Standard of Truth – S5B8 Kristy’s KorneЯ: D&C 91 Part 1

Date: August 21, 2025
Host: Dr. Gerrit Dirkmaat
Guest/Co-host: Dr. Richard L. L. Bushman

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the background and controversy surrounding the Apocrypha, its place in Christian history, and how it relates to Joseph Smith and Doctrine & Covenants Section 91. Dr. Gerrit Dirkmaat and his co-host blend humor, personal anecdotes, and rigorous historical explanation to contextualize why the Apocrypha was such a “hot button issue” in Joseph Smith’s time and how shifting attitudes among Catholics and Protestants shaped the modern Latter-day Saint experience.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why Talk About the Apocrypha? (00:00–03:00)

• The hosts joke about the overwhelming demand for Apocrypha-related content, describing it as "greater than 80%" of their inbox.
• “We’re going to do 17 parts on the Apocrypha of Christian Scripture.” (A, 00:39)
• D&C 91 stems from Joseph Smith’s Bible translation, and is a rare example of a revelation responding directly to Joseph’s own question: “How do I know when I’m done with the translation?” (A, 03:39)
• Section 90 sets up Joseph’s expectation: after finishing, "the mysteries of the kingdom" would be unfolded (A, 04:13, roughly paraphrased).

2. What Is the Apocrypha? Why Is It Controversial? (05:14–13:00)

• Definition: Books not found in the original Hebrew Bible but included in the Septuagint (Greek Old Testament) and many Christian Bibles, e.g., Maccabees, Tobit, Judith, Wisdom of Solomon, and especially Bel and the Dragon.
  • “These old books used to be contained in most Bibles in Christendom.” (A, 05:14)
• The Apocrypha is both obscure (to most Latter-day Saints) and iconic (First and Second Maccabees contain the Hanukkah story).
• Anecdotes and jokes flesh out the oddities of the Apocrypha, including its status as a heavy metal band name. (A&B, 06:03–06:29)

3. The Apocrypha in History: Inclusion and Exclusion (10:00–20:00)

• Early Christian leaders debated which books should count as scripture; by the late 4th century, a canon had formed.

• The Apocrypha was included in major early Christian Bibles (like the Latin Vulgate), but over time, questions developed about their legitimacy.

• Protestant Reformation—especially Martin Luther—radically shifted the benchmark: only what’s in the “original” Bible counts.

  • “Luther is going to argue the Bible is the only source of revealed knowledge from God… If it ain’t in the Bible, it ain’t right.” (A, ~16:00)

• The Catholic doctrine of "tradition" as a second channel of knowledge is contrasted to Protestant sola scriptura (scripture alone).

  "Tradition tells us what to do when we don't know what to do." (Rabbi quote via B, 20:02)

4. Protestant Critiques and the Fate of the Apocrypha (24:50–29:57)

• Major Protestant complaints: the Apocrypha undergirded Catholic doctrines like purgatory, which Protestants rejected in favor of salvation by grace/faith alone.
• "If you're going to claim the only truth comes from the Bible… then it's pretty important I know what books should be in the Bible." (A, 28:25)
• Luther included the Apocrypha but segregated it, noting: "they are not held equal to the Holy Scriptures and yet are profitable and good to read." (A, 29:34)
  • This began the process of de-canonizing the Apocrypha among Protestants.
• King James translators followed suit; for centuries, KJV Bibles included the Apocrypha between Old and New Testaments.

5. Examples from the Apocrypha: “Bel and the Dragon” (31:22–37:21)

• Hosts humorously retell some Apocryphal tales, notably "Bel and the Dragon," which expands the Daniel in the lions’ den narrative.
  • Daniel not only survives lions but slays a dragon idol with a concoction—“Daniel’s straight idol-destroying. He is the dragon slayer of Bel and the Dragon.” (A, 31:47)
  • Daniel is in the lions’ den for six days, not one, and is miraculously fed by the prophet Habakkuk, who is flown in by an angel ("dragged by his hair").
• These expansions show Apocrypha as more than “historical sidenotes”—they reshape classic Bible stories.

6. Joseph Smith’s Environment & Bible Translation (37:41–49:45)

• In Joseph’s America, Protestant fervor peaked, with lingering anti-Catholic sentiment and a drive to purge tradition.

• The Apocrypha became a test of religious “purity,” seen as a symbol of Catholic intrusion.

  • “The more you rejected the Apocrypha as scripture, the more Protestant and non-Catholic you were.” (A, 54:07)

• Joseph's translation Bible (the 1828 Phinney KJV) did contain the Apocrypha – just before US Bible societies stopped printing it.

  "William Craig Brownlee...makes a concerted attack...calling the Apocrypha 'puerility, filthiness, errors and glaring contradictions. Ludicrous error is the only cause and reason of this book being admitted into the canon.'" (A, 54:07–54:49)

7. The Hebrew Bible vs. The Septuagint: Why Two Canons? (54:35–56:48)

• The Hebrew Bible doesn’t include the Apocrypha; the Greek Septuagint (pre-dating Jesus) does, resulting in confusion and dispute over the “original” canon.
• Analogy: the Latter-day Saint removal of the Lectures on Faith from the Doctrine & Covenants—a temporary, not universal, aspect of scripture.
• Raises the ambiguity present even for Latter-day Saints over what is “real” scripture.

8. Protestant America Rejects the Apocrypha (59:40–61:37)

• US Bible societies stopped printing KJVs with Apocrypha in 1828, reflecting anti-Catholic and radical Protestant sentiment.
• Rejection of the Apocrypha became a marker of American Protestant identity; citing it was grounds for being labeled insufficiently “biblical.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On how tough it is to get a historian to make a point:

  “You have to wade through all kinds of townships and treaties of Guadalupe Hidalgo before you actually get to where they're at.” (A, 37:41)

• On dog names inspired by the Maccabees:

  "I wanted to name the dog Judah the Hammer Maccabee. But it was a girl."
  "Why don't you name it Judith the Hammer?" (A & B, 12:01–12:03)

• On Protestant ‘purity tests’:

  "It was like this kind of litmus test. I'm a Protestant. I'm not a Catholic. Oh yeah? Do you believe in the Apocrypha?" (A, 54:07)

• On the radical shift:

  “Martin Luther was radical just in putting those books of the Apocrypha together and making the statement these are not equal to the Holy Scriptures. Brownlee is arguing these are lies.” (A, 54:49)

• Humorous Apocrypha references:

  “I’m sure [the band Apocrypha] have a power ballad in there. Here or there.” “We’re knocking on heaven's door.” (A & B, 06:13–06:49)

• On tradition:

  “Tradition tells us what to do when we don’t know what to do.” (B, 20:02)

Key Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:00–00:39 — Opening banter about why they're discussing the Apocrypha.
• 03:39–05:14 — Section 91 context: Joseph’s revelation due to translation questions.
• 05:14–10:09 — What the Apocrypha actually is, and famous examples (Maccabees, Hanukkah).
• 10:36–13:20 — Hanukkah explanation and Apocrypha's link to “400 years of silence.”
• 16:00–20:29 — Sola Scriptura vs. Catholic tradition; Martin Luther's reasoning.
• 24:50–29:57 — Luther’s treatment of the Apocrypha; Protestant de-canonization.
• 31:22–37:21 — "Bel and the Dragon" story from the Apocrypha—humor and theological implications.
• 37:41–49:45 — Protestant polarization over Apocrypha, American religious politics.
• 54:07–61:37 — The Apocrypha’s disappearance in American Bibles, comparison to LDS scripture changes.

Conclusion & Cliffhanger

• The episode sets the stage for why Joseph Smith sought specific revelation about the Apocrypha—since his translation Bible included it, and its status was hotly contested.
• Ends with a promise:

  “I'm gonna leave you on a cliffhanger because we're gonna talk about where it leaves Latter Day Saints next week in the podcast. So please join us then and we'll continue this discussion of the Apocrypha, riveting as it is, in our next podcast.” (A, 61:37)

Summary Takeaways

• The Apocrypha’s status as scripture has shifted dramatically—from accepted canon to Protestant heresy, to historical curiosity.
• Understanding its history illuminates why Joseph Smith received D&C 91, and how modern Latter-day Saints inherited a Bible minus the Apocrypha.
• Deep cultural, theological, and political forces shaped what “counts” as scripture, with lingering echoes in today’s faith practices.

For listeners preparing for gospel discussions or personal study, this episode richly equips you with historical context, engaging stories, and a clear view of why the Apocrypha matters within Latter-day Saint and broader Christian traditions.