Back to Understanding Mormonism
Why This Matters
Many people encounter Mormonism through friends, neighbors, or missionaries, but may be unsure what Latter-day Saints actually believe. While Mormonism uses familiar Christian terms, some of its teachings differ significantly from historic, biblical Christianity. This page offers a general overview of key LDS beliefs to help you better understand those differences.
Core Doctrinal Distinctives
- God the Father has a physical body
- Humans can become gods through exaltation
- Jesus is the firstborn spirit child of Heavenly Father
- The Book of Mormon is additional scripture
- The Church is led by modern prophets and apostles
- Temple ordinances are necessary for exaltation
Similar Words, Different Meanings
Mormonism and historic Christianity often use the same terms—such as God, salvation, grace, and priesthood—but may define them differently. Understanding these differences can help prevent confusion when discussing beliefs or reading LDS materials.
A Question to Reflect On
When two belief systems use the same language but define key terms differently, how might that affect communication and understanding?