How do the beliefs of Latter-day Saints compare with traditional Christian theology?
Grant Underwood provides answers to this question that are clear, detailed, and thoughtful. Writing for a broad and interested Christian audience, he systematically brings Mormon thought into conversation with main currents of Christian theology. He focuses on major topics that have engaged Christian thinkers over the years: who God is, who Jesus Christ is, who we are, how we are saved, what the church is, and what the future holds for human history as well as for individual human lives. Most chapters follow a format in which relevant themes are introduced with an overview of significant Christian reflection on the topic followed by an exploration of Latter-day Saint thought on the subject.
Throughout the book, Underwood’s goal is to analyze, not catechize. While the author is a practicing Latter-day Saint, that reality only enhances his appreciation for the theology produced by centuries of fellow Christians of faith who in Anselm’s words have diligently and devoutly “sought understanding.” Underwood seeks to facilitate mutual understanding among Christians who may worship differently, who conceive of God and God’s relations with humanity differently, and who articulate their religious beliefs in terms and concepts that are unfamiliar to each other. Readers of this book are invited to approach its sympathetic presentation of such Christian theologies, including that of the Latter-day Saints, with an openness and curiosity that can lead to a more accurate, nuanced understanding of the doctrines discussed.