Review
======
Title: The Biblical Roots of Mormonism
Author: Eric Shuster and Charles Sale
Publisher: Cedar Fort, Inc.
Genre: Non-fiction, apologetic
Year Published: 2010
Number of Pages: 260
Binding: Trade paperback
ISBN10: n/a
ISBN13: 978-1-59955-406-8
Price: $17.99
Reviewed by Jeffrey Needle
Having just returned from Utah and the annual LDS Booksellers convention, I am once again impressed that Mormon publishing is very much alive. I'm always looking for clues that it's also well. This year's crop of books seems to indicate a very healthy interest in all things Mormon. I couldn't be happier.
I had been sent a galley of this book some time ago, and had a chance to write a blurb for the book – something I'm always glad to do, provided the book is worth noting. I mentioned in my blurb that this was a welcome addition to the corpus of Mormon writing.
At a recent dinner with some neighbors, their just-married (but still maturing) eldest son mentioned to me that he's writing a book and he wants me to read it. I suppose he's wanting some affirmation that he has what it takes to write a book. I told him to be prepared to hear the awful truth about what, I'm guessing, will be his awful book. He's a bright kid, but his verbal skills are limited. He has a vivid imagination, but this alone won't get him through the job of writing a book.
I'm not the best person to give a writer advice, but I was the best person sitting at that dinner table. I told him, “Write about what you know. Look inside yourself, take an honest look at your life's experience, and write from that experience. Be aware that, in order to get your work noticed, you need to have a catchy theme. You need to write in a way that will appeal to a broad audience. (This doesn't necessarily mean that you have to write well – witness the whole “Twilight” phenomenon.) In any event, be prepared, to re-write, and then re-write again, and still not find anyone interested in your work. I hope I didn't discourage him too much.
One of my favorite questions to ask authors of non-fiction titles is, “Why did you write this book? Has no one else attacked this subject before? If so, do you think you can do better than they did? Have you discovered some new truths that need to be shared? What is your real agenda? Do you think you've done a good job covering this subject?”
After some hemming and hawing, authors will often admit that what they really wanted to do was to explore a certain issue, perhaps in a unique way, but in any event, in a way that will be accessible to readers. They think they can say things better, and more clearly, than others before them. I applaud this sentiment. I like it that their motivated by a desire to explain, to enlarge upon, to broaden knowledge. Too much writing is motivated by...hmmm...I have no idea. Sigh.
In the present volume, the authors, both converts to the Church, attempt to provide a knowledge base to assist readers in establishing the Biblical basis for believing in Mormonism. To tell the truth, they have their work cut out for them. In a sense, they are writing from their experience. They come to the Church having been convinced of its truth, and now look back at their prior experience and try to conceive Mormonism through those lenses.
First, I'd like to discuss the motivation behind this work, and the questions that arise.. Inasmuch as Mormonism is a religion based on revelation, not on the Bible, why bother showing where Mormonism is consistent with the Biblical testimony? When your religion claims belief in the Bible as far as it is translated correctly, why spend any time trying to prove Mormonism from the Bible, a flawed book? Won't a flawed book lead to a flawed religion?
1. The need for building up the body. With attacks on Mormonism on every side (Mitt Romney and Glenn Beck being the main inducements toward such attacks), it's helpful to be able to respond to critics with arguments from their own book – their holy book. The problem: as many here will attest, is that you can prove just about anything using the Bible. I suppose if I began a religion that worshipped a head of lettuce named Ralph, I'd be able to prove it somehow from the Bible.
2. The need to defend Mormonism when in discussions with evangelicals. You'd think a book like this would be an ideal way to provide a defense for Mormonism in discussions with evangelicals. The problem is that they will see your interpretation of the Bible as wrong, and will dismiss your arguments as specious. The authors try to direct the reader's attention to the *proper* understanding of each verse by inserting comments directly into the text, much like The Amplified Bible and its interpolations. An example:
Ephesians 1:3-4
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world [before the Creation, in the pre-mortal realm], that we should be holy and without blame before him in love. (p. 7)
Right away, we see how this works. Beneath the text is a subliminal message. My interpretation is better than yours. Mine has more biblical support than yours, etc., etc. And this kind of thinking generally leads nowhere. Battles using proof-texts as ammunition generally end up in an uncomfortable stalemate. Even worse, those who have depended on proof-texts to justify their beliefs are often unaware of alternative understandings for those same texts. And more bad news: when you're depending on the King James Version as your support, you're always subject to your foes telling you that the King James Version is incorrect, that a more accurate translation would better inform your views. How can you argue against this when your own religion teaches you that the Bible is a faulty, tampered-with document?
Ah, the irony!
Although I might find the authors' approach to be insufficient to provide a solid exegetical approach to the Bible, I'm at a complete loss as to how they could have done a better job. As I read through its pages, I began to realize what an enormous challenge they took on. I wonder if they discussed how their approach will assist Latter-day Saints in their defense of Mormonism. I'm guessing they took the only path that made sense to them. It will make a great deal of sense to many readers.
So is this book worth having? Without hesitation, my answer is, Yes! While it likely won't convince your evangelical friends to jump ship and become Mormon, it nonetheless gives the Latter-day Saint a biblical foundation for believing in the Mormon paradigm. It fleshes out the very kinds of proofs that the founders of the Church used and appreciated. Many don't recognize that wide use of the Book of Mormon in preaching is a relatively recent phenomenon. Early Saints relied on their knowledge of the Bible to lead them to an appreciation of their Mormon belief. How many Saints do YOU know who could demonstrate the reasonableness of Mormonism using only the Bible? Likely not very many.
The authors of this volume have made a valiant attempt to familiarize readers with a text sometimes neglected in the modern Church -- the Holy Bible. As believers read through these biblical foundations, and begin to understand better the breadth of support for Mormonism offered in its pages, there grows within the heart a greater love and appreciation for the faith that has informed them throughout their lives.
In the absence of a perfect tool for understanding the biblical roots of Mormonism, this volume stands tall in comparison to other, similar works. Its temperate, intelligent approach will be a great help to many. It isn't the last word on this subject, but it's certainly one of the best.
Jeffrey Needle
Association for Mormon Letters
jeff.needle@gmail.comwww.aml-online.orgwww.LDSBookLovers.com/Needle.html
