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Show 185 tion: The Uncomfortable Interface," Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, Vol. VIII, No. 3/4, (Autumn/Minter, l974), pp. 4l-75. . 32President Smith's "anti-science" views were not without motivation. The Church's educational institutions had just gone through a period when some of its teachers felt it was their responsibility to teach every "new up-to-date ultra modern" viewpoint in its religious instruction classes. See J. Reuben Clark, Jr., "The Charted Course of the Church in Education," Address before Seminary and Institute teachers, August 8, l938. (Salt Lake City: Church Education System, 'n.d.). President Smith was also recognized as the Church's most eminent scriptorian and he viewed the reading of Mormon canon in a very literalistic way. 33Jeffrey, op. cit., pp. 65-66. 34In addition to Biblical references, President Smith uses many Mormon scriptures; The Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants and The Pearl of Great Price. 35For a complete picture of President Smith's views see his Man, His Origin and Destiny, (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, l9545. For a concise view of his position see Bruce R. McConkie, compiler, Doctrines of Salvation--Sermons and Writings of Joseph Fielding Smith, (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, l954), Vol. 1, Chapters 5 and 9. 36Kimball, Dialogue, p. l02. This was not Eyring's first encounter with President Smith. In l950, he had been given the responsibility of assembling a Special Interests MIA Manual on Science and Religion. President Smith was on the committee which reviewed the articles of the eight scientists who wrote the material for the manual. After one of the committee meetings, President Smith wrote a lengthy five page typewritten letter to Eyring explaining some of his point of view on matters of science and religion. See Joseph Fielding Smith to Henry Eyring, June l2, l950, and Special Interest Group MIA Manual, (Salt Lake City, l950). 37The letter is reproduced in Appendix XI--Science and Religion Letters. Henry Eyring to Adam S. Bennion, December l6, l954. 38Ibid., Lowell Bennion to Henry Eyring, January l5, l955. 39Ibid., Joseph Fielding Smith to Henry Eyring, April 15, l955, and Henry Eyring to Joseph Fielding Smith, April l8, l955. 40Henry Eyring, "A Tribute to President Joseph Fielding Smith," Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, Vol. VII, No. l, (Spring, l972), pp. l5-l6. 415ee Appendix XI, Henry Eyring to David D. McKay, March 26, l956. 42For a complete discussion of Cook's views see, Melvin A. Cook and |
