Photo: Google Gemini imagines the autograph signing ceremony in front of the Salt Lake Temple. An investigative examination of the newest Mormon apostle’s conspicuous absence of religious scholarship On February 12, 2026, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ordained Clark G. Gilbert as its newest apostle—a man the church now considers a “prophet,…
Category: Latter-day Saints
A Critical Examination of the LDS “Burning in the Bosom”
Photo: Are you sure it’s not just an upset stomach? The Test That Cannot Fail A Critical Examination of the LDS “Burning in the Bosom” Method for Discerning Religious Truth A Traditional Christian Response to the Latter-day Saint Approach to Revelation and the Book of Mormon Introduction Among the many religious movements that have emerged…
Joseph Smith’s Kirtland Bank: Failed Enterprise of A False Prophet
A Scholarly Analysis of the Kirtland Safety Society (1836-1838) Introduction The Kirtland Safety Society represents one of the most controversial and consequential episodes in early Latter Day Saint history. Established in late 1836 and failing by November 1837, this quasi-banking institution left a trail of financial devastation, shattered faith, and ecclesiastical upheaval that fundamentally altered…
The LDS Enigma of Orson Pratt: Did This Much Controversy Surround the NT Apostles?
Photo: A collage: Joseph Smith addressing members of the quorum of the twelve. Hyrum Smith, Willard Richards, Joseph Smith, Orson Pratt, Parley P. Pratt, Orson Hyde, Heber C. Kimball, Brigham Young, c. 1843 – 1844. Artworks in the Celestial Room of the First Nauvoo Temple. JSTOR.org. Brigham Young University Studies (2002). Via Wikimedia, Public Domain. Inset:…
When Arguments Fail, Love Remains: Reaching LDS Hearts with Grace
A Devotional on Reaching Our LDS Friends with Grace The Ring doorbell announced their arrival. Two white shirts, two black name tags, two young men who had no idea what they were walking into. They introduced themselves with a smile, the young “Elder’s” companion shifted nervously beside him. I had studied Latter-day Saint doctrine for…
Sheltered by the Cross: A Fresh Vision for Gospel Witness
There is a moment in every conversation about faith when words run out. Not because we lack information, but because information was never going to be enough. The story of William—a young man preparing for his Mormon mission, armed with arguments and fortified by years of religious training—illustrates this truth with striking clarity. Here was…
Joseph Smith: Failed Polygamist.
Plural Marriage in Mormon Doctrine: A Critical Theological and Historical Analysis I. Introduction: The Origins and Motivations Behind Mormon Plural Marriage The introduction of plural marriage into Mormon doctrine represents one of the most controversial and consequential developments in American religious history. While faithful Latter-day Saint (LDS) narratives have traditionally portrayed this practice as a…
Absence of Scriptural Precedent for Latter-day Saint Temple Rituals
Photo: Via Wikipedia Commons. Model of the interior of the Washington D. C. Latter Day Saint Temple. Taken on January 30, 2020, at the visitor center at the temple. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication. Temples Without Biblical Foundation: A Theological Analysis of the Absence of…
The Most Prominent Latter-day Saint Defectors: Who? Why? Where?
Who Are They, What Happened, and Where Are They Now? The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, with its approximately seventeen million members worldwide, has long projected an image of unity, doctrinal certainty, and divine mandate. Founded by Joseph Smith in 1830 in the Burned-Over District of upstate New York—a region so named for…
LDS Doctrine and Covenants: A Critical Examination of Scripture, History, and Textual Changes
Photo: Library of Congress: Smith, Joseph, Jr. Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of the Latter-Day Saints. Kirtland, Ohio: Printed by F.G. Williams & Co. for the Proprietors, 1835. Retrieved from the Library of Congress. THE DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS: Including an Analysis of the Utah Lighthouse Ministry Document “Changing the Revelations” INTRODUCTION The Doctrine…









