King Follett Discourse Explained: Joseph Smith on Becoming Like God and Eternal Progression
King Follett Discourse Explained: Joseph Smith’s Teachings on Exaltation, the Nature of God, and Eternal Progression
King Follett Discourse is one of the most important and controversial sermons ever delivered by Joseph Smith. Given in Nauvoo on April 7, 1844, only a few months before his martyrdom, the sermon explores profound doctrines about exaltation, the eternal nature of humanity, agency, the character of God, creation, eternal progression, and mankind’s divine potential through Jesus Christ. In this detailed discussion, BYU professor Casey Paul Griffiths explains why the King Follett Discourse continues to shape Latter-day Saint theology and why many consider it the climax of Joseph Smith’s prophetic teachings.
TL;DR: Why the King Follett Discourse Matters
The King Follett Discourse presents Joseph Smith’s expansive vision of God and humanity. The sermon teaches that men and women are eternal beings with divine potential, that exaltation through Jesus Christ is the purpose of life, and that God desires His children to become like Him. While some teachings in the discourse remain controversial or not fully understood, the sermon offers one of the clearest expressions of the Restoration’s teachings on eternal progression, agency, and the loving nature of Heavenly Father.
Watch the Full Discussion on the King Follett Discourse
What Is the King Follett Discourse?
The King Follett Discourse was delivered by Joseph Smith during a general conference in Nauvoo after the death of a Church member named King Follett. Although the sermon carries his name, the discourse itself focuses far more on eternity, resurrection, exaltation, and the destiny of mankind than on King Follett personally.
King Follett had died in a tragic construction accident, and Joseph Smith used the occasion to teach about what happens after death and why mortality matters. The sermon was delivered before thousands of Saints and came during an intense period of tension in Nauvoo, only weeks before Joseph Smith would be killed at Carthage Jail.
Casey Paul Griffiths explains that many historians and scholars view the King Follett Discourse as the culmination of Joseph Smith’s theological development. Rather than introducing completely new ideas, the sermon gathers together doctrines previously revealed in the Doctrine and Covenants, the Book of Abraham, and earlier revelations.
Why the King Follett Discourse Is Considered Joseph Smith’s Greatest Sermon
One of the most fascinating parts of the discussion is the claim that the King Follett Discourse represents the “apex” of Joseph Smith’s teachings. Casey quotes literary critic Harold Bloom, who described Joseph Smith as one of the great religious geniuses in American history and considered the King Follett sermon one of the most original religious discourses produced in America.
The sermon is powerful because Joseph Smith connects many Restoration doctrines into one grand theological vision. He addresses questions Christians have debated for centuries:
- What is the true nature of God?
- Did humanity exist before birth?
- Can mankind become like God?
- Why does evil exist?
- What is the purpose of mortality?
- What does eternal life actually mean?
According to Casey, Joseph Smith was not afraid to challenge long-held assumptions within traditional Christianity. The King Follett Discourse directly confronts ideas like creation out of nothing, the immaterial nature of God, and the belief that heaven is merely passive worship forever.
How the King Follett Discourse Was Recorded
An important part of the discussion centers on how the sermon was preserved. Unlike modern conference talks, Joseph Smith’s sermon was not recorded word-for-word. Instead, four men took notes during the discourse:
- Willard Richards
- Wilford Woodruff
- William Clayton
- Thomas Bullock
The version commonly read today is an amalgamation of those accounts. Casey emphasizes that while individual wording may vary, the major teachings remain consistent across all four records.
Thomas Bullock’s account is generally considered the most complete. Casey encourages people to read the original sources on the Joseph Smith Papers website to better understand the sermon’s context and wording.
What the King Follett Discourse Teaches About Exaltation
A central doctrine in the King Follett Discourse is exaltation—the belief that through Jesus Christ, men and women can become like God.
Casey explains that this doctrine was not new in 1844. Earlier revelations, especially Doctrine and Covenants 93, had already introduced the idea that humanity possesses eternal divine potential.
Joseph Smith taught that exaltation is the entire purpose of mortality. Humanity is not destined merely to exist forever, but to grow, progress, and inherit eternal life through Christ.
The discussion emphasizes that this doctrine does not mean replacing God or competing with Him. Instead, exaltation reflects the loving nature of Heavenly Father, who desires His children to inherit all that He has.
Casey uses the analogy of an acorn and an oak tree. An acorn is not equal to the oak tree, but it possesses the potential to become one. Likewise, mankind has divine potential through the grace of Jesus Christ.
Did Joseph Smith Teach That God Was Once a Man?
One of the most controversial teachings in the King Follett Discourse is Joseph Smith’s statement that God was once as man now is.
Casey carefully explains that Latter-day Saints do believe this teaching, but they do not know many details about it. He describes it as “esoteric doctrine”—a true teaching that has not been fully revealed or explained.
The discussion references Lorenzo Snow’s famous couplet:
“As man now is, God once was; as God now is, man may become.”
Casey points out that the Church teaches the second half of the statement far more often than the first. The doctrine that humanity can become like God is central to Latter-day Saint theology. The details surrounding God’s premortal experience, however, remain largely unrevealed.
The video also references President Gordon B. Hinckley’s famous statement in a 1997 interview where he acknowledged that while the teaching exists, the Church does not emphasize speculation about details that have not been revealed.
Casey stresses the importance of humility and caution. Questions such as whether God had parents or what His mortal life may have been like remain unanswered.
How the King Follett Discourse Explains Eternal Intelligence and Agency
Another major focus of the King Follett Discourse is the idea that intelligence is eternal and uncreated.
Casey connects this teaching directly to Doctrine and Covenants 93, where Joseph Smith taught:
- “Intelligence… was not created or made.”
- Truth and intelligence are eternal.
- Agency has always existed.
This doctrine radically departs from traditional Christian ideas of creation out of nothing. Instead of God creating everything from absolute nothingness, Joseph Smith taught that God organized eternal matter and eternal intelligences.
According to Casey, this teaching helps answer difficult philosophical questions about evil and agency.
If human beings possess genuine eternal agency, then their choices are real. God is not programming people like machines. Good and evil choices truly belong to individuals.
This understanding also explains why growth and progression matter. Humanity is not robotic or predetermined. Through Christ, individuals can genuinely choose to become more like God.
Why the King Follett Discourse Changes the Understanding of God
The King Follett Discourse presents a deeply personal and relational understanding of God.
Rather than seeing God as an abstract force or distant being, Joseph Smith taught that God is a glorified, exalted Father who loves His children and desires their eternal happiness.
This understanding of God naturally leads to other Restoration doctrines:
- Heavenly Parents
- Eternal marriage
- Family relationships continuing after death
- Exaltation through Christ
- The eternal importance of parenthood
Casey explains that the doctrine of exaltation makes heaven meaningful and active rather than static or boring. Eternal life involves continued growth, creativity, relationships, and service.
God’s work and glory, as taught in Moses 1:39, is “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.”
The King Follett Discourse and the Problem of Evil
One of the most intellectually significant sections of the video explores how Joseph Smith’s teachings address the “problem of evil.”
If God created people completely from nothing and predetermined every aspect of existence, critics ask why evil exists at all.
Joseph Smith’s teachings provide a different framework:
- Intelligence is eternal.
- Agency is eternal.
- God organizes and nurtures rather than forcibly controls.
- People genuinely choose good or evil.
This allows human freedom to remain real while also preserving God’s goodness.
Casey argues that Joseph Smith’s revelations solve philosophical problems that have troubled theologians for centuries.
How the King Follett Discourse Was Received
The reaction to the King Follett Discourse was deeply divided.
Faithful Saints like Wilford Woodruff described it as one of the greatest spiritual experiences of their lives. Others considered the teachings blasphemous.
Casey explains that some of Joseph Smith’s enemies, including those associated with the Nauvoo Expositor, were outraged by doctrines such as plural marriage and the plurality of gods. These teachings contributed to the tensions that ultimately led to Joseph Smith’s martyrdom.
The sermon became a dividing line. Some listeners embraced Joseph Smith’s expansive vision of humanity’s divine destiny. Others viewed it as dangerous heresy.
Why the King Follett Discourse Has Not Been Canonized
Many people wonder why the King Follett Discourse is not part of the official canon of scripture.
Casey explains that most of the sermon’s core teachings are already found in canonized scripture, including:
- Doctrine and Covenants 76
- Doctrine and Covenants 93
- Doctrine and Covenants 130
- The Book of Abraham
Because the sermon survives through note-taking rather than direct revelation text, canonization may not be necessary.
Still, Casey personally believes the discourse is one of the most important teachings Joseph Smith ever delivered and encourages serious students of Church history to study it carefully.
Why the King Follett Discourse Continues to Inspire Latter-day Saints
Near the conclusion of the discussion, Casey addresses why many Latter-day Saints feel hesitant or defensive about the King Follett Discourse. Critics often point to it as evidence that Latter-day Saint theology is radically different from traditional Christianity.
Yet Casey approaches the sermon with confidence and gratitude. For him, the King Follett Discourse presents a hopeful vision of existence.
The sermon teaches that:
- Human beings are eternal.
- God is deeply personal and loving.
- Families matter eternally.
- Jesus Christ makes exaltation possible.
- The purpose of life is growth and transformation.
Rather than reducing humanity, Joseph Smith’s teachings elevate mankind’s divine potential through Christ.
Casey concludes that the King Follett Discourse inspires him because it presents a God who is actively involved in helping His children become like Him. The doctrines are expansive, hopeful, and motivating.
For faithful Latter-day Saints, the King Follett Discourse remains one of the clearest expressions of the Restoration’s vision of eternal life and humanity’s destiny through Jesus Christ.