How Evangelical Critics View Mormon Origins

Continuing Ryan Wimmer’s theme from the 2018 Sunstone Symposium of why Evangelicals fail to convert Mormons, we turn to how Joseph Smith and Mormon origins compare to fundamentalist Christianity historically. Evangelicals frequently use dichotomies such as Mormonism vs. Biblical Christianity, Joseph Smith vs. the Bible, etc., highlighting the inconsistencies between the two. This presentation argues that, when compared to the Bible, Joseph Smith possesses superior historical documentation and witnesses to founding events. The beginnings of Christianity suffer from similar and greater inconsistencies and historical problems. This weakness of Christian ministries to Mormons results in very few ex-Mormons becoming another type of Christian.