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Talking with Mormons: An Invitation to Evangelicals
For over a decade Fuller Seminary president Richard Mouw has participated in Mormon-evangelical dialogue with a view to developing a better understanding between the two groups. His participation in these discussions has drawn severe criticism and even anger from people who believe such talks are pointless or even dangerous.
This brief, highly accessible book is his answer. Advocating humility, patience, and a willingness to admit our own shortcomings, Mouw shows why it is necessary to move beyond stark denunciation to a dialogue that allows both parties to express differences and explore common ground. Without papering over significantly divergent perspectives on important issues like the role of prophecy, the nature of God, and the creeds, Mouw points to areas in which Mormon-evangelical dialogue evidences hope for the future. In so doing, he not only informs readers but also models respectful evangelical debate.
This brief, highly accessible book is his answer. Advocating humility, patience, and a willingness to admit our own shortcomings, Mouw shows why it is necessary to move beyond stark denunciation to a dialogue that allows both parties to express differences and explore common ground. Without papering over significantly divergent perspectives on important issues like the role of prophecy, the nature of God, and the creeds, Mouw points to areas in which Mormon-evangelical dialogue evidences hope for the future. In so doing, he not only informs readers but also models respectful evangelical debate.
- GenresNonfiction
109 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2012
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33 people want to read
About the author
Richard J. Mouw
86 books42 followersRichard John Mouw is a theologian and philosopher. He held the position of President at Fuller Theological Seminary for 20 years (1993-2013), and continues to hold the post of Professor of Faith and Public Life.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
January 22, 2014
This book contains the personal reflections of an evangelical (Calvinist) Christian who has spent the last decade or so in dialog with Mormonism. Mouw believes the atmosphere of Mormon/Evangelical interaction has too often been toxic, infused with polemical pollutants. He hopes to clear the air by example.
The book is largely conversation and Mouw says deep theological engagements aren't the focus of this volume. Instead, he describes his interactions with several prominent Mormons from BYU professors to an apostle, and offers some details about the fruit of these discussions. Specifically, he tackles three questions evangelicals raise about Mormon perspectives: Whether they believe in the "same Jesus," what they believe about the authority of the Bible, and what is the role of Joseph Smith as a claimed prophet. He argues that these examples suggest that the divide between Mormons and evangelicals may not be as wide as they think.
Perhaps the most repeated plea in the book is that evangelicals stop coming into the conversation believing they already understand what Mormons believe. He even exempts Mormonism from "cult" status (although he unfortunately continues to affix that label to a few other minority religions, ix). Even though the book is framed as an invitation to evangelicals, Mouw makes his motivation clear by affirming his desire to change Mormonism to align more closely with his own Calvinist perspective; it's evident he does not see a need for evangelicals like himself to adjust their own theological perspectives in exchange. The main "invitation" here is for evangelicals to first seek to understand Mormonism more fully, and second, to help shift Mormon views closer to those of evangelical Calvinists.
How can they accommodate this shift? Although Mouw frequently employs confrontational warfare imagery in his description of the ongoing dialog, he encourages evangelicals to try harder to understand the religious impulses of Mormons themselves, to understand how they respond to "the hopes and fears of all the years," common human concerns:
"The shift here is from an agenda shaped by the question 'How do we keep them from taking over our world?' to one that emerges when we ask 'What is it about their teachings that speaks to what they understand to be their deepest human needs and yearnings?'" (80).
Doing so will allow evangelicals to offer alternate perspectives, or to encourage a shift in Mormon emphasis, toward a Calvinist model of faith that focuses on the sovereignty of God and the utter depravity of humans.
Mormons will probably benefit most from Mouw's comparison of Mormonism's open canon to the function of creeds in Protestantism and the magisterium of Catholicism. (There is much to chew on in this section that I can't cover in a review.) Evangelicals may benefit most from Mouw's plea to recognize the possibility that "a person can fall far short of a robust theological orthodoxy and still be in a genuine relationship with Jesus" (99). He goes as far as suggesting that evangelicals can, if they look for it, discover "revealed truths" in Mormon scripture and teachings, but stops short by affirming such truths will not correct, but only affirm, things evangelicals already believe (79-80).
Mouw has taken a lot of hits within his religious community for his work with Mormons--early on being told that he didn't know Mormons well enough and so would easily be deceived by them, later being told he had become too close to Mormons to have a clear view of their dangerous heresies. His acknowledgements page pleads the fifth, he doesn't want to incriminate people who might be viewed with suspicion for sympathizing with a Mormon sympathizer. This context helps account for his frequent reminders that he has serious disagreements with Mormon theology. He paints a picture for evangelicals of Mormonism's increasing internal diversity. He believes this will result in a "Nicene moment" when theological boundaries will be set more firmly, and he hopes his proximity to the Mormons will pay off then (60).
If this scenario seems a bit far-fetched, Mouw's sincere apology on behalf of evangelicals for misrepresenting Mormon beliefs will hopefully encourage evangelicals to be more careful in their discussions about Mormonism in the future, as well as encourage Mormons to return the charitable favor.
The book is largely conversation and Mouw says deep theological engagements aren't the focus of this volume. Instead, he describes his interactions with several prominent Mormons from BYU professors to an apostle, and offers some details about the fruit of these discussions. Specifically, he tackles three questions evangelicals raise about Mormon perspectives: Whether they believe in the "same Jesus," what they believe about the authority of the Bible, and what is the role of Joseph Smith as a claimed prophet. He argues that these examples suggest that the divide between Mormons and evangelicals may not be as wide as they think.
Perhaps the most repeated plea in the book is that evangelicals stop coming into the conversation believing they already understand what Mormons believe. He even exempts Mormonism from "cult" status (although he unfortunately continues to affix that label to a few other minority religions, ix). Even though the book is framed as an invitation to evangelicals, Mouw makes his motivation clear by affirming his desire to change Mormonism to align more closely with his own Calvinist perspective; it's evident he does not see a need for evangelicals like himself to adjust their own theological perspectives in exchange. The main "invitation" here is for evangelicals to first seek to understand Mormonism more fully, and second, to help shift Mormon views closer to those of evangelical Calvinists.
How can they accommodate this shift? Although Mouw frequently employs confrontational warfare imagery in his description of the ongoing dialog, he encourages evangelicals to try harder to understand the religious impulses of Mormons themselves, to understand how they respond to "the hopes and fears of all the years," common human concerns:
"The shift here is from an agenda shaped by the question 'How do we keep them from taking over our world?' to one that emerges when we ask 'What is it about their teachings that speaks to what they understand to be their deepest human needs and yearnings?'" (80).
Doing so will allow evangelicals to offer alternate perspectives, or to encourage a shift in Mormon emphasis, toward a Calvinist model of faith that focuses on the sovereignty of God and the utter depravity of humans.
Mormons will probably benefit most from Mouw's comparison of Mormonism's open canon to the function of creeds in Protestantism and the magisterium of Catholicism. (There is much to chew on in this section that I can't cover in a review.) Evangelicals may benefit most from Mouw's plea to recognize the possibility that "a person can fall far short of a robust theological orthodoxy and still be in a genuine relationship with Jesus" (99). He goes as far as suggesting that evangelicals can, if they look for it, discover "revealed truths" in Mormon scripture and teachings, but stops short by affirming such truths will not correct, but only affirm, things evangelicals already believe (79-80).
Mouw has taken a lot of hits within his religious community for his work with Mormons--early on being told that he didn't know Mormons well enough and so would easily be deceived by them, later being told he had become too close to Mormons to have a clear view of their dangerous heresies. His acknowledgements page pleads the fifth, he doesn't want to incriminate people who might be viewed with suspicion for sympathizing with a Mormon sympathizer. This context helps account for his frequent reminders that he has serious disagreements with Mormon theology. He paints a picture for evangelicals of Mormonism's increasing internal diversity. He believes this will result in a "Nicene moment" when theological boundaries will be set more firmly, and he hopes his proximity to the Mormons will pay off then (60).
If this scenario seems a bit far-fetched, Mouw's sincere apology on behalf of evangelicals for misrepresenting Mormon beliefs will hopefully encourage evangelicals to be more careful in their discussions about Mormonism in the future, as well as encourage Mormons to return the charitable favor.
September 28, 2012
The type of evangelical addressed by Mouw in this book is our culture's stereotype of the 'evangelical' - anti-intellectual, judgmental, wagon-circling. He quotes, for instance, excoriating emails from ex/anti-Mormon evangelicals and inflammatory lectures from Walter Martin (of Kingdom of the Cults fame). It's been a long time since I've met an evangelical that would fit within Mouw's intended audience, and I find it hard to believe that that sort of evangelical reads books published by Eerdmans, since it publishes books by Barth, Bulgakov and de Lubac. You know, liberal and Catholic stuff. The book does have some beautiful exhortations to address the shared humanity of those with whose teaching we disagree (i.e. to refuse God and devil terms), to see Mormonism as an evolving 'Restorationist' faith, outside the bounds of orthodox, 'creedal' Christianity surely, but not a 'cult', and to find continuity where possible among faiths deriving from a common source. Mouw also shows how Dutch Calvinism, especially Kuyper and Bavinck, provide resources for interfaith dialogue. But I definitely did not feel addressed by this book in any meaningful sense, which is targeted toward a very specific species of 'militantly anti-modernist evangelical', to appropriate George Marsden's definition of fundamentalism.
July 1, 2012
Richard Mouw, President of Fuller Seminary (my alma mater) offers an apologia for his conversations with Mormons. Though he doesn't affirm the bulk of their theology or Joseph Smith's prophetic ministry, he sees Mormons as appropriate conversation partners. His audience is Reformed evangelicals who have rejected the conversation (Donald Dayton might have problems with his definition of evangelical). In making his pitch, he suggests that there is evidence that many Mormons share evangelical perspectives on Jesus as savior and substitutionary atonement.
As a caveat, I found it annoying that he thought it necessary to poke at liberals, whom he accepts as Christians, but not as "orthodox" on some matters as Mormons.
As a caveat, I found it annoying that he thought it necessary to poke at liberals, whom he accepts as Christians, but not as "orthodox" on some matters as Mormons.
January 13, 2013
This book explains and advocates for an irenic evangelical approach to Mormons. Mouw has been involved in a detailed discussion with Mormon leaders for over a decade, and this book relates some of the fruit of that discussion. He is still crystal clear in his fundamental areas of disagreement with Mormon beliefs, but he also advocates a genuine dialogue of careful listening. I found this short and very readable book to be winsome, striking just the right tone, with both clear-headed thinking and strong grip on the essentials of Christian belief but with a generosity of spirit that can win friends and earn a fair hearing for what Christians believe. And he holds out hope that many Mormons do profess genuine faith in the saving work of Christ.
July 10, 2012
The best part of this book is that its small. After reading so many heady books the past three years, this was a breeze. Read most of it when my car was being serviced this morning. It is Dr. Mouw's response to the criticism recd for the inter-religious dialogue he has been pursuing with Mormon leaders. What I appreciate most of Dr. M is that he never compromises his belief but lives in the Spirit - that of generosity and grace. I think cross-religious dialogue is vital in a shrinking world and this book lists Dr. M's reasons why.
November 13, 2013
Mouws "talking with Mormons" is a very short read, under a hundred pages, but very informational and very much helps to understand the bridge between Evangelicals and Mormons and many of the misconceptions an Evangelical might have concerning Mormons.
July 28, 2013
Some good insights but by and large he doesn't understand popular, street level Mormonism.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews