Is Mormonism Christian?
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The discussions about Mormonism and Christianity are going to intensify rapidly in the next couple of years, especially if--as I suspect--Gov. Mitt Romney will be the GOP presidential nominee in 2008. Now is the time for Christian pastors, leaders, and teachers to bone up on the subject with a view toward instructing the church in answer to the inevitable questions that are going to arise. (This topic was a significant part of Hugh Hewitt's plenary address at ETS, where he suggested to the evangelical scholars in attendance that it would be a serious mistake for evangelicals to reject Romney because he is a Mormon--in part because the exact same premises will be used in arguments to exclude evangelicals from the public square. Hewitt also revealed that he is almost done writing a book on Romney.)
For an introduction to the history and beliefs of Mormonism, a helpful place to start reading might be Richard and Joan Ostling's Mormon America: The Power and the Promise. Richard John Neuhaus recently reviewed it, and along the way he provides a helpful primer in his own right.
For an introduction to the history and beliefs of Mormonism, a helpful place to start reading might be Richard and Joan Ostling's Mormon America: The Power and the Promise. Richard John Neuhaus recently reviewed it, and along the way he provides a helpful primer in his own right.
posted by JT at Wednesday, November 22, 2006
26 Comments:
This raises rather thorny issues with regard to the whole political process and the Christian's proper engagement with it. The only reason I see for Evangelicals to endorse a Mormon politician is because we cover similar moral territory. Yet, in joining hands to promote a common moral agenda have we abandoned our calling as believers? Do evangelicals risk being identitfied with anyone who promotes a similar moral agenda so that Christianity is percieved solely as a moralizing religion? I think this has serious ramifications for the Christian mission. I do not find the promotion of a moralizing agenda in the public square part of the mission of Christ, Paul or the rest of the New Testament.
I was recently told Hewitt stated on his program that since the word cult is so fluid, we can not classify the LDS as such.
You are right, Ostling's book is a good place to start.
Anyone interested in other resources might want to start here
Sad but unsurprising, since Hewitt refers to himself as an Evangelical Roman Catholic Presbyterian.
Another very helpful book on Mormonism is:
The New Mormon Challenge
edited by Francis Beckwith, Carl Mosser, Paul Owen (Zondervan, 2002). Here are the chapter titles:
1. The Apologetic Impuse of Early Mormonism: The Historical Roots of the New Mormon Challenge by Craig Hazen
2. And the Saints Go Marching On: The New Mormon Challenge for World Missions, Apologetics, and Theology by Carl Mosser
3. Craftsman or Creator? An Examination of the Mormon Doctrine of Creation and a Defense of Creatio ex nihilo by Paul Copan and William Lane Craig
4. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Joseph Smith? God, Creation, and Humanity in the Old Testament and Mormonism by Jim Adams
5. A Tale of Two Theisms: The Philosophical Usefulness of the Classical Christian and Mormon Concepts of God by Stephen Parrish (with Carl Mosser)
6. The Moral Law, the Mormon Universe, and the Nature of the Right We Ought to Chose by Francis Beckwith
7. The Absurdities of Mormon Materialism: A Reply to the Neglected Orson Pratt by J.P. Mooreland
8. Monotheism, Mormonism, and the New Testament Witness by Paul Owen
9. Is Mormonism Christian? by Craig Blomberg
10. Does the Book of Mormon Reflect an Ancient Near Eastern Background? by Thomas Finley
11. Rendering Fiction: Translation, Pseudotranslation, and the Book of Mormon by David Shepherd
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Beckwith's chapter in The New Mormon Challenge is online here. This is an excellent article.
A similar article to Copan and Craig's chapter was published in The Southern Baptist Journal of Theology, Vol. 9, No. 2 (Summer 2005) titled Creation ex Nihilo or ex Materia? A Critique of the Mormon Doctrine of Creation.
There are cautions about the book. For example, I would recommend this review.
No, next!
I wonder what the spiritual ramifications of this are. It seems we are being tested, what will we "evangelicals" allow? Will we side with any group that advocates similar moral and economic programs? If we reject Romney, will this split the "Evangelical vote"? Which group is better, heretical cultists or all-out pagans? If we reject the cultists and the pagans and lose the vote, where will we be? Lots to think about.
Trusting in God hopefully and not relying on our human ability to manipulate the vote. Just a thought.
I have a feeling that the Fundamentlists and Evangelicals would side with Satan himself if it appeared that he would promote their agenda of a Theocracy in this country. Oh wait ... they've come close to doing that already for the past 6 years.
Episcowill, I think you need to take a step back and reconsider.
Many things your government may be, but the near match for satan is just a little beyond the pale.
No...wait, you should be ashamed of yourself. Even Hitler and Stalin were just babes in the wood compared to the true satan.
Is Mormonism Christian?
NO! It is gnostic.
Glennsp, amen on the trust in God thought. How much better off would we be to put less faith in the men we vote for, and more in the God who puts them in power.
Glenn, in a way I wish you didn't fit so tidily into my view of Fundamentalim = Fear and Reaction. Go back and read what I actually said. And no, I'm not the least bit ashamed of myself. The present Administration, elected to office predominately by "Christian Fundamentalists", is evil to the core and most certainly takes the name of The Lord in vain by it's every action. While it's your reactiveness, not my actual words in my former post that might indicate that our present Administration is satanic, I think that it's only the thinnest veneer of civility that keeps them from being equal to Stalin or Hitler, yes. Now, how about getting back to the topic of the thread?
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Episcowill, There is no fear involved in my 'reaction'. Your continued, sad, insistence that your current administration is on a par with Satan and "evil to the core" merely demonstrates that the only person around here who fits the bill of "Fear and Reaction" is you.
It also demonstrates that you are completely incalpable of coherent reasoning.
As to staying on topic; "Is mormonism Christian" I believe is the topic, not your rantings about your current Administration.
The only answer to the 'Topic' question is, as I have already said, No - morminism is not and never will be Christian, also nor should Christians compromise with mormonism.
The only "fear" I have is in the cavalier use of two words that essentially personify evil, (Satan, Hitler). My "reaction" is to comment that you cannot possibly be taken seriously if you are sincerely trying to make the case of moral equivalency between Adolph Hitler, Satan, and the current Presidential administration.
Furthermore if you really believe that EVERY action taken by this political administration "takes the name of the Lord in vain" then I can only pity the "fundamental" hatred or ignorance that is your measuring stick.
Words DO have meaning and too often absurd and extreme word useage goes unchallenged. Another example is in the apparent perjorative, at least according to you, of the word, "Fundamentalist".
If I hold to a set of beliefs which are elemental or foundational to my world-view and if I measure my words and deeds by these "fundamental" beliefs, including my political preferences, then how am I different from, say a "fundamentalist" feminist who sees so many crucial issues through the lense of abortion rights. Yet the use of the word "fundamental" in a perjorative sense seems to apply only to certain members of the Christian faith.
Which, in fact does lead to the topic of the thread:
Can we, as followers of Christ, accept and embrace a Mormon as President of the United States given the conflict between some of the "fundamental" beliefs of Mormonism vs. those of biblical Christianity?
It is, in fact, a very "fundamental" question and deserving of thoughtful response, not ad hominum attack.
The Ostlings' book is not a definitive study of Mormonism by any means. Here's a review that explains why:
http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/pdf.php?filename=ODk1ODM0OTYwLTEzLTIucGRm&type=cmV2aWV3
Enjoy! And thanks for the interesting post.
Lowell
Here are some better links:
http://www.leaderu.com/ftissues/ft0006/correspondence.html
This article is a thoughtful and careful analysis of the Ostlings' book and Fr. Neuhaus's review of it.
http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/pdf.php?filename=ODk1ODM0OTYwLTEzLTIucGRm&type=cmV2aWV3
This one is longer and more directly addresses the Ostlings' book.
Lowell
The fearful and angry responses I have recieved to my postings here simply support everything I believe about Fundamentalism of any sort and the grave danger it would be to our Government to have ANY MORE Administrations such as the present one. Thank those of you who commented on my posts. You solidly support everything I believe in this matter. In the past 6 years we have seen this country taken down in a most sinister way by "The Religious Right" (who are VERY wrong) and The Republican party. IF there are any thinking people here, I URGE you not to let this happen again. Too many people have died and too much money has been sent to the Sink Hole in the Middle East.
Episcowill, all you have proven is that you are completely unwilling to actually engage with what people are saying.
Also the only person displaying fear and anger here is you.
Your completely unreasoning responses merely display that you are incapable of interacting with facts.
Lots of multimedia:
http://www.MormonWiki.org/Multimedia
Although a practicing Mormon, I suppose I'm a bit of an oddity among my own folk, in that I don't really care whether the Baptists, the Catholics, the Methodists, or whoever deigns to grace us with membership in the "Christian club."
I think the popular Mormon desire to gain the coveted Christian title sells the religion a bit short.
Mormonism is the first major world religious movement to emerge since Muhammed walked out of the desert. We don't really need the borrowed glory of riding on the coat tails of "historical Christianity" (although I firmly believe we can benefit greatly from the body of Christian thought). I'd rather we stand on our own two feet, testify of Christ as we believe in Him, and give the world something new to think about.
We are not merely another sect in an already fractured religion. We are a new world religion. And I wish my fellow Mormons would stop acting like we need the Evangelical's permission to advocate for the "true faith."
episcowill, sadly you have chosen to respond with little more than a repetition of your personal dogma. It is a too-often seen characteristic of many self-proclaimed "liberals" when they venture into the marketplace of values and ideas. Rather than try to make a case and persuade for what you believe you are content to simply throw out catch-phrases and labels. You use terms like "Religious Right" and "Fundamentalism" like giant nets, scooping up and dismissing those who may have a different perspective than yours. If I were to reply to you in a similar manner I suppose I could say your words solidly support everything I believe about San Francisco kook liberals. The only problem with that approach is that it accomplishes absolutely nothing and amounts to little more than schoolyard name-calling.
You seem to question whether or not there are any "thinking people" here. All the comments I have read on this blog seem to indicate the answer is yes. Or is it possible what you really mean is, "Are there any people who think the way I do?"
The issue here is "Is Mormonism Christian?" Do you have an "thinking man's" opinion on the subject? If so, I'd love to read it.
Seth - Thanks for your comments from a Mormom perspective. I would like to ask you a question. If, as you say, Mormonism stands as a new world religion, apart from Christianity, then why is it whenever I am visited by the young men in white shirts and ties they try so hard to persuade me that Mormons are Christians?
Dave B.,
Thanks for your kindness, or at least partial kindness, in your response to Seth. Let me try and give a bit of a rejoinder. You ask why Mormon missionaries try and and inform those whose doors they knock on that Mormonism is a Christian religion. I think the key lies in the distinction between "historic Christianity" and "Christianity." Some Mormons seem to want both labels, but I think the claim to only "Christianity" is appropriate. Mormons cannot claim to be "historical" Christians; they reject the ecumenical creeds (or at least their most common interpretations), reject the authority of Catholicism and several of the sola doctrines of traditional Protestantism, and differ widely from most traditional Christians in areas such as pneumatology, eschatology, and hamartiology. However, the claim to being a "Christian" is much different. If you accept, as Mormons claim, that they are restoring Christ's gospel, then it obviously follows that Mormons are not "historical Christians" (else there would be no need for a restoration) but that they are (or at least consider themselves to be) "Christians" (else it wouldn't be a restoration.) I think that this distinction is in play is evidenced by the Mormons' response to a question like "A you a Christian in the same way that an Evangelical is a Christian?" I would wager that almost all of them would offer a hurried "no" to that question, but would answer "yes" to the question "Are you a Christian in the sense that St. Peter was a Christian."
This is not to say that there isn't something potentially deceptive in the Church's attempts to portray itself as Christian. Many people naturally assume that, if someone is a Christian, then that person is a historical or traditional Christian. All I am claiming is that it is not necessarily deceptive for a Mormon to call herself "Christian." Obviously we can't determine the validity of the Mormon's claim to being a Christian (not a historical Christian) without a lot of other issues being solved. But the Mormons need not be deceivers when they claim to be Christians; perhaps they should just speak more carefully.
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