Episode 10: Restoring What Was Lost: Priesthood Restoration Narratives

**Bryan Buchanan** (0:14)
I recently went down a YouTube rabble hole with my kids, so we watched a bunch of old commercials when I was a kid. It was an interesting archaeological dig.
Some things were familiar to them, just grainier, but some made zero sense and were even funny to them. Rotary phones, what are rotary phones? It was a great exercise in how hard it is to grasp past depending on how different your current worldview is.
Understanding early Mormon authority and priesthood is a similar experience. Some elements of this history are very recognizable, but some are vastly different. Let's peel back the layers and see what things look like in the first decade.

**Lindsay Hansen Park** (0:52)
Hi, this is Lindsay Hansen Park.

**Bryan Buchanan** (0:54)
And this is Bryan Buchanan.

**Lindsay Hansen Park** (0:56)
Bringing you the story of Mormonism from the shadow of the everlasting hills, straight out of Zion, this isn't your grandpa's Mormon history.
Well, I have sinned so gravely, Brother Brigham, Brother Young. I have sinned so gravely, Brother Young. This is the tale of Mormon saints and sinners from our roots until present day. Scourge your loins, lock your hearts, and pay your tithing, because we're bringing you the story of Mormonism in all its paradisiacal glory.

**Bryan Buchanan** (1:37)
It's the Sunstone History Podcast. Well, I have sinned so gravely, Brother Brigham, Brother Young.

**Lindsay Hansen Park** (2:01)
Okay, you're gonna have to forgive me, but as we discuss this, you need to have the sound in your head. So forgive me, I'm gonna make a sound. I'm not gonna make a sound, I'm gonna play a sound for you.
Okay, that was the sound of squishing. Squish.
Why this sound? Why did you need to hear this sound? Because I need you to have a sort of like a visual. Any discussion of authority and priesthood in early Mormonism is by necessity squishy. Remember this. All of this is squishy, it's unusual, it's a little grainy. So where do we start?
We will be drawing a lot on Greg Prince's excellent book, Power From On High, The Development of Mormon Priesthood. Because Prince argues that the Book of Mormon is the beginning of Joseph Smith's authority.
So if authority is squishy, the Book of Mormon's creation is more solid ground. Prince says, quote, Translating the plates into the Book of Mormon marked the beginning of Smith's ministry. It established among his followers his credentials as a prophet. Such authority, however, was implied, for Smith never claimed that Moroni bestored formal authority by the laying on of hands. The man are sanctioned by ancient and modern Christianity. End quote. Then in 1829, actual priesthood began, right? That's the story, right? That John the Baptist comes to give them the Aaronic Priesthood and then shortly thereafter, Peter, James, and John to give them the Melchizedek Priesthood.
Not so fast. Listen to how Prince describes the early understanding of how this authority came to be. Quote, almost six years after Moroni's visit, angelic beings bestowed authority on Smith and his assistant, Oliver Cowdery, by the laying on of hands. Although in the Mormon Church today, the term priesthood refers to this bestowed authority, such a relationship did not develop until years after the founding of the Church. Initially, authority was understood to be inherent in what are now termed as offices, end quote.

**Bryan Buchanan** (4:07)
Rather than conveying some vague authority by the laying on of hands, offices were the key. If you were appointed a priest, you were a priest. Boom, end of story.
Then, when the Book of Mormon manuscript is created, there's a description in the Book of Mosiah about this reformed man named Alma performing a baptism, quote, having authority from the Almighty God, close quote. No mention of anyone conveying authority to him.
So remember back a few episodes when we talked about Oliver Cowdery? He'd created this document that was, in his mind, going to act as the constitution for this new church. And the text was heavily dependent on the Book of Mormon. In the section on baptism, the document stated, quote, behold, you shall go down and stand in the water, and in my name shall you baptize them. And now behold, these are the words which you shall say, calling them by name, saying, having authority given me of Jesus Christ, I baptize you. Again, no mention of having authority conferred on you.

**Lindsay Hansen Park** (5:00)
It's such a strange concept because I grew up with a Mormonism that is so focused on authority, and especially my work with different fundamentalist sects.
Authority is the key. Who has the authority? Can we trace it back to Jesus? How did this happen?