Description
by Michael T. Griffith
One Lord, One Faith presents writings of the Early Christian Fathers as evidences of the restoration of the LDS Church in these last days. The “early church fathers” is a term used in reference to the outstanding bishops, elders and apologists who wrote in defense of the Christian faith during the first three centuries after Christ. Those who wrote prior to A.D. 200 are often called the “apostolic fathers.” These early Christian writers and leaders had direct connections with the apostles or with others who knew the Lord and his disciples in the flesh. Those who wrote and ministered prior to the famous Council of Nicea held in A.D. 325 are frequently called the “ante-Nicene fathers.” The writings of these men are of great value to the Christian community today because they reflect the doctrinal understandings of the leaders and members of the original Christian church. It is also possible to see the effects of the great apostasy taking hold on the church by comparing the doctrinal views of the early church fathers with the writings of their later counterparts.
The writings of Ignatius, Clement of Rome, Polycarp, Justin Martyr, Methetes, Lactantius, Origen, Eusebius, Tertullian, Hippolytus, Didymus, Methodius, Clement of Alexandria, Cyprian, Irenaeus, Chrysostom and many other early Christian apologists are cited in One Lord, One Faith. The author has assembled their writings as a strong evidence of the validity of the doctrines of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They show that the LDS Church today truly is the restoration of the early Christian church.
Forty-three doctrinal areas are examined, including intriguing topics such as the Father, son and Holy Ghost as three separate deities; the Son’s subordination to the Father; the identity of Jehovah; Jesus as the Firstborn; pre-mortal existence; godhood as man’s divine potential; the apostasy and restoration; the need for continuous revelation; good works being essential for salvation; the necessity of baptism; and higher teachings and ordinances in ancient Christianity.
One Lord, One Faith is an excellent resource based on much in-depth research.
Chapters include:
- Which Church is Right?
- The Importance of the Early Church Fathers
- Father, Son, and Holy Ghost: Three Separate Deities
- The Tangible Nature, or Corporeality, of the Father and the Son
- How Are Jesus and the Father “One”? The True Nature of Their Unity
- The Son’s Subordination to the Father in the New Testament
- The Son’s Subordination to the Father in Early Christian Writings
- The Savior and Redeemer of the World
- Who is Jehovah?
- Jesus as the Firstborn of the Father
- The Savior’s Role in the Creation of the World
- The World Created from Preexistent Matter, Not Ex Nihilo
- Our Pre-Mortal Existence
- Godhood: Man’s Divine Potential
- “Except There Come A Falling Away First”: The Apostasy of the Ancient Church
- The Restitution of All Things: The Return of the Lord’s Church
- Only One True Church
- Prophets: Their Role and Importance
- Priesthood Authority
- The Melchizedek and Aaronic Priesthoods
- The Early Church’s Priesthood Offices
- An Unpaid Clergy
- Church Members Called Saints
- Missionary Work
- The Living Voice: Continuous Revelation
- The Church and Scripture: The Primacy of the Living Voice
- The Heavens Are Not Closed: The Church’s Open Canon
- The Sabbath
- The Law of Tithing
- The Lord’s Supper (The Sacrament)
- Persecution: The Lot of the Saints
- Should We Use the Cross as a Religious Symbol?
- Good Works Are Essential for Salvation
- The Necessity of Baptism
- Infant Baptism and Original Sin
- Morality and Salvation: No Unclean Thing Can Inherit the Kingdom of God
- The Church Blessed With Spiritual Gifts
- Secrecy: Higher Teachings and Ordinances in Ancient Christianity
- Eternal Marriage
- The Spirit World
- The Ministry in the Spirit World: All Will Have a Chance to Hear the Gospel
- Baptism for the Dead
- The Universal Problem: All Will Be Raised from the Dead
6″ x 9″ paperback
256 pages