Bridge of Reason

In June 2009 the Mormon Church announced the building of a new church library to house historical records of the church. “From the earliest moments of the Church’s founding, Latter-day Saints have kept a record of their history. The principle behind this practice stems from a scriptural mandate: “There shall be a record kept among you” ( D&C 21:1 ), intended for the “good of the church” and “the rising generations” ( D&C 69:8 ). Maintaining a perspective on the past, while fixing an eye toward the future, is nothing new in religious history. Accounts of God’s intervention in the affairs of mankind have been promulgated by prophets and sages since the beginning of time. These records have provided a framework of meaning that continues to shape human conceptions of morality, identity and progress. Continued Consistent with this long tradition of sacred record keeping, the Church has devoted substantial resources to construct a new library. This building, which, in th...