In this episode, we interview Aaron Shafovaloff of Mormonism Research Ministry about the question: Is God Our Literal Father? This interview involves a deep dive into the diversity of Mormon views on intelligences, spirits, and bodies. This is then compared with the various ways the Bible speaks of God’s Fatherhood, as well as the meaning of mankind being made in/as the “image and likeness” of God. The Mormon and Christian Worldviews, even in their diversity, can be seen within the issue of Eternal progenitorship. On one hand, the Christian doctrine of the Eternal Generation of the Son (uniquely) - and on the other, the Mormon doctrine of the infinite regression of fathers and sons (as a procreative principle). 

YouTube Channel; Mormonism Research Ministry 

• Video of Interview
• debate

BOM; D&C 76, 93, 132; Abraham 3; Lectures on Faith; JST Revelation 1 

Joseph Smith: King Follett; Sermon in the Grove (also here, here, and here) 

Michael as Adam is agreed upon by all sides of Mormonism. 

Brigham Young: JD 1:50f; ”Discourse on Marriage” ; 1.92-93; 1.349f; 6.273f (also here) 

• “I Propose to Speak upon a Subject That Does Not Immediately Concern Yours or My Welfare” (found in The Essential Brigham Young, pp. 86-103) 

“The Origin of Man” 1909 First Presidency Message 

“The Father and the Son” 1916 Doctrinal Statement by the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve 

Gospel Principles; Achieving A Celestial Marriage Manual 

The Family; A Proclamation to the World 

Key to the Science of Theology by Parley Pratt 

The Seer by Orson Pratt 

Elias by Orson F. Whitney 

A Rational Theology by John A. Widtsoe 

The Articles of Faith by James Talmage 

Mormon Doctrine by Bruce R. McConkie 

The Miracle of Forgiveness by Spencer W. Kimball (also here) 

“The Light of Christ” by Boyd K. Packer 

The Mormon Doctrine of Deity; The Truth, The Way, The Life by B.H. Roberts 

“The Doctrine of the Firstborn and Only Begotten” by Rodney Turner 

“Origin of the Spirit in Early Mormon Thought” by Van Hale 

“The Idea of Preexistence in Mormon Thought” by Blake Ostler 

“The Source of God’s Authority: One Argument for An Unambiguous Doctrine of Preexistence” by Roger Terry 

“’The First Principles of Man Are Self-Existent with God’: The Immortality of the Soul in Mormon Theology” by Brent L. Top 

“Tripartite Existentialism” by Jonathan Stapley 

“Spirit Birth and ‘Chains of Belonging’” by Brian D. Hales 

“Believing Adoption” by Samuel M. Brown 

Mormonism and the Magic World View by D. Michael Quinn 

“The Development of the Doctrine of Preexistence, 1830-1844"; “This Is My Doctrine”: The Development of Mormon Theology by Charles Harrell 

Mormonism in Transition; “The Reconstruction of Mormon Doctrine” by Thomas G. Alexander 

The Mysteries of Godliness: A History of Mormon Temple Worship by David John Buerger 

Conflict in the Quorum by Gary Bergera 

What Is Doctrine? A Latter-Day Saint Systematic Theology (2 vol.’s) by Peter Carmack 

“Toward a Post-Heterosexual Mormon Theology”; “After a Post-Heterosexual Mormon Theology: A Ten-Year Retrospective” by Taylor Petrey 

Scientific Aspects of Mormonism by Nels Nelson 

Outlines of Mormon Philosophy by Lycurgus Wilson 

Eternal Man by Truman Madsen 

“’Lightning Out of Heaven’: Joseph Smith and the Forging of Community” by Terryl Givens 

Gospel Trilogy; The First 2,000 Years by Cleon Skousen 

LDS Temple: here and here 

Girls Who Choose God (Deseret Book) 

Mormon Matters: Satan 

“Wingfield Scott Watson and His Struggle to Preserve the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite) After the Death of Its Founder” by Kyle Beshears (also here and here) 

“D&C 76:24 isn’t about ‘Literal’ Spirit Children” by Aaron Shafovaloff 

Confessions by Augustine 

On the Incarnation by Athanasius 

Reformed Dogmatics (4 vol.’s) by Herman Bavinck 

Theoretical-Practical Theology (4 vol.’s) by Petrus van Mastricht 

Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin 

“Man As a Body-Soul Composite” ; “Trichotomy: A Beachhead for Gnostic Influences” by Kim Riddlebarger   

Created in God’s Image by Anthony Hoekema 

The Royal Priest: Psalm 110 in Biblical Theology by Matthew Emadi (also here and here) 

Retrieving Eternal Generation edited by Fred Sanders and Scott Swain 

God the Son Incarnate: The Doctrine of Christ by Stephen Wellum 

Confessing the Impassible God edited by Ronald Baines, James Renihan, et al. (also here) 

Father, Son, and Spirit in Romans 8: The Roman Reception of Paul’s Trinitarian Theology by Ron C. Fay 

The Bible Among the Myths by John Oswalt 

Foundations of Covenant Theology by Lane Tipton 

We Become What We Worship: A Biblical Theology of Idolatry by G.K. Beale