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Latter-day Saints affirm that they are led by living prophets. That belief
is an extension of the principles of continuing
revelation and personal revelation.
All who serve in the church, in all capacities and at all levels, from
the local to the global, can receive revelation to guide them in their
callings. When we sustain the First Presidency and the Twelve as "prophets,
seers, and revelators," we express our trust—and our expectation—that
they seek and receive inspiration as they teach and administer the church
at the global level.
While the General Authorities, like other people, may have dramatic revelatory
experiences at times, they make most of their decisions through a process
of prayerful, reasoned discussion. We have faith that the Spirit works
through that process. Still, it is always possible for leaders, like anyone
else, to mistake their own convictions for inspiration. Understandings
of prophetic authority that place church leaders' teachings or policies
beyond critical scrutiny expose the church to the dangers of idolatry
and unrighteous dominion. Clearly there is a need for order in church
governance (D&C 28:13). At the same time,
there is a need to recognize that prophets can be misled and that revelation
also occurs outside institutional channels.
Joseph Smith taught that all who speak by the Spirit's inspiration are
mouthpieces of God (D&C 68:4). In that
sense, all people can be prophets—men, women, and children (Alma
32:23).
Prophetic Inspiration and Its Limitations
| B. H. Roberts: Constant,
never-varying inspiration is not a factor in the administration of
the affairs even of the Church; not even good men, no, not though
they be prophets or other high officials of the Church, are at all
times and in all things inspired of God. It is only occasionally and
at need that God comes to their aid. |
| Defense of the Faith
and the Saints (Salt Lake City: Deseret News, 1907), 1:525 |
| B. H. Roberts: We have
here an alleged revelation received by the Prophet, through the "Seer
Stone," directing or allowing men to go on a mission to Canada,
which fails of its purpose; namely, the sale of the copyright of the
Book of Mormon in Canada. . . . The revelation respecting the Toronto
journey was not of God, surely; else it would not have failed; but
the Prophet, overwrought in his deep anxiety for the progress of the
work, saw reflected in the "Seer Stone" his own thought,
or that suggested to him by his brother Hyrum, rather than the thought
of God. . . . [I]n this instance of the Toronto journey, Joseph was
evidently not directed by the inspiration of the Lord. |
A Comprehensive History
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
(Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1930), 1:165 |
Gordon B. Hinckley:
Any major questions of policy, procedures, programs, or doctrine
are considered deliberately and prayerfully by the First Presidency
and the Twelve together . . . , with every man having total freedom
to express himself. . . . I have seen differences of opinion presented
in these deliberations. Out of this very process of men speaking
their minds has come a sifting and winnowing of ideas and concepts
. . . —the coming together, under the directing influence
of the Holy Spirit and under the power of revelation, of divergent
views until there is total harmony and full agreement. Only then
is implementation made. That, I testify, represents the spirit of
revelation manifested again and again in directing this the Lord’s
work.
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| “God Is at the Helm,”
Ensign, May 1994, 53 |
Prophecy Outside the Hierarchy
Matthias F. Cowley:
It is expected that every Latter-day Saint is a prophet of God .
. . What did Moses say to those who sought his rebuke of some persons
that had prophesied in Israel? Why, said he, "I would to God
that all the Lord's people were prophets." We ought to be prophets,
and we ought to seek the mind and will of the Lord on every subject.
|
| Conference Report,
October 1900, 19-20 |
Bruce R. McConkie:
The true Church is or should be made up of prophets without number.
|
| The Millennial Messiah
(Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1982), 326 |
Todd Compton: Revelation
can go upward through the hierarchy itself or come from non-hierarchical
to hierarchical positions. Non-hierarchical revelation happens more
frequently than we have often noticed. It is a necessary part of
healthy decision-making. Non-hierarchical patterns can be found
in the scriptures and church history. . . .[T]he story of Emma and
the Word of Wisdom shows that inspired insight for the benefit of
the church can come to non-hierarchical church members—including
women.
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| "Non-Hierarchical Revelation,"
Women and Authority (Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 1992),
185, 197 |
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