Mormonism is the predominant religious tradition
of the Latter Day Saint movement of Restorationist
Christianity. This movement was founded by
Joseph Smith, Jr., in the 1820s. During the
1830s and 1840s, Mormonism gradually distinguished
itself from traditional Protestantism. Mormonism
today represents the new faith taught by Smith
in the 1840s. After Smith's death, most Mormons
followed Brigham Young west, calling themselves
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Other variations of Mormonism include Mormon
fundamentalism, which seeks to maintain practices
and doctrines such as polygamy that were abandoned
by the LDS Church, and various other small
independent denominations.
The word Mormon is originally derived from
the Book of Mormon, one of the faith's religious
texts. Based on the name of that book, early
followers of founder Joseph Smith, Jr. were
called Mormons, and their faith was called
Mormonism. The term was initially considered
pejorative, but is no longer considered so
by Mormons.
Mormonism shares a common set of beliefs with
the rest of the Latter Day Saint movement,
including use of, and belief in, the Bible,
as well as other religious texts including
the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants.
It also accepts the Pearl of Great Price as
part of its scriptural canon, and has a history
of teaching eternal marriage, eternal progression,
and plural marriage, although the LDS Church
formally abandoned the practice in 1891. Cultural
Mormonism includes a lifestyle promoted by
the Mormon institutions, and includes cultural
Mormons who identify with the culture, but
not necessarily the theology.
Brief history
Mormonism originated in the 1820s in western
New York during a period of religious excitement
known as the Second Great Awakening. Founded
by Joseph Smith, Jr., the faith drew its first
converts while Smith was dictating the text
of the Book of Mormon from Golden Plates he
said he found buried after being directed
to their location by an angel. The book described
itself as a chronicle of early indigenous
peoples of the Americas, portraying them as
believing Israelites, who had a belief in
Christ many hundred years before his birth.
Smith dictated the book of 584 pages over
a period of about three months saying that
he translated it from an ancient language
"by the gift and power of God". During production
of this work in mid-1829, Smith, his close
associate Oliver Cowdery, and other early
followers began baptizing new converts into
a Christian primitivist church, formally organized
in 1830 as the Church of Christ. Smith was
seen by his followers as a modern-day prophet.
Smith later wrote that he had seen a vision
of God the Father and Jesus Christ in spring
1820 in answer to his question of which denomination
he should join. Sometimes called the "First
Vision", Smith's vision of God the Father
and Jesus Christ as two separate beings was
reportedly the basis for the difference in
doctrine between Mormonism's view of the nature
of God and that of orthodox Christianity.
Smith further said that in answer to his prayer
the Lord instructed him to join none of the
existing churches because they were all wrong.
During the 1820s Smith reported having several
angelic visitations, and by 1830 Smith said
that he had been instructed that God would
use him to re-establish the true Christian
church and that the Book of Mormon would be
the means of establishing correct doctrine
for the restored church.
To avoid confrontation with New York residents,
the members moved to Kirtland, Ohio and hoped
to establish a permanent New Jerusalem or
City of Zion in Jackson County, Missouri.
However, they were expelled from Jackson County
in 1833 and forced to flee Kirtland in early
1838. In Missouri, violent conflicts with
other Missourians resulted in the governor
of Missouri issuing an "extermination order,"
expelling Latter Day Saints from Missouri.
The displaced Mormons fled to Illinois and
settled the city of Nauvoo, where they were
able to live with a degree of peace and prosperity
for a few years. However tensions between
Mormons and non-Mormons again escalated to
the point that in 1844, Smith was killed by
a mob, precipitating a succession crisis.
The largest group of Mormons, or The Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, accepted
Brigham Young as the new prophet/leader and
emigrated to what became the Utah Territory.
There, the church began the open practice
of plural marriage, a form of polygyny which
Smith had instituted in Nauvoo. Plural marriage
became the faith's most sensational characteristic
during the 19th century, but vigorous opposition
by the United States Congress threatened the
church's existence as a legal institution.
In his 1890 Manifesto, church president Wilford
Woodruff announced the official end of plural
marriage.
Because of the formal abolition of plural
marriage in 1890, several smaller groups of
Mormons broke with the LDS Church forming
several denominations of Mormon fundamentalism.
Meanwhile, the LDS Church has become a proponent
of monogamy and patriotism, has extended its
reach internationally by a vigorous missionary
program, and has grown in size to 15 million
members. The church is becoming a part of
the American and international mainstream.
However, it consciously and intentionally
retains its identity as a "peculiar people"
set apart from the world by what it believes
is its unique relationship with God.
Theology
Nature of God
Unlike most other Christian groups, Mormonism
espouses a distinctly nontrinitarian theology
as regards the nature of God. The LDS Church,
the largest denomination within Mormonism,
teaches that the Father, the Son, and the
Holy Ghost are three separate and distinct
beings, the Father and Son having perfected
physical bodies and the Holy Ghost having
only a body of spirit. While the three beings
are physically distinct, in Mormon theology
they are one in thoughts, actions, and purpose
and commonly referred to collectively as "one
God" or the "Godhead". Also, Mormonism teaches
that God the Father is the literal father
of the spirits of all men and women, which
existed prior to their mortal existence. Further,
all humans as children of God can become exalted,
inheriting all that God has, as joint-heirs
with Christ, and becoming like him.
Restoration
Mormonism describes itself as falling within
world Christianity, but as a distinct restored
dispensation; it characterizes itself as the
only true form of the Christian religion since
the time of a Great Apostasy that began not
long after the ascension of Jesus Christ.
According to Mormons this Apostasy involved
the corruption of the pure, original Christian
doctrine with Greek and other philosophies,
and followers dividing into different ideological
groups. Additionally, Mormons claim the martyrdom
of the Apostles led to the loss of Priesthood
authority to administer the Church and its
ordinances.
Mormons believe that God re-established the
early Christian Church as found in the New
Testament through Joseph Smith. In particular,
Mormons believe that angels such as Peter,
James, John, and John the Baptist appeared
to Joseph Smith and others and bestowed various
Priesthood authorities on them. Mormons thus
believe that their Church is the "only true
and living church" because divine authority
was restored to it through Smith. In addition,
Mormons believe that Smith and his legitimate
successors are modern prophets who receive
revelation from God to guide the church. They
maintain that other religions have a portion
of the truth and are guided by the light of
Christ.
Cosmology
For many Mormons, Joseph Smith's cosmology
is the most attractive part of the restoration.
Mormon cosmology presents a unique view of
God and the universe, and places a high importance
on human agency. In Mormonism, life on earth
is just a short part of an eternal existence.
Mormons believe that in the beginning all
people existed as spirits or "intelligences,"
in the presence of God. In this state, God
proposed a plan of salvation whereby they
could progress and "have a privilege to advance
like himself." The spirits were free to accept
or reject this plan, and a "third" of them,
led by Satan rejected it. The rest accepted
the plan, coming to earth and receiving bodies
with an understanding that they would experience
sin and suffering.
In Mormonism, the central part of God's plan
is the atonement of Jesus Christ. Mormons
believe that one purpose of earthly life is
to learn to choose good over evil. In this
process, people inevitably make mistakes,
becoming unworthy to return to the presence
of God. Mormons believe that Jesus paid for
the sins of the world, and that all people
can be saved through his atonement. Mormons
accept Christ's atonement through faith, repentance,
formal covenants or ordinances such as baptism,
and consistently trying to live a Christ-like
life.
Ordinances
In Mormonism, an ordinance is a religious
ritual of special significance, often involving
the formation of a covenant with God. Ordinances
are performed by the authority of the priesthood
and in the name of Jesus Christ. The term
has a meaning roughly similar to that of the
term "sacrament" in other Christian denominations.
Saving ordinances include: baptism by immersion
after the age of accountability; confirmation
and reception of the gift of the Holy Ghost,
performed by laying hands on the head of a
newly baptized member; ordination to the Aaronic
and Melchizedek priesthoods for males; an
endowment received in temples; and marriage
to a spouse.
Mormons also perform other ordinances, which
include the Lord's supper, naming and blessing
children, giving priesthood blessings and
patriarchal blessings, anointing and blessing
the sick, participating in prayer circles,
and setting apart individuals who are called
to church positions.
In Mormonism, the saving ordinances are seen
as necessary for salvation, but they are not
sufficient in and of themselves. For example,
baptism is required for exaltation, but simply
having been baptized does not guarantee any
eternal reward. The baptized person is expected
to be obedient to God's commandments, to repent
of any sinful conduct subsequent to baptism,
and to receive the other saving ordinances.
Because Mormons believe that everyone must
receive certain ordinances to be saved, Mormons
perform ordinances on behalf of deceased persons.
These ordinances are performed vicariously
or by "proxy" on behalf of the dead. In accordance
with their belief in each individual's "free
agency", living or dead, Mormons believe that
the deceased may accept or reject the offered
ordinance in the spirit world, just as all
spirits decided to accept or reject God's
plan originally. In addition, these "conditional"
ordinances on behalf of the dead are performed
only when a deceased person's genealogical
information has been submitted to a temple
and correctly processed there before the ordinance
ritual is performed. Only ordinances for salvation
are performed on behalf of deceased persons.
See also: Baptism for the dead.
Scripture
Mormons believe in the Old and New Testaments,
and the LDS Church uses the King James Bible
as its official scriptural text of the Bible.
While Mormons believe in the general accuracy
of the modern day text of the Bible, they
also believe that it is incomplete and that
errors have been introduced. In Mormon theology,
many lost truths are restored in the Book
of Mormon, which Mormons hold to be divine
scripture and equal in authority to the Bible.
The Mormon scriptural canon also includes
a collection of revelations and writings contained
in the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl
of Great Price. These books, as well as the
Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible, have
varying degrees of acceptance as divine scripture
among different denominations of the Latter
Day Saint movement.
Revelation
In Mormonism, continuous revelation is the
principle that God or his divine agents still
continue to communicate to mankind. This communication
can be manifest in many ways: influences of
the Holy Ghost, visions, visitations of divine
beings, and others. Joseph Smith used the
example of the Lord's revelations to Moses
in Deuteronomy to explain the importance of
continuous revelation.
"God said, 'Thou shalt not murder' at another
time He said, 'Thou shalt utterly destroy.'
This is the principle on which the government
of heaven is conducted–by revelation adapted
to the circumstances in which the children
of the kingdom are placed. Whatever God commands
is right, no matter what it is, although we
may not see the reason thereof till long after
the events transpire."
Mormons believe that Smith and subsequent
church leaders could speak scripture "when
moved upon by the Holy Ghost." In addition,
many Mormons believe that ancient prophets
in other regions of the world received revelations
that resulted in additional scriptures that
have been lost and may, one day, be forthcoming.
In Mormonism, revelation isn't limited to
church members alone. For instance, Latter
Day Saints believe that the United States
Constitution is a divinely inspired document.
Mormons are encouraged to develop a personal
relationship with the Holy Ghost and receive
personal revelation for their own direction
and that of their family. The Latter Day Saint
concept of revelation includes the belief
that revelation from God is available to all
those who earnestly seek it with the intent
of doing good. It also teaches that everyone
is entitled to personal revelation with respect
to his or her stewardship. Thus, parents may
receive inspiration from God in raising their
families, individuals can receive divine inspiration
to help them meet personal challenges, church
officers may receive revelation for those
whom they serve.
The important consequence of this is that
each person may receive confirmation that
particular doctrines taught by a prophet are
true, as well as gain divine insight in using
those truths for their own benefit and eternal
progress. In the church, personal revelation
is expected and encouraged, and many converts
believe that personal revelation from God
was instrumental in their conversion.
Relations to other faiths
Relation to mainstream Christianity
Mormonism categorizes itself within Christianity,
and Mormons self-identify as Christian. For
some who define Christianity within the doctrines
of Catholicism, Orthodox Christianity, and
Protestantism, Mormonism's differences place
it outside the umbrella of Christianity.
Since its beginnings, the faith has proclaimed
itself to be Christ's Church restored with
its original authority, structure and power;
maintaining that existing denominations believed
in incorrect doctrines and were not acknowledged
of God as his church and kingdom. Though the
religion quickly gained a large following
of Christian seekers, in the 1830s, many American
Christians came to view the church's early
doctrines and practices as politically and
culturally subversive, as well as doctrinally
heretical, abominable, and condemnable. This
discord led to a series of sometimes-deadly
conflicts between Mormons and others who saw
themselves as orthodox Christians. Although
such violence declined during the twentieth
century, the religion's unique doctrinal views
and practices still generate criticism, sometimes
vehemently so. This gives rise to efforts
by Mormons and opposing types of Christians
to proselytize each other.
Mormons believe in Jesus Christ as the literal
firstborn Son of God and Messiah, his crucifixion
as a conclusion of a sin offering, and subsequent
resurrection. However, Latter-day Saints reject
the ecumenical creeds and the definition of
the Trinity Mormons hold that the New Testament
prophesied both the apostasy from the teachings
of Christ and his apostles as well as the
restoration of all things prior to the second
coming of Christ.
Some notable differences with mainstream Christianity
include: A belief that Jesus began his atonement
in the garden of Gethsemane and continued
it to his crucifixion, rather than the orthodox
belief that the crucifixion alone was the
physical atonement; and an afterlife with
three degrees of glory, with hell being a
temporary repository for the wicked between
death and the resurrection. Additionally,
Mormons do not believe in creation ex nihilo,
believing that matter is eternal, and creation
involved God organizing existing matter.
Much of the Mormon belief system is oriented
geographically around the North and South
American continents. Mormons believe that
the people of the Book of Mormon lived in
the western hemisphere, that Christ appeared
in the western hemisphere after his death
and resurrection, that the true faith was
restored in Upstate New York by Joseph Smith,
that the Garden of Eden was located in North
America, and that the New Jerusalem would
be built in Missouri. For this and other reasons,
including a belief by many Mormons in American
exceptionalism, Molly Worthen speculates that
this may be why Leo Tolstoy described Mormonism
as the "quintessential 'American religion'".
Relation to Judaism
Although Mormons do not claim to be part of
Judaism, Mormon theology claims to situate
Mormonism within the context of Judaism to
an extent that goes beyond what most other
Christian denominations claim. The faith incorporates
many Old Testament ideas into its theology,
and the beliefs of Mormons sometimes parallel
those of Judaism and certain elements of Jewish
culture. In the earliest days of Mormonism,
Joseph Smith taught that the Indigenous peoples
of the Americas were members of some of the
Lost Tribes of Israel. Later, he taught that
Mormons were Israelites, and that they may
learn of their tribal affiliation within the
twelve Israelite tribes. Members of the LDS
Church receive Patriarchal blessings which
declare the recipient's lineage within one
of the tribes of Israel. The lineage is either
through true blood-line or adoption. The LDS
Church teaches that if one is not a direct
descendant of one of the twelve tribes, upon
baptism he or she is adopted into one of the
tribes. Patriarchal blessings also include
personal information which is revealed through
a patriarch by the power of the priesthood.
The Mormon affinity for Judaism is expressed
by the many references to Judaism in the Mormon
liturgy. For example, Smith named the largest
Mormon settlement he founded Nauvoo, which
means "to be beautiful" in Hebrew. Brigham
Young named a tributary of the Great Salt
Lake the "Jordan River". The LDS Church created
a writing scheme called the Deseret Alphabet,
which was based, in part, on Hebrew. The LDS
Church has a Jerusalem Center in Israel, where
students focus their study on Near Eastern
history, culture, language, and the Bible.
There has been some controversy involving
Jewish groups who see the actions of some
elements of Mormonism as offensive. In the
1990s, Jewish groups vocally opposed the LDS
practice of baptism for the dead on behalf
of Jewish victims of the Holocaust and Jews
in general. According to LDS Church general
authority Monte J. Brough, "Mormons who baptized
380,000 Holocaust victims posthumously were
motivated by love and compassion and did not
understand their gesture might offend Jews...
they did not realize that what they intended
as a 'Christian act of service' was 'misguided
and insensitive'". Mormons believe that when
the dead are baptized through proxy, they
have the option of accepting or rejecting
the ordinance.
Relation to Islam
Since its origins in the 19th century, Mormonism
has been compared to Islam, often by detractors
of one religion or the other. For instance,
Joseph Smith was referred to as "the modern
mahomet" [sic] by the New York Herald, shortly
after his murder in June 1844. This epithet
repeated a comparison that had been made from
Smith's earliest career, one that was not
intended at the time to be complimentary.
Comparison of the Mormon and Muslim prophets
still occurs today, sometimes for derogatory
or polemical reasons but also for more scholarly
purposes. While Mormonism and Islam certainly
have many similarities, there are also significant,
fundamental differences between the two religions.
Mormon–Muslim relations have been historically
cordial; recent years have seen increasing
dialogue between adherents of the two faiths,
and cooperation in charitable endeavors, especially
in the Middle and Far East.
Islam and Mormonism both originate in the
Abrahamic traditions. Each religion sees its
founder as being a true prophet of God, called
to re-establish the truths of these ancient
theological belief systems that have been
altered, corrupted, or lost. In addition,
both prophets received visits from an angel,
leading to additional books of scripture.
Both religions share a high emphasis on family
life, charitable giving, chastity, abstention
from alcohol, and a special reverence for,
though not worship of, their founding prophet.
Before the 1890 Manifesto against plural marriage,
Mormonism and Islam also shared in the belief
in and practice of plural marriage, a practice
now held in common by Islam and various branches
of Mormon fundamentalism.
The religions differ significantly in their
views on God. Islam insists upon the complete
oneness and uniqueness of God, while Mormonism
asserts that the Godhead is made up of three
distinct "personages." Mormonism sees Jesus
Christ as the promised Messiah and the literal
Son of God, while Islam insists that the title
"Messiah" means that Jesus was a prophet sent
to establish the true faith, not that he was
the Son of God or a divine being. Despite
opposition from other Christian denominations,
Mormonism identifies itself as a Christian
religion, the "restoration" of primitive Christianity.
Islam does not refer to itself as "Christian",
asserting that Jesus and all true followers
of Christ's teachings were Muslims–a term
that means submitters to God–not Christians
as the term is used today. Islam proclaims
that its prophet Muhammad was the "seal of
the prophets", and that no further prophets
would come after him. Mormons, though honoring
Joseph Smith as the first prophet in modern
times, see him as just one in a long line
of prophets, with Jesus Christ being the premier
figure of the religion.
Theological divisions
Mormon theology includes three main movements.
By far the largest of these is "mainstream
Mormonism", defined by the leadership of The
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The two broad movements outside mainstream
Mormonism are Mormon fundamentalism, and liberal
reformist Mormonism.
Mainstream Mormon theology
Mainstream Mormonism is defined by the leadership
of the LDS Church which identifies itself
as Christian. Members of the LDS Church consider
their top leaders to be prophets and Apostles,
and are encouraged to accept their positions
on matters of theology, while seeking confirmation
of them through personal study of the Book
of Mormon and the Bible. Personal prayer is
encouraged as well. The LDS Church is by far
the largest branch of Mormonism. It has continuously
existed since the succession crisis of 1844
that split the Latter Day Saint movement after
the death of founder Joseph Smith, Jr.
The LDS Church seeks to distance itself from
other branches of Mormonism, particularly
those that practice polygamy. The church maintains
a degree of orthodoxy by excommunicating or
disciplining its members who take positions
or engage in practices viewed as apostasy.
For example, the LDS Church excommunicates
members who practice polygamy or who adopt
the beliefs and practices of Mormon fundamentalism.
Mormon fundamentalism
One way Mormon fundamentalism distinguishes
itself from mainstream Mormonism is through
the practice of plural marriage. Fundamentalists
initially broke from the LDS Church after
that doctrine was discontinued around the
beginning of the 20th century. Mormon fundamentalism
teaches that plural marriage is a requirement
for exaltation, which will allow them to live
as gods and goddesses in the afterlife. Mainstream
Mormons, by contrast, believe that a single
Celestial marriage is necessary for exaltation.
In distinction with the LDS Church, Mormon
fundamentalists also often believe in a number
of other doctrines taught and practiced by
Brigham Young in the 19th century, which the
LDS Church has either abandoned, repudiated,
or put in abeyance. These include:
the law of consecration also known as the
United Order;
the Adam–God teachings taught by Brigham
Young and other early leaders of the LDS Church;
the principle of blood atonement; and
the exclusion of black men from the priesthood.
Mormon fundamentalists believe that these
principles were wrongly abandoned or changed
by the LDS Church, in large part due to the
desire of its leadership and members to assimilate
into mainstream American society and avoid
the persecutions and conflict that had characterized
the church throughout its early years. Others
believe that it was a necessity at some point
for "a restoration of all things" to be a
truly restored Church.
Liberal reformist theology
Some LDS Church members have worked towards
a more liberal reform of the church. Others
have left the LDS Church and still consider
themselves to be cultural Mormons. Others
have formed new religions. For instance the
Godbeites broke away from the LDS Church in
the late 19th century, on the basis of both
political and religious liberalism, and in
1985 the Restoration Church of Jesus Christ
broke away from the LDS Church as an LGBT-friendly
denomination, which was formally dissolved
in 2010.
See also
Anti-Mormonism
Black people and early Mormonism
Criticism of the Latter Day Saint movement
List of articles about Mormonism
The Joseph Smith Papers
Notes
References
Bloom, Harold, The American Religion: The
Emergence of the Post-Christian Nation, New
York: Simon & Schuster, ISBN 9780671679972 .
Brooke, John L., The Refiner's Fire: The Making
of Mormon Cosmology, 1644–1844, Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press .
Bushman, Richard Lyman, Mormonism: A Very
Short Introduction, New York: Oxford University
Press, ISBN 978-0-19-531030-6 .
Eliason, Eric Alden, Mormons and Mormonism:
an introduction to an American world religion,
University of Illinois Press .
McMurrin, Sterling M., The Theological Foundations
of the Mormon Religion, Salt Lake City: Signature
Books, ISBN 156085135X .
Ostling, Richard; Ostling, Joan K., Mormon
America: The Power and the Promise, New York:
HarperOne, ISBN 978-0-06-143295-8 .
Shipps, Jan, Mormonism: The Story of a New
Religious Tradition, Chicago: University of
Illinois Press, ISBN 0-252-01417-0 .
Remini, Robert V., Joseph Smith: A Penguin
Life, New York: Penguin Group, ISBN 0-670-03083-X .
Stark, Rodney; Neilson, Reid Larkin, The rise
of Mormonism, Columbia University Press, ISBN 9780231136341 .
Toscano, Margaret; Toscano, Paul, Strangers
in Paradox: Explorations in Mormon Theology,
Salt Lake City: Signature Books .
White, O. Kendall, Jr., "The Transformation
of Mormon Theology", Dialogue: A Journal of
Mormon Thought 5: 9–24 .
White, O. Kendall, Jr., Mormon Neo-Orthodoxy:
A Crisis Theology, Salt Lake City: Signature
Books, ISBN 0941214-524 .
Widmer, Kurt, Mormonism and the Nature of
God: A Theological Evolution, 1830–1915,
Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland .
Further reading
Beckwith, Francis J., Carl Mosser, and Paul
Owen, jt. eds.. The New Mormon Challenge:
Responding to the Latest Defenses of a Fast-Growing
Movement. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan.
535 p. ISBN 0-310-23194-9
Brooks, Melvin R.. L.D.S. Reference Encyclopedia.
Salt Lake City, Utah: Bookcraft.
McConkie, Bruce R.. Mormon Doctrine. Second
ed. Salt Lake City, Utah: Bookcraft. 856 p.
N.B.: The contents are brief articles arranged
alphabetically in the form of a topical dictionary.
ISBN 0-88494-446-8
Nelson, Nels L.. Scientific Aspects of Mormonism:
or, Religion in Terms of Life. Chicago, Ill.:
Press of Hillison & Etten Co., 1904, t.p. 1918.
xi, 347 p.
Shields, Steven L.. Divergent Paths of the
Restoration: a History of the Latter Day Saint
Movement. Fourth ed., rev. and enl. Los Angeles:
Restoration Research. 336 p., ill. with b&w
photos. ISBN 0-942284-00-3
External links
PBS: Frontline + American Experience: Mormons—PBS
special on Mormon belief
Patheos + Mormonism—Patheos.com. Mormonism
Origins, Mormonism History, Mormonism Beliefs
"Religions: Mormonism" – BBC
