Mormonism and Christianity
From FAIRMormon
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This page is a summary or index. More detailed information on this topic is available on the sub-pages below.
Mormonism and Christianity
Topics
- Are Mormons Christians?—
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. (Link) - Have Mormons claimed only recently to be Christians?—
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. (Link) - Strength of the Mormon position quotation and source—
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? (Link) - The Book of Mormon indicates that Christianity existed in the New World prior to the birth of Christ—
The Book of Mormon refers to "Christians" in Alma 46:13-16 and Alma 48:10. These texts date to approximately 72 BC. (Link) - Martyrdom in Christian history—
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? (Link) - Critics assert that there is a"Mormon" vs. a "Christian" Jesus—
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. (Link) - LDS versus Evangelical Christian view of the atonement of Jesus Christ—
Critics compare what they state are the four positions of the LDS church, which by their definition must be false. (Link) - Completeness of the Bible—
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. (Link) - Grace and works—
How do the LDS see the relationship between works and grace? (Link)- Early Christian views on salvation—What can the writings of early Christians tell us about how to receive salvation in Jesus Christ? (Link)
- Neglect grace—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." (Link)
- Salvation by faith alone—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." (Link)
- Scriptures on grace and works—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. (Link)
- Unforgivable sin—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)? (Link)
- Impossible Gospel—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. (Link)
- Preaching to other Christians—
If Latter-day Saints are "really" Christians, why do they insist on preaching to other, non-LDS Christians? (Link)
