Utah Senators Push Pentagon to Reverse LDS Christian Classification Decision

The Department of Defense is facing criticism from Utah Republicans and LDS advocates after a revised military religious-affiliation list failed to classify The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as Christian.

The controversy emerged after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s department reduced the military’s recognized religious-affiliation codes from more than 200 to 31. While the LDS Church remained on the list, it was separated from Christian denominations, prompting immediate objections from Utah Sen. Mike Lee, Sen. John Curtis, and other Republican officials.

Subscribe free for daily political analysis they won’t broadcast. Join 110K+ readers →

Pentagon officials said the restructuring was designed to help military chaplains allocate resources more efficiently and was not intended as a theological judgment.

The dispute quickly expanded beyond administrative policy. Supporters of the LDS Church argued the federal government should not determine whether a faith tradition qualifies as Christian. Critics said the decision reflected broader theological divisions that have existed for decades between some evangelical groups and Latter-day Saints.

Following the backlash, the Pentagon adjusted the list’s labeling structure, though debate over the classification continues.

Subscribe free for daily political analysis they won’t broadcast. Join 110K+ readers →