As an ordained Lutheran minister, Robert Hullinger approaches Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon skeptically. At the same time, he explains in this thought-provoking re-evaluation of early Mormonism, "I prefer to put the best construction on Joseph Smith and let his expressed motives speak for themselves, then draw conclusions from the evidence. This approach may not always rule out a negative opinion of Joseph Smith, but it allows for a more charitable estimate of his intentions."