DOD removes "Christian" label from recognized religions after fury over Mormonism's exclusion
Summary
The Department of Defense changed its list of recognized religions by removing the word "Christian" after Utah leaders protested that Mormonism was not labeled as a Christian faith. This change caused debate between Latter-day Saints and some Evangelical Christians about whether Mormonism is truly Christian.Key Facts
- The DOD shortened its list of 211 recognized religions for military chaplain services to 31 faiths.
- Mormonism remained on the list but was initially not called "Christian," unlike other faiths such as Catholics and Lutherans.
- After protests from Utah's congressional leaders, the DOD removed the "Christian" label from all faiths to avoid redundancy.
- Some Evangelical Christians reject Mormonism, calling it heretical and questioning its founder, Joseph Smith.
- Mormon church leaders have worked to show similarities with Evangelicals and removed some distinct Mormon practices.
- Polls show Evangelicals are not fully accepting LDS as Christian, and political support among Latter-day Saints is shifting toward the Democratic Party.
- This political shift among Latter-day Saints is important in states like Arizona, which could change election outcomes.
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