This weekend, an article appeared in the Salt Lake Tribune titled, New guide advises Evangelicals on how to talk to Mormons. The article was about a new book written by Richard Mouw, president of Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California. Back in 2004, Richard Mouw introduced Ravi Zacharius, who spoke at the Salt Lake Tabernacle. His introduction included an apology on the behalf of Evangelicals. From the article:
The article points out that a number of his colleagues and fellow believers were outraged at his words.
I suggest for anyone wanting to discuss this article to read it in entirety: New guide advises Evangelicals on how to talk to Mormons | The Salt Lake Tribune
Here is an excerpt that I think contains the crux of the article.
I thought that this might lead to an interesting discussion. My hope is that rather than get bogged down in arguing about whether or not a central teaching of Mormonism is that humans may become gods and get their own planets, that we focus on several other ideas presented in the article. One idea from the article is in Mouw's words. "If in our attempts to defeat them we play fast and loose with the truth by attributing to them things they dont in fact teach," Mouw writes, "then we have become false teachers: teachers of untruths." The other idea that I see in the article that I thought might be worth discussing is the idea of seeing "the positive workings of God beyond the borders of orthodox Christiainity."
"Weve often seriously misrepresented the beliefs and practices of members of the LDS faith," Mouw said that Sunday night. "Its a terrible thing to bear false witness."
The article points out that a number of his colleagues and fellow believers were outraged at his words.
I suggest for anyone wanting to discuss this article to read it in entirety: New guide advises Evangelicals on how to talk to Mormons | The Salt Lake Tribune
Here is an excerpt that I think contains the crux of the article.
In the book, Mouw argues that understanding Mormonism isnt just about being nice, its a Christian mandate.
Too often, Evangelicals pick up little-taught LDS beliefs such as humans becoming gods or having their own planets and put them at the center of Mormon theology, rather than at the periphery.
"If in our attempts to defeat them we play fast and loose with the truth by attributing to them things they dont in fact teach," Mouw writes, "then we have become false teachers: teachers of untruths."
Mouw spells out the doctrinal differences between The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and historical Christian faiths: the nature of God and Jesus, the nature of the Trinity, nonbiblical Mormon scriptures and the rejection of the creeds. He rejects these positions.
Yet the Fuller president also grapples with what to think about Mormon founder Joseph Smith.
Evangelicals generally view Smith as either a lunatic or a liar, but neither category adequately explains to Mouw how Smith could launch a movement that produced so many good people who share many of his values. The same argument could be applied to Muhammad and Islam.
Mouw arrives at what could be seen by many Evangelicals as a radical idea: He recognizes "the positive workings of God beyond the borders of orthodox Christiainity."
Such respect, he believes, is the beginning of a "careful engagement with other religious perspectives."
Too often, Evangelicals pick up little-taught LDS beliefs such as humans becoming gods or having their own planets and put them at the center of Mormon theology, rather than at the periphery.
"If in our attempts to defeat them we play fast and loose with the truth by attributing to them things they dont in fact teach," Mouw writes, "then we have become false teachers: teachers of untruths."
Mouw spells out the doctrinal differences between The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and historical Christian faiths: the nature of God and Jesus, the nature of the Trinity, nonbiblical Mormon scriptures and the rejection of the creeds. He rejects these positions.
Yet the Fuller president also grapples with what to think about Mormon founder Joseph Smith.
Evangelicals generally view Smith as either a lunatic or a liar, but neither category adequately explains to Mouw how Smith could launch a movement that produced so many good people who share many of his values. The same argument could be applied to Muhammad and Islam.
Mouw arrives at what could be seen by many Evangelicals as a radical idea: He recognizes "the positive workings of God beyond the borders of orthodox Christiainity."
Such respect, he believes, is the beginning of a "careful engagement with other religious perspectives."
I thought that this might lead to an interesting discussion. My hope is that rather than get bogged down in arguing about whether or not a central teaching of Mormonism is that humans may become gods and get their own planets, that we focus on several other ideas presented in the article. One idea from the article is in Mouw's words. "If in our attempts to defeat them we play fast and loose with the truth by attributing to them things they dont in fact teach," Mouw writes, "then we have become false teachers: teachers of untruths." The other idea that I see in the article that I thought might be worth discussing is the idea of seeing "the positive workings of God beyond the borders of orthodox Christiainity."