Reading the book Healing the Breach by Sr. Patrick S. McKay -- and listening to the various members/branches of the Smith-Rigdon Movement (or Smith-Rigdon Restorationist groups) discuss their faith-stance on the Gospel Tangents podcast -- led me to realize that I am very much a Joseph-Smith-Christian. In other words, I am not an Augustinian-Calvinist Christian, nor a Wesleyan Christian, etc. I am not an Atheist, nor a Buddhist or Nihilist. I realized that despite my questioning and doubts of many things "Mormon" within the Utah-based Church (Brighamite sect), I am at my core a Mormon, or what I describe as a Smith-Pratt Christian. I may not identify as one particular type of "Mormon" within the various denominations or sects of the LDS/Restorationist Movement; nevertheless, I am Mormon at my core. Thus I currently identity as an Independent Mormon or Nondenominational LDS-Christian through the Smith-Pratt Paradigm.
So what a Big Tent approach does is focus on the common beliefs in all the Restoration Movements and Sects. I like the way this guy from cjccf.org puts it in his video on the problem with Mormoninism's denominationalisms. I think this dislike for denominationalism and creedalism, rather than the message of Joseph Smith himself (who opppsed being trammlled by creeds) -- and the Book of Mormon itself teaching that the "church" is the collective body of saints and LDS Christians themselves as a People (seeking "Peoplehood") -- has led someone online to publish a Nondenominational Book of Mormon.
The Formerly named podcast Midnight Mormons (now Ward Radio) had a very positive discussion with Joshua Gehely, a Bickertonite (a member of The Church of Jesus Chr1st) in August 2023, and I especially liked Cardin Ellis' ecumenical ("Big Tent") attitude at the 39 to 47 minute mark.
Why a Branch of "Mormonism" and not just a branch of Protestantism or Eastern Orthodox, etc.?
There are other versions of Christianity that come close to LDS-Christianity: like both Rob Bell and David B. Hart's books rejecting the Catholic and Protestant dogma of hell (eternal conscious torment for thoughtcrimes); which mirror D&C 76; and the Eastern Orthodox Church's emphasis on theosis that mirrors LDS theosis; as well as the Evangelical scholar Michael Heiser whose scholarship on there being one God (Yahweh) yet many gods (Elohim/lesser gods) in the Divine Council is very compatible with Mormonism, including his own take on theosis. Yet there is still a unique philosophical theology in the Smith-Pratt Movement (I discuss on this blog) that makes me identify as LDS.
Big Tent Mormonism
Since a picture is worth a thousand words, I decided to create an image that encapsulates Big Tent Mormonism (or LDS Christianity) below:
Click on Image to Enlarge
Like Patrick McKay, I intend with this image to show just how much the Restorationist Movement is actually united under one umbrella of the restored gospel contained in the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants, etc. In the illustration above I attempted to point out extremist ideologies and philosophies that I believe are outside the "tent" of Smithian Christianity. What I mean by "wokeism" is the neomarxist cult called wokeism as described in the 2022 article, Wokeism Is a Cruel and Dangerous Cult by Victor Davis Hanson. In presenting the illustration above I intend to show just how much the "Smithian Branches" have in common; so as to unite us as a united force against certain secular forces that seek to attack the principles of the restored gospel (that provides meaning in life and family values, etc.). For more information on what unites the Restoration Branches I recommend McKay's Healing the Breach and Terryl Givens' books Doors of Faith and Wrestling the Angel, where Givens points out many doctrines and ideas that are unique to Mormonism.
My site (EmergentMormon.blogspot.com) is my point of view, after studying and absorbing several different Restoration philosophies and branches. As an Independent Mormon (or Nondenominational Mormon), I don't feel tied down to one Latter Day Saint sect or group. I like the freedom to believe as I please (as Joseph Smith himself put it). However, there are ideas and interpretations within the Restoration Movement that I agree with more than others amidst the diversity of Restorationist Ideas and Practices. For example, I tend to interpret Scripture through a Jordan Peterson and Marcus Borg point of view; so I agree with a lot of what the group Latter-day Lobsters & Sorted Saints have to say; as well as the site churchistrue.com and the author of that site's emphasis on a Sacramental/Metaphorical Paradigm. My views are also very similar to those at reformmormonism.org.
I agree with a lot of what Rock Waterman has to say on his blog Pure Mormonism. I also like the Remnant/Restoration Movement's emphasis on Fellowships: as a less formal, more organic, form of worship outside brick and mortar church-buildings and hierarchical dogmatism, as such fellowships mirror the original Christian Ecclesia (and Joseph Smith's original unique vision of "Peoplehood"). I like the unifying vision and ecumenical goals of the nondenominational group The Church of Jesus Christ in Christian Fellowship.
I agree with a lot of the views of those at the Mormon Transhumanist Association, specifically their appreciation of the Nauvoo era of the Restoration and it's physicalist philosophy. I like the fun and playful energy and humor of the Midnight Mormons Podcast. I like the more pastoral apologetics and more scholarly pursuits of The Maxwell Institute and The Joseph Smith Papers.
I could go on with more ideas, movements, sects and groups in the Restoration Movement, but this will suffice to show I believe in a Big Tent Mormonism. I consider these types of Mormons my "friends" and allies as co-believers even if I don't agree wholesale with everything they say or do. So I made the following illustration below to simplify the kinds of Mormonism I resonate with and agree a lot with:
The fact that many of these groups are in deep disagreement with each other on many ideas and practices, just means that I value a diversity of opinions and points of view. Whether these groups see The Book of Mormon as literal history or metaphorical midrash, or both, doesn't matter to me as much as they all endorse the Book of Mormon's critique of "preaching for selfish profit" and its message of seeking social equality and fairness; with an inspiring theo-psychology, a fortunate fall, and a smiling Christ, etc. I am more interested in their shared vision and common cause of culturally growing the ideal of Zion.
These diverse ways of mormoning are all on my "team" so to speak, under one umbrella as fellow Restorationists, because they all endorse and promote the restored gospel; and are directly or indirectly promoting what I describe as the phase and strategy of Restored-Christianity (which I believe is distinctly different from Lutheran-Augustine Christianities and nihilistic secular philosophies).
