Editing Mormonism (section)

===Restoration===
{{Main|Restoration (Latter Day Saints)}}

[[File:Priesthood Restoration Crocheron.jpg|thumb|A depiction of Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery receiving [[Priesthood (Latter Day Saints)|Priesthood authority]] from [[John the Baptist]]]]

Mormonism describes itself as falling within [[world Christianity]], but as a distinct restored [[Dispensation (period)#Latter Day Saint dispensations|dispensation]]; it characterizes itself as the only true form of the Christian religion since the time of a "[[Great Apostasy (Latter Day Saints)|Great Apostasy]]" that began not long after the [[ascension of Jesus Christ]].<ref name = PMG35>{{Citation |author= Missionary Department of the LDS Church |author-link= The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints |title= Preach My Gospel |publisher= [[LDS Church]], Inc |year= 2004 |page= 35 |url= http://www.lds.org/languages/additionalmanuals/preachgospel/PreachMyGospel___06_03-1_TheRestoration__36617_eng_006.pdf |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100602103044/http://lds.org/languages/additionalmanuals/preachgospel/PreachMyGospel___06_03-1_TheRestoration__36617_eng_006.pdf  |archive-date= June 2, 2010 |isbn= 0-402-36617-4 }} Mormons believe the Great Apostasy had been foretold by the [[Apostle Paul]], who knew that the Lord would not come again "except there come a falling away first" (see 2 Thessalonians 2:3)</ref> According to Mormons this apostasy involved the corruption of the pure, original Christian doctrine with [[Ancient Greek philosophy|Greek]] and other philosophies,<ref name = GA2>{{Citation |last= Talmage |first= James E. |author-link= James E. Talmage |title= The Great Apostasy |publisher= The Deseret News |year= 1909 |pages= 64–65 |url= https://archive.org/stream/greatapostasycon00atalm#page/68/mode/2up |isbn= 0-87579-843-8}}</ref> and followers dividing into different ideological groups.<ref name = MARV1>{{Citation |last= Richards |first= LeGrand |author-link= LeGrand Richards |title= A Marvelous Work and a Wonder |publisher= Deseret Book Company |year= 1976 |page= 24 |isbn= 0-87747-161-4|title-link= A Marvelous Work and a Wonder }}</ref> Additionally, Mormons claim the [[Christian martyrdom|martyrdom]] of the [[Apostles in the New Testament|Apostles]] led to the loss of [[Priesthood (Latter Day Saints)|Priesthood authority]] to administer the Church and its ordinances.<ref name = GA1>{{Citation | last = Talmage | first = James E. | author-link = James E. Talmage | title = The Great Apostasy | publisher = The Deseret News | year = 1909 | page = 68 | url =https://archive.org/stream/greatapostasycon00atalm#page/68/mode/2up | isbn = 0-87579-843-8}}</ref><ref name = Eyring>{{Citation |last= Eyring |first= Henry B. |author-link= Henry B. Eyring |title= The True and Living Church |url= https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2008/05/the-true-and-living-church?lang=eng |journal= Ensign |publisher= LDS Church |pages= 20–24 |date= May 2008 |access-date= July 17, 2019 |archive-date= December 29, 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20191229093817/https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2008/05/the-true-and-living-church?lang=eng |url-status= live }}</ref>

Mormons believe that God re-established the [[Christianity in the 1st century|1st-century]] [[Early Christianity|early Christian church]] as found in the [[New Testament]] through the [[Restoration (Latter Day Saints)|restoration]] of Joseph Smith.<ref>Smith's restoration differed significantly from other ''restorationist'' movements of the era (for instance, that of Alexander Campbell). Instead of using Bible analysis, Smith claimed to write and interpret scripture as the biblical prophets did. {{Harvtxt|Bushman|2008|p=5}}</ref> In particular, Mormons believe that angels such as [[Saint Peter|Peter]], [[James, son of Zebedee|James]], [[John the Apostle|John]], and [[John the Baptist]] appeared to Joseph Smith and others and bestowed various [[Priesthood (Latter Day Saints)|Priesthood authorities]] on them.<ref>See [https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/pgp/js-h/1.69-72?lang=eng JSH 1:69,72] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191228194136/https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/pgp/js-h/1.69-72?lang=eng |date=December 28, 2019 }} and [https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/84?lang=eng Doctrine and Covenants 84:19–21] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190620141649/https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/84?lang=eng |date=June 20, 2019 }}</ref> Mormons thus believe that their Church is the "only true and living church" because divine authority was restored to it through Smith. In addition, Mormons believe that Smith and his legitimate successors are modern prophets who receive revelation from God to guide the church. They maintain that other Christian religions have a portion of the truth and are guided by the [[light of Christ (Latter Day Saints)|light of Christ]].<ref>{{cite book |title= Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith |page= 316 |editor1-first= Joseph Fielding |editor1-last= Smith |editor-link= Joseph Fielding Smith |editor2-first= Richard C. |editor2-last= Galbraith |orig-date= 1938 |year= 1993 |isbn= 0-87579-647-8 |title-link= Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith (book) |publisher= Deseret Book Company }} ("Have the Presbyterians any truth? Yes. Have the Baptists, Methodists, etc., any truth? Yes. They all have a little truth mixed with error. We should gather all the good and true principles in the world and treasure them up, or we shall not come out true 'Mormons'.")</ref><ref>{{Cite book |title= Religions of the World: A Latter-day Saint View |last1= Palmer |last2= Keller |last3= Choi |last4= Toronto |publisher= Brigham Young University |year= 1997}} (Mormons take an [[Inclusivism|inclusivist]] position that their religion is correct and true but that other religions have genuine value).</ref>