Kerns, Travis S.

English

Asbury Theological Seminary

Great Commission Research Journal Volume 4 Issue 1 Article 10 7-1-2012 Book Review: Understanding Your Mormon Neighbor by Ross Anderson Travis S. Kerns Follow this and additional works at: https://place.asburyseminary.edu/gcrj  Part of the Christianity Commons, Practical Theology Commons, and the Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons Recommended Citation Kerns, T. S. (2012). Book Review: Understanding Your Mormon Neighbor by Ross Anderson. Great Commission Research Journal, 4(1), 120-123. Retrieved from https://place.asburyseminary.edu/gcrj/vol4/iss1/10 This Book Review is brought to you for free and open access by ePLACE: preserving, learning, and creative exchange. It has been accepted for inclusion in Great Commission Research Journal by an authorized editor of ePLACE: preserving, learning, and creative exchange. BOOK REVIEWSRoss Anderson, Understanding Your Mormon Neighbor. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan,2011, 138 pp, $14.99.Reviewed by Travis S. Kerns. Assistant Professor of Christian Worldview and Apologetics,Boyce College, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.Understanding persons of other faith traditions is never an easy task, especiallywhen those faith traditions are strongly linked to, and use the same vocabulary as,historic, orthodox Christianity. Ross Anderson’sUnderstanding YourMormonNeighbor is another attempt by an evangelical at doing exactly that—understandinganother person, speci]cally, understanding a member of The Church of JesusChrist of Latter-day Saints. Originally born in Utah but raised in California as aMormon, Anderson was converted to evangelical Christianity during college. Hewent on to earn the D.Min. from an evangelical seminary, became the foundingpastor of theWasatch Evangelical Free Church in Roy, Utah, and currently servesas a teaching pastor at an evangelical church in northern Utah.Anderson’s thesis is simple, yet bold. He writes, “I hope to produce adescription of Mormon life that is recognizable to both Latter-day Saints andintelligible to non-Mormon readers, free of the weaknesses common to both120BOOK REVIEWSVOL. 4 • NO. 1 • SUMMER 2012GCR4n1_text:GCR 4-1 Summer2012  6/22/12  3:46 PM  Page 1201Kerns: Book Review: Understanding Your Mormon Neighbor by Ross AndersonPublished by ePLACE: preserving, learning, and creative exchange, 2012insider and outsider accounts” (7–8). He then lists three speci]c goals for the work:“to foster a congenial perspective,” “to stimulate my fellow evangelicals to thinknew thoughts about how to engage Mormonism,” and “to encourage traditionalChristians to enter relationships with Latter-day Saints in order to engage inspiritual conversations and faith-sharing” (8).As with the thesis, the book is simple, yet bold. Anderson sets out to explainMormonism in a few more than sixty pages beginning with the proverbial 800pound gorilla of whether Mormonism should be considered a cult or a culture. Heanswers, “We need to understand Mormonism as a culture that shapes not only thedoctrines but the very identity of its people” (20). Elaborating on the cult issue,Anderson writes, “If our goal is to have spiritual conversations with Latter-daySaints that open up opportunities to share our faith with them in a positive way,labeling them as cult members is surely unnecessary and counterproductive” (21).The following six chapters deal with the basic beliefs of Latter-day Saints andthe practical outworking of those beliefs, including the “one true church” doctrine,how local congregations function, how families are understood, the role oftemples, and the personal experiences of everyday Mormonism. Within thesechapters, Anderson highlights some of the major practical differences betweenChristianity and Mormonism and offers concise explanations of those differences.The chapter discussing the role of temples will likely be of most interest to readersas Anderson deals with some of the mystery surrounding those structures, thesigni]cant role temples play in the lives of Mormons, and some of the symbolisminherent in the temples themselves.Within the ]nal three chapters of the book, Anderson discusses the Mormonview of non-Mormons, the ways persons join and leave the Mormon faith, and theways Mormons and non-Mormons have interacted throughout the history of theLDS Church. The author offers some discussion of the evangelistic effort ofMormons and of the current political climate in the United States with Mormonsat the forefront of electoral and social issues. Anderson also mentions the ways inwhich persons join and leave the LDS Church, the reasons for joining and leaving,and the consequences faced by persons who choose to leave the Mormon fold. The]nal chapter of the book is Anderson’s evaluation of the historic andcontemporary interaction between Mormons and Christians. His analysis of thehistoric interaction between the two groups is a negative one and argues thatMormons and Christians have either isolated themselves from each other orChristians have used apologetics against Mormons to “[tear] down their prophetand [try] to destroy their church” (100–01). His ]nal plea to Christians is, as one ofthe subtitles reads in the ]nal chapter, “We can do better” (99).121great commission research journalGCR4n1_text:GCR 4-1 Summer2012  6/22/12  3:46 PM  Page 1212Great Commission Research Journal, Vol. 4, Iss. 1 [2012], Art. 10https://place.asburyseminary.edu/gcrj/vol4/iss1/10Anderson’s book has a number of strengths which can be very helpful to thereader. First, the thesis is incredibly bold and helpful. For years, Latter-day Saintshave argued that Christians’ explanations of Mormonism are, at the least,incorrect and, at the worst, outright fabrications. Anderson’s attempt at writing awork accessible to both Mormons and Christians is to be commended.Unfortunately, as with all religious groups, there will be some Mormons who willbe unsatis]ed with his explanations of their faith. This is simply the nature ofdoing comparative religion work.Second, the concise nature of the book is helpful, especially for contemporaryreaders. With the world seemingly run by short talking points and 140-characterlife updates, long treatments of subjects do not seem to be en vogue. The shortlength of this work makes modern marketing sense and shows that Anderson hashis ]nger on the pulse of contemporary humanity and its short attention span.A third strength of the work is the ]nal section of each chapter subtitled,“Interacting with your neighbor.”Many books dealing with other faith groupstend toward explanation without advice for interaction. For Christian readers,these sections will prove extremely helpful as they offer practical advice for sharingChrist with Mormons and for getting past dif]culties in speaking to Mormons.The ]nal, and major, strength of the work comes in small pieces throughout inthe form of evangelistic tips and strategies not necessarily concentrated in onesection. For example, Anderson writes, “When Saints come to feel defeated in theirpursuit of worthiness, they have four options. They can try harder. They canpretend to try harder, in order to maintain the public image of worthiness. Theycan reinterpret the standards downward so that they feel as if they are measuringup. Or they can just give up. When our LDS friends come to sense the futility oftheir efforts, a kind, trusted Christian friend can provide a safe listening ear” (80).This is a perfect example of the futility of a works-centered theological system andthe failure of humans within such systems. Here is the point at which a grace-centered theological system can offer hope and forgiveness. Likewise, Andersonwrites, “One common pitfall has to do with the meaning of words” (106).Mormons and Christians use the same vocabulary in their religious speech;however, they use vastly different dictionaries. This is a signi]cant problem whendialogue between members of the two groups occurs, and knowing there is adifference is more than helpful.A few limitations occur within this work which, if alleviated, would greatlyenhance the helpfulness of the book. The ]rst of these limitations is the oppositeside of one of the strengths—the concise nature of the work. Though concision ishelpful, it is equally harmful, especially when dealing with such a large topic as122BOOK REVIEWSGCR4n1_text:GCR 4-1 Summer2012  6/22/12  3:46 PM  Page 1223Kerns: Book Review: Understanding Your Mormon Neighbor by Ross AndersonPublished by ePLACE: preserving, learning, and creative exchange, 2012Mormonism. Numerous statements are made in which further elaboration wouldassuage hasty generalizations. For example, the author argues, “Apologeticsministries focus more on proving Mormonism wrong than offering good news, asif the desired result is nothing more than for people to leave the LDS Church”(101). Though there are ministries focused on proving Mormonism wrong, many,if not most, of those ministries give equal attention to sharing the good news ofChrist. Indeed, the desired result is for persons to leave the LDS Church, and manyapologetics ministries offer Christianity as the only alternative.A second limitation of the work is the continual use of the phrase “traditionalChristian”when referring to a person who believes the doctrines of historic,orthodox Christianity. Admittedly, a person who holds those beliefs is a traditionalChristian, but no explanation is offered as to why this particular phrase is used.When dealing with Mormons, some Christians hesitate to keep from making harddistinctions between the two groups, especially with the words “Christian” and“non-Christian.” This does not seem to be the case explicitly with Anderson;however, there are certainly hints at this hesitation throughout. For example, heargues that we should be “sensitive about issues that offend Latter-day Saints”(107), and one of those issues is “when members of other churches deny thatMormons are Christians” (107). Likewise, one of the appendices deals with thequestion, “Are Mormons Christians?” and Anderson concludes this question“amounts to little more than a debate over labels” (119). Anderson does note thecloser one is to a “Mormon worldview, the less likely he or she is to be right withGod on those terms,” however, there still seems to be a general hesitation in thisarea (119).Though there are limitations to the work, they do not harm the overallhelpfulness of the book in any serious way. Anderson’s personal involvement bothinside and outside Mormonism lend signi]cant credibility to his ministry, and thiswork should be taken as a good, concise primer on the mentality of Mormons andMormonism. The subtitle is indeed an excellent description of the work—a quickguide for relating to Latter-day Saints.Elmer John Thiessen. The Ethics of Evangelism: A Philosophical Defense of Proselytizingand Persuasion. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2011, 285 pp., $24.00.Reviewed by: Thomas P. Johnston, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Kansas City,MOElmer John Thiessen, in a captivating way, introduces and explains the ]elds ofstudy which impact the topics of evangelism, proselytism, or religious persuasion123great commission research journalGCR4n1_text:GCR 4-1 Summer2012  6/22/12  3:46 PM  Page 1234Great Commission Research Journal, Vol. 4, Iss. 1 [2012], Art. 10https://place.asburyseminary.edu/gcrj/vol4/iss1/10

Book Review: Understanding Your Mormon Neighbor by Ross Anderson

APU Digital Archives (Azusa Pacific University)

Great Commission Research Journal Volume 4 Issue 1 Article 10 7-1-2012 Book Review: Understanding Your Mormon Neighbor by Ross Anderson Travis S. Kerns Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalarchives.apu.edu/gcrj  Part of the Christianity Commons, Practical Theology Commons, and the Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons Recommended Citation Kerns, T. S. (2012). Book Review: Understanding Your Mormon Neighbor by Ross Anderson. Great Commission Research Journal, 4(1), 120-123. Retrieved from https://digitalarchives.apu.edu/gcrj/vol4/iss1/10 This Book Review is brought to you for free and open access by APU Digital Archives. It has been accepted for inclusion in Great Commission Research Journal by an authorized editor of APU Digital Archives. For more information, please contact sharrell@apu.edu. BOOK REVIEWSRoss Anderson, Understanding Your Mormon Neighbor. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan,2011, 138 pp, $14.99.Reviewed by Travis S. Kerns. Assistant Professor of Christian Worldview and Apologetics,Boyce College, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.Understanding persons of other faith traditions is never an easy task, especiallywhen those faith traditions are strongly linked to, and use the same vocabulary as,historic, orthodox Christianity. Ross Anderson’sUnderstanding YourMormonNeighbor is another attempt by an evangelical at doing exactly that—understandinganother person, speci]cally, understanding a member of The Church of JesusChrist of Latter-day Saints. Originally born in Utah but raised in California as aMormon, Anderson was converted to evangelical Christianity during college. Hewent on to earn the D.Min. from an evangelical seminary, became the foundingpastor of theWasatch Evangelical Free Church in Roy, Utah, and currently servesas a teaching pastor at an evangelical church in northern Utah.Anderson’s thesis is simple, yet bold. He writes, “I hope to produce adescription of Mormon life that is recognizable to both Latter-day Saints andintelligible to non-Mormon readers, free of the weaknesses common to both120BOOK REVIEWSVOL. 4 • NO. 1 • SUMMER 2012GCR4n1_text:GCR 4-1 Summer2012  6/22/12  3:46 PM  Page 1201Kerns: Book Review: Understanding Your Mormon Neighbor by Ross AndersonPublished by APU Digital Archives, 2012insider and outsider accounts” (7–8). He then lists three speci]c goals for the work:“to foster a congenial perspective,” “to stimulate my fellow evangelicals to thinknew thoughts about how to engage Mormonism,” and “to encourage traditionalChristians to enter relationships with Latter-day Saints in order to engage inspiritual conversations and faith-sharing” (8).As with the thesis, the book is simple, yet bold. Anderson sets out to explainMormonism in a few more than sixty pages beginning with the proverbial 800pound gorilla of whether Mormonism should be considered a cult or a culture. Heanswers, “We need to understand Mormonism as a culture that shapes not only thedoctrines but the very identity of its people” (20). Elaborating on the cult issue,Anderson writes, “If our goal is to have spiritual conversations with Latter-daySaints that open up opportunities to share our faith with them in a positive way,labeling them as cult members is surely unnecessary and counterproductive” (21).The following six chapters deal with the basic beliefs of Latter-day Saints andthe practical outworking of those beliefs, including the “one true church” doctrine,how local congregations function, how families are understood, the role oftemples, and the personal experiences of everyday Mormonism. Within thesechapters, Anderson highlights some of the major practical differences betweenChristianity and Mormonism and offers concise explanations of those differences.The chapter discussing the role of temples will likely be of most interest to readersas Anderson deals with some of the mystery surrounding those structures, thesigni]cant role temples play in the lives of Mormons, and some of the symbolisminherent in the temples themselves.Within the ]nal three chapters of the book, Anderson discusses the Mormonview of non-Mormons, the ways persons join and leave the Mormon faith, and theways Mormons and non-Mormons have interacted throughout the history of theLDS Church. The author offers some discussion of the evangelistic effort ofMormons and of the current political climate in the United States with Mormonsat the forefront of electoral and social issues. Anderson also mentions the ways inwhich persons join and leave the LDS Church, the reasons for joining and leaving,and the consequences faced by persons who choose to leave the Mormon fold. The]nal chapter of the book is Anderson’s evaluation of the historic andcontemporary interaction between Mormons and Christians. His analysis of thehistoric interaction between the two groups is a negative one and argues thatMormons and Christians have either isolated themselves from each other orChristians have used apologetics against Mormons to “[tear] down their prophetand [try] to destroy their church” (100–01). His ]nal plea to Christians is, as one ofthe subtitles reads in the ]nal chapter, “We can do better” (99).121great commission research journalGCR4n1_text:GCR 4-1 Summer2012  6/22/12  3:46 PM  Page 1212Great Commission Research Journal, Vol. 4, Iss. 1 [2012], Art. 10https://digitalarchives.apu.edu/gcrj/vol4/iss1/10Anderson’s book has a number of strengths which can be very helpful to thereader. First, the thesis is incredibly bold and helpful. For years, Latter-day Saintshave argued that Christians’ explanations of Mormonism are, at the least,incorrect and, at the worst, outright fabrications. Anderson’s attempt at writing awork accessible to both Mormons and Christians is to be commended.Unfortunately, as with all religious groups, there will be some Mormons who willbe unsatis]ed with his explanations of their faith. This is simply the nature ofdoing comparative religion work.Second, the concise nature of the book is helpful, especially for contemporaryreaders. With the world seemingly run by short talking points and 140-characterlife updates, long treatments of subjects do not seem to be en vogue. The shortlength of this work makes modern marketing sense and shows that Anderson hashis ]nger on the pulse of contemporary humanity and its short attention span.A third strength of the work is the ]nal section of each chapter subtitled,“Interacting with your neighbor.”Many books dealing with other faith groupstend toward explanation without advice for interaction. For Christian readers,these sections will prove extremely helpful as they offer practical advice for sharingChrist with Mormons and for getting past dif]culties in speaking to Mormons.The ]nal, and major, strength of the work comes in small pieces throughout inthe form of evangelistic tips and strategies not necessarily concentrated in onesection. For example, Anderson writes, “When Saints come to feel defeated in theirpursuit of worthiness, they have four options. They can try harder. They canpretend to try harder, in order to maintain the public image of worthiness. Theycan reinterpret the standards downward so that they feel as if they are measuringup. Or they can just give up. When our LDS friends come to sense the futility oftheir efforts, a kind, trusted Christian friend can provide a safe listening ear” (80).This is a perfect example of the futility of a works-centered theological system andthe failure of humans within such systems. Here is the point at which a grace-centered theological system can offer hope and forgiveness. Likewise, Andersonwrites, “One common pitfall has to do with the meaning of words” (106).Mormons and Christians use the same vocabulary in their religious speech;however, they use vastly different dictionaries. This is a signi]cant problem whendialogue between members of the two groups occurs, and knowing there is adifference is more than helpful.A few limitations occur within this work which, if alleviated, would greatlyenhance the helpfulness of the book. The ]rst of these limitations is the oppositeside of one of the strengths—the concise nature of the work. Though concision ishelpful, it is equally harmful, especially when dealing with such a large topic as122BOOK REVIEWSGCR4n1_text:GCR 4-1 Summer2012  6/22/12  3:46 PM  Page 1223Kerns: Book Review: Understanding Your Mormon Neighbor by Ross AndersonPublished by APU Digital Archives, 2012Mormonism. Numerous statements are made in which further elaboration wouldassuage hasty generalizations. For example, the author argues, “Apologeticsministries focus more on proving Mormonism wrong than offering good news, asif the desired result is nothing more than for people to leave the LDS Church”(101). Though there are ministries focused on proving Mormonism wrong, many,if not most, of those ministries give equal attention to sharing the good news ofChrist. Indeed, the desired result is for persons to leave the LDS Church, and manyapologetics ministries offer Christianity as the only alternative.A second limitation of the work is the continual use of the phrase “traditionalChristian”when referring to a person who believes the doctrines of historic,orthodox Christianity. Admittedly, a person who holds those beliefs is a traditionalChristian, but no explanation is offered as to why this particular phrase is used.When dealing with Mormons, some Christians hesitate to keep from making harddistinctions between the two groups, especially with the words “Christian” and“non-Christian.” This does not seem to be the case explicitly with Anderson;however, there are certainly hints at this hesitation throughout. For example, heargues that we should be “sensitive about issues that offend Latter-day Saints”(107), and one of those issues is “when members of other churches deny thatMormons are Christians” (107). Likewise, one of the appendices deals with thequestion, “Are Mormons Christians?” and Anderson concludes this question“amounts to little more than a debate over labels” (119). Anderson does note thecloser one is to a “Mormon worldview, the less likely he or she is to be right withGod on those terms,” however, there still seems to be a general hesitation in thisarea (119).Though there are limitations to the work, they do not harm the overallhelpfulness of the book in any serious way. Anderson’s personal involvement bothinside and outside Mormonism lend signi]cant credibility to his ministry, and thiswork should be taken as a good, concise primer on the mentality of Mormons andMormonism. The subtitle is indeed an excellent description of the work—a quickguide for relating to Latter-day Saints.Elmer John Thiessen. The Ethics of Evangelism: A Philosophical Defense of Proselytizingand Persuasion. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2011, 285 pp., $24.00.Reviewed by: Thomas P. Johnston, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Kansas City,MOElmer John Thiessen, in a captivating way, introduces and explains the ]elds ofstudy which impact the topics of evangelism, proselytism, or religious persuasion123great commission research journalGCR4n1_text:GCR 4-1 Summer2012  6/22/12  3:46 PM  Page 1234Great Commission Research Journal, Vol. 4, Iss. 1 [2012], Art. 10https://digitalarchives.apu.edu/gcrj/vol4/iss1/10

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Book Review: Understanding Your Mormon Neighbor by Ross Anderson

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