Salvation Universal

Joseph Fielding SmithProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.0

Word count: 68K words
Chapters: 7

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Salvation Universal by Joseph Fielding SmithAuthor: Smith, Joseph Fielding, 1876-1972,Language: English, Class: BX: Philosophy, Psychology, Religion: Christianity: Churches, Church movements, Release Date: Aug 18, 2016

Editor's review

This book is a religious treatise by Joseph Fielding Smith on the theme of "universal salvation," a theological text of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormonism). The author served for many years in the church's First Presidency, and his writing carries a clear doctrinal and exhortatory character. Readers will encounter the denomination's basic position on the scope and conditions of salvation; for those studying American religious history, Mormon thought, or comparative soteriology across Christian traditions, it is a short but clearly positioned primary source. Note that it is not a neutral scholarly survey but an educational text from within the faith; reading it alongside secondary scholarship in religious and church history will clarify its premises and context. Best read with specific questions in mind and a documentary eye.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Religious studies scholars researching Mormon doctrine and intellectual history
Readers seeking to understand differences in soteriology among Christian traditions
Readers interested in American religious history and new religious movements
Religious studies students who want direct access to primary sources from within the faith

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking a neutral survey of religious history or an introduction to comparative studies
Those with no interest in the Mormon position who want only popular devotional reading
General readers expecting literary narrative or storytelling

Reading tips

First learn the basic history and doctrinal framework of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, then approach the text.
Mark the scriptures the author cites and the steps of his argument as you read, to facilitate comparison with other soteriological views.
Read it alongside mainstream Christian works on salvation, noting differences in how concepts are used.
It is short; consider reading it through once, writing a brief summary, then returning to check key passages.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book an official doctrinal text of Mormonism?

The author, Joseph Fielding Smith, served as a member of the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the book reflects the denomination's doctrinal positions, but the materials do not state whether it is designated an official doctrinal document. A safer understanding is that it is a doctrinal exposition by an insider, useful as a reference for understanding its views, rather than equivalent to the church's current official statements.

Can I understand it without knowing Mormon background?

You can read it, but comprehension will suffer. Many concepts and arguments in the book depend on the denomination's scriptures and theological premises; without background, one may mistake the author's claims for consensus among Christian traditions. It is advisable to acquire some introductory knowledge of the church's history and basic doctrines before reading, and to distinguish the author's position from general Christian theology.

Is this book suitable for academic citation?

It can be cited as a primary source for research on the denomination's soteriology, but its nature as an internal faith text should be noted, along with the author's identity and writing context. It should not replace a religious studies survey or church history study. When citing specific views, check the original wording and avoid generalizing individual statements into a unified position of the entire denomination.

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About the author

Joseph Fielding Smith Author · American · 1876–1972

Joseph Fielding Smith (1876–1972) was an American religious leader and writer who served as the tenth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1970 to 1972. A grandnephew of church founder Joseph Smith, he was for decades a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and the church historian. His writings focus mainly on doctrinal exposition and church history; representative works include Essentials in Church History, Salvation Universal, Origin of the ‘Reorganized’ Church and the Question of Succession, and Blood Atonement and the Origin of Plural Marriage: A Discussion. Four of his works are held in this collection. The author of more than twenty books, he wrote in a steady, substantive style grounded in historical sources and doctrinal analysis, and is regarded as an important defender of the faith in his time.