| dc.description.abstract | Soon after Joseph Smith Jr. founded the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church/LDS), evangelicals sought to defend evangelicalism from Latter-day Saint teachings. Likewise, evangelicals have provided many responses to LDS teachings in hopes of guiding Latter-day Saints out of the LDS Church. I examine two popular evangelical methodologies that engage the LDS Church: the counter-cult and relational methodologies. Specifically, I showcase various prominent counter-cult and relational methodologists’ practices of how each one engages the LDS Church. While each methodologist employs specific nuances, the counter-cult methodology typically attempts to undermine Latter-day Saints’ confidence in their religion, and the relational methodology typically desires to explore similarities between evangelicalism and Mormonism. At times, relational methodology can result in evangelicals and Latter-day Saints praying together, attending one another’s worship services, and working towards shared social goals. Often, relational methodology forfeits proselytization for the sake of finding common ground, striving to grow in mutual understanding and appreciation of one another. In Acts 17:16–34, Paul interacted with a pluralistic audience. Throughout his discourse, Paul contextualized his message about how someone can be saved. The audience had varied responses: some mocked him, some wanted to hear from him again, and others began believing in his salvific message. Thus, I survey a few evangelical works that incorporate Acts 17:16–34 to guide their methodology toward various religions. I then survey several evangelical and critical commentaries on Acts 17:16–34, specifically looking for Paul’s approach to his pluralistic audience. From my survey of Acts 17:16–34, I show how many people (both LDS and non-LDS) have attempted to demarcate official LDS doctrine. However, the LDS Church believes in continuing revelation, making it almost impossible to determine what is (and is not) official LDS belief. Therefore, I limit my focus to what the LDS Church’s missionary handbook, Preach My Gospel, instructs LDS missionaries to teach potential converts regarding salvation. Once I show what Preach My Gospel teaches on how someone can be saved, I then examine what the Bible instructs. Specifically, I analyze 1 Corinthians 15:1–6, 2 Corinthians 5:21, and Galatians 2:15–21, in order to determine how someone can be saved. Next, I show what evangelicals Greg Gilbert and Wayne Grudem teach about how someone can be saved; evangelical teaching is consistent with biblical teaching regarding how one can be saved. I conclude by stating both the benefits and detriments of the counter-cult and relational methodologies, proposing a new evangelical methodology that stems from an Acts 17:16–34 framework called the gospel-centric methodology. This new evangelical methodology contextualizes what 1 Corinthians 15:1–6, 2 Corinthians 5:21, and Galatians 2:15–21 teach about how someone can be saved in order to target the LDS Church’s beliefs on how to be saved. | en_US |
