Muslims and Mormons

It was a Thursday night in December. I parked, and Grant and Joshua, two of my students from International Baptist College & Seminary, hopped out into the brisk air. Soon, the three of us were going to hike into the wilderness to observe a meteor shower on a moonless night. But first, we were visiting the Tempe campus of Arizona State University. The usually bustling campus of 60,000 students was almost empty, and we quickly found the student we were looking for. Grant introduced us to his friend (Ahmed, let’s call him). Every building was closed for the academic break, so we settled for a table in a well-lit outdoor seating area. Grant and Ahmed became acquainted a few months prior. They had completed The Exchange Bible Study and were continuing the discussion by working through John a chapter at a time. Today’s passage was John 17. But Ahmed had also texted Grant a list of questions — good questions, important questions. Grant came prepared to answer those.

I enjoyed watching Grant interact with Ahmed. Ahmed was not born Muslim; he converted to Islam after finding it to be (to him) the most reasonable religion. Grant became a Christian himself only a couple of years ago, but his Bible is already underlined and highlighted throughout. He loves God, loves God’s Word, and loves souls made in the image of God. Grant took each of Ahmed’s questions seriously and pointed out in Scripture where those questions find their answers. The hour flew by.

What was particularly noteworthy about this conversation, however, was what happened next. Two young ladies happened to walk by and overhear us. “Are you having a Bible study?” they asked. “Can we join?”

“Sure!” I answered. The meteors would be falling all night.

Only after they pulled up additional chairs and enlarged the circle at our table did I observe the black rectangular badges perched neatly below their left shoulders. They were missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. But they insisted they were just there to “listen.” So now we had Mormons and a Muslim at the same table studying the Bible with us.

On face value, Mormons and Muslims don’t have much in common. One is distinctively American; the other is Middle Eastern. One prides itself on white church steeples and magnificent Christmas celebrations, the other on ornately domed mosques and periodic pilgrimages. One believes that Heavenly Father is just one of an innumerable and ever-increasing company of gods; the other is adamant that there is no God but Allah.

Nevertheless, they share much in common. The following narrative could be expressed by either. (Indeed, as Ahmed mounted a defense of his faith and recounted most of the facts below, the LDS missionaries nodded their heads in agreement.)

God has revealed the way to know him through various prophets over time. Jesus, one of the greatest of prophets, was a great teacher, to be sure. But some details of his life—especially those surrounding his death and resurrection—have been misrepresented. And he is most assuredly not a member of a triune Godhead! Since the death of Jesus, the Jewish and Christian Scriptures have, unfortunately, become corrupted. Therefore, God sent another prophet who received angelic revelation in order to correct the errors that accrued over time; to provide additional, authoritative scriptures; and to restore true religion. Salvation has always been available by following the way revealed by God’s most recent prophet.

There are other similarities between these two faiths, to be sure, including significant controversy regarding the ethical integrity of its founder, an early split among early adherents due to debates about which line of leadership to follow, and a very tight social community that is leveraged to keep adherents in the faith—not to mention a justification (even celebration) of its founder’s polygamous and (allegedly) pedophiliac relations.

What was striking at this table at ASU, however, was how similar these religions are regarding soteriology. As the evening temperatures fell, the comparisons solidified:

Both would argue that someone is saved ultimately by the grace of God, but works help merit his favor. You are not saved by grace alone; you are saved by God’s sovereign determination . . . “after all you have done.” Moreover, both Mormons and Muslims teach that there are multiple levels of heaven (and of hell); the more good works you do, the higher you can attain. You can also move up levels in the afterlife. (By the way, the contours of this soteriological framework are also shared in significant ways by another major false religion through doctrines like the Treasury of Merit or Purgatory.)

Everyone was getting a little bit cold, and it was time to wrap up. We enjoyed the opportunity to share with these young people from the inspired Word of God the supremacy of Jesus Christ, who has provided eternal salvation by grace alone to those who simply believe. By the end of the conversation, Ahmed could articulate clearly what we believe—although he still disagrees.

Yes, our missionary guests from the LDS church honored their word and listened—except for asking a few clarifying questions. But it was interesting to find them siding more with the Muslim apologetic than the Christian faith. A telling interaction, to be sure.

Kristopher Endean is the Dean of Students at International Baptist College & Seminary.