Mormonism is something we cannot escape right now. We are in a “Mormon Moment,” thanks to the candidacy of Governor Mitt Romney. Christians need to address this moment with truth and grace.
Right now, many are discussing what to call members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Is it a denomination, a cult, or another religion? How should we discuss such things in the moment?
First, Mitt Romney is right. At Liberty University, he spoke about people of different faiths: “your faith and mine.” Yes, those words were certainly chosen to assure evangelicals, but it hit the right tone — Mormonism is a different faith or religion. Three out of four Protestant pastors (and it’s higher for evangelicals) agree that Mormons are not Christians.
The problem is that most Mormons want to use the Christian label without believing biblical, Christian theology.
The obvious question is, how divergent can your views be and still be a part of a faith group (in contrast to forming a new one)? Can you believe, for instance, that Muhammad is not the prophet and still call yourself a Muslim? The vast majority of Muslims would say you cannot. For Christians, calling yourself a Christian while not believing God has always existed as the triune Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is just as inconceivable. That’s what Mormonism does. It’s not a Christian denomination. It is a different religion.
In some ways, Mormonism is to Christianity what Christianity is to Judaism. Christianity took basic beliefs from Judaism, but from their perspective it added another testament and doctrines that did not match the original. To Christians, our faith is naturally connected to and a product of Judaism, rightly understood. To Mormons, their faith is the natural completion of Christianity, restored and rightly understood. Ironically, Jews don’t call us a “theological cult,” though I guess from their point of view, they could. As such, Mormonism is a theological cult of Christianity in the same way that Christian Science and Armstrongism are.
That’s truth.
Yet, for me, I have one recurring passion, one not-so-secret agenda: to get people to live on mission, evangelize their neighbors, plant churches and send missionaries. It’s not about politics for me but about the gospel. As such, my concern is to reach Mormons, not just label them, so I don’t lead with words like “cult,” because the term simply does not carry a theological meaning to most people. For most, they think of a compound in Waco, Texas or Jonestown, Guyana, but that’s not Mormonism. As I’ve said, it is more helpful to talk about Mormonism as a different religion, as we do Islam or Hinduism, and to share the true gospel with Mormons accordingly.
