A Rational Theology, as Taught by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

John A. Widtsoe approached theology the way he approached chemistry: with precision, systematic inquiry, and absolute conviction that truth cannot contradict itself. One of early Mormonism's most intellectually formidable apostles, Widtsoe brings scientific rigor to questions most theologians address through devotion alone. This 1915 work articulates Latter-Day Saint doctrine not as received wisdom but as a coherent philosophical framework one a rational mind might reach through careful examination of existence itself. The book establishes foundational principles: that knowledge and faith are not adversaries, that divine laws operate with the same consistency as physical ones, and that human agency represents the crowning architecture of God's design. From these premises, Widtsoe proceeds to examine the nature of God, the scope of mortal freedom, and the possibility of alignment with eternal purposes. For readers drawn to faith traditions that welcome intellectual scrutiny, this volume demonstrates that systematic thought and spiritual commitment need not live in separate houses.