Apostasy Source

[BigCougsFan]

I've heard recently in a couple of contexts LDS members mentioning that in the early centuries of the Christian Church there were a few centuries where the Christian Church went dark or disappeared before reemerging later and that that period of darkness was where the truth was lost.

I am anxious to read Urroner's sources, when I get the time. I have actually been fascinated with this sort of thing for a long time. I know you wanted sources, but I hope we can actually talk about it, without this getting out of hand, cause I love this stuff. Reason it shouldn't get out of hand is, because it doesn't involve deep doctrine, where some people could take that offensively.

Constantine the Great(Roman Emperor) was a converted Christian. The Catholics lived in his jurisdiction... Rome. The head of the Church, which was known as The Council of Nicaea. Consisted of 300 or so people.

Constantine had an agenda to govern his country and the Catholics had an agenda within their own Church. So they got together to figure out how to do, just that.

The Gospel of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, etc... Were just a couple of many many apocryphas(books) at that time. Between both parties, they decided which apocryphas should be put into one book. Here's where the Bible comes into play.

The Catholics have their own beliefs on things. Things that don't go inline with Christ's Gospel. So they left out some of the "plain and precious" truths. Truths we actually get in our own Book of Mormon and revelations through our Prophet(s).

After they chose which books to compile. They burned and destroyed all the other books, like: The Gospel of Peter, Mary, Judas, and the Book of the Giants, etc... Not all of them were burned or destroyed, cause we know those as the Dead Sea Scrolls(found in Qumran) and the Nag Hammadi library(found in upper Egypt).

AND that... I believe began the process of the dark ages. Which lasted way longer than just a few lifetimes.

Anyone feel like correcting me OR adding to it???

[urroner]

The Catholics have their own beliefs on things. Things that don't go inline with Christ's Gospel. So they left out some of the "plain and precious" truths. Truths we actually get in our own Book of Mormon and revelations through our Prophet(s).

It really wasn't a matter of the Catholic Church when it comes to the "plain and precious truths." A lot of "plain and precious truths" were lost in the days of King Josiah in the OT. A massive rewrite of the scriptures was done starting at his time and by the time of the return of Israel from their Exile to Babylon, the theology of the Jews had went through a massive change.

Several Biblical scholars, including Mormons, have started writing and studying this event. Here are some links to some articles that talk about this.

By Kevin Christensen - Mormon
The Deuteronomist De-Christianizing of the Old Testament
Temple Traditions after the Deuteronomist Reform

A Blog talking about Kevin's "The Deuteronomist De-Christianizing of the Old Testament"
The Deuteronomist De-Christianizing of the Old Testament

By Margaret Barker - Methodist Minister from England, but a great friend of BYU
What Did King Josiah Reform?
TEXT AND CONTEXT - This is an awesome paper and should be required reading before being baptized.

[Cougarfan87]

Thanks, Urroner. Very good reading. I too enjoy these topics.