Is Mitt Romney a Christian?
"I believe in God, believe in the Bible, and believe Jesus Christ is my Savior."
So said the tall, statuesque man from behind a podium as he addressed the congregation. But he was not a pastor. And this wasn't church. The words came from candidate Mitt Romney at the second Republican presidential debate. The presidential hopeful, a lifelong Mormon, sounded like an evangelical Christian.
Romney’s prominence has placed Mormonism center stage and once again raised the question: Are Mormons really Christians?
They want us to think so. In recent years, the Latter Day Saints have been increasingly insistent on their Christian status. And many Mormons, like Romney, craft their language to garner inclusion by mainstream Christians. I remember touring the Polynesian Cultural center in Hawaii, which is run by the LDS church. Before showing us the temple my tour guide smiled broadly and announced to the group, "I love Jesus with all my heart."
Unfortunately, proclamations of affection for Jesus, no matter how heartfelt must be qualified. I hate to be a grumpy heresy hunter, but Mormonism is defined by significant departures from (and additions to) biblical and historic Christianity. Ultimately it’s God’s job to decide who is truly a Christian. But as men representing Christ we need to stand up for the nonnegotiable doctrines of our faith. And Mormonism denies or twists lots of them.
So said the tall, statuesque man from behind a podium as he addressed the congregation. But he was not a pastor. And this wasn't church. The words came from candidate Mitt Romney at the second Republican presidential debate. The presidential hopeful, a lifelong Mormon, sounded like an evangelical Christian.
Romney’s prominence has placed Mormonism center stage and once again raised the question: Are Mormons really Christians?
They want us to think so. In recent years, the Latter Day Saints have been increasingly insistent on their Christian status. And many Mormons, like Romney, craft their language to garner inclusion by mainstream Christians. I remember touring the Polynesian Cultural center in Hawaii, which is run by the LDS church. Before showing us the temple my tour guide smiled broadly and announced to the group, "I love Jesus with all my heart."
Unfortunately, proclamations of affection for Jesus, no matter how heartfelt must be qualified. I hate to be a grumpy heresy hunter, but Mormonism is defined by significant departures from (and additions to) biblical and historic Christianity. Ultimately it’s God’s job to decide who is truly a Christian. But as men representing Christ we need to stand up for the nonnegotiable doctrines of our faith. And Mormonism denies or twists lots of them.
posted by Drew Dyck at 10:58 AM
4 Comments:
I agree with your points, but the thing that concerns me is summed up by a quick aside in Dr. Mohler's article:
"A contemporary observer of Mormon public relations is not going to hear this logic [that Mormonism rejects traditional Christian orthodoxy] presented directly..."
I fear that the "nominal" Mormon or newly "converted" Mormon may in fact think they are a mainstream Christian because they have not gone further into the LDS church teachings and are not aware of the doctrinal differences.
I suspect there may many Mormons that we meet in everyday life that aren't crafting "their language to garner inclusion by mainstream Christians", but truly believe they are mainstream.
How do you reach the lost that think they are already saved but aren't by a nuance they aren't aware of?
Dave,
You bring up an excellent point. Many Mormons (especially newly converted or nominal) are largely unaware of the true tenets of their faith.
This ignorance makes evangelism to Mormons difficult. Not only because they do not fully grasp the theological nuances of their own faith, but because they seem quite comfortable with their lack of knowledge and assume that any questions will be sufficiently answered by some higher up in the LDS church.
The first step is to challenge them to think on their own and to undertake the difficult task of teaching them--without exaggeration or caricature--the true character of their own religion and the important ways in which it deviates from traditional and biblical Christianity.
Drew Dyck
Drew Dyck, What are the departures you speak of when talking about LDS beliefs? What are the doctrinal differences that LDS people believe that are not mainstream Christian?
Harold Jones
It breaks Gods heart that people would lead His children away with false doctrines but the bible does tell us that this would happen.I believe that us as christains and soldiers of the truth to tell others of His love and share how He changed our lives the things that held us in bondage how He set us free.Love ,inform,pray,share thats how to battle false religion and doctrine.
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