Observational Study of Local Religious Congregations and Churches in Utah

Aaron Williams

Introduction:

Utah State is well known for its population being predominantly identified with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (also commonly known as the LDS Church or Mormons), given its history of its early members migrating across the country to escape persecution and to gather in what they referred to as Zion.¹ However, as time has progressed, it has become much more diverse with various ethnic and national origins and religious identities, even becoming less religious by some.² This research paper will observe four religious groups: a local LDS Church congregation, two non-LDS Christian denominations – a Catholic church and a Lutheran denomination – and a Jewish synagogue during their respective weekend services. The observations were conducted on March 15th and March 24th, 2024. This observational study aims to compare and contrast doctrines and teachings used in the respective worship services (grace, personal growth, a greater power/being, etc.) and what sources are used (ancient scripture, quotes from leaders, academic studies, etc.). The aim is also to observe who is leading the respective congregations and groups in the service, whether it is an individual who leads these services professionally or if they are a volunteer, and to see where the source of leadership is, whether it is vested in a single individual, a group, or with the congregation.

Literature Review:

What is unique to the four selected congregations are that they are grouped into a much larger group known as the Abrahamic Religions, which includes Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, since they each claim their religious heritage from Abraham (or Abram).³ However, each of these eventually split into numerous churches, denominations, and sects throughout thousands of years, especially as there became divisions over that time in regard to core doctrines, interpretation of scripture, and disputes of succession.

The Jewish denomination that was observed for this study was a conservative congregation, which means they affirm Adonai’s (also frequently mentioned as God) existence, that Jewish theology is keenly tied with Jewish culture, and insist on traditional Jewish beliefs. Interestingly, while it believes in the Torah and Talmud having divine origin, it also allows for modern historical discoveries and analysis to critique interpretation of scriptures and practices for modern times, thus connecting the past with the present.⁴ It appears that adherents to this denomination of Judaism will hold firmly to traditional values and beliefs, but allows for some adjustments.

The first Christian church observed for this observation study was a Roman Catholic church in Orem, Utah, with its leadership being based in the Holy See, Vatican in the pope. This is typically the Christian church thought to be the earliest established, with the word catholic meaning all-encompassing or universal.⁵ This is certainly where most churches and denominations of Christianity (especially Protestant denominations) stem from as there became divisions and protests against specific beliefs and practices that the Catholic Church had developed. Some of the core beliefs of the Roman Catholic Church include the Ten Commandments, the Papacy originated from the Apostle Peter, and that the Holy Bible (including the Old Testament and New Testament, and the Apocrypha to an extent) is from divine origins; some beliefs and practices that had led to some divisions include the Trinity (God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit being one being of three entities), praying to saints (such as to the Virgin Mary), and non-immersive infant baptism.⁶

The second Christian congregation is one of the first denominations to break from the Roman Catholic Church, with its roots in the former Augustinian Monk Martin Luther (1483-1546). While maintaining similar beliefs with the Catholic Church, given its founder’s connection and activity with Catholicism, it does also differ in that it places great emphasis on salvation coming from God’s grace alone, rather than from ceremony and sacraments.⁷ Besides that core belief, its structure is significantly different, in that it has no centralization of power (such as the pope and the Vatican with the Catholic Church), but will either be grouped into larger synods, but can remain locally governed by their congregations– making this one of the earliest denominational and Congregationalists forms of Christianity.⁸

The fourth church observed was a local LDS Church congregation, usually referred to as a ward. Founded in New England in 1830, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (which will be referred to as the LDS Church for brevity) is the dominant church in Utah and is headquartered in Salt Lake City, the state’s capital. One of the more unique aspects of this church is that it was established in 1830, much later than the other churches and denominations – which were founded centuries or millennia earlier. Additionally, during the western expansion period in the United States, it was primarily settled by the early members of the LDS Church in the mid-1800s.⁹ This history likely led to Utah’s demographic for nearly the last two centuries. They also have unique beliefs with a current prophet and twelve apostles (similar to the ones that Christ had called in the New Testament) who lead the entire church by revelation, that it is the restored church from when Christ lived, baptisms for the dead, and many more beliefs and practices.

Methodology:

The method of this study was for the sole researcher and author of this study to attend the respective services found on the congregations' respective websites, participate as appropriate (such as in singing and prayers but not in ceremonies that are exclusive in participation), then to write notes shortly after leaving the worship service. During the participation, attention was paid to what was discussed by the leader or teacher, the materials used (scripture, other texts, personal experiences, etc.), and the responses/interactions from the congregants with said materials and teachings. Notes were also taken for the similarities and differences between each congregation in the previously mentioned beliefs and sources used in worship services.

The schedule for the researcher was based on the times given on the respective websites when it was acceptable for visitors to attend the respective worship services, and what times did not conflict with the researcher’s other responsibilities (work, school, family, etc.). This ended up being that the meetings attended were on March 16th at 9:30 AM for the Jewish Shabbat service, March 16th at 5:00 PM for Saturday evening Catholic Mass, March 17th at 9:00 AM for Lutheran worship service, and March 24th at 10:30 AM for an LDS Church sacrament meeting.

The Study:

The order of observation reports for each congregation and sect will be presented in the order they were ascertained, noting the doctrines taught, sources used, and the source of leadership within the respective congregations. Anything else that can contribute to such observations will also be included.

Jewish Shabbat. The specific synagogue that was visited for this study was the Kol Ami congregation in South Salt Lake City, Utah.¹⁰ Upon entering the synagogue, a greeter passed out a copy of the Torah and a psalter to be used in the meeting. The books contained both the original Hebrew writings and English translations and additional commentary. Reading from either book was the primary way that the service was done, with one or two readers at a time reading aloud from the books, usually speaking Hebrew and occasionally with a scripted response from the congregants in Hebrew. The language barrier did add another dimension of limitation to the study but access to the books did allow for any visitors to follow well enough along and to still learn the same principles, especially as the rabbi was giving page numbers in English frequently.

Common themes and doctrines presented throughout the service were teachings about the character of Adonai – the common Hebrew name for God or Jehovah. Frequently referring back to Moses and Israel’s exodus from Ancient Egypt, the Torah, and psalms that were read mentioned Adonai’s role as the one who has and will free His chosen people from bondage, usually using literal examples that led to metaphorical examples, such as from a world of darkness and sin. This was also closely connected to His character of being kind and benevolent to his chosen people, using examples of Israel’s ancient exodus through the Sinai desert towards a promised land.

Another significant topic that was frequently brought up throughout the reading from the Torah and the psalter was of a coming Messiah who will accomplish the aforementioned liberating Adonai’s chosen people or Israel. This was frequently tied back to the story of Ancient Israel’s exodus from Ancient Egypt, using Moses as a messianic figure, who serves as an example of a future Messiah who is still yet to come. The topic of a coming Messiah was tied closely with the topic mentioned earlier about the character and attributes of Adonai, as it is Him who they said would be sending the Messiah.

Catholic Mass. The Saint Francis of Assisi Catholic Church of Orem has mass services throughout the week to allow members of the Catholic Church and visitors to attend when most convenient for them, rather than restricting services to only Sunday. The building’s namesake comes from the founder of the Franciscan orders of the Friars Minor, Saint Francis of Assisi, Italy, though it can carry a feeling of being inspired from the early architecture of Spanish missions into Latin America and the Western United States.¹¹ The only materials available during the service were the hymnals, used at portions throughout the service; no scriptures were used by the congregants for the service but were read and cited by the priest and padre.

One noticeable topic that was repeatedly brought up throughout the service was the fallen condition of humans, their mortality, and the nature of sin. These seemed to have been tied to the concept of original sin, but never directly. The padre and priest had these concepts brought up in order to bring a sense of humility to the gathered members to lead to what was the central topic: Jesus Christ and his atonement to save those who follow his gospel. The iconography supported this topic, with murals, statues, and carvings relating several moments in the life of Christ, as presented in the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John in the New Testament. The focus of the life of Christ was consistently brought in with how his life and atonement are meant to save those who believe he is the savior (or Messiah) and keep his commandments. After the sermons from the padre and priest, the padre had called the congregants who wished to participate in the Eucharist, a symbolic ceremony meant to symbolize the Last Supper.

The service felt that it was not so much an experience to shame individuals into submission to Christ but a call to align themselves with him and to want to follow the gospel they teach. It appears that by discussing the fallen condition of people and how frail we can be, within a general sense, that the padre and priest try to guide their congregations without being forceful.

Lutheran Sabbath. The building the Lutheran service was located at was not a building specifically built for worship but appeared to have been rented for businesses located within downtown Lehi, Utah. Upon walking up to the building, the pastor welcomed everyone until the very moment when the service was to start that morning. There were pamphlets printed for that week’s service as well and used throughout the service for singing, prayer, and scriptures. This service was taken during the final Sunday of Lent, which was a repeated theme throughout the Sabbath service but not the primary lesson from the pastor.

Much of the service was hymns meant to praise God or Christ in his role of redeeming his followers and absolving their sins. Several scriptures were read from the Old Testament that are cited to be prophecies of Christ’s role (such as in the book of Isaiah) as well as from the New Testament of his apostles preaching that doctrine (such as Paul in the book of Romans). Most of this did not involve discussing required actions by anybody much beyond confessing faith in Christ and repenting of sins. It did not seem to go into great depth about this topic, but the Pastor did go through some of the history of Christ’s life and Israel’s time under Roman occupation.

However, his main lesson was on finding truth within a world that can have differing definitions of truth. This lesson started with discussing Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, and her sudden disappearance from public life bringing up conspiracies, especially with the doctored photo released on Mother’s Day 2024.¹² This news story was used in that the conspiracies could certainly not be true, but it still was not clear at the time of the service. He went on to say that not everything that is shared is true. That something to help can all be true and that there must be one truth for everyone. Of course, that truth would come from the God of everyone and everything, so that even as everyone can and does, at times, go through life uncertain, they can be sure they may achieve a true sense of happiness by following Christ.

LDS Sacrament. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (also known as the LDS Church or Mormons) is the dominant church in Utah, with a large concentration in Utah County specifically. There was no shortage of local congregations to choose from, so the selection criteria was to observe the meeting that the researcher’s own home would be designated to visit, which was the Timpanogos Park 2nd Ward, which was found using the church’s website (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, n.d.). The meeting that was attended was on Sunday, March 24th, 10:30 AM.

It started with the bishop of the local ward welcoming everyone, giving announcements, and laying out the agenda for the meeting, followed by an opening hymn and announcing the three speakers for the service. All three of the speakers had given sermons on the same topic, patriarchal blessings, claiming its roots from when Jacob in the Old Testament had given a final blessing to his sons, who became the founders of the tribes of Israel. It seemed that the three speakers were selected based on one of them being called to give patriarchal blessings to the members of the area (called a patriarch), his wife, and a young woman who was about to receive her patriarchal blessing. The specifics they covered about patriarchal blessings were their origins (as noted previously), how they can bless individuals, and how they have received their respective blessings (or given them to other individuals, in the case of the patriarch). There was an emphasis on how those blessings are to guide individuals, such as to instruct them on what activities to pursue throughout their life, some obstacles or sins to avoid, and some characteristics that they should develop. While none of the speakers went into specific examples of what the blessings can say, they hold the claim that the blessings are specific to each individual they are given to, given by God himself, through the patriarch, in an act of love to His followers.

While there was a specific bishop and councilors who were designated to serve over the local congregation, it must be noted that the speakers for that specific service were not chosen because they had specific training for any vocation but rather based on their callings in the area and their recent experiences. The sources they had chosen were primarily from their own experiences supplemented by scriptures they had cited from the Old Testament and from The Doctrine & Covenants, a set of scriptures from their founding prophet, Joseph Smith, which covers their early history.¹³ Though their respective sermons did not go into great depth about the topic of patriarchal blessings, the pace and language they used seem to indicate that having background knowledge on the subject was presumed from those listening.

Findings:

Notable findings from this study involve which doctrines each of the congregations and churches had taught in their respective services, with a distinctive outlier with the LDS Church in a few considerations. The first one is that during its worship service, the LDS Church covered a topic that is less likely to be familiar to visitors but well known by its regular members; the second is that while the service was led by the bishop, the individuals giving the sermon were from non-leadership positions. The other services differed on both accounts due to being led by the pastor, padre, or rabbi and having the lessons led by them as well, but may include congregants in small participatory roles. Additionally the topics for the services and lessons were of more general topics, discussing the character and nature of God and Adonai rather than delving into a specific topic that is unique to their respective beliefs.

Conclusion:

This paper covered the teachings that a local Jewish congregation, Catholic church, Lutheran congregation, and LDS ward will present in their respective worship services as well as who would lead the lessons in the worship services. While each of these religions have connected historical heritage it can be seen for what they focus on within similar topics and how it works within the respective services. Even within the local area, a few differences and similarities are shown, showing how diverse religious worship can be in a small area and with a similar heritage. While those differences may be what has driven the various schisms and divisions, there is still so much that can be shared between the various churches and congregations, especially since they look towards an incredibly similar god, if not the same god.

Appendix:

Ethics. Ethical considerations were taken very strongly into account in this research project due to the involvement of religion and religious worship in the study. Steps were taken to research what to expect (in a general sense) from attending the respective worship services, what the core tenets of their beliefs and doctrines are, and what is kosher or impolite during the respective services. This included but was not limited to, not participating in Catholic Eucharist, not taking notes during the services, participating in singing, and engaging with the congregants and leaders when appropriate. Furthermore, no names of members or leaders were put into this research paper to protect them, as no consent was given for any demographic or personal information that can be used to identify them.

Limitations. With only one researcher/author for the entire paper, it will have only their individual perspective(s) on any given topic within the scope of this study. The researcher will also be limited to their background knowledge of the observed congregations and sects and what can be learned before the observations. This limits the researcher’s knowledge of what to observe, what might not be significant at face value, and any biases in personal religious beliefs that can affect the observation. Additionally, the researcher will have only observed one congregation or sect of each religious group at only one instance of observation, limiting what can be learned. While these limitations can not be done away with completely, it certainly is important to acknowledge such limitations for this research paper.

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