Faith, Repentance, Baptism, the Gift of the Holy Ghost

from the Introduction to First Principles and Ordinances by Samuel M. Brown

"The principles and ordinances of the fourth article of faith are familiar to most traditional Christians. Among Latter-day Saints, though, these concepts have dramatically expanded meanings.  I believe that the first principles and ordinances are much more about relationships--among humans and between humans and [the Father, Son and Holy Ghost]--than is generally recognized  I feel that particularly in the last fifty years, many of us Latter-day Saints have tended toward traditionally American views on faith, repentance, baptism, and the gift of the Holy Ghost.  These traditional American Protestant views have emphasized individuals over their relationships.  Faith, repentance, baptism and confirmation have sometimes been about an individual making her often lonely way toward God.  In this book I describe an approach to the first principles and ordinances of the  gospel that acknowledges the relationships that stand at the core of the gospel and the meaning of life...For each principle, emphasizing relationships transforms a familiar concept.  As markers of relationships, the elements of the fourth article of faith point toward the temple and the grand story of connection that the temple contains.  Put another way, the revelation of temple ordinances was built line upon line, precept upon precept, from the very simplest of our doctrines--the first principles and ordinances of the fourth article of faith."

I'm interested.