Baptist Preacher Praises Book of Mormon

[prisonchaplain]

So, of course, this is a lead article on the thirdhour.org home page. I read through it, and then did a bit more reading about Dr. Ridenhour. My first thought is that I wondered how LDS listeners/readers would receive this teacher. His main thrust seems to be to use the BoM to affirm his Baptist beliefs. Then again, as I researched a bit, it seems he is more of a 'Bapticostal," in that he's been involved with the Charismatic Renewal (including praying in tongues) since 1972. The other odd part is that he seems to have a more natural appeal with CoC groups than with LDS ones. The bottom line is that Dr. Ridenhour must be very interesting to hear--and it's probably assuring to hear an outside minister offer praise of the BoM--but is this someone you would go out of your way to read or hear more from?

Personally, I know from past experiences here, when I try to explain LDS beliefs as I understand them it almost always sounds odd to LDS ears. I may be mostly correct, but I say it funny...you know...with an accent that sounds Evangelical-Pentecostal. It's good to try and understand, and I am grateful that folk here tolerate my efforts, but I would not pretend to be any kind of an expert. Perhaps, because he has embraced the BoM as scripture, he does understand better. Thoughts?

[Fether]

16 minutes ago, prisonchaplain said:

So, of course, this is a lead article on the thirdhour.org home page. I read through it, and then did a bit more reading about Dr. Ridenhour. My first thought is that I wondered how LDS listeners/readers would receive this teacher. His main thrust seems to be to use the BoM to affirm his Baptist beliefs. Then again, as I researched a bit, it seems he is more of a 'Bapticostal," in that he's been involved with the Charismatic Renewal (including praying in tongues) since 1972. The other odd part is that he seems to have a more natural appeal with CoC groups than with LDS ones. The bottom line is that Dr. Ridenhour must be very interesting to hear--and it's probably assuring to hear an outside minister offer praise of the BoM--but is this someone you would go out of your way to read or hear more from?

Personally, I know from past experiences here, when I try to explain LDS beliefs as I understand them it almost always sounds odd to LDS ears. I may be mostly correct, but I say it funny...you know...with an accent that sounds Evangelical-Pentecostal. It's good to try and understand, and I am grateful that folk here tolerate my efforts, but I would not pretend to be any kind of an expert. Perhaps, because he has embraced the BoM as scripture, he does understand better. Thoughts?

I’ve heard of this guy and he is interesting haha, I’m mostly just asking myself “do you know what you are REALLY saying when you testify for the Book of Mormon?”

Im honestly more interested in the last part of your post. I found that anomaly strange. It’s almost like you are saying the right words, but we don’t trust your understanding enough to say you said it right. It’s like when a white guy tells a black-lives-matter guy “Yes, I believe the lives of black people matter very much”, then the black guy will insist on further explanation cause he feels like the white guy doesn’t get it.

Phrases like “saved by grace”, “accept Christ”, and “faith without works is dead” are important in most, of not all, christian religions, yet they can mean drastically different things.

[prisonchaplain]

35 minutes ago, Fether said:

 It’s almost like you are saying the right words, but we don’t trust your understanding enough to say you said it right. It’s like when a white guy tells a black-lives-matter guy “Yes, I believe the lives of black people matter very much”, then the black guy will insist on further explanation cause he feels like the white guy doesn’t get it.

Phrases like “saved by grace”, “accept Christ”, and “faith without works is dead” are important in most, of not all, christian religions, yet they can mean drastically different things.

Enough posters here have a general grasp of Evangelical thought to know that some of my comparisons are "in the ballpark," but may miss important nuances. For example, I see strong similarities between my Arminian belief in free will and the LDS teaching of agency. However, a full explanation of each would reveal some significant differences. Also, there is always the whole-package issue--that so many LDS beliefs work in relation to other LDS beliefs. To understand with any kind of completeness requires acceptance of the whole package--the Latter-day revelations, the Restoration, the Celestial Kingdom and exaltation, pre-mortal existence, etc. So, when I, as an Evangelical that does not share all those beliefs say, "It's so awesome that LDS believe, and their scriptures teach, the truth of free will," the response might be, "Yeah ... uh ... but, wait, there's so much more."

[Guest Scott]

I hate to be a downer and I'm glad that Dr Ridenhour has a testimony of the Book of Mormon, but the articles being published on LDS sites (including now Third Hour) are misleading. 

First of all, other than members of our own church apparently, the only one who considers Dr. Ridenhour to be a Southern Baptist Minister is Dr. Ridenhour himself.  The Southern Baptists deny that he is a preacher in their sect.

Second of all, he is a baptized member of our church.  He's still a member even though he doesn't appear to be active anymore.  He used to be an active member for several years.

He claims that his calling is to be a bridge between Baptist and Mormons, which is why he claims to be a baptist minister and which according to him is the reason he is no longer active in our church.

Also, he is a member of this forum if anyone wants to read his posts.  His name on Third Hour is LynnR and you can find his posts using the search function.  His posts are certainly interesting.

Anyway, I certainly have nothing against him (he seems like a nice guy) and am glad he's trying to build bridges, but it is still misleading (in articles) to make this out as a Southern Baptist Preacher teaching the Book of Mormon.  

 

[Vort]

Brother Ridenhour's calling is the same calling extended to everyone: To seek for truth and then to follow that truth to the best of your ability. The truths taught in the Book of Mormon are (1) to be baptized in covenant with the Lord to become a member of his kingdom and start on the path through the strait and narrow gate, and then (2) to continue pursuing that path for the rest of your life. That's it. Nothing there about being a minister-in-name-only for another faith so that you can preach the restored gospel through the back door. That's not the way we do things. That's not how God operates, nor his kingdom. When we come in, we come through the front door.

Edited September 27, 2019 by Vort

[prisonchaplain]

Dr. Ridenhour may be able to shed light on this himself. However, he could very well be an ordained Southern Baptist minister--or perhaps an independent Baptist. In Baptist polity, if a congregation ordains him then he's ordained. It doesn't matter what other Baptists think, so long as one congregation takes that action. So, his claim may be true. As for his baptism--I had not read of that. Was this recent? I ask because the articles I read about him (which were likely nearly 10 years old) suggested that he was more active among CoC groups than LDS ones, and that his favor towards the BoM was based on both his belief that the Holy Spirit had confirmed it and upon his discovery of so many "Baptist" doctrines being affirmed in it.

[Guest Scott]

On 9/27/2019 at 12:25 AM, prisonchaplain said:

fHowever, he could very well be an ordained Southern Baptist minister--or perhaps an independent Baptist. In Baptist polity, if a congregation ordains him then he's ordained. It doesn't matter what other Baptists think, so long as one congregation takes that action. So, his claim may be true.

Although other Baptists claim that he never was ordained minister, it could be true.  That doesn't make this articles any less misleading though.  They make it sound like he's a Southern Baptist preacher preaching to Southern Baptist congregations about the Book of Mormon.    That's really not what is going on here and what I mean by the articles being misleading.  As as said, I'm glad he is trying to build bridges here, but the articles are painting a misleading picture, even if he may have been an ordained minister at one time.

 

Quote

As for his baptism--I had not read of that. Was this recent? 

As far as his baptism into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints goes, that happened in the 1990s and he was active for several years  then.  He says that he is no longer active because his calling is to build bridges between Mormons and Baptists rather to be an active member of the church.  Building bridges is good, but articles should try to paint a more realistic picture of what is happening here.  

Anyway, you can read about his baptism and other thoughts on the Third Hour forum below:

 

Edited September 28, 2019 by Scott

[Traveler]

19 hours ago, prisonchaplain said:

So, of course, this is a lead article on the thirdhour.org home page. I read through it, and then did a bit more reading about Dr. Ridenhour. My first thought is that I wondered how LDS listeners/readers would receive this teacher. His main thrust seems to be to use the BoM to affirm his Baptist beliefs. Then again, as I researched a bit, it seems he is more of a 'Bapticostal," in that he's been involved with the Charismatic Renewal (including praying in tongues) since 1972. The other odd part is that he seems to have a more natural appeal with CoC groups than with LDS ones. The bottom line is that Dr. Ridenhour must be very interesting to hear--and it's probably assuring to hear an outside minister offer praise of the BoM--but is this someone you would go out of your way to read or hear more from?

Personally, I know from past experiences here, when I try to explain LDS beliefs as I understand them it almost always sounds odd to LDS ears. I may be mostly correct, but I say it funny...you know...with an accent that sounds Evangelical-Pentecostal. It's good to try and understand, and I am grateful that folk here tolerate my efforts, but I would not pretend to be any kind of an expert. Perhaps, because he has embraced the BoM as scripture, he does understand better. Thoughts?

I am going to add a symbolic parable.  But I think it applies to many in the religious community - including a lot of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I have touched on this before but I think that there is far too much emphasis on doctrine in religious communities  Indeed it is this doctrine or that doctrine that seems to divide the religious.  And so it is that to me it appears that Christians are given the keys to a high powered sports car of unique and special (one of a kind) design that they brag about to one another - often showing off their sports car.  But they never put the keys in the ignition, start up the car and drive it.  They read stories (in scripture) of how many drivers have won race after race in the car and how no other car can compare.   But they never enter to win any races leaving the "dark horses" of the salvation race in the dust.  In fact they have no idea what the car can do or what they could accomplish driving the car.  They are too busy pointing out all the desired features (doctrines) they like and care about of the car to admiring friends to take the time to drive the car.  Maybe once they start the car an put on the gas and the awesome power frightens them so that they shut off the car and forever more just brag about it.

Some may touch the car and feel it smooth lines.  Other may sit in the car an pretend to drive and win the most difficult races.  In every way they admire the car - but they just do not drive it.  They do not test their limits or the limits of them driving the car.  They just admire the car, its design and the mechanic that built it.

Perhaps the problem is that they are unaccustomed to driving any car (but especially a high performance car) - they just admiring cars - realizing so many things about cars - but in the end they "walk" away thinking one car is as good as another or that their car is just as good and suits them better.  Perhaps they have driven their old car and determined it is fine or good enough for them.  Until it breaks down in the middle of nowhere with miles to go before the journey is over?

 

The Traveler

Edited September 27, 2019 by Traveler