The Mormon Defenders

Rating:
Summary: For Such a Time as This
Review: For over a century-and-a-half the Mormon Church has sought to claim the theological and biblical high ground over the Christian faith. For more than a decade I have watched new Latter-day Saint apologists emerge into the public dialog. I have witnessed LDS scholars gain and hold prestigious academic positions in non-LDS institutions. I have observed an increasing sophistication in their advocacy and in their responses to critics. And I have been greatly disappointed as my fellow Christians returned time and again to overstated, largely ineffective materials published to teach us how to refute Mormon arguments and how to witness of the grace of Christ to them.

The seriousness of our situation became urgently clear when InterVarsity Press published an inter-faith dialog between Dr. Craig Blomberg (Denver Seminary) and Dr. Stephen Robinson (Brigham Young University) entitled, "How Wide the Divide?" While Dr. Blomberg brought a distinctly learned and refreshing perspective to the discussion, I wondered at the persistent equivocations on the part of Dr. Robinson. Robinson employs Christian vocabulary, to be sure, but he harbors a distinctly unbiblical dictionary. I was well aware of his rhetorical techniques from reading his books and articles (especially "Are Mormons Christians?"). I was disappointed that Dr. Blomberg did not expose Dr. Robinson's less-than-mainstream (or less-than-candid) presentation of his Mormon faith.

With the publication of "The Mormon Defenders" my hopes have been reignited. J. P. Holding is someone well acquainted with LDS arguments and rhetoric, and familiar with the Bible and current biblical scholarship (whether "conservative" or "liberal"). He discusses such topics as divine embodiment, the relationship of the Father and the Son, preexistence, baptism for the dead, salvation for the living and the deceased, and deification. At every point, he evidences an extensive knowledge of his sources - whether Mormon, Christian or other. And while readers may take issue with some of the arguments in these pages, it is distinctly clear - thanks to Mr. Holding's studied and insightful engagement of the issues - that Mormonism is not biblical, regardless of the advanced degrees, regardless of their inroads into mainstream scholarship, regardless of their protestations to the contrary, and regardless of their rhetoric.

As a former fifth-generation member of the LDS Church, I enthusiastically recommend "The Mormon Defenders" as an able, insightful and engaging defense of truly biblical Christianity. I pray that it will be just one of many such worthy volumes.

Rating:
Summary: Microcosmic Contrasts
Review: Holding's book does an excellent job of delineating differences between Mormon teachings and standard biblical interpretations. That's why I rated it 4 stars rather than 2 or 3. But what it misses is the larger scope of biblical scholarship that renders much of both Mormon teachings and standard biblical interpretations irrelevant to historical, existential reality. In other words, much of what most Mormons and Christians believe about the Bible is in neither case historically viable. Even Albert Schweitzer concluded, at the end of his book, Quest of the Historical Jesus, that the Jesus Christ described in the New Testament "never had any historical existence." Other works such as Why Christianity Must Change or Die (Spong), and The Origin of Satan (Pagels), and Who Wrote the New Testament? (Mack) all lay out historical findings that leave Mormon-Evangelical differences anachronistic and moot, each camp denigrating the other, and neither camp being historically valid in the light of current scholarship. So while Holding's book is well done for what it does, what it does, in the larger scheme of things, may now be viewed as tempestuous teapot theology and microcosmic musings in a macrocosmic world of worldwide scriptural relativity.

Rating:
Summary: A Scholarly Response to Mormon Apologetics
Review: In "The Mormon Defenders," James Patrick Holding untertakes a critical analysis of the veracity of 7 Mormon doctrines in light of evangelical Biblical scholarship. The Mormon doctrines of "Divine Embodiment," the Mormon understanding of the relationship of Jesus to the Father, "Preexistence," "Baptism for the Dead," "Salvation for the Unevangelized," the Mormon understanding of salvation(and the role of faith and works), and "Human Deification" are critiqued by Holding. The author's general approach in each chapter is to first analyze the usage of typical Biblical passages that Mormon apologists assert support their doctrinal beliefs. This is followed by discussions of certain passages that are utilized to refute specific Mormon doctrine(s). Then, the author discusses historical problems with the Mormon assertions that certain Christian doctrinal beliefs were changed(as the church allegedly went into apostasy). Holding also provides a helpful list of "Key Points" at the very end of each chapter.

The author is successful in providing solid answers to Mormon apologetical assertions as well as positing pertinent questions based on Scriptural and historical issues that must be satisfactorily answered if Mormonism is to establish a solid foundation upon which to rest its claim of being a divinely-inspired religion. More than being a valuable tool in "Christian vs. Mormon" apologetics, "The Mormon defenders" also provides information on concepts probably not well-known, even by most Christians. For instance, in chapter 2, Holding discusses the ancient Jewish "Wisdom" traditions in order to explain how the New Testament authors understood Jesus Christ's Role in the Godhead. Another example would be a discussion in chapter 6 of the "Semitic Totality" paradigm in describing the role of faith and works(with emphasis on baptism) in the Christian's life. From my personal experiences, these are concepts not greatly understood by many Christians and it is the resultant misunderstandings of these concepts that are often the cause of division in the Church. It probably cannot be stressed enough how important it is for all Christians, especially apologists and church leaders, to acquaint themselves with such important issues.

I highly recommend "The Mormon Defenders" for those interested in "higher-level" arguments that address common Mormon apologetic assertions as well as for those wishing to better understand some of the prominent social, cultural, and religious themes through which the Bible, and most particularly the New Testament, was written.

Rating:
Summary: A Scholarly Response to Mormon Apologetics
Review: In "The Mormon Defenders," James Patrick Holding untertakes a critical analysis of the veracity of 7 Mormon doctrines in light of evangelical Biblical scholarship. The Mormon doctrines of "Divine Embodiment," the Mormon understanding of the relationship of Jesus to the Father, "Preexistence," "Baptism for the Dead," "Salvation for the Unevangelized," the Mormon understanding of salvation(and the role of faith and works), and "Human Deification" are critiqued by Holding. The author's general approach in each chapter is to first analyze the usage of typical Biblical passages that Mormon apologists assert support their doctrinal beliefs. This is followed by discussions of certain passages that are utilized to refute specific Mormon doctrine(s). Then, the author discusses historical problems with the Mormon assertions that certain Christian doctrinal beliefs were changed(as the church allegedly went into apostasy). Holding also provides a helpful list of "Key Points" at the very end of each chapter.

The author is successful in providing solid answers to Mormon apologetical assertions as well as positing pertinent questions based on Scriptural and historical issues that must be satisfactorily answered if Mormonism is to establish a solid foundation upon which to rest its claim of being a divinely-inspired religion. More than being a valuable tool in "Christian vs. Mormon" apologetics, "The Mormon defenders" also provides information on concepts probably not well-known, even by most Christians. For instance, in chapter 2, Holding discusses the ancient Jewish "Wisdom" traditions in order to explain how the New Testament authors understood Jesus Christ's Role in the Godhead. Another example would be a discussion in chapter 6 of the "Semitic Totality" paradigm in describing the role of faith and works(with emphasis on baptism) in the Christian's life. From my personal experiences, these are concepts not greatly understood by many Christians and it is the resultant misunderstandings of these concepts that are often the cause of division in the Church. It probably cannot be stressed enough how important it is for all Christians, especially apologists and church leaders, to acquaint themselves with such important issues.

I highly recommend "The Mormon Defenders" for those interested in "higher-level" arguments that address common Mormon apologetic assertions as well as for those wishing to better understand some of the prominent social, cultural, and religious themes through which the Bible, and most particularly the New Testament, was written.

Rating:
Summary: Moving Beyond the Basics
Review: Most of what is published today on the subject of Mormonism is what I would call "first level" apologetic material. What I mean by that is that it deals with the very basic issues and conversations that will come up between your average evangelical Christian and your average Mormon. The Mormon Church has recognized this, and in recent years, has refined the sophistication level of their arguments, and thus, a Christian confronted with these new (and necessarily more complex) arguments may find themselves ill-equipped.

This is where this book steps in to fill the void by providing answers to the Mormon arguments on the "second" and "third" level of apologetics. As such, it is necessarily more difficult and complex than any first level book on the subject. However, I found it extraordinarily easy to follow, perhaps because I have long since moved beyond the basic stuff. If you are not yet familiar with the first level of information to counter Mormon apologists, this book is not for you, and you will probably find it over your head as did the last reviewer. If you have mastered the basic information, you will easily understand and appreciate this work.

Rating:
Summary: Moving Beyond the Basics
Review: Most of what is published today on the subject of Mormonism is what I would call "first level" apologetic material. What I mean by that is that it deals with the very basic issues and conversations that will come up between your average evangelical Christian and your average Mormon. The Mormon Church has recognized this, and in recent years, has refined the sophistication level of their arguments, and thus, a Christian confronted with these new (and necessarily more complex) arguments may find themselves ill-equipped.

This is where this book steps in to fill the void by providing answers to the Mormon arguments on the "second" and "third" level of apologetics. As such, it is necessarily more difficult and complex than any first level book on the subject. However, I found it extraordinarily easy to follow, perhaps because I have long since moved beyond the basic stuff. If you are not yet familiar with the first level of information to counter Mormon apologists, this book is not for you, and you will probably find it over your head as did the last reviewer. If you have mastered the basic information, you will easily understand and appreciate this work.

Rating:
Summary: Sola Scriptura!
Review: now, i'll be honest--Mormonism is not an issue that i feel troubled by. i am, aside from this book, and a somewhat entertaining encounter with some door to door Mormons (who sent me to the FARMS website), unfamiliar with the arguments on both sides.

in this book, 7 Mormon doctrines are examined under jp's tekton methodology (reading passages in light of the socio-historical context from which they came). jp argues that the Mormon understanding of Scripture, insofar as it is used by modern top-notch Mormon apologists to support their doctrines, is flawed and anachronistic. he takes on the top Mormon apologists, and uses the best modern historio-critical Scripture resources to refute them.
the strong point of the book is jp's sharp and pithy analytical prowess. the book is only 160 pages, but the tekton titan puts so much dynamo into each paragraph that its like reading a page from a normal apologetic work. and on the side, the book is backed up by so many footnotes that you'd think it was divided not only into chapter, but verse as well--very helpful to the student of the Christian/Mormon debate.
so, in sum, i give 'er 5 stars because the book is absolutely and completely saturated in the relevant resources, and it takes the Mormon claim head on. sharp logic (rather than the flabby argumentation of many apologists) is used, and throughout, a witty and vibrant overtone is felt. with jp holding in print, the future of Christian apologetics just got brighter, and the defense of Mormonism just got harder.
take care and God bless.

Rating:
Summary: confused
Review: The book seems to be filled with important information, but is a very hard book to read. I struggled to get through it and after finishing it I still don't have a good argument for the topics. I just found it a hard read.

Rating:
Summary: Essential reading for all who might encounter Mormons
Review: This is the first book by J.P. Holding, president of the highly effective Tekton Apologetics Ministry, and I hope it won't be the last. While a lot of books were enough to refute most Mormon missionaries, a new breed of Mormon apologetics has emerged. And although this has not filtered through (even according to the laments of these Mormon apologists), it is essential that Christians are prepared for the strongest arguments they could encounter.

The first chapter deals with one of the most blatant examples of contradiction -- the Mormon concept God being an exalted man. Holding first shows that the Mormon case is wanting, by misunderstanding anthropomorphisms, assuming that theophanies represented God's permanent state, and the unwarranted expansion of the Incarnation that was unique to Christ. Then he presents the biblical case against the Mormon teaching of divine embodiment.

This and all the other chapters end with an important discussion of the Mormon charge that the historical Church has apostatised through Hellenistic philosophy. One important point is much like those who claim our biblical texts are corrupted: OK, produce the *uncorrupted originals* or clear proof of what they said, because a charge of corruption can be sustained only if we can show what the extant texts are corrupted *from*. Similarly, Holding shows that there is not the slightest trace of an allegelly uncorrupt Jewish or early church teaching that looks anything like Mormonism. Conversely, the Jewish historian Josephus and the anti-Jewish Roman historian Tacitus confirm that the Jewish concept of God was one of an eternal Creator of all things. And historic Christianity's conception, in the areas of dispute between Mormonism, is firmly based on the biblical Jewish conception. Also, in some chapters, Holding shows that if anything, any Hellenistic influence would have been in the *opposite* direction to historic Christian doctrines.

The chapters all end with a helpful conclusion and key points, but don't skip the meat either!

The second chapter discusses the Christian doctrine of the Incarnation compared to the Mormon teaching of polytheism. The most important part was analysing the New Testament in the historical context of the Wisdom tradition. Here, Wisdom was such an important and eternal aspect of God's nature that it was personified, so it was known as a hypostasis. The New Testament identifies Jesus as this Wisdom of God, equal in *nature* with God while being subordinate in *role* only. Both the Gospels and Epistles have extensive parallels, e.g. Col. 1:16-17 "by him all things were created ... He is before all things and in him all things hold together. Compare Wisdom of Solomon 1:16,7: "for he created all things that they might exist. ... that which holds all things together knows what is said." An extensive endnote also notes the Targumic concept of Memra (word) as another example of Jewish teaching of plurality within the one being of God. Hebrew Christian scholar Dr Arnold Fructenbaum argues strongly that the Johannine Prologue identified Jesus, the Logos (word), as embodying all aspects of the Memra.

Another important application of historical context is the Semitic Totality Concept. This is applied to the criteria for salvation and in particular the Mormon teaching of baptismal regeneration.

Certainly salvation is by grace through faith not by works (Eph. 2:8-9), so baptismal regeneration is wrong. But under the STC, actions and thoughts were so intimately linked that a faith that produced no works was not a saving faith at all. So in reality, we *will* preform works if we are saved, rather than a case of "we *must* perform works to be saved." IOW works are the fruit of justification, not the root. In particular, (water) baptism is what saved people do, not what people DO to be saved.

It is also important to understand the logic of conditional statements. Some Mormons use passages that suggest a judgement based on works, e.g. Rom. 2:5. But the logic is: IF you persist in obeying the Commandments, THEN you will inherit eternal life. But logically, conditional statements do NOT assert the truth of anything, just what happens IF the condition is met. And the whole point in context is that NO ONE, apart from Christ, has fulfilled the condition of perfect obedience. So our salvation depends on God's grace alone through faith.

Other chapters cover the interesting verse on baptism for the dead, once again with cutting-edge scholarship, human pre-existence, and their particular doctrine of men becoming Gods.

My only gripe is not with the author but with the very annoying American practice of putting footnotes at the end of the book (i.e. endnotes), in chapter order. Especially with Holding's extensive teaching in these notes, it is a pain to have to go to another place to find the note, and also make sure I know what chapter I'm on. Footnotes at the bottom of the page are much better. So I request that publishers produce more reader-friendly books, and resist the pathetic excuses "we have always done it that way" or "scholars prefer it like that". FWIW my three books have footnotes at the bottom of the page, and they have sold over half a million copies, so it can be done!