Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
history of mormonism essays
key similarities and differences of christianity and mormonism
history of the religion of mormonism essay
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: history of mormonism essays
Since the mid 1800s, Mormons, or also referred to as the Latter-Day Saints, have been a thriving religion in the United States. Founded by Joseph smith in 1830, it has grown from a small group of outcasts to a significant size of nearly seven million followers. Joseph Smith was the first prophet and president of the Church of the Latter-Day Saints. After the murder of Joseph Smith in 1844, a man named Brigham Young migrated with bulk of the Mormons to Salt Lake City, Utah in 1847, where they made their home. Today, president and prophet of the current Church is Thomas S. Manson who resides in Salt Lake City, Utah. Salt Lake City is the home of the Mormon Church headquarters, much like Rome, Italy is the hub of the Roman Catholic Church. Mormons accept the basic teaching of Christianity, but like all Christian denominations, they have their own particular take on things.
There is a lot of debate and confusion on the topic regarding whether or not Mormons are related to Protestants, or even Christians. The founder of the Mormon Church, Joseph Smith, did in fact come from a Protestant background, and many Protestant presuppositions create a part of the foundation of Mormonism. According to the Catholic Church, it is incorrect to call Mormons Protestants, or even Christians. Gordon Hinckley, the former president and prophet of the Mormon Church, says that he and his co-religionists "are no closer to Protestantism than they are to Catholicism." The doctrines and teachings of the LDS are very different from those of the Roman Catholic Church, and Christianity. There are several differences between Catholicism and Mormonism. Perhaps the single thing that the Mormon church holds most unique to itself is its use of The Book of Mor...
... middle of paper ...
...e lowest level accommodates for thieves, murderers, adulterers,, etc. The middle heaven is for good non-Mormons and Mormons who lacked total obedience to the LDS faith and commandments. The highest level is for devout Mormons, who go on to become gods of their own planets and universes.
All things considered, the Mormon faith is very different from Catholicism. Our doctrines, teachings, and traditions are very contrary to each other. It is a thriving religion in the United States, (number 4 in membership). The faith has been around for nearly 200 years, and it continues to grow.
Works Cited
http://www.mormonteachings.com/ http://www.catholic.com/tracts/distinctive-beliefs-of-the-mormon-church http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=429652 http://carm.org/mormonism http://www.rapidnet.com/~jbeard/bdm/Cults/mormon.htm
http://www.mormonteachings.com/
The history of the Mormon Church goes back to 1863 when its founder, Joseph Smith, II, claimed to have a vision of the angel Moroni, who appeared to him in upper New York State and instructed him to interpret ancient writings on gold plates. The Mormon doctrine states that Jesus, after His resurrection, appeared to the Native Americans. The accounts with the Native Americans were transcribed onto the gold plates according to Moroni, the messenger. One doctrine of the Mormon Church, The Pearl of Great Price, shares a lot of the private journals of founder Joseph Smith. Founder Smith recalls, "He called me by name, and said that he was a messenger...and that his name was Moroni...," (Pearl. II:33) This is one of the main cornerstones of the Mormon doctrine. The Mormon Church had its beginnings from New York and traveled to Kirtland, Ohio, then on to Spring Hill (Independence), Missouri, and finally traveled back to Nauvoo, Illinois. It was at Nauvoo where on, Jun 27, 1844, Joseph Smith, III, his brother Hyrum Smith and friend John Taylor were ambushed at the Nauvoo-Carthage Jail. In the course of events that transpired, Joseph and Hyrum w...
The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints cult was founded in the early twentieth century after its founders separated from the mainstream Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The split occurred after the parent church outlawed polygamy and threatened to excommunicate any members who continued its practice (Jacobson, 2011). The FLDS cult also disagreed with the parent church’s decision in 1978, to allow all male members to hold the priesthood, regardless of their race. This is because the FLDS cult is intrinsically racis...
The Death of Joseph Smith as a Turning Point in the History of the Mormons
The Mennonite church shares many similar beliefs to the Protestant churches today however; they do not consider themselves to be Protestant or Catholic (Zavada, Mennonite Faith, 2014). They use the Bible, practice Communion, and Sunday is their Sabbath (Zavada, Mennonite Beliefs and Practices, 2014). Today in the Mennonite church there is a wide variety of how it is practiced. It ranges from “plain” people or Old Order Mennonites to congregations that blend in to the general population (Houdmann).
In 1820, Joseph Smith had a vision in Palmyra, New York, of God and his son, Jesus Christ telling him to reorganize the church of Jesus Christ. During the next 10 years, Joseph was visited by other heavenly messengers, translated the Book of Mormon and established the Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints. Many years thereafter, the Mormons relocated from Nauvoo, Illinois because of religious persecution (PBS Online). In Illinois, Joseph Smith had succeeded in establishing a religion which brought together its followers both sociologically and economically. Mormon followers were ordered to pay a tithing of 10% on their gross personal wealth. Those followers who were generous to the church were reportedly bestowed with an elevated position within the church which began a “pyramidal lay clergy – a device that provided a bonding camaraderie and loyalty for all male church members (Denton 13).” When Joseph Smith was murdered by an Illinois mob in June 1844, the Twelve Apostles scattered. Sidney Rigdon assumed the Presidency, he being Smith's first counselor. The church was divided and in looming danger of dissipation. Brigham, with true Napoleonic foresight, saw his opportunity. Young hurried to Nauvoo, denounced Rigdon as an impostor and his revelations as emanations from the Devil. He cut off both Rigdon and his adherents from the true church, cursed Rigdon, and “handed him over to the buffetings of Satan for a thousand years." Young was immediately elected President by an overwhelming majority (Waite 14). Facing continued persecution, he then led the Mormons westward out of Illinois to Florence, Nebraska on the Missouri River in 1846. In 1847, Brigham Young led an exploration to the Rocky Mountains. The Mormons had discovered and selected the Great Salt Lake region as their safe haven where they could have the freedom to worship and live as their faith decreed (Katz). Brigham Young believed that Utah was the promise land for the Mormons because of its dense populace, the freedom they would have to practice their religion, and the ease in which they took control over the region. Once established in Utah, the Mormons identified themselves with the region claiming the state as their headquarters, even electing their church president as Governor.
They belive that Joseph Smith was called to be a prophet for the church and given the task of translating the book of mormon. The Book of Mormon is Another testament of Jesus Christ, similar to the Bible. He soon founded his own church and began converting people to his faith. Soon persecuted for their beliefs, they left New York moving first to Ohio, then Missouri, and finally Nauvoo, Illinois where they lived for five years. At that time, an anti-Mormon lynch mob found and killed Joseph and his brother Hyrum Smith. Brigham Young then became Smith's successor as the second prophet of the church, and led the Mormons away to Utah where they settled at Salt- Lake-
Actually, “Mormon” is just a nickname for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. (Another nickname is the acronym LDS) A cursory glance at the church’s full name contains Christ’s name. By the very name of their church, members state their belief in Christ.
The Mormon Church in the nineteenth century was considered strange and isolated by many Americans because of...
"Growth of the Church - LDS Newsroom." LDS News | Mormon News - Official Newsroom of the Church. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2011. .
The Mormon population holds true to their unique religious beliefs. Most Mormons are similar to those who practice Christianity, however there are some differences. Over the past two centuries that Mormonism has been founded by Joseph Smith, this faith has expanded across the United States. Even though the faith has been powerful to many believers it is becoming less frequently practiced. This religion not only practices God and Jesus as separate people but also believes that God is seen in everyone. Since, Mormons are very religious and godlike we have to be competent to these differences when working with this population. There is very little information about how to perform Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) with a child that is practicing
One of the most predominant examples of Mormon ideology in the Twilight Saga is the
Joseph Smith Jr. was a very religious and God fearing man. He founded the Latter Day Saint movement, better known as the Mormon Church. He was persecuted by some and embraced by others, as well. He has been one of the most controversial men in history, today, because of his beliefs and his teachings. They were different for his time and still very strange for our time.
While Mormons claim to be Christians, many differences exist between The LDS Church and mainstream Christianity. Both faiths regard the Bible as Holy Scripture, share similar holidays, and have beliefs in common. However, differences between the Christian and Mormon faiths are not widely known. Some of the key disagreements are different Scriptures, differing views on the Trinity, contrasting sacraments and ordinances, and different ideas on Salvation and afterlife. Even though there are many similarities between the two religions, the differences are hard to overlook.
Especially for the Mormon Studies, it more intensively awakened since 2013 after conducting research on Mormon Missionaries. The research used qualitative methods through in-depth interview and participatory observation showed that the missionary is one of the form of the LDS church system of education in socializing the LDS value in relation to development the commitment of their members. On this context, the Socialization of the LDS values develops the member commitment to be willing to become a missionary. Then, by this commitment, the missionaries socialized the valued that they got to the other member of LDS and also to wider people. We conceptualized it as the socialization-commitment cycle.
“Joseph Smith, the founding prophet and president of the new church organized on 6 April, 1830, had unquestionably participated in treasure seeking and seer stone divination and had apparently also used diving rods, talismans, and implements of ritual magic.”