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See how every major doctrine weaves through the Old Testament, New Testament, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price -- gaining depth and clarity as progressive revelation unfolds God's plan.
Doctrinal DNA is a tool that maps how individual doctrines appear across all five volumes of Latter-day Saint scripture. Just as biological DNA contains strands that encode the instructions for life, the scriptures contain doctrinal strands -- recurring teachings that appear in different forms across different books and dispensations, all encoding the same eternal truths. Doctrinal DNA makes these strands visible by showing you, for any given doctrine, exactly where it appears in each volume, what its key references are, and how the teaching develops over time.
Latter-day Saints hold a unique position in Christianity because they accept five volumes of scripture as canon: the Old Testament, New Testament, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price. This means that any doctrine can be traced across thousands of years of prophetic writing, from the earliest patriarchs through modern prophets. The doctrine of baptism, for example, appears in the law of Moses, in the teachings of Jesus, in Nephite prophets who taught centuries before Christ's mortal ministry, and in the revelations received by Joseph Smith. Each volume adds a strand of understanding that contributes to the full picture.
The Doctrinal DNA tool organizes doctrines into categories -- Plan of Salvation, Christology, Ordinances, Covenants, Eschatology, and Moral teachings -- so you can explore by theological theme. When you select a doctrine, you see its strands displayed by volume, each with key references, a summary of how the doctrine is taught in that volume, and a characteristic key phrase that captures the essence of the teaching. Color-coded volume indicators make it easy to see at a glance which volumes contribute to each doctrine.
Two synthesis sections tie the analysis together. The 'Connections Across Volumes' section explains how the different strands relate to each other, showing the threads that unite teachings separated by centuries and continents. The 'Progressive Revelation' section traces how the doctrine has been revealed incrementally over time, with each dispensation adding clarity and depth. Together, these sections demonstrate one of the central claims of the Restoration: that God's truth is consistent across all ages but is revealed progressively as His children are prepared to receive it.
Explore doctrines by category -- Plan, Christology, Ordinance, Covenant, Eschatology, or Moral -- or search by keyword to find a specific teaching.
See how the selected doctrine appears in each volume of scripture, with key references, a summary, and a representative key phrase for each strand.
Review the connections across volumes and the progressive revelation analysis to understand how the doctrine develops across dispensations.
Each doctrine is broken down by volume, showing key references, summaries, and characteristic phrases that reveal how the teaching appears in each book.
Browse doctrines organized into six theological categories: Plan, Christology, Ordinance, Covenant, Eschatology, and Moral teachings.
See how each doctrine was revealed incrementally across dispensations, with each volume adding depth and clarity to the teaching.
Read synthesis explanations that show how doctrinal strands in different volumes connect to each other, revealing the unity of God's revealed word.
Doctrinal DNA is a scripture study tool that maps how individual doctrines appear across all five volumes of Latter-day Saint scripture. For any selected doctrine, it shows the key references, summary, and characteristic key phrase in each volume where the doctrine appears, along with synthesis sections that explain how the strands connect and how the doctrine was progressively revealed over time.
Doctrines are organized into six categories: Plan of Salvation (God's plan for His children), Christology (the nature and mission of Jesus Christ), Ordinance (sacred rites and ceremonies), Covenant (God's promises and agreements with His people), Eschatology (last days and the Second Coming), and Moral (ethical teachings and principles of righteous living).
Progressive revelation is the principle that God reveals His truths incrementally over time, adapting His message to the circumstances and readiness of His people. A doctrine may appear in seed form in the Old Testament, gain clarity in the New Testament, receive additional witness in the Book of Mormon, and reach its fullest expression in the Doctrine and Covenants. The Doctrinal DNA tool makes this progression visible for each doctrine it covers.
Yes. Doctrinal DNA is an excellent resource for teaching about the Restoration because it shows concretely how truths found in ancient scripture are confirmed, expanded, and restored in modern revelation. The progressive revelation section for each doctrine provides a ready-made narrative arc that traces the doctrine from its earliest appearance through its restored fullness.
Yes. Doctrinal DNA maps doctrinal strands across all five volumes of Latter-day Saint scripture: the Old Testament, New Testament, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price. Each strand includes volume-specific key references, a summary of the teaching in that volume, and a representative key phrase. Not every doctrine appears in all five volumes, but the tool shows every volume where the doctrine is present.
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