedstillstandwheretheydid,butwekeepmoving.12

ReligionsoftenappealtoauthoritativetextssuchastheBibletosupporttheongoingrelevanceof

10WilliamJames,Pragmatism:ANewNameforSomeOldWaysofThinking,LectureI,(London:Longmans,Green,andCo.,1907),digitizedbytheGutenbergproject.Accessedathttp://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/5116.11Ibid,LectureII.12Halloway,Ibid.

theseobjectivestandards.Hollowayusestheexampleofchangingsocietalstandardsregardingthetreatmentofwomen.Insomepassages,theBibleappearstobedepictingastandardforthetreatmentofwomenthatisbasedonthehistoricalcontextofbiologicalnecessity,includingmenstruation,paininchildbirth,andlesserphysicalstrength.IntheFallnarrativeofEvesbetrayalinthegardenonecanclearlydiscernaprimitiveculturesattempttoexplainthedifficultiesinherentinwomanhood:Iwillgreatlymultiplyyourpaininchildbearinginpainyoushallbringforthchildren,yetyourdesireshallbeforyourhusband,andheshallruleoveryou.13

Thisexplanatoryparadigmwasacceptedformanymillennia,butascivilizationadvanced,theparadigmofbiologicalnecessitygavewaytoothermorerelevantparadigms.Mostpeopletodayagreethatwomenshouldnotbecompletelyconstrainedbytheirbiologyandtheprimitivegenderrolesthatemergedaroundit.Manyothersimilarparadigmshiftshavealsooccurredovertheyears.

Sowhathappenstothechurchesandothergroupswhoeitherdonotunderstandorrefusetoacceptthetentativenatureoftruth?Membersofthesegroupsoftenexperiencesignificantdiscomfort,because,althoughtheyhaveembracedmanyaspectsofthenewparadigm,theirunderlyingbeliefsystemisstillopposedtoit.Mormons,forexample,areclearlyinfluencedbyalargerculturethatembracesgenderequality(oratleastattemptstodoso),butithasnotfullypenetratedtheirreligiouslives,wherecomplementarianismandpatriarchystillpredominate.

MormonsdoexperiencesomedegreeofrespitefromtensionduetothefactthatJosephSmithsfoundingrevelationsbroughtmanytraditionalChristiandoctrinesuptodate,sotospeak,withthecontemporaryculturalparadigmofthe1800s,sothereislesswaterunderthebridge,orlesstimeforparadigmshiftstohaveoccurredsincetheChurchsfoundingthanthereisformainstreamChristianity. DespitetheChurchsrelativelyshorthistory,however,thetectonic14shiftsthathaveoccurredinthelargerculturesincetheChurchsfoundingclearlyrevealsignificantparadigmtensionsinMormonism,whichweshallvisitlateringreaterdetail.

Thosewhofacethisdiscomforthaveafewdifferentoptions.Twocommonchoicesarethe

13Genesis3:1614Infact,thestandardresponseofmanyMormonstotensionswiththeChristiancanonistoclaimthatSmithexperiencedprivilegedaccesstoeternaltruththatclarifiedthemeaningofscripture,andanyapparentdiscrepancybetweenhisrevelationsandtheBibleistheresultoftransmissionalerrorsorapostasy.ButthelimitationsofthisdefensebecomeapparentwhenoneconsidersthatsignificantchangesindoctrineandpracticethathaveoccurredwithintheChurchitselfsinceitsfounding,whichweakenstheargumentthatSmithsrevelationwassomehoweternalorimmutable(SeeCharlesR.Harrell,ThisIsMyDoctrine:TheDevelopmentofMormonTheology,Sandy:GregKoffordBooks,2011).TheassertionisfurtherweakenedbytheChurchsownnintharticleoffaith,whichembracesongoingrevelationanddoctrinalprogression,andbysomeofJosephSmithsownteachingsonhowrevelationisadaptedtothecircumstancesofitsaudience(seeTeachingsoftheProphetJosephSmith,SaltLakeCity:DeseretBookCo.,1977,p.256).Theorthodoxresponseisthatsuperficialpracticesmaychangebutcoredoctrinesremainconstant.HarrellsstudyofLDSdoctrinaldevelopmentnonethelesspresentsacompellingcounterargumenttothisclaimalso.

retreattofundamentalismortheretreattosecularism.Toretreattofundamentalismistojoinaculturallyisolatedcommunitythatismorefirmlyrootedinapreviousparadigm.Toretreattosecularismistoembracethepresentparadigm(whileitlasts)anddiscardallrelicsoftheold.Eitherofthesechoicesinvolvesignificantanxietyandloss,includingalienationfromlovedoneswhoareunabletounderstandortoleratethechoice.Andthereis,ofcourse,stillnoguaranteethatsuchchoiceswillpermanentlyeasethetension,forthedisruptionofparadigmsisongoing.Iwouldadd,parenthetically,thatitisnotjustconfinedtoreligion.Theacceleratingpaceoftechnologicalchangewillinturnleadtoincreasinglyrapidparadigmshiftsthroughoutalllevelsofsociety.

TheparadigmtensionexperiencedbythosewhochoosetostaywithinthefaithgroupiswhattheologianPaulTillichcalledthedishonestyoftheunbrokenmyth. Foranadequate15understandingofthistermwemustfirstgothroughabriefsummaryofTillichstheology.

InhislandmarkbookDynamicsofFaith,Tillichdescribesfaithasthestateofbeingultimatelyconcerned, pointingoutthatalmosteveryonehasfaithinthissense,becausenearlyeveryone16hasanultimateconcern.Tillichexplainsfurtherthatthehistoryoffaithhasconsistedofrepeatedlymisplacedultimacy,suchasinthecaseofnationalism,wherethesubjectcanbetemporarilyconsumedbydevotiontothefatherlandbuteventuallybecomesdisillusionedbythefiniteobjectsfailuretoliveuptoexpectationsonehasofanultimateconcern.Thesubjectemergesbitterlydisappointedandrecalcitranteventothenationslegitimateclaims.Thedifferencebetweentruefaithandidolatrousfaithisthatintruefaiththeultimateconcernisaconcernaboutthetrulyultimatewhileinidolatrousfaithpreliminary,finiterealitiesareelevatedtotherankofultimacy.17

Tillichassertsthathumanitymustexpressitsultimateconcernsymbolically. Symbolsare18multivalenttheycanbeunderstoodonmanylevels.Theyalsoparticipateinthattowhichtheypoint.Forexample,theflagsymbolizesthenationforwhichitstands.Olympicathletesandreturningexpatriateswrapthemselvesinit,andanattackonitisanaffronttothosewhobelongtothegroupitrepresents. Symbolsgrantusuniqueaccesstocertainlevelsofreality.A19picture,apoem,aplayorapieceofmusicteachusthingsthatcannotbelearnedinanyotherway.Theyresonatewithaspectsofourownnatureand,insodoing,revealustoourselves.20Tillichalsoaddsthatsymbolscannotbeproducedintentionally[nor]invented:

Likelivingbeings,theygrowandtheydie.Theygrowwhenthesituationisripeforthem,andtheydiewhenthesituationchanges.Thesymbolofthekinggrewinaspecialperiodofhistory,anditdiedinmostpartsoftheworldinourperiod.Symbolsdonotgrow

15PaulTillich,TheDynamicsofFaith,(NewYork:HarperCollins),Kindleedition,58.16Ibid,1.17Ibid,1213.18Ibid,47.19Ibid,48.20Ibid,4849

becausepeoplearelongingforthem,andtheydonotdiebecauseofscientificorpracticalcriticism.Theydiebecausetheycannolongerproduceresponseinthegroupwheretheyoriginallyfoundexpression.21

Afterexplainingthesebasiccharacteristics,Tillichclarifiesthatthereasononesultimateconcernmustbeexpressedsymbolicallyisbecauseeverythingwhichisamatterofunconditionalconcernismadeintoagod.

Ifthenationissomeonesultimateconcern,thenameofthenationbecomesasacrednameandthenationreceivesdivinequalitieswhichfarsurpasstherealityofthebeingandfunctioningofthenation.Thenationthenstandsforandsymbolizesthetrueultimate,butinanidolatrousway.Successasultimateconcernisnotthenaturaldesireofactualizingpotentialities,butisreadinesstosacrificeallothervaluesoflifeforthesakeofapositionofpowerandsocialpredominance.Theanxietyaboutnotbeingasuccessisanidolatrousformoftheanxietyaboutdivinecondemnation.Successisgracelackofsuccess,ultimatejudgment.Inthiswayconceptsdesignatingordinaryrealitiesbecomeidolatroussymbolsofultimateconcern.22

Whereasreligioussymbolstakeonavarietyofforms,myths(literallystoriesaboutthegods)areaspecialsubsetofthesymbolsoffaithintheformofstoriesaboutdivinehumanencounters. Mythsarenotuntrue.Theycanevenbebasedonhistoricalevents.Infact,they23oftenare.Buttheirstrengthisnotderivedfromtheirhistoricity.Itcomesfromtheirbeingpowerfulmotivationalnarrativesthatwillstillberelevantlongafterthehistoricalincidentsthatledtotheiremergence.Thenatureofmythisoftenmisunderstood.LangdonGilkeyclaimedthattheconventionalmodernunderstandingofmythasuntruefablemakesthesecularmindnotonlyunabletounderstandreligion,butalsoblindtoitsownmythicelements.24

Faithisalwaysaccompaniedbymyths,andthesemythsbynatureundergoconstantattack,criticismandtranscendence,sincetheydrawfromcommonexperienceandeverydaylife.Byplacingtheultimateconcernwithintimeandspace,mythimposesafinitudeonthedivinethatweakensitsultimacy. Thisinherentinstabilityinmythinevitablyleadstoconflictswhich,ifnot25managedsuccessfully,canleadtotransferenceofonesultimateconcernorworse,toidolatry,ormisplacedultimacy.Theongoingprocessofcriticismtowhichmythisalwayssubjectiscalleddemythologization. Itistheselfconsciousactofreflectiononhowmythsoperate.26 27

21Ibid,49.22Ibid,5051.23Ibid,56.24GaryDorrien,"LangdonGilkey'sMythCreativeLiberalTheology:SynthesizingTillich,Niebuhr,Schleiermacher,Ricoeur,Eliade,andWhitehead,"inMormonisminDialoguewithContemporaryChristianTheologies,ed.DavidLamontPaulsenandDonaldW.Musser,(Macon,GA:MercerUniversityPress,2007),376.25Tillich,56.26Ibid,57.

RichardHollowayexplains:

TodemythologisethemythofAdamandEve,forinstance,isnottoabandonitasauselesslyprimitivewayofspeakingaboutabstractmatters.Itistounderstanditasamyth,anarrativewayofspeakingaboutabstractions,whichisvaluedforthatveryreason.Themythisseenasapowerfulmetaphorforrealhumanexperience.Itiskeptnotbecauseitisbadhistory,butbecauseitisgoodpoetry,becauseitprovidesuswithapowerfulshorthandforcomplexhumanexperiencesofalienationandregret.28

Itisimportanttoemphasizethattheprocessofdemythologizationdoesnotarbitrarilyfavoroneparadigmoveranother.BYUprofessorJamesFaulconercriticizedthishermeneuticbysayingthatifoneclaimsthatmythsmustbebroken,oneisacknowledgingthesupremacyofsecularism. Theproblemisnotoneoffavoritismbutofperspective.Whencivilizationhas29movedirreversiblybeyondtheparadigminwhichamythwasoriginallyreceived,theonlywaythatitcancontinuetobeadequatelyunderstood,valuedandtherebymadeusefulisforittobetranslatedintothetargetparadigm,whichiswhatismeantbybreakingit.Andofcourse,thistargetparadigmisnotstandingstilleither.Itisalsomakingwayfornewparadigms.

Faulconeralsoclaimsthatthisprocessoftranslationoftenresultsinassumingagiventexthasapurposethatisquitedifferentfromwhatitsauthorsactuallyintended. Whileabetter30understandingoftheoriginalculturalparadigmiscertainlyhelpfulwhenbreakingmyths,itisnotstrictlynecessaryfororiginalauthorialintentionstocorrespondwithademythologizedinterpretation.Itissufficientthattheinterpretationisinsomewaybeneficialandmotivationaltothosewhoreceiveit,evenifitdifferssubstantiallyfromtheoriginallyintendedmeaning.Themostimportantconsiderationisthatthemythsasinterpretedtodaycontinuetomotivateustowardtheobjectofourultimateconcern.Ifamythiscompletelyincapableofdoingthis,thenitwillinevitablyfallintodisuseandbesupersededbyanother.

Demythologizationisgoodifitbyitwemeanrecognizingmythforwhatitis,butnotifwemeanremovingmythaltogether.Sometimesthetemptationwhenfacedwithunstablesymbolsormythsistogetridofthem.Thisdoesn'tworkbecausetheyarethebasicfabricofourlives,thesymbolsofourultimateconcern,thelanguageoffaith.Onemythmaybereplacedwithanotherbutmythitselfwillcontinue. Churchesthatattempttodownplayoreliminatemythfromtheir31servicestendtogetboringcatechismsandpepralliesinsteadofrobustfaith.Thisapproachisultimatelyunsustainable.Whenthishappens,Tillichexplains,theinfinitepassionwhichcharacterizesagenuinefaithevaporatesandisreplacedbyaclevercalculationwhichisunable

27Holloway,Ibid.28Ibid.29JamesE.Faulconer,"ResponsetoProfessorDorrien,"inMormonisminDialoguewithContemporaryChristianTheologies,ed.DavidLamontPaulsenandDonaldW.Musser,(Macon,GA:MercerUniversityPress,2007)30Ibid.31Tillich,57.

towithstandthepassionateattacksofanidolatrousfaith.32

ThisphenomenonisnotunfamiliartoMormonism.MormonhistorianBenjaminParkrecentlydiscussedhowtheorganizationalstructureofLDSChurchmanualsmaybeweakeningthesymbolicnatureofscripture:

Thebasicassumptionbehindthisorganizationalstructure,inwhichtopicsareprioritizedovercontext,isthatthecanonoftruthisconsistentandselfreferential,thelanguageanddoctrineremainunvarying,andtheparticularversescomprisedintheDoctrineandCovenantsarebestunderstoodinavacuum....Theproblemisthatthisformatoftenifnotalwaysleadstosuperficialprooftextinginsupportofmanufacturedmessagestheyproducemoreofacatechismthanascripturalstudy.Mostimportantly,itoverlooksthedynamicnatureoftherevelationsthemselves...33

Wecannoteliminatemyths,butwealsoshouldnotconfinethemtotheirliteralmeaning,insistontheimportanceoftheirhistoricity,orassigntothemanyfinalstatus.Todosoistomistakethesymbolforthethingitpointsto,toreplacetheultimatewithahumanconstructanidol.Weneedtoconstantlyponderonhowmythswork,whattheyteachus,howtheyusedtobetaughtandwhetherornotthoseteachingsarestillbeneficial,whatnewwaystheymightbeappliedtoourpresentcontext,andsoforth.AstorythatisdemythologizedbutretainediswhatTillichcallsabrokenmyth,oramyththatisunderstoodassuch.HollowayinsiststhatChristianitydeniesbyitsverynatureanyunbrokenmyth,becauseitspresuppositionisthefirstcommandment:theaffirmationoftheultimateasultimateandtherejectionofanykindofidolatry.34

Bybreakingamyth,wereleaseitspower.Wegiveitmotivationalforceforourownday.Insistingonliteralinterpretationsandoutmodedsymbolsonlycausesareligiontobemoremarginalizedandretrenchfurtherintodefensivefundamentalism.Demythologization,however,isalwaysresistedbythoseinauthorityoverthemyth:

Tochallengeorcriticisethemythofwhichtheyaretheofficialguardiansnotonlythreatenstheguardians'authority,itthreatensthepeaceandsecurityofthepeoplewhohavesubmittedthemselvestothesystemstheycontrol.Thisiswhythepeoplewhochallengereligion'sclaimtobeacarrierofobjectiveknowledgeratherthanthepoetofsymbolandmetaphorareinvariablydenouncedasfaithlessapostates.Theironyhereisthatthesepropheticchallengestothemisuseofmythandsymbolareusuallymadebypeoplewhohavearadicalfearofidolatryandwhowouldratherbeaccusedof,orevenfallinto,atheismthansubmittotheworshipofhumanconstructs,whichiswhatthe

32Ibid,138.33BenjaminPark,OrganizingtheDoctrineandCovenantsLessons:Or,WhytheTopicalApproachDoesntWork,ByCommonConsentBlog,http://bycommonconsent.com/2013/01/07/organizingthedoctrineandcovenants/,January7,2013.AccessedonJanuary15,2013.34Holloway,Ibid.

failuretorecognisetherealstatusofmythamountsto.35

Thosewhoresistthebreakingofamythalsoapplytoitthestandardsoftheirpresentparadigm,onlywithoutrealizingit.Faulconerexplains,...secularistsarenottheonlyonestoassumethattheBiblestoryofcreationisacaseofprimitivescience.Somereligiouspeoplealsomakethatassumption,especiallythosewhoconsiderthemselvesliteralists.Ironically,whenpeopleargueforcreationscienceorforwhatisusuallycalledaliteralreadingoftheBible,theyareagreeingwiththesecularunderstandingofthings. Tillichdescribesthisresistanceineloquentdetail:36

Theresistanceagainstdemythologizationexpressesitselfinliteralism.Thesymbolsandmythsareunderstoodintheirimmediatemeaning.Thematerial,takenfromnatureandhistory,isusedinitspropersense.Thecharacterofthesymboltopointbeyonditselftosomethingelseisdisregarded.Creationistakenasamagicactwhichhappenedonceuponatime.ThefallofAdamislocalizedonaspecialgeographicalpointandattributedtoahumanindividual.ThevirginbirthoftheMessiahisunderstoodinbiologicalterms,resurrectionandascensionasphysicalevents,thesecondcomingoftheChristasatelluric,orcosmic,catastrophe.ThepresuppositionofsuchliteralismisthatGodisabeing,actingintimeandspace,dwellinginaspecialplace,affectingthecourseofeventsandbeingaffectedbythemlikeanyotherbeingintheuniverse.LiteralismdeprivesGodofhisultimacyand,religiouslyspeaking,ofhismajesty.Itdrawshimdowntothelevelofthatwhichisnotultimate,thefiniteandconditional....Faith,ifittakesitssymbolsliterally,becomesidolatrous!Itcallssomethingultimatewhichislessthanultimate.Faith,consciousofthesymboliccharacterofitssymbols,givesGodthehonorwhichisduehim.37

TillichscriticismalmostseemstobecustomtailoredtoMormonism,whichclaimsafullyembodiedfinitistgod,ahistoricalAdamandevennamesthegeographicallocationoftheGardenofEden!WemayaswellthrowinareferencetoKolobforgoodmeasure.ButIshallattempttodemonstratethatTillich'sviewneednotconflictwiththeessentialsofMormontheology,andthatthereareareaswherewedesperatelyneedthemythbreakingTillichprescribes.

Beforethat,however,letusfirstexaminesomeimportantdetailsTillichgivesaboutthisliteralismorresistancetomythbreaking.Heexplainsthatliteralismgenerallyfallsintotwocategories,thenaturalandthereactive:

Thenaturalstageofliteralismisthatinwhichthemythicalandtheliteralareindistinguishable.Theprimitiveperiodofindividualsandgroupsconsistsintheinabilitytoseparatethecreationsofsymbolicimaginationfromthefactswhichcanbeverified

35Ibid.36Faulconer,Ibid,408.37Tillich,Ibid,5960.

throughobservationandexperiment.Thisstagehasafullrightofitsownandshouldnotbedisturbed,eitherinindividualsoringroups,uptothemomentwhen[one]squestioningmindbreaksthenaturalacceptanceofthemythologicalvisionsasliteral.If,however,thismomenthascome,twowaysarepossible.Theoneistoreplacetheunbrokenbythebrokenmyth.Itistheobjectivelydemandedway,althoughitisimpossibleformanypeoplewhoprefertherepressionoftheirquestionstotheuncertaintywhichappearswiththebreakingofthemyth.Theyareforcedintothesecondstageofliteralism,theconsciousone,whichisawareofthequestionsbutrepressesthem,halfconsciously,halfunconsciously.ThetoolofrepressionisusuallyanacknowledgedauthoritywithsacredqualitiesliketheChurchortheBible,towhichoneowesunconditionalsurrender.Thisstageisstilljustifiable,ifthequestioningpowerisveryweakandcaneasilybeanswered.Itisunjustifiableifamaturemindisbrokeninitspersonalcenterbypoliticalorpsychologicalmethods,splitinitsunity,andhurtinitsintegrity.Theenemyofacriticaltheologyisnotnaturalliteralismbutconsciousliteralismwithrepressionofandaggressiontowardautonomousthought.38

Thisdistinctionbetweennaturalandreactiveliteralismisespeciallyimportant.Itisbothunwiseanduncharitabletobreakasymbolprematurelyinafitoficonoclasm.Ontheotherhand,itisnotonlyuncharitablebutunrighteousdominiontouseecclesiasticalauthoritytorepressthosewhoarrivehonestlyandsincerelyatthisstageofspiritualgrowth,and(inkeepingwithSmithsrevelations)suchunrighteousdominioninevitablyresultsinaweakeningofspiritualauthority. In39Mormonismonecanobservebothstagesofliteralism,butthereactivevarietycurrentlyseemstobeintheascendant.

Whilereactiveliteralismisunfortunate,itisunderstandable.Thosewhoresorttothesemeasuresdoso,accordingtoHolloway,becausetheyfearthatbreakingamythwillcauseittoloseitspower,wheninfactitdoesjusttheopposite. Furthermore,theneedsofthoseinthe40naturalandreactivestagesareoftenopposedtooneanother,andchurchauthoritiesmuststrikeadifficultbalancebetweenthem.Tillicharguesthatthisconflictofinterestisespeciallydifficultforcertaintypesofchurchestodealwith.Thoseofthesacramentalvariety,suchasCatholicism,whichconsidertheirsacramentsandauthorityfiguresasholyinthemselves,tendtobeunabletocope,whereasProtestantismasareactionagainsttheseexcesses,isbettersuitedtoacceptingbrokenmyths. Beingahybridwithtrappingsofbothsacramentalismand41Protestantism,itisdifficulttopredicthowMormonismwillfareasitundergoesthisdifficulttransition.

ItsinterestingtonotethattheaspectsofMormonismthatmanyoutsidersfindmostabsurdarealsosomeofthehighlyphysicalandspecificassertionsthatTillichtakesissuewith.Andinits

38Tillich,Ibid,60.39DoctrineandCovenants121:39.40Holloway,Ibid.41Ibid,68.

currentpublicrelationscampaigns,theChurchseemstobedeemphasizingmanyofthesevestigesofphysicalismsomewhatalready.OnedoesnotoftenhearabouttheGardenofEdenbeinglocatedinJacksonCounty,Missouri,orKolob(theplanetfromwhichGodissaidtogoverntheuniverse)atChurch,despitewhatyoumighthearinacertainwellknownBroadwaymusical.ButthereareofcoursesomehighlyliteralisticteachingsthatcontinuetogetairtimeinSundayschool.

Morethananythingelse,TillichsconceptionofGodseemsatoddswiththatofMormonism.TillichclaimedthatthetraditionaltheisticnotionofGodwasnolongercredible,butthatthisdidnotimplythecollapseoftherealityofGodrather,themodernmindmustbeencouragedtothinkoftheGodaboveGod,thatis,ofwhatisaboveandbeyondthelimitsofourimagination.42Tillich'sinsightisthatourunderstandingofGodwillalwaysbeimperfectandpronetoerrorduetoourhumanlimitations,andthatitisboundtoimproveandprogressastimegoeson.TillichalsounderstoodthatanyattempttodescribeGodintermsthathumanscanrelatetoinevitablyconveyslessthanallGodis,andthatsuchanunderstanding,beingaproductofbeingswithfinitecapacities,willeventuallybecomeidolatrousandneedupgrading.ForTillich,Godisnotthebeingwevealreadyfoundbutalwaysthebeingwehaveyettofullydiscover,theobjectofourultimateconcern,whichimpliessomethingthatwillalwaysbebeyondourreach.

WhileJosephSmithsvisionswerecertainlymanifestationsofGod,itwouldbeincorrecttoassumethattheyconveyedanexhaustiveorcomprehensiveunderstandingtohim.Neartheendofhislife,Smithtaughtfurtherthatthegodofouruniversewasaninfiniteandconstantlyprogressingbeingwhocamefromanendlessfamilyordivinecommunityofotherindividualslikehim. WilfordWoodruff,thefourthpresidentoftheMormonChurch,taughtthatiftherewasa43pointwheremaninhisprogressioncouldnotproceedanyfurther,theveryideawouldthrowagloomovereveryintelligentandreflectingmind. MormonFirstPresidencymemberGeorgeQ.44Cannontaughtthatnotonlyisprogressioneternalattheindividuallevel,butthatthereisanendlesshierarchyofprogressiveintelligenceswhoparticipateinoneanotherssalvation:Therearedifferentdegreesofglory.Someattaintoamoreexaltedglory.Theymusthelpthosewhoarelowertoriseuptotheirplane.Thenthereisanotherdegreebelowthem,andtheymustlabortoliftthosewhoarelowerthanthey...progressingfromonedegreeofglorytoanother,withoutend,becausethereisnoendtoeternity.45

If,asJosephSmithdeclaredinhisrevelationonthedegreesofglory,Godwillonedaymake[us]equalwithHim, thenwewillbeinapositionwhere,asequals,Hewillnolongerbethe46appropriateobjectofourworship.Toworshiporstrivetoemulatesuchanequalwouldbedamnation,accordingtotheMormonunderstandingofthatterm.Andyetevenatthisfarflung

42PeterJ.Gomes,IntroductionofTheCouragetoBebyPaulTillich.43JosephSmith,TheKingFollettDiscourse,TeachingsoftheProphetJosephSmith,(SaltLakeCity:DeseretBookCo.,1977),342.44JournalofDiscourses6:12045D.MichaelQuinn,TheMormonHierarchy:ExtensionsofPower,(SaltLakeCity:SignatureBooks,1997).46D&C76:95

stage,therewillstillbesomethingbeyondustowhichwewillstrive,anultimateconcernthatwillbetheappropriateandinevitableobjectofourfaith.ThisisthegodTillichdescribes,theevernotyet.

LincolnCannon,PresidentoftheMormonTranshumanistAssociation,instinctivelydescribedsuchagodinhisretellingofJosephSmithsKingFollettdiscourseattheinauguralconferenceoftheMormonTranshumanistAssociationin2012:Loveposthumanitywithallyourheartandwithallyourmind.Thisisthefirstandgreatestcommandment,andthesecondislikeit:lovehumanityasyourself,notasbeinghuman,butratherasbecomingposthuman. Nomatter47whereweare,posthumanitywillalwaysbeourmostnobleprojectionsofourfuture,onethatMormonismclaimshasalreadybeenattainedbyothergodsbeforeustheresults,asfaraswecandiscernthem,offaithexercisedinourultimateconcern.

WhiletheseexplorationsoftherelationshipbetweenTillichsconceptionofGodandthatofMormonismarefarfromexhaustive,hopefullytheyatleastconveythenotionthatthereismorepossibilityforharmonizationandmutualbenefitthanmightatfirstappear.ItisinterestingtonotethatMormonismsconceptofaprogressinggodfitswellwithTillichsdescriptionofanevolvingultimateconcern.

Lastly,letusbrieflyexaminesomeopportunitiesfordemythologizationinaMormoncontext.OnesuccessfulandpragmaticapproachissomethingGrantHardyreferstoas"bracketing"inhisrecentbook,UnderstandingtheBookofMormon.ManypriorcommentariesandanalyseshavefocusedontheBookofMormoneitherforitsmorallessonsorasaprooftextforargumentsfororagainstitshistoricity.Hardyobserves,ontheotherhand,thatthebook"isamuchmoreinterestingtextrewardingsustainedcriticalattentionthanhasgenerallybeenacknowledgedbyeitherMormonsornonMormons." Hearguesthatweshouldsetasideapologeticsand48attempttostudythetextitselffromanarrativeperspective,fromwhichmanyinterestinginsightscanbegleaned.Onceagain,theemphasisonhistoricityandliteralismhascausedustoneglectsomeofourvaluablemyths.

TheBookofMormonitselfcontainssomeinterestingexamplesofdemythologization.NephisaysthathispeopledonotunderstandthewaysoftheJewsandthathemustthereforetranslateIsaiahswordsforthem,thathemustlikenthemuntotheirsituationratherthanexplainingtheiroriginalcontext.Hesaysthathedidlikenallscripturesunto[hispeople]. AlmatheYounger49focusesonasymbolic/mythologicalinterpretationofLehi'sjourney:AndnowIsay,istherenotatypeinthisthing?Forjustassurelyasthisdirectordidbringourfathers,byfollowingitscourse,

47LincolnCannon,TheConsolation:AnInterpretiveVariationontheKingFollettSermonofJosephSmithhttps://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1zg57Jai0MRodtgERljywXSt4j7GR2DAMSOuhFtEq0o.AccessedonJanuary19,2013.Emphasisadded.

48GrantHardy,Introduction,UnderstandingtheBookofMormon(NewYork:OxfordUniversityPress,2010),Kindleedition,Location211.491Nephi19:23

tothepromisedland,shallthewordsofChrist,ifwefollowtheircourse,carryusbeyondthisvaleofsorrowintoafarbetterlandofpromise.50

SomeChurchdoctrinesdon'tfitcomfortablywithevolutionarybiology,especiallythetheoryofcommondescent.WhileasignificantnumberoffaithfulMormonsbelieveinevolutionevensomefamousleadersoftheChurchitisanuncomfortablesubjectthatisrarelydiscussedatchurch. ArecentsurveybythePewForumindicatesthatapproximately22%orroughlyonein51fiveMormonsbelievesthathumanityevolvedfromlowerlifeforms,whiletheUSnationalaverageforacceptingcommondescentis48%. Specifically,anumberofstatementsfrom52ChurchgeneralauthoritiesestablishahistoricalAdamasthefatherofthehumanrace.SomemoredisputedstatementsevenclaimthattherewasnodeathontheearthbeforeAdam'sFall.53Asrecentlyas1998,theChurchsEnsignmagazinecontainedanarticlepositingaliteralisticbeliefinaglobalfloodandahistoricalTowerofBabelasnormativefororthodoxMormons.54

Despitethesestatements,Mormonscontinuetostraddlebothparadigmssurprisinglywell.BrighamYoungUniversity,privatelyownedbytheChurch,hasathrivingbiologyprograminitsCollegeofLifeSciencesthathaslatelymadeanumberofnotablediscoveries,includingcontributionstoAlzheimer'sresearch andthediscoveryof"reevolution"ininsects. Of55 56course,noneofthesediscoverieswouldbepossiblewithoutastrongfoundationinevolutionarytheory,includingcommondescent.

YetmanyMormonswhoaren'tcloselyinvolvedwiththesciencebelievethatcommondescentisincompatiblewiththefaith.Thisattitude,alongwithageneralsuspicionofthesciencesthatisoftenexpressedinchurchculture,hascausedmanymembers,especiallyyouth,toperceivetheChurchasagainstscienceandtofeelthenecessityofchoosingbetweentheirfaithtraditionandthevastbodyofevidenceforevolutionthattheyencounterduringtheirhighereducation.

Fortunatelythereareampleopportunitiesforbreakingthismyth,bothstatementsfromgeneralauthoritiesandfromthescripturalcanon.WithoutrepudiatingahistoricalAdam,theFirst

50Alma37:434551DuaneE.Jeffrey,Seers,SavantsandEvolution:theUncomfortableInterface,inDialogue:AJournalofMormonThought,Issue#8,AutumnWinter1973.Accessedonlineathttp://www.dialoguejournal.com/wpcontent/uploads/sbi/articles/Dialogue_V08N0304_43.pdfonJanuary20,2013.52ThePewForum,ReligiousDifferencesontheQuestionofEvolution,http://www.pewforum.org/ScienceandBioethics/ReligiousDifferencesontheQuestionofEvolution.aspx.LastaccessedonJanuary202013.53Jeffrey,Ibid.54DonaldW.Parry,TheFloodandtheTowerofBabel,inTheEnsign,January1998.Accessedonlineathttps://www.lds.org/ensign/1998/01/thefloodandthetowerofbabel?lang=engonMay20,2013.55Kauweetal,TREM2VariantsinAlzheimer'sDisease,inTheNewEnglandJournalofMedicine,January10,2013.Accessedonlineathttp://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1211851onJanuary20,2013.56Whiting,BradlerandMaxwell,Lossandrecoveryofwingsinstickinsects.inNature,January16,2003.Accessedonlineathttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12529642onJanuary20,2013.

Presidencydidofficiallyacknowledgein1908thepossibilitythatAdamcouldhaveevolvedfromlowerspecies. Furthermore,thecreationstoryfromthePearlofGreatPricespecifically57supportsafigurativeinterpretationofAdamasagroupofpeople,perhapstheentirehumanrace:WorldswithoutnumberhaveIcreated...andthefirstmanofallmenhaveIcalledAdam,whichismany. Thetempleendowmentceremonyisalsoahighlysymbolicritualthatteaches58allparticipantstoconsider[themselves]asif[they]were,respectively,AdamandEve.Inthissymbolicinterpretation,Adambecomeseveryman,andEveeverywoman,helpingthemythtoonceagainbecomerelevanttoourpresentdaychallengesandconcerns.

OneareaofMormonteachingsthatisdifficultformanypeopletorelatetoistheChurchsbeliefintheimportanceofsacraments(ordinancesinMormonparlance)andtemplework.ThesolutionprovidedbySmithsrevelationonproxyworkforthedead,andindeedthewholeemphasisonordinancesasessentialforsalvation,canbereasonablyviewedasanaccommodationforahighlylegalisticcultureinthegripsofsacramentalism,inwhichalmosteveryonebelievedthatsoulswhodidnotgothroughcertainritualsbeforedeathwouldbecastoffforeverbyajustGod.Butfortodayspotentialconvertstheseargumentsfallflat.Manymodernobserversfeelthatnogodworthyofworshipwouldmaintainsucharbitraryandcapriciousrequirementsforsalvation,evenifanaccommodationcanbemadeforthosewhodiedwithoutthem.Givenwidespreadconsensusthatthesejustificationsaremorallydeficient,breakingthemythwouldmeannotabandoningthesepracticesbutrecognizingotherbenefitsinthemthantheonesweusuallyemphasize,suchastheirsymboliccharacter,renewalofcommitment,astrongersenseofcommunalbelonging,esotericism,greaterappreciationofonesancestralheritage,andstrongerintergenerationalties,amongothers.

AnotherareaofrichopportunityaretheChurchsfoundationalmyths,includingJosephSmithsfirstvision.Whilemanyhavefocusedonwhetherornotitactuallyhappened,fewhavesoughttoexploreitssymbolismandmeaninganditsfoundationalrelationshiptotheMormonreligionandculture.ArecentarticlebyStephenC.Taysomisagreatstartingpointforamorethoroughanalysisofsomeofthesequestions. Amongotherinterestingperspectiveshesharesare59theseremarksfromlateChurchHistorian,LeonardArrington:

IwasneverpreoccupiedwiththequestionofthehistoricityoftheFirstVision....Iampreparedtoaccept[it]ashistoricalormetaphorical,assymbolicaloraspreciselywhathappened.That[itconveys]religioustruthistheessentialissue,andofthisIhaveneverhadanydoubt.60

Howmightademythologizedchurchmissionaryprogramlook?Inadditiontoteachingmore

57Jeffrey,Ibid.58Moses1:3334,ThePearlofGreatPrice.Emphasisadded.59StephenC.Taysom,ApproachingtheFirstVisionSaga,SunstoneMagazine,October2011issue,https://www.sunstonemagazine.com/approachingthefirstvisionsaga/.AccessedonJanuary19,2013.60LeonardJ.Arrington,WhyIAmaBeliever,inPhilipL.Barlow,ed.,AThoughtfulFaith:EssaysonBeliefbyMormonScholars(Centerville,UT:CanonPress,1986),230.

symbolicinterpretationsofscriptureandritualtopotentialconverts,moreemphasiscouldbemadeonthepragmaticbenefitsofchurchparticipation,includingcommunalsupportandtranscendentworship.RatherthanfocusingonBookofMormonhistoricityandexclusivepriesthoodauthority,missionariescouldemphasizethepotentialforpersonalgrowth,disciplineandfulfilmentthatcomesfrombeingapartoftheMormoncommunity.Inotherwords,theprogramwouldfocusonapplyingthesymbolstoourpresentcircumstancesratherthanfocusingonpastinterpretations.Missionariescouldalsodevotealargerportionoftheireffortstowardshumanitarianwork,withtheoptionofservinganexclusivelyhumanitarianmissionforthosewhoeitherdonotfeelcomfortableproselytizingorfeelanothercalling.Thisoptionwouldhavetheadditionalbenefitofgivingopportunitiesforfulfilmentandservicetothosewhovaluetheirfaithtraditionbutfeelunabletoacceptsomeofitsmoreliteralisticclaims.

AChurchthatismoreopentosymbolicinterpretationswouldalsobewillingtobroadentherangeofacceptableexpressionsoffaith.Memberscurrentlyfeelagreatdealofculturalpressuretoexpressonlycertaintyinpublicsettings,anddoubtishighlystigmatized,whichinturncontributestodisaffection.IncreasedopennessandacceptanceofdifferenceswouldalsosignificantlyenhanceMormonworshipserviceswithabroaderrangeofinspirationalartformsandmusic.

Demythologizingoftenworksbestwhenwechoosetoemphasizesymbolicinterpretationswithoutstronglyandopenlyrepudiatingliteralism.Forthosewhoarereadytoacceptthebrokenmyth,theallusionswillbeclear,whilethosewhoarestillinaphaseofnaturalliteralismwillbelesslikelytostumble.

Thesearejustafewexamples.Thoughagooddealoftrailblazingisstilllefttobedone,thefieldofMormonstudiescanalreadybesaidtohavelargelymovedawayfromapologeticsanddebatesoverhistoricitytothericherfieldsofsymbol,metaphorandnarrative.ButthisawarenessmustreachbeyondtheacademyandintothemainstreamChurchifithopestorevitalizethefaithofitsmemberstoday.