Revision as of 22:51, 12 April 2016

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1835 Doctrine and Covenants denies polygamy—D&C 101 (original)

Important introductory material on plural marriage available here

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Question: Why did the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants include a statement of marriage that denied the practice of polygamy at a time when some were actually practicing it?

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• Question: Why did the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants include a statement of marriage that denied the practice of polygamy at a time when some were actually practicing it?
• Polygamy was not being taught to the general Church membership at that time
• The statement itself was not changed between the 1835 and 1844 editions of the D&C
• The available evidence suggests that Joseph Smith supported its publication
• The statement was not a revelation given to Joseph Smith - it was written by Oliver Cowdery

Question: Was Oliver Cowdery aware that some in the Church were practicing polygamy in 1835 at the time he authored the "Article on Marriage"?

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• Question: Was Oliver Cowdery aware that some in the Church were practicing polygamy in 1835 at the time he authored the "Article on Marriage"?
• Oliver Cowdery, the author of the 1835 "Article on Marriage," was aware that some in the Church were practicing polygamy at the time that the statement was published

Question: Was the practice of polygamy general knowledge among Latter-day Saints in 1835 when the "Article on Marriage" was published?

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• Question: Was the practice of polygamy general knowledge among Latter-day Saints in 1835 when the "Article on Marriage" was published?
• Knowledge of the practice of polygamy among the Saints was limited prior to the 1840s
• Charges of polygamy or "free love" or having wives in common were often made against new or little-known religious or social groups

To see citations to the critical sources for these claims, click here

Notes

Further reading and additional sources responding to these claims