Do Mormons believe the same as Apostolics?

Answer 1

Mormonism and Apostolicism are two different Christian faiths. Because they are both Christian, they have the same basic beliefs - such as salvation through Jesus Christ and the Bible as the word of God. However, there are many things which set these two faiths apart from one another.

There are several different churches calling themselves the 'Apostolic Church'. Some of these are independent, and others are a part of a larger denomination, such as The Apostolic Church UK or The Apostolic Christian Church of America. There are also several groups falling under the "Mormonism" category as well. By far the largest and most well-known is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, with over 14 million members. It is often called the "Mormon Church". Some other Mormonism groups are the Community of Christ (with 250 thousand members) and the Apostolic United Brethren (despite the name, this group has no connection with other Apostolic churches.)

Most Apostolic Churches are Protestant with Pentecostal or Evangelical leaning. Because there are several different 'Apostolic' groups, they are all a little different. They are Trinitarian (one God in three Persons), practice immersion baptism, and believe that Bible is the sole source of scripture. Many Apostolic groups are conservative both culturally and theologically. Many Apostolic groups also are devoted to being a sort of re-creation of First Century Christianity.

Like many Apostolic groups, Mormons tend to be conservative and practice immersion baptism. However, Mormons are not Protestant, Evangelical, Pentecostal, or Fundamental - they are Restorationist Christians. Mormons believe that their church was founded by Jesus Christ, who restored true First Century Christianity to Joseph Smith, the prophet. Mormons are non-Trinitarian, believing that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are individual beings united in purpose. While they use the Bible as scripture, they also use the Book of Mormon and writings of modern prophets. Mormons also have many practices (such as baptism for the deceased and sealing marriages for eternity) that are not found in other Christian churches. Their lack of belief in Jesus as one with the Father and the Holy Spirit in truth and substance causes some other Christians to accuse Mormons of being non-Christians.

Check out the "Related Links" below to go to the official websites of the Apostolic Church UK, the Apostolic Christian Church of America, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the "Mormon" church).