Introduction
One of the most important questions any Christian can ask is this:
“Did Jesus Christ personally found this church?”
Many religious groups today claim to be the “restored” or “true” Church of Christ. Among the most famous is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commonly known as the LDS Church or the Mormon Church.
Missionaries from the LDS Church often say that their church is not merely another denomination, but the restoration of the original Church established by Jesus Christ, allegedly lost after the death of the Apostles.
But is this claim historically and biblically true?
Did Jesus Christ authorize Joseph Smith to establish a new church in the 19th century?
Or did Christ already establish a visible Church that has continued throughout history?
This article will examine these questions through:
- Sacred Scripture
- Early Church history
- Teachings of the Church Fathers
- Catholic doctrine
- Historical facts about Mormon origins
Who Founded the LDS Church?
The founder of the LDS Church was Joseph Smith Jr..
According to LDS history, Joseph Smith claimed that:
- God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to him in 1820 (“First Vision”)
- All existing churches were corrupted
- He was chosen to restore the true Church
- An angel named Moroni revealed golden plates to him
- He translated those plates into the Book of Mormon
The LDS Church was formally organized on April 6, 1830, in Fayette, New York.
Historically speaking, therefore, the LDS Church began in the 19th century, not in the 1st century during the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ.
Did Jesus Christ Personally Found the LDS Church?
The New Testament clearly teaches that Jesus Christ already founded His Church during the apostolic age.
Jesus said to Peter:
“You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church.” (Matthew 16:18)
Christ did not say:
“My Church will disappear for 1800 years and later be restored by another prophet.”
Instead, Jesus promised:
- “The gates of Hades shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18)
- “I am with you always, to the close of the age” (Matthew 28:20)
These verses directly challenge the LDS doctrine of a Great Apostasy, which claims the original Church completely vanished from the earth after the Apostles died.
If Christ’s Church totally disappeared:
- then Christ’s promise failed,
- the Holy Spirit failed to preserve the Church,
- and Christianity was corrupted for nearly 1800 years until Joseph Smith appeared.
But Scripture never teaches this.
The Catholic Position: Christ’s Church Never Disappeared
The Catholic Church teaches that Christ established one visible, apostolic Church that continues through apostolic succession.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church states:
“The one Church of Christ which in the Creed we profess to be one, holy, catholic, and apostolic… subsists in the Catholic Church.” (CCC 816)
The Church teaches that:
- the Apostles ordained successors,
- bishops continued apostolic ministry,
- and the Church preserved the faith throughout history.
This continuity can be historically traced from:
- the Apostles,
- to the early bishops,
- through the centuries,
- up to today.
Unlike the LDS Church, the Catholic Church does not begin in the 1800s but traces its lineage back to the Apostles themselves.
Did Jesus Authorize Joseph Smith?
This is the central issue.
The LDS Church claims Joseph Smith received divine authority directly from heavenly beings.
However, Christians must test such claims according to Scripture.
The Apostle Paul warned:
“Even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we preached to you, let him be accursed.” (Galatians 1:8)
This warning is important because Joseph Smith claimed revelation from an angel (Moroni) introducing teachings unknown to historic Christianity.
Among LDS doctrines not found in apostolic Christianity are:
- God the Father having a physical body
- humans potentially becoming gods
- pre-mortal existence of souls
- celestial marriage leading to exaltation
- additional scriptures beyond apostolic revelation
These teachings differ substantially from historic Christian doctrine preserved by the early Church.
What Did the Early Church Believe?
The earliest Christians never taught a total apostasy of the Church.
Instead, they believed the Church would continue visibly through bishops who succeeded the Apostles.
St. Ignatius of Antioch (c. AD 107)
Ignatius of Antioch wrote:
“Where the bishop appears, there let the people be; as where Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church.”¹
Notice:
- the Church already existed visibly,
- it already had bishops,
- and it was already called “Catholic” in the early 2nd century.
St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180)
Irenaeus argued against heresies by appealing to apostolic succession:
“We can enumerate those who were appointed bishops in the churches by the apostles.”²
This is devastating to the LDS restoration theory.
Why?
Because the early Christians believed true doctrine was preserved through continuous apostolic succession — not lost for centuries.
Was There Really a “Great Apostasy”?
LDS theology depends heavily on the belief that the original Church completely fell into corruption.
But history does not support this idea.
We possess writings from Christians in:
- the 1st century,
- 2nd century,
- 3rd century,
- and beyond.
These writings show continuity of belief in:
- baptism,
- Eucharist,
- bishops,
- apostolic succession,
- liturgical worship,
- and sacramental Christianity.
There is no historical evidence of Christianity disappearing entirely from the earth.
Instead, history shows gradual doctrinal continuity.
Problems with the LDS “Restoration” Claim
1. No Historical Evidence of Total Apostasy
There is no century in which Christianity vanished.
Even non-Catholic historians recognize continuity between early Christianity and historic Catholicism.
2. New Scriptures Appeared Late
The Book of Mormon appeared in the 19th century, not the apostolic era.
The early Church Fathers never quoted it or knew of it.
3. Contradiction with Historic Christianity
Many LDS doctrines differ radically from:
- the Nicene Creed,
- apostolic Christianity,
- and historic Christian monotheism.
4. Authority Based on Private Revelation
Christianity historically tests revelation through:
- apostolic succession,
- public teaching,
- and continuity of faith.
Joseph Smith’s authority rests primarily on private visionary claims.
Catholic Response to Protestant Objections
Some Protestants object:
“Catholics also added traditions and doctrines.”
However, there is a major difference between:
- development of doctrine, and
- creating a new religion centuries later.
The Catholic Church claims continuity from the Apostles.
The LDS Church claims restoration after universal apostasy.
Those are not the same.
Even many Protestant scholars reject LDS theology as outside historic Christianity because it fundamentally redefines:
- God,
- Christ,
- salvation,
- and revelation.
Can a Person Start a New Church?
No human being has authority to establish a new Church separate from the one Christ founded.
Scripture condemns division and competing gospels:
“There is one body and one Spirit… one Lord, one faith, one baptism.” (Ephesians 4:4–5)
Jesus founded one Church — not thousands of competing restored movements.
The question therefore becomes:
Which church can historically trace itself back to the Apostles without interruption?
The Catholic Church argues that it alone possesses:
- apostolic succession,
- sacramental continuity,
- historical continuity,
- and doctrinal continuity from the early Church.
Conclusion
Historically, Joseph Smith Jr. founded The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1830.
There is no historical evidence that Jesus Christ visibly founded the LDS Church during His earthly ministry.
The LDS claim depends on the belief that:
- Christ’s original Church completely disappeared,
- Christianity became universally corrupted,
- and Joseph Smith restored the true faith centuries later.
But Scripture, the Church Fathers, and Christian history strongly challenge that theory.
Jesus promised His Church would endure.
The early Christians believed in apostolic succession.
History shows continuity — not disappearance.
From a Catholic apologetic perspective, Christ did not authorize the establishment of a brand-new church in the 19th century because He had already founded His Church in the 1st century, and that Church continues historically in the Catholic Church.
Footnotes (Chicago Style)
- Ignatius of Antioch, Letter to the Smyrnaeans 8:2, c. AD 107.
- Irenaeus, Against Heresies 3.3.1, c. AD 180.
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, §816.
- Holy Bible, Matthew 16:18; Matthew 28:20; Galatians 1:8; Ephesians 4:4–5.
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