Journal: Trinity Journal
Volume: TRINJ 12:2 (Fall 1991)
Article: The Mormon God, Omniscience, And Eternal Progression: A Philosophical Analysis
Author: Francis J. Beckwith

TrinJ 12:2 (Fall 1991) p. 127

The Mormon God, Omniscience, And Eternal Progression:
A Philosophical Analysis

Francis J. Beckwith

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Stephen E. Parrish

Wayne State University

There is no theological system on the popular level which is attracting more adherents in America than Mormonism, yet Christian philosophers remain relatively ignorant of its unique concept of finite theism. It has followed from this that virtually no Christian critiques of Mormon finite theism have been written on a philosophical level. The purpose of this paper is to inform the Christian public of the Mormon concept of God and to present a brief critique.

The Mormon concept of God is probably the most unique among religious sects that claim to be within the Christian tradition. Most traditional Christians who have written critical appraisals of Mormon theism have done so from a perspective best described as biblical.1 They have attempted to show why the Mormon concept of God is inconsistent with the concept of God which Christians have traditionally believed is portrayed in the Bible. Although this move has its theological merits, we believe that the Mormon concept of God also merits inspection from the standpoint of Christian philosophy. For one reason, the Mormon concept of God denies nearly all the traditional theistic attributes, but unlike the deity defended by such movements as process theology, it is grounded in a supposed divine revelation. And also unlike process theism, Mormon theism is connected with a religious body which is having tremendous growth, influence, and appeal among those who once occupied the pews of traditional Christian churches and have since become Mormons.2 Hence, we believe that Christian

TrinJ 12:2 (Fall 1991) p. 128

philosophers have an ecclesiastical, as well as an intellectual, obligation to take seriously the philosophical aspects of the Mormon concept of God.

The purpose of this paper, then, is two-fold: (1) to describe the Mormon concept of God; and (2) to offer at least four ways the Mormon concept of God can be criticized in terms of two of Mormonism’s primary doctrines: eternal progression and divine omniscience.3

I. The Mormon Concept Of God

In addition to the Book of Mormon (BM), Joseph Smith, founding prophet of the Mormon Church, claimed to have received other alleged revelatory works from God: the Doctrine and Covenants (DC) and Pearl of Great Price (PGP). Because most non-Mormons usually think of BM