Before the Plan of Salvation™ was introduced to the students, it would have been very good to clarify what counts as “doctrine” and what doesn’t.
However, the editing of the curriculum online gives us a unique view that even the CES program doesn’t know what doctrine is.
The key thing to note is that what is being edited is how to know if a prophet is speaking as a prophet and how to know true sources of doctrine. With four edits on Friday and Saturday (someone was working unpaid overtime) it’s pretty clear that there is some internal strife on what is and is not valid doctrine.
Seminary teachers, this is a great time to stand up and take note; what is doctrine? Why doesn’t the CES program know? Why is such a fundamental question like “Do prophets guide us in truth” so openly debated? Why are you teaching kids these kinds of things if you don’t know; and the church office building doesn’t know.
Time to ask some tough questions of yourself and your curriculum writers.
“The Plan of Salvation” is a stolen phrase from Campbellite preacher Walter Scott who is also responsible for the order and content of the first principles and ordinances of the gospel in article of faith #4. A five finger mnemonic was used to teach children these principles which brought over 3000 converts into the Campbellite movement in 1827. I’m surprised you haven’t remarked on the doctrinal evolutions and borrowings from the earlier restoration movements on your site yet.
I cover a bit on Walter Scott on my Spaulding/Rigdon timeline; but this is great content that I should totally cover.
Do you have a link to get me started?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Scott_(clergyman)
See also Daymon Smith’s cultural history of the book of mormon part 1, and Mark Staker’s “Hearken o Ye People” for various references to Walter Scott, Alexander Crawford (priesthood delineation origins), and Alexander Campbell’s teachings on the three degrees passed down to Sidney Rigdon and Parley Pratt.