Distinctive Christianity

In this episode, we welcome Sandra Tanner of Utah Lighthouse Ministry to discuss Joseph Smith and the origins of Mormonism – based on parts of her books Mormonism: Shadow or Reality? , Archaeology and the Book of Mormon , and Joseph Smith’s Plagiarism of the Bible in the Book of Mormon . What do we know about Joseph Smith’s involvement in magic, and why does it matter? How did we learn (and verify...

In this episode, we welcome Dr. John Turner to discuss his book Joseph Smith: The Rise and Fall of an American Prophet . Who was Joseph Smith, the founding prophet of Mormonism – and how should we understand him both in his own historical context, as well as in terms of his significance in American religious history? Dr. Turner takes us into the Smith family home to discuss some of the factors tha...

In this episode, Skyler and  Pastor Ed Romine  of  First Baptist Church of Provo  wrap up their interacting with and responding to the LDS (official) Gospel Topics Essay  “Are ‘Mormons’ Christian?” . Gospel Topics Essay:  "Are 'Mormons' Christian?" The LDS Gospel Topics Series: A Scholarly Engagement , edited by  Matthew L. Harris  and Newell G. Bringhurst The Mormon Jesus  by John...

In this episode, Skyler is joined by Pastor Ed Romine of First Baptist Church of Provo to interact with and respond to the LDS (official) Gospel Topics Essay “Are ‘Mormons’ Christian?” . Gospel Topics Essay: "Are 'Mormons' Christian?" The LDS Gospel Topics Series: A Scholarly Engagement , edited by Matthew L. Harris and Newell G. Bringhurst The Mormon Jesus by John Turner Hear our...

In this episode, we welcome Judge Thomas R. Young to discuss his book The Alexamenos Graffito: An Early Roman Commentary on Christians and Christianity . What is the Alexamenos Graffito, and why does it matter? What insight does this single artifact give us into the Roman context, and the cultural distinctive of an emerging Christianity? What can we learn about the predominant Roman view of the Ch...

In this episode, we welcome Scott Hunter to take us into The Gospel of John. What is this gospel, and what is the unique voice of John relative to the other three evangelists? Who is this Christ Jesus, what did he come to do – and where is he from? With these questions in mind, Scott takes us through highlights from the text that clearly reveal a God who is Triune: Father, Son and Spirit - and a C...

In this episode, we welcome back Eric Johnson of Mormonism Research Ministry to discuss the legacy of President Russell M. Nelson. In this episode, we try to take the listener through some of the highlights of the theology and administration of Nelson, the 17 th President of the LDS Church, as well as critique them from the perspective of evangelical Christians. From Nelson’s emphasis on the “corr...

In this episode, we welcome Dr. Ben Witherington III to discuss his book The Gospel Code: Novel Claims About Jesus, Mary Magdalene and Da Vinci . Though a writer of fiction, Dan Brown wrote on one of the first pages under the heading “FACT” that “all descriptions of artwork, architecture, documents, and secret rituals in this novel are accurate”. In a mix of pseudo-history, conspiracy-logic and em...

In this episode, we interview The Reverend Terry Johnson about his book When Grace Comes Home: How the Doctrines of Grace Change Your Life . What are “the Doctrines of Grace”, and are they practical when it comes to the Christian life? Far from being items Christians should put on the shelf, these revealed truths from Scripture form the very core of the Christian life – as should be seen most impo...

In this episode, we conclude our interview with Dr. Matthew Harris about his book Watchman on the Tower: Ezra Taft Benson and the Making of the Mormon Right . Who was President Ezra Taft Benson, what were some of his teachings, and why do they matter today? From the White Horse Prophecy to the John Birch Society, from almost being on two Presidential tickets to his conflict with fellow Elder Hugh...

In this episode, we welcome Dr. Matthew Harris to discuss his book Watchman on the Tower: Ezra Taft Benson and the Making of the Mormon Right . Who was President Ezra Taft Benson, what were some of his teachings, and why do they matter today? From the White Horse Prophecy to the John Birch Society, from almost being on two Presidential tickets to his conflict with fellow Elder Hugh B. Brown – Dr....

In this episode, we welcome Dr. Stanley G. Payne to discuss his book The Spanish Civil War . What is the Spanish Civil War (1936-39), and why does it matter? In a war often still wrongly characterized as liberal/republican vs. nationalist/fascist – how do we understand the incredibly violent and extensive worker revolution and the murder of nearly 7,000 clergy on one side, and the Roman Catholic i...

In this episode, we welcome Dr. Jeremy Kimble to discuss his book Behold and Become: Reading Scripture for Transformation . What is Scripture, and how do Christians understand it’s place in the Christian life? In today’s episode, Dr. Kimble takes us through not only the character of Scripture, but it’s efficacy and authority – as well as some more practical advice for Christians to be more “word-s...

In this episode, Skyler and Casey discuss past mistakes made on the show (the silly, the bad, and the ugly), check-in with the audience, and partially review the introduction to a biography of Elder Orson F. Whitney (1855-1931).

In this episode, we welcome Dr. Henri Blocher to discuss his book Original Sin: Illuminating the Riddle . What is the doctrine of Original Sin, and is it essential to the Christian Faith? Is the doctrine Augustine’s invention, or is it Biblical truth? Is it taught in both Old and New Testaments – as well as by Christ Jesus, himself? Dr. Blocher takes us through the contours and complexities of ori...

In this episode, we welcome Dr. G.K. Beale to discuss his commentary on Colossians (BECNT) . From a defense of the Pauline authorship of this epistle, to the identity of the Colossian-heresy based on both internal and external evidence, to Paul’s use of Old Testament allusions in this epistle (contrary to what many scholars have thought) – Dr. Beale helps us think through the brilliant theology be...

In this episode, we welcome Dr. T. C. Schmidt about his book Josephus and Jesus: New Evidence for the One Called Christ . Who was Josephus and why does he matter? Why are his writings so important for our understanding of first-century history? Dr. Schmidt takes us through the “Testimonium Flavianum”, whether it is a genuine passage about Jesus – and how we get at what Josephus originally wrote an...

In this episode, we welcome Dr. Charles Harrell to discuss his recent article “John Taylor on the ‘Dark Ages’” . Pure Original, Great Apostasy, Restoration; this has been the mainstream traditional LDS view, overwhelmingly. Yet, many have used a particular quote from an 1873 sermon by Elder John Taylor to complicate this narrative. Did John Taylor believe in the Great Apostasy, or was he open to p...

In this episode, we welcome Dr. Benjamin Park to discuss his recent RNS article: “The LDS Historical Department Just Published an 1886 Polygamy Revelation” . John Taylor was the third LDS Prophet-President, and this 1886 revelation was for the LDS church – though it has a controversial history, and an even more surprising entry in the headlines of 2025. In this episode, Dr. Park helps us better un...

In this episode, we welcome Kenneth L. Cannon II to discuss his book George Q. Cannon: Politician, Publisher, Apostle of Polygamy . Elder George Q. Cannon, known as the Father of Utah Statehood, served in four First Presidencies and is one of the most influential and fearless LDS apostles in Mormon history. From translating the Book of Mormon into Hawaiian, to editing Elder Parley Pratt’s autobiog...

In this episode, we welcome back Dr. Miguel Echevarria to discuss his book Engaging the New Testament: A Short Introduction For Students and Ministers . With particular emphasis on the texts themselves as they contribute to the overall story of the Bible as a whole – Miguel explains to us some highlights from his book. What is the connection between covenant and canon? How did we get our New Testa...

In this episode, we welcome Dr. Camden Bucey to discuss his book Karl Rahner . A Jesuit priest, and one of the most important and influential theologians of the twentieth century, Karl Rahner was known as “the Holy Ghost writer of Vatican II”. Camden takes us through some of the highlights of Rahner’s thought and how they connect on a systematic level. From Rahner’s Rule of Trinitarian theology, t...

In this episode, we welcome Dr. D. G. Hart to discuss his book Defending the Faith: J. Gresham Machen and the Crisis of Conservative Protestantism in Modern America . Who was J. Gresham Machen, and how do we best understand him? Pushing back on the narratives that Machen was either a “fundamentalist” or a villain – Dr. Hart takes us through some highlights of his life and career, and argues that h...

This week will be some thoughts Skyler shared at the Utah Christian Research Center about how the book Christianity and Liberalism by J. Gresham Machen can aid one in seeing some core similarities between Liberalism and LDS theology, past and present. The question posed by the lecture: Is Mormonism theologically liberal? Many confuse a desire for decorum for core conservative commitments, and the...

In this interview, we interview Dr. Barry Alan Shain about his book The Declaration of Independence in Historical Context . What is the Declaration of Independence, and how does it both fit within and stand out in its context? What were the real “causes” that “impelled” the 13 colonies (now, states) to separate themselves from the British Empire, and what should that mean in how we understand Amer...