On September 26, 2021, I sent an email to Micah Wilder (and cc'd Lynn Wilder) with the subject line "Querying Interest in Debate on Baptismal Regeneration." Here is the email:
Hi
Micah,
Thanks
for the free copy of the book you sent to my SLC address. I read it when it
arrived a few months ago.
Recently,
I have been asked by a few friends to reach out to you and ask if you would be
willing to debate live/in a public venue on the topic of baptismal
regeneration? I would be more than happy to do such, and bear the burden of
taking the affirmative.
I
sent you a PDF copy of my book defending, using the Bible and
historical-grammatical exegesis, in favour of the doctrine, which I know you reject
(you explicitly reject it a few times in your book) so you can read how I
defend the doctrine there (as well as the appendices refuting the concept of
imputed righteousness, something you accept in your book but never defend, at
least, exegetically).
As
you often do public presentations on “Mormonism,” including at two conferences
in the Utah area alone in September (at least that I am aware of; there
may have been others), I am sure you have no objections to the concept at
least.
I
will be back (hopefully for good) in Utah in late November, and will be
participating in at least two debates before the end of the year (one on Sola
Scriptura against a Reformed Baptist; one on whether the Immaculate Conception
of Mary is apostolic in origin against a Roman Catholic).
In
case you are wondering about my credentials, I have degrees in theology from a
Catholic institution (Pontifical University of Ireland, Maynooth), am the
author of 6 books on the Bible and its relationship to LDS theology (e.g., Sola
Scriptura; Mariology; Eucharistic Theology), run a pretty popular LDS blog, am
a contributing editor to the journal, Interpreter: A Journal of
Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship and work as a research analyst
for a LDS “think tank” with a lot of my work focusing on 19th-century
LDS history and primary texts. I mention this, not to boast, but to show that I
am not just some random LDS who wants to pick a fight but someone with a
reputation in LDS apologetics and is informed, not just about “Mormonism” but
also non-LDS traditions, such as Protestantism.
If
you are game, we can make some preliminary arrangements about when/where, etc.
If you cannot for someone reason, do hit the idea against Lynn(*) and/or
Michael (I am cc'ing Lynn in this email).
Best,
Robert
Boylan
ScripturalMormonism.blogspot.com
(*) As an aside, I interacted with your mom's "arguments" against
divine embodiment in my most recent book. See Appendix 5: Latter-day Saint (and
Biblical) Theology on Divine Embodiment, pp. 157-76 (attached).
I heard nothing for over a month. I then emailed, not just
Micah and Lynn, but also cc’d Ritch Sanford and Bradley Campbell of “God Loves
Mormons,” a group that is very active against the Church online and even in
person (they ‘witness’ to Latter-day Saints at the Provo City Temple), thinking
they would agree to debate an issue relating to soteriology (esp. as they claim
“Mormons” have a false gospel):
Hi
again Micah/Lynn,
It has been about 4 weeks and no response. Not sure if you are open for a
public debate on baptismal regeneration, but would like to know (1) if you
would and (2) if not, why not, as you are often public in your attacks on
"Mormonism." I am cc'ing God Loves Mormons in
this challenge to debate baptism and its relationship to salvation as (1) I
have tried in the past to interact with them, even on this issue, and
maybe this time they will respond (BTW: Ritch/Bradley: I do not mind a 1 on 2
debate if it is has to come down to that or you can ask your friend Bill
McKeever whom you have done some collabs with if he is "game") and
(2) they are "local" to Utah (being in St. George [Micah is in
Florida so I can understand the issue with travel])--I will be in Utah from
December 1 until Feb 28, and would like to arrange a debate on this central
issue (I have one debate scheduled against Jeremy Howard on Sola Scriptura and
will have a 2nd, once a venue is found, against Peter Doumit on the Immaculate
Conception).
Thanks.
The response? Silence.
Micah and Lynn Wilder and those at “God Loves Mormons” (Ritch Sanford and Bradley Campbell) are pretty vocal online and in public settings (e.g., “witnessing” outside the Provo City Temple) and engaging in “boundary maintenance” by discussing (their caricature of) “Mormonism” to gullible Evangelical Protestants., but when push comes to shove and they have the opportunity to face a knowledge opponent in a moderated debate? –Silence—(and proof they are spineless cowards).
