The following is a collection of historical LDS (Mormon)
quotes on evolution. These quotes are in no way to be construed as official
positions on the subject, and are only provided to highlight the wide range of
LDS opinions on it.
These quotes are divided into two collections. Section 1 is
the collection of quotes from the official BYU packet on the Church position on
evolution. Section 2 is a collection of
"unofficial" quotes ommitted by the packet
for one reason or another, but are quite important in their own right.
Editors' comments have been put in italics and surrounded
with [square brackets]. Editors' comments that are directly ascribable to ME
(Sean Luke) are followed with a '---Sean'. All other comments are from the
packets or collections, not from myself. Errors or
typos should be brought to the attention of seanl@cs.umd.edu--I may have blown
it.
Packet Header
Approved by the BYU Board of Trustees (half of the apostles)
June 1992
(italics theirs, except editorial
comments in square brackets)
...This packet contains, as far as could be found, all statements issued by the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on the subject of evolution and the origin of man, and a statement on the church's attitude toward science. [Not quite true--there is in fact at least one more, in the "unofficial"
Section 2--Sean] .... Although
there has never been a formal declaration from the First Presidency addressing
the general matter of organic evolution as a process for development of
biological species, these documents make clear the official position of the
Church regarding the origin of man....
....Various views have been expressed by other church
leaders on this subject over many decades; however, formal statements by the
First Presidency are the definitive source of official Church positions. It is
hoped that these materials will provide a firm foundation for individual study
in a context of faith in the restored gospel.
Improvement Era
Vol. 8, November 1909, No. 1.
Editor's Table: The Origin of Man
Joseph F. Smith, John R. Winder, Anthon H. Lund (first
presidency, italics theirs)
...It is held by some that Adam was not the first man upon
this earth, and that the original human being was a development from the lower
orders of the animal creation. These, however, are the theories of men. The
word of the Lord declares that Adam was "the first man of all men"
(Moses
True it is that the body of man enters upon its career as a
tiny germ or embryo, which becomes an infant, quickened at a certain stage by
the spirit whose tabernacle it is, and the child, after being born, develops
into a man. There is nothing in this, however, to indicate that the original
man, the first of our race, began life as anything less than a man, or less
than the human germ or embryo that becomes a man.
Man, by searching, cannot find out god. Never, unaided, will
he discover the truth about the beginning of human life. The Lord must reveal
Himself, or remain unrevealed; and the same is true
of the facts relating to the origin of Adam's race--God alone can reveal them.
Some of these facts, however, are already known, and what has been made known
it is our duty to receive and retain....
....Man is the child of God, formed in the divine image and
endowed with divine attributes, and even as the infant son of an earthly father
and mother is capable in due time of becoming a man, so the undeveloped
offspring of celestial parentage is capable, by experience through ages and
aeons, of evolving into a God.
December 17, 1910, part 1., p. 3
Words in Season From The First
Presidency (Christmas message)
Diversity of opinion does not necessitate intolerance of
spirit, nor should it embitter or set rational beings against each other. The
Christ taught kindness, patience, and charity.
Our religion is not hostile to real science. That which is
demonstrated, we accept with joy; but vain philosophy, human theory, and mere
speculations of men, we do not accept nor do we adopt anything contrary to
divine revelation or to good common sense. But everything that tends to right conduct, that harmonizes with sound morality and increases faith in
Deity, finds favor with us no matter where it
may be found.
Improvement Era
Vol. 28, September 1925, No. 11
Editor's Table: "Mormon" View of Evolution
"God created man in his own image, in the image of God
created he him: male and female created he them."
In these plain and pointed words the inspired author of the
book of Genesis made known to the world the truth concerning the origin of the
human family....All who have since spoken by divine authority upon this theme
have confirmed his simple and sublime proclamation. Nor could it be otherwise.
Truth has but one source, and all revelations from heaven are harmonious one
with the other.
...The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, basing
its belief on divine revelation, ancient and modern, proclaims man to be the
direct and lineal offspring of Deity. By his Almighty power God organized the
earth, and all that it contains, from spirit and element, which exist
co-eternally with himself.
Encyclopedia of Mormonism: Evolution
The position of the Church on the origin of man was
published by the First Presidency in 1909 and stated again by a different First
Presidency in 1925:
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, basing its
belief on divine revelation, ancient and modern, declares man to be the direct
and lineal offspring of Deity. . . . Man is the child of God, formed in the
divine image and endowed with divine attributes (see Appendix, "Doctrinal
Expositions of the First Presidency").
The scriptures tell why man was created, but they do not
tell how, though the Lord has promised that he will tell that when he comes
again (D&C 101:32-33). In 1931, when there was intense discussion on the
issue of organic evolution, the First Presidency of the Church, then consisting
of Presidents Heber J. Grant, Anthony W. Ivins, and
Charles W. Nibley, addressed all of the General Authorities of the Church on
the matter, and concluded,
Upon the fundamental doctrines of the Church we are all agreed.
Our mission is to bear the message of the restored gospel to the world. Leave
geology, biology, archaeology, and anthropology, no one of which has to do with
the salvation of the souls of mankind, to scientific research, while we magnify
our calling in the realm of the Church. . .
Upon one thing we should all be able to agree, namely, that Presidents Joseph F. Smith, John R. Winder, and Anthon H. Lund were right when they said: "Adam is
the primal parent of our race"
(First Presidency Minutes, Apr. 7, 1931). WILLIAM E. EVENSON
Vol. 13, April 1910, No. 5(70)
Priesthood Quorum's Table
[ the only other document on the subject identifiable to the first presidency]
Joseph F. Smith et al.
....These are the authentic statements of the scriptures,
ancient and modern, and it is best to rest with these, until the Lord shall see
fit to give more light on the subject. whether the mortal bodies of man evolved
in natural processes to present perfection, through the direction and power of
God; whether the first parents of our generations, Adam and Eve, were
transplanted from another sphere, with immortal tabernacles, which became
corrupted through sin and the partaking of natural foods, in the process of
time; whether they were born here in mortality, as other mortals have been, are
questions not fully answered in the revealed word of God.
46(4):208-209, April 1911
Philosophy and the Church Schools
Joseph F. Smith
...If our Church schools would confine their so-called
course of study in biology to that knowledge of the insect world which would
help us to eradicate the pests that threaten the destruction of our crops and
our fruit, such instruction would answer much better the aims of the Church
school than theories which deal with the origin of life.
These theories may have fascination for our teachers and
they may find interest in the study of them, but they are not properly within
the scope of the purpose for which these schools were organized.
Some of our teachers are anxious to explain how much of the
theory of evolution, in their judgment, is true, and what is false, but that
only leaves their students in an unsettled frame of mind. They are not old
enough and learned enough to discriminate, or put proper limitations upon a
theory which we believe is more or less a fallacy....On the other hand we have
abundant evidence that many of those who have adopted in its fullness the
theory of evolution have discarded the Bible, or at least refused to accept it
as the inspired word of God....Even if it were harmless from the standpoint of
our faith, we think there are things more important to the daily affairs of
life and the practical welfare of our young people. The Church itself has no
philosophy about the modus operandi employed by the Lord in His creation of the
world, and much of the talk therefore about the philosophy of Mormonism is
altogether misleading...
February 15, 1957
David O. McKay,
President,
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Dear Brother Stokes,
...On the subject of organic evolution the Church has
officially taken no position. The book "Man, His Origin and Destiny"
was not published by the Church, and is not approved by the Church.
The book contains expressions of the author's views for
which he alone is responsible.
February 3, 1959
David O. McKay,
President
Dear Brother:
...The Church has issued no official statement on the
subject of the theory of evolution.
Neither "Man, His Origin and
Destiny" by Elder Joseph Fielding Smith, nor "Mormon Doctrine"
by Elder Bruce R. McConkie, is an official publication of the Church.
Evolution is a theory. You say that biologists would agree
on the general lines of what happened, although there may be less agreement
about just how it happened. While scientific people themselves differ in their
interpretations and views of the theory, any conflicts which may seem to exist
between the theory and the truths of revealed religion can well be dealt with
by suspending judgment as long as may be necessary to arrive at facts and at a
complete understanding of the truth.
February 25, 1959
Secretary to David O. McKay, President
Dear Brother:
...[regarding age of the earth, its
creation, etc.] I am directed to say to you that, as you will perceive on a
little reflection, until either the Lord speaks directly upon the matter, or
until the scientists are able to say that they have the ultimate truth covering
these matters, it would only be confusing for the First Presidency to make any
statement regarding such things.
3/1976, 70-72
The Blessings and Responsibilities of Womanhood
President Kimball (parenthetical quotes his)
..."And I, God, created man in mine own image, in the
image of mine Only Begotten created I him: male and
female created I them. (The story of the rib, of course, is figurative.)
"And I, God, blessed them (Man here is always in the
plural. It was plural from the beginning.) and said
unto them: Be fruitful..."...
...The Creators breathed into their nostrils the breath of
life and man and woman became living souls. We don't know exactly how their
coming into this world happened, and when we're able to understand it the Lord
will tell us.
5/1975:63-65
President Ezra Taft Benson
[Note: Shortly after becoming President of the Church, Pres.
Benson re-read on at least one occasion his speech given 11 years earlier (in
the Ensign). It contains the critical passage:]
"Our families may be corrupted by worldly trends and
teachings unless we know how to use the book (Book of Mormon) to expose and
combat the falsehoods in socialism, organic evolution, rationalism, humanism,
etc." (p. 65 ibid)
[By May 1987 (e.g. Wilford Regional Conference, SLC, unpublished) two of these items had been dropped from
the list. In January 1988, the speech, in this amended form, was published as
the formal message from the President of the Church (Ensign Jan 1988:3-5):]
"Our families may be corrupted by worldly trends and
teachings unless we know how to use the book to expose and combat the
falsehoods in socialism, rationalism, etc." (p. 5)
[On at least one occasion since, he has delivered the speech
(unpublished) in virtually its original form.]