EVANGELICAL & MORMON DIALOGUE #3
Thursday Morning -- Grant Underwood, of BYU, presented a comparison of Mormon and Dispensational Eschatology.

Central to the ethos of both Mormonism and early Dispensationalism was the idea that Christianity is in ruins – lacking in power. The Mormons were trying to restore the church but J.N. Darby, the founder of Dispensationalism, thought it presumptuous that we are able and authorized to restore the church. It was his contention that the church age had failed. Thus why would anyone want to restore it? Still the Latter Day Saints saw themselves as a new dispensation restoring the church.

Like the Dispensationalists, Mormons are premillenialists, except they emphasize that the gathering of the saints as a place of refugee – an ark. The Mormons did follow the Zionist movement with interest but in their minds they had their own millenialism with the American Indians (in Mormon theology decedents of the lost tribes of Israel) and that was as real of a restoration as the return of the Jews to Jerusalem. Over the years the LDS definition of the gathering place shifted and became more of a spiritual place than a geographical place.

The early Mormons expected Christ’s return in their lives. But they were not given to the charting and plotting of the Dispensationalists. However, according to Underwood, this eschatological awareness among Mormons has diminished.

Comparison of five areas:

1. Heaven on Earth
Both Dispensationalists and Latter Day Saints are in fundamental agreement that the new heaven is on a transformed earth. However, Joseph Smith saw only those resurrected to the highest glory as dwelling on earth.

2. Dispensations
The Mormons do not see dispensations as qualitative progressions. For them the final dispensation began with the new communication to Joseph Smith – and will culminate with the Millennium. This culmination will include restoration of prophets and Temple Sacrifices. The old prophets and sacrifices looked forward to Christ but these will look back to him.

3. Tribulation
The Mormons do not believe in a literal seven year period of tribulation. But they see a darkness just before the millennial dawn. Interestingly, says Underwood, the Latter Day Saints rarely discuss the book of Daniel – a keystone to Dispensational thought. Joseph Smith wasn’t interested in the book of Revelation because there was no prophetic interpretation of it. For Mormons the Olivet discourse, rather than the book of Revelation, illumines the last days.

There is no theology of the anti-Christ in Mormonism.

4. The Rapture
Unlike Dispensationalism, there is no pre- or post-tribulation thinking about Christ’s gathering of his people (there is no literal seven year tribulation). However, the rapture is a phased event. The Old Testament saints were raptured at the time of Christ’s resurrection. Those who came later will be raptured at the Second Coming of Christ – although some will be raptured during the Millennium (depending on their status).

5. OT Prophecies of Israel
The Mormons see themselves as similar to the Gentiles at the beginning of the church. They do not exclude the Jews but are joined with them. Mormonism also has the idea that LDS saints of anglo stock are genetic heirs of Israel (as are the native Americans). So they are a branch of Israel alongside Jewish Israel. The Jews will be converted when Christ returns.