059: Redeeming the Dead; D&C and Church History Lesson 30

“The Prisoners Shall Go Free”

In this episode we discuss the history and doctrine underlying the third mission of the Church–to redeem the dead. We will explore

• Ancient precedents to vicarious rituals including the interpretation of 1 Cor. 15:29
• The background to vicarious ordinances in Church History
• The way approaches to redeeming the dead have changed over time with a focus on the concept of adoption

• The logic behind the idea of vicarious ordinances.
  • How does this practice solve a fundamental problem with Christianity?
  • What do we get out of performing vicarious ordinances for the dead?
  • In what way do the dead need the ordinances to be saved?
  • Why not just wait until the millennium?

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Class Member Reading: Doctrine and Covenants 2; 124:25–55; 127; 128; Joseph Smith—History 1:36–39; Our Heritage, pages 58–60; 1 Corinthians 15:29; D&C 138:28–35

Additional Teacher Reading: 1 Corinthians 15

You can access the Reading Notes here.

You can access the Lesson Notes here.

 

Continue the conversation by posting your questions and comments here, in the facebook group, or email them to me at MormonSundaySchool at gmail.

 

Resources

• The Church History Department’s overview of this material
• Salvation of the Dead article in Encyclopedia of Mormonism
• Elder Scott, The Joy of Redeeming the Dead
• Elder Christofferson, The Redemption of the Dead and the Testimony of Jesus
• Baptism for the Dead, Encyclopedia of Mormonism
• By Common Consent post on Lesson 30
• Hugh Nibley on the Meaning of the Temple
• BYU Studies article on Adoption Theology
• BCC Introduction to two articles on Adoption theology
• Samuel Brown’s article on Early Mormon Adoption Theology in the time of Joseph Smith
• Jonathan Stapley’s article on later adoptive sealing ritual in Mormonism
• BYU Studies article on the 1877 commencement of endowments and sealings for the dead
• Temple work as Mormon Ancestor Worship, Wheat & Tares
• Relief Society Lesson on Becoming Saviors on Mount Zion, Exponent blog
• Relief Society Lesson on Redeeming the Dead, Exponent blog
• A four part series on the Redemption of the Dead by the Maxwell Institute: Part 1 (Salvation for the Dead in Early Christianity), Part 2 (Early Christian Baptism for the Dead), Part 3 (Restoration of Authority), Part 4 (Revelation after Joseph Smith).

 

Many thanks to Devin Roth for the beautiful bumper music. Check out his arrangement of hymns and other work at DevinRothMusic!

Thanks to James Estrada of Oak Street Audio for his quality and crazy fast post-production.