>> Are Unitarians Christian? Are the fundamentalist snake handlers from Tennessee Christian? Are the Adventists Christian?
I would say all of those are denominations of Christianity, with the possible exception of Unitarians. As I understand it, Unitarians do not believe that Christ is the only path to Salvation (thus they accept that Buddhists, Muslims, etc. may have found another path) ... thus that would be a major doctrinal distinction which separates them from Christianity.
My understanding is, the distinctions between Christian denominations are generally distinctions in the method of worship or minor doctrine, but not distinctions in fundamental doctrine. Thus Baptists, Methodists and Lutherans are all denominations of Christianity with differences in worship and minor doctrinal differences (my wife is Methodist, I am Baptist ... and, other than sprinkling or dunking during Baptism, I couldn’t tell you the difference). Mormonism, Unitarianism, Judaism, and Mormonism have differences in fundamental doctrine which separate them from traditional Christianity (for instance, Christ was not the Son of God (Judaism) or Christ is not the only path to Salvation (Unitarianism).
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Whoa wait. I don't believe that Christ was the Son of God? I must not have gotten that memo.
As a practicing Mormon, I can tell you we believe the same fundamental doctrines: Jesus Christ of Nazareth is THE Son of God, He is the only path for us to gain salvation, we ARE saved by grace despite what we do, the resurrection is universal, the Bible is God's word. The core doctrines are the same, but people focus on the minor differences. Also, people might take issue with my view that Mormons have a core that includes traditional Christianity's core beliefs and has the addition of continued revelation in modern times (that God still speaks to His children as he always has - especially in the perilous times in which we live). This allows for an “open canon” of scripture which includes the Book of Mormon - which complements and strengthens (not contradicts) the Bible.