A recent Department of Defense classification was quickly changed after drawing criticism from members of Utah's largest religious denomination — including prominent state politicians.
When the Department of Defense released a new list of approved religious classifications for military chaplains last week, it reduced hundreds of categories down to just a few dozen.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints remained on the list. But unlike many other denominations, it was not initially included under a broader Christian classification.
Patrick Mason, a professor of religious studies and history at Utah State University and a member of the Latter-day Saint faith, said news of the list sparked a reaction.
"It was immediate, and it was widespread," he said. "It was a lot of confusion. It was a lot of hurt."
He said the controversy touched on a question that has followed the faith since its founding.
"It's the ongoing debate over how exactly to classify Latter-day Saints," he explained. "It's a 200-year-old debate."
Latter-day Saints generally consider themselves Christian. In fact, Mason noted that Jesus Christ is central to the church's name, worship, and scripture.
But not everyone agrees.
"Other Christians would say Latter-day Saints don't fit because Latter-day Saints do not subscribe to some of the historic creeds that virtually every other Christian church subscribes to," Mason said.
He pointed to the church's belief in additional scripture and modern-day prophets as key differences.
Still, he said Latter-day Saints see themselves as part of the Christian tradition, and that debate has become increasingly important as the church has sought greater acceptance within mainstream American religious life.
“They represent, you know, their own brand of Christianity," Mason said. "But it's been really important in recent decades for Latter-day Saints to be seen as Christian.”
He said that may explain why the Defense Department's classification generated such a strong response.
"It was the federal government, in an official capacity, leaving Latter-day Saints out of the Christian family," he said.
The Department of Defense has since revised the list, removing the Christian classification altogether and resolving the immediate controversy.
"The bigger debate," Mason added, "of whether Mormons are Christian — that's not going to be resolved anytime soon."
