The following statements certainly sound like "challenges" to Christianity:
The traditional concept that the Bible is complete came about 400 A.D., he said. Before then Christians knew that many other writings existed.
Most of the writings which have now been found were secret anciently and held back from the people until they proved their worthiness.
Some speak of the potential of their divinity, also a common theme Smith taught, which the first LDS prophet said was given to him by revelation.
Yet centuries later, revelation and temples were denounced by religious leaders, including Augustine, as unnecessary.
Should this really have “caucus” status?
The article does not explicitly state, but seems to imply, that there have been discovered purportedly Christian writings which predate the canonical New Testament texts and which contain doctrines that conform to LDS theology.
Is the argument that these texts are simply fragments of or paraphrases of the Book Of Mormon?
Or is the argument that these texts supplement the Book Of Mormon?
If so, this would be an enormous archaeological breakthrough.
To date there has never been found a non-canonical Christian document that definitively predates the canonical documents. The only non-canonical document that any claim can be made for at all is the purported "Gospel Of Thomas", but even the earliest daters of that text give a compositional range that falls after the composition of the canonical Gospels on the late end. There are no internal historical details in the Thomas text that give any clue to when it was written and the parallels between the layout of Thomas and the Diatessaron indicate that it was probably cribbed from the Diatessaron - which is a much more well-attested text - some time in the 170s or 180s.
So if papyri were found that are undeniably Christian and likely predate the canonical texts, this would be a major finding that would be reported in organs besides The Deseret News.
I really wish the article had given more concrete details of who found these texts, exactly where they were found, which scholars have made these analytical comments, etc.
Due to the excerpt posted by wagglebee, which compares LDS beliefs to non-LDS beliefs and in particular Augustine - the caucus label will be removed and the thread opened for discussion.
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http://scriptures.lds.org/en/js_h/1/19#19
17 It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him! 18 My object in going to inquire of the Lord was to know which of all the sects was right, that I might know which to join. No sooner, therefore, did I get possession of myself, so as to be able to speak, than I asked the Personages who stood above me in the light, which of all the sects was right (for at this time it had never entered into my heart that all were wrong)—and which I should join. 19 I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong; and the Personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt; that: “they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof.” 20 He again forbade me to join with any of them; and many other things did he say unto me, which I cannot write at this time. When I came to myself again, I found myself lying on my back, looking up into heaven. When the light had departed, I had no strength; but soon recovering in some degree, I went home. And as I leaned up to the fireplace, mother inquired what the matter was. I replied, “Never mind, all is well—I am well enough off.” I then said to my mother, “I have learned for myself that Presbyterianism is not true.” |