From John A. Tvedtnes, Joseph Smith and the Ancient World (unpublished):
Some critics may fault us for
using texts that, from the Latter-day Saint point-of-view, were written after
the apostasy had already taken place. It is therefore important to point out
that we do not believe that the apostasy resulted in an immediate disappearance
of truth and righteousness from the earth. Indeed, we believe that there is
truth in all religions, and especially in religions that acknowledge the Bible,
in whole or in part, as a source of God’s dealings with man. Because time has
had an effect on what is believed in the various Christian churches of today, a
search for truth in the writings of the earliest Jewish and Christians writers
is a valuable way of verifying the teachings of the restored Church, even when
those writings postdate the apostasy. Moreover, while a given passage may
support a particular doctrine or practice reintroduced by the prophet Joseph
Smith, we must not assume that everything found in the ancient text from which
the citation is drawn also corresponds to Latter-day Saint beliefs. (“Chapter
1: Apostasy and Restoration”)
Critics of the Latter-day Saint
practice might argue that the Cerenthians and Marcionites were heretical groups
and hence not real “Christians.” The definition of “heresy,” however, was left
to the surviving “orthodox” or “catholic” (universal) churches. “The best
revenge,” says a friend, “is to write the history.” We see bits and pieces of
the truth peeking out from the writings. (Chapter 38: Baptism for the Dead”)
