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Showing posts with label MORMONS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label MORMONS. Show all posts
Monday, June 15, 2026
How True Christianity and Christian Persecution Now Hinge on Bending the Knee to Trump
Thursday, June 11, 2026 — You're listening to Highest Power: Church + State, a weekly podcast from Baptist News Global, hosted by Rick Pidcock. Support faith-based journalism at baptistnews.com.
Tuesday, June 09, 2026
Monday, November 17, 2025
Monday, September 29, 2025
Sunday, September 28, 2025
Saturday, July 12, 2025
Thursday, January 30, 2025
The Church of Jesus Christ and Seventh-day Adventists Continue Humanitarian Collaboration
17 January 2025 - SALT LAKE CITY News Release
The organizations have worked together on more than 330 projects since 1995
At the conclusion of a lunch on Thursday, January 16, 2025, Presiding Bishop Gérald Caussé presented the leader of the global humanitarian arm of the Seventh-day Adventist Church with a small stained glass depiction of the Book of Mormon’s tree of life story.
The tree represents God’s love. Bishop Caussé said there’s no better way to describe the work of the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA).
“What is the greatest manifestation of love from God if it is not the gift of His Son, manifest in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ?” Bishop Caussé said to ADRA President Michael Kruger and others gathered on the 26th floor of the Church Office Building. “This is the tree we all want to approach and share with others. I feel that today we share this together, the love of God. This is what ADRA does every day. Thank you for that.”
At the conclusion of a lunch on Thursday, January 16, 2025, Presiding Bishop Gérald Caussé presented the leader of the global humanitarian arm of the Seventh-day Adventist Church with a small stained glass depiction of the Book of Mormon’s tree of life story.
The tree represents God’s love. Bishop Caussé said there’s no better way to describe the work of the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA).
“What is the greatest manifestation of love from God if it is not the gift of His Son, manifest in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ?” Bishop Caussé said to ADRA President Michael Kruger and others gathered on the 26th floor of the Church Office Building. “This is the tree we all want to approach and share with others. I feel that today we share this together, the love of God. This is what ADRA does every day. Thank you for that.”
Alex Balint (middle) and Matthew Siliga (right) of the Adventist Development and Relief Agency speak with members of the Relief Society General Presidency and Blaine R. Maxfield, managing director of Welfare and Self-Reliance Services, on the 26th floor of the Church Office Building on Thursday, January 16, 2025.2025 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.
ADRA’s purpose is to “serve humanity so all may live as God intended.” The Adventist community has 21.9 million members, hundreds of thousands of churches globally and the world’s largest integrated healthcare and education network. They deliver relief and development assistance to people in more than 120 countries.
Friday, February 16, 2024
Wednesday, January 31, 2024
Friday, December 15, 2023
Friday, September 02, 2022
Saturday, April 23, 2022
Thursday, February 14, 2019
As Mormons open Rome temple, doctrinal hiccups with Vatican endure
Elise Harris
Feb 13, 2019
SENIOR CORRESPONDENT
The 40,000-square-foot building, made of marble and granite, opened Jan. 14 and is located near the Porta di Roma shopping mall, just a few miles from St. Peter’s Basilica.
Complete with crystal chandeliers, stained-glass windows, solar panels and 24-karat gold, the temple is the 162nd Mormon temple in the world, and the 12th in Europe. It’s currently offering free tours to visitors - however, after a dedication ceremony in March, which will take place over several days, it will be open only to members of the Mormon faith.
Officially called the “Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints,” the Mormon church was founded by an American named Joseph Smith in New York in 1830, after Smith claimed to have received a series of visions from God which, among other things, revealed the location of golden plates containing what would become the Book of Mormon.
Mormon temples are generally used for either baptisms or marriages. With some 16 million Mormons worldwide, roughly 500,000 live in Europe, and, of those, around 6,000 are in Italy.
SENIOR CORRESPONDENT
The angel Moroni statue, silhouetted against a cloud-covered sky, sits atop the Salt Lake Temple, at Temple Square, in Salt Lake City. (Credit: AP Photo/Rick Bowmer.)
ROME - Last month Rome became home to Italy’s first Mormon temple, which sits just a few blocks from the Vatican. Yet while the Mormons say they’re planning to partner with the Catholic Church on several social initiatives, what they aren’t saying out loud is that technically speaking, the Vatican doesn’t even recognize the Church of Latter-Day Saints as Christian.
The 40,000-square-foot building, made of marble and granite, opened Jan. 14 and is located near the Porta di Roma shopping mall, just a few miles from St. Peter’s Basilica.
Complete with crystal chandeliers, stained-glass windows, solar panels and 24-karat gold, the temple is the 162nd Mormon temple in the world, and the 12th in Europe. It’s currently offering free tours to visitors - however, after a dedication ceremony in March, which will take place over several days, it will be open only to members of the Mormon faith.
Officially called the “Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints,” the Mormon church was founded by an American named Joseph Smith in New York in 1830, after Smith claimed to have received a series of visions from God which, among other things, revealed the location of golden plates containing what would become the Book of Mormon.
Mormon temples are generally used for either baptisms or marriages. With some 16 million Mormons worldwide, roughly 500,000 live in Europe, and, of those, around 6,000 are in Italy.
Sunday, January 07, 2018
Evangelicals and Mormons Are Political Allies, But Theological Rivals
January 6, 20187:01 AM ET
Mormons and evangelical Christians shared strong support for President Trump in 2016, but theological differences still cause tension between the groups.Rick Bowmer/AP
President Trump was among the first to express public condolences after Mormon leader Thomas S. Monson died this week.
"Melania and I are deeply saddened," Trump said in a statement Wednesday marking the death of Monson, who served as president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for nearly a decade.
"While serving for over half a century in the leadership of his church, President Monson demonstrated wisdom, inspired leadership, and great compassion," Trump added.
Members of the LDS church were among the president's most dependable supporters. Exit polls showed more than 6 in 10 Mormons voted for Trump in 2016 — second only to white evangelical Christians as the U.S. religious group most supportive of his candidacy.
Thursday, October 27, 2016
Mormon church accepts homosexuality
— some say it's not enough
Updated: Thursday, October 27, 2016, 1:09 AM
Mormons can be homosexual, acknowledge the existence of transsexuals and still stay true to their religion, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) announced Tuesday — but gay parishioners immediately pounced on the new stance, slamming the church for not doing enough.
In a video posted on a brand-new website called "Mormon and Gay," LDS leader L. Whitney Clayton says, "I now speak directly to church members who experience same-sex attraction or identify as gay, lesbian or bisexual. We want you to know we love you. You are welcome. We want you to be part of our congregation."
The website features testimonials from gay Mormons and church leaders who plead for acceptance and LGBTQ recognition. The effort appears a stark reversal from the church's passing of unambiguously anti-gay policies last year, which included not allowing children of gay parents to be baptized.
But despite apparent acceptance, the church has not amended its stance on marriage, which it maintains is a sacred bond between a male and a female.
Rally held to protest Mormon Church's new anti-gay rules
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Elder L. Whitney Clayton said people who identify as gay are now welcome. (MORMONANDGAY.LDS.ORG)
That is not sitting right with some LGBTQ Mormons, who are urging their elders to consider also changing the church's stance on marriage in order to completely complement its newfound message of acceptance.
Ann Pack, a transgender woman active in the church, called the new stance "a step forward, albeit a very small step forward" in an interview with The Guardian.
While it might superficially be preaching acceptance, Pack argued that the church still implies that homosexuals and transsexuals should remain in the shadows, or keep their sexualities to themselves.
Mormons can now identify as gay — but some parishioners claim that's not enough. (GEORGE FREY/GETTY IMAGES)
"They should be included and welcomed, not just the people who choose to be celibate," she said.
Pro-LGBT Mormons devasted by new church rules
Jena Peterson, 39, identifies as gay but has been married to a straight man for 12 years in what she defines as a "mixed orientation marriage."
Peterson was initially going to be featured in one of the videos on the "Mormon and Gay" website but backed out after it became clear to her that the church is still holding on to the same stance on marriage.
MOST POPULAR
Lawsuit accusing Trump of raping girl, 13, gets December hearing
Police officer fired for writing racial slur in uniformed selfie
Ohio woman who assaulted McDonald’s employee back behind bars
Protests turn violent as students and police clash in South Africa
Married Trump proposed to 'Apprentice' contestant Brande Roderick
"They should be included and welcomed, not just the people who choose to be celibate," she said.
Pro-LGBT Mormons devasted by new church rules
Jena Peterson, 39, identifies as gay but has been married to a straight man for 12 years in what she defines as a "mixed orientation marriage."
Peterson was initially going to be featured in one of the videos on the "Mormon and Gay" website but backed out after it became clear to her that the church is still holding on to the same stance on marriage.
MOST POPULAR
Lawsuit accusing Trump of raping girl, 13, gets December hearing
Police officer fired for writing racial slur in uniformed selfie
Ohio woman who assaulted McDonald’s employee back behind bars
Protests turn violent as students and police clash in South Africa
Married Trump proposed to 'Apprentice' contestant Brande Roderick
The effort appears a stark reversal from the church's passing of unambiguously anti-gay policies last year, which included not allowing children of gay parents to be baptized. (RICK BOWMER/AP)
"My concern is that the website gives off the perception that mixed-orientation marriages are doable for anybody when in reality they are not," Peterson said.
LDS officials did not immediately return a request for comment.
Monday, March 21, 2016
Gnostic Mormon Glen Beck Supports Gnostic Fake Evangelical Ted Cruz With Gnostic False Gospel
Edifying Others
Rating is available when the video has been rented.
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Published on Mar 20, 2016
Glen beck is not only a deceived acting radio broadcaster, but a false prophet and false teacher.
Related:
The Secret Mormon Temple Ceremony Ritual Revealed Analyzed and Refuted.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4uxZ...
Ted Cruz's Master of the Second Veil Wicked Masonic Hand Sign Confuted
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EWxi...
Related playlist: Angelic-Alien-Creator Myths Confuted.
Endless UFO Genealogy Myths & Their Irrationality Speculation of Vast Amounts of Plausibility Deception.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...
.
Thursday, December 17, 2015
Faith of the Candidates; Interview w/ Marco Rubio (Part 1)
POLITICS
I recently talked with Florida senator and 2016 Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio about his faith journey. |
Today, we continue a series on the faith of the 2016 presidential candidates.
We’ve reached out to the 2016 presidential candidates—all of them, from both major parties—and asked them to do brief interviews about their faith and how it impacts their approach to governance.
Recently, I interviewed Governor Jeb Bush about his faith. It was a fascinating interview, which you can read here.
Today, I am posting part one of my interview with Marco Rubio. Senator Rubio's interview was the same length as Gov. Bush (20 minutes), but covered a bit more ground. Both interviews have been fascinating, and I hope you take the time to read them both—and others forthcoming!
Faith Journey
Ed Stetzer: You have one of the more fascinating faith journeys. You kind of run the gamut of conservative American religious traditions. You left one and went to the other for different reasons.
So tell me a little bit about that beyond what we know. We know you grew up Catholic. You kind of were engaged in the Mormon faith and came back to Catholicism. Where are you now? Are you solely a Catholic? I know you’re theologically and doctrinally aligned. Are you an evangelical Catholic? How do you define yourself?
Senator Marco Rubio: I was born into the Catholic Church. My family attended the Catholic Church. I was 8 years old so we followed my parents, primarily my mother into the LDS church for a number of years. And by the time—I was 11 or 12—we had returned to Catholicism. So as an adult—is what I can speak to. Certainly growing up after that I attended a Catholic church, was confirmed, married in the church and I’ve never really left the church.
There was a time when I became not as engaged in my faith as I needed to be. My wife really became alive in the Spirit particularly by attending Christ Fellowship at the invitation of our sister. As my family loved attending there—my children certainly do—and she’s so alive in the church that, who was I to disrupt that based on denominational differences?
So we’ve maintained our relationship with the church ever since and continue to listen to sermons even when I’m out of town. I think [Christ Fellowship Pastor] Rick [Blackwood] is a phenomenal teacher of the Word and we enjoy very much our friendship with him and our relationship.
That said, of course I’m a Roman Catholic. I mean I’m not just aligned doctrinally and theologically but I attend mass every Sunday. We participate and are in communion with the church. So, I’m a Roman Catholic, but in no way do I view that as a conflict with the Gospel teachings that our brothers and sisters in Christ offer at Christ Fellowship. In fact, I have relationships with Greg Laurie out in Orange County and others. In the end we share the same faith in Christ as our Savior.
Catholicism and Evangelicalism
ES: Evangelicals and Protestants would say that they don’t add anything to their salvation—it's by grace through faith alone. So how would you articulate that? Are you a believer by grace through faith alone or how does the work of the church and the sacraments fit into that?
MR: The fundamental difference between Roman Catholicism and most Protestant denominations and evangelicals is the belief that Roman Catholics have that the Word of God is not just the written Word but also the tradition. Oral traditions that were handed down from the early Christians are also part of the Word of God.
It’s a misunderstanding that somehow Catholics believe you can earn salvation. You cannot earn it. It’s a free gift. What Catholics do believe, however, is that true faith bears fruit and that the fruits of that faith are important. If your faith is not bearing fruit then it’s not a true faith.
So it’s not that you can earn your salvation through work. You have to accept that the gift of salvation—which is a free gift offered to all of us by His death and resurrection. But your faith is known by the fruit that it bears and so certainly we are commanded.
Beyond the concept of salvation is the notion that we have an obligation to serve one another and to model Christ’s behavior in serving one another. I think that’s true for all Christianity. It’s why for example, Christ Fellowship, they offer [a] tremendous amount of work in the community and charity. Because it’s the fruit of our faith but it also follows Christ’s commandment to love our neighbor and to care for the less fortunate.
In many ways, by doing that, you’re ministering to Christ directly that when you welcome a stranger, or when you visit the prisoner, or when you feed the hungry and clothe the naked, you are serving Him.
I think that’s certainly manifest in the Catholic Church through its tradition of charity and charitable work all over the world but also the Evangelical community has really taken up that calling as well.
Theological Understanding
ES: When you sort of went through and explained your personal faith, it was fascinating and detailed. Even here you explained the authority of the Scriptures and the authority of tradition in the church. That’s not a normal level of theological awareness for a political candidate. From where does that come?
MR: Well, I’ve always cared about it. It’s something that I’ve tried to be informed about and understand my faith better.
As I wrote in my book, I didn’t fully appreciate Catholicism until I attended a non-Catholic church and it is by a better understanding of the written Word that I came to understand for example the liturgy of the church. The entire liturgy of the Catholic Church is built on the Bible, particularly the Book of Revelation.
From the imagery of incense and candles, to the organization of the Mass, it’s all about bringing heaven to earth in that one moment in which the body and blood of Christ is actually present, as we believe in the Catholic faith.
Having that deep understanding is important. I think one of the things about Christianity is that it is not simply a faith that you understand at a spiritual faith level, but in fact can be also justified through logic... You look at how Jesus fulfilled perfectly, to the letter, every single prophecy that was made of the coming Messiah. I mean you can make an argument, as of course, [was done in] The Case for Faith...that there is a logical argument for the truth of Christianity.
So for me I’ve always been interested in the depth of that theology. It brings me into greater understanding. What fascinates me so much—not just about the Bible but about Christianity—is how deep it is.
If you spent 80 years pondering, you still wouldn’t fully understand its depth and its scope and how it virtually has answers to every challenge and every circumstance in life.
Mormonism
ES: So I get you navigate the distinction between Catholicism and Evangelicalism and that you are firmly rooted in the Catholic Church but you have a foot—a friendly foot—in Evangelicalism. How do you see Mormonism? You said in your Meet the Press interview, "I started feeling called back to the Catholic Church. It was nothing against the Mormon church it was just a calling. That happened twice in my life."
Theologically, how do you look back in your Mormon experience or at Mormonism. hearing you articulate these theological views now, how do you see Mormonism today?
MR: To be clear I was nine or 10 years old so I understood the theology at the depth a nine or 10 year old could understand.
I have tremendous respect for [Mormons]. I don’t in any way want to disparage—in any way. I have tremendous admiration for what the LDS church does, particularly the strength of families.
I have a lot of family members, the majority of my family in Nevada (which is more than half of my family) that joined the LDS church—and many good friends that are as well. I have tremendous respect for the church and in particular for the values that we all share in common that they defend.
The theological distinction—I’ll leave to others. As I said, I’m not nearly as familiar with LDS theology as I am with Catholicism or that of other Protestant denominations. But, I have tremendous respect for many people who are of the Mormon faith. The one thing that really attracted my mother at that time was the strength of the family unit in the LDS church and how it is the centerpiece of life in the LDS church.
It’s something I continue to admire greatly.
Pope Francis
ES: Within Catholicism, of course, you have a new pope who has caught the attention of the world, but also made some people nervous. What’s your perception of the pope and how do his views have bearing on your views?
MR: Well, first of all, I’m familiar with him from his time as a Cardinal. He was a leading Cardinal in Latin America and wrote extensively a number of documents that influenced the direction of the church in Latin America. I think a lot of it is colored by his experience in Argentina in which the church and the government did not have the best of relations, and in which the economic order was largely a corporatist one.
My view of the pope is someone who is trying to instigate dialogue.
One of the things he recently said was that he views the church as a field hospital where you have to go out and first treat people’s wounds and in the process of doing that you can bring them closer to Christ.
But first you have to treat their wounds— and what it is that’s going on in their life.
It’s clear that he’s trying to instigate dialogue within the church. I don’t think he has pronounced anything theologically that diverts in any way from for example his predecessor, Benedict, who is seen as a more of a traditional theological figure.
From a theological perspective the pope hasn’t pronounced anything that’s different—nor, quite frankly, can he pronounce himself in any way differently than the base theology of the church.
But obviously has a different style and focus. And I think part of it is to try to trigger a conversation within the church about how to best minister to a lost people in the 21st century.
In the next segment, I ask Senator Rubio how he would share his faith if he was President Rubio, I ask him what he means by "lost people," and I ask his thoughts on how he, as a person of devout faith, would govern an increasingly secular country.
Read the second part of the interview soon…
POSTED:December 16, 2015 at 7:02 am
I recently talked with Florida senator and 2016 Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio about his faith journey. |
Ed Stetzer
Today, we continue a series on the faith of the 2016 presidential candidates.
We’ve reached out to the 2016 presidential candidates—all of them, from both major parties—and asked them to do brief interviews about their faith and how it impacts their approach to governance.
Recently, I interviewed Governor Jeb Bush about his faith. It was a fascinating interview, which you can read here.
Today, I am posting part one of my interview with Marco Rubio. Senator Rubio's interview was the same length as Gov. Bush (20 minutes), but covered a bit more ground. Both interviews have been fascinating, and I hope you take the time to read them both—and others forthcoming!
Faith Journey
Ed Stetzer: You have one of the more fascinating faith journeys. You kind of run the gamut of conservative American religious traditions. You left one and went to the other for different reasons.
So tell me a little bit about that beyond what we know. We know you grew up Catholic. You kind of were engaged in the Mormon faith and came back to Catholicism. Where are you now? Are you solely a Catholic? I know you’re theologically and doctrinally aligned. Are you an evangelical Catholic? How do you define yourself?
Senator Marco Rubio: I was born into the Catholic Church. My family attended the Catholic Church. I was 8 years old so we followed my parents, primarily my mother into the LDS church for a number of years. And by the time—I was 11 or 12—we had returned to Catholicism. So as an adult—is what I can speak to. Certainly growing up after that I attended a Catholic church, was confirmed, married in the church and I’ve never really left the church.
There was a time when I became not as engaged in my faith as I needed to be. My wife really became alive in the Spirit particularly by attending Christ Fellowship at the invitation of our sister. As my family loved attending there—my children certainly do—and she’s so alive in the church that, who was I to disrupt that based on denominational differences?
So we’ve maintained our relationship with the church ever since and continue to listen to sermons even when I’m out of town. I think [Christ Fellowship Pastor] Rick [Blackwood] is a phenomenal teacher of the Word and we enjoy very much our friendship with him and our relationship.
"If your faith is not bearing fruit then it’s not a true faith." -Senator Marco Rubio
That said, of course I’m a Roman Catholic. I mean I’m not just aligned doctrinally and theologically but I attend mass every Sunday. We participate and are in communion with the church. So, I’m a Roman Catholic, but in no way do I view that as a conflict with the Gospel teachings that our brothers and sisters in Christ offer at Christ Fellowship. In fact, I have relationships with Greg Laurie out in Orange County and others. In the end we share the same faith in Christ as our Savior.
Catholicism and Evangelicalism
ES: Evangelicals and Protestants would say that they don’t add anything to their salvation—it's by grace through faith alone. So how would you articulate that? Are you a believer by grace through faith alone or how does the work of the church and the sacraments fit into that?
MR: The fundamental difference between Roman Catholicism and most Protestant denominations and evangelicals is the belief that Roman Catholics have that the Word of God is not just the written Word but also the tradition. Oral traditions that were handed down from the early Christians are also part of the Word of God.
It’s a misunderstanding that somehow Catholics believe you can earn salvation. You cannot earn it. It’s a free gift. What Catholics do believe, however, is that true faith bears fruit and that the fruits of that faith are important. If your faith is not bearing fruit then it’s not a true faith.
So it’s not that you can earn your salvation through work. You have to accept that the gift of salvation—which is a free gift offered to all of us by His death and resurrection. But your faith is known by the fruit that it bears and so certainly we are commanded.
Beyond the concept of salvation is the notion that we have an obligation to serve one another and to model Christ’s behavior in serving one another. I think that’s true for all Christianity. It’s why for example, Christ Fellowship, they offer [a] tremendous amount of work in the community and charity. Because it’s the fruit of our faith but it also follows Christ’s commandment to love our neighbor and to care for the less fortunate.
In many ways, by doing that, you’re ministering to Christ directly that when you welcome a stranger, or when you visit the prisoner, or when you feed the hungry and clothe the naked, you are serving Him.
I think that’s certainly manifest in the Catholic Church through its tradition of charity and charitable work all over the world but also the Evangelical community has really taken up that calling as well.
Theological Understanding
ES: When you sort of went through and explained your personal faith, it was fascinating and detailed. Even here you explained the authority of the Scriptures and the authority of tradition in the church. That’s not a normal level of theological awareness for a political candidate. From where does that come?
MR: Well, I’ve always cared about it. It’s something that I’ve tried to be informed about and understand my faith better.
As I wrote in my book, I didn’t fully appreciate Catholicism until I attended a non-Catholic church and it is by a better understanding of the written Word that I came to understand for example the liturgy of the church. The entire liturgy of the Catholic Church is built on the Bible, particularly the Book of Revelation.
From the imagery of incense and candles, to the organization of the Mass, it’s all about bringing heaven to earth in that one moment in which the body and blood of Christ is actually present, as we believe in the Catholic faith.
Having that deep understanding is important. I think one of the things about Christianity is that it is not simply a faith that you understand at a spiritual faith level, but in fact can be also justified through logic... You look at how Jesus fulfilled perfectly, to the letter, every single prophecy that was made of the coming Messiah. I mean you can make an argument, as of course, [was done in] The Case for Faith...that there is a logical argument for the truth of Christianity.
So for me I’ve always been interested in the depth of that theology. It brings me into greater understanding. What fascinates me so much—not just about the Bible but about Christianity—is how deep it is.
If you spent 80 years pondering, you still wouldn’t fully understand its depth and its scope and how it virtually has answers to every challenge and every circumstance in life.
Mormonism
ES: So I get you navigate the distinction between Catholicism and Evangelicalism and that you are firmly rooted in the Catholic Church but you have a foot—a friendly foot—in Evangelicalism. How do you see Mormonism? You said in your Meet the Press interview, "I started feeling called back to the Catholic Church. It was nothing against the Mormon church it was just a calling. That happened twice in my life."
Theologically, how do you look back in your Mormon experience or at Mormonism. hearing you articulate these theological views now, how do you see Mormonism today?
MR: To be clear I was nine or 10 years old so I understood the theology at the depth a nine or 10 year old could understand.
I have tremendous respect for [Mormons]. I don’t in any way want to disparage—in any way. I have tremendous admiration for what the LDS church does, particularly the strength of families.
I have a lot of family members, the majority of my family in Nevada (which is more than half of my family) that joined the LDS church—and many good friends that are as well. I have tremendous respect for the church and in particular for the values that we all share in common that they defend.
The theological distinction—I’ll leave to others. As I said, I’m not nearly as familiar with LDS theology as I am with Catholicism or that of other Protestant denominations. But, I have tremendous respect for many people who are of the Mormon faith. The one thing that really attracted my mother at that time was the strength of the family unit in the LDS church and how it is the centerpiece of life in the LDS church.
It’s something I continue to admire greatly.
Pope Francis
ES: Within Catholicism, of course, you have a new pope who has caught the attention of the world, but also made some people nervous. What’s your perception of the pope and how do his views have bearing on your views?
MR: Well, first of all, I’m familiar with him from his time as a Cardinal. He was a leading Cardinal in Latin America and wrote extensively a number of documents that influenced the direction of the church in Latin America. I think a lot of it is colored by his experience in Argentina in which the church and the government did not have the best of relations, and in which the economic order was largely a corporatist one.
My view of the pope is someone who is trying to instigate dialogue.
One of the things he recently said was that he views the church as a field hospital where you have to go out and first treat people’s wounds and in the process of doing that you can bring them closer to Christ.
But first you have to treat their wounds— and what it is that’s going on in their life.
It’s clear that he’s trying to instigate dialogue within the church. I don’t think he has pronounced anything theologically that diverts in any way from for example his predecessor, Benedict, who is seen as a more of a traditional theological figure.
From a theological perspective the pope hasn’t pronounced anything that’s different—nor, quite frankly, can he pronounce himself in any way differently than the base theology of the church.
But obviously has a different style and focus. And I think part of it is to try to trigger a conversation within the church about how to best minister to a lost people in the 21st century.
In the next segment, I ask Senator Rubio how he would share his faith if he was President Rubio, I ask him what he means by "lost people," and I ask his thoughts on how he, as a person of devout faith, would govern an increasingly secular country.
Read the second part of the interview soon…
POSTED:December 16, 2015 at 7:02 am
/
Saturday, January 10, 2015
Church Partners With Other Faith Communities in “Faith Counts” Initiative
THE
NEWSROOM
10 OCTOBER 2014 — POSTED by SAMUEL B. HISLOP
Religion is an important part of our social fabric and civil society. It calls on us toserve our fellow man, to focus more on family and to contribute to the common good of the community. What’s more, it provides the structure for the inner longing for meaning that many seek in life.
With a recent poll suggesting that religion is losing influence in America, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints knows that it’s more important than ever to strengthen faith’s role and prominence in society. The Church recognizes that this can’t happen without locking arms (as it has done for many, many years) with other faiths. Sure, differences in belief and opinion have and will continue to exist in our pluralistic society, but love for one’s neighbor surpasses these differences.
In that spirit, the Church has partnered with Faith Counts, an organization comprised of faith communities representing over 100 million Americans. Launched this week, its website (FaithCounts.net) includes videos and social media memes aimed at telling powerful stories about how faith inspires, empowers, motivates and comforts billions of people. You can find these stories on the website, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest and Google+. You can also share your own experiences about how faith has influenced your life.
Faith Counts spokeswoman Kerry Troup says she hopes “people who see our work, regardless of what religion they are, will have a better appreciation for the value of faith, feel inspired to share these stories and ultimately feel good about expressing how faith makes them who they are.”
Current Faith Counts partners include:
Hillel International
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Ad Hoc Committee For Religious Liberty
The Seventh-day Adventist Church
Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Franciscan University of Steubenville
1st Amendment Partnership
Speaking on behalf of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Archbishop William Lori says, “Religious faith is an integral part of our society and needs to be lifted up and celebrated. Faith prompts acts of kindness every day, in every community of our nation. It also connects us to God and to each other as members of the human family. We are so pleased to be a part of Faith Counts, which can make a real difference in the lives of so many.”
Elder Daniel R. Jackson, president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America, notes that “millions of Americans of every religion are motivated by their faith to go and serve the most vulnerable among us. Their gracious acts can be seen in soup kitchens, hospitals, schools, homeless shelters and many other humanitarian causes. Faith Counts will serve as a gentle reminder about these and other positive and meaningful attributes of faith in society.”
The Church’s commitment to look past differences and contribute to the common good is a divinely required, longstanding reality. One of the Church’s Articles of Faith says, “We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.”
Visit FaithCounts.net for more details.
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Sunday, September 07, 2014
Churches urge high court to act on gay marriage
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
09/06/2014 11:15 PM
09/06/2014 11:15 PM
FILE - This photo taken on Monday, May 12, 2014, shows the certificate of marriage presented to Kathy Chambery, and her partner, Marilyn Haring of 23 years, after they were married at Magistrate Court in Santa Fe, N.M. More than half of marriage licenses issued from Santa Fe County in the last year have gone to same-sex couples. Data from the Santa Fe County Clerk's Office shows that the number of licenses given out doubled and 55 percent went to same-sex couples. New Mexico became the 17th state to legalize same-sex marriage on Dec. 19, through a unanimous ruling by the state Supreme Court.THE SANTA FE NEW MEXICAN, JANE PHILLIPS/AP PHOTO
SALT LAKE CITY
The Mormon church and four religious organizations are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene and settle once and for all the question of whether states can outlaw gay marriage.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in a statement Friday, said it joined a friend-of-the-court brief asking the high court to hear Utah's marriage case.
Also taking part in the filing were The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, the National Association of Evangelicals, the Ethics & Religious Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.
Each teaches that marriage is between a man and a woman.
FILE In this photo taken on Monday, May 12, 2014, Kathy Chambery, left, and her partner, Marilyn Haring of 23 years, show off their rings after they were married at Magistrate Court in Santa Fe, N.M. More than half of marriage licenses issued from Santa Fe County in the last year have gone to same-sex couples. Data from the Santa Fe County Clerk's Office shows that the number of licenses given out doubled and 55 percent went to same-sex couples. New Mexico became the 17th state to legalize same-sex marriage on Dec. 19, through a unanimous ruling by the state Supreme Court | The Santa Fe New Mexican, Jane Phillips/AP Photo
"The time has come to end the divisive national debate as to whether the Constitution mandates same-sex marriage," the brief states.
Multiple organizations and governmental entities on both sides of the debate have filed similar briefs asking the court to take up the issue.
The religious groups urged the Supreme Court on the basis of tradition and religious freedom to uphold a state's right to disallow gay and lesbian couples to wed.
"Legal uncertainty is especially burdensome for religious organizations and religious believers increasingly confronted with thorny questions," the brief says. "Is their right to refrain from participating in, recognizing or facilitating marriages between persons of the same sex, contrary to their religious convictions, adequately shielded by the First Amendment and other legal protections? Or is further legislation needed to guard religious liberties in these and other sensitive areas?"
Last month, attorneys for three Utah gay and lesbian couples formally asked the U.S. Supreme Court to take Utah's appeal of a favorable gay marriage ruling.
The plaintiffs said they asked for the review even though they won at the federal appellate court level because they want the Supreme Court to weigh in on whether state same-sex marriage bans violate the Constitution.
The high court is under no obligation to take Utah's case or the others.
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Saturday, July 05, 2014
Where the Christian Right Is Strong
FAITH-BASED
JULY 2, 2014
Nate Cohn
The religious right remains one of the most potent forces in American politics, but Northeasterners could be forgiven for forgetting. Evangelical Christians and Mormons, the two religious groups who most consistently espouse conservative political and cultural views, are basically absent in the Northeastern corridor.
The map shows the number of regular Evangelical Christian or Mormon congregation members, as reported by religious bodies. The data, therefore, does not include every Mormon or Evangelical Christian in the country. Black Protestant denominations are a separate category from other Evangelical Protestant denominations in this data set, and are not represented on this map.
The map does not neatly represent the religious right, either. There are many religious and cultural conservatives who do not regularly attend church, perhaps especially in West Virginia, where reported attendance is unusually low.
There are also many deeply religious and conservative Catholics, non-Evangelical Protestants and Jews. The High Plains and West Virginia, for instance, have large numbers of Lutherans and Methodists who are undoubtedly conservative, but not Evangelical, Christians. And on the other hand, not every Evangelical Christian or Mormon is a political or cultural conservative.
Yet there is not much doubt that Evangelical Protestants and Mormons are at the core of the religious right, and they’re overwhelmingly concentrated in the South and interior West.
The pull of Evangelical Protestants and Mormons is weaker elsewhere, including in New England and the rest of the Northeast.
It is also weaker in the Driftless Area of eastern Iowa and western Wisconsin, which holds the key to the Democratic advantage in presidential elections. When Democrats win these two states, as they usually do, it is with the help of margins from these voters. Without these states' combined 16 electoral votes, the Democratic pathway to 270 electoral votes would require victory in Florida, or the combination of Ohio and either Virginia or Colorado.
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