Review
Title: Golden Answers: Why We Need the Book of Mormon
Author: John Bytheway
Publisher: Deseret Book
Genre: Book of Mormon studies
Year Published: 2020
Number of Pages: 139
ISBN-13: 978-1-62972-725-7
Price: $14.99
Reviewed by Jeffrey Needle for the Association for Mormon Letters
John Bytheway is a well known figure in Mormon writing and recording. His talks are very popular, especially among young people. He has a breezy, easy way in expressing his views. His passion, his commitment, are on display in every book and every talk. With a masters degree in religious education from BYU, his credentials are strong.
Writer David Handler once famously said, “I don’t know if you’ve ever noticed this, but first impressions are often entirely wrong.” Not exactly a deep thought, but well considered when one opens this slim volume from Bytheway. Right away he expresses a thought I had not heard before:
“…when we face the final judgment, this book, the Book of Mormon, will be mentioned by Lord himself when he asks” and then cites Moroni 20:27. [page 1]
True confessions: this seems a bit off to me. Does the Lord really have a Book of Mormon in hand as he quizzes souls as they begin their post-mortal journey? Raise your hand if you think this is so.
I can genuinely say that, despite this, in my opinion, false start (I welcome correction on this point), Bytheway proceeds to deliver some really good musings on the centrality of the Book of Mormon, perhaps primarily to young readers, but to the entire LDS world.
Typical of his insights is this
“If we’re going to flood the earth with the Book of Mormon, we ought to have a clear idea of what’s in it and why the Lord wanted us to have it. We ought to know not only that it is another testament of Jesus Christ; we ought to know how it expounds the gospel of Jesus Christ in wonderful ways.” [p. 9]
People just beginning their journey toward an understanding of the restored gospel can be brought up short when they realize that, although testifying to the truth of the Book of Mormon, they lack a clear understanding of its contents. And no wonder: the Book of Mormon is a complex, sometimes dizzying journey through history and doctrine.
Bytheway wants readers to read with understanding. He wants readers to commit to a renewed appreciation, not just for the existence of the Book of Mormon, but also for its contents and insights.
[I’ve lost the page reference, but I recall the author making a point I’ve made for years, but in different words — in my words, that there is little to no unique Mormonism in the Book of Mormon. You have to go to the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price to find those doctrines that vary from wider Christianity.]
But where the Book of Mormon undergirds historic Christian doctrine, he insists it does it very well. His chapter headings make this clear. And on occasion, these chapter headings are instructive in peering into Bytheway’s purpose in writing this book. Here are a few:
“The No-Gaps Atonement of Jesus Christ”
“Converted to What?”
“I’m Baptized, but Am I Born Again?”
To some readers, it seems that the author is tipping into evangelicalism to find themes in the Book of Mormon. And this is not unreasonable. After all, there will be overlaps between the Mormon and evangelical worlds. How can it be otherwise when the Holy Bible is one of the four standard works?
Bytheway has some trenchant thoughts about how Latter-day Saints must clearly understand defending the Church and the gospel. Here’s a good thought from the chapter “Converted to What?”
“…in a community of Saints, situations will arise when we must ‘apply divine doctrine’ and remember the object of our conversion. If the object of our conversion is the Church, then we might be shaken when we find imperfections in the Church, its members, or its policies, because the object of our conversion is on imperfect ground. If our conversion is to the Lord, we will be on solid ground when imperfections of members of the Church are manifest.” [page 107] He goes on to express the idea that such imperfections are to be expected.
Along the way, “Golden Answers” explores methods of meeting challenges in life and in faith. The chapter “Exposing the Enemies of Christ” delves into Book of Mormon examples of how believers faced the Korihors of their day and triumphed.
Author and philosopher Umberto Eco wisely noted, “”Learning does not consist only of knowing what we must or we can do, but also of knowing what we could do and perhaps should not do.”
Indeed. And I think Bytheway would agree that the Book of Mormon provides just such guidance. Readers of “Golden Answers” will find much to admire here. Pick it up, especially if you have young people in your family or in your circle. And don’t just give the youth this book — read it yourself. It will give you valuable insights into the challenges young people, in fact, all people, face in the Church today. You won’t regret getting this book.