History Literature / DoctrineAndCovenants

** Prohibited by the Community of Christ edition. RLDS tradition does not consider LDS section 132 to be true scripture, seeing that it goes against at least a surface reading of Literature/TheBookOfMormon.[[note]]which generally condemns polygamy, but leaves open the possibility for God to instruct otherwise in particular circumstances—in particular, however, the Book of Mormon portrays David and Solomon as having sinned for having multiple wives, while section 132 [[{{Retcon}} portrays them as having not sinned]].[[/note]] The Community of Christ D&C denounces plural marriage in section 111 (which does not have an LDS edition number, because the LDS have not included it since 1876, although it was numbered 101 in the Kirtland edition and is sometimes discussed as such).

* SignificantReferenceDate: D&C 20, the church's foundational document, opens with "The rise of the Church of Christ in these last days, being one thousand eight hundred and thirty years since the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the flesh...in the fourth month, and on the sixth day of the month, which is called April.” This has often been interpreted to mean that April 6, 1830 was ''exactly'' 1,830 years to the day after Jesus was born, placing the birth of Jesus on April 6, 1 BCE, an idea popularized by James A. Talmage's classic 1915 LDS devotional book ''Jesus the Christ''. Several church leaders have supported this belief from the pulpit, while others have been more skeptical, and historians have noted that John Whitmer, Smith's scribe at the time, used "one thousand eight hundred and thirty one years, since the coming of our Lord and Savior in the flesh" in a document from June 1831, implying that was just his grandiose way of saying "it's 1830[=/=]1".[[note]]There's also the issue that Herod the Great most likely died in 4 BCE, which puts a Jesus birth in 1 BCE in conflict with the Gospel of Matthew.[[/note]]

* SignificantReferenceDate: D&C 20:1, the church's foundational document, opens with "The rise of the Church of Christ in these last days, being one thousand eight hundred and thirty years since the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the flesh...in the fourth month, and on the sixth day of the month, which is called April.” This has often been interpreted to mean that April 6, 1830 was ''exactly'' 1,830 years after Jesus was born, placing the birth of Jesus on April 6, 1 BCE, an idea popularized by James A. Talmage's classic 1915 LDS devotional book ''Jesus the Christ''. Several church leaders have supported this idea from the pulpit, while others have been more skeptical, and historians have noted that John Whitmer, Smith's scribe at the time, used "one thousand eight hundred and thirty one years, since the coming of our Lord and Savior in the flesh" in a document from June 1831.

Since UsefulNotes/{{Mormonism}} was founded on the principle of living prophets and continuing revelation, it has an open [[SacredScripture scriptural canon]]. The revelations and inspired writings of the Prophet Joseph Smith and his [[SuccessionCrisis accepted successors]] are compiled in the Doctrine and Covenants (D&C). Unlike Literature/TheBible and Literature/TheBookOfMormon, which are considered the Word of God translated from ancient records, these writings are considered God's word to his people in modern times.

* AgainstMyReligion: for LDS, D&C 89 serves as a well known example, forbidding the consumption of strong drinks (which the LDS Church interprets as drinks with any quantity of alcohol), hot drinks (which the LDS Church interprets as tea and coffee, regardless of temperature) and tobacco (which prohibition the LDS Church extends to apply to marijuana and to hard drugs), and also requesting moderation of meat intake (although this doesn't tend to be preached or policed to the same extent). It was originally presented as "not by commandment, or constraint, but by revelation and the word of wisdom", and has acquired the name Word of Wisdom, although the LDS Church tends to teach that it has since been made a commandment, and it is required to qualify for a temple recommend (the Community of Christ, while also valuing it and retaining it in canon, still tends to view it as a [[HundredPercentCompletion voluntary covenant]] to a greater extent, doesn't have a concept of temple worthiness, and does not share the LDS interpretation of "hot drinks").

* ArtifactTitle: the name of Doctrine and Covenants was adopted for the second edition, which combined the expanded Book of Commandments (renamed the Book of Covenants) with the newly added Lectures of Faith (or Book of Doctrine) in a [[{{Omnibus}} single volume]]. Neither the LDS Church nor the Community of Christ consider the Lectures of Faith canon today, but both continue to use the name Doctrine and Covenants for what is now just the Covenants part (plus the Official Declarations, in the LDS edition). Somewhat {{downplayed}} in that there is still doctrinal content, so the title isn't ''wrong'' per se.

* WhamEpisode: Section 110 starts with Jesus appearing to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. Moses appears to them and gives them the authority to gather Israel and lead the ten tribes, and Elias promises that they will have the blessing promised to Abraham's children. Finally, Elijah gives them the sealing power, fulfilling the prophecy in Malachi 4:5-6, and paving the way for temple work.

** Prohibited by the Community of Christ edition. RLDS tradition does not consider LDS section 132 to be true scripture, seeing that it goes against at least a surface reading of Literature/TheBookOfMormon.[[note]]which generally condemns polygamy, but leaves open the possibility for God to instruct otherwise in particular circumstances—in particular, however, the Book of Mormon portrays David and Solomon as having sinned for having multiple wives, while section 132 [[{{Retcon}} portrays them as having not sinned]].[[/note]] The Community of Christ D&C denounces plural marriage in section 111 (which does not have an LDS edition number, because the LDS have not included it since 1876, although it was numbered 101 in the original Kirtland edition and is sometimes discussed as such).

* OrwellianRetcon: Several sections differ from their text in the original edition (i.e. Book of Commandments), with no acknowledgement that they have been changed. David Whitmer of the Three Witnesses, after breaking with Joseph Smith, later [[https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/An_Address_to_All_Believers_in_Christ/Part_Second/Chapter_VIII highlighted several of these changes]] as evidence for his claims that Joseph Smith had been called to bring forth the Book of Mormon but subsequently started teaching false doctrine. Although the LDS Church and Community of Christ both use the later versions of the sections, i.e. [[https://www.fairlatterdaysaints.org/answers/Doctrine_and_Covenants/Textual_changes/Why_did_Joseph_Smith_edit_revelations consider the revisions to also be inspired]], some smaller denominations side with Whitmer on this.

* The LDS Church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) version is online [[https://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament here]]. The current section numbering and ordering was established in 1876 under Brigham Young (when several sections were added and one removed), except for the later-added sections 137 and 138. The Lectures of Faith were later removed and the Official Declarations were added, neither of which are part of the main section numbering. This is the most common section numbering scheme in use; therefore, section numbers and verses on this page refer to the LDS edition of the Doctrine and Covenants unless otherwise noted.

* The Community of Christ (formerly RLDS) version can be found [[https://communityofchristscripture.blogspot.com/ here]]. The current section numbering was established in 1906, when sections 3–9 were renumbered; the meaning of section numbers 10 and up has been unchanged since 1864.

* The LDS Church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) version is online [[https://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament here]].
* The Community of Christ (formerly RLDS) version can be found [[https://communityofchristscripture.blogspot.com/ here]].

Section numbers and verses refer to the LDS edition of the Doctrine and Covenants, unless otherwise noted.

* A version used by followers of Denver Snuffer (confusingly ''also'' called the "Remnant"), retitled "Teachings and Commandments" and also incorporating some of the material from the Literature/PearlOfGreatPrice, is [[https://scriptures.info/scriptures/tc here]].

* The Restoration Branches version is [[http://www.scripturetoolbox.com/html/d_c/Section/index.html here]]. Since the Restoration Branches are an RLDS schism, this uses the same numbering as the Community of Christ version, but excludes all sections after 144, and includes five sections later [[CanonDiscontinuity decanonised]] and blanked in the Community of Christ edition.
* The Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints version is [[https://theremnantchurch.com/scripture_library_categories/doctrine-covenants/ here]]. Since the Remnant Church is also a RLDS schism, numbers up to 144 are the same as the Restoration Branches and (where applicable) Community of Christ version, while the rest are unique.
* A version used by followers of Denver Snuffer (confusingly ''also'' called the "Remnant"), retitled "Teachings and Commandments", is [[https://scriptures.info/scriptures/tc here]].

* The Community of Christ (RLDS) version can be found [[https://communityofchristscripture.blogspot.com/ here]].

The LDS version is online here [[https://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament here]]. Most of the RLDS (Community of Christ) version can be found [[https://communityofchristscripture.blogspot.com/ here]].

** Some Mormon denominations reject certain sections of the LDS edition because they believe they weren't inspired or written by Joseph Smith. For example, the LDS Church omitted a verse in D&C 101 affirming monogamy because it was believed to have been written by Oliver Cowdery; and the Community of Christ rejects the teachings on plural marriage in LDS D&C 132. Also, the Cutlerites continued following the Law of Consecration and believe the sections on tithing weren't written by Joseph Smith. Some smaller denominations distrust the additions and changes (see OrwellianRetcon below) made later in Joseph Smith's life, and prefer the first-edition Book of Commandments.

** Prohibited by the Community of Christ edition. RLDS tradition does not consider LDS section 132 to be true scripture, seeing that it goes against at least a surface reading of Literature/TheBookOfMormon.[[note]]which generally condemns polygamy, but leaves open the possibility for God to instruct otherwise in particular circumstances—in particular, however, the Book of Mormon portrays David and Solomon as having sinned for having multiple wives, while section 132 [[{{Retcon}} portrays them as having not sinned]].[[/note]] The Community of Christ D&C denounces plural marriage in section 111 (which does not have an LDS edition number, because the LDS have not included it since 1876).

The LDS version is online here [[https://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament here]]. Most of the RLDS (Community of Christ) version can be found [[https://communityofchristscripture.blogspot.com/ here]] (section 165 can be found [[https://www.cofchrist.org/doctrine-and-covenants-section-165 here]]).