The Great Apostasy

<p><strong style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(83 90 98 1)>A Defining Work in Latter-day Saint Thought - The Case for the Restoration of the Gospel</strong></p><p></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(83 90 98 1)>First published in 1909 </span><em style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(83 90 98 1)>The Great Apostasy</em><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(83 90 98 1)> by James E. Talmage a prominent LDS apostle and scholar presents a bold and historically grounded argument: that the early Christian church lost its divine authority and doctrinal purity resulting in centuries of spiritual decline. This apostasy Talmage contends made the Restoration through the Prophet Joseph Smith not only possible-but necessary.</span></p><p></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(83 90 98 1)>This updated and reformatted edition includes:</span></p><p></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(83 90 98 1)>Modernized layout with chapter headings and footnotes for clarity</span></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(83 90 98 1)>Ideal for Latter-day Saint study groups seminary students and comparative religion readers</span></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(83 90 98 1)>Includes key Scripture references and citations from early Christian writers</span></p><p></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(83 90 98 1)>In this volume Talmage explores:</span></p><p></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(83 90 98 1)>The decline of apostolic authority after the deaths of the original Twelve</span></p><p></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(83 90 98 1)>The rise of creeds councils and theological division</span></p><p></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(83 90 98 1)>Doctrinal shifts in baptism priesthood revelation and Church structure</span></p><p></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(83 90 98 1)>The prophetic necessity of the Restoration</span></p><p></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(83 90 98 1)>Whether you are a lifelong Latter-day Saint or studying Restoration theology for the first time The Great Apostasy is essential reading for understanding the LDS worldview of Christian history.</span></p><p></p>