Secondary Questions / Prophets and Revelation
What does it mean when a prophet ‘speaks as a man’?
What the question is
Latter-day Saints believe prophets are mortal, fallible men called and inspired by God. Not every statement of every Church leader is binding doctrine; the canon and the unified counsel of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve carry the highest authority.
Where to read what the Church has published
How this often lands
Learning to distinguish scripture, sustained doctrine, and personal opinion is part of being a Latter-day Saint. It also gives us room to honor our prophets without pretending they were perfect — which they themselves never claimed to be.
A small reminder, before you scroll on
This is one of the harder questions, and it’s a real one. It isn’t, on its own, the foundation. If it’s been a while since you sat with the primary questions — or if you haven’t yet — that’s usually the most helpful place to return.