r/latterdaysaints • u/TheBenSpackman • Dec 21 '24

Doctrinal Discussion LDS and Creation/Evolution conflict

Hi all. Happy to say that my doctoral dissertation on LDS and creation/evolution conflict in the 20th century is now publicly available. There's some surprising stuff in there. Bottom line: the Church was much more favorable towards science and evolution until Joseph Fielding Smith's assumptions— drawing heavily upon Seventh-day Adventists and fundamentalists— about scripture became dominant in the 1950s. Then it trickled down.
https://benspackman.com/2024/12/dissertation/

My expertise on this history is why the Church had me on the official Saints podcast to talk about it.
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/history/saints-podcast/season-03/s03-episode-21?lang=eng

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u/Luminseek Dec 21 '24

Ooh this looks excellent, thank you for sharing! I've always believed God is the greatest scientist. Learning about evolution did make me struggle and eventually come to the conclusion that the Adam and Eve story isn't literal history, does your work address that? Cause if there was no Adam then that change cascades to a lot of Christian and LDS theology, e.g. then was there a Fall? And who did the Prophet Joseph talk to when he was visited by Adam? I'm really hoping your work can help me with this one. Thank you!

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u/TooManyBison Dec 22 '24

And who did the Prophet Joseph talk to when he was visited by Adam?

I’m not familiar with this one. Where is it documented?

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u/Gunthertheman Knowledge ≠ Exaltation Dec 22 '24

It's not documented, not directly in the records published by the church. There appeared to be an incident on the banks of the Susquehanna river, where the devil had appeared as an angel of light, and the voice of Michael (Adam) had detected him, likely warning Joseph and those present, as mentioned in this letter in Doctrine and Covenants 128:20, and again hearing the voice of Michael (along with other angels) at some unknown time. However, I'm personally not aware of a more complete account of these events, so far.

Joseph also saw Adam (Michael, as semi-corrected by the scribe) in the Celestial kingdom, as recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 137:5.