Catholic Deacon and Scholar Laurence Hemming says Early Christianity and Mormonism share common root

[gazelam]

Laurence Hemming is one of the founders of the Temple Studies Group along with Margaret Barker and some others. (See http://www.templestudiesgroup.com for more information). At a temple symposium held at Utah State University he said the following comparing Mormonism and the Early Christian Church:

Because common ground that we share is one of the murkiest periods in Christian experience. It is the first 100 to 150 years of the foundation of the Christian church. I tease my friends in the Mormon Church History Department that in the origin of my form of Christianity we have icons and at the origin of yours you have photographs. But, the reality is that the origin of our common Christian heritage is those murky 150 years, which is so ill documented, which Margaret’s work has opened up. But, so much of what I know of my own tradition corroborates many things that she has taught me. But, many things that Latter-day Saints have taught me that Mormons also know, which is why I know we share a common root. And that’s why I think Mormons have been important in the unfolding of Temple Studies…

The video can be found here:

and this excerpt can be found from 20:00 to 21:10.

What are your thoughts regarding these comments, or any other portion of his or other remarks for that matter?

 

[Entwhistler]

I’m not sure what Mr. Hemming is trying to say. Is he trying to say that the events surrounding the time when Christianity first started is basically the same as the events surrounding the birth of Mormonism in the 1800s? Or is he saying that Mormonism can trace its origin to the Early Church? If its the latter, Okay. I don’t know much about Mormon history so I can’t really comment on that. Good on ya Mr. Hemming if that is so. Although I don’t see the point. But if it’s the former, I really doubt it. Evidence please. Because I’ve never heard this before.

 

[JimG]

I don’t find that the first 150 years of Catholic history to be “murky.” We have the ante-Nicene fathers and a good amount of historical data as well as the gospels and new testament documents, and early documents such as the Didache.

 

[lilypadrees]

According to one of the Mormons I spoke to, they (Mormons) were the first Christians.

 

[jas84173]

That’s hilarious!

I always tell that to missionaries when they tell me Mormonism was practiced in the early Church.

Funny. Hilarious statement to make.
We know of many early groups who claimed were the true Christians but were deemed heretics. Many of them we have writings of.

Absolutely none of them thought or taught anytjing as ridiculous as Mormons do.

 

[gazelam]

I’m not sure what Mr. Hemming is trying to say. Is he trying to say that the events surrounding the time when Christianity first started is basically the same as the events surrounding the birth of Mormonism in the 1800s? Or is he saying that Mormonism can trace its origin to the Early Church? If its the latter, Okay. I don’t know much about Mormon history so I can’t really comment on that. Good on ya Mr. Hemming if that is so. Although I don’t see the point. But if it’s the former, I really doubt it. Evidence please. Because I’ve never heard this before.

His quote certainly would have been more interesting had he ticked off a list of commonalities.

 

[Bob_Crowley]

At the risk of sounding cynical, it sounds to me like he’s dong a sales pitch for this “temple studies group” he’s involved with.

You know, get the Mormons on side, and they might throw some money at him.

 

[Lemuel]

The cashew apple and the cashew nut come from the same root. One is poisonous and one is not.

 

[Lemuel]

At the risk of sounding cynical, it sounds to me like he’s dong a sales pitch for this “temple studies group” he’s involved with.

The whole concept of “temple studies” is curious to me. In the early church temples, did husbands and wives go there on a Friday night dates and dress in white robes and funny hats, perform ordinances for the dead, watch Adam and Eve plays, get new names, learn secret signs and tokens, participate in the new order of prayer, and converse with the Lord through the veil?

 

[RebeccaJ]

Bob_Crowley:

At the risk of sounding cynical, it sounds to me like he’s dong a sales pitch for this “temple studies group” he’s involved with.

The whole concept of “temple studies” is curious to me. In the early church temples, did husbands and wives go there on a Friday night dates and dress in white robes and funny hats, perform ordinances for the dead, watch Adam and Eve plays, get new names, learn secret signs and tokens, participate in the new order of prayer, and converse with the Lord through the veil?

There were no early church temples. There were Jewish converts to Christianity who continued to worship in their synagogues and at the temple in Jerusalem.

Pagan converts to Christianity were not required to be circumcised, meaning, they were not worshipping at the synagogues or the Jewish temple in Jerusalem.

 

[Lemuel]

There were no early church temples.

Correct. I was making references to the OT. Mormons like to bring up Somon’s Temple when they get on the topic of temples. I just find it curious that the temples of today have little resemblance to those of the Bible. Perhaps I was getting off topic. The reference to temple study just caught my attention.

 

[gazelam]

At the risk of sounding cynical, it sounds to me like he’s dong a sales pitch for this “temple studies group” he’s involved with.

You know, get the Mormons on side, and they might throw some money at him.

It’s much more mundane that that. I don’t think they’d have me anyway. I saw several Margaret Barker videos and happened across this one which included both Barker and Hemming. Nothing more. Take care.