Evangelical-Mormon Dialogue

I recently stumbled across the transcript of a talk given in 2001 at the Harvard Divinity School by Robert L. Millet, former dean of religious education at Brigham Young University. In this talk, Millet explains the similarities and differences between the beliefs of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and other Christian denominations. He seemed to echo the very same ideals I’ve been aspiring to, that is, a better understanding of our shared worship of Jesus Christ.

I would think Millet’s education had something to do with his desire to reach out to our brothers and sisters of other Christian churches. While he received a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from BYU, he completed his Ph.D. at Florida State University in biblical studies and contemporary theology.

Several of Bro. Millet’s statements perfectly expressed what I’ve been feeling for quite some time. But first, he clarified what Latter-day Saints believe about Christ, much of which is common ground we share with the rest of the Christian world:

• Jesus is the Son of God, the Only Begotten Son in the flesh.
• The accounts of Jesus’ life and ministry recorded in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John in the New Testament are historical and truthful.
• He was born of a virgin, Mary, in Bethlehem of Judea in what has come to be known as the meridian of time, the central point in salvation history.
• Jesus is the Son of God the Father and as such inherited powers of godhood and divinity from His Father, including immortality, and the capacity to live forever.
• Jesus performed miracles, including granting sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, life to some who had died, and forgiveness to those steeped in sin.
• Jesus taught His gospel — the glad tidings or good news that salvation had come to earth through Him.
• Jesus selected leaders, invested them with authority, and organized a church.
• Jesus’ teachings and His own matchless and perfect life provide a pattern for men and women to live by.
• Jesus suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane and He submitted to a cruel death on the cross of Calvary, all as a willing sacrifice, a substitutionary atonement for our sins.
• We do not believe that we can either overcome the flesh or gain eternal reward through our own unaided efforts.

He then discussed how Latter-day Saint theology differs from creedal Christianity. Essentially, it comes down to our rejection of doctrinal changes that emerged from centuries of debates and councils and creeds. For example:

• The epistles of Paul, Peter, Jude, and John suggest that the apostasy or falling away of the first-century Christian church was well underway by the close of the first century.
• With the deaths of the apostles and the loss of the priesthood, the institutional power to perform and oversee saving sacraments or ordinances, learn the mind of God, and interpret scripture was no longer on earth.
• The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are separate and distinct personages, and They are one in purpose.

It’s always puzzled me how so many can read the New Testament and come away thinking that God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are one Being without substance, parts, or passion. While I have no intention of making apologetic arguments here, it was refreshing to read Bro. Millet’s thoughts on the topic:

Latter-day Saints believe that the simplest reading of the New Testament text produces the simplest conclusion — that the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost are separate and distinct personages, that They are one in purpose. We feel that the sheer preponderance of references in the Bible would lead an uninformed reader to the understanding that God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are separate beings. That is, one must look to the third- and fourth-century Christian church, not to the New Testament itself, to make a strong case for the Trinity.

After presenting the many doctrines we share with Christianity at large, Millet continues by posing the question, “What, then, can the Latter-day Saints contribute to the world’s understanding of Jesus Christ?” Let’s review some of the most distinctive differences; differences that sadly and mistakenly lead some to label the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a heretical cult:

• The First Vision – We believe that God has always called prophets and continues to do so in our day. The first was Joseph Smith. Just as Samuel was called as a boy, so was Joseph. And just like Stephen in Acts 7, a distinct Father and Son appeared to Joseph Smith.
• The Book of Mormon – We believe God spoke to prophets in the New World just as He did in the Old World. Their record is a second witness that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the World. Several biblical passages prophesy of the Book of Mormon (Isaiah 29:4, Ezekiel 37:16-17, John 10:16, Revelation 14:6-7).

Like the issue of the Trinity, or Godhead as it’s called in Latter-day Saint theology, I’ve often wondered why so many who profess to believe in Christ would so vehemently reject an additional witness of His life and love. I understand it would also challenge many long-held beliefs but it would also more closely align with Biblical teachings. Here is Bro. Millet again:

Occasionally we hear certain Latter-day Saint teachings — like some of those concerning the Savior that I have detailed earlier — described as “unbiblical” or of a particular doctrine being “contradictory” to the Bible. Let’s be clear on this matter. The Bible is one of the books within our standard works, our scriptural canon, and thus our doctrines and practices are in harmony with the Bible. There are times, of course when latter-day revelation provides clarification of additional information to the Bible. But addition to the canon is hardly the same as rejection of the canon. Supplementation is not the same as contradiction. All of the prophets, including the Savior Himself, brought new light and knowledge to the world; in many cases, new scripture came as a result of their ministry. That new scripture did not invalidate what went before nor did it close the door on subsequent revelation.

Latter-day Saints feel a deep allegiance to the Bible. It seems odd to us, however, to be accused of being irreverent or disloyal to the Bible when we suggest to the religious world that the God of heaven has chosen to speak again. Our challenge is hauntingly reminiscent of that faced by Peter, James, John, or Paul when they declared to the religious establishment of their day that God had sent new truths and new revelations into the world, truths that supplemented and even clarified the Hebrew scripture. And what was the response of the Jews of the day? “Who do you think you are?” they essentially asked. “We have the Law and the Prophets. They are sufficient.” Any effort to add to or to take away from that collection of sacred writings was suspect and subject to scorn and ridicule. And so it is today.

So where does all of this leave us? Will we continue to hide behind doctrinal differences, hurling insults and disdain, or can we come together?

Given the challenges we face in our society — fatherless homes, child and spouse abuse, divorce, poverty, spreading crime and delinquency — it seems so foolish for men and women who believe in God, whose hearts and lives have been surrendered to that God, to allow doctrinal differences to prevent them from working together.

In the spirit of the brotherhood and sisterhood of humankind, is it not possible to lay aside theological differences long enough to address the staggering social issues in our troubled world?

Gordon B. Hickley, the prophet of my youth, pleaded for members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to lead by example:

We want to be good neighbors; we want to be good friends. We feel we can differ theologically with people without being disagreeable in any sense. We hope they feel the same way toward us. We have many friends and many associations with people who are not of our faith, with whom we deal constantly, and we have a wonderful relationship. It disturbs me when I hear about any antagonisms. … I don’t think they are necessary. I hope that we can overcome them.

In closing, I want to again quote Bro. Millet as he seems to express the feelings of my heart much more clearly and eloquently:

Knowing what I know, feeling what I feel, and having experienced what I have in regard to the person and power of the Savior, it is difficult for me to be patient and loving toward those who denounce me as a non-Christian. But I am constrained to do so in the spirit of Him who also was misunderstood and misrepresented. While it would be a wonderful thing to have others acknowledge our Christianity, we do not court favor nor will we compromise our distinctiveness.

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

John 13:34-35 KJV