How Wide the Divide? - Craig L. Blomberg & Stephen E. Robinson

Clearly there are differences between Mormon and Christian thought. The question is how far apart are the two? This book is an attempt to answer that question and is rather quick read. Unfortunately this book draws some conclusions that the reader could never draw. The book is divided into four main sections each comprised of two main sections as well as a conclusion. This is all explained in the introduction. The four main sections are essentially the Doctrine of Revelation, Theology Proper (Doctrine of God), Christology (Doctrine of Christ), and Soteriology (Doctrine of Salvation). The differences and similarities are summed up in a final conclusion that is in list format.

This list is to say the least shocking, and I believe it would be to both evangelicals as well as latter day saints. So for this review I will essentially start there and work our way back to the other chapters. The first conclusion that the book comes to is that both Christians and Latter Day Saints believe that "The Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit are one Eternal God."¹ In theory everything looks kosher and if we don't define the term "one Eternal God" then no one will have any complaints. To be fair they do scratch below the surface in the text of the book however it seems the differences do not play into the conclusions. By this definition one could say that Latter Day Saints agree with Oneness Pentecostals or Christians with Jehovah's Witness', clearly not the case. Even a Hindu could say they believe the same thing.

The Latter Day Saint belief about the oneness of God is limited to an oneness of mind and purpose. Dr. Robinson quickly will throw power and glory into this equation but due to his subordination view of Christ to the Father² such a view cannot be truthful. The Evangelical view is that God is Ontologically one, that is His being is one. Thus, while the statement makes a big "bang" in the see were really not that different, if we define the terms we see we are really miles apart.

The second view that we supposedly have in common is that "Jesus Christ is Lord. He is both the Son of God and God the Son."³ Again if words have no meaning the of course this looks fine and dandy and both Evangelicals and Latter Day Saints would affirm this. However if we were to look at definitions of who Jesus is, we would see that the Latter Day Saint belief and the Evangelical belief are radically different. The Latter Day Saint belief is that God the Son is a literal Son, through sexual acts, of God the Father and Mary.⁴ Evangelicals on the other hand believe that Christ was formed in the womb of Mary by God through the power of the Holy Spirit, not through a physical act.

Number four was of particular interest to me because it dealt with the atonement. "Jesus Christ suffered, bled and died on the cross as a substitutionary atonement for the sins of the world."⁵ This one is simply interesting because with two radically different views of heaven I am not sure that a Latter Day Saint can agree to this. The concept of substitutionary atonement would mean that Christ is your substitute when it comes to your sins. However with the Latter Day Saint view of a three tiered view of Heaven⁶ true substitution is not possible, or is at least contingent upon something. If true substitution happened then even the sins of unbelief, disbelief, or more importantly in Latter Day Saint thought, not preserving to the end would be substituted from you to Jesus Christ. Thus all men would gain celestial Glory. Unfortunately this is not the case because the Latter Day Saint view of the atonement is very limited in it's power.

I could go on, and the book would have been good had the final two chapters not been written and the conclusions been left out for the reader to decide his or her own opinion of How close or "Wide the Divide." Over all I would not recommend this book to a new Christian or someone dealing with Mormonism for the First time, rather I would recommend Mormon America by Richard and Joan Ostling, The Gospel According to Joseph Smith by Ethan E. Harris, and Mormonism Explained by Andrew Jackson (Read it online) from the Christian Prospective and The Miracle of Forgiveness by Spencer W. Kimball, Mormon Doctrine by Bruce R. McConkie, or The Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith by Joseph Fielding Smith from a Latter Day Saint prospective.

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Footnotes:
1) Craig L. Blomberg, and Stephen E. Robinson. How Wide the Divide?: A Mormon & an Evangelical in Conversation. [Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1997], 195. - Return to text
2) Ibid., 130-1,8 - Return to text
3) Ibid., 195 - Return to text
4) Ibid., 139 - Return to text
5) Ibid., 195 - Return to text
6) Ibid., 149-51 - Return to text

Richard Baxter - The Reformed Pastor

The work of any Pastor is never complete until he has been called home and gives an account of those whom he was called to shepherd. As one called to such a commission Richard Baxter presents the roll of what a true pastor should look like in his classical work The Reformed Pastor.
While this book is an older work on the subject of overseeing God's flock, it is still very relevant today. Pastors are called to know their congregation on a personal level and instruct them in such a way as to leave no reason for them to be of unsound doctrine and faith. Things often missed in the current era of mega Churches and televangelists. While neither of these things are inherently evil, they do fail to oversee souls biblically.
I urge any who are thinking they are called to be a pastor, as well as all current shepherds of God's flock to read this book. It is an asset to the library of all Overseers of Souls.

Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you. - Hebrews 13:17

Grace and Peace.