Interactive study · Volume 2 companion Seeking Jesus of Nazareth
Module 2

Code It Yourself

Twelve descriptions of God. For each one you see the description at its stated semantic floor and the two texts that were compared. You decide the category first. Then the project’s code and its reasoning appear, and you can record where you would code differently.

Your codings stay in this browser. Disagreeing with the project is allowed and useful; the “I’d code this differently” notes are the kind of feedback that improves the map.

0 of 12 coded

RNR-H01 · Divine identity & relation · Kataphatic

Living

God possesses life intrinsically.

Historic witness Church of England · Thirty-Nine Articles, Article I — Of Faith in the Holy Trinity one living and true God
Restoration comparator D&C 20:19 (Doctrine and Covenants) the only living and true God

Your call

At this semantic floor, how do the two traditions relate?

AShared   Here we genuinely agree.

Project summary. God is the living God.

Rationale and caution. Shared. Both traditions affirm this of God in the same sense.

Confidence: Medium-High · Count-constrained reconstruction · open on the map

RNR-H05 · Divine identity & relation · Kataphatic

Son

Names the eternal filial relation of the Logos.

Historic witness Southern Baptist Convention · Baptist Faith and Message 2000, II.B. God the Son Christ is the eternal Son of God
Restoration comparator D&C 20:21; Articles of Faith 1:1 (Doctrine and Covenants; Articles of Faith) the Almighty God gave his Only Begotten Son

Your call

At this semantic floor, how do the two traditions relate?

AShared   Here we genuinely agree.

Project summary. Names Jesus Christ as the eternal Son of God.

Rationale and caution. Shared filial identity/relationship controls A; thick Nicene metaphysical entailments are not imported automatically.

Confidence: High · Count-constrained reconstruction · open on the map

RNR-H14 · Love, mercy, grace & glory · Kataphatic

Love / loving

Affirms love as divine character and action.

Historic witness Southern Baptist Convention · Baptist Faith and Message 2000, II.A. God the Father all loving
Restoration comparator 1 John 4:8,16 (Bible (Latter-day Saint standard works)) God is love

Your call

At this semantic floor, how do the two traditions relate?

AShared   Here we genuinely agree.

Project summary. God is love; He loves His children.

Rationale and caution. Shared divine love.

Confidence: High · Count-constrained reconstruction · open on the map

RNR-H26 · Divine action, providence & salvation · Kataphatic

Judge

Affirms divine judgment.

Historic witness Roman Catholic Church · Apostles' Creed, Judgment clause judge the living and the dead
Restoration comparator 2 Nephi 9:15 (Book of Mormon) they must appear before the judgment-seat of the Holy One of Israel

Your call

At this semantic floor, how do the two traditions relate?

AShared   Here we genuinely agree.

Project summary. God judges all people.

Rationale and caution. Shared divine judgment.

Confidence: High · Count-constrained reconstruction · open on the map

RNR-H46 · Eternity & epistemic transcendence · Apophatic / privative

Eternal

Denies temporal beginning or ending; often also temporal succession in classical theology.

Historic witness Church of England · Creed of S. Athanasius, Athanasian Creed — eternal clause The Father eternal
Restoration comparator D&C 20:17 (Doctrine and Covenants) infinite and eternal, from everlasting to everlasting

Your call

At this semantic floor, how do the two traditions relate?

AShared   Here we genuinely agree.

Project summary. God is eternal — without beginning or end.

Rationale and caution. A controls only beginningless/endless divine existence or duration; timelessness/denial of temporal succession is excluded.

Confidence: High · Author adjudication retained A · open on the map

RNR-H03 · Divine identity & relation · Kataphatic

Spirit

God is positively named as spiritual being.

Historic witness Orthodox Presbyterian Church · Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter II.1 — Of God, and of the Holy Trinity a most pure spirit
Restoration comparator John 4:24; D&C 131:7–8 (Bible (Latter-day Saint standard works); Doctrine and Covenants) God is a Spirit Also: supplemental source · All spirit is matter

Your call

At this semantic floor, how do the two traditions relate?

QShared, but differently understood   Here we share a concern but mean it differently.

Project summary. God is positively named as spiritual being.

Rationale and caution. Shared spiritual language; Restoration materially redefines spirit as refined matter (D&C 131:7–8).

Confidence: Medium · Count-constrained reconstruction · open on the map

RNR-H22 · Divine action, providence & salvation · Kataphatic

Creator / Maker

Affirms divine causation of created existence.

Historic witness Roman Catholic Church · Nicene Creed, Creator clause maker of heaven and earth
Restoration comparator Abraham 3:24 (Pearl of Great Price) we will take of these materials, and we will make an earth

Your call

At this semantic floor, how do the two traditions relate?

QShared, but differently understood   Here we share a concern but mean it differently.

Project summary. Affirms divine causation of created existence.

Rationale and caution. Creator/Maker confession is shared; creation ontology/mechanics are materially redefined around preexistent reality.

Confidence: High · Explicit in master handoff · open on the map

RNR-H37 · Beginninglessness & non-finitude · Apophatic / privative

Unbegotten

Denies generation from another.

Historic witness Roman Catholic Church · Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Q.47 principle without a principle
Restoration comparator D&C 20:17; Joseph Smith, Sermon in the Grove (Doctrine and Covenants; Joseph Smith Papers) from everlasting to everlasting the same unchangeable God Also: supplemental source · God the Father of Jesus Christ had a Father

Your call

At this semantic floor, how do the two traditions relate?

QShared, but differently understood   Here we share a concern but mean it differently.

Project summary. Denies generation from another.

Rationale and caution. Beginninglessness/source-status concern is shared; absolute 'from none' versus antecedent divine lineage remains a material qualification.

Confidence: High · Explicit in master handoff · open on the map

RNR-H45 · Embodiment & classical divine metaphysics · Apophatic / privative

Immutable / unchangeable

Denies change.

Historic witness Roman Catholic Church · Fourth Lateran Council, Canon 1 unchangeable
Restoration comparator Mormon 9:19; D&C 20:17 (Book of Mormon; Doctrine and Covenants) he changeth not

Your call

At this semantic floor, how do the two traditions relate?

QShared, but differently understood   Here we share a concern but mean it differently.

Project summary. Denies change.

Rationale and caution. Constancy of character, purpose, covenant faithfulness, and moral perfection is shared; strong metaphysical immutability is not imported.

Confidence: High · Author adjudication (Session 18A) · open on the map

RNR-H52 · Christological delimiters · Christological delimiter

Without confusion

Denies collapse of distinctions.

Historic witness Roman Catholic Church · Catechism of the Catholic Church / Chalcedonian Definition, CCC 467 without confusion
Restoration comparator The Living Christ (First Presidency / Quorum of the Twelve collective declaration) the Only Begotten Son in the flesh

Your call

At this semantic floor, how do the two traditions relate?

QShared, but differently understood   Here we share a concern but mean it differently.

Project summary. Denies collapse of distinctions.

Rationale and caution. Underlying Christological concern is shared without adopting Chalcedonian two-natures metaphysics.

Confidence: High · Explicit in master handoff · open on the map

RNR-H42 · Embodiment & classical divine metaphysics · Apophatic / privative

Incorporeal / without body

Denies material embodiment.

Historic witness The United Methodist Church · Articles of Religion, Article I — Of Faith in the Holy Trinity without body or parts
Restoration comparator D&C 130:22 (Doctrine and Covenants) The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s

Your call

At this semantic floor, how do the two traditions relate?

DDifferent   Here we directly disagree.

Project summary. Denies material embodiment.

Rationale and caution. Directly conflicts with the Father's tangible glorified body.

Confidence: High · Explicit in master handoff · open on the map

RNR-H57 · Divine-human analogy & kinship boundary · Meta-apophatic

Greater dissimilarity than similarity

Denies adequacy of any creaturely likeness to the divine mode of being.

Historic witness Roman Catholic Church · Catechism of the Catholic Church quoting Lateran IV, CCC 43 / DS 806 an even greater dissimilitude
Restoration comparator The Family: A Proclamation to the World (First Presidency / Quorum of the Twelve collective declaration) a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents

Your call

At this semantic floor, how do the two traditions relate?

DDifferent   Here we directly disagree.

Project summary. Denies adequacy of any creaturely likeness to the divine mode of being.

Rationale and caution. Direct divergence when the principle denies strong literal divine-human kinship and ontological continuity.

Confidence: High · Explicit in master handoff · open on the map

Next: Conversation Builder

Stay Connected

Receive chapter announcements, ministry updates, and devotional insights delivered to your inbox.