America as the Chosen Land
Doctrine and Covenants 57:1–3 identifies Missouri as “the land of promise” and Zion:
“This is the land of promise, and the place for the city of Zion.”
This shifts sacred geography away from Jerusalem and the Middle East and toward the American frontier.
In contrast, in the New Testament the Kingdom of God is usually portrayed as occuring in Jerusalem or is “not of this world” (John 18:36). The D&C repeatedly roots sacred destiny in the United States, especially Missouri.
The U.S. Constitution as Divinely Inspired
Doctrine and Covenants 101:77–80 states:
According to the [United States'] laws and constitution of the people, which I [Christ, the Lord] have suffered to be established, and should be maintained for the rights and protection of all flesh, according to just and holy principles; That every man may act in doctrine and principle pertaining to futurity, according to the moral agency which I have given unto him, that every man may be accountable for his own sins ... Therefore, it is not right that any man should be in bondage one to another. And for this purpose have I established the Constitution of this land [America], by the hands of wise men whom I raised up unto this very purpose, and redeemed the land by the shedding of blood.
This elevates the American founding to sacred history. The New TTestamentin contrast, never sacralizes Rome’s political system or presents any earthly constitution as divinely rrevealed. Paul and Jesus speak more about enduring the Roman empire which will be replaced by a Jewish theocracy in Jerusalem. This section basically makes American constitutionalism part of salvation history.
America as the Base of the New Jerusalem
Doctrine and Covenants 84: 1–4:
A revelation of Jesus Christ unto his servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and six elders ... Yea, the word of the Lord concerning his church ... as he has spoken by the mouth of his prophets, and for the gathering of his saints to stand upon Mount Zion, which shall be the city of New Jerusalem. Which city shall be built, beginning at the temple lot, which is appointed by the finger of the Lord, in the western boundaries of the State of Missouri, and dedicated by the hand of Joseph Smith, Jun., and others with whom the Lord was well pleased. Verily this is the word of the Lord, that the city New Jerusalem shall be built by the gathering of the saints, beginning at this place, even the place of the temple ...
Again, we see that the center of sacred destiny becomes America, specifically Jackson County, Missouri. In contrast in the New Testament the New Jerusalem descends from heaven in the Book of Revelation rather than being tied to American settlement and nation-building.
Gentile America as the Instrument of God
"The elders of the Church as legitimate gatherers of the remnants of Israel was established by Moses, the ancient leader of Israel's exodus from Egypt. He appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery April 3, 1836, in the newly built Kirtland Temple `and committed unto them the keys of the gathering of Israel from the four parts of the earth, and the leading of the ten tribes from the land of the north.' (D&C 110:11.)
"That the gathering from the four parts of the earth and the leading of the ten tribes from the north is chronological is supported from the servants being gathered and then blessing the ten tribes upon their return as outlined in the appendix to the Doctrine and Covenants. (D&C 133:30-32.) As President Joseph F. Smith in November 1902 observed: `A striking peculiarity of the saints gathered from all parts of the earth is that they are almost universally of the blood of Ephraim.' The gathering of Ephraim is well under way. The leading of the ten tribes from the north is yet to be fulfilled." The dedicatory prayer of the Kirtland Temple given by revelation to Joseph Smith further illustrates the servants' role in the gathering ... The prayer asked that "the Lord's servants, the sons of Jacob, may gather out the righteous to build a holy city to the Lord's name' from all the nations of the earth." (D&C 109:57-58.) The prophet Amos had prophesied that Israel would be sifted among all the nations of the earth. (Amos 9:8-9.)
"Although the Church members were called the sons of Jacob, it acknowledges that they were `identified with the Gentiles.' (D&C 109:60.) The prayer also asked that the children of Judah, the Lamanites, and `all the scattered remnants of Israel, who have been driven to the ends of the earth, come to the knowledge of the truth, believe in the Messiah, and be redeemed from oppression, and rejoice before thee.' (D&C 109:62-67.) The sequence of the gathering is reaffirmed; those among the gentiles and then those scattered upon the face of the earth ...
Early Mormonism thus often saw Anglo-American Protestants who converted to Mormonism, as actually being mostly or many of them pure blooded Ephraimites (even if cultural “Gentiles”), who were destined to restore Israel.
The Gathering of Anglo-Norse Europeans to America
Doctrine and Covenants 29: 1, 5, 7–8:
Listen to the voice of Jesus Christ, your Redeemer, the Great I Am ... Lift up your hearts and be glad, for I am in your midst, and am your advocate with the Father; and it is his good will to give you [Anglo-Americans] the kingdom. .... And ye are called to bring to pass the gathering of mine elect; for mine elect [anglo-Ephraimites] hear my voice and harden not their hearts; Wherefore the decree hath gone forth from the Father that they shall be gathered in unto one place upon the face of this [American] land ...
Historically, converts from Northern Europe were encouraged to immigrate to the United States and gather to Zion. In practice, 19th-century Mormonism became heavily Anglo-American and Northern European in culture, leadership, and self-understanding.
Ephraim and Anglo-Israel Themes
D&C 133:26–34 discusses the tribes of Israel and Ephraim’s role in the restoration. In 19th-century Mormon culture, many patriarchal blessings identified Northern European converts as descendants of Ephraim. This paralleled broader Anglo-Israelite ideas circulating in Protestant America and Britain at the time.
The Saints as a Chosen Political Community of Power
In D&C 45:65–71, Zion becomes a protected gathering place:
“And with one heart and with one mind, gather up your riches that ye may purchase an inheritance which shall hereafter be appointed unto you. And it shall be called the New Jerusalem, a land of peace, a city of refuge, a place of safety for the saints of the Most High God7 And the glory of the Lord shall be there, ... insomuch that the wicked will not come unto it, and it shall be called Zion. And it shall come to pass among the wicked, that every man that will not take his sword against his neighbor must needs flee unto Zion for safety. And there shall be gathered unto it out of every nation under heaven; and it shall be the only people that shall not be at war one with another. And it shall be said among the wicked: Let us not go up to battle against Zion, for the inhabitants of Zion are terrible; wherefore we cannot stand. And it shall come to pass that the righteous shall be gathered out from among all nations, and shall come to Zion, singing with songs of everlasting joy.
The idea is not merely spiritual fellowship but a literal covenant society with geographic and political dimensions with a military defense so that no one tries to "go up to battle against Zion" because "the inhabitants of Zion are terrible [i.e. a force to be reckoned with]" (verse 70).
In contrast, Paul’s churches were scattered minorities awaiting Christ’s immediate return and sought voluntary martydom instead of self-defense; and thus they were not a political force, nor were they trying to birth a People; but instead many practiced the Pauline ideal of celibacy, and poverty was a sign of piety; they were awaiting being "caught up in the air" as male-brides of their Messiah husband. In Mormonism by contrast, poverty was not an ideal virtue and instead in the D&C Jesus promises Anglo-American Ephraimites an inheritance (wealth) and social status as a territorial civilizational American kingdom. Mormon men were not emasculated as docile "male-brides" but Mormon men were instead called to spread their seeds through their own wives.
Christ in the Doctrine & Covenants vs. the New Testament
The Pauline version of the Messiah is filtered through Paul’s Maccabean martyrdom ideals and apocalyptic mindset, which is the view of the Gospels. The voice of Christ in the Doctrine & Covenants sounds less like this Pauline model, and more like a pro-European 19th-century American prophetic ruler.
Common themes of the Pauline New Testament Jesus:
- “Blessed are the poor”
- “Lay not up treasures”
- “Resist not evil”
- Celibacy encouraged (Matthew 19:12)
- Kingdom not tied to nation-state
- Suspicion toward worldly power
Examples:
Common themes in the Doctrine & Covenants as taught and encouraged by Christ:
- Building cities and temples
- Organizing a priesthood hierarchy which is the structure for the practice of plural marriage to raise up seed (birth an Ephraimite People)
- Gathering to America
- Defending Zion in America
- Economic stewardship
- U.S. Constitutional themes
Examples:
- D&C 42 (law and organization)
- D&C 49 (celibacy rejected as wrong)
- D&C 57 (Missouri Zion)
- D&C 101 (Constitution)
- D&C 124 (Nauvoo temple and city-building)
This produces a much more territorial and civilization-oriented family focused religion.
The Strongest “Americanized Christianity” Passages:
- D&C 101:77–80 — Constitution divinely inspired
- D&C 57 — Missouri as Zion
- D&C 84:2–4 — New Jerusalem in America
- D&C 45:66–71 — Zion as a protected covenant society
- D&C 109 — Cultural-Gentiles bringing forth the gospel
- D&C 133 — Northern European Ephraimites and gathering themes
Historical Interpretation
Scholars often note that early Mormonism emerged during:
- American expansionism
- Manifest Destiny
- Protestant restorationism
- Anglo-American exceptionalism
- Frontier communal experiments
So the Doctrine & Covenants naturally reflects many 19th-century Americanism in the same way the New Testament reflects the apocalyptic Jewish and Greco-Roman world of the 1st century.
Some historians who discuss these themes include:
- Jan Shipps
- Richard Bushman
- Dan Vogel
- Harold Bloom
Believing Latter-day Saints, however, usually interpret these same passages not as ethnic nationalism but as:
- restoration of Israel,
- preparation for Christ’s return,
- divine protection of religious liberty,
- and covenant gathering theology.
As for myself the way I see it, I don't think you can separate the mindset, personality and culture of the prophetic writer from his writings which are filtered through his subjective experiences and perceptions and even his biology and ethnolinguistic culture. Therefore, as an Anglo-Norse American person myself who descended from "the north" as the Doctrine & Covenants talks about, why would I not appreciate my fellow Anglo-Saxon and relative Joseph Smith's attempt at religion-making through midrash (just as Paul did)? The fact is I see the Americanized midrash of Mormon scripture more in line with my own ethnolinguistic culture and life as an American. I see much of what was filtered through Paul's personality and mindset, to be completely impractical and contrary to any real thriving in America today. What I see is Catholics and Protestants bending over backwards and turning themselves into "mental pretzel" trying to reinterpret the New Testament texts to make it fit modern American society. In contrast, Mormonism as much better mythologically as a practical recipe and is more ancestrally empowering for me as an American in the modern day.
