Navigating and Negotiating Identity: "Children of God" in Latter-day Saint Scriptural and Prophetic Discourse
Creating and shaping culture, religious or otherwise, happens through language. Seemingly small discursive utterances impact how people view themselves others, particularly when repeated over time. This paper addresses how the concept of being a “child of God” has been conceptualized and used rhetorically in Latter-day Saint scriptural and prophetic discourse to both fortify and dismantle boundaries between groups and individuals. Our paper builds on work by Kate Johnson, Emma Holdaway, and Amy Saunders Ross which highlighted how “children of God” was used both within Latter-day Saint discourse and discourse about race. It also builds upon Daniel Becerra’s work on theological anthropology (i.e. human nature as it relates to God) in Latter-day Saint scripture. Our examination is at once historical and literary. It is historical in the sense that it traces the evolution of thought regarding this concept from its first appearance in the book of Genesis, throughout the LDS scriptural canon, and to its most recent public use at the October 2023 General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Our examination is literary in that we also examine the rhetorical deployments to understand the culture shaping work it is intended to accomplish. For example, uses of “children of God” might focus attention to people’s divine worth, to the creation of their physical bodies, or to their moral character. We note in particular how the phrase has been used to navigate and negotiate identity among humans based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and faith commitments. We conclude by describing some implications for scholarly and theological discourse that contributes to the work of reconciliation and inclusion.
Presenters: Daniel Becerra and Sophie McCorquindale, Brigham Young University