“Show Them unto No Man”: Part 1. Esoteric Teachings and the Problem of Early Latter-day Saint Doctrinal History

BYU Studies

In ““Show Them unto No Man: Part 1. Esoteric Teachings and the Problem of Early Latter-day Saint Doctrinal History” Barry R. Bickmore examines how two texts, the Book of Mormon and the book of Moses, demonstrate exotericism (doctrine available to all) and esotericism (doctrine intended for a select group of people). The article also discusses how believing Latter-day Saint historians tend to couch doctrinal modifications over time in terms that suggest natural outgrowth from previously revealed knowledge. Conversely, historians with a more secular outlook tend to depict doctrinal modifications as abrupt reversals driven by environmental influences, even though ignoring the possibility of supernatural intervention does not require such an interpretation. Barry Bickmore argues that doctrinal changes should be viewed from the lens of Joseph Smith's intent to restore primitive Christianity.