LDS, evangelical experts talk

Millet said Mormons are prone to point to the quote from the Apostle Paul that says people should work out their own salvation "with fear and trembling."

He told Johnson it is hard to hear someone say to him, "If you would just accept Jesus as your savior." Millet asked on what basis some people "conclude that Latter-day Saints are not Christians."

Johnson said he does not agree that no LDS person could be a Christian but said some LDS Church teachings "could make this something other than true Christianity."

Millet said he would not consider Mormonism to be part of the later traditional Christianity, but a restoration of the early Christian beliefs. And Protestants, including Evangelicals, must believe there was a falling away from complete Christian doctrine because Protestantism itself broke away from the Catholic Church.

The differences in those positions are only about the extent and duration of the apostasy, he said. "The most significant thing that was lost (during the falling away) was divine authority," the priesthood. Restoration was needed.

But that did not mean there was no Christianity between 100 and 1820, Millet said. There were revelations and followers of Christianity throughout the centuries.

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