Distinctive Christianity

In this episode, we interview Eric Johnson of Mormonism Research Ministry about LDS President-Prophet Spencer W. Kimball’s book The Miracle of Forgiveness . Eric takes us through some of the main teachings of President Kimball, and how it still has authority for the LDS. Could this book be, in any way, considered Christian? We also discuss Eric’s “Free-Book Approach” of using Kimball's book fo...

In this episode, we interview Bradley Campbell of  God Loves Mormons  (GLM) and the  Mormonism Research Ministry  (MRM). We ask Bradley about the content of a few of his recent videos - and the response to them by LDS. This is a conversation that talks about changes in what the LDS church “officially” teaches and why. What is the state of popular-level LDS theology today, both online and on the st...

In this episode, we interview Bradley Campbell of God Loves Mormons (GLM) and the Mormonism Research Ministry (MRM). We ask Bradley about the content of a few of his recent videos - and the response to them by LDS. This is a conversation that talks about changes in what the LDS church “officially” teaches and why. What is the state of popular-level LDS theology today, both online and on the street...

In this episode, we welcome back Dr. Matthew Emadi to discuss his recent book What Is a Church? In this book, Matt addresses the phenomenon of “Lone Ranger christianity” and hopes to aid in seeing what the true Christian Church is, and why it is a necessary and essential component to the Christian life. Ecclesiology should be more than just the later part of a systematic theology we never read. Cr...

In this episode, Brendon and Skyler continue setting up the context for the coming series on the Nicene Creed. Today, we take a brief and broad tour of Ancient Roman civilization. This includes some of the basics of public and private Religion in Roman society, as well as the importance of Roman law, piety, and virtue. The how and the what of the spread of Roman power helps set the stage upon whic...

In this episode, Skyler is joined by Patrick Courrielche and Adryana Cortez of Red Pilled America to discuss their recent documentary: “Rescue Ruse – How ‘Sound of Freedom’ Conned Christians” . Patrick and Adryana take us all the way back to a man named W.T. Stead in the 19th century - and show us how there has been a blueprint for men like Tim Ballard to lie and take advantage of Christians’ desi...

In this interview, Skyler interviews distinguished journalist Lynn Packer about his book Lying for the Lord: The Paul H. Dunn Stories . The second most popular LDS General Authority in his time - Paul H. Dunn was in the Presidency of the Seventy, and was famous for his faith-promoting stories. But were those stories true? Following his investigation into the AFCO fraud scandal (of which Elder Dunn...

In this episode, Brendon and Skyler start setting up the context for the coming series on the Nicene Creed. Today, we take a brief and broad tour of Ancient Greek civilization. This includes some of the basics of public and private Religion in Greek society, and some of the influential ideas of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. If it is claimed that Greek ideas corrupted the Christian faith – then i...

In this episode, we interview Jolene Phelps about her life story, including her transition from being a faithful and committed LDS to becoming an evangelical Christian. Her story includes everything from Cuban grandparents who fled Castro’s communism to leaving that mainstream LDS church for “The Remnant”, waiting for the imminent end of the world. Her and her husband, James Phelps , will be leadi...

In this episode, we interview Jolene Phelps about her life story, including her transition from being a faithful and committed LDS to becoming an evangelical Christian. Her story includes everything from Cuban grandparents who fled Castro’s communism to leaving that mainstream LDS church for “The Remnant”, waiting for the imminent end of the world. Her and her husband, James Phelps , will be leadi...

In this series, Brendon and Skye are going through the book Crisis of Confidence by Carl Trueman – exploring the reasons why Christians have normally used creeds to guard the faith, and why Mormons have been anti-creedal since their founding. This week we cover the Conclusion, Appendix, and wrap-up the series.  Note of clarification: The Council of Arminium or Rimini was in AD 359 and has around 3...

In this episode, Skyler is joined by Dr. Ed Romine to review and respond to LDS President Russell M. Nelson’s April 2024 General Conference talk “Rejoice in the Gift of Priesthood Keys” .   Correction/Clarification: I brought up the 1838 First Vision Account, and then made the comparative point with the other accounts in a way that wasn’t as clear as it should've been. More technically, I shou...

In this series, Brendon and Skye are going through the book Crisis of Confidence by Carl Trueman – exploring the reasons why Christians have normally used creeds to guard the faith, and why Mormons have been anti-creedal since their founding. This week we cover chapter six: “On the Usefulness of Creeds and Confessions”.    Christianity and Liberalism ; The Person of Jesus by J. Gresham Machen   Cr...

In this episode, Skyler interviews Dr. James Renihan about his book Confessing the Impassible God: The Biblical, Classical, & Confessional Doctrine of Divine Impassibility .   The LDS have historically rejected any notion of any god being “without body, parts, or passions.” This teaching was even explicitly identified as a Luciferian deception through the character of a Reformed Minister (call...

In this episode, Skye flies solo further analyzing the Mormon anti-creedal imperative. Building on the coverage in Part One of the Creedal Imperative series, Skye analyzes whether it it just creeds – or perhaps it is a deeper issue that would affect their view of canon, and even written texts at all? This is all occurring within the background of the Mormon paradox of on the one hand, the impulse...

In this series, Brendon and Skye are going through the book Crisis of Confidence by Carl Trueman – exploring the reasons why Christians have normally used creeds to guard the faith, and why Mormons have been anti-creedal since their founding. This week we cover chapter five: “Confession as Praise”.    Christianity and Liberalism ; The Person of Jesus by J. Gresham Machen   Crisis of Confidence: Re...

In this week's episode, we finish an interview with Pastor James Phelps from  Crossroads Church  about his life story. Growing up LDS, we hear his story of leaving Mormonism to then being converted to Christianity. His story includes going from serving an LDS mission in Taiwan - to then being an elder in a faithful Christian church in Sandy. He also shares with us that he will be leading a chu...

In this week's episode, we begin an interview with Pastor James Phelps from Crossroads Church about his life story. Growing up LDS, we hear his story of leaving Mormonism to then being converted to Christianity. His story includes going from serving an LDS mission in Taiwan - to then being an elder in a faithful Christian church in Sandy. He also shares with us that he will be leading a church...

In this series, Brendon and Skye are going through the book Crisis of Confidence by Carl Trueman – exploring the reasons why Christians have normally used creeds to guard the faith, and why Mormons have been anti-creedal since their founding. This week we cover chapter four: “Classical Protestant Confessions”.  Christianity and Liberalism ; The Person of Jesus by J. Gresham Machen   Crisis of Conf...

In this episode, Skye interviews Russ Robinson about his story and some of the history of First Baptist Church of Provo in Utah County.  He was a pastor at this local Baptist church for 14 years. Russ preaching on John 1 E.g. SBC: 1995 , 2009    “The Heresy of Racial Superiority – Confronting the Past, and Confronting the Truth” by Al Mohler  For comparison: here , and here    Watchman on the Towe...

In this series, Brendon and Skye are going through the book Crisis of Confidence by Carl Trueman – exploring the reasons why Christians have normally used creeds to guard the faith, and why Mormons have been anti-creedal since their founding. This week we cover chapter three: “The Early Church”.  Correction: The dates for Heber C. Kimball are June 14, 1801 – June 22, 1868 . The dates for Jedediah...

Given recent coverage of MMP in the news, including two interviews with historians of Mormonism, Skyler and Colin give their immediate reaction to what they see as PR-Mormonism obfuscating the point and purpose of the doctrine. With all due respect, these historians either should know better - or at least be interested in knowing better! Why would any LDS believe MMP, to begin with? Are there any...

In this episode, Pastor Jason Wallace joins us to discuss his recent video  Cyril Lucaris: Calvinist Patriarch/Orthodox Saint . Who was Cyril Lucaris, and what do we know about him? Was his  Confession  authentic, and does it indicate that he was Protestant? And what are the implications for Eastern Orthodox claims about the Christian faith, and their arguments against Protestantism?  We also take...

In this episode, Pastor Jason Wallace joins us to discuss his recent video Cyril Lucaris: Calvinist Patriarch/Orthodox Saint . Who was Cyril Lucaris, and what do we know about him? Was his Confession authentic, and does it indicate that he was Protestant? And what are the implications for Eastern Orthodox claims about the Christian faith, and their arguments against Protestantism?  We also take th...

In this episode, Skye interviews Dr. Kyle Beshears on his dissertation “Wingfield Scott Watson and His Struggle to Preserve the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite) After the Death of Its Founder” . Who was Mormon prophet James Strang? Who was Wingfield Watson? What is their place in Mormon history, theology, and practice?     “Wingfield Scott Watson and His Struggle to Preserve...