Is Mormonism Now Christian?

Steven A. Crane

• Publisher: Wipf and Stock
• Year: 2010
• Print ISBN:
  9781608992515
  9781498255356
• eBook ISBN:
  9781498272193
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Christian Church

For years, Mormonism has taught that all the creeds of Christianity were an abomination and all other churches were corrupt (Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith 1:19). Joseph Smith was told not to join with any of them, but to help lead in what would be a restoration of the true church. In the same way, Christianity has never accepted Mormons among their ranks, considering them teachers of a different gospel (Galatians 1:6). But a new ecumenical spirit of openness might suggest that the doctrinal distance between these two groups is shrinking. Are the two sides actually moving closer together? Is there significant change within the ranks of Mormonism? If so, is the change widespread? Does this new direction reflect the views of the leadership, or is it simply the belief of a few? Worse yet, is it a deceptive media ploy on behalf of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) to appear to be something it is not? This work is a fresh new look at the distinctives between Christianity and Mormonism in an attempt to answer the question: "Is Mormonism Now Christian?"

Part One

Is Mormonism Changing? Current Dialogues Between Christians and Mormons

“I believe that every faith I have encountered draws its adherents closer to God. And in every faith I have come to know, there are features I wish were my own . . . It’s important to recognize that while differences in theology exist between the churches in America, we share a common creed of moral convictions.”1

—Mitt Romney

WALLACE: “Is a Mormon a true Christian?”

OSTEEN: “Well, in my mind they are. Mitt Romney has said that he believes in Christ as his savior, and that’s what I believe.”2

—Chris Wallace and Joel Osteen

This section will closely examine recent dialogues (both written and verbal) between leaders of the evangelical community and the Mormon faith, to determine whether or not the gap is shrinking between the two movements, or if the apparent shift is due to the use of ambiguous terminology.

1. Mitt Romney’s speech as recorded by The Associated Press, December 6, 2007.

2. News Brief: “Joel Osteen, Interviewed by Chris Wallace of Fox News,” December 23, 2007.

1

Hopeful, but Not Convinced

“Could it be that I was face to face with a Christian? Perhaps. Nonetheless, I continued my checklist.”1

—Max Lucado

As I grew up in Salt Lake City, our family enjoyed taking friends and relatives to the Temple Square downtown to let them experience first-hand the flavor of Mormonism. It always proved to be an eye-opener for visitors as they were exposed to the teachings of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young, many for the first time. They would walk through what we called “the Hall of Fame,” see pictures of Mormon prophets, and hear their history. They would be exposed to stories of the beginnings of Mormonism in Palmyra, New York, and finally to Joseph Smith and his first vision.

It was during this portion of the tour that visitors would learn the foundational beliefs of Mormonism. As they listened to the unfolding of the first vision, they would discern that Joseph Smith was told that all Christian sects were an abomination and that he should join none of them. They would hear how the Mormon church claimed to be the one and only true church, severing Mormonism from all who practice Christianity.

Much has changed since those days including the temple tour. Most of the distinctive terminology of Mormonism has been erased in favor of a more “mainstream” approach. The hall of fame is no longer available to tourists. The woodland scene of Joseph Smith prayerfully retrieving the golden tablets has been removed and is now a counseling center. Gone is their vocabulary of being the one and only true church. Even the title of the Book of Mormon has undergone a change with the phrase, “Another Testament of Jesus Christ” being added in 1982. From the perspective of a casual observer, there appeared either a move toward evangelical Christianity, or at least a deliberate attempt to appear more mainstream.2 I questioned what I saw happening, but for several years, did little to confirm or deny my suspected beliefs—until I came in contact with Robert Millet and Greg Johnson.3

Dr. Robert Millet (a Mormon) and Greg Johnson (an evangelical minister)4 have hosted dialogues on the similarities and differences between their respective faiths.5 If a person wants to be current on the discussions that are happening between Mormonism and evangelical Christianity, these are the key players.

Robert Millet and Greg Johnson—A Mormon and an Evangelical Christian in Conversation

My first experience with inter-faith dialogues was in March 2004, when Robert Millet and Greg Johnson held their “In Conversation”6 in Boise, Idaho. I was immediately impressed with the tone and tenor of their conversations.7 These dialogues were friendly, interactive discussions with in-depth give-and-take on various theological topics. The conversations were engaging and yet conducted in such a manner as to earn the reputation of being done with “convicted civility”—a term coined by Richard Mouw8 to describe two people who own their convictions, but share their disagreements in a civil way. While impressed with the tone of these discussions, my overall reaction was one of intrigue.

The first dialogue was entitled “Truth matters, People matter, Relationships matter, Lunch matters.” The basic premise was that in order for one person to influence another, they must first learn to trust, listen, and care about what the other person is saying. Dr. Millet and Greg Johnson have done just that—built a solid relationship and earned the right to speak freely to one another. Their friendship enables them to discuss theology in a manner in which both parties can learn and dialogue without fear of compromise. Those present at this discussion benefitted from the friendship and respect they share.

As I listened to these men communicate, I was amazed at what was said. I heard theological language from Dr. Millet that, frankly, I had never heard uttered by a Mormon. I honestly didn’t know what to do with it. Dr. Millet talked about God, Jesus, and even grace in language I would expect from an evangelical. Having grown up in Salt Lake City, and having experienced the changes in the Temple tour, this new dialogue heightened the questions which had already haunted me. Was the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints changing? Or was this simply a media ploy? Specifically, I wanted to know: “Does Robert Millet truly believe what he is saying?” If so, “Does Robert Millet merely speak for himself, or is this representative of all of Mormonism?”

Dr. Millet addressed this in the dialogue.

People have come up to me and told me, “What you are saying is not what my Mormon neighbor says!” I simply reply, “I can’t speak for what your nei...

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Introduction
• Part One: Is Mormonism Changing? Current Dialogues Between Christians and Mormons
• Chapter 1: Hopeful, but Not Convinced
• Chapter 2: Of Course, We’re Christians
• Chapter 3: Growing Uncertainty
• Chapter 4: Finally, Some Clear Answers
• Part Two: The Bible and Mormon Teachings A Comparison
• Chapter 5: Scriptural Rationale
• Chapter 6: God, the Bible, and Mormonism
• Chapter 7: Jesus, the Bible, and Mormonism
• Chapter 8: The Holy Spirit, the Bible, and Mormonism
• Chapter 9: Premortal Existence, Man, and Sin
• Chapter 10: Salvation
• Chapter 11: Scripture
• Chapter 12: Further Differences
• Conclusion
• Appendix A: Understanding the Strategies of Mormon Missionaries
• Appendix B: Understanding Mormon Vocabulary
• Appendix C: Quick Reference Guide
• Appendix D: Correcting the Misuse of Scripture
• Appendix E: Conversations to Avoid
• Appendix F: Other Discussions with Your Mormon Friends
• Appendix G: How to Remove Your Name from Mormon Records
• Appendix H: LDS Leaders—Past and Present
• Bibliography
• About the Author