FAIR is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing well-documented answers to criticisms of the doctrine, practice, and history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Mormonism and Christianity
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Contents
- 1 Mormonism and Christianity
- 1.1
- 1.2 Topics
- 1.2.1 Are Mormons Christians?
- 1.2.2 Have Mormons claimed only recently to be Christians?
- 1.2.3 Strength of the Mormon position quotation and source
- 1.2.4 The Book of Mormon indicates that Christianity existed in the New World prior to the birth of Christ
- 1.2.5 Martyrdom in Christian history
- 1.2.6 Critics assert that there is a"Mormon" vs. a "Christian" Jesus
- 1.2.7 LDS versus Evangelical Christian view of the atonement of Jesus Christ
- 1.2.8 Completeness of the Bible
- 1.2.9 Grace and works
- 1.2.10 Preaching to other Christians
- 1.2.11 Did early LDS leaders denounce Christianity?
Mormonism and Christianity
Topics
Are Mormons Christians?
Summary: Are Mormons Christians? Do they worship Jesus Christ? Critics use unnecessarily narrow definitions to deny that members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints worship and revere Jesus.Have Mormons claimed only recently to be Christians?
Summary: Early members of the Church and their enemies have long referred to them as Christians. The recent efforts of some extremist Protestants to deny Mormon's status as Christians cannot alter these facts.Strength of the Mormon position quotation and source
Summary: LDS writers have often referred to a quote attributed to an unnamed Catholic author about "the strength of the Mormon position" regarding the necessity of divine authority. Is there any truth to this claim, and if so, what is it's source?The Book of Mormon indicates that Christianity existed in the New World prior to the birth of Christ
Summary: The Book of Mormon refers to "Christians" in Alma 46꞉13-16 and Alma 48꞉10. These texts date to approximately 72 BC.Martyrdom in Christian history
Summary: Critics claim that Joseph Smith is not a martyr because, while in jail, he fought back against those who attacked him. No one questions if he died for his religion. The question therefore is, has the definition of a Christian martyr always been understood only as one who does not fight back?Critics assert that there is a"Mormon" vs. a "Christian" Jesus
Summary: Latter-day Saints believe that Jesus Christ is the only path to salvation, and that He died for our sins, yet Evangelical critics claim that Latter-day Saints believe in a "different" Jesus than "mainstream" Christians.LDS versus Evangelical Christian view of the atonement of Jesus Christ
Summary: Critics compare what they state are the four positions of the LDS church, which by their definition must be false.Completeness of the Bible
Summary: Critics claim the Bible contains all necessary or essential knowledge to assure salvation. Therefore, things like modern prophets or additional scripture (such as the Book of Mormon) are unnecessary or even blasphemous.Grace and works
Summary: How do the LDS see the relationship between works and grace?- Early Christian views on salvation—
Brief Summary: What can the writings of early Christians tell us about how to receive salvation in Jesus Christ? (Click here for full article)∗ ∗ ∗ - Neglect grace—
Brief Summary: Some claim that the Church ignores the doctrine of grace at the expense of "works." Critics argue that Church leaders do not teach this doctrine, and as a result most members of the Church do not expect to be saved, since they are not "good enough." (Click here for full article)∗ ∗ ∗ - Salvation by faith alone—
Brief Summary: Evangelical Christians claim that salvation comes through "faith alone" (sola fide) and they accuse Latter-day Saints of holding to an un-Biblical belief of "works-based salvation." (Click here for full article)∗ ∗ ∗ - Scriptures on grace and works—
Brief Summary: Critics of the church claim that the Bible teaches that individual works are completely unnecessary, in contrast to the doctrine of the LDS church that an individual's obedience to the commandments of God matters in his salvation. (Click here for full article)∗ ∗ ∗ - Unforgivable sin—
Brief Summary: Why did LDS apostle Bruce McConkie write that a man may commit a sin so grievous that it will place him beyond the atoning blood of Christ (Mormon Doctrine, 1979, p. 93) when the Bible says that the blood of Christ cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:7)? (Click here for full article)∗ ∗ ∗ - Impossible Gospel—
Brief Summary: Sometimes critics (especially Evangelicals) describe our gospel as one in which nobody can be saved because they are not perfectly keeping the commandments. They attempt to show that this is what we believe by using passages from the Book of Mormon and from other LDS works. (Click here for full article)∗ ∗ ∗
- Early Christian views on salvation—
Preaching to other Christians
Summary: If Latter-day Saints are "really" Christians, why do they insist on preaching to other, non-LDS Christians?Did early LDS leaders denounce Christianity?
Summary: Critics claim that Latter-day Saints have "admitted" that they are not Christian, since LDS leaders spent decades denouncing mainstream Christianity. It is only recently that LDS leaders have attempted to identify themselves as Christian and that the "ongoing condemnation of Christianity" is "built into the very core of Mormonism as a central tenet."