Talk:Mormonism and Christianity/Archive 5
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Current Trends of Conflict--Traditional Christian View
A Different Jesus
Many modern Christians feel Mormons believe in "a different Jesus" than traditional Christianity. Framed in many ways, often including that the Mormon Jesus "is the Brother of Lucifer," this accusation likely has its root in the rejection of the traditional Christian creeds that marked the birth of Mormonism. Latter Day Saints believe that these creeds were departures from the teachings of Christ and his apostles. But many of the Christian creeds have enjoyed a general consensus among Christians for many centuries, and for those who believe what they teach, they have come to represent a litmus test for recognizing genuine and false Christianity.
Also, while Mormonism is based on a biblical belief in Jesus as the Christ, the teachings of Mormonism concerning God and Man (expounded first circa 1840 near the end of Smith's life) extend far beyond the biblical narrative in ways rejected by most traditional Christian churches, including that God the Father is completely separate from Jesus Christ; that God the Father is the father of us all, and of his son, Jesus Christ, and of all the evil spirits, including Satan.
Some Latter Day Saint churches such as the Community of Christ have chosen to adopt some of the creeds of orthodox Christianity. Most others, including the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, teach some of the unique doctrines taught by Joseph Smith toward the end of his life. See Godhead (Mormonism).
A Different Salvation
In the eyes of many modern Christians, Mormonism extends hope in a different salvation. Mormonism contrasts with the Calvinistic tradition in teaching a "Man-based salvation" rather than a "God-based salvation". Mormonism teaches strongly that God has given humans the freedom to act and not to be acted on. This teaching puts the responsibility to accept the grace of God squarely on humans, while modern Calvinistic tradition makes God ultimately responsible for who is saved and who is not saved.
Calvinism, a type of evangelicalism, teaches that salvation is based on God's granting to some the gift of faith, and of good works. Their ability to believe, and to do works that are acceptable to God, is not at all of themselves, but wholly from the Spirit of Christ. The gift of the Spirit is not granted because of their first believing, or because of the performance of any ritual, or because of their good works meriting God's acceptance. In other words, salvation is God's rescue of sinners from the penalty and the power of sin, not the reward due to righteous actions, according to Calvinism.
Although Calvinists and Evangelical Protestants do not deny the need for works, most adhere to the belief that grace alone will save man (sola gratia). That is, they teach that good works are not the basis of their acceptance by God, but rather the product of his acceptance. Faith, not works, is the instrument by which salvation is received; and works proceeding from faith do not make the person worthy of salvation, but rather are the outworking of salvation already received by faith, according to the evangelical understanding.
Many evangelicals, especially dispensationalist Protestants, teach that sola fide, "salvation by faith alone", means that if only a person professes belief in Jesus Christ, they are Christians and they are saved. These evangelicals are particularly distrustful of any form of doctrine which speaks of the necessity of good works. Nevertheless, many of those who adopt this view do not believe that Latter Day Saints who profess belief in Jesus Christ are Christians. This is because their understanding of salvation rests on the eternal deity of Christ, according to the trinitarian conception.
While Mormonism is certainly not alone among organizations which practice symbolic rituals in the name of Jesus Christ, some Christian organizations exclude Mormonism from Christianity because of the it seems Latter Day Saint believe that God's gracious salvation is obtained by means of certain rituals as well as a virtuous life. In fact, Mormonism teaches that while salvation is through Christ, humans are free to accept or reject that salvation by their own will, desires, thoughts, words, and deeds.
Authoritarianism
Some Christians, American evangelical Christians in particular, contend that the LDS Church is an excessively authoritarian organization with overly zealous followers, conducting its affairs in particularly secretive ways and engaging in uncritical dogmatism. See Authoritarianism and Mormonism.
Different Meanings
Many Christians accuse Mormons of co-opting their language, distorting the intent by creating different meanings for the words. Even those favorable toward Mormonism have sincere difficulty because through years of separation from mainstream Christianity, Mormonism has indeed evolved a different dialect of Christian terminology. The glossary below will facilitate dialogue between mainstream Christians and Mormons.
| Most likely meaning in Mormonism or LDS Church | Term | Most likely meaning in mainstream Christianity |
|---|---|---|
| Adam | Archangel Michael | Archangel Michael |
| Messenger: God, resurrected human, human spirit, or mortal human | angel | Bodiless spirit created by God; servant of God; neither god nor human |
| Covenant immersion in water by authorized servant of God. Sacrament necessary for highest reward in heaven. | baptism | Sacrament generally associated with becoming a Christian |
| The greatest virtue. The greatest of all. The pure love of Christ. God is love. | charity | Love |
| disciple of Christ | Christian | trinitarian believer |
| Held back in spiritual progress or failing to achieve the highest reward in heaven. Reaping hell, albeit temporarily. | damned/damnation | Reaping hell without hope of redemption. Like outer darkness or Son of Perdition in Mormonism. |
| Separation of spirit from body (physical) or spirit from God (spiritual). A legacy of the Fall of Adam. | death | |
| Spirit child of God cast here without body due to rebellion. Follower of Satan or Satan himself. | devil | Demon, or Satan himself; all are angels who rebelled against God and tempt humans to sin |
| God's existence. (The realm) Of God or external to time and space. | eternity/eternal | Outside of time and space; "forever" |
| A motivating belief in things that are spiritual but not physically evidenced. One of the three great virtues. | faith | Trusting belief, distinct from hope (another of the three great virtues) |
| God the Father, Man of Holiness, Father of Spirits, Elohim, Ahman. Less commonly God the Son or God the Holy Ghost or God the Godhead. | God | Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, who is one in essence, undivided, whose persons are distinct and unconfused |
| A hold amid sorrow on the future joy of the resurrection of the dead and of eternity. One of the three great virtues. | hope | |
| The premortal name of Jesus Christ, who is the god of the Old Testament (current usage). God the Father (in 19th century; now obsolete). | Jehovah | The Hebrew name for the one, true God in the Old Testament. |
| Eternity, realm of spirits, where humanity, angels, and devils came from, and where humanity will return through redemption of Christ after the resurrection. Many levels of glory or reward in heaven depending on thoughts, words, and deeds on earth. | heaven | |
| Separation from God. Temporary suffering before the resurrection for most. Final separation after the resurrection (no redemption) for the Sons of Perdition. Most who go to hell will be redeemed to heaven at the resurrection. | hell | |
| Unique spirit child of God sent here to receive body, be tested, and grow to be more like God. | human | Person, unique and unrepeatable, created in God's image, whose existence begins with their body's conception in the womb |
| In its purity, charity, the greatest of all. The greatest of the three great virtues. | love | |
| Final union of spirit with glorified body of flesh and bones. Victory over physical death. Signals end of hell for most of the wicked. | resurrection | Victory over death; union of spirit and body in which both are incorrupt |
| Sacrament of The Lord's Supper | sacrament | Any of several sacred ceremonies of the church received by believers. Some Christian churches define sacraments only as practices instituted and commanded by Christ. Ordinance in LDS terms. |
| Restored relationship with God and reunion of human spirit with incorruptible body in heaven | salvation | Restored relationship with God and consequent fullness of life |
| Lucifer. The premier rebelious, fallen child of God, cast here without hope of redemption. | Satan | |
| Rescued from death (physical and spiritual) | saved | |
| Body plus spirit. Or (less often) spirit only. | soul | |
| Spirit body with form and likeness | spirit | |
