Institute for Religious Research
Encyclopedia
The Institute for Religious Research is a United States
Christian apologetics
organization based in Grand Rapids, Michigan
. It declares itself to be a non-denominational
, non-profit Christian
foundation for the study of religious claims, and was formerly known as Gospel Truths Ministries. IRR is a member of Evangelical Ministries to New Religions and was headed until his death in 2007 by Luke P. Wilson. Concurrent with the release of The DaVinci Code, the Baptist Press
(Southern Baptist Convention
) noted IRR's Ronald V. Huggins and his apologetic analysis of the film. IRR's current staff includes Robert M. Bowman, Jr.
, director of research, and Joel Groat, ministry director (specializing in Latin America).
critique of the Book of Abraham
, entitled "The Lost Book of Abraham: Investigating a Remarkable Mormon Claim". The University of Utah's student newspaper observed the absence of opportunity for LDS to respond in the film; additionally, the Deseret Morning News
pointed out IRR's criticism of the efforts of Richard Mouw
of Fuller Seminary to repent for the actions of evangelicals. The LDS Church's Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies
considered its publication By His Own Hand Upon Papyrus: A New Look at the Joseph Smith Papyri by Charles M. Larson to be a "deliberate deception."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Christian apologetics
Christian countercult movement
The Christian countercult movement is a social movement of Christian ministries and individual Christian countercult activists who oppose religious sects thought to either partially abide or do not at all abide by the teachings that are written within the Bible. These religious sects are also known...
organization based in Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand...
. It declares itself to be a non-denominational
Non-denominational Christianity
In Christianity, nondenominational institutions or churches are those not formally aligned with an established denomination, or that remain otherwise officially autonomous. This, however, does not preclude an identifiable standard among such congregations...
, non-profit Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
foundation for the study of religious claims, and was formerly known as Gospel Truths Ministries. IRR is a member of Evangelical Ministries to New Religions and was headed until his death in 2007 by Luke P. Wilson. Concurrent with the release of The DaVinci Code, the Baptist Press
Baptist Press
Baptist Press is the official news service of the American Southern Baptist Convention based at the headquarters of the Southern Baptist Convention in Nashville, Tennessee.- Origins and bureaus :...
(Southern Baptist Convention
Southern Baptist Convention
The Southern Baptist Convention is a United States-based Christian denomination. It is the world's largest Baptist denomination and the largest Protestant body in the United States, with over 16 million members...
) noted IRR's Ronald V. Huggins and his apologetic analysis of the film. IRR's current staff includes Robert M. Bowman, Jr.
Robert M. Bowman, Jr.
Robert M. Bowman Jr. , Director of Research at the Institute for Religious Research, is an American Evangelical Christian theologian specializing in the study of apologetics.-Biography:...
, director of research, and Joel Groat, ministry director (specializing in Latin America).
Controversy and Mormonism
IRR was also noted by the Salt Lake Tribune for its documentaryDocumentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
critique of the Book of Abraham
Book of Abraham
The Book of Abraham is a 1835 work by Joseph Smith, Jr. that he said was based on Egyptian papyri purchased from a traveling mummy exhibition. According to Smith, the book was "a translation of some ancient records....purporting to be the writings of Abraham, while he was in Egypt, called the Book...
, entitled "The Lost Book of Abraham: Investigating a Remarkable Mormon Claim". The University of Utah's student newspaper observed the absence of opportunity for LDS to respond in the film; additionally, the Deseret Morning News
Deseret Morning News
The Deseret News is a newspaper published in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is Utah's oldest continuously published daily newspaper. It has the second largest daily circulation in the state behind The Salt Lake Tribune. The Deseret News is owned by Deseret News Publishing Company, a subsidiary of...
pointed out IRR's criticism of the efforts of Richard Mouw
Richard Mouw
Richard J. Mouw is currently President at Fuller Theological Seminary. He also holds the post of Professor of Christian Philosophy.- Education and career :...
of Fuller Seminary to repent for the actions of evangelicals. The LDS Church's Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies
Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies
The Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies is an informal collaboration of academics devoted to Latter-day Saint historical scholarship. The group is formally part of the Neal A...
considered its publication By His Own Hand Upon Papyrus: A New Look at the Joseph Smith Papyri by Charles M. Larson to be a "deliberate deception."