subject: Gospel Doctrine Study Guides And Mormonism [print this page] The curriculum of the Gospel Doctrine Sunday School class of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints follows a four-year rotation among the Standard Works of the Churchbooks that are accepted as scripture by members of the Church. These include the Book of Mormon (Another Testament of Jesus Christ); Church History and the Doctrine and Covenants (a book of revelations received by the prophets of the Church); the Old Testament; and the New Testament. Another book of scripture, the Pearl of Great Price, contains specially selected revelations and doctrines which are used to supplement an understanding of the other four books.
Though technically part of the Sunday School auxiliary program of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the term Gospel Doctrine is used more widely than just describing the Sunday School class. Members think of Gospel Doctrine as the entire contents of the officially accepted scriptures and they strive to gain a better personal understanding of these scriptures. This they do in their personal study and in various special classes offered during the week by both by the Church through its Church Educational System (CES Seminaries and Institutes) and also by individual members from time to time.
No study guide except those produced directly by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints can be considered the official doctrine of the Church. All other study guides are the thoughts and ideas of individual teachers and members of the Church and are produced solely as suggested ways of understanding the scriptures.
Gospel Doctrine Study Guides produced by various members of the Church follow the Lords admonition to Church members (called Latter-day Saints) to teach one another the doctrine of the Kingdom. Members use them for personal study of the scriptures; they are not used as official guides for the Sunday School classes.
Dr. Randal Chase is one such publisher of Gospel Doctrine Study Guides for each of the Standard Works of the Church. His series, Making Precious Things Plain, is growing rapidly in popularity among Church members who wish to understand the scriptures plainly.
