Opinion – Is Mitt Romney a Christian?
By Mel Borup Chandler.
Is Mitt Romney Christian?
Romney was raised in the Mormon Church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). He served a two-year, full-time mission to France (and thus is fluent in French). He has served in positions of leadership in the LDS Church’s lay clergy.
Now that Mitt Romney has thrown his hat into the ring to be a candidate seeking the Republican nomination for the presidential election, many people are asking… Isn’t he Mormon, and are Mormons really Christian?
The answer is yes, he is Mormon and Mormons are Christian. The question has some people scratching their heads, because a number or prominent Evangelicals have outright rejected Mormon claims of being Christian, because according to them, Mormons do not worship the same Jesus Christ in the New Testament; hence they are not Christian at all.
So here is the argument. By argument, I do not mean two people shouting at one another. Instead think of it as a person putting forth a point of view and attempting to offer evidence and an explanation to support their particular point of view or conclusion.
Anyone who has ever seriously studied or investigated the Mormon Church with an open heart to determine whether or not Mormons are Christian could never arrive at the conclusion that they are not. Mormonism is all about Christ— His teachings, gospel and doctrines.
What it boils down to “…are you willing to open your heart and seriously investigate the Mormon Church?” The prophet Moroni in the Book of Mormon tells us …
…when ye have received these things…ask God…in the name of Christ if these things are not true; and if ye will ask with a sincere heart with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you through the power of the Holy Ghost, and by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things. (See Book of Mormon, Moroni 10:4-5).
And this is another sticking point. Some Evangelicals say Mormons are not Christians, because they have another book of scripture in addition to the Bible. Actually, this makes Mormons more Christian, not less, because the Book of Mormon is a second witness for Christ.
Just as the Bible is the story of the tribe of Judah, the Book of Mormon is the history of the tribe of Joseph that migrated under the direction of the Lord, from the Holy Land to the Americas about 600 BC.. Many of the books in both the Bible and the Book of Mormon are named after prophets. Mormon and Moroni were two of many prophets in the Americas, just as there were many prophets in the Old Testament. The central event portrayed in the Book of Mormon is the visit of the resurrected Jesus Christ to this branch of Israel, adding a strong witness that the biblical account of His life, death, and resurrection are correct.
A popular nickname for Mormons is “LDS,” which stands for Latter-day Saints. Mormons call themselves Latter-day Saints to distinguish themselves from members in the primitive Church established by Christ, but it is the same church, The Church of Jesus Christ…of Latter-day Saints.
By definition, a Christian is a person who takes upon him- or herself the name of Christ and makes a covenant with Christ to always remember Him and obey His commandments. This is accomplished through baptism and then abiding in the covenants the person has made. Through covenant, we accept Christ’s expiation. The expiation began in the Garden of Gethsemane and culminated with Christ’s death on the cross and allows us all to break the bonds of death and receive forgiveness for our sins.
The Gift of the Holy Ghost was given to the Apostles after the death of Christ. Only people who are baptized and accept the covenants of baptism are entitled to the Gift of the Holy Ghost. However, everyone is subject to the power of the Holy Ghost, and we all share the light of Christ to help us recognize and accept gospel principles and truth.
Catholic, Protestant, Evangelical, or Mormon?
If you are not Catholic (either Roman or Orthodox) and are Christian, you are Protestant. Evangelism is an off-shoot and reform movement of Protestantism. Catholic means universal, hence the Universal Church. Protestants believe there was an apostasy after the death of Christ. An apostasy is a falling away from the True Gospel. The Protestant Reformation was a reformation of the Catholic faith to reflect a more correct teaching and gospel tradition. Catholics do not believe or accept that there was an apostasy.
Luther, among others, is credited with starting the Protestant Reformation. Luther rejected the Catholic priesthood, saying that baptism itself was a holy priesthood. He was later excommunicated from the Catholic Church. Catholics reject an apostasy and claim priesthood authority through the Apostle Peter. The Pope sits on the Chair of Peter. Although the various protestant churches have clergy who hold “priesthood,” it is not the same type of authoritative priesthood as the Catholic Church claims to have. Priesthood is defined as the authority of God to act in his name. If you are Protestant, you have made no claim to the same type of priesthood authority, but the Mormon Church has.
Both Mormons and Catholics are on equal footing as far as claims to priesthood authority. Rather than a reformation, Mormons claim a complete restoration— complete with visits from God, Christ, and John the Baptist, Christ’s Apostles Peter, James and John, and others. Since Peter appeared as a resurrected being and conferred priesthood power upon Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, then the Mormon Church can claim a line of priesthood handed down by Peter, as the Catholics do. Mormons claim there was a breach in the line of priesthood handed down from Peter. Thus, his line of priesthood authority had to be restored.
What really is bothersome to many ministers is that Mormons claim their restoration in modern times through the prophet Joseph Smith, a prophet just as in ancient times. Joseph Smith organized the Mormon Church in 1836, guided by heavenly messengers who conferred their authority. Over the years there have been disagreements in Protestant and Catholic circles, but also there has always been a sort of camaraderie. In a sense their relationship is similar to that of a father with and estranged son. In recent years, the Vatican has even extended an olive branch to reconcile various denominations, most recently allowing Anglican priests to return to Catholicism.
On the other hand, Mormonism does not share that same relationship, because it is a complete restoration; it’s not a Protestant church. If the Catholics do indeed have the authority of God to act in his name via the priesthood, and there was no apostasy as say the Protestants, then they would be correct. However, if there was an apostasy, then it follows there must be a restoration, not a reformation. Mormonism is a complete restoration of the ancient gospel and priesthood authority.
When a protestant or evangelical church addresses the issue of authority, it must acknowledge that it is a breakaway from the Catholic Church. Mormonism is not a breakaway. This is why Mormonism and Catholicism vie for validation regarding priesthood authority.
It is understandable that Protestants, particularly Evangelicals, would not want to do Mormons any favors, and that they would prefer their congregants not to examine the Mormon claim at all. Disinformation is merely a pretext to prevent congregants from doing their own investigation. They fear this and do not want to give the Mormon religion a fair shake or even allow them at the table of Christ.
Unfortunately, there have and always will be, those who distort and evade the truth. Some ministers and church leaders in various congregations have sought to distort and evade the Mormon question all together. Usually the Catholic Church takes the power position, i.e. not acknowledging or commenting on Mormonism. My personal experience in doing Missionary work in South America is that there are a number of Catholic clergy who know more about Mormons than most Mormons themselves. The difference being that they lead another Church and have done an academic study rather than an open-hearted journey of faith.
However, some church’s ministers have taken these steps further and written books, given seminars to actively repudiate Mormon teachings and religion and to stir the pot of public prejudice and opinion. The writings are grossly distorted, but contain elements of truth and historical fact. This makes it particularly difficult to ferret out the actual truth without actually investigating and verify the claims personally and on a first-hand basis. Usually these writings are presented in a hard investigative format.
A Different Jesus?
The “different Jesus” of Mormon doctrine is the resurrected Christ of the Bible. He is still resurrected today, rather than going back into the Trinitarian “substance” of spirit that is the God of Catholicism and Protestantism. The trinity took shape during the councils of bishops centuries after the death of Christ, and didn’t reach it’s final form until the middle of the 5th century. This is one idea the Protestant reformers did not choose to reject, and they stand by it today as if they had absolute proof of its validity.
In biblical times many prophets spoke with God “face to face,” and God is often described as having the form of a glorified man. Now in modern times, God the Father and Jesus Christ have shown themselves as two separate beings, both glorious and resurrected, with bodies of flesh and bone, just as Christ appeared to His apostles after His resurrection. When He was not ministering on earth, He was at the right hand of the Father. Does this mean that Mormons are not Christians? On the contrary, they are THE Christians, with Christ’s true doctrine, priesthood authority, and His own personal leadership through modern prophets.
Additional Resources:
Mitt Romney is Mormon and Mormons are Christian. Learn more at the official site of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (inadvertently called by friends of other faiths as the “Mormon Church”).
The Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ and companion to the Bible. Request your free copy.
Mormons are Christian. Learn more about Jesus Christ.
Of course Mitt is a Christian. Mormonism is a type of Christianity just like Baptism, Presbyterianism, Catholicism (my religion) and etc. People who vote against Mitt Romney because he’s Mormon are just as prejudiced as people who vote against people of other races or religions. In short, yes, Mormonism is Christian just like Catholicism or Protestantism.
I belong in charasmatic/pentecostal church. I have to say Do I believe Mitt is a christian? Yes I do, I believe mormons are christians as well. I have studied mormon teachings and their teachings are centered in Christ. I believe as I watched and heard Mitt Romney speak that he is a God fearing man. He has displayed an inner strength that bear good fruits.
Joseph, thank you so much for thinking and reflecting personally on what members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe. We wish those who swallow whole the pundits or particular (not all) pastors who make fallacious claims would truly look at the lives and teachings more closely. I love your comment: “I have studied Mormon teachings and their teachings are centered in Christ.” Are you continuing to study? Is there anything we can answer as you grow spiritually closer to Jesus Christ? Thanks, again, for visiting this site. I’ll drop you a line through email as well to follow up.
Joseph, thank you so much for thinking and reflecting personally on what members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe. We wish those who swallow whole the pundits or particular (not all) pastors who make fallacious claims would truly look at the lives and teachings more closely. I love your comment: “I have studied Mormon teachings and their teachings are centered in Christ.” Are you continuing to study? Is there anything we can answer as you grow spiritually closer to Jesus Christ? Thanks, again, for visiting this site. I’ll drop you a line through email as well to follow up.