Key to the Science of Theology

Key to the Science of Theology presents Parley P. Pratt’s systematic exposition of theological principles within the framework of the Latter-day Saint movement. Written in the mid-nineteenth century, the work argues that religious knowledge must advance alongside scientific and intellectual progress. Pratt contends that traditional creeds have become rigid and inadequate for an age of discovery and communication, and he calls for a reorganization of religious thought based on revealed knowledge rather than inherited opinion.

The volume outlines what the author terms a “science of theology,” drawing upon scripture, prophecy, reason, and analogy. Emphasis is placed on divine revelation, millennial expectation, and the possibility of unified religious truth grounded in knowledge rather than sectarian division. Pratt presents theology as an ordered and rational system capable of harmonizing spiritual and material realities.

The work reflects early Mormon doctrinal development and nineteenth-century religious reform currents, offering insight into the intellectual foundations of the Latter-day Saint tradition.