Gospel Principles is a book that sets out some of the basic doctrines and teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). The book is published by the LDS Church and is provided to its members as a personal study guide and as a church lesson manual.

History

Gospel Principles was first published in English

English language

English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...

 in 1978. Subsequent editions, each with minor revisions, were published in 1979, 1981, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1992, 1995, and 1997. The book has traditionally been used as a Sunday School

Sunday School (LDS Church)

Sunday School is an official auxiliary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . All members of the church and any interested nonmembers, age 12 and older, are encouraged to participate in Sunday School.-Purpose:...

 lesson manual for attendees who are recent converts or non-members of the church.

In 2009, the LDS Church published a revised edition of the book and mandated that it be used twice-monthly as the lesson manual for Sunday Relief Society

Relief Society

The Relief Society is a philanthropic and educational women's organization and an official auxiliary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . It was founded in 1842 in Nauvoo, Illinois, USA and has approximately 6 million members in over 170 countries and territories...

 and Melchizedek priesthood classes in 2010 and 2011.

Content

Gospel Principles is designed to be both a personal study guide and as a teacher's manual. The book is divided into 47 chapters. Each chapter sets out a basic doctrine or teaching of the LDS Church in simple language. Supporting scriptural references to the Standard Works

Standard Works

The Standard Works of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are the four books that currently constitute its open scriptural canon.* The Holy Bible * The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ...

 are included in each chapter, as are sample questions that a teacher could ask in a class setting. The book also contains color illustrations.

The chapters have not changed between the 1979 and 2009 editions, but the contents have been simplified. Mormonism Research Ministry, a Christian organization that opposes the teachings of the LDS Church, has compiled a list of changes in the various editions of the book.

Availability

Gospel Principles is published by the LDS Church and is available for purchase from the church and through some private LDS-related bookstores. The book's contents are also available for free on the church's Internet website. The text of Gospel Principles is copyrighted by Intellectual Reserve

Intellectual Reserve

Intellectual Reserve, Inc is a non-profit corporation based in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. It is wholly owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...

, a corporation that holds the intellectual properties of the LDS Church.

External links

• Gospel Principles (2009). Complete text in HTML.
• Gospel Principles (2009). Complete text in PDF.
• Gospel Principles (1997). Complete text in HTML.
• Gospel Principles (1997). Complete text in PDF.