1. Why did you write this book?

Robert Millet: As The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has grown, particularly during the last half of the twentieth century, more and more interest and curiosity have been generated about its beliefs and practices. One of the questions that has been asked most frequently about the LDS Church is simply are the Latter-day Saints Christians? A related question is, do they worship a different Jesus? For the longest time it did not bother me that persons of other Christian faiths did not understand our Christian commitment. I assumed it was simply a matter of ignorance. In recent years, however, it has occurred that for the man on the street to hear that Latter-day Saints are not Christians may connote much more than that we are not in the historical line of Christian churches. Does it mean that they do not believe in the New Testament? That they do not accept the divinity of Jesus Christ? That they do not rely upon his atoning blood to overcome spiritual death? Or that Jesus did not rise bodily from the tomb in an actual resurrected body? This book was written to establish what Latter-day Saints share in common with more traditional Christians in terms of doctrinal belief, and it also seeks to point out the differences between Mormons and their Christian neighbors. It is inevitable that we will have differences, but let's at least be accurate in the things we disagree about.

2. Many people know so little about the Mormons — and what they know is often incorrect. How difficult (and important) is it to educate or correct them?

Robert Millet: I of course believe that it is very important to set the record straight and that people of all religious persuasions be properly understood and properly represented. I feel a deep sense of responsibility as a religious educator to ‘get it right’ when I describe the beliefs of my Jewish friends, my Muslim brothers and sisters, and particularly my brothers and sisters of other Christian faiths. Because I would never want them to misrepresent or misunderstand what Latter-day Saints believe, I have tried as best I can to represent their beliefs accurately. If there is anything needed in this confused and difficult world, it is understanding.

3. How do Latter-day Saints and more traditional Christians differ in their views of Jesus Christ and the members of the Godhead?

Robert Millet: It is important that the religious world understand that Latter-day Saints believe in the historical Jesus — the man born in Bethlehem of Judea of the virgin Mary, whose teachings were timely and timeless guides for our individual and collective lives, and whose atoning sacrifice and rise from the tomb make forgiveness, salvation, and the immortality of the soul realities. Further, for us the Jesus of history was indeed the Christ of faith. We do not disagree a great deal in regard to the person and powers of Christ set forth in the New Testament. Our differences come in the conclusions drawn in the post-New Testament councils (e.g., Nicaea, Constantinople, Ephesus, etc.). Latter-day Saints do not accept the traditional doctrine of the Trinity. We do, however, believe there are three persons in the Godhead; that these three persons possess all of the attributes of godliness in perfection; and that their unity and love are so perfect and infinite that they constitute a divine community which is sometimes called ‘God’ in the New Testament, the Book of Mormon, and the Doctrine and Covenants. In short, while Latter-day Saints do not believe in the ontological oneness of the members of the Godhead, we believe they are infinitely more one than they are separate.

4. Why do Latter-day Saints not believe in scriptural inerrancy?

Robert Millet: To be sure, we believe the Bible is the word of God, that it is in fact God-breathed and is an inspired statement of actual historical events, fundamental doctrines, and life-expanding principles of truth. We love the Bible. We read it, we memorize it, and we cite it regularly in our sermons and writings. But we do not believe that one must subscribe to a notion of either scriptural inerrancy or biblical sufficiency in order to retain the kind of reverence and respect and commitment to the scriptures so necessary to a solid faith. While we are convinced that the hand of God was involved in the overall preservation of the Bible, we are realistic about the fact that scribal errors in the form of deletions, additions, and changes took place through the centuries of textural transmission.

5. A Mormon canon is larger and more ‘fluid’ than that of more traditional Christianity. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this?

Robert Millet: As stated above, the Bible is the word of God, a record of his dealings with the ancient inhabitants of the Old World from the time of Adam to the end of John's Apocalypse, a period many believe to be over 4000 years. Mormons believe, however, that the Bible is also something else — a statement that God has spoken in the past, that he does not speak, and that he will yet speak for the edification and blessing of his children. We feel that to say that the Bible is the final word of God is to make a claim for this sacred book that it does not make for itself. For us, the Book of Mormon and modern scripture and revelation are but an extension of the pattern that God established through the centuries that ‘surely the Lord God will do nothing except he reveals his secrets to his servants the prophets’ (Amos 3:7). While we do not doubt but that the Bible may be applied to a myriad of life situations, we believe that God loves his children in his last days as much as he loved his children in former times, and that he desires to reveal himself and his mind and will today as much as in times past. I can only think of two disadvantages to having scriptures beyond the Bible: (a) Our acceptance of other books of scripture is often offensive to those who claim sole allegiance to the Bible and is one of the reasons some relegate us to the category of non-Christian; and (b) I have much more scripture to read, ponder, memorize, and master with four books of scripture than if I were just simply trying to become an expert in the Bible!

6. Why Joseph Smith in 1820? What makes the timing and setting appropriate for the rise of Mormonism?

Robert Millet: Latter-day Saints believe that following the deaths of the original apostles in the first century the priesthood or divine authority (delivered by Jesus to the apostles) was lost. This divine authority not only authorized persons to perform the necessary ordinances or sacraments but also provided oversight for the churches and the teaching of sound doctrine. While important parts of Christianity were kept alive during the period that many have called ‘The Dark Ages,’ Mormons believe that the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ was not on the earth. We believe that the Protestant Reformation, though God-inspired and crucial, was insufficient as a corrective to the errors that crept into the church through the centuries. In the early nineteenth century many groups of people became disenchanted with what they called creedal Christianity and sought to return to ‘the ancient order of things.’ That is, they sought a return to biblical Christianity, to the simple church and teachings found within the pages of the New Testament. These people sought for a restoration. Alexander Campbell became the father of the Disciples of Christ, the Church of Christ, the Christian Church. Joseph Smith became the founder of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also a restorationist movement. As opposed to similar seekers, Joseph Smith claimed to have been visited by God, Christ, and angels, to have been ordained by the laying on of hands to divine priesthood authority, and to have gained by modern revelation plain and precious truths and doctrinal clarifications. Some historians have called the period between 1820–1845 the ‘Second American Revolution.’ It was a time of unrest, of upheaval, of stirrings, of revivalism, of movement. People were on the move, both physically and ideologically; many felt no hesitation in breaking ties with family or faith as they exercised an unusual spiritual independence. It is in this atmosphere that Mormonism arose, and the time was ripe.

7. How do you explain to a more traditional Christian the view that the LDS Church is ‘the only true and living church?’

Robert Millet: As mentioned above, Latter-day Saints believe that theirs is the only authority-bearing institution on earth, that the restored church of Jesus Christ is the custodian of divine priesthood authority and of the doctrines of salvation. This does not mean that Latter-day Saints feel that all other churches teach falsehood, that other faiths have malicious motives, or that Catholic priests or Protestant ministers are anything other than devoted followers of the Christ. In a sense, everything about Christianity is exclusionary in nature: nothing could be more exclusive than the claim that there is no other name by which salvation comes except the name of Christ. On a smaller scale, each church or denomination operates with its own exclusive beliefs. The Methodists, the Baptists, the Presbyterians, the Unitarians, the Pentecostals, the Roman Catholics, the Congregationalists, the Anglicans — these all feel that their particular approach to the Truth and their insight into and application of biblical principles are to be preferred over that of their neighbors. Otherwise, why would they exist? Why not join with the others? Why maintain denominational differences? So while the LDS claim does seem a bit harsh and exclusionary, in many ways it is not too very different from what exists throughout Christendom.

8. What beliefs do LDS and more traditional Christians share?

Robert Millet: There are many things that Latter-day Saints share with their brothers and sisters of other Christian faiths. For example:

A. There is a purpose to life and we are not here by chance.

B. There is a God who lives, hears, and answers our prayers.

C. God is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent and he possesses every Godly attribute in perfection. Further, there are absolute truths, absolute values that cannot be altered by society.

D. Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Savior and Redeemer of all humankind.

E. The accounts contained in the New Testament of his divinity, his timeless teachings, his miracles, and his matchless life are historical, accurate, and true.

F. Through the atonement of Christ we may be justified, pronounced innocent and, in addition, have his righteousness imputed to us. That is, we are justified by faith in him, through a total trust, complete confidence and ready reliance upon his merits, mercy, and grace.

G. Jesus suffered and died on the cross as a substitutionary offering and rose from the dead to glorious immortality. Because he rose from the dead, all men and women will likewise be resurrected.

H. The Holy Spirit is a revelator, teacher and comforter. In addition, through the Holy Spirit, we may be sanctified. In other words, we may be cleansed and purified in our actions, motives, and desires.

I. Our unreserved acceptance of Christ as Savior and Lord should be reflected in how we live our lives. Our lives should begin to manifest the ‘fruit of the Spirit.’ In short, true faith always results in faithfulness.

J. While the Holy Spirit brings to us the ‘earnest of our inheritance’ (Ephesians 1:13-14; 2 Corinthians 1:21-22; 5:5) and thus the assurance of salvation here, the full degree of salvation and glorification come hereafter.

K. The Church of Jesus Christ exists for the perfection of the Saints, for the work of the ministry, and for the edification of the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:11-12). It provides a means for group study and enlightenment, worship, organized sacrifice, and charitable giving.

L. One day Jesus Christ will come again to reign on this earth as King of kings and Lord of lords. For a thousand years Satan will be bound and goodness and righteousness will prevail.

9. What is the appeal of Mormonism to people today?

Robert Millet: Mormonism seems to strike a difficult and elusive balance between the static and the dynamic, the priestly and the prophetic. While holding tenaciously to the teachings of the Bible and to ancient matters, the Latter-day Saints also reach forward with the other hand toward modern and continuing revelation and guidance. People all over the earth love the Bible, but they also want to know that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob still lives, still speaks, and is still involved in our personal lives. Second, while local Latter-day Saint clergy are considered to be a ‘lay ministry,’ there is something to be said about the value of such a lay ministry. Men and women of all walks of life teach Sunday School, work with youth, preside over congregations, visit the sick, and perform meaningful service at church welfare projects. The genius of a lay ministry lies in the fact that people become deeply committed to something in which they invest themselves. Frankly speaking, membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is not easy, but sociological studies indicate that the churches that are growing the fastest across are those that ask the most of its members. Third, perhaps more than any other Christian-professing group, the LDS place a great deal of emphasis upon some of life's most ponderous and vexing questions: Who am I? Where did I come from? Why am I here? Where am I going after I die? Thus the concept that God has a plan for his children, a plan of salvation, a great plan of happiness, finds a special place in the hearts of people who want to believe that there's purpose to the challenges and strains of this life. Fourth, Latter-day Saints believe in absolute truths, in doctrinal and moral constants in a world that is witnessing spiritual erosion through the shifting sands of secularity. There are some things that simply do not change — some laws, commandments, prohibitions, and statutes — that are and will forevermore be set, fixed, and established in the mind of God and of God's people. Finally, Latter-day Saints believe that the family is the most important unit in time and in eternity, and that families are intended to survive death. Through LDS temples, which are now being erected throughout the earth, husbands and wives, parents and children are ‘sealed’ to one another not just for time, but for all eternity. We believe this is what Christ had in mind when he delivered to Peter the keys of the kingdom of God, the power to bind on earth and have that action eternally bound in the heavens. In short, life and love are forever.

10. You are good friends with Richard Mouw. What do the two of you hope Latter-day Saints and more traditional Christians can learn from each other?

Robert Millet: It would be easy to say that Rich Mouw and I simply ‘hit it off’ the moment we met, although it is true that in some ways we seemed to have a connection from the very start. We both realized that there were many things we believed in common, that there were some things we differed on, and that it was important that we focus on both. After literally hundreds of hours of talking and listening and pondering and praying and evaluating and analyzing, we have gained a deep respect for one another, as well as for one another's faith. To use Rich's own words, we have enjoyed the blessings of a ‘convicted civility’ in our dialogues and interactions. In other words, we have discovered that there is great value in plumbing the depths of the human soul and seeking to better understand what makes another person tick, as well as who they worship and what they treasure. We have learned that when defensiveness and ego are put aside, we gain friendships as well as facts. As is well known, Evangelicals and Latter-day Saints have often been guilty of speaking unkindly of one another, of misrepresenting one another, and of declaring boldly what the other believes without asking the other what they believe. Rich and I would hope that Latter-day Saints and Evangelicals could learn to listen to one another more effectively, ask questions more cordially, and pursue insights more respectfully. As I have spent the last decade interacting with Evangelicals and making scores of new friends, I have learned a ton about Evangelical theology. In the process — and I did not anticipate this — I have learned half a ton about Mormonism. One simply cannot become deeply involved in genuine, heartfelt conversation on sacred matters without becoming enriched and blessed by the process.