In their book The Christ who Heals, the Givens write on page 74:
“Atonement is primarily about healing the pains and strains of injured relationships.”
A group of "Mormons" who identify as the Restoration Movement, or Remnant Fellowship, have gathered their collective knowledge on a website. After studying LDS Scripture and theology all of their lives, here is what they have concluded. It is no surprise that it differs with the Utah-based Brighamite sect in many regards; mostly in the view that there are no "worthiness interviews" found in LDS Scripture and its original theology. Instead, repentance is about changing your mind and turning toward the path of baptism, taking on the name of, or lifestyle of, Christ; and receiving the Holy Ghost. In other words, Mormon Scripture actually does not support the idea of the atonement as an ongoing psychological tool by clergymen to cause shame in those who make mistakes within a "works-based gospel" of constantly seeking purity-perfection and meriting one's salvation or exaltation. Here is how the Restoration Edition Scripture's glossary puts it (emphasis added):
… The Father’s doctrine is that all men everywhere [must] repent and believe in [Christ] (3 Nephi 5:9). This is what the whole of creation hangs on: the atonement of the Son. It is through the Son’s sacrifice that the Father’s plan became operational. Now, in order to return to the Father, all must do so in reliance upon the merits of the Son (John 2:2).[5]
… It is impossible to become altogether clean in this fallen world. Despite mankind’s best efforts, in the end they’re going to find they are lacking. The [LDS] scriptures admit this. All are in need of redemption from an outside power — someone with greater virtue and power who can lift mankind from the fallen condition into something higher, cleaner, and more godly. This is the role of Christ.
… [Christ] can forgive all men all offenses, but He requires them to forgive others (see T&C 51:3). If they fail to forgive others, they cannot be forgiven (see Matthew 3:30).
Mankind does not move from a state of evil to redemption by Christ’s sacrifice alone. It is required for them to follow Him (see John 6:29). They follow Him when they allow Him to succor them, to impart knowledge to them, and when they forgive others through His knowledge gained from the atonement.
… The atonement is not really a singular event, apart from the completion of the preparation. The atonement process is Christ reasoning with, persuading, and forgiving each repentant sinner on an ongoing basis to redeem them. The atonement (not capitalized) is His great work, while the Atonement (capitalized) is when it is done, finished, and over.[7] See also REDEMPTION.
(Source)
In the same glossary under the word Redemption we read (emphasis added):
… Redemption, or atonement, restores one to a former, happier condition…. By redemption, someone has paid a price to get you off.”[2] It is impossible to become altogether clean in this fallen world. Man can do his best, but in the end, he’s going to find he is lacking. The scriptures admit this. …
… How humble it is for the Lord to be willing to accept the reluctant, tardy, and slow to repent. Nevertheless, He is willing to accept even them. He suffered for all and will redeem as many as will come to Him. Ultimately, the outcome will depend upon how committed they are to the process of repentance, for to repent is to come to Him. They decide if His open arms will be where they finally embrace Him.[5]
… In a universal sense, modern revelation confirms that all will be “redeemed,” except the sons of Perdition (see T&C 69:7, 24).
And by Adam came the Fall of man. And because of the Fall of man came Jesus Christ, even the Father and the Son; and because of Jesus Christ came the redemption of man. And because of the redemption of man which came by Jesus Christ, they are brought back into the presence of the Lord. Yea, this is wherein all men are redeemed, because the death of Christ bringeth to pass the resurrection, which bringeth to pass a redemption from an endless sleep, from which sleep all men shall be awoke by the power of God when the trump shall sound; and they shall come forth, both small and great, and all shall stand before his bar, being redeemed and loosed from this eternal band of death, which death is a temporal death (Mormon 4:7).
… The spirit is the guide which will lead back to the Lord’s presence. Without the guide, the doctrine of Christ is incomplete.[8]
(Source)
Note that in a careful study of all of LDS Scripture, Remnant Restorationists conclude that repentance and Atonement/Redemption is not fulfilling a laundry list of do's and avoiding don'ts, but is an undergoing process: a turning away from bad habits and toward a new life as a disciple of Christ. The only one who can forgive sin is Christ. It mentions confessing publicly but not to clergymen.
How is it that such an intelligent group of Smith-Rigdon Restorationists could study all of LDS scripture and come to this conclusion? It is my conclusion that the Remnant Fellowship glossary is in fact correct in summarizing LDS Scripture on the subject of repentance and atonement.
Christ Alone is your Bishop:
For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.” —1 Peter 2:25 KJV
The Greek word for Bishop is episkopos, which means 'overseer,' an office or position of responsibility. Other translations render the word Bishop as "Guardian."
I believe that the Brighamite sect has added a kind of Tradition of the Elders which Jesus rejects. Jesus accused the Pharisees of adding an oral tradition to the Scriptures of his day; and thus overloading the Jewish people with a heavy load of dogmatic formalism that contradicted the "spirit of the Law (Torah)."
