Faith without religion.
Faith and Doctrine: Open Dialogue and Critique
On April 24th, 2007, Shawn McCraney hosted another episode of “Heart of the Matter,” streaming live from Salt Lake City, the “Mecca of Mormonism.” During the show, Shawn announced a new initiative called “Pastor in a Pub,” where he invites anyone interested in biblical discussions to join him at Squatters Pub every Tuesday night from 9:30 pm to midnight. This initiative aims to provide a space for open dialogue and biblical counseling.
In this episode, Shawn addressed several topics, including a critique of Elder David A. Bednar’s talk from the recent LDS General Conference. Bednar’s analogy of spiritual regeneration to the process of making pickles was scrutinized, with Shawn arguing that spiritual rebirth is a singular event, not a process requiring specific steps or ordinances. He emphasized that salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus, not through works or religious rituals.
Shawn also discussed Elder Russell Ballard’s speech, “The Miracle of the Holy Bible,” noting it as a positive step towards embracing the Bible within the LDS Church. However, he disagreed with Ballard’s assertion that the Book of Mormon enhances the Bible, maintaining that the Bible stands alone as God’s Word.
Additionally, Shawn responded to a Salt Lake Tribune headline claiming “Mormons: We are Christians,” using an analogy to question the validity of such claims. He also defended his statements from a recent radio interview regarding the LDS Church’s use of the King James Version of the Bible and the Sabbath day’s restrictions as outlined in Jeremiah.
Finally, Shawn addressed the controversial topic of Joseph Smith’s practice of polygamy, challenging the notion that there is no proof of intimate relations in Smith’s plural marriages. He concluded by emphasizing the importance of speaking truth over being politically correct, especially concerning the exclusivity of salvation through Jesus Christ.
For those interested in further discussions, Shawn invited viewers to join him at Squatters Pub for face-to-face conversations about Mormonism and biblical Christianity.
