What is God's ultimate purpose for my life? What is the Doctrine of Eternal Progression, and why do the Mormons believe it? Did the early Christians really believe men could become gods? Did they, at least in part, believe as the Latter-day Saints do? What of other Christians?Did the earliest Christians really believe that the Son was another God, and that a plurality of gods existed in heaven? Does the Bible contain, or even permit such teachings? What did Psalm 82 mean to them?Is it true that early Christians taught in ways to hide sacred teachings of the Church from both their less advanced members and the public? Did ancient scribes deliberately alter their own sacred scriptures?Are many of the scripture proof texts most used by critics of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to attack the Doctrine of Eternal Progression really as useful to them as they think?Author and researcher D. Charles Pyle tackles these questions and critics' objections relative to the Doctrine of Eternal Progression, disentangles proof texts twisted by the critics, attempts to reconstruct the original readings of a few verses in the Bible, based on manuscript evidence, cultural background, structure and style of the texts, and furthermore explains the likely reasons why the Bible reads as it now does in several key texts.Comprised of two parts, one to be read through (presenting to the reader a cross section of texts from the New Testament and other early Christian literature, connecting elements of the early Christian doctrine of deification with part of the LDS Doctrine of Eternal Progression), and the other being a reference collection intended to be consulted as needed when questions arise (although it too can be read through, if desired). The author's original 1999 FAIR Conference paper has been revised, updated, and supplemented in this new print edition, and is the equivalent content of two volumes of material under one cover. Four indexes, including a scripture index listing every scripture or related text cited or quoted in the book, increases its usefulness and makes it easier to find what one is looking for in the text.While not an official LDS Church source, for Mormons and non-Mormons alike this book ought to be a part of any library on the subject of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons), and Latter-day Saint beliefs. Indispensable for those seeking thought-provoking discussions of difficult questions relating to LDS teachings regarding the doctrine of eternal progression, the nature of God, the relationship of man to God, the creation, Bible mistranslations, and more.Also available in an Enlarged Type Edition (with 17-point fonts in main text and 14-point fonts in footnotes).