But that’s news to the Romney camp, according to Michael Scherer:
On Saturday, I read this quote to Eric Fehrnstrom, Romney’s traveling press secretary. He did not hesitate or mince his words. “The governor has not made that acknowledgment,” Fehrnstrom told me. “He has said that his belief is not the same as others. But there is no doubt that Jesus Christ is at the center of the LDS church’s worship.”
In fact, the Church of Latter Day Saints, also know as the Mormon church, holds as a central belief that it is a Christian faith. This belief is a concern for some evangelical Christians, who see Mormonism as a competing religion. On the campaign trail, Romney has avoided discussing his faith in depth, and he has acknowledged that there are differences between his faith and others. But he has not been quoted saying Mormonism is not a Christian faith.
Why did Focus on the Family Action’s Tom Minnery think that Romney admitted that Mormonism is not Christianity? This quote from Romney’s speech on religion:
There is one fundamental question about which I often am asked. What do I believe about Jesus Christ? I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Savior of mankind. My church’s beliefs about Christ may not all be the same as those of other faiths. Each religion has its own unique doctrines and history.
Minnery believes that Romney is admitting he isn’t a Christian. But clearly Romney is admitting no such thing, in fact he said the secret code words that make him a Christian (though, he might have thrown in “And in died on the cross from my sins” for good measure :-).
This is clearly a problem for some evangelicals who would feel much more comfortable if Romney wouldn’t blur the distinctives between historic Christianity and Mormonism. Romney isn’t going to do that so instead of distorting what he says, evangelicals should come to grips with it. Either vote for him because we don’t make religious tests for office in this country or don’t vote for him. The choice is with the individual voter.