Afterword and Appendix

Religions with Christian and American Roots

Afterword

• Pgs. 357-59. Read aloud!

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

• Brief History (pgs. 362-63)– Joseph Smith Jr. (1805-1844) in

upstate New York.– Book of Mormon

published/Church Foundation Year in 1840

– 1839 Followers move to Nauvoo, Illinois.

– Joseph Smith and brother, Hyrum killed in 1844.

– Brigham Young moves followers to Salt Lake City, Utah.

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints• Beliefs and Practices (pgs. 363-65)– Polygamy (no longer sanctioned)– Apostasy or the abandonment of one’s

religion (church corrupted and need for new scripture, revelation, and priesthood).

– Millenialists or people who believe that at his second coming, Jesus and his followers will rule on earth for one thousand years.

– Salvation possible only within their church and in order to save ancestors, Mormons hold a baptism service that allows for the baptism of dead relatives of those already within the Church.

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

• Mormonism through a Catholic lens (pgs. 365-366)– A claim that Mormons are not,

essentially, Christians. Why?– Mormons believe that their church

is the only true and living church. Catholics hold that the church was founded by Christ and made manifest on the day of Pentecost.

– Both see evangelization as important (Mormon Channel) with missionary and works of charity/justice being key.

Seventh Day Adventists

• Brief History (pgs. 367-68)– Adventist or Christians

who believe in the second coming of Christ.

– Who is William Miller?– The Great

Disappointment?– What about the

Investigative Judgment?

Seventh Day Adventists

• Beliefs and Practices (pgs. 368-69)– Bible is the sole source of

authority for members.– Salvation for all? Nay,

salvation for some.– Saturday, or the 7th day, is

the day of instruction.– Theory of evolution is

denied and a literal approach to scripture interpretation is used.

Seventh Day Adventists

• Seventh Day Adventists through a Catholic lens (pgs.369-70)– Agree: Trinity, divinity of

Christ, Virgin birth, resurrection of the dead, and Christ’s second coming, and original sin.

– Disagree: Sabbath on Saturday, all souls are not immortal.

Jehovah’s Witnesses• Brief History (pgs. 370-71)• Charles Russell establishes the JW

(initially known as Zion’s Watchtower Bible and Tract Society) in 1884.

• Russell attempts to predict the second coming of Christ (or Jesus’ Reign, a theocracy) and a war between Satan and Jesus in 1914.

• Succeed by Rutherford who centralized and structured the organization. He renames the group the Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Jehovah’s Witnesses• Beliefs and Practices (pgs. 371-74)• The only day JW’s celebrate is the

anniversary of Christ’s Death. They don’t celebrate birthdays or other holy days.

• They don’t acknowledge the Trinity nor believe that Jesus was crucified on a cross or resurrected.

• Satan rules this present age and Jesus, at Armageddon, will destroy Satan and set-up a Theocracy. JW’s don’t pledge allegiance to countries but only to this coming Theocracy. They hope to purify all evil before Christ sets up his earthly kingdom.

Jehovah’s Witnesses• Jehovah’s Witnesses through a

Catholic Lens (pgs. 374-75)• Chief difference is in the

understanding of Jesus’ nature. Belief that Jesus is inferior to God.

• Problems with their Bible Translation, known as New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures. Their sources are not based on the original Hebrew or Greek texts.

Church of Christ, Scientist

• Brief History (pg. 376)• Mary Baker Eddy establishes in

1879.– Sickly gal. Seeking different kinds

of healing. In her 40s she…– Wrote a book called Science and

Health– HQ of Church still in Boston, MA– Churches are self-governing but

use Manual of the Mother Church for guidance.

Church of Christ, Scientist• Beliefs and Practices (pgs. 377-379):

– Baker taught that Bible and Science and Health had equal authority in life. Jesus’ teachings on health and healing had been lost but she recovers them.

– Some Theological views: God is not masculine but rather strong and compassionate. God is Father-Mother. Deny that Jesus is God, seen as son of God.

– Baker teaches that physical healing is through spiritual means alone and that suffering and death are illusions. These can be overcome by forming a union with God. Prayer is the treatment for physical ailments.

– Church has practitioners and adherents pay them for their prayer healing.

– Christian Science reading rooms.

Church of Christ, Scientist• Christian Science through a Catholic

Lens (pg. 379):– Denies most Catholic Dogma:

existence of a Creator God, divinity of Christ, Redemption, free will, original sin, and actual sin to name a few.

– Healings from their point of view are different than our miracles or gift of healing given to the Apostles. Physical healing not necessary for salvation.

– Sacraments of the Anointing of the Sick.

– Catholics embrace suffering and find it redemptive

Unitarian Universalists• Brief History (pg. 381)

– Consolidation of the Universalist Church of America and The American Unitarian Association. These two organizations merged in 1961. More commonly known as the Unitarian Church.

– Spiritual wisdom can be found in all the religions of the world.

– HQ in Boston. Each congregation is autonomous.

– Uni. encouraged to form their own beliefs and moral judgments. Ultimate authority lies within individual.

Unitarian Universalist Statement of Principles and Purposes