Denver Carlos Snuffer Jr. is an American lawyer, author, lecturer and religious leader, who claims to be a "revelator to fellowships of the remnants movement," a spiritual movement in schism with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). The movement has a few thousand adherents, many of them members or former members of the LDS Church. He was excommunicated by the LDS Church in 2013 for refusing to cease publication of his 2011 book, Passing the Heavenly Gift which challenges many points of LDS orthodoxy. He subsequently has been identified as a prophet by many in Christian fellowships of "the Remnants" movement, and several of his teachings have been canonized as scripture."Denver Snuffer’s Teachings to be Canonized as Scripture" March 22, 2017

Biography Snuffer grew up in a devout Baptist household in Mountain Home, Idaho, and in 1973 converted to the LDS Church in New Hampshire during early adulthood. He received degrees from Daniel Webster Junior College and McMurry University and a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from the J. Reuben Clark Law School.

Peggy Fletcher Stack, religion columnist for the Salt Lake Tribune, has expressed Snuffer's thesis in Passing the Heavenly Gift, as "every Mormon prophet, starting with Brigham Young, caved to social, political and legal pressures to accommodate mainstream American society".Peggy Fletcher Stack, "Mormon writer who says church always caves to mainstream may be cast out" , The Salt Lake Tribune, September 6, 2013. Snuffer states in the book that he has seen and spoken with Jesus. A 2012 episode of Mormon Stories Podcast described Snuffer as a "progressive, fundamentalist, non-polygamist Mormon lawyer who claims to have seen Christ"."321-322: Denver Snuffer – A Progressive, Fundamentalist, Non-Polygamist Mormon Lawyer Who Claims to Have Seen Christ", Mormon Stories Podcast, February 12, 2012. Snuffer characterized this description of him as sensationalized."First Impressions", from the desk of Denver Snuffer, February 15, 2012

Snuffer's book, The Second Comforter: Conversing With the Lord Through the Veil, outlines a process for receiving a personal visitation from the resurrected Jesus.

In August 2013, Snuffer's Sandy, Utah, stake president informed him that the continued publication of Passing the Heavenly Gift constituted apostasy since the "book's thesis is in direct conflict with church doctrine." The only way Snuffer could avoid church discipline was to cease its publication and to cancel a planned speaking tour thought to be for promoting the ideas expressed in the book."Notice of Disciplinary Council", "Don't call me. (Yes, that means you too!)", from the desk of Denver Snuffer (blog), August 23, 2013. Snuffer's negotiations with his stake president resulted in an impasse—with Snuffer claiming that his stake president received instructions from LDS Church leaders in Salt Lake City to proceed—and he was excommunicated from the church in September 2013.Peggy Fletcher Stack, "Controversial Mormon writer gets the word: He’s out of the church" , The Salt Lake Tribune, September 12, 2013. In November 2013, Snuffer said his appeal to the First Presidency of the church to have the excommunication reversed was denied."Appeal Letter", "Appeal Letter", from the desk of Denver Snuffer (blog), November 21, 2013.

Covenant Christians (also known as Fellowships of the remnants movement)

Snuffer intended Passing the Heavenly Gift and his other works to promote loyalty to the LDS ChurchPassing the Heavenly Gift (Mill Creek Press, 2011), pp. 5, 400, 499. "Understanding How To Read PTHG", from the desk of Denver Snuffer, October 23, 2013 and did not expect to be instrumental in starting a new denomination."I Will Not Start a Church" October 18. 2013 In 2014, Snuffer said that "the Lord terminated the priesthood authority" of all church leadership who were involved in his excommunication,"Section 166", Teachings and Commandments, par. 2, May 1, 2014 including the First Presidency. Since then, Snuffer has been at the center of a loosely organized movement who see him as a prophet. As of 2017, approximately 50 fellowships worldwide have registered on an affiliated website."Fellowship Locator" Fellowships adherents gathered in conferences in 2016 and 2017,"Past Doctrine of Christ Conferences", June 15, 2017 the latter of which canonized Snuffer's teachings as scripture." The movement's canon consists of, among other texts, a reworking of scripture from the LDS Church, including the Book of Mormon, Snuffer's expanded translation of the Book of John, and several of Snuffer's own revelations."Denver Snuffer's Teachings to be Canonized as Scripture" March 22, 2017 The movement de-emphasizes hierarchy and organization, with, for example, its Minnesota fellowship claiming to have no leadership. "Fellowship Details: Minnesota Fellowship

Movement fellowship appears to draw largely from members or former members of the LDS Church, which has led some LDS Church authorities to identify Snuffer and his teachings as a vehicle for leading people out of that church. In 2017, the website MormonLeaks published a PowerPoint presentation that was shown in 2015 to the LDS Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. In it, Snuffer was identified as one of 17 "Issues and Ideas Leading People Away" from mainstream LDS doctrine."Mormon Church Challenges Legality of Leaked Documents" March 15, 2017

In September 2017, Snuffer helped organize the Covenant of Christ Conference in Boise, Idaho, at the Egyptian Theater. The conference voted on the canonization of scripture, and discussed the building of a temple.Boise Believers Fellowship (2017)http://www.covenantofchristconference.com/past/2017/Boise/index.phpStack, P.F. "An offshoot of the Mormon church is drawing away members. But what does the ‘Remnant’ believe — and will it last?" August 27, 2017, Salt Lake Tribune. Accessed at: http://www.sltrib.com/religion/local/2017/08/27/denver-snuffers-offshoot-is-drawing-away-mormons-with-the-mantra-god-can-talk-to-you-too-but-will-these-freewheeling-fellowships-last/

Publications Books The Second Comforter: Conversing with the Lord Through the Veil (Mill Creek Press, 2006) Nephi's Isaiah (Mill Creek Press, 2006) Eighteen Verses: A Discussion of the Book of Mormon (Mill Creek Press, 2007) Ten Parables (Mill Creek Press, 2008) Beloved Enos (Mill Creek Pres, 2009) Come, Let Us Adore Him (Mill Creek Press, 2009) Removing the Condemnation (Mill Creek Press, 2011) Discoveries in Chiasmus - A Pattern in All Things (co-authored, Digital Legend Press, 2011) ASIN B00PV6PB0M Passing the Heavenly Gift (Mill Creek Press, 2011) Remembering the Covenant (5 vols., Mill Creek Press, 2013) Essays: Three Degrees (Mill Creek Press, 2014) Preserving the Restoration (Mill Creek Press, 2015) A Man Without Doubt (Mill Creek Press, 2016) Religion of the Fathers: Context for the Book of Abraham (Independent, 2021) The Testimony of Jesus: Past, Present and Promise (Restoration Archive, 2021)

Selected articles

Revelations and scriptural texts

See also Mormonism and history September Six

Notes

External links Denver C. Snuffer Jr., "Denver Snuffer | Blogs, Books, Papers & Lectures". Gregory L. Smith, "Passing Up The Heavenly Gift (Part One of Two): Review of Denver C. Snuffer Jr., Passing the Heavenly Gift", Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture 7 (2013): 181–243. Gregory L. Smith, "Passing Up The Heavenly Gift (Part Two of Two): Review of Denver C. Snuffer Jr., Passing the Heavenly Gift", Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture 7 (2013): 245–341. Russell Y. Anderson, "Snuffer, 'Passing the Heavenly Gift' (reviewed by Russell Y. Anderson)", Association for Mormon Letters Discussion Board Julie J. Nichols, "Snuffer, 'Passing the Heavenly Gift' (reviewed by Julie J. Nichols)", Association for Mormon Letters Discussion Board