PATHEOS LIBRARY OF

World Faiths & Religions

Frequently Asked Questions

How do Mormons view education?

Education at all levels and of all types (formal and informal) is encouraged by church leaders. Several canonical statements encourage acquiring knowledge: to quote three verses from the Doctrine and Covenants, for example: "seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith" (D&C 88:118); "study and learn, and become acquainted with all good books, and with languages, tongues, and people" (D&C 90:15); "obtain a knowledge of history, and of countries, and of kingdoms, of laws of God and man" (D&C 93:53). The LDS Church owns and operates several private universities in the United States (BYU-Provo [Utah], BYU-Idaho, BYU-Hawaii), and several small primary schools outside the U.S. The Church has implemented a forward-looking program called the Perpetual Education Fund, in which LDS members in underdeveloped countries may receive loans toward college or trade school. A further oft-cited canonical statement is "the glory of God is intelligence" (D&C 93:36).