Jesus Christ/Accusations that Latter-day Saints aren't Christians

Answers portal
Jesus Christ
    RESOURCES
    PERSPECTIVES
    MEDIA
    OTHER PORTALS

Criticism

Critics claim that members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are not "Christian."

A related claim is that the Church has only recently begun to portray itself as "Christian" in order to gain adherents.

Source(s) of the Criticism

  • The Utah Evangel 33 (July/August 1986): 1.
  • Craig L. Blomberg. "Is Mormonism Christian?" in Francis Beckwith, et al. (editors), The New Mormon Challenge (Grand Rapids, Michigan : Zondervan, 2002), 315–332.
  • Jolene Coe and Greg Coe, The Mormon Experience (Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 1985), 188.
  • J. Edward Decker, To Moroni With Love, 2nd edition, (Seattle: Life Messengers, n.d.).
  • Ed Decker and Dave Hunt, The Godmakers (Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 1984), 82, 246.
  • There is no rightful claim by historic Mormon doctrine to the name Christian, because they deny almost every one of the major fundamental doctrines of Christendom." - Norman Geisler, founder of Southern Evangelical Seminary, cited in Elise Soukup, "The Mormon Odyssey," Newsweek (17 October 2005)*.
  • Walter Martin, The Kingdom of the Cults, revised and expanded, (Minneapolis: Bethan House, 1985), 7, 51.
  • Walter Martin, Mormonism (Minneapolis, Bethany House Publishers, 1976), 3.
  • Einar Molland, Christendom (New York: Philosophical Library, 1959), 355.
  • Carl Mosser, "And the Saints Go Marching On," in Francis Beckwith, et al. (editors), The New Mormon Challenge (Grand Rapids, Michigan : Zondervan, 2002), 66.
  • James R. Spencer, Beyond Mormonism: An Elder's Story (Grand Rapids: Chosen Books, 1984), 138.
  • J.K. van Baalen, The Chaos of Cults, 4th edition and enlarged (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1983), 159.
  • William J. Whalen, Separated Brethren: A Survey of non-Catholic Christian Denominations in the United States, revised edition, (Milwaukee: Bruce, 1963), 173.

Response

LDS aren't Christians?

At its base, this claim is an excellent example of the No true Scotsman fallacy.

The claimed bases for the charge that the LDS are not Christians include:

Unfortunately for the critic, all of these doctrinal differences have been held not just by the LDS, but by other Christians as well, including the early Christians of the first and second centuries.[1] These Christians:

  • were not Trinitarians, since the creeds were not yet formulated
  • did not teach creatio ex nihilo
  • did not consider "the Bible" to be the sole authoritative scripture, since it was not compiled until centuries later
  • considered some writings to be authoritative which many modern Christians now reject
  • taught theosis, or human deification through Christ
  • followed living prophets (the apostles)

One might debate whether these Christians were correct or complete in their beliefs, but can the critics seriously exclude them from the family of Christians?[2]

The critics essentially create a definition of "Christian" that includes their brand of Christianity, and excludes others with whom they disagree.

Saints claim to be Christian only recently?

This claim is absurd. The critics depend on their audience not knowing much about LDS history for this claim. Enemies and members of the Church have long known that Church members consider themselves "Christian" (italics added in all cases):

1830
“They call themselves the church of Christ, and the only church of Christ. All professing Christians who do not adhere to their system, they consider as formalists; ‘having the form of Godliness, but denying the power’”.[3]
1831
“Old Joe . . . and several others . . . admitted [that the new faith] was an improvement in Christianity”.[4]
1832
The Mormonites “say the Millennium is soon to commence and that Christ is to come personally and take up His residence with them. . . . In its general principles this sect entirely coincide with others which have from time to time sprung up in Christendom”. [5]
1833
There is “a civil war between the Mormonites and their brother Christians”. [6]
1834
"Brother Joseph . . . went on to show the brethren how wicked and unchristianlike such conduct [among them] appeared before the eyes of truth and justice”.[7]
1835
“the doctrine promulgated by the ‘latter day Christians’ in the newly discovered Bible”.[8]
1836
“This morning a minister from Conne[c]ticut by the name of John W. Olived called at my house . . . . [He] asked me wherein we differ from other Christian denomination[s]”.[9]
1837
“they have the appearance of being devout Christians. . . . They call themselves ‘Latter-day Saints,’ and profess to be the only true church, to have the only gospel order, consisting of apostles, elders, bishops, etc., etc., which several orders of the Christian hierarchy have been distinctly brought to light in the Book of Mormon”.[10]
1838
"The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it".[11]
1839
"This sect took its rise, A. D. 1830, in the county of Ontario, and State of New York. In April of that year, the society was organized as a Christian Church".[12]
1840
“We want no religion but pure Christianity”.[13]
1841
“I understood from [the Mormons] as follows, . . . that they did not discard the Bible as used by other Christian sects”.[14]
1842
“the great Christian city of Nauvoo”.[15]
1843
"So far we are agreed with other Christian denominations. They all preach faith and repentance. The gospel requires baptism by immersion for the remission of sins, which is the meaning of the word in the original language—namely, to bury or immerse".[16]
1844
“The [Saturday] Courier should for the sake of truth and consistency, strike its flag of neutrality in RELIGION, while it wages a war of extermination against the Mormons; the only sect in Christendom, who in this nineteenth century can exhibit the irresistible evidence of martyrdom, in support of its cause”.[17]
1853
Now, we ARE believers in the Bible, and in consequence of our unshaken faith in its precepts, doctrine, and prophecy, may be, attributed "the strangeness of our course," and the unwarrantable conduct of many towards this people. Come, my brother Presbyterian; come, my brother professors of every persuasion of long standing and popular distinction in the world, who are dubbed with the word "ORTHODOX;" come, we are all good Christians; I find no fault with you—why should you find fault with me?[18]
1859
We, as Christians, are divided and subdivided into many systems varying in doctrinal points. This one says, "I am right;" and that one says, "I am right;" another rises up and varies, more or less, from the doctrines of the Church he has left, and says he is right.[19]
1863
Should you ask why we differ from other Christians...Are all this people, in the Scriptural sense, Christians? They should be. Do they all serve God with an undivided heart? They should. Many of them do, seeking daily to do his will.[20]
1864
The Latter-day Saints differ from their Christian brethren.[21]
1866
Now, we as Christians desire to be saved in the kingdom of God.[22]
President B. Young preached a very interesting and instructive discourse, in which he showed that professing Christians believe all that the Jews believe, which appertains to life and salvation, and have accepted principles in advance of the Jews, including faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; and that the Latter-day Saints receive all believed in by other professing Christians, appertaining to life and salvation, accepting, as a part of their religious faith, principles in advance of them which are taught in the Scriptures. He touched upon the history of the Jewish people, showing the penalties which they had incurred by disobedience to the commandments of God, and pointing to the promises made to the patriarchal fathers concerning them. And deduced that if the condition of professing Christians is to-day better than that of the Jews, for believing more of the revelations of God, so the condition of the Saints is preferable to that of the other inhabitants of Christendom, in accepting all the revelations which the Lord has been pleased to give. [23]
1870
Have you embraced truth, Latter-day Saints? Have you anything different from other Christians?[24]
1871
If you should have visits here from those professing to be Christians, and they intimate a desire to preach to you, by all means invite them to do so. Accord to every reputable person who may visit you, and who may wish to occupy the stands of your meeting houses to preach to you, the privilege of doing so, no matter whether he be a Catholic, Presbyterian, Congregationalist, Baptist, Free-will Baptist, Methodist, or whatever he may be; and if he wishes to speak to your children let him do so. Of course you have the power to correct whatever false teachings or impressions, if any, your children may hear or receive. I say to parents, place your children, as far as you [p.196] have an opportunity to do so, in a position or situation to learn everything in the world that is worth learning. You will probably have what is called a Christian Church here; they will not admit that we are Christians, but they cannot think us further from the plan of salvation as revealed from heaven than we know them to be, so we are even on that ground, as far as it goes.[25]
We are preaching to the people far and near; our Elders are traveling through the earth; strangers are coming here, and we are declaring to them that the Gospel of the Son of God is true. Whether they believe or not, it is no matter. That book (the Bible)contains the words of the Almighty…. I know of the bright promises which he gave to his disciples anciently. I live in the possession of them, and glory in them and in the cross of Christ, and in the beauty and holiness that he has revealed for the salvation and exaltation of the children of men. I do wish we would live to them, and may the Lord help us. [26]
1872
We, as Christians, believe in God, in Christ and in his atonement, in repentance and obedience, and in receiving the Spirit.[27]
"we take the liberty to believe the Bible, which our fellow Christians, generally throughout the world, profess to believe in…”[28]
“We are looking for him [i.e. Second coming of Christ]. The Christians of all denominations expect that he will appear in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. The Latter-day Saints expect this in common with all other Christians.”[29]
1876
These are only a few reflections, when we take into consideration our Christian religion.[30]
Brother Cannon speaks of Christians. We are Christians professedly, according to our religion.[31]
“How shall we, as Christians, reconcile these words of our Savior with the reception everywhere given by the world to Messrs. Moody and Sankey? They are, professedly, Christian ministers, yet they are largely entertained by the world, extolled by the world, and apparently loved by the world….”[32]
“But Joseph Smith reiterates the Savior’s promises. He has no fear of being proved a false teacher. He professes to be a Christian minister called and sent of God….”[33]
“Immediate revelation was the life of primitive Christianity, and when that ceased to be given to men, Christianity waxed feeble, waned and died. With the restored Gospel came immediate revelation, and Christianity was born again upon the earth.”[34]
1881
We are a Christian community; we believe in God and in Jesus Christ...[35]
1892
"What a singular sort of ‘Christian community’ that must be that will not tolerate an unorthodox Christian society in its midst!”[36]
“The insinuation in this [written attack on the LDS by a Protestant minister in SLC] is to the effect that a ‘Mormon’ is not a Christian, and the ‘Mormon’ religion is not a Christian religion, and further that the Supreme Court of the United States has virtually so decided…. But if a ‘Mormon’ is not a Christian then there are no Christians in America…. A member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is at least as fairly entitled to the appellation of a Christian as a member of the Presbyterian Church”[37]
“[with reverence to Revelation 1. 12] We accept—as all Christians do—that God inspired the words ‘to see the voice.’”[38]
1907
If it be true Christianity to accept Jesus Christ in person and his mission as divine; to revere him as the Son of God, the crucified and risen Lord, through whom alone mankind can attain salvation; to accept his teachings as a guide, to adopt as a standard and observe as a law the ethical code he promulgated; to comply with the requirements prescribed by him as essential to membership in his Church, namely, faith, repentance, baptism by immersion for the remission of sins, and the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost,—if this be Christianity, then are we Christians, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a Christian church.[39]
1956
We are not Catholic, Protestant, nor Jewish, and yet this disclaimer should not be taken to mean we are not Christian. You who heard the powerful address of President Clark this morning will know that we are Christians, for central to everything we believe and teach is our faith that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. We are grateful for our Judeo-Christian heritage, for the Holy Bible which we accept without reservation as the word of God, except as to some errors that have crept in through translations.[40]

Clearly, the Church has "claimed" to be Christian for a long time, and even hostile critics realized it. To insist that this is a new, public relations move is false.

Conclusion

Critics use a self-serving and self-referential definition of "Christian" to exclude the LDS. They ignore the fact that many other Christians over the millennia would have disagreed with them on the same points, yet this does not disqualify these other believers from the family of "Christians."

Claims that the Church has only recently been asserting its Christian status are false, as attested by LDS scripture, practice, doctrine, and public statements of its leadership and its early critics.

Ironically, many of those who attack the Church and its members for not being Christians show a distinct lack of the Christian virtues themselves:

There has been no end to opposition. There are misinterpretations and misrepresentations of us and of our history, some of it mean-spirited and certainly contrary to the teachings of Jesus Christ and His gospel. Sometimes clergy, even ministerial organizations, oppose us. They do what we would never do. We do not attack or criticize or oppose others as they do us...Strangest of all, otherwise intelligent people claim we are not Christian. This shows that they know little or nothing about us. It is a true principle that you cannot lift yourself by putting others down.[41]

Endnotes

  1. [note]  For a discussion by a non-LDS, conservative evangelical on points of doctrine upon which modern evangelical Christianity differs with the doctrines taught by the early Christian Fathers, see: David W. Bercot, Will The Real Heretics Please Stand Up: A New Look at Today's Evangelical Church in the Light of Early Christianity, 3rd edition, (Tyler, Texas: Scroll Publishing Company, 1999[1989]), 1. ISBN 0924722002
  2. [note]  For a discussion of these issues, see Daniel C. Peterson and Stephen D. Ricks, "Comparing LDS Beliefs with First-Century Christianity, (Provo, Utah: FARMS, no date). off-site
  3. [note]  Rev. John Sherer to Absalom Peters, 18 November 1830, published in Dan Vogel (editor), Early Mormon Documents (Salt Lake City, Signature Books, 1996–2003), 5 vols, 4:93.
  4. [note]  James G. Bennett, Morning Courier and New York Enquirer, 31 August 1831.
  5. [note] The Farmer’s Herald, vol. 4, no. 49, 6 June 1832 [Johnsbury, Vermont]
  6. [note] Liberal Advocate, vol. 3, no. 6, 30 December 1833 [Rochester, New York]
  7. [note] Joseph Smith, History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 7 volumes, edited by Brigham H. Roberts, (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1957), 2:83. Volume 2 link
  8. [note]  Painesville Telegraph, vol. 1, no. 35, 4 September 1835 [Painesville, Ohio]
  9. [note] Dean C. Jessee, The Personal Writings of Joseph Smith, revised edition, (Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret Book, 2002), 144.
  10. [note]  The New York Evangelist, vol. 6, no. 15, 9 April 1836; letter written on 1 April 1836 by James H. Eells who lived in Elyra, Ohio)
  11. [note]  Joseph Smith, Jr., Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, selected by Joseph Fielding Smith, (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1976), 121. off-site
  12. [note] Francis G. Bishop, Brief History of the Church of Jesus Christ, of Latter Day Saints (Blum and Son, Salem, Massachusetts 1839): 2.
  13. [note] Parley P. Pratt, Plain Facts [Manchester, England: W. R. Thomas, 1840], 6.
  14. [note]  Times and Seasons 2 (15 February 1841), 324. off-site GospeLink; reprint of an article from the Upper Mississippian
  15. [note]  Chicago Democrat, May 1842; editorial by John Wentworth
  16. [note]  Joseph Smith, Jr., Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, selected by Joseph Fielding Smith, (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1976), 314. off-site
  17. [note] Times and Seasons 5 no. 15 (15 August 1844), 621. off-site GospeLink
  18. [note] Brigham Young, "Discourse," Journal of Discourses, reported by G.D. Watt (24 July 1853), Vol. 1 (London: Latter-day Saint's Book Depot, 1854), 237.off-site wiki
  19. [note]  Brigham Young, "{{{title}}}," Journal of Discourses, reported by G.D. Watt, J.V. Long and others, (22 May 1859), Vol. 7 (London: Latter-day Saint's Book Depot, 1860), 148.off-site wiki; Deseret News 9 (1 June 1859), 104.
  20. [note] Brigham Young, "Discourse," Journal of Discourses, reported by G.D. Watt and J.V. Long, (8 July 1863), Vol. 10 (London: Latter-day Saint's Book Depot, 1865), 230–231.off-site wiki
  21. [note] Brigham Young, "Discourse," Journal of Discourses, reported by G.D. Watt and J.V. Long, (31 July 1863), Vol. 10 (London: Latter-day Saint's Book Depot, 1865), 318–319.off-site wiki
  22. [note] Brigham Young, "Discourse," Journal of Discourses, reported by G.D. Watt, E.L. Sloan, and D.W. Evans, (19 August 1866), Vol. 11 (London: Latter-day Saint's Book Depot, 1867), 268.off-site
  23. [note]  Brigham Young, Deseret News Weekly 15/109 ({{{date}}}): {{{start}}}.; cited in Eldon Watson (editor), Brigham Young Addresses (1982), 5:32.
  24. [note] Brigham Young, "Discourse," Journal of Discourses, reported by D.W. Evans and John Grimshaw, (20 February 1870), Vol. 13 (London: Latter-day Saint's Book Depot, 1871), 237–238.off-site
  25. [note]  In Ogden Tabernacle Brigham Young, "{{{title}}}," Journal of Discourses, reported by D.W. Evans, J.Q. Cannon and Julia Young, (3 June 1871), Vol. 14 (London: Latter-day Saint's Book Depot, 1872), 195–196.off-site; Brigham Young, Millennial Star 33, 418–420.; DNW 20:235.
  26. [note]  In Salt Lake City Tabernacle, Brigham Young, "{{{title}}}," Journal of Discourses, reported by D.W. Evans, J.Q. Cannon and Julia Young, (27 August 1871), Vol. 14 (London: Latter-day Saint's Book Depot, 1872), 223–227.off-site; DNW 20:357.
  27. [note] Brigham Young, "Discourse," Journal of Discourses, reported by D.W. Evans, J.Q. Cannon and Julia Young, (26 May 1872), Vol. 15 (London: Latter-day Saint's Book Depot, 1873), 42.off-site
  28. [note]  John Taylor, "{{{title}}}," Journal of Discourses, reported by D.W. Evans, J.Q. Cannon and Julia Young, (3 March 1872), Vol. 14 (London: Latter-day Saint's Book Depot, 1872), 338.off-site Deseret News 21 (13 March 1872), 65b.
  29. [note]  Orson Pratt, "{{{title}}}," Journal of Discourses, reported by D.W. Evans, J.Q. Cannon and Julia Young, (10 March 10 1872), Vol. 14 (London: Latter-day Saint's Book Depot, 1872), 348.off-site; Deseret News 21 (20 March 1872), 77d.
  30. [note] Brigham Young, "Discourse," Journal of Discourses, reported by D.W. Evans, G.F. Gibbs, and others, (15 August 1876), Vol. 18 (London: Latter-day Saint's Book Depot, 1877), 217.off-site
  31. [note] Brigham Young, "Discourse," Journal of Discourses, reported by D.W. Evans, G.F. Gibbs, and others, (17 September 1876), Vol. 18 (London: Latter-day Saint's Book Depot, 1877), 231.off-site
  32. [note] Millennial Star 38 (6 March 1876), 152.
  33. [note] Millennial Star 38 (27 March 1876), 200–201.
  34. [note] Millennial Star 38 (3 April 1876), 217.
  35. [note]  Editorial on citizens of Beaver Dam, Virginia removing Mormon Elders by force to another part of the state, Deseret News Weekly 45/{{{num}}} (17 September 1892): 396.
  36. [note]  ?, Deseret News Weekly 45/{{{num}}} (24 September 1892): 441.
  37. [note]   ?, Deseret News Weekly ?/{{{num}}} (10 December 1892): 780.
  38. [note] Francis M. Lyman, General Conference, 5 April 5 1881, in Millennial Star 43:19 (9 May 1881): 292.
  39. [note] First Presidency, "Address to the World," Improvement Era 10 (May 1907), 481–495.
  40. [note] Hugh B. Brown, "Discourse," Improvement Era 10 (December 1956), 949–949.
  41. [note]  Boyd K. Packer, A Defense and a Refuge," Sunday Afternoon Session, October 2006 Conference. off-site

Further reading

FAIR wiki articles

Logical Fallacies
Definitional fallacies wiki articles
Theosis and related at FAIR

Template:InterfaithWiki

FAIR web site

FairMormon articles on-line on Jesus Christ
  • Cooper Johnson, "Mormons—Can They Be Considered Christians?" FAIR link
Theosis and related at FAIR
  • Michael W. Fordham, "Does President Gordon B. Hinckley Understand LDS Doctrine?" FAIR link (Key source)

External links

  • Davis Bitton, "A Voice from Christmas Past," Meridian Magazine (ldsmag.com), 5 December 2006. off-site
  • Benjamin I. Huff, "Of Course Mormonism Is Christian (Review of: Is Mormonism Christian?)," FARMS Review of Books 14/1 (2002): 113–130. off-site
  • Kent P. Jackson, "Am I a Christian? (Review of: Is Mormonism Christian?)," FARMS Review of Books 14/1 (2002): 131–138. off-site
  • Louis Midgley, "Orders of Submission: Review of "Essays on Mormonism," Southern Baptist Journal of Theology 9/2 (Summer 2005): 1–81.," FARMS Review 18/2 (2006): 189–228. off-site wiki (Key source)
  • Daniel C. Peterson and Stephen D. Ricks, "Comparing LDS Beliefs with First-Century Christianity, (Provo, Utah: FARMS, no date). off-site
  • Stephen E. Robinson, Are Mormons Christians? (Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret Book Company, 1993). off-site FAIR link
  • Robert E. Wells, "We Are Christians Because...," Ensign (January 1984): 17.off-site

Template:TheosisLinks

Printed material

  • Hugh B. Brown, "’Are the Latter-day Saints… Christians?’," in Conference Report (8 April 1962).; see also Hugh B. Brown, Improvement Era 65 no. 6 (June 1962), 408–411.
  • Hugh B. Brown, "Are Mormons Christians?," in The Abundant Life (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1965), 23–34 (Address given at Monks Park, England, 26 October 1962).
  • Terryl L. Givens, The Viper on the Hearth: Mormons, Myths, and the Construction of Heresy (Oxford University Press, 1997), 1. ISBN 0195101839.
  • President Anthony W. Ivins, "What is a Christian? Why the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a Christian church," Improvement Era 29 no. 8 (June 1926).
  • Daniel C. Peterson and Stephen D. Ricks, Offenders for a Word: How Anti-Mormons Play Word Games to Attack the Latter-day Saints (Provo, Utah: FARMS (reprint edition), 1992), 1. ISBN 0934893357. off-site (Key source)

Template:TheosisPrint

Retrieved from "http://104.237.154.152/answers/index.php?title=Jesus_Christ/Accusations_that_Latter-day_Saints_aren%27t_Christians&oldid=14928"