Mormon Beliefs and the Candidacy of Mitt Romney

Blake Ostler, a Mormon, a lawyer, and author of a four-volume series, Exploring Mormon Thought

The presidential candidacy of Mitt Romney has raised questions, largely from evangelicals, about a Mormon for President.  So this interview explores Mormon beliefs on a variety of issues.  Is there anything to fear?  Or are these questions simply the latest form of religious bigotry?

On the most controversial of issues, polygamy, Ostler makes clear that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (the official name of the Mormons) no longer sanctions polygamy, or plural marriage.  Those who practice it are excommunicated. 

The official position of the LDS Church does not approve of gay marriage, but finds nothing objectionable in a homosexual orientation per se.  When it comes to abortion, official teaching allows it in some circumstances, believing that a decision is best left to the woman in prayer consultation with her local bishop (the Mormon equivalent of a pastor).  This teaching notwithstanding, Mormons, by and large, do not favor legal abortion. 

Perhaps most central to the discussion at hand, the official policy of the LDS Church says that office holders are not bound by the policies of the church.  When it comes to policy formation or legislation, they are free to follow their consciences. 

When it comes to gender equality, Ostler says the church believes women are equal to men, but they fill different roles.  Women may not receive the Mormon priesthood.

Mormons believe in both separation of church and state and religious freedom.  The idea of Mormons seeking a “theocracy” is, according to Ostler, “preposterous.”

Ostler affirms that Mormons consider themselves Christian, and that they accept the divinity of Christ in the context of the traditional Christian doctrine of the Trinity.

He then discusses many of the unique aspects of Mormon theology: the prophecy of Joseph Smith, the revelation of Christ to natives of North America, the place of the Book of Mormon, baptism for the dead, human deification and their belief that the New Jerusalem will be in North America.

However, he notes that these beliefs – however strange some of them might seem to those outside the Mormon faith – are not relevant to the aspirations of a political candidate.  He notes that all religions have beliefs that sound to those outside the fold – quite strange.  As an example, he says that the Christian belief that someone can be buried in a tomb for three days and rise again is stranger than any teaching that is particular to Mormonism.  (N.B. Mormons also believe in the resurrection of Jesus). 

Ostler concludes by noting that the current public questioning of Mitt Romney’s Mormonism by some evangelicals is alienating many Mormons, and if it continues, it may lead to a severing of alliances on the Christian Right. 

The New Sanctuary Movement

Rabbi Michael Feinberg, Executive Director of the Greater New York Labor-Religion Coalition

The New Sanctuary Movement of 2007 is an effort to shelter and support immigrants, legal and illegal.  At the same time, it is an effort by religious people to make a statement in favor of comprehensive immigration reform.  It gets its name from the “sanctuary” practice of the Middle Ages when people who took refuge in church sanctuaries were considered beyond the reach of civil authorities.

For Rabbi Feinberg, his inspiration for participating in the New Sanctuary Movement comes from the Torah, which teaches concern for those most vulnerable, especially the stranger and the alien.

Although this movement is small at present, with probably 50-60 people being protected, Rabbi Feinberg expects it to grow.  It is led by people of several major faith traditions, including Protestants, Catholics, Jews, Muslims and others.  Although some of this sheltering may be illegal, that is part of the witness.  

Rabbi Feinberg notes that the labor movement, with which he is in coalition, does not see the immigrant population as a threat to American jobs.  Rather, this population is the future of the labor movement, and they take jobs Americans would not take.  

The New Sanctuary Movement favors certain “principles” of immigration reform, rather than specific provisions of law.  For example, it favors a path to citizenship for those now in the United States, the protection of worker rights and the unification of families.

Rabbi Feinberg does not believe that militarizing the border or building walls will solve the problem of illegal immigration.  The real problem, as he sees it, is an unjust economic order, where trade agreements have made it impossible for many in Mexico and other countries to earn even a subsistence living.  Thus, they are propelled by these conditions to seek employment in the United States. 

Religious groups across the theological spectrum – at least at the leadership level – are united in their desire for comprehensive reform, he says, because they share a teaching that tells them to welcome the stranger and alien.  When asked about the people in the pews, he notes that new polling shows that the majority of Americans also favor a path to citizenship for undocumented workers, even if the opposition is often more shrill. 

A Catholic Bishop Takes on the Vatican

Daniel Burke, reporter for Religion News Service   

In a highly unusual move, Bishop Donald Trautman of Erie, PA, the Chair of the Catholic Bishops’ Committee on the Liturgy, is calling on the Vatican very publicly to take back its proposed changes in the translation of prayer used during the Catholic Mass.   He has called some changes “unacceptable.”  Not only that, he is encouraging the Catholic laity to speak out the Vatican or their bishops as well.

The issue is “Latinate” or even archaic translations of prayers that may not be meaningful to “Jane or Joe Catholic” in their new form.  Words like “consubstantiation” may be meaningless or alienating to many, he fears.  At least 47% of the Catholic bishops give the Vatican only a “fair” or “poor” grade for these translations, but no one is speaking out as loudly as Trautman.  One church commentator said Trautman is clearly putting his concern for the church ahead of his “career path.”