Mitt's Mormons Might Move Mountains?

Mormon couple married at the Washington D.C. Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Yesterday, on NRO, Kathryn Lopez asked Michael Cromartie about the supposed stigma that Mitt Romney faces because of his Mormon faith. Her most pointed question was: "Do evangelicals specifically think of Mormonism as a cult? Is there something legit there?"

It is probably true, as Cromartie points out, that many Evangelicals do view Mormonism as a cult. To Cromartie's credit, he did not directly address the second point. Neither will I. Either of our biases would be showing.

However, here are few side notes that might advance the conversation:

The winds are changing and many Evangelicals are accepting Mormonism as a Christian religion. Many noted evangelical scholars and leaders have reached out in open dialogue to the Mormons:

• Last year Dr. Richard Mouw, President of Fuller Theological Seminary, admitted: "I am now convinced that we evangelicals have often seriously misrepresented the beliefs and practices of the Mormon community. …We have told you what you believe without making a sincere effort first of all to ask you what you believe." (link)
  
• Just a few years ago Dr. Craig L Blomberg, Distinguished Professor of the New Testament at the Denver Seminary came under heavy fire for publishing a book with Mormon scholar Stephen Robinson called "How Wide the Divide". The book examined the similarities and differences between the Mormon faiths and found that they agree on many points. (see more here)


• Soon after the Blomberg/Robinson book, two evangelical scholars published an article indicating that many of the criticisms that have been leveled at Mormonism have already been answered by Mormon scholars. They also noted that Mormon scholars are making excellent headway in establishing legitimate credentials for their studies: "Mormonism, has, in recent years, produced a substantial body of literature defending their beliefs... In this battle the Mormons are fighting valiantly." (more here)


• Frances J. Beckwith, prominent religious editor and sometime contributor to NRO, helped co-edit the book, "The New Mormon Challenge." Beckwith notes in the introduction: "[We] are not interested in doctrinal dispute for the sake of dispute. We are not interested in attacking and tearing down the beliefs of others like some sort of bellicose theological terrorists." (more here)

On the political front, Mormons have provided serious funding behind initiatives in California and Alaska against same-sex marriage. And last year, some reports indicated that Mormons accounted for over half of the volunteers in some counties in Ohio, pounding the pavement and phones for Bush.

To expand on other points in the Lopez article: I've argued that the vast majority of Mormons are conservative and I explain the Reid phenomenon here.

In short, there is plenty of evidence that 1) Mormonism is being taken as a "serious intellectual perspective" (Mouw) and 2) Mormons are a valuable political force in many respects.

The main dispute stems not from the core creed of Christianity but from the doctrinal framing that supports the faith. Mormons and Evangelicals both believe in Christ as their Savior and that accepting him is the only way to salvation. Mormons and Evangelicals also believe together that accepting Christ will change your life and behavior. In this respect no one would deny Mormons the Christian label.

The controversy has to do with the cannon (Evangelicals: closed | Mormons: open); revelation (Evangelicals: in the past | Mormons: ongoing); and the Godhead (Evangelicals: God, Christ and the Spirit as one | Mormons: three separate beings).

While many anti-Mormon writings bring up issues related to Mormon history (polygamy, Brigham Young, etc... ) the Evangelicals cited above have chosen to direct their comments on what Mormons believe today.

While the "divide" between Evangelicals and Mormons is real, it is shrinking. As the authors of "The New Mormon Challenge" note: "It is right for evangelicals, as fellow concerned citizens, to partner with Latter-day Saints in our common cause." We feel the same way.