Category: Reviews of LDS Media
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Mormonism’s Gospel of Jesus Christ An Open Book?
In the 2012 book Mormons An Open Book, Written by a Mormon, What You Really Want to Know, author Anthony Sweat gets right to the point: “The gospel of Jesus Christ is this: “1. Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, “2. Repentance, “3. Baptism by immersion by one holding the proper priesthood authority, “4. Reception…
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Mormon Doctrine and How It Is Established: An Official Explanation?
At the April (2012) General Conference of the Mormon Church, Apostle D. Todd Christofferson told the congregation, “…we must admit there has been and still persists some confusion about our doctrine and how it is established. That is the subject I wish to address today.” In his remarks, Apostle Christofferson explained, “The President of the…
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The Book of Mormon: The Keystone of Mormon Doctrine
The October 2011 Ensign magazine was a special issue, dedicated entirely to the topic of the Book of Mormon. LDS apostle Todd Christofferson’s article explained how to study the Book of Mormon and quoted past LDS prophet Ezra Taft Benson’s top three reasons that people should make study of the Book of Mormon “a lifetime…
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Thomas Monson’s To Do List (For You)
The Mormon Church’s Teachings of the Living Prophets Student Manual Religion 333 quotes Mormonism’s 13th prophet-president Ezra Taft Benson, “Of all mortal men, we should keep our eyes most firmly fixed on the captain, the prophet, seer, and revelator, and president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This is the man who…
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Salvation and Grace
In The Plan of Salvation LDS author Matthew B. Brown provides his audience with an appendix “designed to direct the reader to information on the LDS view of salvation and grace.” Included (among other things) are four pages of helpful quotations from prominent LDS leaders. Here are some excerpts from Mr. Brown’s Appendix III. “Grace…
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Book Review: Shaken Faith Syndrome
Reviewed by Eric Johnson Michael R. Ash, a Mormon apologist who runs the website www.MormonFortress.com, has written a book he hopes will pacify those Latter-day Saints who are thinking about exiting the Mormon Church. He claims on the book’s back cover that “an increasing number of Latter-day Saints are encountering anti-Mormon material….Some arguments have caused…
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Heber C. Kimball’s Potter and Clay
The January 2011 issue of Ensign magazine reprinted a portion of a discourse first delivered by Heber C. Kimball in 1854. Mr. Kimball was the First Counselor in the First Presidency when he spoke to the Latter-Day Saints about “The Potter and the Clay.” As you might guess, Mr. Kimball’s remarks focused on obedience: obedience…
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Classic Mormonism
I’ve been reading The Plan of Salvation: Understanding Our Divine Origin and Destiny by Matthew B. Brown (Covenant Communications, 2007). I’m not finished reading it yet, but the opening section, “Where Did I Come From,” favorably impresses me. Identified on the book jacket as a “respected gospel scholar,” Mr. Brown has written ten non-fiction books,…
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Book Review: Gethsemane
Reviewed by Aaron Shafovaloff According to BYU professor Andrew Skinner, the centerpiece of Heavenly Father’s plan was a “singular moment in a specific time and place on this earth in a garden called Gethsemane… The events that occurred in Gethsemane were part of the atonement of Jesus Christ—not preparatory to it, nor secondary to it,…
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Missing the Point
During the April 2010 General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints President Dieter F. Uchtdorf (Second Counselor in the First Presidency) talked about Mormons being the “hands” of Christ. Mr. Uchtdorf provided lots of good ideas on how people can (and should) emulate Christ by embracing, comforting, serving and loving one…
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Book Review: What Every Mormon (and Non-Mormon) Should Know: Examining Mormon History, Doctrines and Claims
Reviewed by Eric Johnson Former Mormonism Research Ministry associate Lane Thuett has teamed with Edmond Gross to put together a well-documented 500+-page book on the subject of Mormonism. The authors have pitched a winner as they utilize a great number of authoritative sources to show that Mormonism is truly much different than historical Christianity. The…
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Book Review: What Happened to the Cross? Distinctive LDS Teachings
By Eric Johnson Mormon apologist Robert Millet, a professor of ancient scripture and a former dean of Religious Education at Mormon-owned Brigham Young University, has authored dozens of books on the LDS religion. Hence, he wrote the 2007 book What Happened to the Cross? to help Mormons share their faith about the atonement of Christ,…
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Jorge Zeballos’s Attempt at the Impossible
By Eric Johnson The ability to earn one’s own salvation is an important distinction in the teachings of the Mormon Church. Using the Book of Mormon passage that a person is saved “by grace after all (he or she) can do” (2 Nephi 25:23), LDS leaders throughout the years have made it abundantly clear that…
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Book Review: Mere Mormonism
Reviewed by Eric Johnson If you thought of C.S. Lewis and Mere Christianity when you saw the title of the book being reviewed, you were supposed to. Unfortunately, I don’t believe the author of Mere Mormonism—Ronald R. Zollinger—would have been worthy to tie the proverbial shoestrings of the late philosopher from England. Mere Mormonism will…
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Beloved Rescue Story Is a Myth. Say It Ain’t So.
One feature of the 2008 book Devil’s Gate: Brigham Young and the Great Mormon Handcart Tragedy by David Roberts is the debunking of popular myths connected to the “handcart experiment.” There are many, and they are continually believed and repeated within Mormon circles. Some of these stories are held very dear and beloved by Latter-day…
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Book Review: I’m Not Perfect. Can I Still Go to Heaven?
In 2009 author and religious educator Anthony Sweat conducted an informal study of LDS teenagers. He asked 701 Mormon kids which kingdom of glory they thought they would end up in if they were to die and be judged that very day. Mr. Sweat was dismayed to find that almost half of the active LDS…
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Authorized and Official Biography
A new book about Joseph Smith is about to hit the market. A recent online press release divulged, “Joseph Smith, the Mormon prophet, could be the most controversial and mysterious religious figure of the past two hundred years. While volumes have been written about him— both in praise and contempt— the reality is that very…
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Flawless Righteousness
The April issue of Ensign magazine (pages 38-42) includes an article by LDS Seventy (First Quorum) Richard J. Maynes. “The Eternal Importance of Honesty” is itself a breath of fresh air in its own honesty. The article clearly reflects traditional LDS teachings, the sort of ideas Mormons like to believe aren’t really Church doctrine. To…
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“Picky, theological details”
On January 25th (2010) LDS Seventy Bruce C. Hafen spoke at the University of Utah during a fireside for young adults. Though I didn’t agree with everything, I found some of Mr. Hafen’s remarks (as reported in Mormon Times) to be quite refreshing. For instance, “Faithful questioning is a hallmark of a searching soul, he…
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Attempting the Impossible?
The ability to earn one’s own salvation is an important distinction in the teachings of the Mormon Church. Using the Book of Mormon passage that a person is saved “by grace after all (he or she) can do” (2 Nephi 25:23), LDS leaders throughout the years have made it abundantly clear that grace only takes…
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