"And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand." - Ezekiel 37:17

"And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand." - Ezekiel 37:17

I would be surprised if some form of MAGA official Church/denomination with Trump as its figurehead WASN'T launched.

He's already put out a Bible & has the iconography.

They could easily go the Life.Church model where they have physical franchise locations but get a single broadcast Sermon/Talk.

Fantasy, but paints a picture and creates a scenario that is just *chefs kiss*.
Just feeling:

I'm just imagining a scenario of him finally saying something that is shown to That Guy, who amplifies it in an anti-Leo-like screed, which puts Mike Lee and the D*sNat types in a Really Awkward Position, and has people who never heard of Oaks being like, "Hey Mormons, Welcome to the Resistance"

President Oaks has the opportunity to do the funniest thing ever.

"...when the wicked rule the people mourn. Wherefore, honest men and wise men should be sought for diligently, and good men and wise men ye should observe to uphold; otherwise whatsoever is less than these cometh of evil.

Therefore, renounce war and proclaim peace"

- D&C 98:9-10, 16

This Dave approves.

I think he wants to maintain a 'Liturgical Language' of sorts & sees the archaized language in Modern Scripture as an essential meaningul Divine part of the revelations, not as a surface conceit used by Joseph Smith.
See: The Language of Prayer

www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/genera...

One thing I'm REALLY interested in seeing going forward is Oaks' regular insistence on English speakers using the archaized Thee and Thou in prayer. Especially connected with recent encouragement of using modern Translations of the Bible. newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/holy...

I think the formalizing of this aspect of the Sacrament is seen as part of this program of giving an intellectually clear and consistent throughline for understanding all the ordinances.

I'm actually a big fan of the recent revisions, as well as the willingness to open up and normalize discussion and publication about the covenants and key symbols like the Veil and Garment. For example:
Put Ye On the Lord Jesus Christ
www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/genera...

That's actually a massive feature of the 2024 Revision of the Temple Liturgy - lots that was Unwritten subtext became actual spoken text for the first time. My guess is Oaks was significantly involved in much of this, if not the Initiator of it.

I wonder if after this message it was pointed out that there was no scripture or handbook or Church publication or resource that they would have learned this instruction from - and hence, it quickly became a new update in the Handbook.

Yeah, pouring crushed Chex from a baggie into the mouth has some of its own messiness. 😅 - it's a nuanced issue, which why I'm glad that at present, even with the ideal presented, the Bishop is specifically given leeway to modify procedure within reason for needs of the circumstances in his ward.

President Oaks - The Sacrament must be taken with the right hand. YouTube video by Thoughts on Things and Stuff

But I know its important enough to him that before he enshrined it in the handbook, there was an (unofficial) audio circulating of him calling out a group of Deacons for not using their right hand.
youtu.be/rEqPEKy2FpE?...

That's a good practice. Also requires the Deacons to know exactly who to directly personally bring it to. A concern with our Ward's method (cereal in a cup on the tray) is the tipping over of the cup, or crumbs falling into it. They used to have a closed top cup, but that seems to have stopped.

So having one Priest just be on solely GF duty could work, but also brings some additional practical considerations.

I think a concern is having the hands who broke the wheat bread also breaking the GF product, causing cross-contamination. For many with low to mid Gluten intollerance, not much of an issue. But for Celiac, a remnant of the dust of a crumb can be enough to fully ruin you.

Okay, I asked someone else with a better memory than me... They didn't remember if he ever offered to bring his own, but we had a lady in the ward that always brought in a slice of GF bread to be broken its own separate tray that he was served off of as well.

The Bio points out that this doctrinal topic (taking upon/being a witness of the Name of Christ) was an early interest upon his Apostolic call, that McConkie was beginning research into it but died before he could finish, and Oaks picked it up as a focus. www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/genera...

My guess? Oaks wants to make a more substantive connection for members between the form/languahe of the Sacrament, and the form/language of the Endowment. He has been at the forefront of highlighting relationship of 'Taking upon the Name' in scripture and ordinances for decades.

I find this interesting, because Catholics require at least a little Gluten (there's a LOW Gluten host option!) without requiring each piece to be broken, but we have scriptural instruction that substance doesn't matter, so we focus on the 'broken'.
www.usccb.org/prayer-and-w...

Although I do know a ward recently that, at least for a time, only used Gluten Free Bread for the entire congregation. But unless it is specifically announced to be the case each time, members/visitors who require GF wouldn't partake anyway out of unsurety!

GF bread loafs are a lot more expensive than standard bread loafs, and do not keep particularly well unless refrigerated, which is what generally leads to wards using the cereal-in-a-cup method to be practical and more consistent.

I do wonder if he will issue new guidance deterring Bishops from the cereal methid. From Oaks' words, I think while he affirms D&C 27 in terms of food substance, he has high importance on the symbol of the ordinance maintaining the Breaking/appearance as much as is possible.
bsky.app/profile/impr...

So I think the answer to my question would have to be his personal preferred method is definitely a piece torn from a Gluten Free Loaf. (What we do at home when we've had Cancelled Church Approved Home Sacrament).
bsky.app/profile/impr...

Yep. I had assumed Oaks was the one behind the handbook wording about broken bread, and this, from his message to New Mission Presidents in 2017 confirms that it's his thinking: www.thechurchnews.com/2017/6/29/23...

That's where I first heard it! But he's apparently talked about it before. He mentions it here on the Church News podcast in regards to his Q12 assignment to the Phillippines: www.thechurchnews.com/podcast/2024...

I mean, Oaks is the one who finally succeeded in getting 'members partake of the Sacrament with their right hand when possible' actually encoded in the official handbook for the first time, promoting it from Unwritten Order of Things to Written Order of Things.