The Catholic and Mormon view on theosis is quite different. Firstly, Catholics don’t literally believe we become God and/or gods. Rather, what is meant by the phrase “God became man so that man may become God” (first said by St. Irenaeus) is that we move through a process to become more like God. We become more holy and move towards theosis, which is heaven. There are three stages of theosis: the purgative way, the illuminative way, and then finally the unitive way. When theosis is reached, one becomes united to God, we participate in his nature, not ontologically, but rather we become holy as he is holy and experience the fullness of his presence. This is the Catholic view of theosis; or rather it is the Christian view of theosis most stressed by Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholics in particular and also the Roman Catholic Church.
Mormons on the other hand believe that by being a good Mormon and following all the Mormons rules and participating in their rituals and ceremony’s, one is elevated to “godhood.” In this they will attain the celestial kingdom and be exalted to the same status and glory as “Heavenly Father.” Some Mormons even believe they might get their own planets and/or universes one day. This is too literal interpretation of what is meant by divinization.
The Mormon concept of the Trinity is far different from the orthodox position. Orthodox Christianity (Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, and Protestants) teaches that there is one all knowing, all loving, and powerful eternal God who is spirit. God is one being but three different persons; these persons being the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each of these persons is fully distinct from each other yet they all share the same being. They are all the one true God. There are no other gods but God who is three persons. They are all the same in nature and power. None of them is above or below each other, The Father is the Father and is uncreated, he generates the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Son is uncreated, he is begotten of the Father. The Holy Spirit is uncreated, he proceeds from the Father. The Father has given the Son all things (with the exception of fathership) and thus the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and [through] the Son.
Mormons on the other hand do not believe God has always existed. According to traditional Mormon beliefs, God the Father, or “Elohim”, was a man who was exalted by his own god. God the Father, according to Mormon doctrine, has a natural body of flesh and blood and he even has a wife who Mormons refer to as “Heavenly Mother” which he creates “spirit children” with. The first child he had was Jesus, who Mormons believe to be “Jehovah.” Mormons also believe in the Holy Spirit, who they profess to be incorporeal. According to Mormon doctrine, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all three separate distinct beings and thus are three different “gods.” Although, in order not to appear polytheistic, Mormons will say that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are united in one purpose and thus are one God.
Mormons and Catholics/Christians are very different. Mormons may claim to be Christian, but if we are to consider them Christians just because they believe in Jesus, we might as well consider Muslims or Bahia’s Christian. Simply believing Jesus does not make one Christian.
