• Mormon Monolatry: Seeking a Historically Informed Definition of the Mormon Godhead

    Author(s):
    K. Robert Beshears (see profile)
    Date:
    2017
    Subject(s):
    Christianity, Mormon Church
    Item Type:
    Conference paper
    Conf. Title:
    Religion Matters
    Conf. Org.:
    Southwest Commission on Religious Studies
    Conf. Loc.:
    Irving, TX
    Conf. Date:
    March 10-12, 2017
    Tag(s):
    mormon, mormonism, american religious history, Mormonism
    Permanent URL:
    http://dx.doi.org/10.17613/M62D18
    Abstract:
    The Mormon concept of the Trinity (or Godhead) is a well-known theological distinction between mainstream Christianity and Latter-day Saints (LDS). While this division remains a centerpiece of their ongoing interfaith dialogue, its exact definition is notoriously elusive. Most efforts to discover a mutually satisfying definition of the Mormon Godhead have orbited metaphysics or theological disagreements while ignoring the historical elements that fueled its evolution. By neglecting the historical development of the Godhead in the Mormon tradition, researchers have been hindered in their ability to best articulate this foundational Mormon doctrine. This paper traces the contours of the theological development of the Mormon Godhead for the purpose of creating a historically informed definition of the Mormon nature of God (i.e., Mormon Monolatrism).
    Metadata:
    Status:
    Published
    Last Updated:
    7 years ago
    License:
    All Rights Reserved
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