Welcome to Gospel Tangents, the best source for Mormon history, science, and theology. I’d like to introduce Dr. Jonathan Stapley. He has written a new book called the Power of Godliness, which talks about LDS priesthood. Jonathan introduces a new term into LDS lexicon: cosmological priesthood. What does that mean?
Deep Dive into Mormon Liturgy and Priesthood
Rick Bennett sat down with Dr. Jonathan Stapley, author of the new book “The Power of Godliness: A Mormon Liturgy in Cosmology“. Dr. Stapley, a fascinating scholar with a PhD in food and carbohydrate chemistry, sheds light on how Mormons construct their universe through ritual and liturgy, offering a fresh perspective on familiar concepts.
Dr. Stapley’s book introduces a new term to the LDS lexicon: “cosmological priesthood”. This concept, along with a nuanced discussion of the often-used phrase “priesthood and motherhood,” formed the core of a truly insightful conversation.
What is Liturgy, Anyway?
For many Latter-day Saints, the term “liturgy” might not be immediately familiar, as “ordinances” and “priesthood and authorities” are more commonly discussed. However, Dr. Stapley emphasizes that liturgy is a “tremendously useful concept” for understanding Mormon practice. It refers to the “worship and rituals that believers participate in to celebrate their weekly devotions and major life events”. Think about the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper or even the entire Sunday meeting—these are considered liturgical acts. Liturgy helps us frame topics like authority and priesthood and the ordering of these acts, a concept familiar to Catholicism, Judaism, and Christian orthodoxy.
Evolving Definition of Priesthood
The very definition of priesthood has changed over the years. Dr. Stapley notes that early revelations and documents defined priesthood as “essentially the capacity of a priest”—much like motherhood is the capacity of a mother. Joseph Smith later introduced revelations that expanded the cosmological significance of priesthood.
Dr. Stapley’s book provides a framework to understand these shifts by distinguishing between two main aspects:
- Ecclesiastical Priesthood: This refers to the offices within the Church structure, such as Deacon, Teacher, Priest, Elder (the only offices at the Church’s organization), Bishop, High Priest, Patriarch, and Apostle and Seventy. These offices were organized into quorums and presidencies over time.
- Cosmological Priesthood: This concept emerged more fully in Nauvoo, where ideas of government, kinship, salvation, and priesthood intertwined. In the temple liturgy, individuals participating referred to themselves as “the priesthood,” “the order of the priesthood,” or “the quorum of the holy order,” terms typically associated with church offices. However, in this context, they were referring to the “structure of heaven that is created in the temple”. Dr. Stapley explains that when couples are sealed in the temple, “they are creating heaven”—not a distant reward or destination, but something “constructed in the temple on the temple altar and materialized that is made real”. While Dr. Stapley admits the term “cosmological priesthood” is a “heuristic device” and a “little idiosyncratic and silly” to him now, he used it to help understand the work these rituals performed in the community.
This cosmological understanding of priesthood saw a “declension” in the 19th century as church leaders passed away and temple liturgy shifted. Then, throughout the 20th century, there was a “rise of a new priesthood cosmology” based on an expansion of the ecclesiastical priesthood.
Power of Godliness
Perhaps the most significant shift highlighted by Dr. Stapley is how the understanding of priesthood as “the power of God” evolved.
- Early Church: Joseph Smith was “entirely restless” in creating liturgical and ecclesiastical structures to channel the power of God. For example, the Kirtland endowment was designed to facilitate an “endowment of power from on high,” leading to manifestations like healings and speaking in tongues. The focus was on making “the power of God real in the lives of the Latter-day Saints” through these channels.
- 20th Century Onward: Instead of building structures to channel God’s power, church leaders began to talk about “the priesthood as the power of God” itself. Dr. Stapley points out that modern catechisms like the General Handbook of Instructions, Preach My Gospel, and the Doctrinal Mastery core document all define priesthood as “the power of God,” specifically the power God used to create the world. This represents a significant change in how the cosmology of Latter-day Saints is constructed.
Priesthood, Motherhood, and Women as Healers
The conversation also touched on the phrase “priesthood and motherhood.” Dr. Stapley finds this phrase “isn’t particularly historical” or sensible within the tradition, likening “priesthood” to “the capacity of a priest” in the same way “motherhood” is “the capacity of a mother”.
Interestingly, the discussion previewed a future conversation on women blessing by the laying on of hands. Dr. Stapley notes that there’s “no question that men and women have equal access to the power of God”. From the earliest days, women were recognized healers, participating in healing liturgy, performing anointings, sealing anointings, healing the sick, and offering blessings for comfort. Joseph Smith and every subsequent Church president affirmed that this was “entirely appropriate activity for the Relief Society sisters”.
Dr. Stapley’s work offers a valuable lens through which to re-examine fundamental aspects of Mormon practice and belief. For a deeper understanding, be sure to check out “The Power of Godliness” and the full interview!
Dr. Jonathan Stapley introduces the concept of “cosmological priesthood” in his book, “The Power of Godliness.”
Dr. Jonathan Stapley introduces the concept of “cosmological priesthood”
