Are Mormons Christians? | 2 Protestants Debate a Mormon (ATB #30)

WEEK 30: Are Mormons Christians? (Outside an LDS Church) This week, we take the conversation outside—literally. Filmed in front of an LDS church in Cambridge, we sit down with John Warnock for one of the most important questions in modern Christianity: are Mormons Christians?We start with a simple goal: clarity, not cheap shots. This isn’t just a “debate”—it’s a serious attempt to understand where Christians and Latter-day Saints actually agree, where they fundamentally disagree, and whether those differences are big enough to matter.We begin with common ground. Both traditions affirm Jesus, the Bible, sin, salvation, and a moral vision that looks strikingly similar in everyday life. At a surface level, the overlap is real—and it’s why this question is so confusing for so many people.But then we press deeper. We walk through the core theological divides:The nature of God (Trinity vs. a fundamentally different view of the Godhead)Who Jesus is—and whether He is eternally God or something elseWhat counts as Scripture—and whether revelation is closed or still ongoingSalvation—grace alone or grace plus covenantal obedienceThe Church—continuous from the apostles or lost and restored in 1830We also unpack the broader LDS story—pre-mortal existence, the Book of Mormon, the Great Apostasy, and the Restoration through Joseph Smith—and why those claims put LDS theology in direct tension with historic Christianity.From there, we tackle the real question: what does “Christian” even mean? Is it self-identification? Agreement with the historic creeds? Belief in a particular gospel? Or something broader and more cultural? Depending on the definition, the answer changes—and we try to be honest about that.We also engage the strongest arguments on both sides. The case that the differences are material—and the case that they might not be. No dodging, no strawmen. Just a serious attempt to think it through.Midway through, we lighten things up with a rapid-fire “best age” game—when should you get married, start dating, have kids, retire, and everything in between.We close with Girl Problems:What’s the most effective way for a girl to get a guy to like her?Would you date a Mormon?This is one of those conversations where precision matters. Whether you come in with a strong view or just curiosity, the goal is the same: understand the differences clearly enough to decide whether they’re decisive.Email [email protected] with your questions/comments or submit a voice memo at https://www.speakpipe.com/approachthebench for a chance to be featured on the show! You can also submit anonymous comments through this Google Form: https://forms.gle/9Zjxzkpwajivx19z800:00 Introduction02:35 Getting to Know John Warnock04:53 What Mormons and Protestants Agree On08:21 What Mormons and Protestants Disagree On27:51 Are Mormons Christians?1:38:23 Best Age Rankings1:44:39 Girl Problems!