A Living Text

Lately, Peter Leithart has been blogging about the history of the term ‘priestcraft’, which immediately reminded me of all the mentions of that term in the LDS Standard Works. I always figured that Joseph Smith pinched the term, and the concept, from the evangelical culture of his day, and I think Leithart has uncovered some of those origins. Mormon Bruce R. McConkie defines priestcraft as follows:

Priesthood and priestcraft are two opposites; one is of God, the other is of the devil. When ministers claim but do not possess the priesthood; when they set themselves up as lights to their congregations, but do not preach the pure and full gospel; when their interest is in gaining personal popularity and financial gain, rather than in caring for the poor and ministering to the wants and needs of their fellow men - they are engaged, in a greater or lesser degree, in the practice of priestcrafts.

Apostasy is born of priestcrafts (2 Ne. 10:5; 3 Ne. 16:10; D.&C. 33:4), for those who engage in them follow vain things, teach false doctrines, love riches, and aspire to personal honors. (Alma 1:12, 16). Men are commanded to repent of their priestcrafts (3 Ne. 30:2), and eventually, in the millennial day, these great evils will be done away. (3 Ne. 21:19.)