The atonement of Jesus Christ is central to Mormonism.

To understand Mormonism, you must focus on core doctrines, those things which are canonized as official doctrine and taught consistently. While church practices sometimes change, truth does not.

There are a few guidelines that can help you evaluate whether or not a teaching is a core doctrine—or even a true doctrine of Mormonism.

First, it is important to understand that every word spoken by a prophet is not necessarily doctrine, particularly in the earliest days of the church. In the beginnings, the church was run much more informally. People talked among themselves and sometimes others took notes and published those conversations or informal speculations of church leaders.

The Journal of Discourses is the usual source for speculations by people of other religions. Journal of Discourses is not an official church publication and is not used as a source of official doctrine. It was compiled by people who took notes of speeches, prayers, sermons, and other events in shorthand and then transcribed them. However, not all the transcriptions were accurate. None were evaluated by or approved by church leaders as being official pronouncements of doctrine. It was privately published in England to provide income for the owner of the journals, although Brigham Young approved the project as a way for European Mormons to find out what was going on in Utah. It was basically the equivalent of a newspaper. Today, the Mormons own Deseret News, but articles that appear in the newspaper are not considered official doctrine, and neither are articles in the Journal of Discourses. With the availability of modern technology, many errors have been officially documented.

Because the church was small, even in General Conference, today a very formal event, people were free to ask questions. Because Mormonism focuses on continuing revelation and learning “line upon line” much of the doctrine was not yet known. Therefore, leaders sometimes speculated about possible answers. These speculations did not become doctrine unless Brigham Young or other prophets prayed and received confirmation of the truthfulness of the doctrine. Otherwise, it was just personal opinion and even a prophet is allowed to have an opinion.

So how does one know if something is an official doctrine? Both official Mormon websites, Mormon.org (intended for people who are not LDS) and LDS.org (aimed more toward Mormons but open to anyone) contain official statements of doctrine. Look for official announcements there.

It is important to remember that not all doctrine is given equal weight or importance in Mormonism. It is also important to remember that in a church that does not refuse to allow God to continue to speak and to lead, doctrine is given in increasing steps, what Mormons call learning line upon line. This means Mormons have, over the years, been given doctrine suitable just for one time period or doctrine that might be considered beginner doctrine. As the church membership grew and people became more informed about the gospel, God gradually added to their knowledge. An easy way to understand how this works is to read the lesson manuals written for children. Although the same subject might be covered in each age group, older children are given more complex information because they are ready for it. Mormons are taught by God in increasingly sophisticated stages.

Joseph Smith outlined thirteen Articles of Faith that explained the core beliefs of Mormonism at that time. These are still taught and even memorized by children. Reading them can help earnest students of Mormonism, those determined to learn only what is true about Mormons, to recognize core doctrine. The first Article of Faith is the very core of Mormonism:

“We believe in God the eternal Father, in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.”

This creates a foundation on which all other doctrines are based. The first Article of Faith makes possible the fourth, which succinctly summarizes the core of Mormonism:

“We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.”

Faith in Jesus Christ is critical to the mission and doctrine of Mormon beliefs. Repentance, the second portion of this article of faith, refers to Mormon belief in the atonement of Jesus Christ and the importance of both grace and repentance in the process of living a Christian lifestyle. Baptism, performed after the manner in which Jesus was baptized, allows people to be forgiven of their sins and is a result of grace, which came to us through the atonement. The Holy Ghost was a gift Jesus Himself promised to send to His followers once He was gone.

Another principle of Mormonism is that of continuing revelation. Nowhere does the Bible state that once Jesus died, God would no longer be willing to communicate with His children or to send them prophets. While the apostles lived, they received revelation and guidance from God and functioned as apostles, seers, and revelators. Once they died, God did withdraw for a time, an event known as an apostasy. It is not that God is not willing to have prophets on the earth at any given time, but mortals are not always willing to accept and honor prophets. When this happens, they are the ones who remove the gift of prophecy from the earth. This happened frequently throughout the Bible and happened for the longest period of time after the apostles died.

However, the Bible assures us that God will do nothing except through his prophets. (See Amos 3:7.) This means that in order to prepare us for the return of Jesus Christ, another core doctrine of Mormonism, God must restore prophets to the earth. He did this when He chose Joseph Smith as His first prophet in the last days. Today, the Church is led by Thomas S. Monson, the Mormon prophet.

There is no question as to the need for a prophet in today’s world. A short drive around most towns will show a large number of churches, all with conflicting doctrine. Clearly, original doctrine has been corrupted over time—this process started even during the New Testament times, leaving the apostles to regularly fight to overcome misunderstandings in doctrine. Without a prophet, no man can do any more than just guess at what God wants of us today or of what specific doctrines mean. Modern-day revelation is key to giving people a fair chance to prepare for the Second Coming.

Another core doctrine of Mormonism is family life. Mormon beliefs include strong teachings on the sacredness of the family unit. Families were planned by God to help Him further His work on earth and are one reason we came to earth. Mormons teach that God’s plan for families today are that families consist of one mother and one father and are meant to last forever. Mormons can be married in a Mormon temple and have their marriages “sealed” for time and all eternity. This means they do not get a divorce at death, but continue the marriage forever if they live worthy of God’s greatest blessings. In addition, parents and children are joined together forever, something most people instinctively understand, even if they say they don’t believe it. Listening to comments at a funeral often reveal a deep belief in eternal families. (“Mom and Dad are together again.”)

Central to Mormon doctrine is the Plan of Salvation. It is the story of our eternal life and unifies the most important teachings of the Mormons.

Our stories began when God created our spirits. We lived with Him as spirits for a very long time, learning truth, learning to love God, and deciding what kind of person we wanted to be. Eventually, as is the case with children living at home, we could progress no further without leaving home and going out “into the world, one God and Jesus would prepare for us. He explained that when we went there we would lose our memory of our time with Him because this journey was about faith. However, we would gain bodies and families and the Spirit of Christ would go with us to help us recognize truth if we wanted to find it.

During our time here we would face trials—different trials for each person—and we could choose our responses to them. Agency was, in fact, key to the experience. Our choices would, as Mormon prophet Thomas Monson likes to say, determine our destiny. However, we could not choose the consequences of those actions.

God knew we would all sin, and He wanted to make it possible for us to return to Him even when we did sin. He loves us and wants us all to make it back home. For this reason, He promised to send a Savior who would live on earth for a time, teach the gospel, and take our sins on Himself, saving us through grace. This grace would allow us to rise from the dead, repent, and make it back to God if we kept the commandments. Grace cannot be bought—we do not have, in ourselves, the power to bring about resurrection or forgiveness. However, the Bible is very clear that only those who keep the commandments and who repent of sins will be allowed to return to God.

“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21). The Bible warns us that faith without works is dead. If you say you believe and accept Jesus Christ as your Savior, you are saying only words unless obedience follows the words.

Some were unwilling to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior, preferring Satan’s unscriptural promise to save people without any risk of any kind. That meant we would also have no agency. We would simply be puppets of Satan and this would render life meaningless. One-third of the spirits chose to follow Satan and were denied the chance to come to earth. All those who were willing to make a commitment to Jesus were allowed to be born.

Life here on earth is not easy, but it is designed to allow us to have opportunities for growth. It allows us to seek out and find truth if at all possible.

But of course, it is not possible for everyone. Some people live their entire lives never having heard of Jesus Christ—some because they lived before He was born and some because the gospel simply never reached them. Over the centuries, theologians have debated what happens to those people. Would God unfairly punish them for something out of their control?

No, of course not. God is loving and fair and He sent us here. This means He will give everyone a fair chance to accept or reject His gospel. Those who die without being given that opportunity will receive it after their death—not a second chance, but a first chance, the only way a loving God would choose to do it. They can, just as we can, accept or reject Jesus Christ’s teachings and accept the blessings and consequences of their choice.

The Plan of Salvation is a kind, loving, and brilliant plan by our Heavenly Father, designed to give us an opportunity to become everything He intended us to become.

As you continue to study official church websites, take note of what Mormons are being currently taught in their classes. The lesson manuals are all openly online. Those teachings are the core. Mormons are impacted only by core doctrines—those taught by current prophets that affect our eternal salvation.

Mormons celebrate Christmas as the birth of Jesus Christ.

Mormon beliefs sometimes get confused with the beliefs and practices of other religions. One such belief concerns the celebration of Christmas. Mormons tend to be very passionate Christmas celebrators, with many Mormon congregations hosting nativity festivals or free sing-alongs of Handel’s Messiah each year.

While Santa makes an appearance in some Mormon homes, the focus is always on the meaning of Christmas. Christmas is considered a sacred holiday and Mormon families are encouraged to simplify the secular portions of it in order to make more room for the spiritual elements of the Christmas celebration.

Jesus Christ and celebrate His birth as a pivotal moment in eternal life. The Book of Mormon, which Mormons consider a companion book to the Bible, says, “And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.” (2 Nephi 25:26.)

Mormon beliefs state that Jesus Christ is the redeemer of all mankind and that there is no other way but through Him to achieve eternal life and be saved. The Book of Mormon contains 284 references to being saved, rather an extensive discussion on the topic. Following are some of the verses on this subject:

And whoso taketh upon him my name, and endureth to the end, the same shall be saved at the last day (3 Nephi 27:6).

For the fulness of mine intent is that I may persuade men to come unto the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, and be saved (1 Nephi 6:4).

For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do (2 Nephi 25:23.)

Mormons believe that Christmas is meaningful because of Easter and the two holidays are intertwined in their minds and celebration. Talks given on the subject of Christmas generally include discussions of the Savior’s atoning sacrifice on our behalf and His glorious resurrection from the dead.

“When all is said and done, when all the legions of the ages have passed in review, when man’s terrible inhumanity to man has been chronicled, when God’s great love for His children has been measured, then above all stands the lone figure of Jesus Christ, the Redeemer of the world, the Savior of mankind, the living Son of the living God, the Prince of Peace, the Holy One.

Isaiah spoke of Him centuries before His coming: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isa. 9:6). (See Gordon B. Hinckley, “First Presidency Christmas Devotional: “My Redeemer Lives””, Ensign, Feb. 2001, 70–73.)

What might a typical Mormon Christmas season look like? It will be different for each family, but common traditions include:

Service Projects: Many Mormon families do additional service throughout the Christmas season, giving gifts to those in need, volunteering at a church or community service project or helping at a food bank. Gifts are usually collected at church to assist congregation members who have little, but Mormons also often donate to community groups.

Reading of the Four Gospels: The four gospels are the four books in the New Testament that tell of Jesus’ life. Many Mormons use the Christmas season to read these accounts and to work as a family to understand them better. Even the youngest child is encouraged to listen to the stories in the King James translation, perhaps supplemented by a children’s version afterwards. However, they want their children to become familiar with the language of the Bible, even if they are too young to understand it.

Reading quality Christmas literature: Church leaders often quote from great literature that helps to remind us of the deeper meanings of Christmas. For example, the current Mormon prophet, Thomas S. Monson, reads three books every Christmas: Luke (the Biblical account of the Savior’s birth and life), A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, and The Mansion by Henry Van Dyke. Mormon families often incorporate these examples as well as their own personal favorites into their own Christmas celebrations as a distraction from the usual Santa fair.

Singing sacred Christmas hymns: Although the more commercial Christmas songs are fun, Mormons also sing and listen to a wide range of sacred Christmas hymns, many traditional throughout the Christian world. Some of these are included in their official hymn book, such as Silent Night and Away in a Manger.

Displaying nativities. Most Mormon homes will display a nativity scene throughout the holiday season and many Mormons collect nativities. Some families even keep one or more nativity sets on display all year long as a way to keep the meaning of Christmas in their hearts all year.

Of course, Christmas is also a time for families. Mormons hold weekly family nights in which they have a short lesson, games, music, and treats. These are just for the family and are designed to build a bond with family members and to allow parents to share their values with their children. It also increases leadership skills, since everyone takes turns doing the various required tasks—conducting meetings, leading music, teaching lessons and preparing treats. Even a very young child might get an opportunity to teach his older family members about Jesus Christ. In December, many families focus their lessons on Jesus Christ and the messages of Christmas. Family nights also often include planning for a family service project to be done during the Christmas season.

Mormons are encouraged to simplify their holidays to allow more time for family and for spiritual things. We don’t have to go to every party, every parade, or every show. We needn’t spend too much time or money shopping for gifts. When we bring our Christmas down to its simplest components, we find it is a more rewarding season that can strengthen our testimonies of Jesus Christ.

When Matthew quoted the prophecy “Assuredly, my Lord will give you a sign of His own accord! Look, the young woman is with child and about to give birth to a son. Let her name him Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14 Jewish Publication Society of America), he translated the original Hebrew text or used the Greek Septuagint version with one slight change. He replaced the Greek word for “young woman” with the word for “virgin,” thus reinforcing the messianic nature of the prophecy (see Matthew 1:23).

Based on Matthew’s interpretation and the story found in the Gospel of Luke, Christians accepted from an early period that Mary was not only a young woman but also a virgin when Jesus Christ was conceived. Both Matthew and Luke independently reinforce each other’s story about this amazing event, providing a basis to accept that they have reported reliable historical information about Jesus.

Over the centuries, some Christians have questioned Matthew’s interpretation, but it has withstood the test of time as one of Christianity’s fundamental beliefs: Jesus of Nazareth was born to a virgin named Mary. Latter-day Saints accept the New Testament as scripture and find additional validation to the concept of virgin conception in their other scriptural records. The Book of Mormon, another testament of Jesus Christ, offers the testimony of Nephi, an ancient prophet, who heard an angel declare, “Behold, the virgin whom thou seest is the mother of the Son of God, after the manner of the flesh” (1 Nephi 11:18). Additionally, Nephi rendered Isaiah’s prophecy the same way Matthew did: “Therefore, the Lord himself shall give you a sign–Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and shall bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (2 Nephi 17:14). The Book of Mormon prophet Alma testified that Jesus “shall be born of Mary, at Jerusalem which is the land of our forefathers, she being a virgin, a precious and chosen vessel, who shall be overshadowed and conceive by the power of the Holy Ghost, and bring forth a son, yea, even the Son of God” (Alma 7:10).

In the early days of The Church of Jesus Christ (inadvertently called the Mormon Church) some speculated about “how” God accomplished this miracle, much as Jews and Christians have attempted to identify how God used natural law in the case of the Flood, the dividing of the Red Sea, or the gift of manna in the wilderness, believing that miracles conform to natural laws that are hidden to mortals. Despite any attempt to explain “how,” the Church has consistently taught that the Jesus Christ was the unique Son of God—different from all other mortals who had lived, were living, and would yet live. Current official Mormon Church doctrine and teachings by Church leaders in public and private let the scriptural record stand without commentary, accepting that “with God nothing shall be impossible” (Luke 1:37).

Matthew 1 : 20 – 21 states,  “But while he thought on these things , behold , the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream , saying , Joseph , thou son of David , fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife : for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son , and thou shalt call his name JESUS : for he shall save his people from their sins…”   But this does not mean that Jesus was the son of the Holy Ghost.   Many times in the Bible, Jesus is identified as the Son of God, and the Only Begotten Son of God.  (See (John 1:14; 3:16; 1 John 4:15; 1 John 5:10; 1 John 5:13; John 1:34; John 1:49; Mark 1:1; Matthew 14:33; Acts 9:20; John 6:69; John 3:17; 1 John 5:20; Matthew 16:16; John 11:4; 1 John 4:9; Mark 5:7; 1 John 5:9; 2 Corinthians 1:19; Romans 1:4; Acts 8:37, to name a few scriptures.)

Latter-day Saints use the Western calendar, also known as the Gregorian Calendar, established in 1582. They generally observe the national holidays in the various countries where they live. For example, in the United States, LDS members (Mormons) celebrate Independence Day on 4 July and in Canada they observe Canada Day on 1 July. Mormons, like many people, also observe birthdays and wedding anniversaries as special days to celebrate with family and friends. Additionally, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) observe some of the main Western religious holidays such as Christmas and Easter, even though they believe that these dates probably do not reflect the actual historical anniversary of the birth of Jesus Christ or his Resurrection. However, they are grateful to celebrate these two supernal events with other Christians who follow the Western religious calendar. Members of the Mormon Church also punctuate their year with celebrations focusing on important key-dates in the Restoration story–including Pioneer Day generally held on 24 July, which commemorates Brigham Young’s arrival in the valley of the Great Salt Lake at the end of the famous Mormon exodus in 1847.

In Utah, this day is also an official state holiday which emphasizes the historical significance for the founding of the state instead of the religious character generally given it by Mormons from outside of Utah. Other special dates include the anniversary of the restoration of the Priesthood on 13 May 1829; the anniversary of the Mormon Church’s founding on 6 April 1830; and the anniversary of the Prophet Joseph Smith’s birthday on 23 December 1805. On these occasions Church members may participate in special activities such as the traditional “Fathers and Sons Campout,” which brings the men of the Church together to celebrate the restoration of the Aaronic priesthood by John the Baptist. Additionally, the Saints recognize that General Conference Weekends, generally held on the first weekends in April and October, are special times each year when they gather family members together to listen to Church leaders speak on Saturday and Sunday. Finally, Mormons gather each Sunday (in Israel on Saturday and in some Muslim nations on Friday) to celebrate the most important day of the year, the Lord’s Sabbath that also commemorates the raising of Jesus by God on the first day of the week. This day is considered most sacred and Latter-day Saints attempt to make it a holy day instead of just another holiday by worshiping with other members of the Mormon Church in a local chapel and taking time to emphasize good works and family activities appropriate for the day.

Related Links:

Mormon. org- Holidays and Observances

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons or Latter-day Saints) accept the traditional Christian Sabbath, which is held on the , for worship. Additionally, members of the

Mormon Church gather on other days of the week to study, pray, and participate in church meeting and activities. Because little authoritative information has survived from the past, we cannot say with reasonable certainty when and why early Christians moved from a weekly gathering on the Jewish Sabbath, the seventh day of the week, to the first day of the week. However, most scholars do agree that early Christians did gather together one day a week to worship and commemorate Jesus’ resurrection.Eventually, without question, Sunday became the official Christian Sabbath between the fourth and fifth centuries.

Mormons naturally chose to worship on Sunday from the very beginning in 1830, when the Mormon Church was organized in New York, because it was the traditional day for such activities in the United States. However, for Latter-day Saints, the day was officially sanctioned by the Lord when Joseph Smith, the first president and prophet of the Mormon Church, received a revelation approving the day: “For verily this is a day appointed unto you to rest from your labors, and to pay thy devotions unto the Most High” (Doctrine and Covenants 59:10). The day was Sunday, August 7, 1831. Since then, Mormon congregations have gathered together for their weekly worship service on Sunday, except where local tradition provides another day for such meetings. For example, Latter-day Saints meet on Saturday (Jewish Sabbath) in Israel and on Friday in some Muslim countries. Today, Latter-day Saints rest from their weekday labors and gather together on one day a week to work in the Lord’s vineyard to minister to each other and to worship the Lord in prayer, song, and scripture study. Additional Resources: Craig Harline, Sunday: A History of the First Day from Babylonia to the Supper Bowl (New York: Doubleday, 2007).

A rosary is a set of chained beads used to mark the recitation of certain prayers by Catholics. Typically, it consists of 50 beads, in groups of ten (a decade), with a larger bead before each decade. Specific memorized prayers are recited as a way of remembering aspects of the life and mission of the Savior. Catholics, with a deep sense of devotion and love of the Savior, reflect on His life and mission as they engage in these prayers and as they participate in the rituals and liturgy of the Catholic faith. We have great respect for their devotion to God and His Son, Jesus Christ.

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) don’t use a rosary, or set of beads marking a series of prayers, as used by Roman-Catholics or Anglo-Catholics.

Mormons share expressions in prayer that are self-generated, dependent on the circumstances and events in their lives a t the moment of prayer. We see prayers as personal expressions of thanks, praise, desire, sharing, and longing before the Lord, and each one as unique as the moment it’s uttered. Our prayers do follow the scriptural pattern which invites us to 1) recognize and address Father in Heaven as our Father, 2) give meaningful thanks for noticed gifts from Him in our life, 3) petition him for forgiveness, and 4) pour out our hearts to Him in the name of the Savior, Jesus Christ. Though we follow that pattern, we do not recite prescribed memorized prayers, such as the “Our Father,” for example, verbatim.

How we engage the Father is a purely personal thing and depends on how openly and honestly and deeply we wish to commune with him. Rote prayers, uttered without thought, by any of us of any faith, miss the mark in the sense that they fail to reflect deep and spontaneous engagement in conversation with God. They don’t lead us closer or bring us further along in our personal relationship any more than duplicating yesterday’s phone conversation with a friend day after day would deepen that relationship. Prayer, in the sense that we practice it, is conversation with God that draws us nearer to Him and Him to us. It involves a process of self-discovery and reaching as we tap into our deepest thoughts and share those with Him who knows us best of all, and as we receive His responses along the way.

We respect others’ faith in Jesus Christ and desire to follow Him, regardless of the differences in theology. Sharing the commonalities and differences helps us to see and understand each other better. Another difference between Catholics and Mormons in regard to prayer is illuminated through one said after the rosary, which follows:

HAIL, HOLY QUEEN, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve; to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.

To Mormons, Mary is not an intercessor. We pray directly to God the Father in the name of Jesus Christ. He alone is our Advocate with the Father. We do revere Mary, as do Catholics, as the mother of Jesus Christ, and love her faith, humility, goodness, purity, and willingness to bring Jesus Christ into the world.

This rosary prayer reflects another fundamental difference between Catholics and Mormons. While we believe, as Catholics, that Adam and Eve were cast out of the garden, we also believe that the step towards becoming mortal was essential to the plan for our happiness. Mormons, therefore, rejoice that we have been gifted this possibility to learn through this imperfect earth experience, how to progress eternally and to return to our heavenly home. We see ourselves as daughters of God, as do Catholics, and also as women of great opportunity, away from home for a season, endowed with His power and the ability to become the highest in us through Christ’s atoning sacrifice.

While we rejoice in the beauty of the gospel plan, and share the commitment to Jesus Christ of many of other faiths, we differ in these respects as we pray and commune with the Father of our individual spirits, in the name of His Son, a separate Being, even Jesus Christ.

I testify that the doctrines concerning Jesus Christ have been restored to the earth, and that they can be found in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it.[1]

Like other Christians, Mormons believe Jesus Christ is the divine Son of God. Their everyday lives are centered in Him. As the Apostle Paul wrote, “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God” [Romans 8:16]. Christ, however, was the Only Begotten in the flesh, and Mormons worship Him as the Son of God and the Savior of mankind. Mormons believe in His infinite atoning sacrifice and literal resurrection, and that “salvation is everlastingly in Jesus Christ.”[2]

Personal Response by Stephen Robinson

If Christian means that a Latter-day Saint (Mormon) believes that Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of God, Savior of the world and the only name by which humanity can be saved in eternity then it is simply a matter of record that Mormons are Christians because they believe these things. The oft-heard claim that Mormons are not Christians comes from denominations who define Christian very narrowly usually to include only themselves and to exclude most other.Thus many Catholics would deny that Protestants are proper Christians and vice verse. Seventh Day Adventists were accused of being non-Christian by evangelicals until the early twentieth century.

What is usually meant that Mormons are not Christians is that Mormons are not “our kind of Christians.”It is a historical fact that Latter-day Saints believe the New Testament and worship Jesus Christ.However, they are not traditional, historic evangelical or Orthodox Christians. Non-Christian religions, such as Islam and Judaism, consider Latter-day Saints to be Christian because they accept and worship Jesus.

Mormons accept the entire the New Testament, including Jesus’ tolerance of non-standard preachers in his own day, “Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us” (see Luke 9:49-50).

In the end only the individual Latter-day Saint can answer such a questions because Christianity in any denomination it is a matter of personal faith in and commitment to Christ.

Stephen E. Robinson, Are Mormons Christians? (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1991).

Personal Response by Karen Merkley

I have to say that I marvel that Mormons’ Christ-centeredness can be so under-received or unknown, but then shouldn’t really, because Christ himself was misperceived. In the wheel of Christianity, Mormonism is the hub. We are centered in a true knowledge of Christ and the fulness of His gospel.

I’m a Mormon-Italian-American, mother of two beautiful girls, and convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I love Jesus Christ and recognize Him as my personal Savior. Am I a Christian? Certainly an imperfect one, but certainly, “yes.”

I glanced at a few definitions of “Christian” on the Internet:

• A religious person who believes Jesus is the Christ and who is a member of a Christian denomination
• Following the teachings or manifesting the qualities or spirit of Jesus Christ
• A person who believes in Christianity; also an adjective
  www.englishclub.com/vocabulary/festivals-christmas.htm
• Religious organizations that provide opportunities for people to satisfy their inner needs and enhance their spiritual growth through organized worship or through other devotional activities under the auspices of one of the group of religious faiths that is based on the teachings of Jesus Christ …
  nccs2.urban.org/ntee-cc/x.htm
• “Christ’s ones,” that is, believers in Christ. In Acts 11:26 it says that “the disciples were first called Christians at Antioch. …
  *answering-islam.org/Testimonies/TruePath/glossary.htm
• a strongly Hellenized religion that began as a Jewish theological contention that a certain Jesus (Yeshu) of Nazareth (b. ca. 4 BC) was the prophesied Messiah (Greek, Christos). …
  www.hotcakencyclopedia.com/ho.GlossaryNonIndianNation.html
• Christian, as distinguished from Jewish
  encarta.msn.com/dictionary_1861674910/gentile.html
• This is simply the word to denote a person who is a follower of Jesus and his teachings.
  www.highwaychurchofchrist.com/dictionary/

By any of those, we fit. I fit. But I don’t need them to tell me that I’m Christian. My relationship with Jesus Christ defines my Christianity; Christianity does not define my relationship with Jesus Christ. I can’t even think of my life apart from my life in Christ. I wake up to Him every day, live for Him, and go to bed after talking with the Father in His name. Like hundreds of thousands of Mormons, I look to the Lord constantly for guidance, revelation, power, vision, strength, and forgiveness.

I know, like other Christians, that amassing treasure, flirting with worldly pleasures, and seeking fame, are like jumping on an endless carousel, spinning carnal circles around peace. There “is a more excellent way” through Jesus Christ who offers the greatest trove of riches, joy, stability and rest we can ever receive (1 Cor: 12:31).

My personal relationship with the Savior grows. I remember the August evening, under a clear sky, brightened by a full moon, when an undeniable witness of Him was infused into my soul. It was a gift-a testimony of the divinity of Jesus Christ and an overwhelming feeling of His personal love for me. I recall pouring over His words in the New Testament, learning of Him and His teachings. I was overcome that He, who had spared my life physically, died to save me spiritually. After recording the principal points of His doctrine and teachings, I began to search for the Church that adhered to the same. I recall finding The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I embraced it, and became a Christian–a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

I recall other triple-lutz turning points-letting go of clutching the covers of my life so tightly, and letting the Lord take more and more control. I recall the moment, twenty-some years ago, that I knelt down and turned my will over to His in a more complete way. I remember letting go of what others think of me, and having Him define me. I remember deciding to put His work first, and to make all of my work, His.

I have felt His closeness in the white hot flame of the refiner’s fire. I’ve been constantly awed as He shines the high beams on His word, and I receive memo after memo of His love, will, direction and counsel. I have joy in my relationship with Him. I’ve known his grace and atoning power as I’ve continued to overcome my weaknesses and grow in my discipleship. I have felt His love and signature across the pages of my life.

Related Scriptures

D&C 76:41-42: This verse sites the reason for Jesus Christ’s coming to earth.

John 10:17-18: This verse explains one of the ways Jesus qualified to be the Savior.

2 Nephi 9:6-26; 3 Nephi 27:13-20: These verses explain the purpose of the atonement of Jesus Christ.

D&C 19:18-19: This verse describes what Jesus Christ felt under the weight of our sins in the Garden of Gethsamene.