{"id":825,"date":"2009-03-03T11:51:57","date_gmt":"2009-03-03T18:51:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.newcoolthang.com\/?p=825"},"modified":"2020-01-09T05:19:50","modified_gmt":"2020-01-09T12:19:50","slug":"what-are-the-elements-of-the-plan-of-salvation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.newcoolthang.com\/index.php\/2009\/03\/what-are-the-elements-of-the-plan-of-salvation\/825\/","title":{"rendered":"What are the elements of The Plan of Salvation?"},"content":{"rendered":"

In my last post I stated that the “Plan of Salvation,” as Mormons use it, provides the framework to include all the elements necessary to create a compelling worldview.<\/p>\n

According to Leo Apostel<\/a>, a worldview should comprise seven elements:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. An ontology, a descriptive model of the world<\/li>\n
  2. An explanation of the world<\/li>\n
  3. A futurology, answering the question “where are we heading?”<\/li>\n
  4. Values, answers to ethical questions: “What should we do?”<\/li>\n
  5. A praxeology, or methodology, or theory of action: “How should we attain our goals?”<\/li>\n
  6. An epistemology, or theory of knowledge. “What is true and false?”<\/li>\n
  7. An etiology. A constructed world-view should contain an account of its own “building blocks,” its origins and construction.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    When my wife and I sat down to write our children’s book, we asked ourselves what the plan of salvation consisted of. The following outline is what we came up with:<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Council in Heaven\n
        \n
      1. Spirit children of God<\/li>\n
      2. Plan for creation<\/li>\n
      3. Purpose of entering mortality (veil)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n
      4. War in Heaven\n
          \n
        1. Satan’s plan<\/li>\n
        2. He was Lucifer, then Satan the Accuser; how He thought Christ would fail (too speculative?)<\/li>\n
        3. Requirements of the Atonement (Perfect Love, Sinless)<\/li>\n
        4. War about whether Christ could fulfill role of Savior<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n
        5. Creation\n
            \n
          1. Made for God’s children<\/li>\n
          2. Will be renewed<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n
          3. Adam & Eve\n
              \n
            1. God’s children<\/li>\n
            2. Garden of Eden, not accountable, no knowledge, couldn’t have kids, married, tempted,<\/li>\n
            3. Eve’s choice and why the situation was set up<\/li>\n
            4. The Fall (mortal, cast out; taught about plan by angels, symbols point to Christ) agency, faith, symbols behind ordinances<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n
            5. Atonement\n
                \n
              1. Christ’s condescension into mortality<\/li>\n
              2. Jesus’ sacrifice, magnitude of His love, what He felt, overcoming physical & spiritual death<\/li>\n
              3. Judgment<\/li>\n
              4. Glory<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n
              5. Principles and Ordinances (being a covenant person)\n
                  \n
                1. Need for a covenant<\/li>\n
                2. 4th<\/sup> article of faith<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n
                3. Endure to the End\n
                    \n
                  1. Discipleship: prayer, scripture study, service and charity<\/li>\n
                  2. Sanctification<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                    Each number represented a “chapter” to us. Now remember, the purpose of the book was to write a picture book for our children that would EXPLAIN<\/strong> the entire plan of salvation to them (not just list the elements) and help provide them a doctrinally correct, simple, and practical worldview (with our own take on some things). Basically our goal was to provide the essence of the gospel for an 8-12 year old understanding that will still have relevance (and provide insights and reflections) for an adult.<\/p>\n

                    Looking at the outline and comparing it to Leo’s worldviews list, I think that some things may be missing in order to provide a complete worldview. So, what is missing and what isn’t necessary in the outline? Future posts will deal with the content of each of these “chapters”.