What Was Lost in Christianity? Terryl Givens on the Nature of God, Apostasy & Restoration

In this episode, scholar Terryl Givens explores what was truly lost in Christian history and how restoring the nature of God’s love changes everything.

In this episode of Be Faithful, Terryl Givens—Neal A. Maxwell Research Fellow and author of The God Who Weeps and The Crucible of Doubt—shares insights from his upcoming book on Christian history. Together, we discuss apostasy, restoration, the Gospel of John, the nature of God, love vs. power, and how early Christianity slowly drifted from Christ’s original vision.

This episode addresses questions many Christians and Latter-day Saints are asking today:

What was actually lost during the Great Apostasy?
How did Christianity’s view of God change over time?
Did Jesus fully reveal the nature of God?
Why does love—not power—stand at the center of Christ’s message?
How does the Restoration reframe Christian history?

This conversation is for anyone wrestling with faith, Christian doctrine, LDS theology, deconstruction, or a desire to understand God more deeply—without fear-based religion.

📖 Topics discussed:
• The nature of God
• Christian apostasy & restoration
• Love as the core of Christianity
• The Gospel of John
• Early Christian history
• LDS theology & mainstream Christianity
• Terryl Givens’ upcoming book

🔔 Subscribe for more faith-centered conversations exploring truth, discipleship, and spiritual depth.

00:00 – Intro: Who Is Terryl Givens
08:20 – Why Terryl spent 5 years rewriting Christian history
10:4 0 – How God’s Image Changed Over Time
27:30 – Early Christianity Was Never Unified
36:00 – Why restoration is a process, not an event
49:00 – Striking Discoveries in the Research
58:10 – Terryl's Testimony and "Why"

#christiantheology #christianhistory #jesuschrist #mormon #thechurchofjesuschristoflatterdaysaints

To contact Be Faithful email: lauren.befaithful@gmail.com