Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Mormons And The Word "Cult" - The Academic View
Yesterday, we discussed the idea that the term "cult" has so many meanings, so difficult to distinguish contextually or grammatically, that the word is of limited usefulness in common discourse. As I said in that post, my motivation for examining the subject is my interest in the potential presidential campaign of Mitt Romney, the curent governor of Massachuestts and a Mormon. "Cult" is a word often heard when discussing Mormons.
There are essentially two "academic" definitions of the word cult in the religious sphere. (There are others in the cultural sphere, but they are not of interest here) The most basic definition is simply "a culture of worship," meaning essentially the liturgy, life, and society that surrounds the veneration of something. In this definition, any church is a cult. In this most basic definition, the word distiguishes nothing between any religion.
The next basic definition is in purely Christian terms. One person which studies such movements defined the term this way:
Based on my experience and discussion with Mormons, if confronted with this definition of the word "cult" they would likely accept it for themselves. They readily admit that they differ from traditional Chritsianity in many areas. My Article VI Blog partner readily admits just as much by drawing a distinction between Latter-Day Saints and creedal Christians.
Any Mormon familiar with their church's doctrine would understand that the CJCLDS understanding of the godhead (the Trinity for orthodox Christians) is quite different - as is their view of the atonement. Of course, there is the expanded canon of the CJCLDS. The list goes on.
Mormons might object to the language which renders their faith as derivative of orthodox Christianity as they believe they are the restored church and we are the ones that are derivative. But that fact notwithstanding, they will not object to the fact that they are clearly differentiated from orthodox Christianity and would accept a definition of the word "cult" designed only to draw such a distinction.
Based on this, the "cult" description is often used in academic discussions of Mormons, and even between Mormons and orthodox Christians in academia. Academics are typically very good at keeping thier meaning very precise in discussion. This definition is neutral and purely distinctive, it carries with it no essential judgement of good or evil, only right or wrong.
Such neutrality is not generally intended when the term is used in general conversation. And so Mormons often object at being described as a "cult" in normal conversation. Why? Well some of it has to do with the implications of derivation implied by the term, but this is a fairly minor problem that I have had little trouble overcoming. The problems arise because of another implication and definition of the word, and that implication and definition is meant or understood by most people that use the word, and it creates a perjorative sense to the word. It is to this definition that we will turn our attention tomorrow.
Part III of this series is here.
Part IV of this seris is here.
Related Tags: cult, definition, Mormon, CJCLDS, orthodox, Christian
There are essentially two "academic" definitions of the word cult in the religious sphere. (There are others in the cultural sphere, but they are not of interest here) The most basic definition is simply "a culture of worship," meaning essentially the liturgy, life, and society that surrounds the veneration of something. In this definition, any church is a cult. In this most basic definition, the word distiguishes nothing between any religion.
The next basic definition is in purely Christian terms. One person which studies such movements defined the term this way:
"By cultism we mean the adherence to doctrines which are pointedly contradictory to orthodox Christianity and which yet claim the distinction of either tracing their origin to orthodox sources or of being in essential harmony with those sources. Cultism, in short, is any major deviation from orthodox Christianity relative to the cardinal doctrines of the Christian faith."It is this definition that I wish to address relative to Mormonism in this post.
Based on my experience and discussion with Mormons, if confronted with this definition of the word "cult" they would likely accept it for themselves. They readily admit that they differ from traditional Chritsianity in many areas. My Article VI Blog partner readily admits just as much by drawing a distinction between Latter-Day Saints and creedal Christians.
Any Mormon familiar with their church's doctrine would understand that the CJCLDS understanding of the godhead (the Trinity for orthodox Christians) is quite different - as is their view of the atonement. Of course, there is the expanded canon of the CJCLDS. The list goes on.
Mormons might object to the language which renders their faith as derivative of orthodox Christianity as they believe they are the restored church and we are the ones that are derivative. But that fact notwithstanding, they will not object to the fact that they are clearly differentiated from orthodox Christianity and would accept a definition of the word "cult" designed only to draw such a distinction.
Based on this, the "cult" description is often used in academic discussions of Mormons, and even between Mormons and orthodox Christians in academia. Academics are typically very good at keeping thier meaning very precise in discussion. This definition is neutral and purely distinctive, it carries with it no essential judgement of good or evil, only right or wrong.
Such neutrality is not generally intended when the term is used in general conversation. And so Mormons often object at being described as a "cult" in normal conversation. Why? Well some of it has to do with the implications of derivation implied by the term, but this is a fairly minor problem that I have had little trouble overcoming. The problems arise because of another implication and definition of the word, and that implication and definition is meant or understood by most people that use the word, and it creates a perjorative sense to the word. It is to this definition that we will turn our attention tomorrow.
Part III of this series is here.
Part IV of this seris is here.
Related Tags: cult, definition, Mormon, CJCLDS, orthodox, Christian
