"How Amazing is Grace? The Role of Jesus Christ in Mormonism

Speaker 1

Our next speaker is going to be Varden Hadfield, and Varden is going to be speaking on the subject. of how amazing is grace, the role of Jesus Christ in Mormonism and Transhumanism. Varden has worked in the major gifts with LDS Philanthropies at BYU. since 1999. Before that, he worked for the American Lung Association of Colorado and the Research Information Division of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Sociology from BYU and a Master of Arts degree in Philanthropic Studies from Indiana University. A convert to the LDS Church at ages 8, 15, 18, 20, and 38, he served a mission in Detroit and is now a scout master in Orem, Utah. He is married with six children and enjoys backpacking, dancing, fiddling, woodworking, and the feeling after he’s finished running. Please welcome Varden.

Varden Hadfield

I appreciate your kindness in even inviting me to speak. I feel a little bit overwhelmed by the quality of people we have here, so it’s exciting. And as you’ll notice, I am aware that there are many overlaps between Mormonism, science, religion and transhumanism. But my remarks today will be a little bit of the some emphasis of perceived differences and that we might think about as we approach it. So I’ll move ahead.

Varden Hadfield

One vital skill in the current information explosion is discerning what matters most. About a decade ago, for example, Google quickly overtook its rivals because it was able to prioritize The most relevant results in an Internet search. In a possible search of thousands of topics on the complexity of Mormon history and theology, I’ll begin with the top result of Mormon beliefs. which is Jesus Christ, His nature and purpose. And then I’ll explore ways in which the tangible, personal, and graceful nature of Christ might merge between Mormonism and transhumanism.

Varden Hadfield

The name of the church is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the Book of Mormon is packed with references to Christ. The title page from the original gold plates Gives the purpose of the Book of Mormon as the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the eternal God, manifesting Himself unto all nations. True to its stated purpose, the Book of Mormon includes 3,925 references to Jesus Christ in its 6,600 verses, or about one reference every 1. 7 verse.

Varden Hadfield

And this purpose is affirmed by Nephi, where we get into our topic a little bit about grace. For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God, for we know that it is by grace that we are saved after all we can do. And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ. We preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for remission of their sins.

Varden Hadfield

Who or what is this Christ? A general metaphor for ideal behavior, a compilation representing many good people Mormon theology embraces the logical idea popularized as C. S. Lewis’s trilemma. You must, and I’ll read the whole phrase from C. S. Lewis’s book, Mere Christianity. I’m trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about him. I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man And said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would be either a lunatic on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg. or else he would be the devil of hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was and is the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse.

Varden Hadfield

In addition to affirming his divinity, Mormons embrace Jesus’ personal, physical nature in a way that’s quite different from the view of Christ sometimes suggested. By a spiritual transhumanus is a general metaphor for goodness, such as Christ in us existing in all humanity. For example, in the New Testament, Jesus says, Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Handle me, and see, for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as you see me have. And similarly in the Book of Mormon, Jesus says, Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side. and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world.

Varden Hadfield

So in what ways might this tangible divine Jesus be involved or enable the resurrection? Transhumanism tends to emphasize human created technology enabling immortality. by primarily eliminating death altogether without necessarily requiring external assistance. Mormonism, on the other hand, tends to view death as necessary And Christ is the enabler of the resurrection for all using 2,000-year-old technology. In this process, different people receive different types of resurrected bodies at different times. according to their righteousness in an order that seems disconnected from our currently most typical human and scientific processes

Varden Hadfield

For example, in 1 Corinthians 15, for as in Adam all die, so as in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order, Christ the first fruits, afterward they that are Christ at his coming. And then in Helaman, for behold, he surely must die, that salvation must come, or that salvation may come. Yea, behold, it behooveth him Sorry, I’m uh catching up with my screen. It behooveth him, and becometh expedient that he dieth, to bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, that thereby Men may be brought into the presence of the Lord.

Varden Hadfield

So, after exploring these possible solutions to immortality. We could next look to solve human conflict, poverty and other social imperfections. Transhumanism generally resolves this with the benevolence argument That those with compassion for others will eventually prevail or destroy themselves. In Mormon and traditional Christian theology, This tends to be accomplished through a dramatic divine judgment.

Varden Hadfield

For example, as taught by Jesus in Matthew 25, when the Son of Man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him. He will say to the righteous who help others, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. And to those who do not care for others, he will say, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels. The Book of Mormon affirms that all men shall stand before him to be judged at the last and judgment day according to their works. and that there is no other way or nor means whereby man can be saved only through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ.

Varden Hadfield

Joseph Smith then reinforces this in an 1832 revelation. Quote, and have given him, Jesus Christ, authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of Man. Marvel not at this, for the hour is coming, in which all that are in the grave shall hear his voice, and shall come forth, they that have done good under the resurrection of life. and they that have done evil under the resurrection of damnation.

Varden Hadfield

So resurrection resur recognizing Jesus as the ultimate judge and literal divine person who enables resurrection and salvation, Could influence behavior in two different directions. For example, some transhumanists criticize spirituality and grace as a crutch or an excuse for inaction. And Mormons tend to view God’s grace as a motivator, an enabler for action. Let me go back one.

Varden Hadfield

Like Paul, who said, I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me. Mormons revere Nephi’s inspiration. Quote, Let us be faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord, for behold, he is mightier than all the earth. then why not mightier than Laban and his fifty, yea, or even than his tens of thousands? Therefore let us go up, let us be strong, like unto Moses

Varden Hadfield

For Mormons, like other Christians, the popular folk tune Amazing Grace describes how Jesus’ power enables action. Amazing grace how sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me I once was lost, but now am found Was blind, but now I see Through many dangers, toils, and snares I have already come. ‘Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far, And Grace will lead me home.

Varden Hadfield

In Mormon theology, then the grace of Jesus Christ is not just a metaphorical example. He’s a tangible man. With His grace, a powerful force that enables action. Any reasonable combination of transhumanist ideas and the beliefs of the Church of Jesus Christ, the Latter-day Saints. must incorporate Jesus as a tangible divine being who is an enabler of the resurrection and the author of eternal peace for those who believe in and rely on Him.

Varden Hadfield

And I’d just like to say in conclusion, I know I said a bunch of things that emphasize contrast, but I am open to this idea that That scientific processes have also perhaps originated the creation, the continuation of life, and other processes into the future. But I wanted to just emphasize this theological argument that we’ll all encounter if we try to merge these ideas. Having said that, I’m open to questions or comments.

Speaker 3

Challenges or problems. It might be inherited in grace as it’s described in this hymn. There’s a reason why it wasn’t included in. The Norman hymnal. Even though a lot of us love it, be sure to repeat the question.

Varden Hadfield

So the issue is. What about Calvinistic ideas that might conflict with this grace hymn, for example?

Speaker 3

Concept that leads towards the concept of like utter depravity, which is a where we can do nothing of our own.

Varden Hadfield

There is, I wish I had more time to get into this. There is a Very interesting discussion. I’m sorry, I didn’t repeat the question. So the question is: how about Calvinistic ideas that unmerited grace, that without The tension of works versus grace. And this hymn tends to emphasize: well, just grace saved me. I’m rescued. So, and great question. Mormons are often viewed when as a contrast to evangelical Christians, for example, that we try to work hard this idea that I mentioned in 1 Nephi We’re saved by grace after all we can do. And there’s this idea that I have quote the name of Dietrix Bonhoeffer wrote a book called Cost of Discipleship, for example, in 1937, where he argues that Jesus taught that you have to do things to be saved. You have to be baptized. You have to help poor people. You have to, and also grace, and then that. Christianity has kind of evolved away from that and Martin Luther tried to pull us back, and now we’ve kind of come back away from it. And to me, as I read this, even You can look at it that way traditionally as grace is just automatic for everybody. I see it as both an enabling power that motivates action and points us to becoming like God. So but you’re right, you can look at it both ways. Sorry, I was probably way too long in my answer. Do you have one more?

Speaker 4

I see where you have a lot of scriptural references where Jesus is the center of our resurrection. But if I were a transhumanist, a secular transhumanist, I’m looking for the resurrection, but I see no need for Christ. Uh how do you reconcile that? You’re basically pulling from scripture, and if I see scripture as something that’s useless to me, do I have any chance of it coming back and meaning with you?

Varden Hadfield

Good point. And the context of this paper, obviously, was Mormonism and Transhumanism. And to an audience that thinks about religion and spirituality. But you’re right. For a I would need a totally separate Set of arguments talking to transhumanists. Good point.