The leaders of the Mormon church decide that Camilla must make a “blood atonement.” What does that mean? Was this a common practice in the early Mormon church?
“Blood atonement” simply echoes the fact that, without the shedding of blood, there can be no atonement for sin. Thus, under the law, the Israelites brought animals to sacrifice at the Temple. As Christians, we know that the shed blood of Jesus is the eternal, and final, atonement for our sin. There were those in the early Mormon church who felt that some sins were so egregious that only the shedding of the sinner’s blood could make atonement. Please note that this is not the official teaching or practice of the LDS church. It was, as we see in many religions, a practice espoused by extremists. The extent to which it was actually practiced in the early Mormon church is impossible to know.
In the previous book, Rachel tells Camilla that she has to let Nathan take another wife. “You have to. You’re his salvation. Joseph Smith was his savior in life, giving him direction. Your job is to save him in the next one.” What does it mean that she’s his salvation?
This touches on the Mormon concept of celestial rewards. According to their teaching, if Nathan is ever to achieve the highest, godlike, eternal status, he needs to have at least one eternal wife to bear his spiritual children. She is not so much his “salvation” in terms of his eternity, but in terms of the quality of that eternity. I think it’s important to note here that the Mormons believe that women must be “called” into eternity by their husbands, which explains Evangeline’s plight.
Today Mormons are intentionally aligning themselves with evangelical Christians. What similarities in their beliefs enable them to do this? In what crucial ways are their beliefs different from biblical Christianity?
Mormons believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that he died on the cross for our sins and rose again after three days. They love and admire Jesus. They pray in his name. They identify Jesus as a redeemer and savior. But they do not acknowledge that Jesus’ death and resurrection constitute the full completion of our reconciliation and salvation. To the Mormons, this act is incomplete, and true salvation depends not only upon one’s belief in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ as depicted in the Gospels, but also an acceptance and belief in the prophetic writings of Joseph Smith and the practices of the Mormon church.
What was the biggest challenge you faced in researching or writing this series? The greatest reward?
More so than any other project I’ve done, I had to give this one over to God. I knew I had to go beyond the average spiritual content found in most Christian fiction. I tried very hard to represent the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ in contrast with the lies of the Mormon faith without making the books sound like 350-page tracts. It was quite challenging to craft theology into dialogue, to make the deepest questions about salvation relevant to the characters’ relationships. So I hope I pulled it off!
The greatest reward? Honestly, I came away with such a deeper understanding and appreciation for my own salvation. As I wrote about Nathan’s struggle to be “good enough” for God, I felt so loved by my Savior. I realized how wonderful it is to worship a God I cannot fully understand with my finite little mind.
What do you hope readers will take away from these novels?
First, I’d love readers to recognize that, despite any outward appearances, many Mormons are empty, wounded people. As I tried to get inside the head of a Mormon, I spent a lot of time online reading through forums devoted to those who had left the church, and there was so much sadness and bitterness there. I think most Christians approach Mormons in one of two ways: we either avoid any opportunity to witness because doing so is usually fruitless, or we relish the idea of arguing with them. We need to simply love them.
Second, we need to be so rooted in Truth that we can recognize any aberration of the gospel, no matter how subtle. Mormonism and Christianity use largely the same vocabulary; the differences in theological text can seem little more than spin and semantics. We must be wary of works and messages that openly claim to be a “new” way of understanding Scripture.
Discussion Questions
1. How does Camilla come to terms with leaving her children behind? Have you ever faced a decision where you felt like neither option was completely “right”? How can a Christian approach such situations?
2. Colonel Brandon is a true friend to Camilla in her time of need. Why do you think he is so attracted to her? Is she right to keep him at arm’s length? Even when she is legally free to love him, she gives him no commitment, despite his obvious feelings for her. Why do you think she makes that decision?
3. Camilla is blessed with the opportunity to see her father again before he dies and to both extend and receive forgiveness. Have you lost someone close to you before you could be reconciled? How have you handled that? Is there someone in your life now that you wish you could be reconciled with? Is there anything you can do to take the first step?
4. Camilla is filled with gratitude for the blessing of a new child, even though her circumstances at the time are precarious. Have you ever been given a blessing—either a child or some other tangible expression of God’s love—that was something of an inconvenience? Why is it sometimes hard for us to accept God’s timing and plans for our lives?
5. The pastor in Camilla’s hometown extends an unexpectedly warm welcome to her. Why is she so surprised? Has there been a time in your life when you were unsure of the reception you would receive by family, friends, or church? Have you ever had the opportunity to assure someone else of God’s love and acceptance when they felt unworthy? What are some practical ways we can do that?
6. As a lawyer, Mr. Bostwick is able to address Camilla’s situation with a certain amount of objectivity. When faced with a crisis, do you tend to react with an emotional response, or do you tackle problems with an air of calm observation? What are the benefits and drawbacks of each approach? Is there someone in your life who helps to balance your natural tendencies in this area?
7. Why does Nathan agree to let Camilla leave and take his children? What is he afraid of? How did this scene affect your feelings toward Nathan?
8. Melissa, it seems, will have a hard time letting go of the teachings she’s been raised with. What advice would you give Camilla in regard to bringing up a child who is resistant to the Word of God?
9. The circumstances of the time period call for Camilla to take some drastic actions. How might her story be different today? What aspects of it would be the same?
Forsaking All Others Page 34
