The Catholic Faith and Mormons: Handout Deacon James H. Toner Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church 13 October 2011 I. Another “Americanist religion,” Mormonism started in the U.S., in the 1800s. It was founded by Joseph Smith, whose visions, he said, led to his discovering golden plates which permitted him to translate the Book of Mormon (reminiscent of Mary Baker Eddy’s book for Christian Science or Ellen G. White’s book for SDAs). Mormons ordinarily use the AV/KJB “as far as it is translated correctly”—a phrase permitting substitutions. Complementing scripture is the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and The Pearl of Great Price. II. Joseph Smith, born in Vermont in 1805, moved his religious headquarters from New York to Ohio to Missouri to Illinois. In 1843, Smith claimed that he had received a revelation in which polygamy was authorized (contrary to the original Book of Mormon). Smith’s wife Emma was commanded to accept Smith’s other wives. Smith had more than forty wives (American Originals, p. 195). In 1844, Smith was mayor of Nauvoo, Illinois, and was running for president of the U.S. Jailed for inciting a riot, Smith received a weapon which was smuggled into him. When a lynch mob arrived, Smith fired into the crowd; he was shot and killed while trying to escape from a jail window. Brigham Young (1801-1877) led many Mormons into Utah. Young had 55 wives (American Originals, p. 217). The Utah Mormon War of 1857-1858 left the U.S. in control of Utah. In 1890, the Mormons (except for some splinter groups) ceased public polygamy. The Mormons also regarded dark skin as divine punishment. In 1978 a new divine revelation (to S. W. Kimball) opened the Mormon priesthood to those with darker skin, although the previous Mormon teaching was not repudiated. The Mormons have spent the last sixty years trying, on balance successfully, to burnish their violent, polygamous image. Tangent I: The Popes and Slavery. III. Mormons do not have sacraments but “ordinances.” Their “saving ordinances” include baptism (their form is unacceptable to Catholics) and confirmation. Mormon men should be ordained to the Aaronic (lesser of the two) and Melchizedek priesthood. They also have a series of blessings they use for oils, graves, or church buildings; and they have a kind of Eucharist (they call it “the Sacrament”) and Anointing (they call it “administering to the sick and afflicted”). “In ways the anti-Catholic Mormons would never admit, the rich temple ordinances added a final eclectic element to their religion, one comparable to the rich liturgies of Roman Catholicism [American Originals, p. 199].” They have no infant baptism, and they reject the Real Presence, which would be correct in their case. IV. By Catholic Christian standards, their theology is shocking. “The Great Apostasy” was the “departure” from the faith taught by Jesus. Mormons are polytheists. A race of divine beings serve as gods of different worlds. These gods propagate sexually. We can become gods with our world to govern. Lorenzo Snow (1814-1901, the fifth Mormon prophet) said: “As man is, God once was; as God is, man may become.” (This traditional teaching appears to be under evaluation by current Mormons.) We can become gods, like God the Father (although he will be a step ahead of Mormons). V. As individuals, we were not created by God; we existed from all eternity as intelligences. At some point, these intelligences were born as “spirit children” to God the Father and his wife (or one of his wives—as some Mormon sources have it—divine polygamy). To further our development, we were then born into the world of our earthly parents. Unique Mormon practices include temple (only about 100 in the world) worship (requiring a “temple recommend” for elite Mormons), “endowment” (bestowal of power from on high), and “sealing,” which unites a couple for and in the afterlife. The also baptize the dead—as well as proxy baptisms and other ordinances for some non-Mormons. (More below under X.) Their sacred rituals are secretive. VI. Mormons worship about three hours on Sunday (in a “chapel”): Non-liturgical worship with hymns, prayers, and testimony, supplemented by schooling. Mormon Monday (Catholics can learn from this!) is usually a family time with scripture reading, singing, and prayer. If Mormon theology is bizarre by Christian standards, their emphasis on family, health, and education is commendable. Joseph Smith’s “The Word of Wisdom” advises against the use of tobacco, wine, and strong drinks (and often against meat consumption). Beer was permitted, but no longer. Mormons are not to gamble. How about Catholics (see CCC 2413)? VII. Mormon ecclesiology is complex. A “ward” is presided over by a bishop. A number of wards constitute a “stake,” presided over by a “stake president.” If there are inadequate members for wards and stakes, then they may have “branches” and districts.” At the highest levels are the “Quorum of the Twelve Apostles” and the “First Presidency” (usually three men, of whom one is the “most equal”). The highest officer is “prophet, seer, and revelator.” Normally, then, = 15 apostles. There are intermediate groups in the hierarchy. There are also LDS splinter groups, including the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (now known as The Community of Christ, now very much like a theologically liberal Protestant body). More fundamentalist Mormon groups, often polygamous and racist, are strongly disapproved of by the main Mormon Church. Tangent II: Organization of the [Catholic] Church VIII. Unless one is baptized, he isn’t Christian, and Mormon baptism is invalid; therefore Mormons are not Christian. Note that this is NOT a condemnation of individual Mormons. Mormons do not recognize Christian baptism, regard Christian bodies as part of the “Great Apostasy,” and aggressively seek to convert us—especially through their missionary activity. IX. A Catholic Response to Mormon Missionaries includes pointing out that (a) there is only one God; (b) the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three Persons who are one Being, not three separate deities; (c) Jesus died and rose again so that we might be forgiven our sins and become godly (holy), but not so that we would become deities (see 2 Pt 1:4 [read commentary in Ignatius Catholic Study Bible (ISBN 9781586172503), p. 461]; cf. CCC 1988) in the sense that He is God—Rev 21:27 helps us understand this; and (d) the Church founded by Jesus the Christ would be protected by the Holy Spirit (Mt 16:18, 28:20; John 14:16, 16:13) from its founding; there was no “Great Apostasy.” (Toward the end of the world, the Bible tells us, there will be a falling away from the faith [2 Thess 2:3, 1 Tim 4:1; cf. CCC #675] but this is at the end time.) We know a great deal about early heresies, but there is no record concerning a “great apostasy.” X. Other points include mandatory tithing; the post-Resurrection visit of Jesus to the Americas; continuing revelation (Catholics hold that public or “general” revelation ended at the death of the last apostle [CCC #66, 73], but private revelations can be given still—and have been, as Marian apparitions at such places as Fatima and Lourdes, testify [CCC #67]. Such revelations can never correct, supplement, or complete the Christian faith, which is precisely what Mormon "revelations" claim to do.); distinctive garments; baptism of the dead (1 Cor 15:29--read commentary in Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, p. 307, or Navarre Bible New Testament [ISBN 1889334596], pp. 441-442n.); temporary hell, celestial marriage, and the three kingdoms (useful is Beginning Apologetics 2, p. 37); and very strong indoctrination and regimentation. We Catholics look forward to the beatific vision and being with and worshiping the source of infinite goodness for all eternity, not being worshiped by others as we rule over some planet. Useful in the preparation of this talk were Paul K. Conkin, American Originals (Chapel Hill: UNC Press, 1997; a Catholic Answers pamphlet “Mormonism : A Catholic Perspective” (San Diego: Catholic Answers, 2008); Father Frank Chacon and Jim Burnham, Beginning Apologetics 2 (Farmington, NM: San Juan Catholic Seminars, 2007: ISBN 9781930084018); and http://comparing-views.com/index.htm. .