The theology of the afterlife in LDS beliefs is one place where the LDS church strays from the traditions of other Christian churches. Most of this theology comes from one section of our scripture - D&C, Section 76, also known as "The Vision." The following information is being pulled in part from the biography, Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling by Richard Bushman.
In the early 1830s, Joseph Smith was working on his inspired translation of the Bible. Many of the revelations in the LDS church came during this time. As Joseph Smith would come across a verse that he didn't completely understand, he would go to God in prayer for knowledge. When Joseph Smith came across John 5:29, the scripture got Joseph Smith pondering on how God could divide us up into the categories of heaven and hell when there was such a wide variety of types of people in life. Joseph Smith wrote, "It appeared self-evident that if God rewarded every one according to the deeds done in the body, the term 'heaven,' as intended for the Saints eternal home, must include more kingdom than one."
Joseph Smith wasn't the the first person to attempt to understand the reasoning behind the judgements of the Calvinist God who damned us or saved us regardless of our efforts. Preachers during the time we trying to make God seem more "just, loving, and reasonable," but did not completely do away with Calvin's theology.
These were the questions that led to the revelation now contained in D&C 76. Unlike most visions Joseph received, this vision was received by Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon together at the same time. As was customary, it was received in plain sight with others looking on. One of those who watched them receive the revelation said that Rigdon looked exhausted at the end of the vision. Joseph commented that he "is not as used to it as I am."
The Vision completely changed the theology of Mormonism. The Book of Mormon presented a very protestant view of heaven and hell, but the theology of Mormonism moved much closer to the Universalist theology of the afterlife. Unlike the Universalists though, Mormonism did not completely do away with hell, but it was contracted considerably.
Bushman wrote, "The doctrine recast life after death. The traditional division of heaven and hell made religious life arbitrary. One received grace or one went to hell. In Joseph's afterlife, the issue was degrees of glory. A permanent hell threatened very few. The question was not escape from hell but closeness to God. God scaled the rewards to each person's capacity. Even the telestial glory, the lowest of the three, 'surpasses all understanding.' "
Mormonism could be considered a middle ground between traditional protestant Christianity and Universalism. It did away with the theology of heaven and hell, but did not go so far as to say that there were no permanent penalties for sinning.
While the information in The Vision is common knowledge in Mormonism today, it shook the faith of many members at the time. Some members declared that the vision was "of the Devil." Others didn't "reject it, but" also couldn't "understand it."
Most protestants probably wouldn't reject a lot of the language in The Vision, but the emphasis moved from "serenity and joyful peace" to the possibility of being "joint heirs with Christ."
D&C Section 76 is probably one of the most important chapters of scripture in Mormonism. Without understanding this vision, it is impossible to understand Mormonism. I would argue that there are even many Mormons who do not understand it completely.
In regards to The Vision, Joseph Smith wrote, "Nothing could be more pleasing to the Saint(s), upon the order of the kingdom of the Lord than the light which burst upon the world, through the foregoing vision.... The sublimity of the ideas; the purity of the language; the scope for action; the continued duration for completion, in order that the heirs of salvation, may confess the Lord and bow the knee; the rewards for faithfulness & the punishments of sins, are so much beyong the narrow mindedness of men, that, every honest man is constrained to exclaim; It came from God."
In conclusion, Bushman wrote, "His enthusiasm may have come from the altered relationship with God implied by the revelation. The perfection of the stern and mysterious Calvinist God distances Him from His children. The law erected an impassable barrier, requiring perfect compliance. In 'The Vision' the workings of heaven were made intelligible, and the law became less a set of forbidding commandments than of instructions on how to reach heaven. The laws were helpful and informative rather than distancing. Knowledge made heaven accessible."
President Wilford Woodruff, fourth President of the LDS church, said, "I will refer to the Vision alone, as a revelation which gives more light, more truth, and more principle than any revelation contained in any other book we ever read. It makes plain to our understanding our present condition, where we came from, why we are here, and where we are going. Any man may know through that revelation what his part and condition will be."
In the early 1830s, Joseph Smith was working on his inspired translation of the Bible. Many of the revelations in the LDS church came during this time. As Joseph Smith would come across a verse that he didn't completely understand, he would go to God in prayer for knowledge. When Joseph Smith came across John 5:29, the scripture got Joseph Smith pondering on how God could divide us up into the categories of heaven and hell when there was such a wide variety of types of people in life. Joseph Smith wrote, "It appeared self-evident that if God rewarded every one according to the deeds done in the body, the term 'heaven,' as intended for the Saints eternal home, must include more kingdom than one."
Joseph Smith wasn't the the first person to attempt to understand the reasoning behind the judgements of the Calvinist God who damned us or saved us regardless of our efforts. Preachers during the time we trying to make God seem more "just, loving, and reasonable," but did not completely do away with Calvin's theology.
These were the questions that led to the revelation now contained in D&C 76. Unlike most visions Joseph received, this vision was received by Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon together at the same time. As was customary, it was received in plain sight with others looking on. One of those who watched them receive the revelation said that Rigdon looked exhausted at the end of the vision. Joseph commented that he "is not as used to it as I am."
The Vision completely changed the theology of Mormonism. The Book of Mormon presented a very protestant view of heaven and hell, but the theology of Mormonism moved much closer to the Universalist theology of the afterlife. Unlike the Universalists though, Mormonism did not completely do away with hell, but it was contracted considerably.
Bushman wrote, "The doctrine recast life after death. The traditional division of heaven and hell made religious life arbitrary. One received grace or one went to hell. In Joseph's afterlife, the issue was degrees of glory. A permanent hell threatened very few. The question was not escape from hell but closeness to God. God scaled the rewards to each person's capacity. Even the telestial glory, the lowest of the three, 'surpasses all understanding.' "
Mormonism could be considered a middle ground between traditional protestant Christianity and Universalism. It did away with the theology of heaven and hell, but did not go so far as to say that there were no permanent penalties for sinning.
While the information in The Vision is common knowledge in Mormonism today, it shook the faith of many members at the time. Some members declared that the vision was "of the Devil." Others didn't "reject it, but" also couldn't "understand it."
Most protestants probably wouldn't reject a lot of the language in The Vision, but the emphasis moved from "serenity and joyful peace" to the possibility of being "joint heirs with Christ."
D&C Section 76 is probably one of the most important chapters of scripture in Mormonism. Without understanding this vision, it is impossible to understand Mormonism. I would argue that there are even many Mormons who do not understand it completely.
In regards to The Vision, Joseph Smith wrote, "Nothing could be more pleasing to the Saint(s), upon the order of the kingdom of the Lord than the light which burst upon the world, through the foregoing vision.... The sublimity of the ideas; the purity of the language; the scope for action; the continued duration for completion, in order that the heirs of salvation, may confess the Lord and bow the knee; the rewards for faithfulness & the punishments of sins, are so much beyong the narrow mindedness of men, that, every honest man is constrained to exclaim; It came from God."
In conclusion, Bushman wrote, "His enthusiasm may have come from the altered relationship with God implied by the revelation. The perfection of the stern and mysterious Calvinist God distances Him from His children. The law erected an impassable barrier, requiring perfect compliance. In 'The Vision' the workings of heaven were made intelligible, and the law became less a set of forbidding commandments than of instructions on how to reach heaven. The laws were helpful and informative rather than distancing. Knowledge made heaven accessible."
President Wilford Woodruff, fourth President of the LDS church, said, "I will refer to the Vision alone, as a revelation which gives more light, more truth, and more principle than any revelation contained in any other book we ever read. It makes plain to our understanding our present condition, where we came from, why we are here, and where we are going. Any man may know through that revelation what his part and condition will be."
