Beckwith on the "religious genius" of Mormonism

"... Even if one thinks that [Joseph] Smith was profoundly mistaken
(as I do), one cannot help but marvel at the religious genius of this
project [Mormonism]: It has all the advantages of Reformation
Protestantism and nineteenth-century Restorationism ("Let's get back
to what Jesus and the apostles originally taught") with all the
advantages of Catholicism and Orthodoxy - an apostolic magisterium
within the confines of a visible church. Smith has both a priesthood
of all believers and a priesthood managed by a church hierarchy. He
offers a new gospel unconstrained by centuries of theological
precedent, yet it he could claim that it is as old as the apostles.
He could, without contradiction, reject tradition while claiming to
be the true guardian of an ancient message. It may be wrong, but it
was brilliant..."

- Francis J Beckwith, "When the Saint Goes Swearing In",
<http://www.firstthings.com/onthesquare/?p=754> (Thursday 24 May 2007)