Archive for category: Mormonism

Back when I first started studying Mormonism I encountered a lot of believingMormons. Men and women who actually believed Joseph Smith was a prophet–a real prophet, and that the Book of Mormon was really true, and that the LDS Church had something called Latter-day Revelation which was, well, actually revelation. Evidently, those Mormons are now long gone, at least as

   I confess, I do not understand it. How a religion can play the “political correctness” game is completely beyond me. Yes, I know–in today’s culture, everyone is a victim, everyone is a martyr, and now if you dare even ask let alone answer a question about someone’s religious faith, you are being mean-spirited and everyone will demand an apology from

   I am listening to the Today Show with Matt Lauer. He is interviewing Mitt Romney, and Romney has just claimed that the LDS Church has “clarified” a question raised by Huckabee. Evidently Huckabee asked something along the lines of, “Don’t Mormons believe the Devil and Jesus are brothers?” NBC then indicated that LDS leaders had “denied” this assertion.    I have

THUS SAYETH THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATIONS    If we assume that a publication copyrighted by the Corporation of the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints can be logically called “official,” we find a number of statements concerning the literal paternity of Christ in “official” documents written over the last thirty years. For example, from the Family Home Evenings

MORE AUTHORITIES TESTIFY    One of the strongest sources we can turn to regarding this doctrine is the official pronouncement titled, “The Father and The Son: A Doctrinal Exposition by the First Presidency and the Twelve.” Under the subtitle, “Father as Literal Parent,” we find these words: Scriptures embodying the ordinary signification-literally that of Parent-are too numerous and specific to require

   But of all LDS authorities, Apostle Bruce R. McConkie provides the clearest, most pointed affirmations of this doctrine. In his book, Mormon Doctrine, in defining the phrase, “Only Begotten Son,” he wrote, These name-titles all signify that our Lord is the only Son of the Father in the flesh. Each of the words is to be understood literally. Only means

THE TWENTIETH CENTURY    Two LDS authorities figure prominently in teaching the literal physical parentage of Jesus Christ by the Father in the twentieth century, James Talmage and Bruce R. McConkie. We will look at their statements first, and then provide other confirmatory proclamations by other LDS leaders. Finally, we will look at books published by the LDS Church that also

Nineteenth Century Teachings    Since it is said that this doctrine is primarily found in the nineteenth century, we should take the time to find out if those LDS leaders that modern apologists admit speculated on this topic were, in fact, saying, This is my speculation and opinion only, or whether in fact they taught this doctrine as a divine truth,

   Mormonism continues to show great shame for its own roots and its own history, resulting in the (dishonest) rewriting of its own history. One of the most embarrassing teachings of the LDS Church and its leaders has to do with the teaching that Jesus is the physical offspring of Elohim, the Father, who likewise has a physical body. That is,

Robert Millet seems to be the new man on the block to make Mormonism more palatable. If you have not read it yet, don’t miss Gary L.W. Johnson’s chapter The Reformation, Today’s Evangelicals, and Mormons: What Next? in By Faith Alone: Answering the Challenges to the Doctrine of Justification (Crossway, 2007). In Johnson’s chapter, he corrects Millet’s communication of a

   This is some of the biggest news I’ve seen coming out of Mormonism in quite some time. Here is the Salt Lake Tribune article (ht: TC). Changing a single word in the introduction to the Book of Mormon may not seem like a huge thing to most folks, but it is the word that is changed that says a lot.

Last month James informed us that Sandra Tanner was scheduled to be on the Bible Answer Man. Her appearance was reschedule for this week and Sandra was on BAM Tuesday (10/16) and Wednesday (10/17). Click here to listen in.

   I just received notice that Sandra Tanner, one of the greatest living experts on Mormonism, will be on The Bible Answer Man Broadcast next week, Tuesday and Wednesday, September 18th and 19th. Anyone who has ever spent time talking to Sandra knows she is an encyclopedic resource of information about the history and beliefs of Mormonism, so I would encourage

In the latest edition of Reformation21, Issue 24 (September 2007), an article appears by James titled “Truth and Honesty in Evaluating the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.” Click here to read. The rest of the latest edition is here.

The Encyclopedia of Mormonism    Before we conclude our examination, I would like to call one last witness to the stand. In 1992 a major publication appeared in LDS bookstores called The Encyclopedia of Mormonism. This major work represented the work of numerous LDS scholars and writers. Does it, likewise, speak of these doctrines? It most assuredly does. One of the

Bruce R. McConkie    I have often commented that I’m glad I am not Bruce R. McConkie. Why? Because of all the LDS Apostles of recent memory, he is the one about whom I have heard it said most often: “Well, that was just his opinion.” As far as Apostles go, he is the one that LDS missionaries like to disagree

James Talmage    Another leading scholar (and General Authority) of Mormonism was James Talmage. Talmage’s books, Articles of Faith and Jesus the Christ, have been read so widely that they are almost quasi-canonical. Indeed, both have been published by the LDS Church itself, sometimes in leather-bound editions! They are often included in the books given to Mormon missionaries as they prepare

   The current CRI Journal has an article by Bill McKeever and Eric Johnson on the issue of Mormon apologetics and the situation that has arisen due to the Millet/Johnson situation in Utah, and the group “Standing Together.” I was especially interested to read a number of citations that mirrored my own comments made in response to Richard Mouw’s attacks upon

Wilford Woodruff Wilford Woodruff became the fourth President of the LDS Church in 1889. While known to history more as the Prophet through which the Manifesto ending polygamy came to the LDS Church, he also spoke to the topic of our study in the years prior to his elevation to the Presidency, here from 1857: If there was a point

   I have been seeking to provide to those interested in knowing the truth the facts concerning the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons) related to the doctrine of God. Who is the God of Mormonism? Is Mormonism just a variant of Christianity? The candidacy of Mitt Romney for President has once again thrown tremendous

Statements of General Authorities in Conference    The semi-annual General Conferences of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints provide a forum for the leaders of the Church to provide constant, up-to-date guidance of the LDS Church. Here the Apostles gather with the Prophet and instruct the Church on issues doctrinal and moral. The LDS Church has diligently recorded the

Men are Gods in Embryo    At times LDS representatives have complained that Christian writers use terminology of Mormonism that Mormons would never use themselves. Sometimes there is truth to this complaint, but in the case of the Mormon doctrine of God, one will find some of the strongest terms being used in LDS literature itself. It might seem to some

Student Manual    The LDS Church also offers various courses in religion and doctrine, and publishes manuals to go along with these courses. One such manual, Doctrines of the Gospel, is meant for the Religion 231 and 232 classes. Early on (Chapter 3) it addresses the nature of God from the LDS viewpoint. We should no longer be surprised that as

   Just finished a quick segment with Todd Friel on Way of the Master. He had called yesterday when a Mitt Romney proponent had challenged him on his statement that Jesus and Lucifer are spirit brothers. So we did the “Todd Friel Express Interview”® thing, but I only got to read a single statement actually substantiating the doctrine, since I had

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints provides a tremendous amount of literature to its people. This body of printed material can hardly be surveyed here. However, we can focus upon those publications that are specifically meant to communicate doctrinal truth to the members of the Mormon Church. Since the vast majority of this material appears in Church published

The LDS Temple Ceremonies    Recognizing that Mormons find discussion of their ceremonies offensive, we present only that information that is vital to determining the theological teaching of those ceremonies. We have already established the fact that these ceremonies are believed to be revelatory, and hence must be allowed to speak with reference to the official LDS doctrine of God.    What

More from Joseph Smith    While the preceding discourse is certainly the longest extant presentation of the LDS doctrine of God and man from the Mormon Prophet, it is certainly not all he said on the subject. Indeed, in the few years before his death in 1844, Smith spoke often of this concept. He encountered a good bit of opposition, even

   We received this e-mail unsolicited. We have sought to exemplify a God-honoring approach to Mormonism since 1982. Here is why: Dear Dr. White, I would like to thank you for taking a bold, truthful stand in opposition to the ungospel of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I am especially grateful that you rely of TRUTH to denounce

The Council of the Gods    At this point Smith goes into a fascinating discussion of Genesis 1:1 and how this passage supports his theology, but we move past this to remain focused upon ascertaining the what of his theology more than the how at this point.    Oh, ye lawyers, ye doctors, and ye priests, who have persecuted me, I want

   Keith Walker got a response from CT about the deceptive Millet/McDermott article that so grossly spun Mormonism as to try to make it look evangelical. Here’s the correspondence. (HT: Plaidman!)

   The spin only moves faster as the article continues: Besides, Mormon beliefs are not as un-evangelical as most evangelicals think. Unlike Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons hold firmly to the deity of Christ. For Latter-Day Saints, Jesus is not only the Son of God but also God the Son. Evangelical pollster George Barna found in 2001 that while only 33 percent of