A Comparison of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Catholicism, and Protestantism
by -Many who are investigating The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are interested in the similarities and differences between our church, Catholicism, and Protestantism. I’ve compiled the following table to help those who are interested in comparative religion. I’m happy to entertain any corrections in the comments section. I hope this chart helps!
| Catholic | Protestant | Mormon | |
| Trinity/God | The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are simultaneously one and three. God has no physical body. | The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are simultaneously one and three. God has no physical body. | The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are perfectly unified in purpose and together function as one monotheistic God. However, the Father and Son have physical bodiesand are physically distinct beings (John 17:22-23). |
| Christ’s purpose | Teach about God, provide moral teachings, atone for human sin. | Teach about God, provide moral teachings, atone for human sin. | Teach about God, provide moral teachings, atone for human sin. |
| Christ’s resurrection | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Christ’s divinity | Divine | Divine | Divine |
| Christ’s Atonement | Death of Christ created merit that is shared with sinners through sacraments | Death of Christ was a substitutionary sacrifice that satisfied God’s justice | Christ’s resurrection signaled the conquest of death; consequently, all human beings will be resurrected. Christ’s suffering atoned for sin. While God expects human beings to try their best to follow His commandments, their efforts are never adequate, and no personal effort merits salvation. It is only through Christ’s suffering that the requirements of justice can be satisfied and human beings can be made right with God despite their sins. |
| Religious Authority | Scripture and tradition | Scripture alone | Scripture and revelation given to modern prophets and apostles (Amos 3:7) |
| The Apostolic Authority (i. E. , the authority to act in God’s name) | Christ gave the apostolic authority to Peter, who passed it down through the Catholic popes. The apostolic authority is now found only in the Catholic Church. | One need only feel called to the ministry to be authorized to act in God’s name. | Christ gave the apostolic authority to Peter and the other apostles. In the centuries following His death, however, that authority was lost. It has been restoredthrough angelic ministry in recent centuries and is now found only in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (Learn more… ) |
| The Role of the Church | The Catholic Church is “the place where humanity must rediscover its unity and salvation. ” However, members of other Christian denominations are also in communion with the Catholic Church. | God can choose to save anyone with proper faith, regardless of the Church to which they belong. | Many beautiful and true principles are taught in other churches, but the LDS Church is unique among all denominations. The apostolic authority required to administer essential ordinances like baptism was lost in the centuries following the death of Christ’s original apostles. It has been restoredthrough angelic ministry in recent centuries and is now found only in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. However, those of other faiths who do not receive the essential ordinances through the apostolic authority in this life can receive them vicariously after death. Thus, it is possible for those of other faiths, even non-Christian faiths, to receive salvation through Jesus Christ. |
| Priests/Priesthood | A special calling for some believers. These called believers serve as mediators between God and man. | In theory, a “priesthood of all believers. ” In practice, some believers become professional clergymen. | No professional clergy; church leaders are volunteers that are called from the congregation’s membership. Leadership positions rotate every few years. In some sense, the notion of “a priesthood of all believers” is accepted, in that all members of the Church can receive personal revelation from God. In other situations, however, the volunteer clergymen do serve as important mediators (or at least facilitators) between God and man. |
| Scripture | Bible, including apocrypha | Bible, excluding apocrypha | Bible, excluding apocrypha, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, Pearl of Great Price |
| Results of Fall of Adam | Corruption and tendency to sin | Total depravity and guilt | Seen in a positive light. A “fall forward, ” since it ultimately enabled spiritual progress. Eve is honored. Original sin is rejected. |
| Free will | Free to do good or evil | Free only to do evil | Free to do good or evil |
| Predestination | Related to God’s foreknowledge | Related to God’s decrees | Related to God’s foreknowledge, but that foreknowledge in no way negates man’s ability to choose his own course. |
| Salvation | Both faith and works, though works are emphasized. | Both faith and works, though faith is emphasized. | If salvation is seen as living eternally in a “heaven, ” then we believe salvation is nearly universal, regardless of faith or works (i.e., in our theology very few people go to hell). If salvation is seen in terms of eternal progression (i.e., living in God’s presence and progressing spiritually under His direct tutelage, what we would call “exaltation”), then men are “saved by faith, after all they can do, ” meaning that works are insufficient to save and men cannot earn salvation, but God nevertheless requires a good-faith effort at righteous and correct living in order to satisfy the demands of justice. |
| Second chance after death? | Unrepentant sinners cannot accept Christ after death. | Unrepentant sinners cannot accept Christ after death. | While it is best to accept Christ in this life, the human spirit continues to be capable of change and repentance after death (1 Peter 3:18-20). Thus, one can accept Christ after death. |
| Afterlife | The wicked go to hell, and the righteous go to heaven. Some believers suffer in purgatory before going to heaven. | The wicked go to hell, and the righteous go to heaven. | Following death, human spirits go to a “spirit world. ” At the last day, all will be resurrected and judged by Jesus Christ. Very few will be sent to hell. Most will go to a “heaven. ” Those who were most dedicated to following Christ’s example will be allowed to progress eternally under God’s direct tutalege (i. E. , exaltation/theosis). |
| Place of Worship | Churches / cathedrals | Churches / chapels | Chapels, where weekly meetings open to the publictake place, and temples, where sacred, private ordinances are performed. |
| Symbols | Cross | Cross | No official symbol. For cultural reasons, we don’t typically use crosses. |
| Holidays | Christmas, Easter, saints’ days | Christmas, Easter | Christmas, Easter. Additionally, some members of our church celebrate Pioneer Day (July 24th) to commemorate the end of the forced Mormon exodus from Illinois to the deserts of Utah. |
| Transubstantiation | Affirmed | Rejected | Rejected |
| Purgatory | Affirmed | Denied | Denied, though some see parallels between the “spirit world” and purgatory |
| Prayer to saints | Accepted | Rejected | Rejected |
Sources: “Mormonism vs. Mainstream Christianity, ” “Comparison Chart: Catholic & Protestant Beliefs. “
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