Is it acceptable to be a member of the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints and participate in worship services and sacrament
meetings outside the halls of an LDS church or on a day other than Sunday?
An apostle of the LDS Church, Elder Quinten L. Cook related
a story in the October 2015 General Conference in which he and his wife
participated in the customs and traditions of another religion. He demonstrates by his example that it is
acceptable for members of the church to participate in such services. Here is his account:
“The early Christian Church changed
observance of the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday to commemorate the Lord’s
Resurrection. Other basic sacred purposes of the Sabbath remained unchanged.
For Jews and Christians, the Sabbath symbolizes the mighty works of God.20
My wife and I, and two of my colleagues and their wives,
recently participated in a Jewish Shabbat (Sabbath) at the invitation of a dear
friend, Robert Abrams and his wife, Diane, in their New York home.21
It commenced at the beginning of the Jewish Sabbath on a Friday evening. The
focus was honoring God as the Creator. It began by blessing the family and
singing a Sabbath hymn.22
We joined in the ceremonial washing of hands, the blessing of the bread, the
prayers, the kosher meal, the recitation of scripture, and singing Sabbath
songs in a celebratory mood. We listened to the Hebrew words, following along
with English translations. The most poignant scriptures read from the Old
Testament, which are also dear to us, were from Isaiah, declaring the Sabbath a
delight,23
and from Ezekiel, that the Sabbath “shall be a sign between me and you, that ye
may know that I am the Lord your God.”24
The overwhelming impression from this wonderful evening was
of family love, devotion, and accountability to God. As I thought about this
event, I reflected on the extreme persecution that the Jews have experienced
over centuries. Clearly, honoring the Sabbath has been “a perpetual covenant,”
preserving and blessing the Jewish people in fulfillment of scripture.25
It has also contributed to the extraordinary family life and happiness that are
evident in the lives of many Jewish people.26
For members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints, honoring the Sabbath is a form of righteousness that will bless and
strengthen families, connect us with our Creator, and increase happiness. The Sabbath can help separate us from that
which is frivolous, inappropriate, or immoral. It allows us to be in the
world but not of the world.” (Quentin L. Cook, October 2015 General Conference)
Here are some points to consider regarding his story and
example:
This was a ceremony for the Sabbath which occurred on a
Friday rather than on a Sunday, indicating that the particular day of the week
is not necessarily a critical element.
The chosen day may have and probably should have a significant meaning
to the participants. However, we see
that someone who normally observes the Sabbath on a Sunday, may participate in
Sabbath observance on a different day.
The Jewish and Christian religious systems of beliefs do
share some similar history and theology.
For example, both believe in a God who is Just and Merciful. Also both believe in some common scriptures. The Old Testament and the Torah share a
common literary ancestor.
However, they are also decidedly divided on some key points
that would be considered uncompromising issues for both parties. For example, traditional Jewish belief would
not consider Jesus Christ to be the Savior of the world. Yet this is the key tenant of the Christian
beliefs.
The Jewish Sabbath custom includes the preparation of two
loaves of bread representing the double manna that God would provide on the day
before the Sabbath so that the people of Moses would not have to work and
collect manna on the Sabbath. Wine is always
served alongside the bread. Elder Cook who is Mormon would certainly be unable
to partake of the wine. This would be a contrast made obvious to both the host
family and the guests at this particular occasion.
Yet, these two very different religious parties can welcome
one another into each other’s services and ceremonies with participation for
the purpose of putting aside differences and allowing the other to approach God
in the manner most meaningful to that individual. They can do this while side by side with
other seekers of God who may not view the ritual with the same understandings. For example, Elder Cook as a participant
would be acknowledging the offered prayers made by the host to God, yet these
prayers would not be conducted in the name of Jesus. Likewise, he would be partaking of the Jewish
bread which to the Jewish family would have the same reverence that his own
sacramental bread would have to him if he were at one of his regular LDS
services. Yet he would not have partaken
of the wine, demonstrating that both he and the host family were willing to
make allowances for the other’s differing views. The Jewish family did not see Elder Cook as
an unworthy participant despite his lack of full acceptance of both their
religious beliefs or of their own sacred ordinances. And Elder Cook did not see the Jewish family
as unworthy priests despite their administration of holy ordinances that did
not correspond fully with his own religious practices.
No one need be excluded based on their different approach to
God. Oaths of loyalty to an organization
need not be attached to the symbolic ceremonies as prequalifying factors. Rather the ceremonies are intended to turn
ones heart to inner reflection and toward our relationship with God while
allowing others freedom to do the same.
Each may do this in a manner most acceptable to an individual’s conscientious
effort to approach God. We may accept
the sincerity of others as genuine and by doing so, we are allowed the same
courtesy by them.
Finally notice the conclusion which Elder Cook derived from
his experience. He remembered the
centuries of Jewish persecution and noted that this practice by the Jewish
people was a “covenant” acceptable to God on their behalf and a “fulfillment of
scripture”. This is curious as we
understand that Elder Cook being a Mormon apostle would view covenant making
with God as only valid if the covenant is made under the correct authority. Cook’s acknowledgement that they were blessed
by God for their manner of sacramental-type observance on the Sabbath is an
admission that the Jewish people had permission from God to do such
things. In other words, they had
authority from God to do such things, elsewise God would not have blessed them
for it.
This is not inconsistent with Elder Cook’s teachings nor
with the scriptures ascribed to the LDS Church.
A careful review of the LDS scriptures does indeed reveal that true
authority can only be received directly from God to any one particular
individual. The reception of that
authority may come to an individual within a specific church, such as was the
case for Alma the younger for example.
Or the authority may come to an individual from without the church, such
was the case for Samuel the Lamanite for another example. In other words, the authority to perform
ordinances and observances comes directly from the source who is God.
The Jewish people would not have been blessed by God if they
did not have God’s permission or authority to repeat such behavior on the
Sabbath. God is the source of all things
and may provide to whomsoever God chooses.
This of course is self-evident. The
permission to perform such things comes from God and is not necessarily limited
to one particular organization. God can
bless individuals who turn to God through the observances which they find most
meaningful to them as they reach out to God.
Elder Cook provides this by his example and conclusions as he participates
in a Jewish observance that would be the equivalent to a Christian Sacrament (equivalent
in terms of the depth and sacredness by which they, the Jewish family would
have viewed the service). Elder Cook
shows that LDS members may participate in holy ordinances outside of the LDS
organization if both the participant and the host find edification and union through
the experience. It would certainly be
fair and only make sense, if others were allowed the same courtesy to
participate in LDS ceremonies without necessarily embracing the full LDS
religion or necessarily having to agree with everything espoused by the LDS
religion.
Elder Cook noted “The
Sabbath can help separate us from that which is frivolous, inappropriate, or
immoral”. The example he provided
was a Jewish Sabbath as an example for the LDS people. In other words, he found nothing “inappropriate”
in their practice nor anything “immoral” in participating in their rituals. Elder Cook found joyful meaning in his
participation in a Jewish Service. I
agree whole heartedly with his example.
It is a “wonderful” way to reach out to others who believe differently
and act differently. It is a way to
bridge the gaps by placing ourselves in their world view for a moment and
considering the merits of their approach to the divine. What can we learn from them?
What a humble approach to religion. I am grateful for Elder Cook’s example in
this thing.
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