Grace Works

So a question to mineself...the snide remark d'jour of critics of the Church concerns the Church's supposedly recent campaign to emphasize 1) their Christianity and 2) the centrality of grace in their theology (hence the recent addition of the subtitle, "Another Testament of Jesus Christ" to the Book of Mormon). They argue that it's all an effort to placate Christian conservatives who insist that we believe in "do-it-yourself" salvation,

Now whatever the merits of that criticism (I, for one, am skeptical...if there has been an increased emphasis on Jesus Christ, it is more a response to secularization than to Christian conservatism), I must concur that upon listening to some testimony meetings, one might wonder precisely where Jesus fits in our theology. On the issue of faith/works, we are all too often intent on "not being Protestant," so we might get a little uncomfortable talking about how it is only by grace we can do good works or about how depraved we are without the Atonement. We much prefer our bicycle analogies where we can at least earn a few pennies on our own.

We also tend to compartmentalize the gospel into principles, convenient, easily packaged, spiritual MREs that are have little sense of interconnectedness. Thus, we can talk about the law of tithing, the law of chastity, the laws of mercy and justice...even bear our testimony of them, all without remembering that w/o the Atonement, we should not be fond, but fearful of these laws. We forget who it was that stared these laws in the eye on our behalf...and won.

So ultimately, we must bow to the cross and the tomb with every gospel topic. I don't think anyone would disagree with that, but nor do I think we do that. This is the kind of idea that will spur a lot of head-nodding, and "how true, Brother Stevensons" and "Absolutely." But such responses, I've found, end discussion and might even serve as a mechanism wherein we keep a subversive idea at arms length.

If we are speaking of a true principle, we simply cannot isolate it from the Atonement. Whether we speak of evolution, love, gravity, tithing...all must hinge on the Atonement. It is therefore pointless to talk about how wonderful tithing is without discussing how wonderful Jesus is. One might as well compliment an opera singer on her make-up, a first-rate mechanic on the quality of his car jack, or a chef for his toque.