Defend the Gospel with Charity, But Still Defend It

 

On August 23, 2021, Elder Holland spoke to the faculty of BYU. His message was available for all to see regardless of faculty status, and a transcript of his message has been posted on the Church Newsroom for additional study.

Like Elder Holland, I remember wanting to study at Brigham Young University since an early age. Later, while I was in High School, the decision was solidified when I learned my favorite author taught Creative Writing here. Now, I haven’t taken Brandon Sanderson’s class like I had planned, and I doubt that I will be able to during my very busy undergrad studies. BYU, nonetheless, has had a powerful impact on my life up until this point.

I remember the first day of my Freshman year, the first class I attended was Alex Baugh’s Church History class, “Joseph Smith and the Restoration.” My Computer Science classes up until this point have all, without fail, started class with a prayer and either a spiritual thought from the scriptures or a welcome prelude before class with hymns. My Hebrew class has spent a few tangential conversations delving into the meaning of certain words with particular attention to the Biblical world and our own Latter-day Saint understanding of the Gospel. My German class in my Freshman year read Momo by Michael Ende and spent a few hours combined discussing themes of that book and how it is reminiscent, in some ways, of the Gospel.

Unfortunately not every influence on BYU has been faith-promoting, and Elder Holland directed his remarks in part towards these instances. Elder Holland specifically spoke regarding the doctrine of the family in this instance.

He quoted Elder Maxwell describing Latter-day Saint scholars as the workers of the Nauvoo Temple, working with a trowel in one hand but a musket in the other. The point of this metaphor was to show the importance of working to build the Kingdom, but occasionally having to stop to defend the Kingdom.

In no way was this a call for violence as some internet critics have proposed; the context of the quote places it in one where Elder Holland specifically stated regarding those who struggled with same-sex attraction,

Too often the world has been unkind, in many instances crushingly cruel, to these our brothers and sisters. Like many of you, we have spent hours with them, and wept and prayed and wept again in an effort to offer love and hope while keeping the gospel strong and the obedience to commandments evident in every individual life… As near as I can tell, Christ never once withheld His love from anyone, but He also never once said to anyone, “Because I love you, you are exempt from keeping my commandments.” We are tasked with trying to strike that same sensitive, demanding balance in our lives.

His was a message of unequivocal charity. “Be charitable! Be like Christ,” you could perhaps hear him say, “in both acting in love as He did and defending the Gospel from musket fire coming its way as He did.” This extends beyond his given topic.

While his message was directed towards BYU faculty – some of whom who needed that message more than other faculty members, to be sure – the same challenge arises outside of BYU faculty as well.

I myself have had to use this blog as a proverbial musket to defend the Kingdom from critics of the Church such as Jonathan Neville, Rian Nelson, and L. Hannah Stoddard. I can’t say that this blog will ever have any drastic influence, and I have spent many hours in prayer about this particular blog as well (odd as it may sound). I have used it also as a trowel, sharing my own insights into the scriptures, historical sources, and apostolic and latter-day teachings.

Like Elder Holland, I will close by repeating his message – do not be afraid to defend the Gospel. Always strive for a spirit of charity, but still defend the Gospel. And that is what I will continue to strive to do.