View of the universe and nature of divinity in the Latter day saint movement
Christus statue of Jesus depicted among artwork representing the planets and stars of the cosmos, which Mormons believe Jesus created under the direction of God the Father.
Mormon cosmology is the description of the history, evolution, and destiny of the physical and metaphysical universe according to Mormonism, which includes the doctrines taught by leaders and theologians of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), Mormon fundamentalism, and other denominations within the Latter Day Saint movement. Mormon cosmology draws from Biblical cosmology, but has many unique elements provided by movement founder Joseph Smith. These views are not generally shared by adherents of other Latter Day Saint movement denominations who do not self-identify as "Mormons", such as the Community of Christ.
According to Mormon cosmology, there was a pre-existence, or a pre-mortal life, in which human spirits were literal children of heavenly parents.[1] Although their spirits were created, the essential "intelligence" of these spirits is considered eternal, and without beginning. During this pre-mortal life, a Plan of Salvation was presented by God the Father (Elohim) with Jehovah (the premortal Jesus) championing moral agency but Lucifer (Satan) countered with a plan that abolished individual choice, and promised eternal exaltation to all, regardless of individual desire. This alternative plan, while seemingly more equitable, was actually contingent on the glory of God being bestowed solely on Lucifer himself. Thus, Lucifer is referred to as "The Great Deceiver" by prominent Mormon Apostle Marion G. Romney[2] When Lucifer's plan was not accepted, he rebelled against God the Father and was cast out of heaven, taking "the third part" of the hosts of heaven with him to the earth, thus becoming the tempters.
According to the Plan of Salvation, under the direction of God the Father, Jehovah created the earth as a place where humanity would be tested. After the resurrection, all men and women—except the spirits that followed Lucifer and the sons of perdition—would be assigned one of three degrees of glory. Within the highest degree, the celestial kingdom, there are three further divisions, and those in the highest of these celestial divisions would become gods and goddesses through a process called "exaltation" or "eternal progression". The doctrine of eternal progression was succinctly summarized by LDS Church leader Lorenzo Snow: "As man now is, God once was: As God now is, man may be."[3][4] According to Smith's King Follett discourse, God the Father once passed through mortality as Jesus did, but how, when, or where that took place is unclear. A prevailing view among Mormons is that God once lived on a planet with his own higher god.[5][6]
According to Mormon scripture, the Earth's creation was not ex nihilo, but organized from existing matter. The Earth is just one of many inhabited worlds, and there are many governing heavenly bodies, including the planet or star Kolob, which is said to be nearest the throne of God.
^LDS Church 1995 ("Each [human] is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents."); LDS Church 2009, p. 9 ("Man, as a spirit, was begotten and born of heavenly parents, and reared to maturity in the eternal mansions of the Father.").
^Romney, Marion G (April 1971), "Elder Marion G. Romney, Satan- The Great Deceiver", Ensign
^Lund, Gerald N. (February 1982). "I Have a Question: Is President Lorenzo Snow's oft-repeated statement—"As man now is, God once was; as God now is, man may be"—accepted as official doctrine by the Church?". Ensign.
^Millet, Robert L.; Reynolds, Noel B. (1998). "Do Latter-day Saints believe that men and women can become gods?". Latter-day Christianity: 10 Basic Issues. Provo, Utah: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies. ISBN 0934893322. OCLC 39732987.
^"Religions: An explanation of Mormon beliefs about God". BBC. October 2, 2009. Retrieved 2014-10-28..
^Riess, Jana; Bigelow, Christopher Kimball (2005). "Chapter 3: Heavenly Parents, Savior, and Holy Ghost". Mormonism for Dummies. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-0-7645-7195-4.
Mormoncosmology is the description of the history, evolution, and destiny of the physical and metaphysical universe according to Mormonism, which includes...
Book of Abraham, the Book of Moses, and the King Follett discourse. Mormoncosmology presents a unique view of God and the universe, and places a high importance...
portal Archaeology and the Book of Mormon Criticism of the Book of Abraham Kirtland Egyptian papers Mormoncosmology Godhead Abraham 3:2–3 Gee, Hamblin...
List of topics characterized as pseudoscience Mandaean cosmologyMormoncosmology Religious cosmology Seven Heavens Lucas 2003, p. 130 Knight 1990, p. 175...
Fate of the Mormon Church. PublicAffairs. ISBN 978-1-61039-313-3. Brooke, John L. (1994). The Refiner's Fire: The Making of MormonCosmology, 1644–1844...
such as the Book of Mormon. They have a unique view of cosmology and believe that all people are literal spirit children of God. Mormons believe that returning...
teachings discuss God's nature, cosmology, family structures, political organization, and religious community and authority. Mormons generally regard Smith as...
Ensign. pp. 2–6. Paul, Erich Robert (1992). Science, Religion, and MormonCosmology. Chicago: University of Illinois Press. ISBN 978-0252018954 – via Google...
rev. ed., 239-40. John L. Brooke, The Refiner's Fire: The Making of MormonCosmology, 1644–1844 (New York: Cambridge University Press, 1994), 77. Palmer...
malevolent Demiurge's control. Gnostic Christian doctrines rely on a dualistic cosmology that implies the eternal conflict between good and evil, and a conception...
in the plan of salvation. Adam in particular is a central figure in Mormoncosmology. According to LDS Church teachings, all people born on the earth lived...
Stars proposed in religion may include: Kolob, a star proposed in Mormoncosmology The Star of Bethlehem, the star that supposedly marked the birth of...
this plan are drawn from various sources, including the Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine & Covenants, Pearl of Great Price, and numerous statements made...
revelations. Due to teachings within Mormoncosmology, some theologians claim that it allows for an infinite number of gods. Mormons teach that scriptural statements...
Joseph Smith. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book. pp. 352–354. OCLC 718055. McConkie, Bruce R. (1966). "Spiritual Element". Mormon Doctrine (2nd ed.). p. 751....
In the theology and cosmology of Mormonism, in heaven there are three degrees of glory (alternatively, kingdoms of glory) which are the ultimate, eternal...
subscribe to a variety of political beliefs, including communism and socialism. Mormon doctrine teaches that many men and women since the beginning of mortal time...
to be near the throne of God in Mormoncosmology. Malakut A proposed invisible realm, featuring in Islamic cosmology. Matarta A "station" or "toll house"...
father of Jesus, is generally referred to by Mormons as "God" or "Heavenly Father". (See Mormoncosmology for references.) In Hindu theology, the Svayam...
ISBN 0-394-46967-4. Brooke, John L. (1994). The Refiner's Fire: The Making of MormonCosmology, 1644–1844. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Buerger, David John...
and Mormon Studies (FARMS), Brigham Young University, 2004, Lesson 21, 267–69. Brooke, John L. The Refiner's Fire: The Making of MormonCosmology, 1644–1844...
Buddhist cosmology Extraterrestrial life Exoplanet Exotheology Extraterrestrial life in fiction Hindu cosmology Mediocrity principle Mormoncosmology Planetary...
among the Mormons. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press. pp. 107–08. Brooke, John (1994). Refiner's Fire: The making of Mormoncosmology, 1644–1844...
Global Information