The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has recently partnered with a number of Christian churches in an effort to focus on shared values and traditions.
Earlier this month, Catholic church Bishop John C. Wester honored the Presiding Bishopric of the LDS Church during the Humanitarian Awards Dinner held at the Little America Hotel in Salt Lake City.
Bishop Davies, president of the Presiding Bishopric, accepted the award with gratitude and also expressed his desire to continue working with the Catholic church.
“That men and women and families of all faiths and persuasions come together to address these significant and worthy causes should not surprise us,” he said at the banquet according to the Church News.
LDS and Catholic leaders also came together recently to film and produce the latest Christmas movie that was released Oct. 30.
“Christmas for a Dollar” is the heartwarming story of the Kamp family facing economic hardship during the Great Depression. When Mrs. Kamp dies, the father is left to raise the children by himself. The children are surprised when Dad brings home one dollar so his kids can buy Christmas gifts.
The family ultimately learns the true meaning of Christmas and that the greatest gifts come from the heart. The film marked the first time that the Catholic and LDS churches have come together to make a film.
“The collaboration between our two churches, I think, is very important in many areas, but this is one very vital area too,” Bishop Wester said in an article posted on KSL.
The Church has also been meeting with leaders of many other Christian faiths. Prominent religious leaders of various Christian denominations have come to speak to BYU students about faith, family and the importance of protecting religion as part of the Interfaith Lecture Series on campus.
Albert Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, spoke of the increasingly important relationship between Christian churches.
“That is why I and my evangelical brothers and sisters are so glad to have Mormon neighbors,” he said. “We stand together for the natural family, for natural marriage, for the integrity of sexuality within marriage alone.”
The LDS Church is building more public relationships with other Christian denominations as they set aside doctrinal differences and focus on the things that draw the religions together, like humanitarian service and support of the family.
