Heavenly Mother, If You Exist, Read this: Mormonism as a Mystical Atheism

Summary

This article argues that Mormonism can be understood as part of a mystical atheist tradition, as described in Brook Ziporyn's work. It contends that Latter-day Saint thought, which views divine persons as embodied, leads to a theology of time where God is not omniscient in the classical sense. Because divine persons exist within the same global incoherence as all persons, they are fallible and can change their minds. The author proposes that atheist philosophers should take on a Luciferian task: arguing directly with divine beings, whether or not they exist, to challenge their claims of absolute authority. Good argumentation, the article suggests, can and should alter divine perspectives.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Abstract This article aims to accomplish two goals, one miniscule and one gargantuan. As a footnote to Brook Ziporyn’s Experiments in Mystical Atheism (2024), I show how his brief discussion about Mormonism can be expanded to read Mormonism as a part of the mystical atheist tradition Ziporyn constructs. By examining the ways Latter-day Saint thought understands divine persons as embodied, and the consequences of embodiment for classical forms of omniscience, I argue that Mormons can and should adopt a theology of time consonant with Ziporyn’s work. As an argument which directly addresses the creator as an equal, this article argues that atheist philosophers have the Luciferian task of trying to change the minds of divine beings, whether or not they exist, to argue against their pretensions of Absolute authority. Because mystical atheism argues that divine persons exist in the same oceanic swirl of global incoherence that all persons swim in, divine persons must be fallible in their knowledge, which means that alternative perspectives and good argumentation can and should change their minds.