Mormons and Catholics

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What do Catholics believe about unity between the Mormon Church and Catholic Church?

newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/news-releases-stories/cardinal-george-addresses-religious-freedom-in-speech-at-byu

“Our churches have different histories and systems of belief and practice, although we acknowledge a common reference point in the person and the gospel of Jesus Christ.” Cardinal George

Cardinal George is president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and the first Chicago native to become archbishop of Chicago. He presides over 2.3 million Catholics in the Chicago Archdiocese.
 
One_in_Christ said:
What do Catholics believe about unity between the Mormon Church and Catholic Church?

newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/news-releases-stories/cardinal-george-addresses-religious-freedom-in-speech-at-byu

“Our churches have different histories and systems of belief and practice, although we acknowledge a common reference point in the person and the gospel of Jesus Christ.” Cardinal George

Cardinal George is president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and the first Chicago native to become archbishop of Chicago. He presides over 2.3 million Catholics in the Chicago Archdiocese.
Click to expand...
The Catholic Church and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the “Mormon church”) are two mutually exclusive entities in multiple regards. It simply is not possible for there to be “unity” between the two, if by unity you mean the sort of unity that people think about between Protestants and Catholics and Catholics and Orthodox.

In all cases of “unity”, there is the implication that one or both groups will have to somehow modify certain doctrines or beliefs so that the unity can exist. For example, for unity to occur between Protestants, Orthodox, and Catholics, there would have to be a change in understanding of ecclesiology. The problem with “unity” among Christian groups is that each tends to believe that they are right and have the fullness of truth. To embrace unity, they may have to accept that they are wrong on certain issues.

The reason why unity between the LDS Church and the Catholic Church is much more problematic than unity between Protestant Churches, the Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church is because of [at least] two foundational issues: the Great Apostasy and the nature of God. Mormons believe that the original Church founded by Jesus Christ lost its priesthood authority, which was then restored by God in the 1800s. Catholics believe that the original Church has always existed, and that it is it (Orthodox believe the same thing about themselves).

This difference prevents any sort of unity, unless by unity you mean one group giving up their beliefs to just accept the other group’s beliefs. The LDS Church has no point in existence if a Great Apostasy did not occur. The Catholic Church has no priesthood power if a Great Apostasy did occur.

The nature of God is also a problem, since Mormons do not believe in the Trinity. So, for unity to occur, one group would have to say that their understanding of who God is is wrong. Mormons believe that their understanding of God is a “restored” concept (which also includes newly revealed points), which goes back to the Great Apostasy issue. Either it happened or it didn’t. So, the issue of who God is is very problematic, and of course is not something that Protestants, Catholics, and Orthodox encounter in such dialogues, since they all accept the Trinity.

So, there really isn’t any hope for doctrinal unity (and/or intercommunion) between the LDS Church and the Catholic Church, especially since each rejects the other’s priesthood authority and power, and each has a “one true church” claim that excludes any possibility of the other being the “one true church”. What there is hope for is continued work on social issues that are common between the two.
 
TheosisM said:
The Catholic Church and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the “Mormon church”) are two mutually exclusive entities in multiple regards. It simply is not possible for there to be “unity” between the two, if by unity you mean the sort of unity that people think about between Protestants and Catholics and Catholics and Orthodox.

In all cases of “unity”, there is the implication that one or both groups will have to somehow modify certain doctrines or beliefs so that the unity can exist. For example, for unity to occur between Protestants, Orthodox, and Catholics, there would have to be a change in understanding of ecclesiology. The problem with “unity” among Christian groups is that each tends to believe that they are right and have the fullness of truth. To embrace unity, they may have to accept that they are wrong on certain issues.

The reason why unity between the LDS Church and the Catholic Church is much more problematic than unity between Protestant Churches, the Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church is because of [at least] two foundational issues: the Great Apostasy and the nature of God. Mormons believe that the original Church founded by Jesus Christ lost its priesthood authority, which was then restored by God in the 1800s. Catholics believe that the original Church has always existed, and that it is it (Orthodox believe the same thing about themselves).

This difference prevents any sort of unity, unless by unity you mean one group giving up their beliefs to just accept the other group’s beliefs. The LDS Church has no point in existence if a Great Apostasy did not occur. The Catholic Church has no priesthood power if a Great Apostasy did occur.

The nature of God is also a problem, since Mormons do not believe in the Trinity. So, for unity to occur, one group would have to say that their understanding of who God is is wrong. Mormons believe that their understanding of God is a “restored” concept (which also includes newly revealed points), which goes back to the Great Apostasy issue. Either it happened or it didn’t. So, the issue of who God is is very problematic, and of course is not something that Protestants, Catholics, and Orthodox encounter in such dialogues, since they all accept the Trinity.

So, there really isn’t any hope for doctrinal unity (and/or intercommunion) between the LDS Church and the Catholic Church, especially since each rejects the other’s priesthood authority and power, and each has a “one true church” claim that excludes any possibility of the other being the “one true church”. What there is hope for is continued work on social issues that are common between the two.
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Excellent post in which I gladly receive. Does it become an issue when a Cardinal makes a statement like this since it appears he states that Mormons and Catholics believe in the same Christ and maybe have the gospel in common? From my Protestant perspective, the Mormon Church proclaims and believe in a different Jesus than the one Catholics, Protestants, and Orthodox Christians know and worship. It seems the Cardinal’s statement needs to be examined with this verse:

For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough. - 2 Corinthians 11:4
One_in_Christ said:
newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/news-releases-stories/cardinal-george-addresses-religious-freedom-in-speech-at-byu

“Our churches have different histories and systems of belief and practice, although we acknowledge a common reference point in the person and the gospel of Jesus Christ.” Cardinal George

Cardinal George is president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and the first Chicago native to become archbishop of Chicago. He presides over 2.3 million Catholics in the Chicago Archdiocese.
Click to expand...
 
TheosisM said:
The Catholic Church and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the “Mormon church”) are two mutually exclusive entities in multiple regards. It simply is not possible for there to be “unity” between the two, if by unity you mean the sort of unity that people think about between Protestants and Catholics and Catholics and Orthodox.

In all cases of “unity”, there is the implication that one or both groups will have to somehow modify certain doctrines or beliefs so that the unity can exist. For example, for unity to occur between Protestants, Orthodox, and Catholics, there would have to be a change in understanding of ecclesiology. The problem with “unity” among Christian groups is that each tends to believe that they are right and have the fullness of truth. To embrace unity, they may have to accept that they are wrong on certain issues.

The reason why unity between the LDS Church and the Catholic Church is much more problematic than unity between Protestant Churches, the Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church is because of [at least] two foundational issues: the Great Apostasy and the nature of God. Mormons believe that the original Church founded by Jesus Christ lost its priesthood authority, which was then restored by God in the 1800s. Catholics believe that the original Church has always existed, and that it is it (Orthodox believe the same thing about themselves).

This difference prevents any sort of unity, unless by unity you mean one group giving up their beliefs to just accept the other group’s beliefs. The LDS Church has no point in existence if a Great Apostasy did not occur. The Catholic Church has no priesthood power if a Great Apostasy did occur.

The nature of God is also a problem, since Mormons do not believe in the Trinity. So, for unity to occur, one group would have to say that their understanding of who God is is wrong. Mormons believe that their understanding of God is a “restored” concept (which also includes newly revealed points), which goes back to the Great Apostasy issue. Either it happened or it didn’t. So, the issue of who God is is very problematic, and of course is not something that Protestants, Catholics, and Orthodox encounter in such dialogues, since they all accept the Trinity.

So, there really isn’t any hope for doctrinal unity (and/or intercommunion) between the LDS Church and the Catholic Church, especially since each rejects the other’s priesthood authority and power, and each has a “one true church” claim that excludes any possibility of the other being the “one true church”. What there is hope for is continued work on social issues that are common between the two.
Click to expand...
While theologically speaking that is probably accurate, it is worth observing that Mormons and Catholics get along far better than Catholics and Protestants have ever done. I think that is significant.
 
IMHO the only unity which can exist between Catholicism and Mormonism would be in regards to those social issues on which we agree. When it comes to religious unity, our doctrine and theology, especially soteriology and Christology, are worlds apart and appear irreconcilable. We can (for example) embrace our Mormon brothers and sisters as compatriots in the battle for a culture of life, but should not let that religiously motivated but secular unity blind us to the deep canyon which separates the Catholic and Mormon faiths.

I don’t know the context of the Cardinal’s statement, but having studied Mormonism from their own sources I can’t agree that we even have unity in Christ as a “common reference point,” as we have such different concepts of who and what He was. There is often a harmony in the words uttered by Mormons and Catholics, however simple investigation quickly reveals the discordant meanings implicit in each side’s use of them.

peace
myztek
 
Sometimes it seems that Mormon theology and Catholic theology have much more in common in the work of Christ than Catholic and Protestant theology.
 
One_in_Christ said:
Excellent post in which I gladly receive. Does it become an issue when a Cardinal makes a statement like this since it appears he states that Mormons and Catholics believe in the same Christ and maybe have the gospel in common? From my Protestant perspective, the Mormon Church proclaims and believe in a different Jesus than the one Catholics, Protestants, and Orthodox Christians know and worship. It seems the Cardinal’s statement needs to be examined with this verse:

For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough. - 2 Corinthians 11:4
Click to expand...
I think you cannot look at the Cardinal’s statement as an acceptance of the LDS position on any doctrine. Rather, I think you would need to consider his comment only in the loosest most general sense, in acknowledging that the LDS Church looks to the gospel message of Jesus Christ proclaimed in the scriptures. It goes without saying that the doctrinal interpretation of that gospel message is not in union with the Catholic position.

I think it is akin to the Church’s recognition that Muslims proclaim the same God of Abraham that Christians and Jews proclaim, although our doctrinal understandings of who that God is differ radically.

One other aspect is that this speech at BYU was to address the issue of religious freedom of speech, and is certainly not a magesterial teaching on the question of which doctrines the Catholic and LDS Church share in common.

I think that the purpose of the speech was to recognize that Catholic and LDS communities, long separate from each other, have come together recently in support of pro-Life, family and marriage issues, in part because we both look to the teachings of Jesus that are set forth in the four gospels. It should not be understood beyond this context, IMO.

Peace,
Robert
 
When it comes to social and political issues Catholics and Mormons have a lot in common but as far as religious ideology I think their daylight/dark.

My mother is a former Mormon so I have a lot of their literature and I’ve read most of it and I have to say,their belief system is one of a kind in my opinion.

The basics are bout the same but when you really dig into it you see the BIG differences between LDS and most other religions including Catholicism.
 
To use a phrase of mine, the Mormon Church and the Catholic church will excluding general moral agreements unite when hell freezes over.
 
Also, I think there is a great difference in how the people are baptized. Correct me if I am wrong, but while Catholics, Orthodox and Protestants are baptized in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit as one God in 3 persons, the Mormons, from what I read somewhere, believe the 3 distinct persons are also 3 distinct Gods, which doctrinally speaking is indeed a major problem. We don’t have that problem with the Orthodox and the Protestants…
 
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