Last year, Eric Shuster wrote Catholic Roots, Mormon Harvest about his conversion from Catholicism to Mormonism. Now, he and coauthor Charles Sale bring us The Biblical Roots of Mormonism, a discovery of Mormon doctrines as they are revealed in the Bible. Each chapter delves into a specific belief, such as the Godhead, premortal life, and revelation. Quoting hundreds of Old and New Testament passages, the authors show how the Bible alone can sustain Mormon theology and practice. This incredibly well-researched guide provides fresh insights about the Bible as each page reveals a new connection to the Mormon beliefs. Perfect for believers, investigators, and skeptics alike, this book will inspire and astonish as it lays out the biblical foundation of Mormonism.
Biblical Roots of Mormonism
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
In an easy to understand format, the book presents Biblical support and references for LDS Doctrines. All Biblical references use the King James Version of the Bible. The book covers nearly two dozen chapters covering topics (with multiple sub-topics), such as Holy Ghost, Jesus Christ, Revelation and Prophets, Priesthood, Church Organization ...just to name a few. The book answers many questions about Mormon beliefs by referencing ONLY the Bible and provides a detailed commentary throughout.
The Bible is a witness of Jesus Christ and His ministry and Gospel in and around Jerusalem. As such, the Book of Mormon is another witness and testament of Jesus Christ and His ministry among the people of the Americas. Many LDS people have committed their focus to solely the Book of Mormon, forgetting that the Bible is just as sacred as the Book of Mormon. Eric Shuster's new book will help those LDS people who have lost touch with the truths the Bible offers. In addition, non-Mormons will have increased understanding of how members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints use the Bible for their doctrinal support.
Latter-day Saint readers will be able to develop a deeper understanding of the Bible and how it supports their beliefs. Non-Mormon readers will discover how and why Latter-day Saints revere the Bible as the word of God. This book is a must read for anyone sincerely investigating the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, anyone wanting to learn more about the Mormons, and for any truth seekers.
--- John Webster, author of the LDS Resources Website
The Bible is a witness of Jesus Christ and His ministry and Gospel in and around Jerusalem. As such, the Book of Mormon is another witness and testament of Jesus Christ and His ministry among the people of the Americas. Many LDS people have committed their focus to solely the Book of Mormon, forgetting that the Bible is just as sacred as the Book of Mormon. Eric Shuster's new book will help those LDS people who have lost touch with the truths the Bible offers. In addition, non-Mormons will have increased understanding of how members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints use the Bible for their doctrinal support.
Latter-day Saint readers will be able to develop a deeper understanding of the Bible and how it supports their beliefs. Non-Mormon readers will discover how and why Latter-day Saints revere the Bible as the word of God. This book is a must read for anyone sincerely investigating the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, anyone wanting to learn more about the Mormons, and for any truth seekers.
--- John Webster, author of the LDS Resources Website
6 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
"The Biblical Roots of Mormonism" is a defense of Mormon doctrines using only the Bible. The authors concede that some of the unique doctrines of the LDS church are better defended in LDS scriptures but nonetheless have origins and support in the Bible. Before reading the book I assumed it should be titled "Prooftexting the King James Bible on Behalf of Mormonism." But I wanted to give it a fair shake so I sat down with the book, my Bible and an open mind.
The book overviews basic Christian and uniquely Mormon doctrines. Each chapter is broken up into two sections; "Biblical Teaching" and "Mormon Understanding". The "Biblical Teaching" included an overview of a few Biblical passages and an explanation as well as the passages reproduced from the King James Bible. The "Mormon Understanding" expanded on the ideas from the first section and typically took the concept further into the uniquely Mormon perspective. Rarely if ever was the Bible referenced in the second section.
I was generally disappointed with the authors approach to scriptures. Most of the passages were straight forward and on point. It's hard to disagree that the Bible teaches that there is a God who offers salvation through Jesus Christ. But when the attention of the book was turned on unique Mormon teachings the authors used some odd justifications for some of their scriptural support.
There is a basic approach to reading the Bible that I think everyone should adopt. "Never Read a Bible Verse." A reader should always read a verse in context to see what the entire passage is talking about. I think if the authors had used this principle and used a modern English translation of the Bible they would immediately have had a deeper understanding of the passages they cited. I won't list every incident where a Biblical passage was misused but I will focus on one to illustrate my point.
The authors attempt to show an expectation of the Book of Mormon by citing Ezekiel 37:15-20
Verses 16 & 17 say:
"Son of man, take a stick and write on it, `For Judah, and the people of Israel associated with him'; then take another stick and write on it, `For Joseph (the stick of Ephraim) and all the house of Israel associated with him.'And join them one to another into one stick, that they may become one in your hand.
They go on to explain that the people from the Book of Mormon come from the tribe of Ephraim, so this is an indication that scripture will be written by the people of Judah (the Bible) and scriptures will be written by the people of Ephraim (the Book of Mormon). Ezekiel's prophecy is then fulfilled when Joseph Smith rejoins the Bible with the Book of Mormon into one set of scripture.
The problem is that if you read those verses in context it is quite clear that Ezekiel is talking about the divided kingdoms of Judah and Israel which are scattered all over and will one day be united as one kingdom in Israel. There isn't any wiggle room for an alternate explanation. The reader has to actually do damage to the plain meaning of the text to construe it to be a prophesy about the Book of Mormon.
To back up their case the authors direct us to two passages:
Matthew 18:16
But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.
2 Corinthians 13:1
This is the third time I am coming to you. Every charge must be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.
Again, if you look at the context of both of these verses, they are clearly talking about the proper procedure for church discipline. They don't have anything to do with an expectation of multiple sets of scripture.
Shortly after encountering this flagrant misuse of scripture the authors included this summation of the Bible:
"The Bible as we know it today begins with the Creation and ends shortly after the Ascension of Christ. The thirty-nine books of the Old Testament foretell of the coming of the Savior, while the twenty-seven books of the New Testament provide a record of the life of the Savior, with an emphasis of his public ministry."
It seemed their understanding of the Bible ended at the Gospel of John. It was at this point that my open-mindedness towards the authors checked out. It seemed clear that they didn't have a careful and thoughtful approach to the Bible and that they may not even have a decent understanding of the Bible itself. The Bible was a tool to support and validate Mormonism on occasion but not something that they had carefully consumed on its own. This resulted in more than a few outlandish non sequiturs.
I did find it interesting to discover which sort of nuanced view of Mormonism the authors held to. They believe that the Atonement happened in the Garden of Gethsemane but their treatment of works/grace was right in line with my own. The place where the book does its best work are the few passages that are ambiguous enough that a different interpretation can support the Mormon position such as baptism for the dead, spirit-prison and the lack of an explicit ban on polygamy.
Because of the misuse of some Biblical passages I can't recommend this book as a useful tool in understanding the Bible. If the authors intended the book to be read by non-Mormons they should not have made frequent use of Mormon parlance. It may serve as a good introduction to basic Mormonism and be helpful to Mormons who are new to their faith. I think anyone who reads this book must have a copy of a modern English translation by their side so that they can investigate if each verse is being used appropriately.
The book overviews basic Christian and uniquely Mormon doctrines. Each chapter is broken up into two sections; "Biblical Teaching" and "Mormon Understanding". The "Biblical Teaching" included an overview of a few Biblical passages and an explanation as well as the passages reproduced from the King James Bible. The "Mormon Understanding" expanded on the ideas from the first section and typically took the concept further into the uniquely Mormon perspective. Rarely if ever was the Bible referenced in the second section.
I was generally disappointed with the authors approach to scriptures. Most of the passages were straight forward and on point. It's hard to disagree that the Bible teaches that there is a God who offers salvation through Jesus Christ. But when the attention of the book was turned on unique Mormon teachings the authors used some odd justifications for some of their scriptural support.
There is a basic approach to reading the Bible that I think everyone should adopt. "Never Read a Bible Verse." A reader should always read a verse in context to see what the entire passage is talking about. I think if the authors had used this principle and used a modern English translation of the Bible they would immediately have had a deeper understanding of the passages they cited. I won't list every incident where a Biblical passage was misused but I will focus on one to illustrate my point.
The authors attempt to show an expectation of the Book of Mormon by citing Ezekiel 37:15-20
Verses 16 & 17 say:
"Son of man, take a stick and write on it, `For Judah, and the people of Israel associated with him'; then take another stick and write on it, `For Joseph (the stick of Ephraim) and all the house of Israel associated with him.'And join them one to another into one stick, that they may become one in your hand.
They go on to explain that the people from the Book of Mormon come from the tribe of Ephraim, so this is an indication that scripture will be written by the people of Judah (the Bible) and scriptures will be written by the people of Ephraim (the Book of Mormon). Ezekiel's prophecy is then fulfilled when Joseph Smith rejoins the Bible with the Book of Mormon into one set of scripture.
The problem is that if you read those verses in context it is quite clear that Ezekiel is talking about the divided kingdoms of Judah and Israel which are scattered all over and will one day be united as one kingdom in Israel. There isn't any wiggle room for an alternate explanation. The reader has to actually do damage to the plain meaning of the text to construe it to be a prophesy about the Book of Mormon.
To back up their case the authors direct us to two passages:
Matthew 18:16
But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.
2 Corinthians 13:1
This is the third time I am coming to you. Every charge must be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.
Again, if you look at the context of both of these verses, they are clearly talking about the proper procedure for church discipline. They don't have anything to do with an expectation of multiple sets of scripture.
Shortly after encountering this flagrant misuse of scripture the authors included this summation of the Bible:
"The Bible as we know it today begins with the Creation and ends shortly after the Ascension of Christ. The thirty-nine books of the Old Testament foretell of the coming of the Savior, while the twenty-seven books of the New Testament provide a record of the life of the Savior, with an emphasis of his public ministry."
It seemed their understanding of the Bible ended at the Gospel of John. It was at this point that my open-mindedness towards the authors checked out. It seemed clear that they didn't have a careful and thoughtful approach to the Bible and that they may not even have a decent understanding of the Bible itself. The Bible was a tool to support and validate Mormonism on occasion but not something that they had carefully consumed on its own. This resulted in more than a few outlandish non sequiturs.
I did find it interesting to discover which sort of nuanced view of Mormonism the authors held to. They believe that the Atonement happened in the Garden of Gethsemane but their treatment of works/grace was right in line with my own. The place where the book does its best work are the few passages that are ambiguous enough that a different interpretation can support the Mormon position such as baptism for the dead, spirit-prison and the lack of an explicit ban on polygamy.
Because of the misuse of some Biblical passages I can't recommend this book as a useful tool in understanding the Bible. If the authors intended the book to be read by non-Mormons they should not have made frequent use of Mormon parlance. It may serve as a good introduction to basic Mormonism and be helpful to Mormons who are new to their faith. I think anyone who reads this book must have a copy of a modern English translation by their side so that they can investigate if each verse is being used appropriately.
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
One of the best books I've ever read that helps explain the LDS beliefs through Biblical teachings. I would recommend this book to anyone who would really want to know the truth behind the Mormon beliefs. I use it as a reference book in teaching those that struggle with LDS teachings so I can show them exactly where in the Bible these teachings come from. It is a true testimony builder and spritual journey.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Great book! It is a great reference book.
Very good book about how the Bible teaches of the doctrines of the church of Jesus Christ of latter Day Saints. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Cindy Piper
A thoughtful and scholarly read for those looking to understand the...
Mormonism is an oddity in Christianity, but the scripture may yet support their beliefs. "The Biblical Roots of Mormonism" investigates the origins of Mormonism and tries to... Read more
Published 16 months ago by Midwest Book Review
A Good Start
As associate minister of a Messianic congregation in a predominently Mormon community, I hoped this book would deliver on its attempts to reconcile Christianity and Mormonism. Read more
Published 18 months ago by D. Lawrence
Biblical teaching corrects many of the author's errors
I liked the topical structure of the book . Its style is very similar to his church's training
manual called "Gospel Principles. Read more
manual called "Gospel Principles. Read more
Published 19 months ago by Tony
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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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