From the Church

Church Replacing Scripture Mastery with New Program in Seminary Classes

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With social media and internet access, latter-day youth are constantly exposed to content that can challenge their faith. That is why the Church is rolling out a new program to help them answer tough doctrinal questions.

Over the course of the next year, seminary instructors around the world will be implementing a new initiative — Doctrinal Mastery — in their classrooms to help the youth of the Church make connections between the doctrine of the gospel and how to apply it in their everyday lives.

Introduced in February by Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles during the annual “Evening with a General Authority” devotional broadcast to seminary and institute personnel, the new seminary initiative is meant to facilitate gospel learning and instruction on a deeper level.

“It was only a generation ago that our young people’s access to information about our history, doctrine and practices was basically limited to materials printed by the Church,” Elder Ballard said in that address. “Few students came in contact with alternative interpretations. Mostly, our young people lived a sheltered life.”

Recognizing the curriculum at the time — though well-meaning — does not prepare students for the climate they are living in today, Elder Ballard spoke of the great need for youth to feel comfortable asking questions as they are taught the doctrine of the gospel.

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