Section 102 (Modern Section 134)
Overview
Section 102 of the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants (now Section 134) is a 'Declaration on Government and Law.' Unlike many other sections of the Doctrine and Covenants, this text is not presented as a direct revelation ('Thus saith the Lord') but as a statement of 'opinion' and 'belief' adopted by the Church's General Assembly. Written largely by Oliver Cowdery during a time of intense persecution in Missouri, the text aims to clarify the Church's stance to dispel accusations of sedition and abolitionism. It affirms that governments are instituted by God for the benefit of man and that Saints are obligated to sustain the law. It outlines a strict separation of church and state functions: the church deals with spiritual standing (excommunication), while the state deals with property and physical punishment. Crucially, the text concludes with a controversial policy regarding 'bond-servants' (slaves), prohibiting missionaries from preaching to or baptizing them without their masters' consent, prioritizing social order and property rights over the universal proclamation of the Gospel.
Key Figures
- God (The Institutor of Government)
- Civil Magistrates/Rulers
- Citizens
- Bond-servants (Slaves)
- Masters
Doctrines Analyzed
Key theological claims identified in this text:
Divine Institution of Civil Government
Assertion
Governments are instituted by God for the benefit of man, and God holds men accountable for their acts in relation to them.
Evidence from Text
We believe that Governments were instituted of God for the benefit of man... (Verse 1)
Evangelical Comparison
This doctrine is highly compatible with traditional Evangelical theology, specifically the Pauline instruction in Romans 13:1-7 that 'there is no authority except that which God has established.' Both traditions affirm that civil order is a common grace provided by God to restrain evil and protect the innocent. The text reflects a Lockean view of government (protecting life, liberty, and property) that was common in 19th-century American Protestantism.
Ecclesiastical Limitation of Power
Assertion
Religious societies have authority only to excommunicate, not to inflict physical punishment or seize property.
Evidence from Text
we do not believe that any religious society has authority to try men on the right of property or life... neither to inflict any physical punishment upon them (Verse 10)
Evangelical Comparison
The text explicitly limits the church's power to spiritual matters (fellowship and standing), rejecting any temporal authority to punish physically or confiscate goods. This resonates with the Protestant principle of the separation of spheres—the Church wields the Sword of the Spirit (the Word), while the State wields the Sword of Justice. It serves as an apologetic defense against claims that the early Mormon church was a theocratic state-within-a-state.
Restricted Evangelism (Slavery)
Assertion
It is unlawful and unjust to preach the gospel to or baptize bond-servants (slaves) without the consent of their masters.
Evidence from Text
we do not believe it right to interfere with bond-servants, neither preach the gospel to, nor baptize them, contrary to the will and wish of their masters (Verse 12)
Evangelical Comparison
This is a significant deviation from the Evangelical mandate. While historical Christians often failed to oppose slavery, the *theological codification* of a restriction on the Gospel is distinct here. The text elevates human property laws above the command of Christ to 'make disciples of all nations.' It implies that a human master has the right to veto a slave's access to the ordinances of salvation (baptism), effectively placing the master's will above God's call to the individual soul.
Comparative Analysis
Theological Gap
While the political theology aligns with 19th-century Protestantism, the missiological implications of Verse 12 create a severe gap. By prohibiting the baptism of slaves without consent, the text asserts that human ownership of another person supersedes the spiritual autonomy of that person before God. Furthermore, the phrase 'warn the righteous to save themselves from the corruption of the world' (Verse 12) hints at an auto-soteric (self-saving) mindset, contrasting with the Evangelical view that Christ alone saves.
Friction Points
The Great Commission (Universal Evangelism)
Prohibits preaching to a specific class of people (slaves) based on human laws.
Sola Gratia (Grace Alone)
Verse 12 uses the phrase 'save themselves,' implying human agency is the primary actor in salvation from corruption.
Semantic Warnings
Terms that have different meanings between traditions:
"Sedition"
In This Text
Rebellion against established government; in context, this included abolitionist activities.
In Evangelicalism
Rebellion against lawful authority, but often nuanced by the command to obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29).
Soteriology (Salvation)
Salvation Defined: Implicitly defined in Verse 12 as being saved 'from the corruption of the world.'
How Attained: In this text, through warning and 'saving themselves' (active voice applied to the believer).
Basis of Assurance: Compliance with divine and human law.
Comparison to Sola Fide: The text focuses on external compliance and social order rather than internal faith. The phrase 'save themselves' (v12) is antithetical to Ephesians 2:8-9 ('not of yourselves').
Mandates & Requirements
Explicit Commands
- Sustain and uphold respective Governments
- Appeal to civil law for redress of wrongs
- Do not preach to or baptize bond-servants without master's consent
- Punish crime according to the nature of the offense
Implicit Obligations
- Participate in the enforcement of laws (bring offenders to punishment)
- Respect the station of rulers and magistrates
- Avoid sedition and rebellion
Ritual Requirements
- Excommunication (withdrawal of fellowship) is the only authorized church punishment
Evangelism Toolkit
Practical tools for engagement and dialogue:
Discovery Questions
Open-ended questions to promote reflection:
- In Verse 12, it says we shouldn't baptize bond-servants without their master's consent. Do you think a human master should have the authority to block someone's covenant with God?
- The text mentions in Verse 12 that the righteous should 'save themselves.' How does that fit with the idea that Jesus is the Savior?
- If a government passed a law that violated God's law, which one does this text say we should follow? (See Verse 5 regarding 'inherent and unalienable rights').
Redemptive Analogies
Bridges from this text to the Gospel:
The Desire for Peace
The text exhibits a deep longing for social peace and safety. The Gospel offers a peace that surpasses understanding, not through laws, but through reconciliation with God.
Accountability to God
The text correctly identifies that all authority figures answer to God. This points to the Final Judgment, where Christ is the ultimate Judge.
Spiritual Weight
Burdens this text places on adherents:
For a believer who felt called to share the gospel with a slave, this text imposed a burden of silence, forcing them to prioritize human law over the Great Commission.
The instruction to 'save themselves' places the burden of escaping worldly corruption squarely on the individual's effort rather than Christ's finished work.
+ Epistemology
Knowledge Source: Rational deduction and political necessity, framed as theological belief.
Verification Method: Adherence to these principles is verified by the peace and safety of the community.
Evangelical Contrast: Evangelical epistemology relies on the illuminated Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16). This text relies on the collective 'opinion' of the church leadership to navigate a political crisis, yet elevates that opinion to the status of scripture.
+ Textual Criticism
Dating: August 17, 1835
Authorship: Traditionally attributed to Oliver Cowdery; presented to the General Assembly by W.W. Phelps. Joseph Smith was absent but approved the volume.
Textual Issues: This section was not a 'revelation' dictated by Smith, but an 'article' on government. Its inclusion in the canon gives it equal weight to revelations.