While at Oxford, Jeffrey R. Holland was interviewed by Anglican chaplain and lecturer Andrew Teal on 22 November 2018. The following excerpt shows Holland’s understanding of faith and reason, such as his rejection of fideism as well as the importance of the Book of Mormon:
Teal: There are many people
who live inspiring lives and can bring about a reorientation towards God in
ever generation. Can you envisage a day when, through conversation, common
understanding, and prayer, Joseph Smith will be recognized as a prophet for the
broader Christian Church? Can you envisage a day when people will say, “Lay aside
some of the aggression and recognize that he was a human being in his era—a
simple, ordinary man to whom the living God spoke, and through whom He worked,”
and would that be something that you would hope for?
Holland: Oh, I would
definitely hope for that! Whether I can envision it or not, I’m not sure, but I
can hope for it. I would hope for it on the basis of merit. To use Joseph Smith
as an example, I would hope for it on the basis of what he taught, seeing that
as consistent with what seems true, what sounds true, what feels true, and is
consistent with what you, or I, believe is true. So I wouldn’t expect such
loyalty in the absence of faith. I wouldn’t ask that someone suspend reason and
good judgment and accept my witness just because I say it, but I would invite
the kind of investigation that asks: What did Joseph Smith teach? What did he
stand for? I would ask the same of someone investigating Peter, Paul, or anyone
else of such standing, and let the truth fall where it may, let that spiritual
conviction come if it comes. That is one of the reasons why I believe that
one of the first gifts, one of the first of the Church’s institution messages
to the world came in the form of the book. It was tangible; it was readable; it
was shareable; it was portable. And it didn’t rely on an act of faith, through
faith is ultimately at the basis of everything one believes. The Book of Mormon
doesn’t require blind faith. It was intended to start an open conversation,
then let the merit of the conversation carry the reader where it will. That
kind of universality for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints I can
envision, and it’s what I would truly hope for. Then I would let the truth and
spiritual witness come where they come, taking our chances with that. (Andrew
Teal, ed., Inspiring Service: Interfaith Remarks with Elder Jeffrey R.
Holland at Oxford [Provo, Utah: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young
University / Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2019], 91-93, emphasis added)
