In this, the first volume of a planned series of works on Mormon thought, Blake T. Ostler explores Christian and Mormon notions about God. Written for both Mormons and non-Mormons interested in the relationship between Mormonism and classical theism, his path-breaking Exploring Mormon Thought: The Attributes of God is a critique of classical theism regarding some of the central concepts that have formed the Christian understanding of God. He deals with questions of traditional philosophical theology including free will and foreknowledge, the nature of God and Christology. The approach to these questions is from the analytic philosophical tradition and includes detailed arguments relating to the coherence of Christian belief, scripture and practice. However he recognizes that religious faith is far more a product of intimacy with the divine than of ultimacy of reason, more a product of relationships than of logical necessities. He provides an overview of the most influential Christian notions of deity, exploring themes and resources within this discourse that might be helpful to Latter-day Saint explorations. Also highlighted are various perspectives within Mormonism itself including a detailed analysis of Joseph Smith's Lectures on Faith and discussion of the thought of Orson and Parley Pratt, B. H. Roberts and John Widstoe. Earlier Mormon thought is demonstrated to have included a concept of God as a being in process. He suggests areas in which Mormon approaches to questions about free agency and God's omnipotence might suggest resolutions to some of the difficult issues that have troubled theologians and philosophers for centuries. For the first time ever Ostler formulates a systematic Mormon Christology.

Exploring Mormon Thought: The Attributes of God

Religion & Spirituality

Ostler, Blake T.

Christian Books & Bibles

Greg Kofford Books, Inc.

“These books are the most important works on Mormon theology ever written. There is nothing currently available that is even close to the rigor and sophistication of these volumes. B. H. Roberts and John A. Widtsoe may have had interesting insights in the early part of the twentieth century, but they had neither the temperament nor the training to give a rigorous defense of their views in dialogue with a wider stream of Christian theology. Sterling McMurrin and Truman Madsen had the capacity to engage Mormon theology at this level, but neither one did.” — FARMS Review, Neal A. Maxwell Institute, Brigham Young University “This may be the most exciting volume to come out on Mormon theology ever. I eagerly await it as I think it will demonstrate a maturity of Mormon theology in that it will take "as given" a presentation of the basics of Mormon thought. One hopes that other authors will present engagements with other major thinkers such as Heidegger, Gadamer, Derrida, or others. However clearly before one can move on to this more ‘mature’ level of discourse, the beginnings have to be established. While I’m sure other writers may take exception to some of Blake’s positions in this first volume, he clearly is blazing the trail in an exciting way. Further it opens up to non-Mormons a clear and lucid presentation of Mormon theology that one can't get from most other writings.” — Clark Goble, Association for Mormon Letters “I hope that Ostler’s work finds a wide audience within the Church. Anyone who thinks seriously about the meaning of LDS doctrine should read it. It is a book that will take some time to unpack and some time for its influence to be felt.” — James McLachlan, BYU Studies

Exploring Mormon Thought: The Attributes of God (vol. 1)

In volume 2 of the three volume series, Exploring Mormon Thought: The Problems of Theism and the Love of God, Blake Ostler explores issues related to soteriology, or the theory of salvation. He argues that the commitment that God loves us and respects our dignity as persons entails that God must leave us free to choose whether to have a saving relationship with him. He explores the “logic of love” and argues that the LDS doctrine of a “war in heaven” embodies the commitment that God leaves us free to choose whether to enter into relationship with God. He explores the nature of inter-personal prayer and the contributions of LDS beliefs to a robust prayer dialogue. He offers a view consistent with LDS commitments that make sense out of asking God to assist others, to alter the natural environment to grow in relationship with God. He then turns to the concept of grace and argues that the traditional views lead to insurmountable problems. He argues that though God does not owe any obligation to us to give us grace, God does so out of love. However, because divinity arises from loving relationships, he argues that God could not fail to give sufficient grace to all persons and remain a loving God.

Exploring Mormon Thought: The Problems With Theism And the Love of God (vol. 2)

Politics & Social Sciences

Philosophy

Blake Ostler's anticipated third volume of his award-winning Exploring Mormon Thought series.

Exploring Mormon Thought: Of God and Gods (Exploring Mormon Thought) Vol.3.

The problem of evil is perhaps the greatest challenge to belief in a loving and personal God. The challenge naturally leads us to ask, "Why, God, has this happened to me, to my loved ones, to my enemies?" Or, to ask with the Psalmist, "Where art thou God?" Or, to perhaps echo Jesus, "My God, my God, why hast thou abandoned me?" In this fourth volume of the Exploring Mormon Thought series, God's Plan to Heal Evil, Blake T. Ostler examines how others in the Christian and Mormon traditions have attempted to provide solutions to this challenge and the shortcomings they contain. Ostler then looks to Mormon theology to offer what he calls the Plan of Agape, or what is perhaps the most robust explanation of how belief in a loving, personal God can be had in light of all of the suffering that exists in the world.

Exploring Mormon Thought: God's Plan to Heal Evil

Book Description: Blake Ostler, author of the groundbreaking Exploring Mormon Thought series, explores two of the most important and central aspects of Mormon theology and practice: the Atonement and the temple endowment. Utilizing observations from Søren Kierkegaard, Martin Buber, and others, Ostler offers further insights on what it means to become alienated from God and to once again have at-one-ment with Him.. Praise for Fire on the Horizon: “Fire on the Horizon distills decades of reading, argument, and reflection into one potent dose. Urgent, sharp, and intimate, it’s Ostler at his best.” —Adam S. Miller, author of Rube Goldberg Machines: Essays in Mormon Theology “Blake Ostler has been one of the most stimulating, deep, and original thinkers in the Latter-day Saint community. This book continues and consolidates that status. His work demonstrates that Mormonism can, and indeed does, offer profound nourishment for reflective minds and soul-satisfying insights for thoughtful believers.” —Daniel C. Peterson, editor of Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture About the author: Blake T. Ostler, a practicing attorney, is one of the premiere philosophical thinkers on Mormonism. He is the author of the multi-volume Exploring Mormon Thought series and has been published widely in journals such as Religious Studies, International Journal for the Philosophy of Religion, BYU Studies, and Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought.

Fire on the Horizon: A Meditation on the Endowment and Love of Atonement (Exploring Mormon Thought)

Greg Kofford Books, Incorporated

Exploring Mormon Thought: Volume 4, God's Plan to Heal Evil

Exploring Mormon Thought: Volume 1, The Attributes of God

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Books by Ostler, Blake T.