Shameless Popery #236 Does the Great Apostasy Disprove Mormonism?
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Dec 23, 2025 In this illuminating discussion, Joe Heschmeyer delves into the contentious claim of the Great Apostasy in Mormonism. He critiques Joseph Smith's conflicting accounts of apostasy and highlights the implications for priesthood authority. The conversation dives into biblical promises that suggest Christ's church endures, countering the notion of total apostasy. Joe challenges the historical narrative of immediate fall versus the continuous growth of early Christianity. He argues for the divine origin of Christianity based on its historical resilience.
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Smith's Two Versions Of Conversion
- Joseph Smith first concluded churches were corrupt after reading scripture as a teen and later described a heavenly vision that confirmed all sects were wrong.
- Joe Heschmeyer highlights both versions to show the foundational Mormon claim that all Christian churches had apostatized.
Inconsistent Apostasy Narrative
- The Mormon great apostasy claims a universal loss of priesthood authority and doctrine after the apostles' deaths, but LDS sources disagree on the causal order.
- Joe argues this inconsistency weakens the historical credibility of the apostasy narrative.
Scripture Promises An Enduring Church
- The Bible promises the church's endurance using images like an unending reign and a kingdom with no end, which contradicts a universal apostasy claim.
- Joe uses multiple scriptural texts to argue Christ's church cannot be wholly destroyed or lost.