Christianity vs Mormonism
Mormonism and Christanity are both Abrahamic religions. Historically, although Mormons consider themselves to be Christians, Mormonism has had an uneasy relationship with traditional Christianity such as the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, and most branches of Protestantism. This is primarily due to the fact that adherents to Mormonism claim that the movement is a "restoration" of the earliest Christian and Judaic doctrines. Mormonism is considered to have branched from Christianity itself but differs on their status of God and their beliefs.
According to the Latter Day Saints (Mormons), Mormonism and Christianity are identical; Mormonism restores and perfects Christianity. However, traditional Christianity regards Mormonism as a departure from Christianity, or a corruption of it.
Since its beginning in the 1820s, the Latter Day Saint movement has proclaimed itself to be Christianity restored to its original authority, structure and power; teaching that the existing denominations "were believing in incorrect doctrines, and that none of them was acknowledged of God as his church and kingdom", and "all their creeds were an abomination in his sight." Since that time, Mormonism and mainstream Christianity have both found much to admire in one another's history and manner of life; but their conflicting doctrines and claims of authority have been the cause of deadly conflicts in the past and still generate dismissive criticism from both sides today.
Comparison chart
| Improve this chart | Christianity | Mormonism |
|---|---|---|
| Use of statues and pictures: | Crosses and pictures are acceptable in Christianity. Some protestants regard statues as idols while Catholics and Orthodox widely use them as depictions of Christ, Mary, and the Saints. Images of the Father are forbidden since He is a Spirit. | Idols are not accepted, Depictions of the life of Christ and other saints are acceptable. Art for representation of a story not for idolatry. Pictures of Heavenly Father are acceptable. |
| Confessing sins: | Protestants confess to the Trinity through prayer only. No man can save a person from their sins. Catholics & Orthodox confess to their priests, as Christ Gave His priests the Power to forgive sins (Gospel according to St. John, chapter 20). | To God, usually, though public confession is also seen as sometimes needed (as in John 20). Confession of serious sins such as sexual sins and sins for which guidance through the repentance process is needful is to one's bishop or stake president. |
| Day of worship: | Worship should be a continual process in the lives of Christians. Sunday(The Lord's Day) is usually considered the Sabbath Day and set apart for church services, but some denominations celebrate the Sabbath on Saturday. | Worship should continue throughout the week through prayer and scripture study. Sunday is the Sabbath Day, the Lord's day of rest. |
| View of other Dharmic religions: | Christianity is an Abrahamic religion, not a Dharmic one. Christianity views all non-Abrahamic religions as pagan in worship. | All religions that encourage men to come to Christ are fulfilling God's will. The LDS church has the fulness of the gospel. All other religions stem from God's true church and follow his will to the extent that they encourage men to follow God. |
| Original Languages: | Aramaic, Greek, Hebrew, and Latin (from which the King James Version of the Bible was adapted) | Aramaic, Greek, Hebrew, Latin, Reformed Egyptian (the name of the characters the Book of Mormon was written in), English |
| View of other Abrahamic religions: | According to Christian doctrine, Judaism is a true religion, but with incomplete revelation (incomplete without the Messiah). Islam and Baha'i are false religions (wrong to believe in men that are greater than the Messiah). | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints carries the fulness of the gospel and God's authority on earth. All other religions stem from God's true church and teach many true principles and promote good values. |
| View of Abrahamic religions: | Christianity claims to be the continuation and fulfillment of Judaism. In their current forms; Islam and Judaism are considered to be false religions. | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints acknowledge that Jews and Muslims worship our Heavenly Father, though their worship is incomplete without acknowledging the true role of Jesus Christ as the Messiah and without priesthood authority. |
| Means of salvation: | Differs depending on which sect or denomination is followed. Some believe that salvation is secured through prayer and faith alone in Jesus Christ, others that baptism or other ordinances are necessary. | Salvation comes about through belief in the Lord Jesus Christ; repentance; baptism and receiving the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands by one with priesthood authority; and enduring in the gospel to the end. |
| About: | Christianity is an Abrahamic religion, which purports to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ as revealed through the Old & New Testaments. Interpretation is open to any man or woman as no definitive authority is found (except for Catholicism). | Christianity is an Abrahamic religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, believed to be the son of God. Mormonism is a somewhat outdated and derogatory term used to refer to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints |
| Scriptures: | DHoly Bible, a collection of 66 canonical books in two parts (the Old Testament and the New Testament), 39 in the old and 27 in the new testament. Protestant Bibles omit 7 books (Tobit, Judith, & others) found in Catholic and Orthodox Bible. | All scriptures are good for learning. The Holy Bible is scripture insofar as it is correctly translated. The Book of Mormon is most complete; the Doctrine and Covenants & Pearl of Great Price are worthy books. Apocrypha can be useful for learning. |
| Concept of Deity: | Believe in the Trinity of God. Three persons in one Godhead: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit | Father, Son and Holy Spirit are three distinct beings who are "one in purpose". They are three distinct gods. Deity is an exalted state which man may achieve through faith, righteous obedience to God's law, and repentance upon sinning. |
| Birth of Jesus: | Virgin Birth | Jesus was the Only Begotten Son of our Heavenly Father in the flesh—the only child whose mortal body was begotten by our Heavenly Father. His mortal mother, Mary, was called a virgin, both before and after she gave birth. |
| Clothes: | Encouraged to dress conservatively; Clergy usually dress in robes. | Temple Endowed men and women wear the garments of the holy priesthood. All are counseled to dress chastely. Men often wear white shirts and ties with suits to church or while acting in their capacity as church leaders or in priesthood duties. |
| Abrahamic Lineage: | Isaac and Jacob. | Isaac and Jacob. Members of the Church who receive a Patriarchal Blessing (available to all) have it revealed to them which tribe of Israel they are adopted into or have actual blood lineage from. |
| Place of origin: | Palestine, Rome, and Greece, varies according to Demographics | Palestine, Rome, Greece, and the U.S.A. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a restoration of the church Jesus Christ established, which was lost through wickedness and the martyring of the church leaders after Jerusalem fell to Rome. |
| Views on the afterlife: | Eternal Heaven for the Saved; Eternal Hell for the Damned; many believe in temporal Purgatory for the Saved, albeit still needs to atone for venial sins. | Spirit Paradise or Prison for the righteous and unrighteous immediately after death. Christ's gospel preached among the prisoners and repentance possible there. Eventually, one of three kingdoms of heaven or outer darkness (only for the most wicked). |
| Holy days/Official Holidays: | Sunday (The Lord's Day), Advent, Christmas and New Years, Lent, Holy Week, Easter, Pentecost (Whitsun), Saints' Feast Days. | Sunday (The Lord's Day), Christmas, Easter. |
| Branches: | Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox. | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (mainline church does not sanction the existence or beliefs of offshoots listed elsewhere on this chart). |
| God's role in salvation: | Salvation is a completely free gift from the Lord and comes by grace alone through faith in Jesus Christ, but one must accept Jesus into their heart and be born again to receive salvation. See Eph 2:8-9 | All men will be resurrected through the perfect sacrifice of Christ. All who choose to follow him will gain life eternal, which is life in the presence of God. Exaltation to a higher state is dependent on following God's law including ordinances. |
| War between two churches: | Catholics and Protestants fight in Northern Ireland; Fundamentalist and Evangelical Protestants deny Catholics as Christians in the United States. | Latter-day Saints were persecuted by other denominations, particularly early in the history of the church. They were often forced to leave areas, with destruction and theft of their property. |
| View of God: | "3 in 1" Belief in Trinity. Father, Son and Holy Ghost. | The word "God" is akin to a title. Our Heavenly father is a god and often referred to as God. Jesus Christ is a god, as is the Holy Spirit. All humankind can become gods and goddesses through faith and following the laws and ordinances of the gospel. |
| Offshoot religions: | Rastafarianism, Universal Unitarianism, Deism. | Community of Christ, Church of Christ, Church of Jesus Christ, Apostolic United Brethren, Fundamentalist LDS, Restored LDS. |
| Identity of Jesus: | The Son is consubstantial with the Father, which means that, in the Father and with the Father the Son is one and the same God. | Jesus is the eldest of Heavenly Father's spirit children. He is the Son of God, the Lord of all and the Savior of all who believe in Him and truly repent, or turn from, their sins. |
| Ressurection of Jesus: | Affirmed | Affirmed |
| Rites: | Sacraments | Ordinances include baptism, confirmation (receiving the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands), ordination to the Melchizedek Priesthood (for men), the temple endowment, and the marriage sealing. |
| Status of women: | Variable. Conservatives & liberals differ greatly. Women can become nuns, pastors, and teachers in some congregations and may not hold any positions of authority in others. | In the Church, men hold priesthood keys but they are not the priesthood. In the home and eternity the blessings of the priesthood are available to men and women alike. |
| Praying to Saints,Mary, and Angel: | Most Protestants do not believe that one needs to pray to Saints, Mary or Angels. Catholics and Orthodox Christians pray to Mary, the Saints, and Angels, requesting their intercession with God. | Latter-day Saints pray always and only to our Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus Christ. |
| Belief: | Believe in Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior; and receiving Eternal Salvation from Him and His Church. | Believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior; and receiving Eternal Salvation from him and our Heavenly Father. All are immortal and existed before this life. Some chose to come to this world to be tested. |
| Principle: | Because our first parents sinned, all human beings sin. So Christ came down from Heaven to save us from our sins. | Before this world was created there was a council in heaven where Satan and Jesus Christ proposed opposing plans. In Christ's plan, which was the same as Heavenly Father's, man would sin & a savior (Christ) was needed to atone for our sins. |
| Clergy: | Varies widely according to denomination. All are supported by donations from church members. May include: Priests, monks, nuns, ministers, pastors, bishops, Elders, Deacons, Youth Ministers, Sunday School Teachers, prophets. | Most worthy male members hold priesthood offices. Some are called to preside over wards, stakes, and areas. Missionaries mostly support themselves. Only a few whose full time job it is to administer to the affairs of the Church are paid. |
| Prophet: | Moses, Abraham, John the Baptist, many others. | A prophet is anyone with a testimony of Jesus Christ by the Holy Ghost, as in Num. 11:25–29; Rev. 19:10. God does call specific Prophets to call the people to repentance and reveal his will. There is a prophet on the earth today, in the LDS church. |
| Religious Law: | Christians no longer live under the law but under grace. | Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is necessary but not sufficient for salvation. Christ said those who loved him would follow his commandments. Accordingly, we must follow God's laws, such as the Word of Wisdom, Law of Chastity etc. |
| Marriage: | Monogamistic: . "and two shall become one." One man and one woman are united under God in the holy sacrament of Matrimony. In Heaven, marriage does not exist, except for Marriage between God and the soul. | Though early in the Church some were called to polygamy, the Lord revealed to the Prophet Wilford Woodruff in 1890 that it was his will for the practice to stop. Those who continued the practice were and are excommunicated. Marriage can be eternal. |
| Prophets: | Prophets are people chosen by the Holy Spirit to reveal God's message to humanity. | The gift of prophecy may be granted to any believer. God has called specific prophets, seers, and revelators to guide the Church today, as in ancient times. There is one man called the prophet of the church who holds all keys of priesthood authority |
| Geographical predominance: | Europe, North, Central, and South America, Australia and New Zealand. | United States, Canada, Central and South America |
| Second coming of Jesus: | Affirmed | Affirmed |
| Geographical distribution and predominance: | Christianity has spread worldwide across all six settled continents. | While the majority of Latter-day Saints are located in The United States, and 11.5 Million are found in the Western Hemisphere, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a worldwide religion, with organized congregations on six continents. |
| Literal Meaning: | Christian" (Greek Χριστιανός Strong's G5546), meaning "belonging to Christ" or "partisan of Christ". Also referred to as "little Christs" | Mormon was an ancient prophet who compiled over a millennium of sacred records into the plates from which "The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ" was translated. Using this name is like calling a Muslim a Mohammedan. |
| Founder: | Jesus Christ | Jesus Christ restored the church that he created anciently by revelation to Joseph Smith both directly (as in the first vision) and through Angels and the Book of Mormon. |
| Practices: | Baptism: New Birth in the New Covenant with God. Corporate worship. Public witness. Personal prayer and devotion are also entirely a matter of personal preference | Baptism, partaking of Sacrament at weekly church meetings, temple marriage and baptism for the dead. Personal and family prayer and scripture study. Family home evening. Following the teachings of modern prophets like Joseph Smith. |
| Time of origin: | While all Christian churches claim the same ultimate heritage, time of origin of each particular church varies depending upon the church. | c. 33 A.D. (Mormons believe that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a restoration of the church Jesus Christ established). Organized in the latter-days on April 6, 1830. |
| Death of Jesus: | Death by Crucifixion followed by resurrection on the 3rd day. | Death by crucifixion followed by resurrection and continued ministry among his followers in Judea and the New World. |
| Angels: | Angels are God's messengers. Angels are also demonic spirits. Not all angels are good. (1 John 4:1) | Angels are God's messengers. Angels are also demonic spirits. Not all angels are good. (1 John 4:1). Some Angels are righteous resurrected beings who previously lived on the earth since the creation. |
| Virtue in which religion is based upon: | Love. | Charity, which is the pure love of Christ. |
| Population: | 1.8 Billion | 13.8 million |
| Human Nature: | Originally God created men and women in God's image. Humankind inherited "original sin" from Adam, meaning he is in rebellion against God and enslaved to sin. Once a person is "born again," they receive a new nature from the Holy Spirit. | Man has the potential for good or evil and he chooses which to pursue. He who chooses evil can be enslaved to sin but is set free by coming to Christ. |
| Place of worship: | Church, chapel, cathedral, any gathering, self. | Church, Chapel or Temple for organized worship, though in extremis, any place where two followers of Christ gather together. |
| Definition: | Follower of Christ. | A member of the true restored Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which was restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith in the 19th century after centuries of apostasy. |
| Legislation: | Perogative of the individual pastor of the church, or of the particular Church denomination | As in ancient times when his 12 apostles regulated the affairs of the church, in the restored church there is an order to the authority he has given to men to act in his name, beginning with the First Presidency and 12 apostles. |
| Holy days: | Sunday (The Lord's Day), Christmas, Holy Week and Easter, New Year, Pentecost, Saints' Feast Days | Sunday (Day of rest), Easter, Christmas, celebrations of events in Mormon history |
| Status of Adam: | Adam was the first man created by God. He fell into temptation and brought sin and death to the human race. | Adam, the same person as the angel Michael, along with Eve made life possible for all mankind through their transgression in the Garden of Eden, which made Christ's sacrifice necessary for all men. |
| Life after death: | Eternal Salvation in Heaven; Eternal Damnation in Hell; some believe in a temporal third state before Heaven, known as Purgatory. Some also believe in the doctrine of Universal Reconciliation, that everyone will be saved through Christ. | All have been gifted immortality through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Righteous to spirit paradise and wicked to spirit prison. Salvation possible after death. Final destination decided after the Millennium. |
| Goal of religion: | To gain Eternal Salvation; to glorify God and enjoy him forever. | To bring to pass the eternal life and immortality of man through bringing people to Christ. |
| Resurrection of Jesus: | Affirmed | Affirmed |
| Belief of God: | Most self-proclaimed sects of Christianity believe in the Nicaean Creed. | The Nicaen Creed a political document formed by men. As is made plain in the scriptures, Heavenly Father has a body of flesh and bone. He was once a man like us but ascended to godhood through the laws and ordinances of the gospel, which we can do. |
| Three Jewels: | Christ, Grace and Virtue. | Faith (in Christ), Hope, and Love. |
| Promised Holy one.: | The Lord Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah of Old Testament prophecy; He will come again at the end of time to fulfill Old and New Testament prophecy. | The Lord Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah of Old Testament prophecy; He will come again at the end of time to fulfill Old and New Testament prophecy. He has restored his church to the earth today through the prophet Joseph Smith. |
Contents |
edit Differences in Origin
Christianity began in 1st century AD Jerusalem as a Jewish sect and spread throughout the Roman Empire and beyond to countries such as Ethiopia, Armenia, Georgia, Assyria, Iran, India, and China. The first known usage of the term Christians can be found in the New Testament of the Bible. The term was thus first used to denote those known or perceived to be disciples of Jesus.
Mormonism was founded by Joseph Smith in 1830 in Fayette, USA when he refused to join the Christian church. He stated that God, in a theophany (or "First Vision"), had indicated to him that all other Christian churches were in a state of apostasy and that he was to join none of them. In March 1830 the Book of Mormon was published, which Joseph Smith said was scripture that he had translated by divine power from buried golden plates delivered to him by an angel. It professed to recount a history of the Lord's dealings with some of the ancient inhabitants of the Western Hemisphere, including a description of their civilizations. The most significant part of this history is the appearance of Jesus after his resurrection.
Smith, along with five associates, formed the Church of Jesus Christ according to New York State law at the time. He indicated that he was directed by God the Father and the Son, Jesus Christ, to restore the fullness of the Gospel because Christian churches had lost essential doctrines and priesthood authority that could not be recovered without a restoration.
edit Differences in Beliefs
The core, distinguishing Latter Day Saint belief is that Joseph Smith, Jr. was a prophet who, like Moses, received revelation and scripture from God. The first such revelation recorded by Smith stated that the original apostolic church was lost after a "Great Apostasy" in the early church. Smith claimed subsequent revelations instructed him to organize the restored church of Jesus Christ and carry it to all the earth. Today, Latter Day Saints (sometimes referred to as Mormons) believe their church has the same authority as the church established by Jesus Christ, that successor Apostles are also prophets, and that revelation is on-going.
This contrasts with trinitarian Churches, who believe that their doctrines are thoroughly consistent with those taught by Jesus Christ and his Apostles. Traditional Christianity holds that the scriptural canon is closed, and that this kind of active revelation ceased with the end of the Apostolic Age. In accordance with their historic creeds, Mormonism is deemed a corrupted form of Christianity, or Christian in only a nominal or cultural sense. Their apologists argue that the beliefs unique to the LDS are incompatible with the Bible and unsupportable from either tradition or history.
The Mormons believe in modern prophets, beginning with Joseph Smith, Jr., and continuing today with Gordon B. Hinckley. Mormons believe in God the Father, the Son (Christ), and the Holy Ghost existing as three separate individual beings or personages while the Christians regard Christ as immortal and believe in the Trinity. Mormons, like mainstream Christians, also believe that Jesus Christ is the essential path for salvation. They also believe in a form of theosis called exaltation or eternal progression.
edit Christian vs Mormon Practices
Christians believe that all people should strive to follow Christ's commands and example in their everyday actions. For many, this includes obedience to the Ten Commandments of the Old Testament. Other Christian practices include acts of piety such as prayer and Bible reading. Christians assemble for communal worship on Sunday, the day of the resurrection, though other liturgical practices often occur outside this setting. Scripture readings are drawn from the Old and New Testaments, but especially the Gospels.
Mormons wear ceremonial temple garments under their daily clothes and perform baptisms for the dead, and other ordinances by proxy, in temples and doing attendant genealogical research. A dietary code called the Word of Wisdom, currently requiring abstinence from alcohol, tobacco, coffee, tea, and illegal drugs; caffeinated soft drinks are left to individual discretion. Virtually all Christians hold special ceremonies or rites, often called sacraments. The Mormons call these ceremonies ordinances. The three main ordinances practices by Mormons are Baptism, Confirmation, Sacraments, Endowments and Sealings. While Mormons are expected to confess their sins directly to God as repentance, some Christians (Catholics) confess their sins to a priest.
Some Mormons now do not accept the baptisms by other Christian denominations as valid. Most denominations of Christianity reject Mormon claims of additional scriptures, and of the prophetic office of Joseph Smith and other Mormon leaders; they disagree with Mormon claims that they have committed apostasy. Doctrines such as the beliefs about early American civilizations, which are unique to Mormon theology and not found in the teachings of mainstream Christian churches are also causes of disagreement. Nonetheless, many Christian denominations treat Mormons with respect, while not minimizing the differences in belief.
edit Hierarchy in Mormonism vs traditional Christianity
In Mormonism the hierarchy of authority begins with Jesus Christ himself and continues to the Presidency of the Church. The President of the Church is the highest ecclesiastical authority on the Earth and is often referred to as "the Prophet." He, along with his counselors and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, are believed to have direct communication with Jesus Christ and are often referred to as "special witnesses" of Christ because of this close relationship with Him. The Prophet is assisted by two counselors, who together with him form the "First Presidency" of the Church. The Presidency, along with the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, which have equal authority, unitedly lead the church. These leaders are considered to be prophets, seers, and revelators. No decision is made for the Church as a whole without absolute unanimity on the part of these 15 men.
In Christianity, with Jesus Christ as Son of God, the hierarchy consists of priests, ministers, pastors and bishops.
edit Differences in Scriptures
Christianity regards the Holy Bible, a collection of canonical books in two parts (the Old Testament and the New Testament) as authoritative: written by human authors under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and therefore the inerrant Word of God.
Mormons accept the Bible, the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and The Pearl of Great Price as works of scripture.
edit Mormon vs Christian Demographics
Data suggest that there are around 1.8 billion Christians in the world while there are 12.2 million Mormons worldwide.
edit Geographical distribution
Christianity is the world's largest religion. It is the predominant religion in Europe, the Americas, Southern Africa, the Philippines and Oceania. It is also growing rapidly in Africa and Asia, particularly in China, South Korea and the Middle East. It is declining in other countries including Australia, Great Britain, France and Germany. On the other hand, Mormonism is concentrated mainly in the USA, Latin America, Canada,Philippines and England. It has very less of a presence in China and the middle east. There is believed to be over 14 million members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints worldwide as of 2012.
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