Faith has need of all the truth

The recent Mormon History Association Conference in Provo produced a bevy of revelations — not divine, but scholarly. The Deseret Morning News reported some lively exchanges and a lot of fresh historical information to digest.

As the LDS Church grows, its unique history is attracting researchers of every ilk. Dry-eyed historians are examining the church's roots, branches and the fruit it bears.

This has made some believers a bit anxious. When unflattering facts surface, they tend to respond by either ignoring them, disputing them, explaining them or trying to explain them away.

I say there's nothing to worry about.

When Catholic scholar Teilhard de Chardin was criticized for publishing books that made the papacy squirm, his response would also be mine:

"Faith has need of all the truth."

People are complicated, bedeviling creatures. No one should wince when human beings prove to be human.

Do I love the writings of C.S. Lewis less because his biographer, A.N. Wilson, says the man was known to share a bawdy joke or two?

No.

I love his writings just the same. And I understand his humanness a little more.

What Lewis left in his writings was his best self. And those truths outshine any false steps he may have taken.

I think the Bible teaches that lesson over and over. Many of the families of royal lineage in scripture would be considered completely dysfunctional today.

We have brothers killing brothers (Adam's family) or trying to kill brothers (Lehi). We have brothers selling each other into slavery (Jacob), sisters deceiving fathers (Lot), sisters deceiving suitors (Leah) and parents making bad choices (Noah).

The greatest spiritual poet of all time, David, had a soldier killed so he could claim the man's wife.

The wisest king, Solomon, made iffy decisions.

When people criticized the Catholic leadership, Mother Teresa would point out that among the leaders Jesus chose, one betrayed him and all the others ran away.

If people never misbehaved, how could anyone ever learn compassion?

And so, I'm looking forward to any new findings within the LDS Church and by those "without it." No finding can taint the wonder of the writings and the diamond-bright insights of the spiritual lights I revere. If they stumbled at times, it only makes their godly moments all the more remarkable. The LDS faithful have an impressive faith in God. I have faith in them. I feel they can take any less-than-inspirational information, digest it and carry on just fine. They are resilient and strong.

So give us our historical figures in all their colors. I will love the brighter shades and be softened by the dark ones.

"Failings," wrote Thomas Hodgkin, "are often God's own tool for carving some of the finest outlines in the character of his children."

Believers don't need to hold great souls up as perfect. That's what we should do with God.

Being flawed is the natural condition of the human fabric. And hiding flaws always ends up hurting more than helping.

Let me say it again:

Faith has need of all the truth.

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E-mail: jerjohn@desnews.com