In dialogues about religion, it is critical to clearly understand the perspectives presented by adherents without distortion. This chapter examines an in-depth conversation between a Protestant Christian and missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (often called the LDS Church or Mormon Church). The dialogue covers multiple doctrinal issues including prayer, baptism for the dead, the significance of additional scripture, the purpose of life, the necessity of experiencing both good and evil, and the urgency of spiritual decisions.
The purpose of this chapter is to present Mormon beliefs accurately, avoiding oversimplification or misrepresentation, alongside the Protestant interlocutor's responses and questions.
The conversation began with a question about prayer practices and whether the Book of Mormon clarifies how prayer should be directed. The Protestant participant noted that various Christian denominations have differing prayer practices despite using the same Bible. He cited John 14:13–14, where Jesus instructs believers to ask "in my name."
The Mormon missionaries clarified that their church teaches prayers should typically be directed to God the Father in the name of Jesus Christ, which aligns closely with traditional Protestant practice. However, they explained that while the typical instruction is to pray to the Father, there are examples in the Book of Mormon where individuals prayed directly to Jesus Christ, especially when Christ himself was physically present among them in ancient America. They indicated that such prayers were positively received by Christ.
The Protestant participant agreed with the idea of praying exclusively to God, contrasting this with Catholic practices of praying to saints or Mary, which he viewed as problematic because, according to Protestant theology, only God knows people's hearts and can directly respond to prayers.
The missionaries introduced the LDS practice known as "baptism for the dead," rooted primarily in their interpretation of 1 Corinthians 15:29, which states:
"Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? Why are they then baptized for the dead?"
The missionaries explained that baptism for the dead occurs in LDS temples. It involves a living person undergoing baptism on behalf of deceased ancestors, providing these deceased individuals a chance to accept or reject the ordinance in the afterlife. They emphasized that deceased individuals retain their agency to accept or decline this baptism.
The Protestant participant expressed surprise at this interpretation, admitting unfamiliarity with the practice. He suggested historical context might help clarify Paul's original meaning and wondered if early Christians practiced literal baptisms on behalf of deceased persons or if there was another explanation.
The missionaries referenced Ezekiel 37:16–19, identifying the "stick of Judah" as the Bible and the "stick of Joseph" as the Book of Mormon. According to LDS teaching, these two records work together to clarify doctrine and unify testimony about Jesus Christ.
The Protestant participant offered an alternative perspective, suggesting Ezekiel’s prophecy referred to historical reunification between the Northern and Southern kingdoms of Israel, rather than predicting future scriptural texts. He noted that from his perspective, all revelation necessary for salvation was already included in the Bible, questioning the necessity of additional scriptures like the Book of Mormon.
In response, the missionaries explained that the Book of Mormon provides clarification on many doctrines that the Bible addresses ambiguously. They argued that two scriptural witnesses (Bible and Book of Mormon) enhance clarity and reduce doctrinal disagreements.