How the Latter-day Saint Church Uses Doctrine and Covenants to Guide Modern Practice

The Doctrine and Covenants is a living scriptural foundation that the LDS Church interprets and applies to shape policies, temple practice, and member life today.

By Garret Merkley · Explainer · Jun 15, 2026

Branched from How General Conference Guides The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Quick take

The Doctrine and Covenants is a collection of revelations to Joseph Smith and his successors that serves as scripture specific to the LDS Church.
Church leaders use sections from it to justify and guide decisions on temple work, priesthood authority, organizational structure, and moral teachings.
The text is treated as 'living'—reinterpreted and applied to new situations—rather than static, allowing it to remain relevant across centuries.

The Doctrine and Covenants is a collection of revelations and written instructions received mainly by Joseph Smith, the LDS Church's founder, along with a few from his successors. Unlike the Bible, which the Church shares with other Christian traditions, the Doctrine and Covenants belongs uniquely to the Latter-day Saint faith. It functions as the Church's primary internal rulebook—a scriptural document that church leaders cite to explain why the organization operates the way it does, from how priesthood authority flows to who can enter temples and under what conditions.

The Structure and Authority of the Text

The Doctrine and Covenants contains 138 sections, each presented as a revelation or instruction. Some are short directives; others are lengthy theological explanations. The Church organizes these into a canon—a fixed list of approved scripture—though it occasionally adds new sections when the President of the Church announces a revelation to the membership. Each section is treated with equal scriptural weight, meaning a brief instruction carries the same authority as a longer doctrinal passage. This structure allows leaders to cite specific verses when defending policies or practices, much as a government might reference a constitution.

A key feature is that the Church treats the Doctrine and Covenants as a 'living' scripture. That means the text itself doesn't change, but its interpretation and application do. A revelation written in the 1830s about priesthood ordination can be reread and applied in new ways in the 2020s without contradiction. This flexibility has allowed the Church to navigate major shifts—such as ending polygamy in 1890 or changing temple rituals—while still claiming fidelity to the foundational document.

How Leaders Apply It to Modern Decisions

When the Church's First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles make a significant policy change, they typically ground it in the Doctrine and Covenants. For example, in 2019, when the Church announced that children of same-sex couples could no longer be baptized until age 18, leaders cited sections that define who can participate in covenants and under what spiritual conditions. Similarly, temple practice—who can attend, what clothing is required, which rituals are performed—draws from sections that describe priesthood ordinances and temple worship.

The document also shapes the Church's organizational hierarchy. Sections on priesthood authority establish why the President of the Church holds supreme leadership, why bishops oversee local congregations, and why certain roles are reserved for men. When changes occur—such as extending certain priesthood responsibilities to women in 2018—leaders explain these shifts by reinterpreting existing sections rather than discarding them. This approach preserves the text's authority while allowing the Church to adapt.

Why This Matters and When It Shapes Actual Practice

For members, the Doctrine and Covenants functions as a source of legitimacy. When a bishop enforces a rule or a temple worker denies entry, members can ask 'why?'—and the answer often traces back to a section of the Doctrine and Covenants. This gives policies a scriptural foundation that feels immutable and divinely inspired rather than arbitrary. For the Church as an institution, it provides a framework that appears consistent across time, even as practices evolve. The text becomes a kind of constitutional anchor that allows leaders to claim continuity with the Church's founding while making contemporary decisions.

The Doctrine and Covenants matters most in moments of institutional change. When the Church wants to shift a policy—on technology use, on LGBTQ+ members, on women's roles—leaders cite it to show that the new direction isn't a break with doctrine but a correct reading of it. This rhetorical move is powerful within the faith community because members are taught from childhood that the Doctrine and Covenants is God's word. A policy backed by a section from it carries weight that a mere administrative decision would not.

Key Sections in Modern LDS Practice

Section 21: Defines the role and authority of the Church President as the 'prophet, seer, and revelator.'
Section 84: Describes priesthood authority and temple ordinances; cited in discussions of who can hold priesthood.
Section 121: Addresses the proper use of priesthood power and warns against dominion and coercion.
Section 138: Details the Church's understanding of the afterlife and salvation for those who never heard the gospel.
Sections 1–2: Foundational statements on revelation, covenant, and the Church's mission.

Who wrote the Doctrine and Covenants?

Primarily Joseph Smith, the LDS Church's founder, who claimed to receive these revelations from God between 1828 and 1844. A few sections were added by later Church Presidents, most recently in 2020 when President Russell M. Nelson added a section on the role of women. The text is presented as God's direct words to the Church through its leaders.

Can the Doctrine and Covenants be changed or reinterpreted?

The text itself is fixed—no words are added or removed. However, the Church's interpretation of what the text means and how it applies to modern life changes regularly. Leaders reread sections in new contexts and draw different applications. For example, sections on priesthood authority have been reinterpreted to expand women's roles without altering the original wording.

How does the Doctrine and Covenants differ from the Bible?

The Bible is shared across Christianity; the Doctrine and Covenants is unique to the LDS Church. The Doctrine and Covenants is also more recent (1800s) and more directly tied to the Church's organizational structure and policies. The Church treats both as scripture, but the Doctrine and Covenants is the primary source for explaining how the Church actually operates.

What happens if a Church policy seems to contradict the Doctrine and Covenants?

Church leaders argue that this doesn't happen—instead, critics misread the text or lack full understanding of its meaning. If a policy does shift significantly (as with polygamy or priesthood restrictions), leaders reframe it as a correct reinterpretation of the Doctrine and Covenants, often citing new revelation or deeper understanding of existing sections.

Do all LDS members accept the Doctrine and Covenants the same way?

Officially, yes—all members sustain it as scripture. In practice, some members read it more critically or question how leaders apply it, especially when policies change. Progressive and traditional members may disagree on what a section means or whether a policy truly follows from it, but dissent is generally discouraged within the Church.

Sources

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 'Doctrine and Covenants,' official scripture, 1835–present.
LDS Church announcement, April 2019, on policy changes regarding same-sex couples and children.
LDS Church announcement, October 2018, on expanded roles for women in priesthood-related responsibilities.