Exploring Mormon Thought

Topics Discussed: • The Logos in Philo and the Gospel of John • The Logos Made Flesh and the Manifestation of God’s Glory • Jesus as God’s Agent in the Writings of John • Divine Agency and Angelic Mediation in the Book of Revelation • Jesus’s Relation to the Father

Topics Discussed: • Acts 2:30–36: Christ as Lord at God’s Right Hand • Acts 7:51–60: Christ as Lord and Son of Man • Philippians 2:1–15: Christ Exalted as Lord by God • 1 Corinthians 15:24–28: Christ as God’s Vizier and General • 1 Corinthians 8:4–6: One God and One Lord • Christ as God’s Agent in Creation

Topics Discussed: • The Hierarchy of Holiness in the Heavenly Temple • Strict Monotheism in Second Temple Judaism: An Assessment of the Argument

Topics Discussed: • Jewish Views of the Hierarchy of Divine Beings • The Council of Gods in the Dead Sea Scrolls • Divine Beings in Second Temple Judaism

Topics Discussed: • Of God(s) in Israel • Elyon and Yahweh in Deuteronomy • God(s) Prior to the Creation of the Heavens and Earth • Psalm 82 and the Council of God(s) • The Denial of Comparability to Other Gods • Creational Monotheism and God(s) Mark Heiser's "God's of the Bible:" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cS50l31lyI

Topics Discussed: • Creation by Organization of Matter • The Council of Gods • The Supreme or Head God • One God Among the Gods Appointed as Ours • Premortal Humans in the Council of the Gods • Elohim and Jehovah in Mormon Thought http://www.exploringmormonthought.com/2018/04/topics-discussed-creation-by.html

Topics Discussed: • The Scriptural Argument • The King Follett Discourse • The Sermon in the Grove • Why Would a Divine Person Become Mortal? Links: King Follett Discourse: http://www.boap.org/LDS/Parallel/1844/7Apr44-copy.html Sermon in the Grove: http://www.boap.org/LDS/Parallel/1844/16Jun44.html New Cool Thang: Did God "Come to be God' or not? http://www.newcoolthang.com/index.php/2006/05/did-god-come-to-be-god/251/ New Cool Thang: Yes, God the Father has a Father http://www.newcoolthang.com/index.php/2006/05/the-father-has-a-father/253/ Juvenile Instructor: "Infinite Regress" or "Monarchical Monotheism"? http://juvenileinstructor.org/%E2%80%9Cinfinite-regress%E2%80%9D-or-%E2%80%9Cmonarchical-monotheism%E2%80%9D/

Topics Discussed: • The Incompatibility of Free Will and Creatio Ex Nihilo • The First Argument: The Incompatibility of Divine Sustenance and Free Will • The Second Argument: The Impossibility of God’s Actualizing Agents with Free Will Show Notes: http://www.exploringmormonthought.com/2018/03/ep43-operations-of-grace-free-will-pt-2.html

Topics Discussed: • Grace and Free Will in Interpersonal Relations • Free Will and Irresistible Grace • Concurring Grace

Topics Discussed: • The Problem of Imputed Righteousness • The Problem of Infused Righteousness • The Problem of Predestination • Does God Owe Obligations? • Universal Love and Obligations