Becoming like God

religious belief · current teaching

The church teaches exaltation, or becoming like God, as religious doctrine. The Becoming Like God essay discusses that teaching. It is not a historical or scientific finding, and it does not include a detailed official biography of God's past.

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religious belief · scripture

The Articles of Faith teach a Godhead of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost as three distinct beings. That is religious teaching, and it differs from the creedal language used by many other Christians.

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disputed · historical event

Critics say Hinckley downplayed a distinctive doctrine; defenders say he described current emphasis, not doctrine, and Hinckley later said he had been misquoted and understood the doctrine thoroughly.

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documented fact · historical event

Asked by Time in 1997 whether the Church teaches that God the Father was once a man, Gordon B. Hinckley said, "I don't know that we teach it. I don't know that we emphasize it," adding he had not heard it discussed in public discourse for a long time; the reporter's transcript matches the printed words.

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Articles of Faith

Joseph Smith · The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Event date discussed: 1842

The Articles of Faith, now in the Pearl of Great Price, include the church's teaching of a Godhead of three distinct beings: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. They were published in 1842 in the Wentworth letter and later canonized. This is religious teaching. Summary, not a quotation. 1842 is the historical publication of the articles, not the date of the current webpage.

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General Handbook, Chapter 1: God's Plan and Your Role in His Work of Salvation and Exaltation

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints · 2026-10

Chapter 1 presents the doctrinal frame for Church service: God's plan of happiness, His work of salvation and exaltation, the ordinances and covenants the Church teaches are necessary for exaltation, and four divinely appointed responsibilities (living the gospel, caring for those in need, inviting all to receive the gospel, and uniting families for eternity). It describes the purpose of the Church as helping people in that work. Religious teaching, summarized, not a quotation.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

Gospel Topics Essay: Becoming Like God

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

This Gospel Topics essay presents exaltation, becoming like God, as a teaching of the church and discusses later prophetic language about human potential in that tradition. How literally to speak about God's own past is treated cautiously. This is religious teaching, not a historical or scientific finding. Summary, not a quotation.

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Kingdom Come

David Van Biema · Time · 1997-08-04

Time cover story quoting Gordon B. Hinckley on whether God was once a man: "I don't know that we teach it. I don't know that we emphasize it."

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Does President Gordon B. Hinckley Understand LDS Doctrine?

FAIR · FAIR · n.d.

FAIR archive article defending Hinckley's Time and Chronicle answers as responses to ambiguous questions about a little-understood doctrine.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

Faithful apologetics. Written to defend Church claims. Not peer-reviewed and not an official Church source.

What was Gordon B. Hinckley's opinion about the King Follett Discourse? (FAIR Answers)

FAIR · FAIR · n.d.

FAIR argues Hinckley described curriculum emphasis rather than denying the doctrine, citing his other statements praising it.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

Faithful apologetics. Written to defend Church claims. Not peer-reviewed and not an official Church source.

Dodging and Dissembling Prophet

Institute for Religious Research · IRR · n.d.

Prints Richard Ostling's letter with the Time interview transcript, showing the question asked and Hinckley's added remark that he had not heard it discussed in public discourse for a long time.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

Critical advocacy. Argues against Church truth claims or leaders' statements. Not peer-reviewed.

Hinckley's 'I Don't Know That We Teach It' Interview

wasmormon.org · wasmormon.org · n.d.

Critical essay arguing Hinckley downplayed a distinctive doctrine and quoting his later "misquoted and misunderstood" remark.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

Critical advocacy. Argues against Church truth claims or leaders' statements. Not peer-reviewed.