Original title: The Great Apostasy: How flexible is the Mormon narrative?

In this episode, Brendon and Skyler discuss the forty-third lesson in the LDS Come, Follow Me sunday school manual. This week (Oct. 16-22) is titled “Perfect That Which Is Lacking in Your Faith” and covers 1 and 2 Thessalonians. 

We invite you to worship with us on any Sunday - either at First Baptist Church of Provo or Christ Presbyterian Church in Magna. We welcome visitors!  

Pastor Brendon's Colossians series can be found here and/or here. 

Correction: Skyler misspoke and stated Official Declaration 1 was 1894-95, when it was 1890. This was a weird mistake (facepalm!). There was a manifesto given in 1895, but not this one!

Seminary Manual: here, here and here 

True To the Faith: A Gospel Reference 

Preach My Gospel 

“The Restoration of the Fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ” 

Jesus The Christ; The Great Apostasy by James Talmage 

A Rational Theology by John Widtsoe 

Understanding Paul by Richard Lloyd Anderson 

The New Testament Made Easier by David Ridges 

Russell Nelson statement: “If you think the Church is fully restored, you’re just seeing the beginning...” 

“The Ongoing Restoration” by LeGrand Curtis, Jr. 

“Apostasy and Restoration” (Dallin Oaks) 

When the Lights Went Out by Hugh Nibley 

The Great and Abominable Church of the Devil by H. Verlan Andersen

The Inevitable Apostasy by Ted R. Callister: "If there had been significant righteousness among the Saints, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles would have continued." (p. 46) 

In the LDS temple endowment ceremony before 1990 - Lucifer (or Satan) states that he would "buy up...popes and priests". Then, there was a scene where Lucifer hires a minister (thus, a "hireling of Satan") who is interviewed to make sure he's been to school - and then, Lucifer has him promote "the orthodox religion" (including a God "without body, parts, or passions") to Adam/Eve. Lucifer tells the minister that he will pay him well for conversions. (here, here, here, here) Thus, Talmage’s use of this phrase would have a powerful meaning to his LDS temple-endowed readers. 

Joseph Smith claimed: "I have more to boast of than ever any man had. I am the only man that has ever been able to keep a whole church together since the days of Adam...Neither Paul, John, Peter, nor Jesus ever did it. I boast that no man ever did such a work as I. The followers of Jesus ran from Him; but the Latter-day Saints never ran away from me yet..." (HC 6:408; here) 

“What Latter-Day Saints get wrong about the ‘Great Apostasy’” by Peggy Fletcher Stack 

“Not Your Parents’ Apostasy and Restoration” by Michael Austin 

Ancient Christians: An Introduction for Latter-day Saints, edited by Jason Combs, et al. 

The Millenarian World of Early Mormonism by Grant Underwood 

“New Light on Mormon Origins from Palmyra (N.Y.) Revival” by Wesley Walters 

“LDS Church Authority and New Plural Marriages, 1890-1904" by D. Michael Quinn (also here) 

Conflict In the Quorum by Gary Bergera 

The Mormon Jesus by John Turner 

The Politics of American Religious Identity by Kathleen Flake 

Standing Apart edited by Miranda Wilcox and John Young 

Justification Reconsidered by Stephen Westerholm 

Christianity and Liberalism by J. Gresham Machen 

1-2 Thessalonians (IVP NTCS); The Temple and the Church’s Mission by G.K. Beale 

The Man of Sin; A Case for Amillennialism by Kim Riddlebarger 

The Reformation as Renewal by Matthew Barrett 

All That is in God by James Dolezal (also here, here) 

Luther and His Times by E.G. Schwiebert 

Roger Williams: Church and State by Edmund Morgan 

Destroyer of the Gods by Larry Hurtado 

The Politically Incorrect Guide to Western Civilization by Anthony Esolen 

The Territories of Science and Religion by Peter Harrison 

The Victory of Reason by Rodney Stark 

How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization by Thomas Woods 

From Icons to Idols by David Davis