DemythologizingMormonism

CarlYoungblood 12January2013 Ulysses FernandoPessoa Omythoonadaquetudo. Omesmosolqueabreoscus ummythobrilhanteemudo OcorpomortodeDeus, Vivoedesnudo. Este,queaquiaportou, Foipornoserexistindo. Semexistirnosbastou. Pornotervindofoivindo Enoscreou. Assimalendaseescorre Aentrarnarealidade. Eafecundaladecorre. Embaixo,avida,metade Denada,morre. Ulysses FernandoPessoa Mythisthenothingthatiseverything. Theverysunthatbreaksthroughtheskies Isabrightandspeechlessmyth God'sdeadbody, Nakedandalive. Thisherowhocastanchorhere, Becauseheneverwas,slowlycametoexist. Withouteverbeing,hesufficedus. Havingnevercomehere, Hecametobeourfounder. Thusthelegend,littlebylittle, Seepsintoreality, Spreadingandenrichingit. Lifedownbelow,half Ofnothing,perishes.1

ThusbeginstheepicsetofpoemsentitledMensagem(Message)byFernandoPessoa,a PortuguesepoetandauthorregardedbyHaroldBloomasoneofthefoundersoftheWestern Canonandoneofthemostimportantliteraryfiguresofthetwentiethcentury.2 Throughoneof hismanyheteronyms,oralternateidentitiesthroughwhichheoftenwrote,Pessoalamented thathebelong[ed]toagenerationofPortuguesewho,aftertheIndieswerediscovered,found themselvesoutofajob.3 Pessoafeltnostalgiafortheindustriouszealdisplayedbyhispeople duringtheAgeofDiscoveryanddeploredtheirsubsequentlangorandlackofambition. MensagemwasanefforttorekindlethatzealbyresurrectingtheancientsymbolsofPortuguese dominance.ThetitleofthispoemisUlysses,theLatinnamefortheprotagonistofHomers Odyssey,who,accordingtolegend,foundedLisbon.4 Pessoadisplayskeeninsightintothe
1

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

natureofmyth.Itdoesntjustexplaintheworlditcreatesit.Thislegendaryfigure,withoutever being,nonethelessprovidedtheidentitythroughwhichthePortuguesenationrosetobecomea superpower. LiketheancientsymbolsofPortugal,thesymbolsofMormonismarealsoinastateofflux.The MormonChurchisfacingincreasedlevelsofdisaffection5 andpublicscrutiny,6 inadditionto increasingtensionbetweenitsdoctrinalparadigmsandthoseofthelargerculture.Thisessay seekstoexplainthisprocessandexplorewaysthatMormonismcanadapttotheseachangeit ispresentlyexperiencing.IwishtoexpressmygratitudetoRichardHollowayforhislecturesat GreshamCollegeonTheMythsofChristianity,fromwhichIborrowheavily.7 Itsnotuncommonforpeopletoassumethatthecourseofhistoryhasbeenoneofsteadyand gradualprogress.ThomasKuhnarguedotherwiseinhisbookTheStructureofScientific Revolutions. 8 Hedescribedtheprocessofscientificdiscoveryasoneofperiodsofrelative peaceandstabilityinterruptedoccasionallybydramaticupheavalsintheprevalentscientific paradigm. Duringthepeacefulperiods,scientistsagreeonthebasicoperatingprinciplesofthesubjectsof theirresearch,butpersistentunexplainedphenomenapushthemtowardsfurtherdiscoveries. Sometimestheexistingtheoriescanbemadetoworkorslightlyalteredtoexplainthings,and sometimescertainproblemsareshelvedandneglectedforatime.Butwhenadiscovery providesaclearlybetteranswertopreviouslyunexplainedorinsufficientlyunderstoodproblems, itsucceedsinreplacingtheestablishedparadigm. Forexample,thePtolemaicviewoftheheavenswasreplacedbytheCopernicanview,whichin turngavewaytoNewtonianphysicsandmorerecentlytoEinsteinstheoryofgeneralrelativity. Eachsuccessiveparadigmwasacceptedbecauseitwasabletoanswerbothnewand previouslyresolvedproblemsmoreadequatelythanitspredecessor.Itwouldbewrongtosay thatthepreviousparadigmswerefalse,buttheirscopeofusefulnesswasmorelimitedin comparisontotheirsuccessors.Theyworkedforawhileuntil,oftenquitesuddenly,theyno longerdid.9 Thesameconceptionofprogresscanbeappliedtohumanknowledgeingeneral.Aswelook
5

PeggyFletcherStack,Mormonstacklingtoughquestionsintheirhistory,TheSaltLakeTribune, February3,2012.http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/5340813478/churchldsmormonfaith.html.csp. AccessedJanuary14,2013. 6 MatthewBowman,IsThistheMormonMoment?TimeMagazine,September27,2012. http://ideas.time.com/2012/09/27/isthisthemormonmoment/.AccessedJanuary142013. 7 RichardHolloway,TheMythsofChristianity,availableat http://homepages.which.net/~radical.faith/holloway/index.htm.LastaccessedonJanuary13,2013. 8 ThomasS.Kuhn,TheStructureofScientificRevolutions,(Chicago:UniversityofChicagoPress,1970). 9 RichardHolloway,TheBrokenMyth, http://homepages.which.net/~radical.faith/holloway/myths%201a.htm.LastaccessedonJanuary13,2013.

backthroughhistory,wenotice,perhapsdisturbingly,thatratherthanbeingsomethingfixedand eternal,mostofwhatpeoplethoughtofastruewascontingentupontimeandcircumstances. Thisisadifficultnotionformany.Infact,itisaproblemthatphilosophershavearguedoversince atleastthetimeofancientGreece. WilliamJamesobservedthatonecanclassifypeopleingeneral,andphilosophersinparticular, intotwocampsortemperamentstherationalistandtheempiricist.10 Therationalist temperamentbelievesthatthereisaperfectexternalrealitythatwemustconformto,thattruthis staticandeternalandcanbearrivedatthroughproperthinkingorthroughrevelationfrom agencieswhoarealreadyinpossessionofit.Hence,itisoftenassociatedwithreligious authority.Theempiricisttemperament,ontheotherhand,tendstobeskepticalofideology, preferringinsteadtoacquiretruththroughexperientialobservation. Jamessoughttoachieveaceasefireofsortsbetweenthetwocampsbyproposingthat rationalisttheoriesshouldnotbedismissedoutofhand,butshouldinsteadbesubjectedto empiricalanalysis.Accordingtothisphilosophy,whichhecalledpragmatism,assertionsare truetotheextenttheyholdupunderempiricalscrutiny,buttheyalwaysretainsomedegreeof tentativenessbecausetheycouldbemodifiedbynewexperience.Farfrombeingagainst religion,Jamesactuallypointedoutthatreligiousbeliefsandtraditionscanoftenbe demonstratedtoconferbenefitsontheirfollowers,andthatsuchbenefitscanbesufficient justificationforreligiousfaith.Truth,accordingtoJames,iswhatworks,orwhatseemsto providethemosteffectiveexplanationsandsolutionstoourpresentchallenges.11 Itisimportanttoclarifythatpragmatismisnotthesameasrelativism.Asindividualsubjective experiencesaresharedandcorroborated,theyattainatypeofobjectivitywithinahumancontext orframeofreference.Butwecanneverbreakoutofourhumanframeofreferencetogainsome sortofunfilteredaccesstothereallyreal.Thisrecognitionisoneofpragmatismssignificant contributions.Evenrationaliststendtobehavepragmaticallyintheireverydaylives,althoughthey maybelieveinabsolutetruth. Forexample,ifyouareofarationalistbentyouprobablyprofessabeliefinobjectivestandards oreternaltruthsthatremaininforceregardlessofwhatpeoplechoosetodo,andthatwemust complywithifwedesiretolivehappyandsuccessfullives.Butthen,asHallowayputsit, anomalousthingsbegintohappen.Theobjectivestandardsmayindeedstillstandwherethey did,butwekeepmoving.12 ReligionsoftenappealtoauthoritativetextssuchastheBibletosupporttheongoingrelevanceof
10

WilliamJames,Pragmatism:ANewNameforSomeOldWaysofThinking,LectureI,(London: Longmans,Green,andCo.,1907),digitizedbytheGutenbergproject.Accessedat http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/5116. 11 Ibid,LectureII. 12 Halloway,Ibid.

theseobjectivestandards.Hollowayusestheexampleofchangingsocietalstandardsregarding thetreatmentofwomen.Insomepassages,theBibleappearstobedepictingastandardforthe treatmentofwomenthatisbasedonthehistoricalcontextofbiologicalnecessity,including menstruation,paininchildbirth,andlesserphysicalstrength.IntheFallnarrativeofEves betrayalinthegardenonecanclearlydiscernaprimitiveculturesattempttoexplainthe difficultiesinherentinwomanhood:Iwillgreatlymultiplyyourpaininchildbearinginpainyou shallbringforthchildren,yetyourdesireshallbeforyourhusband,andheshallruleoveryou.13 Thisexplanatoryparadigmwasacceptedformanymillennia,butascivilizationadvanced,the paradigmofbiologicalnecessitygavewaytoothermorerelevantparadigms.Mostpeopletoday agreethatwomenshouldnotbecompletelyconstrainedbytheirbiologyandtheprimitivegender rolesthatemergedaroundit.Manyothersimilarparadigmshiftshavealsooccurredoverthe years. Sowhathappenstothechurchesandothergroupswhoeitherdonotunderstandorrefuseto acceptthetentativenatureoftruth?Membersofthesegroupsoftenexperiencesignificant discomfort,because,althoughtheyhaveembracedmanyaspectsofthenewparadigm,their underlyingbeliefsystemisstillopposedtoit.Mormons,forexample,areclearlyinfluencedbya largerculturethatembracesgenderequality(oratleastattemptstodoso),butithasnotfully penetratedtheirreligiouslives,wherecomplementarianismandpatriarchystillpredominate. MormonsdoexperiencesomedegreeofrespitefromtensionduetothefactthatJosephSmiths foundingrevelationsbroughtmanytraditionalChristiandoctrinesuptodate,sotospeak,with thecontemporaryculturalparadigmofthe1800s,sothereislesswaterunderthebridge,orless timeforparadigmshiftstohaveoccurredsincetheChurchsfoundingthanthereisfor mainstreamChristianity.14 DespitetheChurchsrelativelyshorthistory,however,thetectonic shiftsthathaveoccurredinthelargerculturesincetheChurchsfoundingclearlyreveal significantparadigmtensionsinMormonism,whichweshallvisitlateringreaterdetail. Thosewhofacethisdiscomforthaveafewdifferentoptions.Twocommonchoicesarethe
13 14

Genesis3:16 Infact,thestandardresponseofmanyMormonstotensionswiththeChristiancanonistoclaimthat Smithexperiencedprivilegedaccesstoeternaltruththatclarifiedthemeaningofscripture,andanyapparent discrepancybetweenhisrevelationsandtheBibleistheresultoftransmissionalerrorsorapostasy.Butthe limitationsofthisdefensebecomeapparentwhenoneconsidersthatsignificantchangesindoctrineand practicethathaveoccurredwithintheChurchitselfsinceitsfounding,whichweakenstheargumentthat Smithsrevelationwassomehoweternalorimmutable(SeeCharlesR.Harrell,ThisIsMyDoctrine:The DevelopmentofMormonTheology,Sandy:GregKoffordBooks,2011).Theassertionisfurtherweakenedby theChurchsownnintharticleoffaith,whichembracesongoingrevelationanddoctrinalprogression,andby someofJosephSmithsownteachingsonhowrevelationisadaptedtothecircumstancesofitsaudience (seeTeachingsoftheProphetJosephSmith,SaltLakeCity:DeseretBookCo.,1977,p.256).The orthodoxresponseisthatsuperficialpracticesmaychangebutcoredoctrinesremainconstant.Harrells studyofLDSdoctrinaldevelopmentnonethelesspresentsacompellingcounterargumenttothisclaimalso.

retreattofundamentalismortheretreattosecularism.Toretreattofundamentalismistojoina culturallyisolatedcommunitythatismorefirmlyrootedinapreviousparadigm.Toretreatto secularismistoembracethepresentparadigm(whileitlasts)anddiscardallrelicsoftheold. Eitherofthesechoicesinvolvesignificantanxietyandloss,includingalienationfromlovedones whoareunabletounderstandortoleratethechoice.Andthereis,ofcourse,stillnoguarantee thatsuchchoiceswillpermanentlyeasethetension,forthedisruptionofparadigmsisongoing.I wouldadd,parenthetically,thatitisnotjustconfinedtoreligion.Theacceleratingpaceof technologicalchangewillinturnleadtoincreasinglyrapidparadigmshiftsthroughoutalllevelsof society. Theparadigmtensionexperiencedbythosewhochoosetostaywithinthefaithgroupiswhat theologianPaulTillichcalledthedishonestyoftheunbrokenmyth.15 Foranadequate understandingofthistermwemustfirstgothroughabriefsummaryofTillichstheology. InhislandmarkbookDynamicsofFaith,Tillichdescribesfaithasthestateofbeingultimately concerned,16 pointingoutthatalmosteveryonehasfaithinthissense,becausenearlyeveryone hasanultimateconcern.Tillichexplainsfurtherthatthehistoryoffaithhasconsistedof repeatedlymisplacedultimacy,suchasinthecaseofnationalism,wherethesubjectcanbe temporarilyconsumedbydevotiontothefatherlandbuteventuallybecomesdisillusionedbythe finiteobjectsfailuretoliveuptoexpectationsonehasofanultimateconcern.Thesubject emergesbitterlydisappointedandrecalcitranteventothenationslegitimateclaims.The differencebetweentruefaithandidolatrousfaithisthatintruefaiththeultimateconcernisa concernaboutthetrulyultimatewhileinidolatrousfaithpreliminary,finiterealitiesareelevatedto therankofultimacy.17 Tillichassertsthathumanitymustexpressitsultimateconcernsymbolically.18 Symbolsare multivalenttheycanbeunderstoodonmanylevels.Theyalsoparticipateinthattowhichthey point.Forexample,theflagsymbolizesthenationforwhichitstands.Olympicathletesand returningexpatriateswrapthemselvesinit,andanattackonitisanaffronttothosewhobelong tothegroupitrepresents.19 Symbolsgrantusuniqueaccesstocertainlevelsofreality.A picture,apoem,aplayorapieceofmusicteachusthingsthatcannotbelearnedinanyother way.Theyresonatewithaspectsofourownnatureand,insodoing,revealustoourselves.20 Tillichalsoaddsthatsymbolscannotbeproducedintentionally[nor]invented: Likelivingbeings,theygrowandtheydie.Theygrowwhenthesituationisripeforthem, andtheydiewhenthesituationchanges.Thesymbolofthekinggrewinaspecial periodofhistory,anditdiedinmostpartsoftheworldinourperiod.Symbolsdonotgrow
15 16

PaulTillich,TheDynamicsofFaith,(NewYork:HarperCollins),Kindleedition,58. Ibid,1. 17 Ibid,1213. 18 Ibid,47. 19 Ibid,48. 20 Ibid,4849

becausepeoplearelongingforthem,andtheydonotdiebecauseofscientificor practicalcriticism.Theydiebecausetheycannolongerproduceresponseinthegroup wheretheyoriginallyfoundexpression.21 Afterexplainingthesebasiccharacteristics,Tillichclarifiesthatthereasononesultimate concernmustbeexpressedsymbolicallyisbecauseeverythingwhichisamatterof unconditionalconcernismadeintoagod. Ifthenationissomeonesultimateconcern,thenameofthenationbecomesasacred nameandthenationreceivesdivinequalitieswhichfarsurpasstherealityofthebeing andfunctioningofthenation.Thenationthenstandsforandsymbolizesthetrueultimate, butinanidolatrousway.Successasultimateconcernisnotthenaturaldesireof actualizingpotentialities,butisreadinesstosacrificeallothervaluesoflifeforthesakeof apositionofpowerandsocialpredominance.Theanxietyaboutnotbeingasuccessis anidolatrousformoftheanxietyaboutdivinecondemnation.Successisgracelackof success,ultimatejudgment.Inthiswayconceptsdesignatingordinaryrealitiesbecome idolatroussymbolsofultimateconcern.22 Whereasreligioussymbolstakeonavarietyofforms,myths(literallystoriesaboutthegods) areaspecialsubsetofthesymbolsoffaithintheformofstoriesaboutdivinehuman encounters.23 Mythsarenotuntrue.Theycanevenbebasedonhistoricalevents.Infact,they oftenare.Buttheirstrengthisnotderivedfromtheirhistoricity.Itcomesfromtheirbeing powerfulmotivationalnarrativesthatwillstillberelevantlongafterthehistoricalincidentsthatled totheiremergence.Thenatureofmythisoftenmisunderstood.LangdonGilkeyclaimedthatthe conventionalmodernunderstandingofmythasuntruefablemakesthesecularmindnotonly unabletounderstandreligion,butalsoblindtoitsownmythicelements.24 Faithisalwaysaccompaniedbymyths,andthesemythsbynatureundergoconstantattack, criticismandtranscendence,sincetheydrawfromcommonexperienceandeverydaylife.By placingtheultimateconcernwithintimeandspace,mythimposesafinitudeonthedivinethat weakensitsultimacy.25 Thisinherentinstabilityinmythinevitablyleadstoconflictswhich,ifnot managedsuccessfully,canleadtotransferenceofonesultimateconcernorworse,toidolatry, ormisplacedultimacy.Theongoingprocessofcriticismtowhichmythisalwayssubjectis calleddemythologization.26 Itistheselfconsciousactofreflectiononhowmythsoperate.27
21 22

Ibid,49. Ibid,5051. 23 Ibid,56. 24 GaryDorrien,"LangdonGilkey'sMythCreativeLiberalTheology:SynthesizingTillich,Niebuhr, Schleiermacher,Ricoeur,Eliade,andWhitehead,"inMormonisminDialoguewithContemporaryChristian Theologies,ed.DavidLamontPaulsenandDonaldW.Musser,(Macon,GA:MercerUniversityPress, 2007),376. 25 Tillich,56. 26 Ibid,57.

RichardHollowayexplains: TodemythologisethemythofAdamandEve,forinstance,isnottoabandonitasa uselesslyprimitivewayofspeakingaboutabstractmatters.Itistounderstanditasa myth,anarrativewayofspeakingaboutabstractions,whichisvaluedforthatvery reason.Themythisseenasapowerfulmetaphorforrealhumanexperience.Itiskept notbecauseitisbadhistory,butbecauseitisgoodpoetry,becauseitprovidesuswitha powerfulshorthandforcomplexhumanexperiencesofalienationandregret.28 Itisimportanttoemphasizethattheprocessofdemythologizationdoesnotarbitrarilyfavorone paradigmoveranother.BYUprofessorJamesFaulconercriticizedthishermeneuticbysaying thatifoneclaimsthatmythsmustbebroken,oneisacknowledgingthesupremacyof secularism.29 Theproblemisnotoneoffavoritismbutofperspective.Whencivilizationhas movedirreversiblybeyondtheparadigminwhichamythwasoriginallyreceived,theonlyway thatitcancontinuetobeadequatelyunderstood,valuedandtherebymadeusefulisforittobe translatedintothetargetparadigm,whichiswhatismeantbybreakingit.Andofcourse,this targetparadigmisnotstandingstilleither.Itisalsomakingwayfornewparadigms. Faulconeralsoclaimsthatthisprocessoftranslationoftenresultsinassumingagiventexthas apurposethatisquitedifferentfromwhatitsauthorsactuallyintended.30 Whileabetter understandingoftheoriginalculturalparadigmiscertainlyhelpfulwhenbreakingmyths,itisnot strictlynecessaryfororiginalauthorialintentionstocorrespondwithademythologized interpretation.Itissufficientthattheinterpretationisinsomewaybeneficialandmotivationalto thosewhoreceiveit,evenifitdifferssubstantiallyfromtheoriginallyintendedmeaning.The mostimportantconsiderationisthatthemythsasinterpretedtodaycontinuetomotivateus towardtheobjectofourultimateconcern.Ifamythiscompletelyincapableofdoingthis,thenit willinevitablyfallintodisuseandbesupersededbyanother. Demythologizationisgoodifitbyitwemeanrecognizingmythforwhatitis,butnotifwemean removingmythaltogether.Sometimesthetemptationwhenfacedwithunstablesymbolsor mythsistogetridofthem.Thisdoesn'tworkbecausetheyarethebasicfabricofourlives,the symbolsofourultimateconcern,thelanguageoffaith.Onemythmaybereplacedwithanother butmythitselfwillcontinue.31 Churchesthatattempttodownplayoreliminatemythfromtheir servicestendtogetboringcatechismsandpepralliesinsteadofrobustfaith.Thisapproachis ultimatelyunsustainable.Whenthishappens,Tillichexplains,theinfinitepassionwhich characterizesagenuinefaithevaporatesandisreplacedbyaclevercalculationwhichisunable
27 28

Holloway,Ibid. Ibid. 29 JamesE.Faulconer,"ResponsetoProfessorDorrien,"inMormonisminDialoguewithContemporary ChristianTheologies,ed.DavidLamontPaulsenandDonaldW.Musser,(Macon,GA:MercerUniversity Press,2007) 30 Ibid. 31 Tillich,57.

towithstandthepassionateattacksofanidolatrousfaith.32 ThisphenomenonisnotunfamiliartoMormonism.MormonhistorianBenjaminParkrecently discussedhowtheorganizationalstructureofLDSChurchmanualsmaybeweakeningthe symbolicnatureofscripture: Thebasicassumptionbehindthisorganizationalstructure,inwhichtopicsareprioritized overcontext,isthatthecanonoftruthisconsistentandselfreferential,thelanguageand doctrineremainunvarying,andtheparticularversescomprisedintheDoctrineand Covenantsarebestunderstoodinavacuum....Theproblemisthatthisformatoftenif notalwaysleadstosuperficialprooftextinginsupportofmanufacturedmessagesthey producemoreofacatechismthanascripturalstudy.Mostimportantly,itoverlooksthe dynamicnatureoftherevelationsthemselves...33 Wecannoteliminatemyths,butwealsoshouldnotconfinethemtotheirliteralmeaning,insist ontheimportanceoftheirhistoricity,orassigntothemanyfinalstatus.Todosoistomistake thesymbolforthethingitpointsto,toreplacetheultimatewithahumanconstructanidol.We needtoconstantlyponderonhowmythswork,whattheyteachus,howtheyusedtobetaught andwhetherornotthoseteachingsarestillbeneficial,whatnewwaystheymightbeappliedto ourpresentcontext,andsoforth.AstorythatisdemythologizedbutretainediswhatTillichcalls abrokenmyth,oramyththatisunderstoodassuch.HollowayinsiststhatChristianitydenies byitsverynatureanyunbrokenmyth,becauseitspresuppositionisthefirstcommandment:the affirmationoftheultimateasultimateandtherejectionofanykindofidolatry.34 Bybreakingamyth,wereleaseitspower.Wegiveitmotivationalforceforourownday.Insisting onliteralinterpretationsandoutmodedsymbolsonlycausesareligiontobemoremarginalized andretrenchfurtherintodefensivefundamentalism.Demythologization,however,isalways resistedbythoseinauthorityoverthemyth: Tochallengeorcriticisethemythofwhichtheyaretheofficialguardiansnotonly threatenstheguardians'authority,itthreatensthepeaceandsecurityofthepeoplewho havesubmittedthemselvestothesystemstheycontrol.Thisiswhythepeoplewho challengereligion'sclaimtobeacarrierofobjectiveknowledgeratherthanthepoetof symbolandmetaphorareinvariablydenouncedasfaithlessapostates.Theironyhere isthatthesepropheticchallengestothemisuseofmythandsymbolareusuallymadeby peoplewhohavearadicalfearofidolatryandwhowouldratherbeaccusedof,oreven fallinto,atheismthansubmittotheworshipofhumanconstructs,whichiswhatthe
32 33

Ibid,138. BenjaminPark,OrganizingtheDoctrineandCovenantsLessons:Or,WhytheTopicalApproachDoesnt Work,ByCommonConsentBlog, http://bycommonconsent.com/2013/01/07/organizingthedoctrineandcovenants/,January7,2013. AccessedonJanuary15,2013. 34 Holloway,Ibid.

failuretorecognisetherealstatusofmythamountsto.35 Thosewhoresistthebreakingofamythalsoapplytoitthestandardsoftheirpresentparadigm, onlywithoutrealizingit.Faulconerexplains,...secularistsarenottheonlyonestoassumethat theBiblestoryofcreationisacaseofprimitivescience.Somereligiouspeoplealsomakethat assumption,especiallythosewhoconsiderthemselvesliteralists.Ironically,whenpeopleargue forcreationscienceorforwhatisusuallycalledaliteralreadingoftheBible,theyareagreeing withthesecularunderstandingofthings.36 Tillichdescribesthisresistanceineloquentdetail: Theresistanceagainstdemythologizationexpressesitselfinliteralism.Thesymbols andmythsareunderstoodintheirimmediatemeaning.Thematerial,takenfromnature andhistory,isusedinitspropersense.Thecharacterofthesymboltopointbeyonditself tosomethingelseisdisregarded.Creationistakenasamagicactwhichhappenedonce uponatime.ThefallofAdamislocalizedonaspecialgeographicalpointandattributed toahumanindividual.ThevirginbirthoftheMessiahisunderstoodinbiologicalterms, resurrectionandascensionasphysicalevents,thesecondcomingoftheChristasa telluric,orcosmic,catastrophe.ThepresuppositionofsuchliteralismisthatGodisa being,actingintimeandspace,dwellinginaspecialplace,affectingthecourseofevents andbeingaffectedbythemlikeanyotherbeingintheuniverse.LiteralismdeprivesGod ofhisultimacyand,religiouslyspeaking,ofhismajesty.Itdrawshimdowntothelevelof thatwhichisnotultimate,thefiniteandconditional....Faith,ifittakesitssymbols literally,becomesidolatrous!Itcallssomethingultimatewhichislessthanultimate.Faith, consciousofthesymboliccharacterofitssymbols,givesGodthehonorwhichisdue him.37 TillichscriticismalmostseemstobecustomtailoredtoMormonism,whichclaimsa fullyembodiedfinitistgod,ahistoricalAdamandevennamesthegeographicallocationofthe GardenofEden!WemayaswellthrowinareferencetoKolobforgoodmeasure.ButIshall attempttodemonstratethatTillich'sviewneednotconflictwiththeessentialsofMormon theology,andthatthereareareaswherewedesperatelyneedthemythbreakingTillich prescribes. Beforethat,however,letusfirstexaminesomeimportantdetailsTillichgivesaboutthisliteralism orresistancetomythbreaking.Heexplainsthatliteralismgenerallyfallsintotwocategories,the naturalandthereactive: Thenaturalstageofliteralismisthatinwhichthemythicalandtheliteralare indistinguishable.Theprimitiveperiodofindividualsandgroupsconsistsintheinabilityto separatethecreationsofsymbolicimaginationfromthefactswhichcanbeverified
35 36

Ibid. Faulconer,Ibid,408. 37 Tillich,Ibid,5960.

throughobservationandexperiment.Thisstagehasafullrightofitsownandshouldnot bedisturbed,eitherinindividualsoringroups,uptothemomentwhen[one]s questioningmindbreaksthenaturalacceptanceofthemythologicalvisionsasliteral.If, however,thismomenthascome,twowaysarepossible.Theoneistoreplacethe unbrokenbythebrokenmyth.Itistheobjectivelydemandedway,althoughitis impossibleformanypeoplewhoprefertherepressionoftheirquestionstothe uncertaintywhichappearswiththebreakingofthemyth.Theyareforcedintothesecond stageofliteralism,theconsciousone,whichisawareofthequestionsbutrepresses them,halfconsciously,halfunconsciously.Thetoolofrepressionisusuallyan acknowledgedauthoritywithsacredqualitiesliketheChurchortheBible,towhichone owesunconditionalsurrender.Thisstageisstilljustifiable,ifthequestioningpoweris veryweakandcaneasilybeanswered.Itisunjustifiableifamaturemindisbrokeninits personalcenterbypoliticalorpsychologicalmethods,splitinitsunity,andhurtinits integrity.Theenemyofacriticaltheologyisnotnaturalliteralismbutconsciousliteralism withrepressionofandaggressiontowardautonomousthought.38 Thisdistinctionbetweennaturalandreactiveliteralismisespeciallyimportant.Itisbothunwise anduncharitabletobreakasymbolprematurelyinafitoficonoclasm.Ontheotherhand,itisnot onlyuncharitablebutunrighteousdominiontouseecclesiasticalauthoritytorepressthosewho arrivehonestlyandsincerelyatthisstageofspiritualgrowth,and(inkeepingwithSmiths revelations)suchunrighteousdominioninevitablyresultsinaweakeningofspiritualauthority.39 In Mormonismonecanobservebothstagesofliteralism,butthereactivevarietycurrentlyseems tobeintheascendant. Whilereactiveliteralismisunfortunate,itisunderstandable.Thosewhoresorttothese measuresdoso,accordingtoHolloway,becausetheyfearthatbreakingamythwillcauseitto loseitspower,wheninfactitdoesjusttheopposite.40 Furthermore,theneedsofthoseinthe naturalandreactivestagesareoftenopposedtooneanother,andchurchauthoritiesmuststrike adifficultbalancebetweenthem.Tillicharguesthatthisconflictofinterestisespeciallydifficult forcertaintypesofchurchestodealwith.Thoseofthesacramentalvariety,suchas Catholicism,whichconsidertheirsacramentsandauthorityfiguresasholyinthemselves,tend tobeunabletocope,whereasProtestantismasareactionagainsttheseexcesses,isbetter suitedtoacceptingbrokenmyths.41 Beingahybridwithtrappingsofbothsacramentalismand Protestantism,itisdifficulttopredicthowMormonismwillfareasitundergoesthisdifficult transition. ItsinterestingtonotethattheaspectsofMormonismthatmanyoutsidersfindmostabsurdare alsosomeofthehighlyphysicalandspecificassertionsthatTillichtakesissuewith.Andinits
38 39

Tillich,Ibid,60. DoctrineandCovenants121:39. 40 Holloway,Ibid. 41 Ibid,68.

currentpublicrelationscampaigns,theChurchseemstobedeemphasizingmanyofthese vestigesofphysicalismsomewhatalready.OnedoesnotoftenhearabouttheGardenofEden beinglocatedinJacksonCounty,Missouri,orKolob(theplanetfromwhichGodissaidtogovern theuniverse)atChurch,despitewhatyoumighthearinacertainwellknownBroadwaymusical. ButthereareofcoursesomehighlyliteralisticteachingsthatcontinuetogetairtimeinSunday school. Morethananythingelse,TillichsconceptionofGodseemsatoddswiththatofMormonism. TillichclaimedthatthetraditionaltheisticnotionofGodwasnolongercredible,butthatthisdid notimplythecollapseoftherealityofGodrather,themodernmindmustbeencouragedtothink oftheGodaboveGod,thatis,ofwhatisaboveandbeyondthelimitsofourimagination.42 Tillich'sinsightisthatourunderstandingofGodwillalwaysbeimperfectandpronetoerrordue toourhumanlimitations,andthatitisboundtoimproveandprogressastimegoeson.Tillich alsounderstoodthatanyattempttodescribeGodintermsthathumanscanrelatetoinevitably conveyslessthanallGodis,andthatsuchanunderstanding,beingaproductofbeingswith finitecapacities,willeventuallybecomeidolatrousandneedupgrading.ForTillich,Godisnotthe beingwevealreadyfoundbutalwaysthebeingwehaveyettofullydiscover,theobjectofour ultimateconcern,whichimpliessomethingthatwillalwaysbebeyondourreach. WhileJosephSmithsvisionswerecertainlymanifestationsofGod,itwouldbeincorrectto assumethattheyconveyedanexhaustiveorcomprehensiveunderstandingtohim.Neartheend ofhislife,Smithtaughtfurtherthatthegodofouruniversewasaninfiniteandconstantly progressingbeingwhocamefromanendlessfamilyordivinecommunityofotherindividualslike him.43 WilfordWoodruff,thefourthpresidentoftheMormonChurch,taughtthatiftherewasa pointwheremaninhisprogressioncouldnotproceedanyfurther,theveryideawouldthrowa gloomovereveryintelligentandreflectingmind.44 MormonFirstPresidencymemberGeorgeQ. Cannontaughtthatnotonlyisprogressioneternalattheindividuallevel,butthatthereisan endlesshierarchyofprogressiveintelligenceswhoparticipateinoneanotherssalvation:There aredifferentdegreesofglory.Someattaintoamoreexaltedglory.Theymusthelpthosewho arelowertoriseuptotheirplane.Thenthereisanotherdegreebelowthem,andtheymustlabor toliftthosewhoarelowerthanthey...progressingfromonedegreeofglorytoanother,without end,becausethereisnoendtoeternity.45 If,asJosephSmithdeclaredinhisrevelationonthedegreesofglory,Godwillonedaymake [us]equalwithHim,46 thenwewillbeinapositionwhere,asequals,Hewillnolongerbethe appropriateobjectofourworship.Toworshiporstrivetoemulatesuchanequalwouldbe damnation,accordingtotheMormonunderstandingofthatterm.Andyetevenatthisfarflung
42 43

PeterJ.Gomes,IntroductionofTheCouragetoBebyPaulTillich. JosephSmith,TheKingFollettDiscourse,TeachingsoftheProphetJosephSmith,(SaltLakeCity: DeseretBookCo.,1977),342. 44 JournalofDiscourses6:120 45 D.MichaelQuinn,TheMormonHierarchy:ExtensionsofPower,(SaltLakeCity:SignatureBooks,1997). 46 D&C76:95

stage,therewillstillbesomethingbeyondustowhichwewillstrive,anultimateconcernthatwill betheappropriateandinevitableobjectofourfaith.ThisisthegodTillichdescribes,theever notyet. LincolnCannon,PresidentoftheMormonTranshumanistAssociation,instinctivelydescribed suchagodinhisretellingofJosephSmithsKingFollettdiscourseattheinauguralconferenceof theMormonTranshumanistAssociationin2012:Loveposthumanitywithallyourheartandwith allyourmind.Thisisthefirstandgreatestcommandment,andthesecondislikeit:love humanityasyourself,notasbeinghuman,butratherasbecomingposthuman.47 Nomatter whereweare,posthumanitywillalwaysbeourmostnobleprojectionsofourfuture,onethat Mormonismclaimshasalreadybeenattainedbyothergodsbeforeustheresults,asfaraswe candiscernthem,offaithexercisedinourultimateconcern. WhiletheseexplorationsoftherelationshipbetweenTillichsconceptionofGodandthatof Mormonismarefarfromexhaustive,hopefullytheyatleastconveythenotionthatthereismore possibilityforharmonizationandmutualbenefitthanmightatfirstappear.Itisinterestingtonote thatMormonismsconceptofaprogressinggodfitswellwithTillichsdescriptionofanevolving ultimateconcern. Lastly,letusbrieflyexaminesomeopportunitiesfordemythologizationinaMormoncontext.One successfulandpragmaticapproachissomethingGrantHardyreferstoas"bracketing"inhis recentbook,UnderstandingtheBookofMormon.Manypriorcommentariesandanalyseshave focusedontheBookofMormoneitherforitsmorallessonsorasaprooftextforargumentsfor oragainstitshistoricity.Hardyobserves,ontheotherhand,thatthebook"isamuchmore interestingtextrewardingsustainedcriticalattentionthanhasgenerallybeenacknowledged byeitherMormonsornonMormons."48 Hearguesthatweshouldsetasideapologeticsand attempttostudythetextitselffromanarrativeperspective,fromwhichmanyinterestinginsights canbegleaned.Onceagain,theemphasisonhistoricityandliteralismhascausedustoneglect someofourvaluablemyths. TheBookofMormonitselfcontainssomeinterestingexamplesofdemythologization.Nephisays thathispeopledonotunderstandthewaysoftheJewsandthathemustthereforetranslate Isaiahswordsforthem,thathemustlikenthemuntotheirsituationratherthanexplainingtheir originalcontext.Hesaysthathedidlikenallscripturesunto[hispeople].49 AlmatheYounger focusesonasymbolic/mythologicalinterpretationofLehi'sjourney:AndnowIsay,istherenota typeinthisthing?Forjustassurelyasthisdirectordidbringourfathers,byfollowingitscourse,
47

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

48

GrantHardy,Introduction,UnderstandingtheBookofMormon(NewYork:OxfordUniversityPress,2010), Kindleedition,Location211. 49 1Nephi19:23

tothepromisedland,shallthewordsofChrist,ifwefollowtheircourse,carryusbeyondthis valeofsorrowintoafarbetterlandofpromise.50 SomeChurchdoctrinesdon'tfitcomfortablywithevolutionarybiology,especiallythetheoryof commondescent.WhileasignificantnumberoffaithfulMormonsbelieveinevolutioneven somefamousleadersoftheChurchitisanuncomfortablesubjectthatisrarelydiscussedat church.51 ArecentsurveybythePewForumindicatesthatapproximately22%orroughlyonein fiveMormonsbelievesthathumanityevolvedfromlowerlifeforms,whiletheUSnational averageforacceptingcommondescentis48%.52 Specifically,anumberofstatementsfrom ChurchgeneralauthoritiesestablishahistoricalAdamasthefatherofthehumanrace.Some moredisputedstatementsevenclaimthattherewasnodeathontheearthbeforeAdam'sFall. 53 Asrecentlyas1998,theChurchsEnsignmagazinecontainedanarticlepositingaliteralistic beliefinaglobalfloodandahistoricalTowerofBabelasnormativefororthodoxMormons.54 Despitethesestatements,Mormonscontinuetostraddlebothparadigmssurprisinglywell. BrighamYoungUniversity,privatelyownedbytheChurch,hasathrivingbiologyprograminits CollegeofLifeSciencesthathaslatelymadeanumberofnotablediscoveries,including contributionstoAlzheimer'sresearch55 andthediscoveryof"reevolution"ininsects.56 Of course,noneofthesediscoverieswouldbepossiblewithoutastrongfoundationinevolutionary theory,includingcommondescent. YetmanyMormonswhoaren'tcloselyinvolvedwiththesciencebelievethatcommondescentis incompatiblewiththefaith.Thisattitude,alongwithageneralsuspicionofthesciencesthatis oftenexpressedinchurchculture,hascausedmanymembers,especiallyyouth,toperceivethe Churchasagainstscienceandtofeelthenecessityofchoosingbetweentheirfaithtraditionand thevastbodyofevidenceforevolutionthattheyencounterduringtheirhighereducation. Fortunatelythereareampleopportunitiesforbreakingthismyth,bothstatementsfromgeneral authoritiesandfromthescripturalcanon.WithoutrepudiatingahistoricalAdam,theFirst
50 51

Alma37:4345 DuaneE.Jeffrey,Seers,SavantsandEvolution:theUncomfortableInterface,inDialogue:AJournalof MormonThought,Issue#8,AutumnWinter1973.Accessedonlineat http://www.dialoguejournal.com/wpcontent/uploads/sbi/articles/Dialogue_V08N0304_43.pdfonJanuary20, 2013. 52 ThePewForum,ReligiousDifferencesontheQuestionofEvolution, http://www.pewforum.org/ScienceandBioethics/ReligiousDifferencesontheQuestionofEvolution.aspx. LastaccessedonJanuary202013. 53 Jeffrey,Ibid. 54 DonaldW.Parry,TheFloodandtheTowerofBabel,inTheEnsign,January1998.Accessedonlineat https://www.lds.org/ensign/1998/01/thefloodandthetowerofbabel?lang=engonMay20,2013. 55 Kauweetal,TREM2VariantsinAlzheimer'sDisease,inTheNewEnglandJournalofMedicine,January 10,2013.Accessedonlineathttp://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1211851onJanuary20,2013. 56 Whiting,BradlerandMaxwell,Lossandrecoveryofwingsinstickinsects.inNature,January16,2003. Accessedonlineathttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12529642onJanuary20,2013.

Presidencydidofficiallyacknowledgein1908thepossibilitythatAdamcouldhaveevolvedfrom lowerspecies.57 Furthermore,thecreationstoryfromthePearlofGreatPricespecifically supportsafigurativeinterpretationofAdamasagroupofpeople,perhapstheentirehumanrace: WorldswithoutnumberhaveIcreated...andthefirstmanofallmenhaveIcalledAdam, whichismany.58 Thetempleendowmentceremonyisalsoahighlysymbolicritualthatteaches allparticipantstoconsider[themselves]asif[they]were,respectively,AdamandEve.Inthis symbolicinterpretation,Adambecomeseveryman,andEveeverywoman,helpingthemythto onceagainbecomerelevanttoourpresentdaychallengesandconcerns. OneareaofMormonteachingsthatisdifficultformanypeopletorelatetoistheChurchsbelief intheimportanceofsacraments(ordinancesinMormonparlance)andtemplework.The solutionprovidedbySmithsrevelationonproxyworkforthedead,andindeedthewhole emphasisonordinancesasessentialforsalvation,canbereasonablyviewedasan accommodationforahighlylegalisticcultureinthegripsofsacramentalism,inwhichalmost everyonebelievedthatsoulswhodidnotgothroughcertainritualsbeforedeathwouldbecastoff foreverbyajustGod.Butfortodayspotentialconvertstheseargumentsfallflat.Manymodern observersfeelthatnogodworthyofworshipwouldmaintainsucharbitraryandcapricious requirementsforsalvation,evenifanaccommodationcanbemadeforthosewhodiedwithout them.Givenwidespreadconsensusthatthesejustificationsaremorallydeficient,breakingthe mythwouldmeannotabandoningthesepracticesbutrecognizingotherbenefitsinthemthan theonesweusuallyemphasize,suchastheirsymboliccharacter,renewalofcommitment,a strongersenseofcommunalbelonging,esotericism,greaterappreciationofonesancestral heritage,andstrongerintergenerationalties,amongothers. AnotherareaofrichopportunityaretheChurchsfoundationalmyths,includingJosephSmiths firstvision.Whilemanyhavefocusedonwhetherornotitactuallyhappened,fewhavesoughtto exploreitssymbolismandmeaninganditsfoundationalrelationshiptotheMormonreligionand culture.ArecentarticlebyStephenC.Taysomisagreatstartingpointforamorethorough analysisofsomeofthesequestions.59 Amongotherinterestingperspectiveshesharesare theseremarksfromlateChurchHistorian,LeonardArrington: IwasneverpreoccupiedwiththequestionofthehistoricityoftheFirstVision....Iam preparedtoaccept[it]ashistoricalormetaphorical,assymbolicaloraspreciselywhat happened.That[itconveys]religioustruthistheessentialissue,andofthisIhavenever hadanydoubt.60 Howmightademythologizedchurchmissionaryprogramlook?Inadditiontoteachingmore
57 58

Jeffrey,Ibid. Moses1:3334,ThePearlofGreatPrice.Emphasisadded. 59 StephenC.Taysom,ApproachingtheFirstVisionSaga,SunstoneMagazine,October2011issue, https://www.sunstonemagazine.com/approachingthefirstvisionsaga/.AccessedonJanuary19,2013. 60 LeonardJ.Arrington,WhyIAmaBeliever,inPhilipL.Barlow,ed.,AThoughtfulFaith:EssaysonBelief byMormonScholars(Centerville,UT:CanonPress,1986),230.

symbolicinterpretationsofscriptureandritualtopotentialconverts,moreemphasiscouldbe madeonthepragmaticbenefitsofchurchparticipation,includingcommunalsupportand transcendentworship.RatherthanfocusingonBookofMormonhistoricityandexclusive priesthoodauthority,missionariescouldemphasizethepotentialforpersonalgrowth,discipline andfulfilmentthatcomesfrombeingapartoftheMormoncommunity.Inotherwords,the programwouldfocusonapplyingthesymbolstoourpresentcircumstancesratherthan focusingonpastinterpretations.Missionariescouldalsodevotealargerportionoftheirefforts towardshumanitarianwork,withtheoptionofservinganexclusivelyhumanitarianmissionfor thosewhoeitherdonotfeelcomfortableproselytizingorfeelanothercalling.Thisoptionwould havetheadditionalbenefitofgivingopportunitiesforfulfilmentandservicetothosewhovalue theirfaithtraditionbutfeelunabletoacceptsomeofitsmoreliteralisticclaims. AChurchthatismoreopentosymbolicinterpretationswouldalsobewillingtobroadenthe rangeofacceptableexpressionsoffaith.Memberscurrentlyfeelagreatdealofculturalpressure toexpressonlycertaintyinpublicsettings,anddoubtishighlystigmatized,whichinturn contributestodisaffection.Increasedopennessandacceptanceofdifferenceswouldalso significantlyenhanceMormonworshipserviceswithabroaderrangeofinspirationalartforms andmusic. Demythologizingoftenworksbestwhenwechoosetoemphasizesymbolicinterpretations withoutstronglyandopenlyrepudiatingliteralism.Forthosewhoarereadytoacceptthebroken myth,theallusionswillbeclear,whilethosewhoarestillinaphaseofnaturalliteralismwillbe lesslikelytostumble. Thesearejustafewexamples.Thoughagooddealoftrailblazingisstilllefttobedone,thefield ofMormonstudiescanalreadybesaidtohavelargelymovedawayfromapologeticsand debatesoverhistoricitytothericherfieldsofsymbol,metaphorandnarrative.Butthis awarenessmustreachbeyondtheacademyandintothemainstreamChurchifithopesto revitalizethefaithofitsmemberstoday.