Theism, Christianity, and Mormonism

My name is Michael Richardson. I appreciate the invitation from the other Michael to participate in this blog. I’m a lifelong “Utah Mormon” who grew up in a family that loved few things better than discussing religious doctrines and issues together or with anyone who would listen. During family gatherings I would sit at the feet of my venerable parents, uncles, grandparents, older siblings and cousins and listen in awe as they discussed—sometimes reverently, sometimes argumentatively, and often passionately—the beliefs, practices, doctrines, faith, evidences, challenges, and blessings of being “Latter-day Saints.”

I served a mission in the “Bible Belt” among many people who loved God and his word as much as I did. While we often disagreed about “points of doctrine” there were many things about which we agreed and could almost finish each others' thoughts. I taught as eagerly as a person can teach, but perhaps learned a great deal more than I taught. And so it has always been when I discuss the gospel or anything I care about. I learn, and gain such a love and understanding both of people and of truth that I frequently jump at the chance for such exchanges of ideas. Whether in fact I should jump so frequently may be another matter. But the discussion, to be profitable, must be conducted in a certain way and with worthy motives.

After my mission, I married, began a family, and began studying first art and then psychology--which I quickly came to see as both an opportunity and a challenge. An opportunity because psychology is one discipline in which (in theory) the study of mind, spirit, and religious experience ought to be considered legitimate; a challenge because it is unfortunately largely an atheistic, and often anti-theistic discipline. And so I wrestled with psychology for years as I worked with troubled youth and their families, studying off and on, seeking the weaknesses and strengths of the discipline. So, seven children later, and after much temptation to abandon psychology altogether I finally completed a doctoral dissertation which involved an in-depth look at secularism, theism, and psychology in moral education. It may be interesting to note that my dissertation adviser was an evangelical Christian and a well respected scholar living in the heart of Mormondom. I now teach adolescent psychology for aspiring teachers at a private university, where I am free to take God and religion seriously—as well as science and the arts.

So my interest in religious discussion is to connect with people, to understand them and myself, to draw closer to God, to learn, and to promote Theism, Christianity, and the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. There are logical arguments and empirical evidences for the goodness and veracity of all three of these worldviews, which I will be happy to discuss in the future. However, all three worldviews are founded on the greatest evidence of all, that of direct, personal experience with God.

Theism differs from other systems of belief (atheism, agnosticism, deism) in that it rests on the assumption that God is actively engaged in the world and with humanity—and being active, his presence and activity are discernable. God can be known, can be experienced. Christianity differs from other systems of belief in that God—rather than being distant and dispassionate—himself became a man, bridging heaven and earth. He descended to earth in order to raise us to heaven. And while there are remnants of this ancient belief in some types of non-Christian theism, only Jesus Christ has graven us on the palms of his hands--literally given his life for humankind--that we may be forgiven, while none of us will be forgotten. We Mormons owe much to our Christian and Theistic fathers who preserved belief in and knowledge of God in spite of much opposition--spiritual, ideological, and physical, both from within organized religion and from without. Through the persistence of their faith, a young farm boy heard of God and was given access to His word--which the boy, full of faith, had the audacity to take quite seriously. And His word is to us as well as to that young boy: Seek God in sincerity and you shall find Him.

Mormonism differs from other systems of belief in that we testify that God’s engagement with humankind continues the same today as it has in the past. The door is not closed on revelation. There is no end to His words just as there is no end to his works. He still speaks through prophets and apostles as well as to each of us individually. He descended to earth again in these latter-days to make himself known to us in a time of great need--a time when the expansion of secularism and non-belief were rapidly gaining momentum (in part due to the religious wars following the much needed Reformation). He will come again as the final conflict between belief and unbelief runs its course. God has declared and demonstrated again and again the extent of his interest in, and compassion for us. His grace reaches not only to the living, but also to those who have passed through this life without having yet been given the opportunity to hear of him. He reveals himself to them as to us, and as faith in Christ will save us, so too it will save them.