I do not believe that religion, even true religion, is created ex nihilo. Instead, God organizes His church mostly out of pre-existing institutions and beliefs, which are then built on and sanctified.

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Prerequisites: None.

Originally Written: June 2017.

Confidence Level: An extremely versatile apologetic argument. It might Prove Too Much, but I still like it.

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Ex Nihilo is a Latin phrase for “out of nothing”: ex means “out”, as in exterior or exhaust, and nihilo means “nothing”, as in annihilate or nihilist.

Most Western religions believe that God created the world ex nihilo: God created the world out of nothing. When God said “Let there be light”, light suddenly came into existence. Before that, there was nothing but God.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints does not believe in ex nihilo creation. The Book of Abraham^[1]The Book of Abraham was revealed through Joseph Smith. It is not in the Bible. tells the story of creation as the story of how the heavens and the earth were “organized and formed”. Joseph Smith expounded further:

Now, the word create . . . does not mean to create out of nothing; it means to organize; the same as a man would organize materials and build a ship. Hence, we infer that God had materials to organize the world out of chaos.

– From The Encyclopedia of Mormonism, an unofficial summary of Mormon theology and practices made by BYU.

But what about ex nihilo creation of religion?

Many people expect true religion to be created ex nihilo. If it is the work of God, the religion – with all of its doctrines, institutions, and traditions – will be transferred to directly to humanity. Any evidence of the non-divine historical sources for aspect of the religion is evidence against it.

Critics of Mormonism often use this argument, based on evidence from the life of Joseph Smith. Yes, rural New England had a folk tradition of using seer stones to find buried treasure. Yes, the double baptism of Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in reminiscent of early Anabaptists, which they could have learned of from the Whitmers. Yes, some aspects of the temple ceremony have their roots in Freemasonry. These influences are real, but they are only problematic if you believe in ex nihilo creation of religion.

I do not believe in ex nihilo creation of religion.

God organized the world out of pre-existing matter. This does not reduce its status as the work of God.

God can take disorganized matter and create our beautiful and hospitable world.

God organizes His church out of institutions and beliefs that exist in the contemporary society. God can take flawed traditions and refine and sanctify them into the fullness of the everlasting gospel.

God can even take individuals with all of our past mistakes and current flaws and refine and sanctify us through Christ until we can serve and rejoice in His glory.