Distinctive Christianity

In this episode, Skye interviews Dr. Matthew Emadi on his book The Royal Priest: Psalm 110 in Biblical Theology. Psalm 110 is the most quoted or alluded Old Testament text in the New Testament – and today we are going to learn from one of the leading experts on this important biblical text. 

Joseph Smith, in the last section of his last sermon (“The Sermon in the Grove”) stated that: “All men are liars who say they are of the true Church without revelations of Jesus Christ and the Priesthood of Melchisedek, which is after the order of the Son of God.” Today, we ask a scholar on the topic of Melchizedek and of the Melchizedek Priesthood what the Bible teaches on the matter. 

Dr. Emadi is a pastor at Crossroads Church in Sandy, Utah – as well as a professor at Salt Lake School of Theology. 

The Royal Priest: Psalm 110 in Biblical Theology by Matthew Emadi 

JST Genesis 14 ; Alma 13 ; D&C 84 

Come Follow Me Manual ; Gospel Principles Manual and here 

The Third Thousand Years by Cleon Skousen 

The Old Testament Made Easier by David Ridges 

Evidences and Reconciliations by John Widtsoe 

John Taylor: JD 21.243-244 (also here) 

In this episode, Brendon and Skyler continue to go through Jeffrey Holland’s October 2007 General Conference address titled “The Only True God and Jesus Christ Whom He Hath Sent”. This continues the analysis of the LDS treatment of the Biblical doctrine of the Trinity and the historic Christian creeds and confessions. 

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

NOTE: Joseph Fielding Smith defined the Godhead as “the supreme governing council in the heavens”. (Doctrines of Salvation 1:1) Also, notice how it is Joseph Smith – in the Book of Mormon - who confuses the persons of the Godhead; Smith would be a more apt target than the Trinitarian Creeds that, although they affirm One Being - do not confuse the persons of the Trinity. (see Mos. 15.2-4f; Morm. 9.12; Ether 3.14; 4.12; and JST Luke 10.22 - footnote b) 

“The Only True God and Jesus Christ Whom He Hath Sent” by Jeffrey Holland 

• Also, Holland: here, and here 

Lectures on Faith ; JSH-1.19-20 ; BOM Title Page 

History of Church 6:473-479 (also, here) 

2 Ne. 31.21; Mormon 7.7; Ether 4.12 ;Abraham 4 ; Mosiah 15 ; D&C 20.28 ; 121.28,32 ;130; 132 

Brigham Young: JD 1.49-51 (and here); JD 4:218 ; JD 11:268 

A Marvelous Work and a Wonder; “Strange Creeds of Christendom” by LeGrand Richards 

Are Mormons Christians? by Stephen Robinson 

Mormonism: Shadow or Reality? by Sandra and Jerald Tanner 

An Insider’s View of Mormon Origins by Grant Palmer 

Mormonism and the Magic World View by D. Michael Quinn 

Mormon Enigma: Emma Hale Smith by Linda King Newell 

By His Own Hand Upon Papyrus: A New Look at the Joseph Smith Papyrii by Charles Larson (also here, here, here and here) 

The Mound Builder Myth: Fake History and the Hunt for a “Lost White Race” by Jason Colavito 

Jason Wallace: here, here and here 

The Forgotten Trinity by James White; Simply Trinity by Matthew Barrett 

The Trinity: An Introduction by Scott Swain; The Attributes of God: An Introduction by Gerald Bray; The Person of Christ: An Introduction by Stephen Wellum 

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

All That Is In God by James Dolezal 

The Trinitarian Theology of Cornelius Van Til by Lane Tipton 

The Transfiguration of Christ by Patrick Schreiner 

Confessions by St. Augustine 

Christless Christianity by Michael Horton 

The Origenist Controversy by Elizabeth Clark 

Early Christian Doctrine by J.N.D. Kelly 

God in Patristic Thought by G. L. Prestige 

The Destroyer of the Gods by Larry Hurtado 

Who Is God? By Richard Bauckham 

Christianity and Classical Culture by Jaroslav Pelikan 

“The Image of God and the Anthropomorphite Controversy in fourth-century Monasticism” by Graham Gould - in R. J. Daly (ed.), Origeniana Quinta: Papers of the Fifth International Origen Congress, Boston College, 14–18 August 1989 (Bibliotheca Ephemeridum Theologicarum Lovaniensium, 105; Leuven: Peeters Press, 1992), pp. 549–57 

“The Divine Council in Late Canonical and Non-Canonical Second Temple Jewish Literature” by Michael Heiser 

The Bible Among the Myths by John Oswalt 

An Introduction to the Old Testament by Edward J. Young 

Treaty of the Great King by Meredith Kline 

The Gospel of Matthew (NICNT) by R.T. France 

The Gospel According to John by D. A. Carson 

In this episode, Brendon and Skyler go through Jeffrey Holland’s October 2007 General Conference address titled “The Only True God and Jesus Christ Whom He Hath Sent”. This continues their analysis of the LDS treatment of the Biblical doctrine of the Trinity and the historic Christian creeds and confessions. 

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

We love Christ Fellowship Church as well - in the American Fork area.

CORRECTION: Muslims actually say "peace be upon him" (alayhi al-salam) after the name of Jesus. The point is the apparent show of devotion to the person of Jesus - yet apart from the Bible that they see as corrupted. (e.g. here) Would an LDS definition of Christianity also include Islam?

NOTE: Joseph Fielding Smith defined the Godhead as “the supreme governing council in the heavens”. (Doctrines of Salvation 1:1) 

Also, notice how it is Joseph Smith – in the Book of Mormon - who confuses the persons of the Godhead; Smith would be a more apt target than the Trinitarian Creeds that, although they affirm One Being - do not confuse the persons of the Trinity. (see Mos. 15.2-4f; Morm. 9.12; Ether 3.14; 4.12; and JST Luke 10.22 - footnote b) 

“The Only True God and Jesus Christ Whom He Hath Sent” by Jeffrey Holland 

• Notice even the "and" in the title of Holland's talk. So, is Jesus not the "only true God", then?
• Also, Holland: here, and here 

Lectures on Faith ; JSH-1.19-20 ; BOM Title Page 

• The Lectures on Faith (the doctrine of the D&C) literally has a Q&A at the end of Lecture 5: "Q: How many personages are there in the Godhead? A: Two: The Father and the Son"

History of Church 6:473-479 (also, here) 

The Articles of Faith by James Talmage 

A New Witness for the Articles of Faith by Bruce R. McConkie 

• “Our Relationship with the Lord” (March 2, 1982); in which McConkie states, among other things: “We do not worship the Son, and we do not worship the Holy Ghost.” 
• 
  

A Marvelous Work and a Wonder; “Strange Creeds of Christendom” by LeGrand Richards

Brigham Young: JD 1.49-51 

Franklin D. Richards: JD 26.300 

LDS Temple transcript: here and here 

Are Mormons Christian? By Stephen Robinson 

Harper’s Bible Dictionary edited by Paul J. Achtemeier 

Western Asceticism edited by Owen Chadwick 

An Insider’s View of Mormon Origins by Grant Palmer 

Mormonism: Shadow or Reality? By Sandra and Jerald Tanner 

An Earnest Plea to LDS (Jason Wallace) 

Conflict in the Quorum by Gary Bergera 

Watchman on the Tower: Ezra Taft Benson and the Making of the Mormon Right by Matthew L. Harris (also here; and notice the introduction here) 

“This Is My Doctrine”: The Development of Mormon Doctrine by Charles Harrell 

The Forgotten Trinity by James White; Simply Trinity by Matthew Barrett 

The Trinity: An Introduction by Scott Swain; The Attributes of God: An Introduction by Gerald Bray; The Person of Christ: An Introduction by Stephen Wellum 

All That Is In God by James Dolezal 

The Trinitarian Theology of Cornelius Van Til by Lane Tipton 

Early Christian Doctrine by J.N.D. Kelly 

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

The Book of Isaiah (3 vol.’s) by E.J. Young 

The Gospel According to John (PNTC) by D.A. Carson 

Confessions by St. Augustine 

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

In this episode, Brendon and Skyler will go through Joseph Smith’s last public sermon: the “Sermon in the Grove”. They will analyze Smith’s claims and teachings - and highlight his consistent twisting of Scripture, as well as his consistent distrust and aversion to the Christian creeds and confessions. This episode goes along well with the previous series on the King Follett Discourse.

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!  

History of Church 6:473-479 (also here) 

JST Revelation 1:6 ; Abraham 4 ; Mosiah 15 ; D&C 20.28 ; 121.28,32 ;130; 132 

Lectures on Faith ; JSH-1.19-20 ; BOM Title Page ; JST 1 Cor 15.40 

A Voice of Warning; An Answer to Mr. William Hewitt’s Tract; Key to the Science of Theology by Parley Pratt (whom some scholars have called The Apostle Paul of Mormonism.) 

• “Now, Mr. Sunderland, you have something definite and tangible, the time, the manner, the means, the names, the dates; and I will state as a prophesy, that there will not be an unbelieving Gentile upon this continent 50 years hence; and if they are not greatly scourged, and in a great measure overthrown, within five or ten years from this date, then the Book of Mormon will have proved itself false.” (Mormonism Unveiled, 1838; found in The Essential Parley Pratt, p. 24) 

“The Mormon Creed” by Orson Pratt 

A History of the Priesthood by Benjamin Winchester 

Outlines of Ecclesiastical History by B. H. Roberts 

Jesus The Christ by James Talmage (see footnote 8 - on Psalm 82) 

Brigham Young: JD 1.49-51 

“Kingdoms of Glory” (Dallin Oaks) 

New Testament Made Easier by David Ridges 

Mormon Enigma: Emma Hale Smith by Linda King Newell 

By His Own Hand Upon Papyrus: A New Look at the Joseph Smith Papyrii by Charles Larson (also here, here, here and here) 

An Insider’s View of Mormon Origins by Grant Palmer 

Mormonism and the Magic World View by D. Michael Quinn 

• Among the books Smith donated to a Nauvoo library include books Catholic Piety, and The Catholic Manual (pp. 188-89, 496-97) 

Nauvoo Polygamy by George Smith 

Mysteries of Godliness by David Buerger 

The Forgotten Trinity by James White; Simply Trinity by Matthew Barrett 

The Trinity: An Introduction by Scott Swain; The Attributes of God: An Introduction by Gerald Bray; The Person of Christ: An Introduction by Stephen Wellum 

The Bible Among the Myths by John Oswalt 

God, Language and Scripture; Biblical Words and Their Meaning by Moises Silva 

The Destroyer of the Gods by Larry Hurtado 

Who Is God? By Richard Bauckham 

The Royal Priest by Matthew Emadi 

1 Corinthians (ZECTNT) by Paul Gardner 

The Gospel According to John (PNTC); Exegetical Fallacies by D.A. Carson 

“You’ve Seen One Elohim, You’ve Seen them All? A Critique of Mormonism’s Use of Psalm 82” by Michael Heiser (also here) 

In this three-part series, Skye picks 10 teachings of Jesus Christ from the Gospels that faithful LDS not only do not emphasize, but cannot believe.

Can an LDS, from a Mormon worldview, truly believe and practice what Christ actually taught - as found in the Gospels? This question will be asked for every one of the 10 points included in this series.

LDS often say that they sincerely love Jesus, and some even claim to believe the Bible. This series will test what that can actually mean from someone who believes Joseph Smith is "the prophet of the Restoration", and is a loyal member of the LDS church today.

Included in this episode are Jesus' teaching on salvation, the Gospel, the Church (and whether or not it will fail), hell and final judgment, followed by whether sincerity (and trying our best) is enough.

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! 

In this three-part series, Skye picks 10 teachings of Jesus Christ from the Gospels that faithful LDS not only do not emphasize, but cannot believe.

Can an LDS, from a Mormon worldview, truly believe and practice what Christ actually taught - as found in the Gospels? This question will be asked for every one of the 10 points included in this series.

LDS often say that they sincerely love Jesus, and some even claim to believe the Bible. This series will test what that can actually mean from someone who believes Joseph Smith is "the prophet of the Restoration", and is a loyal member of the LDS church today.

Included in this episode are Jesus' teaching on family, marriage (as well as marriage in heaven), with an excursus on whether or not Jesus was/is married.

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! 

In this three-part series, Skye picks 10 teachings of Jesus Christ from the Gospels that faithful LDS not only do not emphasize, but cannot believe.

Can an LDS, from a Mormon worldview, truly believe and practice what Christ actually taught - as found in the Gospels? This question will be asked for every one of the 10 points included in this series.

LDS often say that they sincerely love Jesus, and some even claim to believe the Bible. This series will test what that can actually mean from someone who believes Joseph Smith is "the prophet of the Restoration", and is a loyal member of the LDS church today.

Included in this episode are Jesus' teaching The Shema, God is Spirit, Scripture is God's Word - both what Christ taught about the Temple, and who Christ is as the Temple - followed by who is man, and who is Christ's true family.

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! 

In this two-part series, Skye introduces the audience to the sermon considered by most to be Joseph Smith's greatest and most important sermon. This last of Joseph Smith's general conference talks, far from being speculative "deep doctrine", is presented as being the foundation for Mormon theology. The King Follett Sermon is a foundation of Mormon theology.

KSL clip; Devotional

History of the Church, volume 6 (B.H. Roberts); JD 6.1-11

Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, edited by Joseph Fielding Smith

Newly Amalgamated Text (Stan Larson, 1978 BYU Studies)

"The King Follett Discourse: Joseph Smith's Greatest Sermon in Historical Perspective" by Donald Cannon

"The Doctrinal Impact of the King Follett Discourse" ; "The King Follett Discourse: Textual History and Criticism" by Van Hale

"The King Follett Discourse: Pinnacle or Peripheral?" by James Faulconer and Susannah Morrison

The Bible Among the Myths by John Oswalt

Biblical Words and Their Meaning; God, Language and Scripture by Moises Silva

Exegetical Fallacies by D. A. Carson

The Trinitarian Theology of Cornelius Van Til by Lane Tipton

"Trichotomy: A Beachhead of Gnostic Influence" by Kim Riddlebarger

No Man Knows My History by Fawn Brodie

Blood of the Prophets by Will Bagley

Conflict in the Quorum by Gary Bergera

Mormonism and the Magic World View by D. Michael Quinn

In Sacred Loneliness by Todd Compton

Nauvoo Polygamy by George Smith

The American Religion by Harold Bloom

"Treasures in the Heavens" by Hugh Nibley

"The Development of the Doctrine of Pre-Existence, 1830-1844" by Charles Harrell

The Man Behind the Discourse: A Biography of King Follett by Joann Follett Mortensen

The King Follett Sermon: A Biography by William Smith

In this two-part series, Skye introduces the audience to the sermon considered by most to be Joseph Smith's greatest and most important sermon. This last of Joseph Smith's general conference talks, far from being speculative "deep doctrine", is presented as being the foundation for Mormon theology. The King Follett Sermon is a foundation of Mormon theology.

KSL clip; Devotional

History of the Church, volume 6 (B.H. Roberts); JD 6.1-11

Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, edited by Joseph Fielding Smith

Newly Amalgamated Text (Stan Larson, 1978 BYU Studies)

"The King Follett Discourse: Joseph Smith's Greatest Sermon in Historical Perspective" by Donald Cannon

"The Doctrinal Impact of the King Follett Discourse" ; "The King Follett Discourse: Textual History and Criticism" by Van Hale

"The King Follett Discourse: Pinnacle or Peripheral?" by James Faulconer and Susannah Morrison

The Bible Among the Myths by John Oswalt

Biblical Words and Their Meaning; God, Language and Scripture by Moises Silva

Exegetical Fallacies by D. A. Carson

The Trinitarian Theology of Cornelius Van Til by Lane Tipton

"Trichotomy: A Beachhead of Gnostic Influence" by Kim Riddlebarger

No Man Knows My History by Fawn Brodie

Blood of the Prophets by Will Bagley

Conflict in the Quorum by Gary Bergera

Mormonism and the Magic World View by D. Michael Quinn

In Sacred Loneliness by Todd Compton

Nauvoo Polygamy by George Smith

The American Religion by Harold Bloom

"Treasures in the Heavens" by Hugh Nibley

"The Development of the Doctrine of Pre-Existence, 1830-1844" by Charles Harrell

The Man Behind the Discourse: A Biography of King Follett by Joann Follett Mortensen

The King Follett Sermon: A Biography by William Smith

In this episode, Skyler sits down with his brother, Colin Hamilton, about his “Mormon Story”. Colin's story ended not in agnosticism/atheism or in "new age", but in Creedal Christian belief.

Skyler and Colin discuss their mutual (shared, though distinct) journey – while landing on several of Colin’s stories that may help the listener understand the Mormon worldview, and the Mormon experience for someone who (as a Mormon) actually cared about doctrine, and not just fuzzy experience. Colin's story includes bits of previously-believed Mormon theology, and currently-believed Christian theology, along the way.

Skyler and Colin Hamilton were baptized in the name of the Triune God on the same day, May 16, 2021 - along with their mother, at Life In Christ CRC. All have formally removed their names from the LDS church and, as part of their baptism, renounced the Mormon gods, prophets, and "gospel".

The two churches that have been their home are FBC Provo and Christ Presbyterian Church in Magna - along with some dear siblings at Christ Fellowship Church in American Fork.

Recommended resources: 

Lecture by Jeff Durbin; American Gospel; Sermon by Voddie Baucham 

Augustine’s Confessions 

The Forgotten Trinity; The King James Only Controversy by James White 

Simply Trinity by Matthew Barrett 

The Incarnation of God by John Clark and Marcus Peter Johnson 

Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin

Christian Apologetics by Cornelius Van Til 

The One Christ: St. Augustine’s Theology of Deification by David Vincent Meconi 

Ironies of Faith by Anthony Esolen

The Family Worship Book by Terry Johnson 

Jason Wallace: here, here, here, here, here, here, and here 

• After Mormonism...Atheism? 
• After Mormonism...Now What? 

(Some) Mormon sources: 

Joseph Smith: here and here 

Lectures on Faith 

Brigham Young: here, here and here 

Waiting for World’s End: The Diaries of Wilford Woodruff, edited by Susan Staker 

Elias: An Epic for the Ages by Orson F. Whitney 

Ezra Taft Benson: here and here 

Our grandmother’s story is found in The Miracle of Forgiveness by Spencer W. Kimball (also: here); There was also a signed First Presidency Statement/Letter issued for, and read at, our grandfather’s funeral. 

• Also, Grandma Hamilton's funeral: here

A Gospel Trilogy by Cleon Skousen (also here) 

Earth In the Beginning by Eric Skousen 

Temple and Cosmos by Hugh Nibley 

LDS Temple transcript: here and here; A form of the transcript is in Mormonism: Shadow or Reality? by Jerald and Sandra Tanner (also: here) 

New Testament Witnesses of Christ by John Hall 

Eternal Man by Truman Madsen 

The Second Comforter by Denver Snuffer 

No Man Knows My History by Fawn Brodie 

Mormonism and the Magic World View by D. Michael Quinn 

• Colin recommends a shorter book, The Angel and the Sorcerer by Peter Levenda if Quinn’s book is too lengthy or intimidating.

Conflict in the Quorum by Gary Bergera 

Mormon Enigma: Emma Hale Smith by Linda King Newell 

“A Gift Given: A Gift Taken – Washing, Anointing, and Blessing the Sick Among Mormon Women” by Linda King Newell