Plan of salvation/Three degrees of glory

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The Three Degrees of Glory

Three degrees of glory

Summary: What do Latter-day Saints believe regarding the "Three Degrees of Glory?"

Concept of Hell

History of the belief in a three-part heaven

Summary: A look at what Jews and early Christians really believed.

Meaning of "telestial"

Summary: What does the word "telestial" mean, as used in Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon's vision (see DC 76:) of the post-mortal worlds?

Not biblical

Summary: It is claimed that the doctrine of three heavens has no basis in the Bible. However, the Bible makes clear that all mankind will be "judged. . . according to their works." (Rev. 20:12) And if so, won't everyone's rewards be different one from another? Jesus insisted that in His "Father's house are many mansions" (John 14:2), and Paul wrote that in the judgment a person's works might be added to his reward or burned up, but either way he might still be saved.

Progression between kingdoms

Summary: Is there progression between the three degrees of glory? There is no official pronouncement on this question. Some leaders of the Church have, however, expressed deep skepticism about this idea.

Emanuel Swedenborg

Summary: It is claimed that Joseph Smith derived the idea of "three degrees of glory" in the afterlife from Emanuel Swedenborg's book, Heaven and its Wonders and Hell From Things Heard and Seen (1758). Critics also claim that Joseph Smith's practice of plural marriage was similar to Swedenborg's philosophy of "spiritual wifery."