Doctrine and Covenants 21: Metanarrative of the Restoration

by Steven L. Olsen

Overview

Abstract: Joseph Smith dictated Doctrine and Covenants 21 at the inaugural meeting of the Church of Jesus Christ on April 6, 1830. The present study examines the literary craftsmanship of the revelation to plumb the depths of its role in the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The analysis explores the meaning of patterns of usage in the text from the most specific (diction, syntax, figures of speech) to the most general (tone, rhetoric, and structural logic). The hypothesis of this study is that Doctrine and Covenants 21 provides a metanarrative of the Restoration — that is, a set of governing principles and guidelines for keeping the official record of the gospel's final dispensation.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940160723259
Publisher:	Interpreter Foundation
Publication date:	06/15/2023
Series:	Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship , #57
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	351 KB

About the Author

Steven L. Olsen (BA, Brigham Young University, 1975; AM, PhD, University of Chicago, 1978, 1985) is Master Curator of the Church History Department, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where he has worked his entire career (four plus decades) creating museum exhibits, restoring historic sites, and leading organizational change. He has also been president or board member of a variety of state, regional, and national professional service organizations. He publishes widely in the fields of Latter-day Saint studies and museums studies and frequently presents at scholarly and professional conferences.