Sunday, October 1, 2023

Spencer W. Kimball, "Writings of commentators are not doctrine"

  

Writings of commentators are not doctrine. Now I am sure it was quite a surprise to you when I indicated that the writings of all the good members of the Church were not scripture and could not necessarily be depended upon, and that their writings, numerous of which there are, were their own concepts. I did not want to depreciate their splendid efforts, for on the whole the commentaries written by many people are excellent, but the student of the gospel must be able to cull the material and to take that which fits into the total big program, and to discard anything else which appears to be speculative on the part of the writer of the commentary. (Spencer W. Kimball, “Intellectual vs. spiritual approach to learning,” letter dated November 2, 1962, in The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, ed. Edward L. Kimball [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1982], 136])