Priesthood Transfer: The Real Deal or Sham?

Shawn McCraney discusses the importance of questioning the legitimacy of the LDS Church's historical narrative regarding the restoration of the Aaronic and Melchizedek priesthoods, emphasizing that these claims of angelic visitations are critical to the authority the LDS Church claims over its members. He references the work of scholars such as Grant Palmer and Dan Vogel to challenge the authenticity of Joseph Smith’s accounts and argues that no exclusive priesthood authority is necessary since, according to the Bible, Jesus serves as the ultimate high priest for all believers.

Mormonism claims exclusive authority based on a restored priesthood through angelic visitations to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, yet historical evidence suggests that the narrative of these events was progressively developed and retroactively attributed to them. The idea of a priesthood being necessary is debated, as historical accounts, including the Book of Commandments and other scriptures, indicate that divine calling, rather than angelic ordination, was the basis for authority in LDS and Christian tradition.

Joseph Smith's evolving claims of divine ordination through angelic visitations, including those by John the Baptist and apostles Peter, James, and John, seem to have emerged amid challenges to his credibility and were absent from early records and testimonies of the time. This suggests that foundational Mormon claims about divine authority align more with strategic narrative adaptations over time rather than historical events, challenging the notion of their exclusive divine authority compared to any believer called to serve by faith.