Contrasts in Christianity
The Catholic and Mormon (LDS) Churches draw from similar sources to construct the frameworks of their beliefs. Both share in the Holiness of Jesus Christ and the tradition of the Christian Bible. At the same time there are fundamental differences that separate the two religions.
In addition to the Bible, Mormonism draws from more modern sources. These sources make it unique as a religion. The LDS sees itself as a Christian Church. The Roman Catholic Church sees the LDS as a heretical entity. Both Churches stirred controversy from their earliest days. Both Churches emerged from early struggles into tremendous growth. They are far from being the same Church however. Brief introductions of each faith will precede a more in-depth comparison of the two religions.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS)
The LDS church, commonly referred to as the Mormon Church, has uniquely American roots but draws upon theology constructed many centuries before. The mid-19th century in America featured two eras of religious revivals called Great Awakenings. Protestant preachers criss-crossed the country holding fervent revival services designed excite and motivate crowds.
Simultaneously, millions of immigrants were coming to the United States. A large percentage of them were Catholic. America was becoming more religious. It was also a time when a new religion could be launched. Over the history of man, many people have claimed to be prophets. In America of the 19th century prophetic declarations were usually scorned, particularly by the preeminent religious leaders of the day. Into this dichotomy of religious freedom and intolerance of radical dissent, one man claimed himself as a prophet and was able to build a major religion from scratch.
Joseph Smith, Jr. formed the Mormon faith in the early 1800s after claiming to have received a series of visions from God. Smith wrote nearly all of the early Church doctrine prior to his death in the 1840s. His ministry began in his hometown of Palmyra, New York with a small but dedicated group of followers.
Catholic and Protestant leaders saw Smith as a heretic, not a prophet. Resistance against his group was often violent. The group began moving west to escape persecution. At various stages the group was attacked, jailed or forced to move on. Smith himself was jailed and subsequently killed. Brigham Young would guide the group through the rest of the journey, eventually ending in what is now Utah. The LDS quickly became a dominant force in the unsettled territory. In the late 1800s it petitioned the Federal government for Utah statehood.
Mormonism is proposed as the true progression of Christianity into the modern age. Critics argue that Mormonism is a heresy piggybacking on Christianity to give it an air of legitimacy. Whatever the case millions of followers have joined the still growing LDS Church. For all the elements the LDS has in common with the Roman Catholic Church it is the differences that define the two religions. Some differences are plainly obvious while others are more subtle in nature. A brief discussion of Roman Catholic history will set the stage for a comparison between specific beliefs and practices.
Roots of Roman Catholicism
Roman Catholicism began to form within a few decades of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Jesus is seen as the fulfillment of the Jewish scriptures that comprise the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. Much of the Old Testament was written by prophets.
Before his death Jesus charged his disciples with the task of establishing a Church and spreading the word of God throughout the world. The New Testament is comprised of first-hand accounts of Jesus life, death and re-emergence and instructions and perspectives of the early leaders of the church, like John, Paul and Peter.
When the declining Roman Empire established Christianity as its official state religion, the Catholic Church was born as a major religious entity. The Church has split and gone through periods of reformation but the tenets put forth by the Nicene and Apostolic creeds still remain central to the faith.
Creeds and Tenets of Faith
The written creeds of a faith provide a good basis for comparison with other religions. In the early formation of the Mormon Church, leaders put together statements of faith that reaffirmed many basic Christian principles. This was done, in part, because the Church was criticized heavily in the mid-1800s for its perceived departures from traditional Christian doctrine.
Early Mormon statements of faith resemble the Nicene Creed of Catholicism. The areas of difference in the Mormon statements are subtly approached. For example, while actually appearing to affirm the traditional Christian doctrine of the Trinity...Latter Day Saints statements actually affirm the three persons of the Godhead as three different deities, not one (Melton, 1988).
Church leaders were walking a thin line. The survival of the Church against its foes dictated a change of doctrine or at least the appearance of change. This process of compromise ensured the survival of the LDS as a major religion. At the same time, a number of alternative sects have been established, some still practicing polygamy and other discarded elements of Mormonism. .
The Mormon tenets are called statements of faith and not creeds for a reason. Joseph Smith claimed that the Lord told him that all creeds were an abomination (Morrow, 2010). This relieved Smith and the Mormons from having to adhere to the ancient creeds of Catholicism. Joseph Smith wanted to craft what were essentially a new set of creeds tailored to his Church and the visions he had received.
Catholicism, in contrast, draws deeply upon the past. The creeds were constructed through much effort by clergy in a legitimate line of succession at a time closer to when Christ walked the earth. It is just to adhere to them even in modern times. In the Catholic Church Tradition is revered and, together with scripture is considered to make a single sacred deposit of the word of God entrusted to the Church (Crim 1981).
In order to achieve the goal of statehood for Utah, the Church was forced to drop its most controversial practice - polygamy. Over the course of time the Catholic Church has also been forced to make concessions on some issues, but not to remove any central tenets of the faith. For the early Mormons polygamy was considered a central tenet.
The Mormon Church, early on, was an all-white church. The Book of Mormon also states that dark skin is actually a punishment from God for past and present sins. Decades later Mormon leaders repudiated this concept and it is no longer the policy of the Church. The Catholic Church formed differently in that it was a multi-cultural Church from the start. Many cultures were already present in the region it was founded.
Despite the renunciation of practices such as polygamy and race-based exclusion, Catholic leaders still see the LDS as heretical for a number of reasons. Early Mormon statements of faith indicate that salvation can be achieved by following the bylaws of the Church. Catholic and Protestant Christians agree that a person of true faith will be compelled to follow Church doctrine. They do not agree that salvation itself can be achieved this way. It is faith in Jesus Christ and Gods grace that provide salvation. In other words, Catholics do not believe that good deeds win salvation. This is clearly stated in the Bible.
For Catholics there is one Holy book - The Bible. It was created from divine guidance and stands as the one true representation as Gods word. Mormons agree that the Bible is the Holy word of God, but also that the canon is not closed. Mormon founder Joseph Smith, Jr. claimed to have told of a new source of truth called the Book of Mormon. From the Articles of Faith (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated
correctly we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.
(Melton, 1988)
The Book of Mormon relates a prehistoric story of America. A lost tribe of Israel is said to have lived among the Native Americans. In addition to adding the mythic story of America to the Christian canon, the Book of Mormon contradicts the Catholic concept of apostolic succession. A new religious order and the new Promised Land would be confirmed. According to Crim The text tells of a post resurrection appearance of Christ to establish proper religious order and confirm religious truth (Crim 1981). Catholicism recognizes no such subsequent appearance of Christ on earth. Catholic doctrine states that Christ will not appear on earth again until he comes to remove his followers to heaven before the rapture.
While the origins of the Bible are well known, the origins of the Book of Mormon are more mysterious. Smith claimed to have found it The Book of Mormon its location being revealed by an angel named Moroni (Brandon, 1970).
Another critical tenet of the Catholic Church is of the permanence and omnipotence of God. He is powerful, all-knowing and forever the same. In contrast, Joseph Smith believed that God was once a man. In the Abingdon Dictionary of Living Religions Crim writes Smith argued that God is a self-made, finite deity with a material body (Crim, 1981). Disagreement also extends to the concept of the Holy Trinity.
The Nicene Creed, an important Catholic statement of faith, presents a different conceptualization of God than the Mormon statements of faith. Instead of being three separate Gods as LDS doctrine states, the Trinity is a single God that manifests itself to us in three forms the heavenly father, his son Jesus and the Holy Spirit. In human conception they are three distinct elements. In reality they are all the same God.
Mormons take different interpretations on other parts of the New Testament or omit their mention all together. Mary, mother of Jesus, is a revered character in the Catholic tradition. Jesus was born of Mary not of mans doing but by Gods doing. The Immaculate Conception, for Catholics, is clear evidence of the omnipotence of God and the holiness of Jesus. Mormon tradition does not focus on this event.
While honoring Mary, Latter-day Saints have no equivalent of the doctrines
of the Immaculate Conception, perpetual virginity, and bodily assumption of
Mary, nor of the Orthodox veneration of icons.
(Benney and Keller, 2010)
These differences aside, both religions celebrate Christmas and Easter. The birth and particularly the death and resurrection of Christ are equally important in both Churches. Both Churches have also put an emphasis on scholarship and are important sources of history and knowledge recognized world wide.
Applications of Faith
Given the Mormon conception of the development of God, it can only follow that earthy deeds are extremely important. If God was a man who knew ultimate truth, then the people should also be able to earn a place in heaven. Mormonism changed the biblical doctrine of being saved by faith to being saved after all we can do (Morrow, 2010). We are still saved by Gods grace, but attaining that grace means we have to earn it. Catholics and Protestants believe that we all fall short of the glory of God, no matter what we do.
The Catholic Church sees rituals as important expressions of faith. The bread and wine of the Sacrament, for example, are to be considered the literal body of Christ. The Mormon Church does not share this belief but does put high importance on ritual, rites of passage and Church bylaws.
Baptism is another practice in which there are differing views. Though both Churches have an educational programs designed to prepare candidates for baptism, there can be differences in the actual methods of the ceremony. The Mormon Church believes that only full immersion is sufficient. The Catholic Church uses both immersion and sprinkling in their baptism rituals.
In the daily lives of its parishioners the Mormon Church disallows the use of such products as alcohol, tobacco and stimulants. This dates back to a law instituted in 1833 by Joseph Smith himself. There is no longer a civil penalty for using these products but social and institutional penalties can be severe. The Catholic Church discourages the use of these items to the extent that they affect the behavior of individuals or the destruction of families.
Generally speaking, the Mormon Church seeks tighter regulation of the lives of its members. In the Catholic Church, individuals are expected to strive for sin-free lives. At the same time there is a recognition that all, even the clergy, will ultimately fail at some point. Repentance and renewal are therefore paramount.
Analysis and Conclusion
The Roman Catholic Church is a massive worldwide institution. It has its own independent principality, the Vatican. The Pope is a religious leader that is deferred to by Christians and non-Christians alike. The Mormon Church has no equivalent to the Pope, but carries influence in the areas where membership is densest. The two religions were formed two thousand years apart on different continents.
The Roman Catholic Church today still dwarfs the LDS in terms of size and influence. The LDS Church however is growing at a faster rate. Taking into account the difficulty of its beginnings the growth of the LDS has been phenomenal. It shares that distinction with the early Catholic Church centuries before.
For Catholics the growth of the LDS is not due to the truism of its faith, but instead to the human tendency toward self-deception. The differences in the Churches boil down to whether one believes there are great modern-day prophets and whether the Bible is the solitary word of God. Both Churches are Christ-centered. Beyond this, there are doctrinal differences that make one Church very distinct from the other.
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