Mormonism claims to be a literal restoration of the original church of Jesus and his twelve Apostles. Thus, Mormonism classifies itself within Christianity. Mormonism teaches that the traditional Christian orthodoxy has departed from the teachings of Jesus, and that Mormonism therefore is the most Christian of faiths. In many important ways, the religion differs from orthodoxy as held by Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant Christianity. To those f...
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Mormonism claims to be a literal restoration of the original church of Jesus and his twelve Apostles. Thus, Mormonism classifies itself within Christianity. Mormonism teaches that the traditional Christian orthodoxy has departed from the teachings of Jesus, and that Mormonism therefore is the most Christian of faiths. In many important ways, the religion differs from orthodoxy as held by Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant Christianity. To those for whom Christianity is defined by that orthodoxy, Mormonism's differences place it outside the umbrella of Christianity altogether.
Mormonism was founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. in the 1820s during a period of innovation within American Christianity known as the Second Great Awakening. Since its beginnings, the faith has proclaimed itself to be Christianity restored to its original authority, structure and power; teaching that the existing denominations "were believing in incorrect doctrines, and that none of them was acknowledged of God as his...
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