Page 15 - Christology - Student Textbook

Mormons
In his book, Garry R. Morgan writes that the “Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often called
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the Mormon (or LDS)” . . . was founded on April 6, 1830 by Joseph Smith Jr.” Mormons believe that
there are “many gods” and “God the Father is god only of this world.” Those gods were humans at
some time but later on attained “glorified status.” Their belief on God is summed up in the following
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statement, “As man is, God once was; as God is, man may become.” Further, Jesus as the first born
“of all God’s spiritual children” is a product of a physical relationship between God the Father and a
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human mother. Practiced also is racial discrimination. Orson Prat adds that Joseph Smith taught
that black skinned people were cursed and prohibited African Americans from holding the
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priesthood.

Islam
On Jesus, Garry R. Morgan notes that they concede that Jesus is a “great prophet” but “second only
to Muhammad.” They acknowledge that He is a miracle-worker and “the only person who” lived a
sinless life. Even though His conception in Mary was of the Holy Spirit, He is still a mere “ordinary
human.” Further, Islam rebuts His deity and incarnation and considers the term “Son of God” as
“blasphemous.” They also refute Jesus’ death on the cross because “God. . . would never” permit
“such a terrible thing to happen to” His “prophets.” In addition, Ron Rhodes argues that in Islam,
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to utter that Jesus was God “would be to acknowledge more than one God” which would imply
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rebuttal of “Islam’s basic confession,” monotheism.

3.4. Let’s Practice this Lesson…

1. Define Christology.

2. Explain what the Jesus Seminar folks believe about the historicity of Jesus.

3. Summarize the main thoughts on the historicity of Jesus Christ by Gnostics.

4. Condense the chief thoughts on the historicity of Jesus Christ by Myths.

32 Garry R. Morgan, Understanding World Religions in 15 Minutes a Day: Learn the Basics of Islam,
Buddhism, Hinduism, Mormonism, Christianity, and Many More (Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House Publishers,
2012), 154-5.
33 Ibid., 156.
34 Ibid., 157.

35 Orson Prat, The Seer, (Salt Lake, UT: Seagull Book & Tape, 1993), 172.

36 Morgan, Understanding World Religions, 80.
37 Ron Rhodes, The 10 Things you Need to Know about Islam (Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers,
2007), 113.

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