From the brief survey of some of the various branches of the Restoration in this series, a few things have become apparent. First, it’s clear that members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints do not have a monopoly on a love of the Book of Mormon. Many Restoration cousins also deeply revere this sacred text, have their faith in Christ strengthened because of it, and draw near to God by abiding by its precepts. Second, and perhaps more puzzling to some Latter-day Saints, it’s also clear that we do not have a monopoly on God’s notice, God’s mercy, and God’s guidance in our Church. In spite of many key differences between us, God also seems to actively be at work among many in the other Restoration branches as they seek him in faith. So what are we to make of this? What does it mean for our Church if God is guiding others as well? In this episode of Church History Matters, Scott and Casey sit down with Dr. Christopher Blythe, a gifted historian, author, fellow podcaster, and Joseph Smith Papers editor. Together they briefly overview two additional branches of the Restoration—the Henrickites and Cutlerites—and then dig into the question about how they reconcile God’s involvement in other faiths with the generally shared belief among Latter-day Saints that ours is God’s one-and-only authorized Church (and not least because we got succession right!). They each share why they choose to continue their membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in spite of other attractive alternatives. This is the fourteenth and final episode of our podcast series on succession in the presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. For a full transcript of this episode, as well as show notes and additional resources, visit our website at https://doctrineandcovenantscentral.org/podcast-episode/why-does-god-guide-those-not-of-his-church-w-dr-christopher-blythe. You can also subscribe to our podcast via Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and other platforms, and follow us on popular social media platforms. Visit https://linktr.ee/churchhistorymatters to connect with us. Originally published October 22, 2024 DISCLAIMER: While we try very hard to be historically and doctrinally accurate in what we say on this podcast, please remember that all views expressed in this and every episode are our views alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Scripture Central or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.