There’s a well known saying about the Classical conception
of the nature of God: “Try to deny it and you’ll lose your soul. Try to
understand it and you’ll lose your mind.”[i]
In contrast, the Mormon Christian Framework[ii]
makes understanding God quite simple. Being of our same species,[iii]
he is within our grasp of understanding. That’s not to bring God down to our
level, but it does let us know that at least he is not so far removed from us
so as to be beyond our comprehension.
Sure, there are still many aspects about God that just
haven’t been revealed yet, like for instance, we don’t know what his favorite
flavor of ice cream is. We don’t have the inside scoop (no pun intended) on all
his preferences, opinions, intents, actions, or methods. And of course, his
thoughts and ways are on a much higher plane than our own,[iv]
so we can’t always know exactly what he’s thinking or why he does what he does.
Even still, the idea of being of the same species as God offers a kind of
clarity and transparency that we wouldn’t otherwise get.
For Classical Christians, God is without parallel. He is
commonly described using the word “mystery.” There’s no negative connotation in
that—it’s merely an acknowledgement that there are things we don’t know. And
the relationship among the members of the Trinity is one of those things that
is mysterious and unknowable.
Of course Mormon Christians have their “mysteries” too, but
they would generally agree that God is not one of them. God is not without
parallel. He is most certainly without equal, but he does have a parallel—us!
We are patterned after him, from our families and relationships to our bodies
and mental faculties, right down to our very nature and being. Mormon Christianity
proposes a God that we can know. God is not some alien being, unfamiliar and
inaccessible to humans, but he is like us. We would recognize him. We can know
him.
This idea manifests itself in various ways in practice,
among them being the frequency with which Mormon Christians use the title
“Heavenly Father” and the infrequency with which they use the title “God” in
regular worship and conversation. Yes, both designations refer to the same
being, the Creator of heaven and earth, but their preference is telling.
I once heard a critic complain that Mormon Christians refer
to God as “Heavenly Father” so habitually that they think it’s his name. Honestly,
I just love critics of religion. There are lots of reasons to love them, not
the least of which is their unique perspective that only they can offer. I had
to laugh a little at his criticism, if only in my head. No, Mormon Christians
don’t actually think “Heavenly Father” is God’s name. But the point he made was
legitimate—with the Mormon perspective on our relationship with God, it’s no
wonder they give preference to the title “Heavenly Father.”
From the Classical viewpoint, we can have a very close
relationship with God, but there will always be a barrier—that distinction
between us and God—that will exist. How glorious is the Mormon conception of
God as a being like us! He is our literal Father and we can know him! Rather
than a sharp Creator-creature distinction, there is instead a familial
relationship. We can all relate to that (no pun intended). We all have
families, either the one we come from or a family of our own. Even if our
family is far from perfect, we can all appreciate in some way this kind of
close and intimate relationship with our heavenly Father.
Remember watching the Wizard of Oz, the original from the
1930s? When Dorothy and Toto and their friends—the scarecrow, the tin man, and
the lion—follow the yellow brick road and finally arrive in the Emerald City,
they are frightened to learn that the wizard is a giant green head surrounded
by plumes of red smoke and fire, declaring with a booming voice his greatness
and power. One by one, Dorothy and her friends hesitantly advance toward the
wizard, but each cowers in fear and ultimately retreats in terror of
approaching such a being.
Why? He’s a big green head for crying out loud! A big green
head doesn’t know what you’re feeling and what you’re going through. A big
green head can’t put his arms around you, give you a big hug and say, “It’s
going to be all right.”
Now of course we all know that a big green head is not at
all like the Classical idea of God. But that being said, God’s nature in the
Classical view is still at least as far distant from the nature of humans as a
big green head is to us. Fortunately, Dorothy and her friends eventually find
out that the wizard has a lot more in common with them than they initially
thought. Once they are able to relate to him better, they end up receiving the
help they need.[v] You
see, to approach someone, understand someone, or intimately know someone, it
helps to share some commonality—it helps to be like them.
How would that change our feelings toward God if we know
that he is not shrouded in mystery, but knowable? He is not permanently
concealed from our understanding, but relatable. The Almighty, the Most High,
the Supreme Being and Creator of the universe is also our Father who we can
approach like a dad.
God is not a being far removed, dissimilar, and unrelated.
We are of a close resemblance to him. We are like him. We are his sons and
daughters, and he is our Father. How would such a thought affect how we see
ourselves? How would such a view change our outlook on life? How could such an
idea change the world?
[i]
Although sometimes attributed to Augustine or other prominent theologians of
the past, this saying in fact has its origins in modern times, although its
exact source is uncertain.
[ii]
See The Thing About Christians and
Mormons blog post for more about the Mormon Christian Framework.
[iii]
See We Are Children of God blog post
for the first premise of the Mormon Christian Framework.
[iv]
See Isaiah 55:8-9.
[v]
For those who are familiar with how the wizard scenes play out in the movie,
this analogy obviously has its limits and should not be taken too far. Clearly,
Classical Christians do not see God as a self-absorbed fearmonger, and Mormon
Christians do not see God as an unsophisticated fraudster on a level plane with
us. However, the analogy rightly portrays the Classical God as wholly beyond
human nature, while the Mormon God, though without equal, nevertheless shares a
common nature with humankind.
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