The Starting Point: A Protestant and Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Scripture Reference Comparison

By C.V. Meo

This book is a scripture comparison guide for Protestant Christians and Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It provides key scriptures for each faith's primary beliefs. It is helpful for anyone looking to find scriptures to support their beliefs or to challenge anothers. This book is also the product of many years of study and dialogue. I grew up in Mesa, Arizona, which was a hub for Protestants and members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints alike. Raised as a Protestant, I went through many trials and doubts in my faith. Despite this, I still remain in the Protestant Christian world and involved in the house church expression. I received my bachelors of arts in Biblical Studies and Theology, as well as two Masters degrees in Pastoral studies from Biola University. Over the course of my life, I have become close friends with many faithful and loving members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (in this book, I will use Latter-Day Saints as a shorthand to distinguish the two faiths) who have served missions all over the globe. They are some of my dearest friends. My LDS friends (I also use LDS as a shorthand) challenged me in my Protestant faith and pushed me to deeply study the truths of both the Bible and the Book of Mormon. I spent one season of my life exclusively reading the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, Pearl of Great Price, and many teachings of the Prophets Joseph Smith and Brigham Young. I have spent much time praying about the LDS texts and asking God to show me the truths they contain. I have also traveled to Brigham Young University and several other LDS institutes to meet with Latter-Day Saints in interfaith dialogues. I have gone on temple tours and visited with missionaries at visitor centers. In some of the coolest experiences I've had in interfaith spaces, I had the privilege of meeting with LDS General Authorities and several BYU professors and institute directors. Greg Johnson, President of Standing Together in Utah, has been a huge help in making these interfaith discussions be filled with love and respect. Through all of this, this book came about. Far too often, Protestants and Latter-Day Saints talk past each other in discussions of faith. Sharing the same vocabulary, we often have different definitions. This, along with both sides using ad-hominem arguments and misrepresenting the other side's beliefs and motives, has led to many heated and non Christ-like discussions. This has to stop. I desire for both sides to come together in respect and love while we challenge and question each other. Difficult discussions are inevitable as we possess many differences, but these differences do not give us the right to attack each other. These discussions are supposed to facilitate deep respect and love for one another, not resentment and anger. Let us follow the example of Jesus Christ. Let us seek one another out, ask each other good questions, and ultimately rely upon our beloved Scriptures for our reasoning and defenses.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0DC6FYPMX
• ISBN13: 9798334960220
• Release Date: August 2024
• Publisher: Independently published
• Length: 99 Pages
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.2" x 6.0"