Wrestling the Angel: The Foundations of Mormon Thought: Cosmos, God, Humanity

Foundations of Mormon Thought and Practice

by Terryl L. Givens

In this first volume of his magisterial study of the foundations of Mormon thought and practice, Terryl L. Givens offers a sweeping account of Mormon belief from its founding to the present day. Situating the relatively new movement in the context of the Christian tradition, he reveals that Mormonism continues to change and grow. Givens shows that despite Mormonism's origins in a biblical culture strongly influenced by nineteenth-century Restorationist thought, which advocated a return to the Christianity of the early Church, the new movement diverges radically from the Christianity of the creeds. Mormonism proposes its own cosmology and metaphysics, in which human identity is rooted in a premortal world as eternal as God. Mormons view mortal life as an enlightening ascent rather than a catastrophic fall, and reject traditional Christian concepts of human depravity and destiny. Popular fascination with Mormonism's social innovations, such as polygamy and communalism, and its supernatural and esoteric elements-angels, gold plates, seer stones, a New World Garden of Eden, and sacred undergarments-have long overshadowed the fact that it is the most enduring and even thriving product of the nineteenth century's religious upheavals and innovations. Wrestling the Angel traces the essential contours of Mormon thought from the time of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young to the contemporary LDS church, illuminating both the seminal influence of the founding generation of Mormon thinkers and the significant developments in the church over almost 200 years. The most comprehensive account of the development of Mormon thought ever written, Wrestling the Angel will be essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the Mormon faith.

Genres: Religion, Lds, Nonfiction, History, Mormonism, Theology, Philosophy

480 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 19, 2014

About the author

Terryl L. Givens was born in upstate New York, raised in the American southwest, and did his graduate work in Intellectual History (Cornell) and Comparative Literature (Ph.D. UNC Chapel Hill, 1988), working with Greek, German, Spanish, Portuguese, and English languages and literatures. As Professor of Literature and Religion, and the James A. Bostwick Professor of English at the University of Richmond, he teaches courses in Romanticism, nineteenth-century cultural studies, and the Bible and Literature. He has published in literary theory, British and European Romanticism, Mormon studies, and intellectual history.

Dr. Givens has authored several books, including The Viper on the Hearth: Mormons, Myths, and the Construction of Heresy (Oxford 1997); By the Hand of Mormon: The American Scripture that Launched a New World Religion (Oxford 2003); People of Paradox: A History of Mormon Culture (Oxford 2007); The Book of Mormon: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford 2009); and When Souls had Wings: Pre-Mortal Life in Western Thought (2010). Current projects include a biography of Parley P. Pratt (with Matt Grow, to be published by Oxford in 2011), a sourcebook of Mormonism in America (with Reid Neilson, to be published by Columbia in 2011), an Oxford Handbook to Mormonism (with Phil Barlow), and a two volume history of Mormon theology. He lives in Montpelier, Virginia.

Reviews

[Blair Hodges · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this ambitious book, Terryl Givens explores the foundations of Mormon theology. It's a selective overview, Givens said he confined himself to ideas that have come to be generally accepted by most contemporary Mormons, but he also traces a few dead ends like the Adam-God teaching of Brigham Young. He situated LDS thought within it's surrounding environment as well as on a trajectory spanning back from ancient religion, through Greek thought and the later Reformation.

Givens is more articulate and systematic than most contemporary Mormons, so Mormons themselves will be surprised at a number of Givens's conclusions. One of the most important take-aways Mormons might get here is the idea that Mormon thought has not been static, immutable, or comprehensive and that a number of options are available within the orthodox realm.

Non-Mormons may get a somewhat skewed view of LDS belief compared to what they might learn in an everyday LDS church meeting. This is because underlying what is presented as an investigation of Mormon thought is much of Givens's own worked out theology. This is especially apparent in the section on salvation where Givens outlines his somewhat novel atonement theory.

In short: This book may be better understood as being itself a partial work of LDS theology. Givens provides so much to think about here, "Wrestling the Angel" is an exciting contribution to contemporary Mormon studies.

[Lafe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an exceptional exposition of mormon theology. It places the development of theological ideas in the the proper social/cultural context,as well as the context in the Christian theology. This book is a must read for those wanting to better understand the theological underpinnings of the LDS church. As a lifelong member of the LDS church it was eyeopening to understand better how LDS theology fits and does not fit into current Christian Theology. If you have ever wondered why many Christian faiths do not consider Mormons to be Christian, this book will answer that question. It is somewhat of a comparative theology. Absolutely fantastic.

[Beauregard Bottomley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish I could find the equivalent to this book for all religions. It is an inside look at what an expert thinks their own religion’s philosophical and theological ontological foundations consist of.

I’m an outsider looking in and this book told me what they believe and why they believe what they do. The historical context that surrounds their beliefs and the defense going back to Paul, or Augustine or other early church fathers even (considered slightly heretical by some) Pelagius and Origen. The author was sensitive to criticism for the church being accused of ‘Pelagiansism’ but ‘most Romantics were Pelagians’ for a reason.

William Blake (I think it’s safe to call him a Romantic) was mentioned surprisingly many times within this book. Spinoza was too. I had not realized the connections to them and the Mormon Church. The Universalist and Unitarian seemed to pop up frequently. The author said that ‘Universalist believe that God is too good to damn humans and the Unitarians believe humans are too good to be damned’. Overall, the Mormons tend toward that way of thinking too.

There are a whole lot of areas where the Mormons seem to disagree with most other religions and this book does an excellent job of explaining what the Mormon’s believe in and why. Mormon’s don’t have the trinity, all is material (albeit tiny material as Blake would say), preexistence of souls, after death we become God like, marriage in heaven and with family, and just as many other interesting things. Now, I can understand what the Mormons believe in their own terms.

The author said something about gender is binary and that our preexistence can change that but in the afterlife our roles will be well defined. The author also latter said ‘that most experts think gender is a social construct’. I have no idea why he would say that. I would say that most experts think people are born gay, or straight, or bi, or transgender, or in other words that God made us who we are in his own image. The author mentioned that the Boy Scouts are the exemplars for structure with in well formed communities. The author couldn’t mention that the Mormons have divested themselves from association with the Boy Scouts of America since the Mormons instituted that policy after this book was published because the BSA now allow gays to be troop leaders. Also, the author did not tell me why the Mormons have been actively opposed to equality in marriage and were so vigorously in support of California’s Proposition 8 (hate) which was against equality in marriage.

I guess I really don’t care how great a religion’s ontological foundational beliefs are, if they discriminate against somebody because they are born that way I can reject it prima facie. To me, it would be equivalent to saying if someone was manic depressive, or schizophrenic, or autistic, or had curly hair they just don’t deserve equality and don’t deserve God’s love or the full unconditional support of the Church.

I understand the author was explaining his religion on his own terms and did an excellent job at that. I just felt he owed me a clear explanation on how he can justify inequality based on how God created us in his own image.

[Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dear Rivka:

Rarely do I bestow upon a book 5/5 stars. The last 5 star book I read was 71 books ago! Before this book was written, the only really good book on Mormon Theology (in my view) was Jesus the Christ. Now there are two and I'm having a hard time deciding which one is better.

The best chapter is near the end and it reviews the Mormon view on the atonement. I learned new things I had never noticed from the scriptures before or at least never connected them the way the author does. The author's approach seems so unbiased to me that I actually could not tell for sure if he was a member of the church or not (Wikipedia solved the mystery for me).

Other books on Mormonism are less interesting to me either because they demonize the church or because they present the church through artificial rose colored glasses. This book presents the facts, puts them into context, then compares the doctrine with other faiths and philosophies. On each point of doctrine the reader is left with a full view of the history and evolution of the doctrine from Plato to Augustine to Thomas Aquinas to Martin Luther to Joseph Smith to BH Roberts to Gordon B. Hinckley. No stone is left unturned (hence the large page count).

It does have an academic thesis tone to it similar to Jesus the Christ but I still think you will love it.

Most sincerely,

Jordan

[Liz Busby · Rating 5 out of 5]

To me, this book is the advanced version of The God who Weeps. It's great for both Mormons and those who want to understand them better. As a Mormon, I loved how this book put our doctrines into a historical framework and helped me see who believes similarly to us. For non-Mormons, this book is a great sophisticated introduction to the more audacious doctrines of Mormonism and how they might not be as odd as you think. I will probably make my kids read this in their teen years.

[Russell Fox · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm clearly not the perfect audience for this impressive book by Terryl Givens. In the first of what he states will be two books discussing the foundations of Mormon theology, he does a great deal of telling (which he's actually quite up-front about, stating in the beginning of the book that his purpose in writing it is "primarily descriptive"--p. 17), but, to my mind, relatively little arguing or persuading. In other words, he is writing primarily to either 1) those unfamiliar with Mormonism and curious about the sort of Christian beliefs which Mormons profess, or 2) fellow Mormons who may or may not be familiar with the historical, scriptural, and philosophical questions and issues which the development of Mormon theology has involved, but all of whom are nonetheless basically sympathetic to the dimensions of the Mormon thought as they presently exist. In other words, he is writing to people who are interested in having something explained to them, not to people whom need to be persuaded of something. And that posed a problem for me, someone who is, for better or worse, a fairly heterodox Mormon thinker. I kept running into assertions and explanations which Givens gave to which part of my brain repeatedly said "Really? But what about this? And what about this? Why should accept that description if you don't make a case for it?" So this book, which I enjoyed very much, nonetheless doesn't rate terribly high for me, because I wanted to Givens to stop telling me what I, as a member of the Mormon church, believed, and instead attempt to convince me that I, as a Mormon, ought to believe in what he was telling me, rather than (as was often the case) something else.

I don't mean to make the book sound too pedantic. For sure, it is somewhat pedantic, but that's probably unavoidable in a book of this sort. In many ways, it is somewhat similar to Elder Bruce R. McConkie's enormously influential Mormon Doctrine, or even the far more comprehensive Encyclopedia of Mormonism; while I would rather read Givens's Wrestling the Angel than either of those productions, like them he is trying to lay out the details of what Mormonism is all about. The discursiveness and care with which Givens's states his claims, and the frameworks by which he progressively builds, them makes this book much more thoughtful than anything in either of those--whether those books' authors would admit to this or not--frankly catechetical works achieved. Then again, there's something to be said for encyclopedias and dictionaries being, well, outright encyclopedias and dictionaries--they make it easier for someone like myself reading them to point to a paragraph and say "Nope, I don't agree with that." Whereas with Givens too often I'd be going along, find myself in the midst of an assertion (for example, expressing doubts over Mormon claims to the omniscience of God, or emphasizing the essential importance of the concept of law to Mormon understandings of Jesus's atonement, or the weird way in which Orson and Parley P. Pratt's I think mostly odd theological speculations keep receiving the royal treatment), and wonder how exactly I got to this point which I took serious issue with.

Let me focus on what I think to be the truly best part of the book: the way in which Givens's--without drawing too much attention to what he's doing--works out a scripturally grounded, highly persuasive, genuinely creative reading of Joseph Smith's "restoration" as not primarily the recovery of lost doctrines, but rather as a synthesis of ideas that had abided in different forms throughout Christian history (pgs. 34-41). He thus links Smith's work with John the Revelator's prophesy of "the woman [who] fled into the wilderness," or John Calvin's "elect who have existed from the beginning of the world," or Jacob Boehme's "church without walls." In this way, Givens's is able to unapologetically wrest various writings and sermons by Smith and thousands of Mormons who have followed in his wake out of their historical context, and align them with developments in Catholic and Protestant throughout history. It's an interpretation of Mormon claims about the restoration of Christian teachings which places comparatively little emphasis on all the usual Mormon talk about priesthood lines of authority, mentioning them in passing and then leaving them aside--and approach which I like quite a bit, to be honest.

What else do I like? This "synthesis" approach of Givens allows him to make at least a few genuinely persuasive points in the midst of all his explaining. The way he handles the convoluted development of the Mormon understanding of the Godhead, showing its similarity to "social Trinitarianism," is very good (pg. 74). I don't particularly take Smith's notorious King Follett Sermon ("God was once a man like one of us") all that seriously, but I admit that I liked very much the way which Givens dumped a small but icy bucket of cold water on those who want to read that sermon as being less radical than he--and honestly, most Mormons--accepts it to be (p. 103). Givens connects the Mormon teaching about the Light of Christ to Wesleyan notions of "prevenient grace" which I found quite insightful (p. 129). And I have to admit that even I, quasi-Lutheran that I am, found his presentation of the Mormon reworking of the Fall of Adam and our church's rejection of the doctrine of original sin genuinely thoughtful (pgs. 176-194). As I said before, there was a great deal else about human freedom or the eternity of gender or Zion which I thought he asserted far too casually or without essential qualifications of details...but that doesn't take away from the good parts of this, overall, quite fine and interesting book.

[Brad · Rating 4 out of 5]

I should start out by saying I am a huge fan of Terryl Givens and find him to be the most thought-provoking and eloquent writer in the Church. In typical Givens fashion, the book is thorough, well-researched, and rich in references to comparative texts. It covers a wide variety of topics ranging from the Godhead, to Christology, and ultimately finishes with Salvation and Theosis. Be aware that this is not your typical Deseret Book or Seminary and Institute fare. This is a scholarly work using scholarly language that delves deeply into the Church's doctrine and its beginnings. I found it fascinating, though it was slow going at times. It is a book I will refer back to again and again.

[Michael Hutchings · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is simply the fifth book of scripture. Accordingly, It should be read, studied, marked, and cherished again and again.

[Corey Wozniak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second time reading. This book is the single best explication of the beauty and cogency of “Mormon” thought.

[Stefan Coburn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well-researched and cited take on Latter-Day Saint theology

This book places the theology of the Latter-day Saints within the context of contemporary (19th century) and ancient (early 1st through 5th century) Christian thought.

Showing both places of commonality and stark difference.

It is a tour of many different theology questions man has asked about such issues as the conception of the soul, the nature of God, man’s relationship to God and his destiny.

[Chad · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful in-depth study of Mormon doctrine in context of Christianity as a whole. Givens organizes the work first by topic e.g. salvation, original sin, polygamy and then a historical development of that doctrine. It oftentimes doesn't start with Joseph Smith's conception either, but much farther back to Augustine, Clement, Luther, and other figures throughout Christian history. Joseph Smith claimed to restore doctrines, so it's vital to see what he was restoring.

Particularly fascinating concepts I found were: (1) the highly scientific bent of early Mormon leaders-- ultimately trying to remove the boundaries between secular and religious knowledge, (2) the often under-emphasized Mormon doctrine of a universal salvation (we usually make very clear that celestial is the best, but still-- big deal), (3) Mormonism as a unique answer to Calvinist doctrine of predestination, and (5) how the doctrine of predestination was so abhorrent to early Church fathers like Augustine because it implied a likeness to God.

Additionally, the book deals with some difficult topics that aren't often brought up in Church, the Adam-God theory for instance and polygamy as well. Some of his frameworks are also a little difficult to get used to, because they aren't used in Church either. He paints Joseph Smith as a great spiritual leader, but one who didn't receive every revelation perfectly at first. He had to use trial and error to work out some doctrines. A unique concept, but one that I like more and more. Second, we like to think that the restored gospel has remained unchanged since its conception, but it definitely has. Recent talks in general conference have made this concept widely accepted though-- that the Restoration is still continuing today.

Highly recommend it.

[Seth Jenson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing piece of work by Terryl Givens. Reminded me of Richard Bushman's Rough Stone Rolling (which I LOVED) with its unbiased tone. Much broader in scope though - the latter was focused on Joseph Smith. It's hard to tell if Givens is a member of the church (he is). This is a good thing - he doesn't pull any punches. No rose-colored glasses here. Learned a lot and feel more grounded in my faith than ever. Probably need to read it again....and again. He covers a lot of material!

[Courtney Hatch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m sure this book wouldn’t be everybody’s cup of tea, but it may end up being my favorite book of 2018. It’s hefty (I would read about 20 pages per sitting and then walk away and digest it for awhile), but it is also extremely well-written. I’m always so impressed by Givens’ many allusions to literature. The man is just freaking smart. I learned a lot about theology in general and loved talking this thing to death over dinner with my husband. Can’t wait to read his next one.

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

This is an exploration of Mormon theology. The author seeks to locate the evolution of Mormon theology historically and among other Christian faiths. I was surprised to learn that a number of beliefs I thought were unique to the LDS faith have been shared by philosophers and theologians of other faiths, although not always officially adopted by a particular church or religion. I was also surprised at how certain beliefs have evolved over time.

My critique of this book is that it feels as if you need a background in theology to fully comprehend the points and arguments the author is making. It assumes familiarity with certain terms and ideas.

[Gary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another thoughtful book by Givens. He discusses different topics from their biblical beginnings through the reformation and the restoration, including contemporary thoughts of more current church leaders. Lots of good information. It must be read deliberately; there is too much to swallow in big chunks!

[Peter W · Rating 4 out of 5]

Terryl Givens' best book, but also his most boring book. This is because this reads like an encyclopedia: fascinating but without plot.

[Dil7worth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great collection of the important doctrines of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and how they developed over the years. Also includes comparisons with other churches and what the early church fathers in the early centuries of the Christian era wrote. Very illuminating.

[Thomas Blasucci · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wrestling The Angel is one of the most ambitious works to come out of contemporary Mormon studies; it’s comprehensive, thought provoking, and rich in historical analysis. Professor Givens pulls no punches, yet offers a faithful perspective on the theological origins and formation of LDS doctrine, using documentation and primary accounts that were most likely unavailable to his predecessors.

Prior to Angel, there have been only 3 attempts to formally layout LDS theology in its entirety: Parley Pratt’s Key to Science of Theology (1855), James Talmage’s Articles of Faith (1899), and Bruce McConkie’s Mormon Doctrine (1966). In my honest opinion, each of these works are highly influential and pivotal to Mormon studies; however, they are products of their time, and therefore, they are limited by the availability of resources, documentation, scholarship, and records of their respective decades.

Although there are others who also provide similarly rich history (Bushman, Arrington, etc.), Given’s believing perspective and overall comprehensiveness, are arguably second to none. In Professor Given's own words: “I am here tracing what I regard as the essential contours of Mormon thought as it developed from Joseph Smith to the present, not pretending to address the many tributaries in and out of Mormonism’s main currents.”

I've read it twice since it's publication last year, and to me, the most interesting lesson learned was the idea that Mormon thought is not as stagnant, limited, or fixed as I once thought; rather, there are a variety of meaningful, valid, and acceptable perspectives offered within the traditional, orthodox framework.

[Clinton Hutchings · Rating 5 out of 5]

December 2017

Finished this book for the second time. Much more ambitious of a book than I remembered. Thought I’d refresh on some foundational doctrines for the upcoming year. Definitely still 5 stars.

*************************
June 2016

Holy smokes! What a book. I think it will end up being one of the top three LDS themed books that I've read - Rough Stone Rolling and Rise of Modern Mormonism the other two. I listened to this so I didn't see the footnotes, but it's probably worth getting the book in paper version. I think if anyone teaches a lesson on premortal life, marriage, family, spirits, atonement, etc., this would be a fabulous book to preview to give you context into where Mormon theology stands today - both with respect to other Christian churches and with Mormonism's past teachings. Besides the topics covered, what I really liked is that Givens (i) gave an historical view of the doctrines and then showed how Mormonism fit in with those views and (ii) brought the doctrines to the current day. One conclusion from my listening is that most of the doctrines LDS members think are set in stone and uncontroversial are really anything but. This book, as well as RSR and RofMM, expanded my view of possibilities within Mormon doctrine and helped me view current church and doctrine in a new (and I think more accurate) paradigm. And, even more exciting, is that this is the first in a series that Givens is writing. The next one is due out summer of 2017. Can't wait.

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. A very dry, academic review with a few gems along the way. Not at all like his other works that I've loved. To his credit, Givens doesn't shy away from some of the most difficult moments in LDS history and theology. But the saving grace for me is how it maps the fascinating evolution of LDS theology, highlighting three things: 1) how even Joseph Smith received truth "precept upon precept" in a very organic, sometimes circuitous way; 2) how LDS doctrine is truly a radically progressive shift from standard theology (however conservative it might seem in today's climate); and 3) how it filled many of the gaps and questions and conundrums left by great scholars throughout history, who struggled greatly with incomplete or contradictory information.

In general, it seems the target demographic for this book is primarily non-LDS scholars interested in LDS theology. For those, I'd highly recommend it. Others will enjoy it if they have vast reserves of intellectual and religious curiosity.

[Todd Decker · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are few who write about the Mormon religion with as much eloquence and erudition as Terryl Givens. This book is not a light read—it is deep and challenging—but it is also very rewarding. Givens shows why Mormon ideas are so powerful and why they animate us live the way we do. His study is useful for non-Mormons as a window into the mind and heart of Mormons. It is also useful to Mormons as a reflection of the implications of our own beliefs. I especially appreciate how Givens is able to compare and contrast Mormon ideas with those of other religions in a way that is not denigrating and portrays the ideas of other religions fairly and accurately. If Paul spoke of feeding milk before meat this is definitely the meat of Mormonism.

[Curtis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazingly enough, this book actually exceeded my expectations. I am a big fan of the works of Terryl Givens, and have anticipated the arrival of this book for the last year. I will write a much more detailed review of this book in the next month or two, because such a book is deserving of detailed attention and praise. Suffice it to say that this was probably the most enjoyable book I've ever read on Mormon history and thought. I would recommend it to anyone.

[Brent Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This volume makes me wonder - is there any feat of scholarship that Terryl Givens CAN'T achieve??

Separate chapters for a variety of core doctrines, placed in historical Christian context and then showing the Mormon take in its difference and similarity. I tended to skip over some of the Christian history, I admit - but even so, I learned so much about what we share and how we're different - we Mormons I mean.

For lovers of theology - even those of us who won't admit it!

[Matthew J. Winbow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read the Book of Mormon earlier in the year I was curious about what Mormons believed in their own terms (rather than what counter-cult teachers say they believe). As such this book by Terryl Givens is an excellent start.

The first thing to note is that Givens explains why Mormons conception of God is so different from the rest of Christianity and that is primarily due to a different metaphysical framework. Classical Theism is built upon a foundation of Platonism (although it is rooted in the Biblical passages of Isaiah 40–48). Nietzsche described Christianity as “Platonism for the masses” and St. Augustine described Plato as “Moses in Attic Greek”. Mormonism however is rooted in scientific materialism. It is fundamentally materialist. For Mormons even spirit is a form of matter only more refined as such God has a body etc. only it is not made of flesh and blood like ours.

Traditionally Christians, including Protestant confessions of faith have affirmed that God is “without body, parts, or passions”. Mormonism denies all these things and exchanges them for a God who is not transcendent but rather imminent. Not far off but close. God has feelings and emotional states and as such is subject to change. The charge raised is that if God has no body then is he a nobody?

This denial of Classical Theism in favor of materialism leads to the Trinity becoming a Social Trinity of three beings united in love rather than One God. Givens happily uses the language of Social Trinitarianism to talk about the Mormon conception of God. John Philoponos (died c. 570) is perhaps an obvious forerunner to this view holding to a more Aristotelian metaphysical framework. What after all do you mean by “of one substance with the Father”? What is a substance?

According to Givens Mormonism was in its own day trying to be scientific in its approach to God and reality. Mormonism whilst rejecting Platonism also rejects creation ex nihilo (creation out of nothing) and holds that all things (including God and human souls) are made of eternal matter. God created the world by reorganizing pre-existing matter, from chaos to order. It is quite trendy in even Evangelical colleges to teach that Genesis denies creation ex nihilo but it is certainly an important Christian, Jewish and Islamic doctrine that lifts God out of the created order. If you deny this you localize God into a being within the universe rather than being transcendent and the cause of the universe.

Whilst scientists today in a post- Big Bang cosmology world hold that the universe is 13.77 billion years old, scientists prior to early 20th Century held to the steady-state model that claimed that matter was eternal. Mormonism was in this sense then conforming to the mainstream scientific approach of its age.

This means that the Mormon view of God is similar to that of Open Theism and Theistic Personalists holding to a God who is within time and space rather than the God of Classical Theism. William Lane Craig is an obvious modern Evangelical who would also reject both divine simplicity and timelessness. For Mormons God is in history rather than above it. This also leads to the question of where did God come from and the Mormon answer is evolution hence “As man now is, God once was; as God now is, man may be”.

Givens when focusing on Joseph Smith's "restoration" sees it not as the recovery of lost doctrines, but rather as a synthesis of ideas that had already been present in different forms throughout all of Christian history. He traces Mormon doctrines through Church History showing you various people who held to similar positions in previous ages. As Givens mentions in the last chapter, if Pelagius’s rather than Augustine’s theology had won the day, and if some of Origen’s ideas had not been condemned at the Second Council of Constantinople then perhaps something akin to Mormonism might have developed earlier. The pre-existence of souls after all is common within other Abrahamic faiths, it is accepted in Islam and within Judaism there is the concept of gilgul neshamot (the wheel of souls).

Mormonism’s God(s) having bodies, parts and passions are highly relatable and as such are always speaking to their creation, this leads to a denial of a fixed canon of scriptures and an expectation for modern prophecy. Joseph Smith wanted all Mormons to be open to receiving direct revelation from God. This is why the Book of Mormon asks you to pray if what you have read is from God: “And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost” (Moro. 10:4).

In conclusion then Mormon doctrine is perhaps what Christianity would look like if it was divorced from Classical Theism and arose in a different metaphysical environment. In the providence of God however I am happy to accept that God permitted ahead of time for Alexander the Great to conquer the world and for the New Testament to be written in the Hellenistic world and for the first Christian centuries to have occurred within that environment. It was part of God’s eternal plan.

[Amy E. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deep. Lots to chew on. I feel like I gained a greater understanding of my religion with this author's comparison of Mormonism and other philosophies and theologies. I had a dictionary nearby to help me in my reading. Truly enlightening. Gave me some different perspectives to think about.

[Cory · Rating 5 out of 5]

An impressive look at the development of Mormon doctrines compared to the development of other Christian doctrines by other faiths.

[Samcwright · Rating 4 out of 5]

An incredible resource on the development and current standing of Mormon theology. Pushes the conversation forward. Definitely one everyone should read.

[Jacob · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful panorama of Mormon thought and its positioning within the expanse of Western theology.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book took me ages to work through but is the most helpful book on my theology and faith that I've read. It helped solidify my feelings about a more merciful God and universal salvation.

[John Steele · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic book that helped me focus on becoming a reactivated church member. So good I've read it twice.