Is Mormonism a world religion?
Monday June 22, 2009
Categories: Mormon culture
That question has been getting more consideration recently, with the general consensus being, "No, at least not yet." By Common Consent is posting an academic piece by scholar Walter E. A. van Beek that helps understand the question. He uses...
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About Mormon Inquiry
This blog is no longer updated and is closed for comments. We welcome your comments about Mormonism in our Latter-day Saints forums.
David Banack is an attorney living in Jackson Hole. He joined the LDS Church at age 15 and later served a two-year LDS mission to France and Switzerland. He has lived up and down the West Coast, as well as in Fiji, Samoa, Sweden, Utah, and now Wyoming. Dave has been running the Mormon Inquiry site discussing LDS and Christian issues since 2003. He is a website editor for Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought and also participates at the LDS weblog Times and Seasons. The views expressed on this blog are his own.Search This Blog
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Strictly speaking, Mormonism isn't a religion at all. It is a denomination of Christianity.
While the weekly services may be "protestantesque," temple worship is definitely not protestant...
Also, I'm not sure that I buy into the idea that Mormon theology is underdeveloped.
I don't buy the idea either, JDD.
But after almost 200 years, I don't think it is a world religion. It is an American religious and increasingly pluralistic tribe that some internationals are attracted to, especially in Mexico, Philipines, Brazil, Peru, etc. In America, it is definitely packaged with the Protestant trappings and scriptures. It just has the biggest and nicest buildings in the West. Too bad, we couldn't use the ward buildings with steeples for Baptist church buildings. :)
I think it is a religion with a world influence.
I think discussions about whether the LDS church is one thing or another misses the point about the central tenet of its faith: God speaks to a prophet today as He did in the Old Testament and as He did through Jesus Christ in the New Testament. That tenet obviates the need to compare this faith with any other faith. As in times past, it doesn't matter how large the believers' numbers are or how influential the organization is the world. According to LDS members, the only thing that mattered in times past and matters now is whether God is directing his children through a prophet. He will use whatever methods He sees fit to direct his plan on Earth. That is the question we must always revert to when we examine this faith.
Mark D., I am a non-denominational Christian who has done quite a bit of research on the LDS and Christianity, and I have to conclude that no, Mormonism is not just another denomination of traditional Christianity. It sounds Christian on the surface, but when you get to core doctrines and beliefs, there is a wide divergence of theology. Mormonism is it's own faith, not just a sect of the Christian faith. What's interesting to me is that when this question comes up, "Are Mormons Christians?" LDS members will invariably point to the name of their church as proof - "You know, we are the Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-Day Saints!" Yet I have found 2 very interesting facts when I have talked with LDS members (and I have spoken to quite a few Elders and Missionaries); in their personal testimony, and in tracts available at any Deseret bookstore, Jesus is never mentioned! The testimony runs something like this; "I know that the LDS church is true and that Joseph Smith is a prophet." The tract which is entitled "Heavenly Father's Plan of Salvation" nowhere mentions belief in or acceptance of Jesus as essential to attaining the Celestial Kingdom! Odd for a church that likes to point out that they are the one with 'Jesus' in their name. That being said, I've always enjoyed my home visits with the LDS missionaries. They have always been very polite, well-groomed, and articulate.
To Your Name.
I find your comments slightly amusing.
As one who has grown up Mormon, I can remember my mother chiding me when I was very young for one day complaining about how much we talked about Jesus Christ-- in primary, in Sunday School, in Sacrament meeting. I believe for most practicing Mormons, Christ is so much a part of their life and study and so central to the plan of salvation that verbalizing about him almost seems vain, repetitious and "television evangelistic" (to coin a term).
My personal opinion.
Amartel,
I also find your remarks somewhat amusing, if not baffling. You say that verbalizing about Christ seems almost "vain, reptitious, and 'television evangelistic'", but the apostle Paul repeatedly said to his audiences that he preached nothing but "Christ and Him crucified." How can you share your faith if you don't "verbalize" about the One who is the author and perfector of it?
Have a great day...
Amartel,
I am the one who posted the comment you replied to. I have found in talking to Mormons that words we commonly associate with the Christian faith have different meanings to LDS. What is your take on the plan of salvation? What is the gospel message? How did Jesus atone for our sins? I would be very interested in your perspective.
Skipping the threadjack on "What is a Christian?", I'd like to get back to the point of the article, what is a world religion, and is Mormonism there yet?
Members of the church tend to look at the church as a restoration, picking up where the church left off after the great apostasy, and we place a much earlier date for that than other restorationist sects. Church members are prone to think that the church existed in a perfect form and then was restored to a perfect form, meaning that "change" is the contaminant.
What I find interesting is that there is a cycle of development (including change) that all churches seem to go through. What we call the great apostasy, the early Christian church would call it different interpretations, confusing records, and heterodoxy. The Nicene Council - weeding out heresy and clarifying dogma - is very similar to the correlation effort within the LDS church in the 1950s. Both the RC church and the LDS church have purged (excommunicated) intellectuals. It seems to me that the only thing missing is a conciliatory attitude toward schisms. Apart from that, the LDS church has run the cycle the RC church ran, but in less than 200 years instead of 2000.
Dear Dave Banack,
I am compiling a list of Mormon/Religious blogs and their authors' contact information (mailing address and e-mail address) so as to send review copies of HarperOne's recent book: "Longshot" by Lance Allred, in which the first legally deaf player in the NBA tells his unlikely journey from a polygamous compound in Montana to playing with the Cleveland Caveliers today. If you are interested and would like to e-mail me your contact information I would really appreciate it, Thank you!
All the best,
Kat
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