Just recently I was re-reading an essay by Eugene England entitled ‘On Finding Truth and God’. It has been something that has helped me deal with, or rather live with, my own doubts. So helpful in fact I would consider passing it on to 
someone who is having their own difficulties and struggles. It occurred to me that among the bloggernacle there is probably a broad spectrum of literature that is consumed and which would be spiritually helpful. Between us I thought we could gather together our own Bloggernacle Church Handbook of Instruction (CHI) by collating those articles, essays or talks that we think every Bishop or Stake President should read and which could be offered to other people.
The idea is simple, so let me know your thoughts?
As a preliminary to this I thought I would offer some of my suggestions, feel free to contradict me and offer your own. I should acknowledge that I am aware of the variety of positions toward the Church that are represented here at MM and think that those who are TBM should have an input as much as a NOM. My thinking here is that as leaders we should try to help people in a way that they feel we should help them. Leaders should, I think, be able to understand the differences between a NOM and a TBM, and how this might impact upon how they should be treated.
My thoughts:
Doubt – ‘On finding Truth and God’ by Eugene England, Richard Bushman ‘Joseph Smith Seminar Lecture’ at Life on Gold Plates and ‘My Belief’ by Richard Bushman
Repentance – ‘The Meaning of Repentance’ by Theodore Burton & ‘Means unto Repentance’ by Eugene England
Leadership – ‘Leaders to Managers: The Fatal Shift’ by Hugh Nibley & ‘Why the Church is as True as the Gospel’ by Eugene England
Disciplinary Councils – ‘Excommunication’ by Lester Bush, Doug Alder & J. Bonner Ritchie
Being a Bishop – ‘Bishop as Counselor’ Sunstone Symposium with Lowell Bennion and Doug Alder.
On Auxiliaries – ‘Let Them Govern Themselves’ by Boyd K. Packer
Seminary and Institute – Chapters 4-6 of ‘Lowell Bennion’ by Mary Lythgoe Bradford.
I am sure that you can see a trend in my reading recently. There are probably many other topics or areas where Bishops should be given materials to read. What are some of the things that you think would be helpful to Bishops and Stake Presidents to read?
Comments 11
I’d like to toss in the essay about being healed by the atonement that is at http://zelophehadsdaughters.com/2009/09/25/bafflement-at-the-atonement/ — that is the sort of story that you need to be able to share with others to illustrate the process.
Sounds good… do you have a link to the England essay?
A couple of, ok four, thoughts —
First, much of the leadership will require an acronym dictionary as well because like CNLM (Clueless Noodleheads Like Me) they won’t know a TBM and an NOM from ROFLMAO.
Second, what about adding a handbook for bishops on how to deal with the publicans, tax men (non-tea party protestors) and sinners that abound on the Internets.
Third, I like to think of it as the post-Mormon three degrees of glory: TBM, NOM, and BM (Beyond Mormonism). You’ve only included the first two degrees in your handbook.
Fourth: How about adding a category for humor, because when you can laugh at yourself it is much easier to not take yourself and others so seriously. I’d suggest anything by Pat Bagley, including his recent Kama Sutra for the devout.
Having not been through tertiary education in Utah,I would never have discovered Eugene England without Mormonmatters.His blue sky thinking will shelter me through many of life’s storms,and I have shared it with others who have struggled through their lives without this richly inclusive and compassionate support for their faith.Thanks guys,look forward to learning so much more.Saving my testimony on a daily basis.
I would include John Tarjan’s article from Dialogue, Heavenly Father or Chairman of the Board. It would be very helpful in my opinion.
http://content.lib.utah.edu/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=/dialogue&CISOPTR=21057&REC=17
StayLDS.com has been collecting a repository in this vein for well over a year now. Check it out here.
Thanks everyone so far. it will take me a little while to get through this but I will.
#2 – I do not have a link, but the essay is in his book Why the Church is as true as the Gospel. I am pretty sure he delivered it at sunstone as well, but I have not been able to access much since they begun revamping it.
#3 – Your right BM’s might be a good group to include. I guess I assumed that most BM’s would not be in contact with Bishop’s when they are a Bishop.
#4 – I think Eugene England should be compulsory reading for everyone in the Church but I am biased.
#6 – I am a member of stayLDS although I do not got there much. Moreover the list is good for people with questions about church history or doctrine but I think that not Bishop’s have the time to be this involved in these issues, but they should be aware of good stuff that is out there.
I think many issues are generated by idealistic expectations of imperfect people, I really liked Andrew Ainsworth’s post MYTHBUSTERS: The “One True Church”.
RE: Leaders should, I think, be able to understand the differences between a NOM and a TBM,
Doubt it. Most leaders want to see TBM’s as the only standard.
#1 – Stephen I loved this and have included it as part of my notes on the atonement.
#5 – I am part way through this and think it is a very interesting article and your right well worth reading.
#8 – AA’s posts are always excellent. This one is good for everyone not just Bishops. Interestingly, we had a sunday school based on this post and I was surprised at the way people already believed much of what Andrew was trying to comment on.
#9 – I was saying at as an expectation rather than a reality. I am not saying that TBM’s can’t be the standard that is not for me to decide, but what I sense is that Bishops can be more sensitive to the range of believing that people embody.
I thought Andrew Ainsworth’s post here at MM comparing TBM and NOM to Adam and Eve one of the most enlightening essays I have read.