As a researcher who has spent years navigating the complex corridors of Latter-day Saint history and theology, I’ve encountered one doctrine that sits at the very heart of Mormonism’s departure from historical Christianity: the idea that God the Father was once a mortal man. This concept, most famously crystallized in Lorenzo Snow’s couplet, “As man…
Target Apologetic Claim:Core Claim: Latter-day Saints are Christians who share the same essential soteriology (doctrine of salvation) as Evangelicals because they use the same biblical terminology: “Salvation by grace,” “The Atonement of Jesus Christ,” “The Gospel,” and “Hell.”Examples of Where This Claim is Made: This argument is ubiquitous in missionary discussions (“Preach My Gospel”), official…
As a researcher specializing in Latter-day Saint history and theology, I’ve spent countless hours navigating the intricate theological terrain of Mormonism. One of the most common and persistent claims I encounter is that the Book of Mormon’s teachings on grace are perfectly harmonious with the Bible’s. This argument, common in Sunday School lessons, official Church…
As a researcher who spends a great deal of time in the weeds of Latter-day Saint history and theology, I often encounter a particular apologetic claim designed to bridge the vast theological gap between Mormonism and historic Christianity. You’ve likely heard it in Sunday School, in discussions with missionaries, or on the church’s official websites….
I recently came across an article from The Interpreter Foundation titled “Brigham Young, Race, and Slavery: Reexamining Utah’s 1852 Service Act.” The author, Daniel C. Peterson, argues that “recent scholarship” has overturned our understanding of this period. He claims that the 1852 law, far from legalizing chattel slavery, actually established a more benign system of…