The Miracle of Forgiveness
{{Infobox book
| name = The Miracle of Forgiveness
| title_orig =
| translator =
| image = Miracle of Forgiveness.jpg
| caption =
| author = Spencer W. Kimball
| illustrator =
| cover_artist =
| country = United States
| language = English
| series =
| subject = LDS doctrinal teachings about the atonement, repentance, and the plan of salvation.
| genre =
| publisher = Bookcraft
| pub_date = 1969
| english_pub_date =
| media_type = Print (Hardcover)
| pages = 376 pp
| isbn = 0-88494-444-1
| oclc = 20950
| preceded_by =
| followed_by =
}}
The Miracle of Forgiveness is a book written by Spencer W. Kimball while he was a member of Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). He later became the church's president.
Content
Originally published in 1969, the book discusses the issues of repentance and forgiveness through Jesus Christ in LDS theology. It is primarily written for an LDS audience. It is notable for exposing sins, including:
Murder, adultery, theft, cursing, unholiness in masters, disobedience in servants, unfaithfulness, improvidence, hatred of God, disobedience to husbands, lack of natural affection, high-mindedness, flattery, lustfulness, infidelity, indiscretion, backbiting, whispering, lack of truth, striking, brawling, quarrelsomeness, unthankfulness, inhospitality, deceitfulness, irreverence, boasting, arrogance, pride, double-tongued talk, profanity, slander, corruptness, thievery, embezzlement, despoiling, covenant-breaking, incontinence, filthiness, ignobleness, filthy communications, impurity, foolishness, slothfulness, impatience, lack of understanding, unmercifulness, idolatry, blasphemy, denial of the Holy Ghost, Sabbath breaking, envy, jealousy, malice, maligning, vengefulness, implacability, bitterness, clamor, spite, defiling, reviling, evil speaking, provoking, greediness for filthy lucre, disobedience to parents, anger, hate, covetousness, bearing false witness, inventing evil things, fleshliness, heresy, presumptuousness, abomination, insatiable appetite, instability, ignorance, self-will, speaking evil of dignitaries, becoming a stumbling block; and in our modern language, masturbation, petting, fornication, adultery, homosexuality; and every sex perversion, every hidden and secret sin and all unholy and impure practices.{{cite book | author = Kimball, Spencer W. | title = The Miracle of Forgiveness | publisher = Bookcraft, Inc. (Salt Lake City) | year = 1969 | pages = 25}}.
Kimball defines repentance as the perfect, successful abandonment of sin, through the following actions:
- conviction, in which "the sinner consciously recognizes his sin."Kimball, The Miracle of Forgiveness, p. 150.
- abandonment of sin
- confession to church authorities and/or other parties wronged by the sin
- restitution
- keeping God's commandments
- forgiving others
"Trying is not sufficient. Nor is repentance complete when one merely tries to abandon sin," Kimball writes. The objective of repentance, he writes, is to obtain "perfection" as a prerequisite for achieving "immortality and eternal life. ... This progress toward eternal life is a matter of achieving perfection. Living all the commandments guarantees total forgiveness of sins and assures one of exaltation through that perfection which comes by complying with the formula the Lord gave us. ... Being perfect means to triumph over sin."Kimball, The Miracle of Forgiveness, p. 208-209.
{{cquote|It is impossible for me or any other mortal to save another's soul, but it is my humble hope that through this book some who are suffering the baleful effects of sin may be helped to find the way from darkness to light, from suffering to peace, from misery to hope, and from spiritual death to eternal life. If to any degree the book achieves this and helps to confirm others in a life of righteous endeavor, my efforts in its production will have been justified. |Spencer W. Kimball, The Miracle of Forgiveness, from the Preface}}
Reputation in the LDS Church
File:The Miracle of Forgiveness Title Page.jpg
According to Kimball's son, Edward, "[T]he book filled a need, as evidenced by the printing of half a million copies in English and sixteen other languages between its publication in 1969 and his death in 1985 .... By 1998 the total in all languages was roughly estimated at 1.6 million copies."{{citation | author = Kimball, Edward L. | author-link=Edward L. Kimball | title=Lengthen Your Stride: The Presidency of Spencer W. Kimball | publisher = Deseret Book | location= Salt Lake City | year = 2005 | page = 79 }}
This book has received numerous accolades from LDS Church authorities. Ezra Taft Benson, who succeeded Kimball as church president, urged all church members "to read and reread President Spencer W. Kimball's book."{{cite journal | author = Benson, Ezra Taft | author-link = Ezra Taft Benson | title = In His Steps | journal = Ensign | date = September 1988 | page = 6 | publisher=The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints | url = https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/1988/09/in-his-steps?lang=eng | location=Salt Lake City}} More recently, in the November 2004 General Conference, LDS Church apostle Richard G. Scott called it a "masterly work"{{cite web | title = Peace of Conscience and Peace of Mind | author = Scott, Richard G. | author-link=Richard G. Scott | date = November 2004 | work=Ensign | publisher=The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints | accessdate = 2015-07-24 | url = https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2004/11/peace-of-conscience-and-peace-of-mind?lang=eng }} and, prior to that, "a superb guide to forgiveness through repentance."{{cite web | title = Finding Forgiveness | author = Scott, Richard G. | author-link=Richard G. Scott | date = April 1995 | work=general conference | publisher=The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints | accessdate = 2015-07-24 | url = https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1995/04/finding-forgiveness?lang=eng }} Scott recommended reading the last two chapters first, to better appreciate the book's message.{{cite web | title = The Path to Peace and Joy | author = Scott, Richard G. | author-link=Richard G. Scott | date = October 2000 | work=General Conference | publisher=The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints | accessdate = 2015-07-24 | url = https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2000/10/the-path-to-peace-and-joy?lang=eng }}
Although from 1976 to 1988 the LDS Church encouraged missionaries to read the book, since then it has not been part of the "approved missionary library".{{cite web |last1=Stapley |first1=J |title=Authorized readings |url=https://bycommonconsent.com/2007/01/05/authorized-readings/ |website=By Common Consent |access-date=7 February 2023 |date=5 January 2007}} The book went out of print in 2015.{{cite news | author=Peggy Fletcher Stack | author-link=Peggy Fletcher Stack | title=LDS classic ‘Miracle of Forgiveness’ fading away, and some Mormons say it’s time | work=Salt Lake Tribune | date=July 24, 2015 | url=http://www.sltrib.com/home/2762815-155/lds-classic-miracle-of-forgiveness-fading | accessdate=2015-07-24}}
The book is even controversial among LDS Church members for its treatment of masturbation, homosexuality, premarital sex, and rape. Rape survivors have been published criticizing parts of the book including the phrase "It is better to die in defending one's [virginity] than to live having lost it without a struggle" as victim blaming and shaming rhetoric that contributes to rape culture.{{cite news|last1=Stack|first1=Peggy Fletcher|last2=Alberty|first2=Erin|title=How outdated Mormon teachings may be aiding and abetting ‘rape culture’|url=http://www.sltrib.com/home/3862702-155/how-outdated-mormon-teachings-may-be|accessdate=28 May 2017|work=The Salt Lake Tribune|date=14 April 2017}} Allen Bergin, a retired psychologist from Brigham Young University and past president of the Association of Mormon Counselors and Psychotherapists (AMCAP), felt the useful parts were "overshadowed by a host of negatives and also outdated policies that the church itself doesn't even endorse any more." Years after publication, Kimball reportedly remarked that its tone may have been too strong.
See also
References
{{Reflist|2}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20121024074759/http://www.lds.org/braille/The%20Miracle%20of%20Forgiveness.txt Full text of the book]
- [http://broadcast.lds.org/manuals/the-miracle-of-forgiveness/the-miracle-of-forgiveness-daisy-eng.zip Free audio book version]
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