Recovery to Mormonism
Are Mormons Christian?
The real name of the Mormon Church is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—“Mormons” and “Mormon Church” were nicknames created by those outside the Church. Additionally, the original name of the Church was the Church of Christ. Therefore, if a Christian church takes on the name of Christ, Mormons would be, at least by name, Christian. But many Christians, even those who aren’t anti-Mormon or ex-Mormon, claim that Mormons aren’t Christian at all and can’t be. Why is this?
It’s true that Mormons believe some different things than that which Protestant Christian or Catholics believe. They believe a number of things which no one else believes. This is in keeping with the Mormon belief that their church is the one true Church, restored. Some of their beliefs would have to be unique. But the differences are strong enough that many Christians decide that they are somehow insurmountable differences—and that Mormons are not Christian.
The founder of the Mormon Church, Joseph Smith, has drawn both criticism and doubt from the beginning. In fact, Christians have been known to believe that Mormons worship Joseph. In believing this, they confuse respect with idolatry. Joseph Smith was the first of the Mormon prophets and, as such, received many revelations from the Lord regarding the doctrines, organization, and purpose of the Church. He translated the Book of Mormon from an ancient record on golden plates—this Book of Mormon was a record of the history and teachings of an ancient American people and their prophets. The Lord also restored temples through Joseph Smith.
As one might expect, the criticism against Joseph Smith has somewhat to do with who he was, but even more with what he taught. Whether Mormons focus too much on him or not—additional scripture? Prophets? Temples? This is all very strange.
Most Christians believe in the Bible and this is the extent of the scripture they accept. The Book of Mormon (and other additional scripture like the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price) can’t stand alongside the Bible as scripture, since the Bible is complete and can’t be added to. Therefore, the Book of Mormon, although it states itself to be another testament of Christ, can’t be a Christian book. It’s a fraud, at best.
That Mormons believe, also, that God still speaks to man through prophets, and that this is why scripture isn’t static, but dynamic—that Mormons also believe this is a cause for concern for some Christians. Many believe that the Bible represents all that God would say to us.
Another thing that many Christians find strange is the concept of Mormon temples. These aren’t church buildings, or weekly meetinghouses, but something more sacred and holy. Within these temples, members of the Mormon Church perform ordinances that are unfamiliar to most Christians—ordinances such as the following: baptism for the dead, eternal marriage, and the endowment. These ordinances are unique to the Mormon faith and Mormons see them as essential for salvation—and exaltation.
Exaltation is another doctrine that may not be familiar to most other Christians. Mormons believe that men and women can progress to become like God, and that this is part of His plan for us—the plan of salvation. This bothers some people—but is a doctrine shared by early Christians. Besides, we never become greater than God, in Mormon belief—we never stop worshipping Him. Our exaltation does not diminish Him—He wishes us to progress eternally, as the Father of our spirits. He does not want us to reach a certain point and stop progressing. This is Mormon belief.
The doctrine of the Trinity is another point where Mormons differ from other Christians—Mormons don’t accept the Nicene Creed, nor believe in the Trinity. Rather, they believe in the Godhead—that Jesus Christ, God, and the Holy Ghost are three distinct beings, separate from each other, but united in purpose. Even though the Nicene Creed is not Biblical, and was created centuries after Christ, some Christians do insist that for Mormons to reject the doctrine means that they are not Christian.
But, then, what is Christianity? If Mormons believe in Christ’s divinity, if they believe that they are saved through Him and only through Him, and they worship Christ—then they are Christian. If they are not, than the definition of Christian is at fault, not their religion.